Beat 1696

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Tripping on echoes with Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever.

The Melbourne indie rock royalty are back with their self-produced answer to isolation.

MELBOURNE’S VOICE IN MUSIC, ARTS & CULTURE MAY 2022 ISSUE 1696

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Editorial Note Melbourne, it’s been…emotional. For the past two years you’ve all welcomed us into your homes, where beat.com.au has replaced the batshit crazy stream of conspiracy theories contaminating your socials with the city’s most entertaining stories. While everyone was baking Tiger King and watching sourdough, we were slugging our guts out to make Beat better than ever and now we’re back on the streets where we belong.

As you can see from our cover we’ve had a facelift, but the beating heart of Melbourne remains the same as our first issue back in 1986, which featured some new group called Crowded House. As is tradition, the following 52 pages are jam-packed with music, art, entertainment and shitloads of ads, living proof that magazines, like cockroaches, can survive the apocalypse. So, whether you find our glorious periodical on the maple countertop of your favourite wine bar or the piss-soaked floors of your local pub toilets, you’ll know that you’re looking at the time-tested experts’ guide to Melbourne.

With a website breaking news 24/7, the most comprehensive online gig guide, and a flashy monthly print magazine that hand-picks the best of Beat, we’re more Melbourne than kicking a footy on a crowded tram, or drinking a $7 latte in the rain.

This month, you’ll get to know Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Running Touch, Confidence Man, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, and the wonderful work of Dr Lou Bennett AM. There’s the usual spread of reviews and gigs, and we’ll also take a long look at RISING Festival, suss lockdown’s unusual effect on clubbing, and wonder where the hell we’d all be without The Curtin Hotel. Tuck in.

Acknolwedgement of Traditional Owners Our magazine is published on the lands of the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation, and we wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.

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DISTRIBUTION Beat Mag will be distributed free every month to hundreds of locations around metro Melbourne, to enquire about having it at your venue email distribution@furstmedia.com.au

COVER Our May cover stars are Melbourne indie rock royalty Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, with photography from Lisa Businovski.

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CONTENTS

News 10, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever 16, Illuminate Adelaide 19, RISING 20, Running Touch 22, Outright 24 26 + Maple Glider , The Curtin , Smith Street Band 27, Dr Lou Bennett AM 28, Confidence Man 30, Album Reviews 32, Single Reviews 33, Wows + The 34 36 Leadbeater , The Tote + Bar 303 , Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers 38, Clubbing’s VR Future 40, Sarah Blasko 42, Joan As Police Woman 44, Gig Guide 47 beat.com.au

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NEWS

Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Courtney Barnett to play stunning Hanging Rock show

MTC to debut Aidan Fennessy’s final work The Heartbreak Choir

Victoria is in for a real treat - Nick Cave, Warren Ellis and Courtney Barnett are all playing a show that’s definitely not to be missed at the spectacular Hanging Rock in the Macedon Ranges. There’ll be two shows taking place, on Friday November 25 and Saturday November 26.

Described as a joyful, song-filled snapshot of a devastated community learning how to heal, Melbourne Theatre Company will bring the final play written by Aidan Fennessy to its stages. Fennessy unfortunately passed away from a terminal illness in September 2020. His work will now be brought to the stage by The Architect director Peter Houghton.

The Ghost Inside, Underoath lead Full Tilt Festival this July Fresh from delivering a mammoth event in Melbourne in March, Full Tilt Festival has announced its return to the festival circuit with an army of international and local alternative acts ready to descend on the east coast this July. Full Tilt comes to Melbourne on July 23 at Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts (PICA).

Harry Styles is set to perform at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium in 2023.

Grammy award-winning, global superstar Harry Styles has confirmed he will be returning to Australia and New Zealand for his Love On Tour 2023 world tour, confirming stadium shows for the first time. The Victorian shows will take to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on February 24 and 25, with general public tickets on sale from April 27.

Harvey Sutherland, Perfume Genius, TEEKS to transform Melbourne Recital Centre Melbourne Recital Centre’s Elisabeth Murdoch Hall will host some exceptional contemporary musicians for a series of transformative winter shows with surreal audio and visual elements uniquely configured for this exclusive event. This will go down June 3-4, and we don’t have to tell you, it’s going to be huge.

Leon Bridges announces show at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall Grammy-winning Texan R&B star Leon Bridges is set for his first Melbourne show since 2019 when he plays at Hamer Hall on September 29. Bridges has sold out shows all around the world, including Melbourne, where he played multiple nights at the Palais Theatre last time around. Milan Ring will support Bridges.

Tash Sultana to headline Ocean Sounds Festival in Phillip Island Tash Sultana will perform their only Victorian show of 2022 in the serene surrounds of Churchill Island. Heading back to the serene surrounds of Churchill

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Canadian pop songstress Tate McRae is coming to Melbourne in July The rising star, known for her EPs all the things i never said and TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD is performing at The Forum on July 20. Performing her first ever Australian shows this July, Tate McRae is bringing her unparalleled dance moves and vocal ability to Melbourne stages.

The St Kilda Film Festival returns for its 39th year

GLASSHOUSE JAM SESSION 7.30PM

SINGLE RELEASE 8PM

Island, just off Phillip Island on Saturday, December 10, the festival is part of the ALWAYS LIVE program, a state-wide celebration of contemporary live music supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria.

The longest running short film festival in Australia, the St Kilda Film Festival is back for another year of bringing local talent to the cinema screen. The festival is running from May 27 – June 5 this year with physical screenings returning alongside extensive online programming with the aim of reaching broader audiences.

Jimmy Barnes is coming to Melbourne for the 30th anniversary of Soul Deep Celebrating the 30th anniversary of his ARIA award winning album Soul Deep, Jimmy Barnes is issuing a remastered re-release of the album and taking it on tour. He’s heading to Rod Laver Arena with special guests including Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates for an evening of R&B classics.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 1

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n’ The B’ Hammond Night 11th Bday: Cookin On 3 Burners + Paul Williamson’s Hammond Combo + Psi Phi

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World’s most complete and preserved Triceratops opens to sold out crowds 67 million years in the making, Melbourne Museum’s new exhibition Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs opened to sold-out crowds with thousands of visitors roaring in to be among the first in the world to meet ‘Horridus’, the world’s most complete and finely preserved This Triceratops, which roamed the Earth during the late Cretaceous, around 66-68 million years ago.

in the Key of J, which was released last month. They will be performing at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne on Friday July 15. Spiderbait will also appear at Groovin the Moo in April and Valleyways Festival in September.

event over five years, aiming to get to 35,000 punters by the third year.

Northcote has a new 1500 person heritage-listed live music venue The Northcote Theatre is transforming into a live and versatile music complex in 2022, replete with a cocktail bar, rooftop bar, Italian style trattoria and boutique wine bar. Established at 216 High Street (corner High Street and Bastings Street) in June 1912, the Northcote Theatre remains the earliest surviving picture theatre designed in Victoria.

Finally, UK grime star Stormzy is coming to Melbourne

Milan Design Film Festival is coming to ACMI this May In collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura (The Italian Cultural Institute), ACMI is hosting the Milan Design Film Festival from May 19-30. Featuring a selection of films from the ninth edition of the Milan Design Festival, this season aims to spotlight architecture and design through its range of over 20 documentaries and shorts.

Originally set to take over Australian stages in 2020, the rescheduled dates for Stormzy’s tour have been announced for December this year. Stormzy’s Heavy is The Head tour will feature tracks from his second studio album of the same name – an album that reached number one on the UK album chart and was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.

Fitzroy’s iconic Rose Street Artists’ Market is back One of Melbourne’s best local markets, the Rose Street Market (at 60 Rose Street in Fitzroy, just off Brunswick Street) has returned to show off the best in local creativity every Saturday and Sunday from 10am til 4pm. The iconic destination of everything crafted is celebrating its 18th year as a pillar of the city’s handmade trading.

Falls Festival reveal plans to double festival attendance Aussie rockers Spiderbait announce Melbourne show Iconic Australian band Spiderbait have just announced a national Tour in the Key of J in support of their new album, Sounds

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One of Australia’s longest-running music festivals is moving on to its next chapter, with new plans to double festival attendance at its new site. The Lorne event will be relocated to Pennyroyal Plains in Murroon for their 2022/2023 festival. The move intends to grow the

Mongolian throat-singing rockers The Hu are coming to Melbourne Mongolian rock outfit The Hu are headed back to Australia in August 2022, announcing a four-date national tour full of pure rock and metal fury. Beginning in Melbourne on August 3, the Black Thunder Tour will give fans the chance to hear new music from The Hu’s highly anticipated sophomore album, due later this year.

Indie sensations Vacations are performing at the Brunswick Ballroom in July Following sold out shows across the US and with a single going Gold in the States, the Newcastle locals are heading back to Australia for their first headlining tour in three years. The Vacations’ tour of the States saw over 14,000 tickets sold, multiple venue upgrades and shows added across 32 dates throughout the country.

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Pop-fuelled musical about Henry VIII’s six wives coming to Melbourne

La Mama’s new play set on Black Saturday ‘scorched in secrets and trauma’

Described as a ‘pop-fuelled musical packed full of sass’, SIX remixes the history of the six wives of Henry VIII – Britain’s notorious Tudor King – in a modern retelling from the perspectives of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. It’s coming to Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from June 17.

Carlton’s La Mama Theatre is set to premiere HEARTH, a new play about family and belonging set amidst the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009. Fleur Murphy takes a personal approach, focusing on the drama inherent in a family celebrating an 18th birthday in Kinglake that day. The play runs from May 18 – 29 at La Mama Courthouse.

See the Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Dali and Tanning works coming to NGV Running from June 10 to October 9, The Picasso Century will feature more than 70 of Picasso’s works and over 100 pieces by other ground-breaking artists of his time including Georges Braque, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse and Dorothea Tanning – many never before seen in Australia.

Melbourne liquor licensing changes to allow venues to stay open longer Bars, hotels, restaurants and cafes wanting to extend their trading hours from 11pm to 1am will now be able to do so automatically, without having to apply for a change to their licence. The changes are aimed at assisting hospitality venues to recover from the impacts of Covid-19, in an effort to reinvigorate Melbourne’s stuttering nightlife.

musical is set to open in August 2022 with acclaimed director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, leading a Broadway creative team to present Hairspray in Australia as originally intended.

A Friends musical parody is coming to Melbourne this year Originally scheduled for last year, Friends!

The Musical Parody is finally heading our way. The comedic, song-filled take on the 90s sitcom has been rescheduled and is making its way to Adelaide, Hobart, Wollongong, Parramatta, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne in 2022, kicking off in May and running right through to December.

Dolly Parton’s musical 9 TO 5 is coming to Melbourne 9 TO 5 is inspired by Parton’s film of the same name, which came out in 1980 to strong reviews but is perhaps better remembered now through the seminal hit song of the same name. Forget the Covid blues for the most fun you’ll have all year at Melbourne’s State Theatre in July.

Female-led, 1960s set Hamlet coming to Arts Centre Melbourne Bell Shakespeare first launched their critically-acclaimed, femaleled and contemporary version of the bard’s Hamlet in 2020, upon which it was promptly closed due to state lockdowns. Set in 1960s Denmark, the female-led performance reimagines the bard’s original. Bell Shakespeare is presenting their long-awaited return of Hamlet at Arts Centre Melbourne from 28 April until 14 May after a two-year hibernation.

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TOMM¥ €A$H is coming to The Night Cat in June New Hairspray musical coming to Melbourne’s Regent Theatre Eight-time Tony Award winning Broadway musical Hairspray is going to open at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in August, starring Shane Jacobson as beloved housewife Edna Turnblad. The Broadway

Radical and genre defying musical and visual artist TOMM¥ €A$H is coming to Australia for a series of headline shows following a massive three month world tour. Known for his raunchy and unconventional approach to music, the rapper will be at The Night Cat for one night only on June 4 as part of his debut tour of the country.

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in Melbourne. The exhibition that seeks to highlight the beauty and art found in the ordinary, the everyday, the mundane, is running from April 20 – July 22.

Entry is free.

Check out NGV’s celebration of contemporary India Transforming Worlds Transforming Worlds features artworks from all across India – from the Gond and Wali painters of central India, Suthar, Jogi, Santal and Madhubani artists of northern India; and the Kalighat and Chitrakar painters of eastern India. Entry is free and it’s running from April 9 to August 28

From Mundane to Friday paints a fascinating portrait of everyday life in Melbourne This exhibition at the City Gallery in Melbourne Town Hall tessellates art with found objects, crafting an intimate and fascinating portrait of pandemic life

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New music festival Winter Sounds coming to Daylesford Following two rescheduled events, C.W. Stoneking, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks and more will headline the event when it finally goes ahead from Friday, July 15 until Sunday, July 17 across Daylesford venues.

Three years in the making, Melbourne’s RISING Festival returns with a huge 12-day program featuring 225 events An amalgamation of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and White Night, RISING is the Asia Pacific’s preeminent cultural festival. It’s an event like no other; an experience uniquely tethered to place. It may have taken three years, but it will be worth it. RISING will electrify Melbourne from 1—12 June.

century and its prospects of space travel.

You can see it at the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne until July 17 and exhibition admission is free.

New Melbourne festival Summer Camp announces November date Announcing its debut with a bang comes the inaugural Summer Camp Festival – Australia’s first touring pride festival – bringing a celebration of freedom and diversity to Melbourne on Saturday November 12 at Reunion Park. Headliners include Years & Years, Ladyhawke, Confidence Man, Young Franco, Cub Sport, The Veronicas and many more!

New Melbourne Museum exhibition showcases the world of ancient Greece Melburnians will be able to dive into the trade, spirituality and art, ideas and culture of ancient Greece in an Australianfirst exhibition which brings precious artefacts from Greece exclusively to Melbourne Museum. Open Horizons will showcase 44 treasures from the Early Bronze age through to the Roman period. Melbourne Museum’s new exhibition will be opened on Saturday April 23.

Australia’s involvement in the space race celebrated in new Melbourne exhibition Out of This World: Australia in the Space Age has landed at the Victorian Archives Centre – an exhibition that aims to capture the electrifying zeitgeist of the mid-20th

Hot Dub Rave Machine to bring a bunch of classic bangers to Melbourne Having consistently delivered the best party rocking show around Australia and the world over the past ten years, Hot Dub Time Machine is back with a brand-new show celebrating the best in dance music from 1990-2022 with Hot Dub Rave Machine! They’ll be at Melbourne’s Timber Yard on June 4.

Melbourne’s galleries and museums come alive with Art After Dark A late-night cultural feast is heading to Melbourne this May, as the city’s leading galleries, museums and other cultural destinations keep their doors open for an after-hours extravaganza, Art After Dark.

Making its debut across two nights, Friday 13 and Saturday 14 May, the program will feature live music and performance art across Fed Square, NGV, Arts Centre, Melbourne Museum, State Library and ACMI.

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ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER The Melbourne indie rock royalty are back with their most cinematic and stylistically diverse album to date, a self-produced answer to isolation.

Words by Shane Bardsley

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Endless Rooms, the band’s recently released third EP, remains a love letter to the creative experimentation and the collaborative spirit that the band has forged together over the last couple of years.

Having recently made a cathartic return to the stage for the long-awaited tour of their highly acclaimed sophomore album Sideways to New Italy, an album released amidst the ambivalence of the 2020 lockdowns, Rolling Blackouts C.F. are back with new and ambitious material that showcases the live power of the band.

“Finishing that album was an exhausting process, we threw absolutely everything at it,” says vocalist and guitarist, Fran Keaney on Sideways into New Italy. “I’m really proud of that album but releasing it during the pandemic was like releasing this bird into the ether, and then it was like … what now?”

Isolation turned out to be a period of creative experimentation and realisation for the band, with Keaney and fellow members Joe White, brothers Joe Russo and Tom Russo, and Marcel Tussie taking time to experiment with their sound during quarantine. Unknowingly at the time, these riffs, lyrics and ideas would eventually form the raw material of their newly released third LP Endless Rooms.

“We had all these disparate ideas which when we finally got back into a room together, we started to make feel our own, ideas which really came to life in that house. I remember thinking we should record as soon as we’re together and just see what happens, and so we tried to bottle that initial spirit and spark.”

With guitars buzzing down from the upstairs mezzanine over booming bass and drums setup below, the tracks of Endless Rooms were laid down live around the lounge room fireplace of the transformed open plan Rolling Blackouts C.F headquarters and Russo family retreat.

the embers, someone thinking about the meals we were gonna cook, while others worked on overdubs and vocals. We’d eat together, keep plugging away at it all, and then sit around the fire having a few knockoffs while taking in the country air and beautiful stars. Those two weeks were the highlight of the year.”

Motifs of longing and belonging somehow conveying a desolation of social anomie, alongside the euphoric fervour of being at home in solidarity, feel tangibly lucid in the urgent sensibilities effervescing throughout lead single ‘The Way it Shatters’. Reflecting on the motions of being apart and coming together Keaney adds: “While the songs were written in lockdown the LP itself is a culmination of this return and celebration – themes of being separated and coming back together again, which was really life-affirming. It felt like, man I’ve missed this so much, it was this real ‘Fuck yeah!’ This is what it’s all about! I hope people really feel that energy.”

The release also sees the band’s return to their self-produced format of early EPs Talk Tight and French Press, and with it, a sound for those familiar with their back catalogue that echoes a sublime nostalgic melancholia. By the same token, it inflects a more reflexive nocturnal alterity, creating a dynamic contrast evident between anthemic earworms ‘Tidal River’ and ‘My Echo.’

“I think of it as a self-titled album that has a name. It’s an album we’ve always had in us, it’s a bit darker, but those songs had just never found their feet,” states Keaney on the process of the album’s creation. “It feels like a real solid pronouncement of that. And being self-produced alongside Matt Duffy who we did our first EPs with, it felt like this natural return, but also an expansion of that. Endless Rooms feels like you’re there in the warm cocoon of that space, and I hope people turn it up really loud as then you’re properly enveloped in that feeling.”

Towards the end of May, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever embark on a huge world tour that will see them playing shows across Europe and the USA. Kicking off at Festival Tomavistas in

“It’s an album we’ve always had in us, it’s a bit darker, but those songs had just never found their feet” Spontaneously created and conceived within the group’s initial creative quarantine, the retreat’s acoustics have played a vital role in creating and unifying the sound and material of Endless Rooms. “Having such a big space to play around in, with all these different surfaces to bounce off and mics all over the roof picking up all that noise without any of the cymbal wash getting in the way, suited a lot of songs that have these big washy celestial soundscapes – which is the guitar amplifiers running absolutely hot,” recounts Keaney.

With bold tones that unify the sounds of Australia’s natural landscapes with the zeitgeist of the people who live there, Endless Rooms is an album that remains emblematic of the country house it was recorded in. Invoking ambient field recordings of fire, rain, wind, and birds from the lakeside locale, the record conveys the impact that the aesthetic of the space’s natural environs had on the production and recording process.

On the effect that the house had on the album’s production, as well as the quality of communal time shared amongst his long-time friends during the process, Keaney remarks: “Being thrown out of lockdown into this country splendour was a real special time and that’s why when it came to thoughts on the album cover, Joe suggested that if it lives here, we should have the house on the cover. We had the fireplace going the whole time, you’d wake up and someone would be tending to

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Madrid, they’re playing a run of shows across the UK and Europe where they will once again rock Primavera in Barcelona. Rolling Blackouts will be heading back here for Splendour in the Grass at the end of July and then they’re jetting off again to play Lollapalooza for the final leg of gigs in the US. “I’m really looking forward to playing this album live!”

Keaney says. “I feel like as a whole, it’s closer to what we’re like live, there’s more boom to the drums, the guitars are wider, and it’s just a larger sound.”

If you missed their recent Melbourne show at the Brunswick Ballroom last month, don’t worry – you’ll have a chance to catch these home-grown legends back in Australia at the end of the year. Fresh off their tour around Europe and the States, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever will be embarking on a national headlining tour of Endless Rooms in October.

Endless Rooms (Sub Pop/Ivy League) is out now on CD, cassette, available to stream on digital platforms, and with a vinyl pressing soon to follow.

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A celebration of innovation, music, art, light and technology, Adelaide’s winter music and arts festival, Illuminate Adelaide, has announced its return in 2022, lifting the lid on its impressive new lineup.

Following last year’s wildly successful inaugural edition, the second iteration of Illuminate Adelaide will now take place over the entire month of July, transforming laneways, venues and spaces across the city with a program of free and ticketed discussions, installations, dance, live music, immersive experiences and much more.

Promising to entice locals, interstate, and international visitors to the city as it brings the streets of Adelaide to a bright and intriguing light this winter, the festival is already looking the goods with its 2022 program, featuring Istanbul-based visionaries Ouchhh Studio’s major exhibition Wisdom of AI Light – an AI-driven multisensory experience that’s putting the art in artificial intelligence; Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s ground-breaking band Gorillaz; the return of celebrated Montreal studio Moment Factory’s Light Cycles at the Botanic Gardens; the free city-wide centrepiece City Lights bringing over 40 large-scale installations, projections and immersive works to the city; plus a wider music program that is a glorious journey through music in all its forms and variations.

Curated by co-founders and creative directors Rachael Azzopardi and Lee Cumberlidge, the festival will see local, national and international creatives and technologists alike come together for a vibrant winter with last year’s edition attracting over 500,000 attendees and bringing more than $40 million to the South Australian economy – despite wild weather and a COVID lockdown.

“After an overwhelming response to our inaugural program in 2021 we are delighted to announce for 2022 an expanded program of experiences, installations, and performances showcasing the very best examples of the convergence of art and technology our city and the world has to offer right now,” the founders say.

Further highlights of the 2022 event will be the return of Light Creatures which will take audiences behind the gates of Adelaide Zoo after dark; the Australian premiere of Joanna Dudley’s operatic video installation We Will Slam You With Our Wings which steals from some of history’s most notoriously sexist speeches and recasts them into a feminist war cry echoing through the ages; Futures, a 50-metre walkway of light, sound and mirrors by Lucid Creates; and

Ferdi Alici and Eylul Alici can be heard in conversation at an artist keynote address.

On the music front, alongside the world’s greatest virtual band Gorillaz, who will be performing their first Aussie shows in over a decade, the festival will shine with the genre-defying music and visual series KLASSIK underground where globetrotting Australian violist Tahlia Petrosian will direct the collaboration between a star-studded ensemble of musicians and Australia’s foremost visual artists across three nights including CAPITAL WASTE (Liam Somerville), Robin Fox and Margie Medlin.

The Illuminate Adelaide 2022 music program will also feature Unsound Adelaide – the international celebration of cutting edge experimental and electronic music – returning to its spiritual home in the southern hemisphere. From its ground-breaking flagship festival in Krakow, Poland to 30 locations around the globe, Unsound has become a magnet for some of the most exciting, innovative and arresting sounds heard anywhere in the world, and its program for Illuminate Adelaide will take over the Dom Polski Centre on 22 and 23 July with heavy hitter Stephen O’Malley of Sunn O))) collaborating with experimental musician Kali Malone, frequent collaborators and mind-bending performers Sinjin Hawke (USA) & Zora Jones (Austria), 700 Bliss (USA) the take-no-prisoners duo of DJ Haram and Moor Mother and Australian cult favourites HTRK, as well as the late-night Unsound Club at The Lab, with Air Max ’97 and Corin and more.

There will also be a unique collaboration between Chinese-Australian avant-garde composer Mindy Meng Wang and Tim Shiel at Nexus Arts, and a distinctive lineup across four weekends at The Lab at Light where light and sound will converge to present some of the most cutting-edge new music locally and internationally.

Gorillaz lead Illuminate Adelaide’s huge 2022 winter festival lineup

Taking place from 1 – 31 July, Illuminate Adelaide will see the city come alive with lights, live music, visual art, discussion, installation and much more for its second ever event.

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Words by Talia Rinaldo

the Squidsoup collective’s Submergence, comprising thousands of suspended lights visitors can wander among. Spanish 3D-projection artist Filip Roca will also follow up his 2021 festival hit by lighting up Adelaide Festival Centre’s exterior; and permanent nine-storey screen with The Rundle Lantern.

Ouchhh Studio is Illuminate Adelaide’s 2022 Luminary Artist In Residence, and in addition to the aforementioned Wisdom of AI Light, the Studio will also present Ocean Data at Light Adelaide as part of the City Lights program, and Ouchhh Studio directors

Illuminate Adelaide is happening from July 1 – July 31 2022. Head to the festival website for the full program.

Made in partnership with Illuminate Adelaide.

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Three years in the making, what sets RISING apart?

It’s the story we’ve all been hearing a bit too much lately, something cool and original was planning a 2020 drop, but was faced with countless cancellations, postponements and delays, only to come out of the weeds with a 2022 release.

Words by Ben Lamb

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RISING was one of the few to survive the lockdowns, coming out of Covid with a jam-packed 2022 program bringing artists of all types to our stages. With 225 events, 14 world-premieres, and 801 local and international artists, RISING already has the look and feel of a festival three years in the making.

“It’s been a wild ride,” curator Woody McDonald says, “but it’s been exciting, so much has changed for the better in the last two years. The idea that we actually have a festival happening in a month is very exciting.

“There are two themes to the festival, the Japanese sub-theme, and also the Jim White In Residence. They’re two things I really like about this year’s program. On top of that, there’s some well-known stuff and some obscure stuff in there, but it’s all worth checking out.”

Prepping a festival in Covid times is a tough feat, Woody noting that internationals were booked while border closure rules were still up in the air.

“When we started putting it together, we thought there’d be a week-long quarantine requirement. Now that no longer counts, and we didn’t know anything about capacity limits for venues either.”

The ever-changing rules throw a spanner in the works when it comes to major festival curation, as internationals need to be approached a few months out.

“We didn’t know how much a flight would be, or if there’d be any rule changes for them entering Australia, a lot of artists weren’t willing to spend two weeks in quarantine for example,” he continues.

“That’s how our Japanese program came about because initially, Japan and Australia had a very similar attitude towards Covid, and other countries were in a very different stage.”

RISING isn’t your average Melbourne arts festival. In the vein of Vivid or Dark Mofo, it’s an opportunity to catch acts that are a little different, yet some of the most highly regarded in the world. Despite its forebears, from its earliest inception, RISING always aimed to be original.

“We’re using this opportunity to present things that Melbourne audiences will respond to, and might not necessarily be mainstream enough for outdoor festivals, or may not be appropriate for that type of thing,” Woody explains.

“This year, we’re trying to fit in with the initial vision of Hannah [Fox] and Gideon [Obarzanek], [RISING co-artistic directors] and where they see the festival going. I guess the music is

responding to that, which covers a lot, it’s got everything from more avant-garde to contemporary art.”

Staged from June 1-12, RISING will prolong Melbourne’s emphatic re-emergence right into the heart of winter, with a huge array of events each night.

“Melbourne city really lends itself to that, it’s an easy city to access,” Woody adds. “It’s a good city to catch a train in and do a few things in one night, and with something like RISING, you could probably go to two or three different shows in a night and do something else in the city.

“It really works in that way. I think there’s a lot of Melbourne that is set up really well for that type of experience. I think Melbourne in winter is great too, particularly when you’re indoors. It’s a great city to be in and go and see shows in.”

There are so many amazing music festivals in Melbourne, each offering something different to audiences. The standard formula features a handful of stages, with artists playing shorter sets.

This is an area where RISING 2022 stands apart, fans can immerse themselves in a performance for hours, in an intimate setting.

“I think we’re not ready to be around huge crowds straightaway,” he says, “so, it’s nice to go and see something a little bit more curated, and a little bit more intimate.”

The festival’s program packs wow-factor. You can catch highly-regarded US performers like Moses Sumney and Lucy Dacus, hugely impressive local talents such as Tkay Maidza and Sampa The Great, or visual art havens like The Wilds and Golden Square.

Woody notes that opening the doors back up to internationals across all of the different performance areas will inject some new life into the Melbourne music scene.

“I think it was really fun with localonly line-ups when the borders were closed, but now there’ll be a new type of stimulation in Melbourne,” he says. “So, having these artists back, it feels kind of great. Although, I’ve seen so many great local shows recently, that’s hopefully not going to stop anytime soon.”

RISING Festival runs across Melbourne from June 1–12.

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‘Fuck it, I’m not doing any of those grand concepts, I’m going to do just the most basic shit I can and have fun with it.’

RUNNING TOUCH Ego, Carmine and American coffee Words by Joseph Carbone

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While researching for my interview with local dance and electronic powerhouse Running Touch (Matthew Victor Kopp), I give his most recent Insta posts a look-over. I already know that he’s in Los Angeles – our Zoom call is at 7am for myself, and 2pm for him – where he’s preparing to play Coachella with Hayden James. A post of his, however, catches my eye: one where he touches on probably the biggest hurdle for a Melburnian in the States. The coffee.

So, naturally, my first question for the local legend is about how he was finding the quality of American coffee. He smilingly responds: “How do you think? It’s no good, I don’t know – I wish I had describing words to give to you.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but someone’s got to make a change.”

Who better to dictate change than Running Touch? After founding the Australian nu-metal band Ocean Grove, he made the switch to a solo career that exploded onto the Aussie music scene with his 2017 EP A Body Slow. Blending grunge, nu metalcore and hardcore punk, Running Touch’s vocal, keys and sample work characterise Ocean Grove’s studio production. The singer, songwriter and record producer has been producing steadily for other artists ever since, including being a featured artist in tracks for Adult Art Club, Verboten Berlin and Hayden James.

So far, it’s paid dividends, he’s racked up 130 million streams and is – at the time of our interview – preparing to jump on stage to perform the Hayden James song ‘Better Together’, which he features on, at arguably the world’s most coveted festival before his debut album Carmine drops.

“I’m very grateful, very excited obviously,” he says. “The two things I’m really excited about are one, it’s not my show so I don’t have to bear the burden of playing one of, if not the, best festivals in the world. Two, being a solo act, I don’t really get to share many moments with other people because it’s just me, but it’s Hayden’s set, and it’s his first Coachella so it’ll be really cool to share a moment and a milestone with him. It’s fun, feels like you’re part of the group.

“The majority of my time here has just been purely studiobased and recording. It’s incredible,” he explains. “I spent the start of 2022 preparing for this trip, refining workflow, knowledge, and practice. It’s different to the way I’ve done studio sessions in the past, so recording heaps of music and hopefully we see some of it.”

There’s a five-year gap between A Body Slow and Carmine, and fans have been eagerly awaiting more music from the man behind bops like ‘Aubrey’ and ‘When I’m Around You’. He tells me that he had studio time booked in at the start of 2020, but Covid ground his album to a halt alongside the wider world. He considers it a blessing in disguise.

“It took a fuckin’ minute, that’s for sure,” he says. “It took maybe a year, year-and-a-half to make, because of Covid it was pretty stop-start.

“Man, I’m super happy I didn’t release it. It’s one of those things that I’m really grateful for, it happened very fluidly, it wasn’t rushed. My shit’s already all over the place because I’m more of a producer than an artist now, I have no fucking idea how I could’ve done it.”

That doesn’t mean that he’s entirely satisfied with how the album rollout has gone. In the lead-up to Carmine, no less than six singles have been released, double an average album cycle.

With all six singles featuring on the 13-track album, Running Touch shares his anxiety over how this abnormal approach has

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become a source of anxiety for him: “Because of Covid we were just like ‘Oh fuck what are we going to do, do we have to write more songs?’ It really made it… interesting is maybe the right word. Strange.”

Equal parts glittery and glamorous, Carmine features soaring choruses, heavy reverb and reflective verses that capture a nostalgic electronic sound. In describing the vibe of the album and what it means to him, Running Touch shares a somewhat paradoxical overlook: simple and complex all at once. The artist is known for his trail-blazingly unique blend of styles, influenced by the textures of tech-house, pop, indie rock and hardcore stylings. Within his tracks, the multi-dimensional Melbourne musician constantly pushes past the boundaries of the expected within his work. Tracks in Carmine will be moodily electronic with hints of funky guitar and pop vocals, although according to Running Touch, staying focused with his impressive ability to meld genres proved a “real challenge” for him.

“Man, I’m super happy I didn’t release it. It’s one of those things that I’m really grateful for, it happened very fluidly, it wasn’t rushed.”

“It’s hard not to chase those things and follow your ambition … and you’ve got a bit of ego there as well, in terms of knowing you can do something. Going into this I was very worried that it wasn’t going to be cohesive - I still don’t know if it is, I don’t know if people are just being nice to me and just fucking bullshitting me,” he laughs.

But on the artwork (the work of Darren Oorloff, a former Melburnian now in LA) and the title of the album (carmine is a dark shade of red that represents lust and violence), he presents a refreshingly straightforward vision: “I really liked the colour red and I was like ‘Fuck it, I’m not doing any of those grand concepts, I’m going to do just the most basic shit I can and have fun with it,’ and just picked a colour and I ran with it. So that might be a bit simple but, honestly, that’s all it is. It just really helped, it felt more honest. I’m not trying to push anything, I’m a simple man. It’s like I’m in grade three and red’s my favourite colour.”

So what does Running Touch listen to in his downtime? He surprises himself with his answer, as his favourite new song was found on TikTok. “This sounds really rude, but I’ve never heard a good song on TikTok, I just haven’t. I’ve heard stuff that’s really well done, but it’s nothing special. [Then] I found a band on TikTok, and I was like ‘Oh this is actually really good’ and it’s fucking incredible.

They’re called Quarters of Change, and the song is called ‘T Love’.

I was just listening to it when I was going for a walk, and I was like this is really fucking good. Last night it was just on repeat for me. Shout out to Quarters of Change.”

We finish our interview and hang up. It’s 7.45AM and I need a coffee. Thank God I’m not in LA. Carmine is out now through Island Records Australia.

He’ll be playing The Forum on May 21, tickets on sale now.

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Photography by Robert Collins

With Outright, ‘there is truth behind the music’ Words by David James Young

Minutes into her conversation with Beat, it’s remarked to Outright frontwoman Jelena Goluza how exciting it is to talk about the band in the present tense, as they prepare to release their first album in nearly eight years. “We’re lucky we bloody survived,” she responds – both in a self-deprecating manner, given the time between albums, but also with an undercurrent of incredulity given the circumstances of the last couple of years.

“So many bands didn’t. So many people didn’t.”

Forged out of this period came Keep You Warm, the band’s second studio album and their long-awaited follow-up to 2014’s Avalanche. Although its title may seem endearing on surface value, a fire rages within its greater context. As Goluza reveals, it serves as just part of one of the album’s more cutting lines, as heard on the song ‘Burn’: “I won’t set myself on fire/Just to keep you warm.” To her, the line – and the song itself, by proxy – is a reflection on “managing compassion for ourselves.”

“There’s thrashy metal tunes, there’s some really melodic punk... we even have a slow stoner-metal track that goes for seven-and-a-half minutes. Our songs are normally done in two!

We really wanted to see what could we do differently – to reflect where we’re at. We’ve been through so much, and we’ve had all of this time to be creative. Why not open it up?”

When Outright first arrived on the scene with their 2011 demo, the chorus of the first song used a common saying: “Gotta be the change I want to see.” Goluza has always embodied this saying – she speaks her mind, and she stays true to championing progressive issues. It’s not done for likes, it’s not done to keep up appearances – it’s bigger than that, and Keep You Warm is testament.

“We are all impacted by the political context and structures that we all live in,” says Goluza. “I think we can’t help but write about it, because we give a shit. We like to interrogate the way that we operate in the world around us, and that means interrogating our personal feelings too. Hardcore, metal, punk and everything in-between offers so much more to us when we know there is truth behind the music. God knows we all have plenty that we feel and want to express.”

Keep You Warm is available for pre-order through Reason and Rage Records.

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Maple Glider falls back in love with music Words by Talia Rinaldo

“I was quite uncertain for some time about pursuing a career in music,” Tori Zietsch, the award-winning artist behind Maple Glider, tells us, “but after I wrote all those songs, I just had this real drive and energy to record them and perform again. I’d sort of already weirdly put myself back into Melbourne, mentally and emotionally at some point, and just wanted to get back into it.

A vulnerable, visceral, and altogether enthralling experience, Maple Glider’s debut album To Enjoy is the Only Thing is a striking set of vignettes from Zietsch’s life; growing up in a restrictive religious household, falling in and out of love, cross-country and international travel, longing, alienation and more. Moments both unremarkable and life-altering, but always deeply felt, brought to vivid life by the beauty of Zietsch’s artistry and wry sense of dark humour. The collection of songs quickly caught the attention of the Victorian music industry, with her Maple Glider project nominated for three Music Victoria awards: Best Solo Artist, Best Folk Act and Best Breakthrough Act, crowned the victor of the latter by the public.

“It can be intense at times,” she says. “I found that after not performing for a while and then coming back to performing again, all the songs still feel pretty raw, there’s a lot of feeling there.

“It’s a nice feeling though; to enter into a space that you have been in the past within a song and then come back out of it. I’ve been doing music pretty solidly since I was like a teenager.

So, I was always gigging a lot and then I released an EP with another project and it was then that I needed to take a little break. That’s when I went travelling and went to the UK and then I ended up writing all this new music and that was the start of Maple Glider, unknowingly,” she says.

“There are so many musicians here that I just really love and adore and am a big fan of, so it’s nice being able to like connect with new people as well since being back in Melbourne and find this whole kind of new space to share music in.”

To Enjoy Is The Only Thing is out now through Pieater and Partisan Records.

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VACATIONS AUS TOUR

July 01 July 02 July 08 July 09 July 15 July 16 July 29

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Brunswick Ballroom Republic Bar Mojo’s Grace Emily Hotel Wooly Mammoth Lansdowne Hotel Cambridge Hotel

Naarm / Melbourne nipaluna / Hobart Walyalup / Fremantle Tarndanya / Adelaide Meeanjin / Brisbane Warrang / Sydney Muloobinba / Newcastle

WHERE WOULD MELBOURNE BE WITHOUT THE CURTIN HOTEL? The Curtin Hotel has always celebrated the weird and wonderful, helping to shine a spotlight on many brilliant bands that owe a debt to the small-cap venues they cut their teeth on.

Words by Bryget Chrisfield At the time of writing, The Curtin has been sold to overseas developers and the beloved operators’ lease expires in November.

The City of Melbourne has granted the venue interim heritage listing and the Victorian union movement has implemented a ‘Green Ban’ seeking to avoid demolition, yet still the Curtin faces an uncertain future. Bryget Chrisfield checked in with Pablo Alvarado, creator of Bone Soup touring group, and Cash Savage (of Cash Savage & The Last Drinks fame) to discuss the gaping hole that would be left in Melbourne’s already-decimated live music scene if The Curtin fell prey to developers.

In 2017, Marlon Williams played a one-off show – with no support act – during which many new songs were premiered live before he headed into the studio to record his second album, Make Way For Love. To launch the 2018 Liars album, TWTWF (Titles With The Word Fountain), Angus Andrew owned the stage dressed as a bride, veil and all. That same year, The Libertines performed a surprise show at The Curtin the night before their official gig at The Forum. The likes of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Amyl & The Sniffers have graced that stage on their way up, and let’s not forget New York City’s irrepressible goth no-wave queen, Lydia Lunch, hollering, “Kiss my ass, Kim fucking Kardashian! You overblown fucking tool!” – mass-hypnotising those assembled in The Curtin’s distinctive L-shaped bandroom thanks to her acid tongue and witty wordplay during 2019’s Dust & Shadows spoken-word tour. Those precious recollections are just a smattering that immediately spring to mind. We can’t imagine these shows being as special had they taken place in any other bandroom on the planet.

“Sometimes you have a band that just doesn’t suit certain venues, you know?” Alvarado concurs. Bone Soup has “aligned with The Curtin” many times over the years to introduce Australian audiences to a diverse range of oddball, independent international acts “because venues have an identity, and that open identity that The Curtin has, meant that I always felt comfortable throwing things that perhaps would not have been such a good fit in other places.”

The Curtin’s celebrated, curtained bandroom – with its intimate, 300-patron capacity and no-bullshit aesthetic – prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming space for all. “For me, it’s always been one of my favourite venues in Melbourne,” Alvarado says. “It’s always been a well-run, really chill, inclusive, welcoming space; there’s a lack of cliquiness. It always feels like this unassuming, humble spot and then you go upstairs and

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can see some of the best live shows in Melbourne… it’s always been a good vibe and it’s eclectic – I love that.”

“It carries folk acts and all sorts of different genres, but it’s also a good rock room,” Savage chimes in. “It’s just a bandroom – it is what it is; you don’t go in there for any reason other than to watch a band. It works, you know? And there’s always a party going on downstairs for some reason.”

One of the very few remaining music venues in Carlton, the fact that The Curtin plays a crucial role in Melbourne’s rich tapestry of live music venues is undeniable. “[Melbourne is] one of the – if not the – most musical cities in the world and so these [smaller-cap live music venues] are really important; they really affect how culture is created and happens, and [The Curtin is] an eclectic bridge between the north and the south that just completely activated that whole section of the city,” Alvarado stresses.

The Curtin also plays a crucial role for emerging artists – local and international alike – by acting as a measurable stepping stone. “I remember when we sold out The Curtin – we had the album launch for The Hypnotiser there, which is now three records ago – what a big deal that was for us,” Savage shares. “And that meant that we could start pushing into the bigger rooms. If you sold out The Curtin hard, you could have a crack at The Corner.

“I really love The Curtin bandroom. I think it’s just a really nice, intimate space. Plus, because there’s that whole gap there [the mid-venue stairwell], the sight-lines from the back are great.

The sound’s good and over the years they’ve bumped up the lighting. It’s not pretentious, it’s just a good, solid bandroom.”

Alvarado says promoters could build trust and reach out to The Curtin, knowing they’d be up for it. “They would be like, ‘We haven’t heard of them, but that’s the kinda thing we wanna do’,” he tells.

“Without The Curtin taking risks and backing up small promoters – which is really hard to find – we would have no infusion of new culture and new energy. It’s a business and you could imagine those promoters thinking, ‘Well, let’s make ends meet,’ but if you’ve got some upstarts who are just excited about music, you need venues like The Curtin to trust them and provide that platform. That’s something that would be totally lost if we lose somewhere like The Curtin.

“The Curtin would really get behind us, they’d print the posters, they’d get the lights,” he continues. “I don’t feel like The Curtin ever takes the bands or the promoters or the punters

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for granted. Without The Curtin, Bone Soup and my little touring agency wouldn’t have been able to take a hold.

“I think there’s always a cultural focus and appreciation for the way The Curtin’s been run. The Curtin could just be any building, but it’s not; it should be heritage listed because of its location. It’s the love and the culture that the owner Rusty [Benjamin Russell, owner/operator who also tends his own bar] and Paris [Martine], the booker, collectively created that make it such an important force.

“The Curtin has good booking and it’s run really well by people who really love the scene and so it’s always a comfortable

Photography by Ian Laidlaw

The Smith Street Band return to their roots Things that are entrenched in Australian pub rock culture: drinking Melbourne Bitter tinnies at The Tote; knowing to respond “No way, get fucked, fuck off” to The Angels’ ‘Am I Ever Going to See Your Face Again’; and The Smith Street Band.

Words By Alex Callan

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time,” Savage commends. “I really like the way that they operate, Rusty and Paris. So we will often sell out The Corner and then throw a sneaky Curtin show in just for fun – because we wanna support them – and they always make it really fun for us. They always look after us.”

The Curtin Hotel is located on Lygon Street in Carlton and open every day except Monday.

Over the last decade, The Smith Street Band haven’t just dominated the pub rock circuit, they’ve defined their permanent spot in the history books. After touring relentlessly and constantly releasing albums both under The Smith Street Band and in varying solo projects, the group haven’t just embraced a hard-working DIY ethos, they’ve truly lived it.

With the group currently hard at work on album number six, which is being recorded at their home-grown studio in regional Victoria between a string of tour dates, we thought it would be the perfect time to catch up with the group’s guitarist Lee Hartney to find out how it’s shaping up and in particular, if the new material is headed in the same synth-oriented direction that their previous album Don’t Waste Your Anger took. Peaking at number one on the ARIA Charts, Don’t Waste Your Anger featured more electronic elements than the previous albums, showing the band’s departure from their previously punk rock sound.

“Nah, this is actually kind of the opposite,” laughs Hartney. “I’m sure if you spoke to the different guys in the band, everyone would probably describe the songs in a different way, but for me, this album has gone way simpler. In a lot of ways, it’s gone way back to the sound of our first or second album.”

The band’s debut album, No One Gets Lost Anymore was released in July 2011 via Poison City Records, and received critical acclaim in Melbourne, hailed as one of the best Aussie albums of the year due to their infectious sound melding high energy punk-rock, elements of 90’s indie-rock and a distinct story-telling style of vocals. The strong debut was followed up by the thought-provoking, fist-pumping Sunshine and Technology merely a year later in 2012.

They’ve since gone from playing house parties, storm drains and pretty much anything in between, to being one of the most energised and talked about punkrock bands in Australia.

“We are more just trying to have some fun with it, rather than stressing and trying to make this an amazing album in a way. Strip it back, have some fun, just do what we used to do.

“We just do what feels right at the time. I don’t see why any band really ever should have to think that they have to do a certain sound. This record can sound like this, the next one can sound like something completely different.

“You can do whatever you want really; you shouldn’t have anyone over the top of you telling you that you need to sound a certain way or do a certain thing, you just do what feels right, and what you’re having fun with.”

When asked about why Hartney feels The Smith Street Band are constantly changing their sound, he put it down to one thing: Wagner’s poetic and earnest lyricism.

“Our band is so strongly lyrically driven. I think with the lyrics that Wil writes, he could do that over the top of any music and that’s the thing that people really relate to,” he explains.

“From the beginning, we’ve always had slower songs and heavier songs on all of our albums, but I think the thing is that it all ties it together through the lyrics. So, even if we did something that was musically an electronic song or something like that, it’s not going to lose fans because I think just the lyrics are the thing that connects with people so much.

“I don’t think we’d really lose people that much if we drastically changed our sound, but even if we did, I don’t think we’re ever going to really change anything too crazy.

“It’s always sort of going to be us, it might just be a trumpet playing a guitar line instead of a guitar, that sort of vibe.”

The Smith Street Band are heading on a 13-date national tour in August.

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DR LOU BENNETT AM Wurukur Djuanduk Balag – Ancestors Are Calling Words by Christine Lan

Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung artist and academic Dr Lou Bennett AM has devoted her life to music and language.

Appointed as a member (AM) of the Order of Australia in 2019 for her significant service to the performing arts, music and Indigenous community, Bennett has been instrumental in recovering multiple Indigenous languages through the power of music.

“A part of my whole purpose is to teach language through song,” says Bennett. “I sing about 15 different languages because of all the different compositions and different communities that I’ve had relationships with. English has its limitations, so being able to learn languages as much as I can while I’m on this earth – that’s my purpose.”

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Alongside her own languages of Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung, Bennett speaks and sings in many other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages as well as Welsh, Spanish, Italian and French. Bennett’s PhD examined the importance of retrieving, reclaiming and regenerating Indigenous languages through songs, stories and performances. Her latest research project explores the use of song composition in rematriating Aboriginal languages to their respective communities. Bennett has revitalised the importance of embracing First Nations values and practices.

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Inspiration to retrieve and regenerate Indigenous languages came from her grandmother. “When I was a kid, my nan lived with us and I remember every night she would speak beautiful, comforting language phrases to my sister and I,” says Bennett, “but she never used to speak a lot of it. I used to get so sad and so upset that we’d go to school, but we weren’t learning Yorta Yorta. It not only saddened me, but it drove me to ask why. Why aren’t we learning how to learn my language on my country? From a very early age, I’ve been driven by wanting to understand why that was so.”

Bennett’s connection to country is profound and insightful.

She speaks to her ancestors before every performance. “It’s so important for myself as a Yorta Yorta/Dja Dja Warrung singer or woman of song to be able to connect with spirit,” says Bennett.

“It reminds me every time I get on stage: remember who you are, remember where you come from, don’t get too big for your own boots, don’t boast – it’s about coming to something with humility and integrity and truth. When I’m having a conversation with my old people, I ask for guidance for presence of their knowledge.

It reminds me every day to stay grounded, be respectful to the earth, and be respectful to every living being on this earth.”

Composed in multiple First Peoples languages by Bennett and making its debut at RISING, Wurukur Djuanduk Balag – Ancestors Are Coming is a profoundly moving work that responds to the cultural belongings of First Peoples held in the Melbourne Museum collections. Bennett invited a broad range of collaborators, including Uncle Herb Patten (Ganai-Kurnai, Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri), Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy (Wurundjeri), Allara (Yorta Yorta), Deline Briscoe and Silo String Quartet. The languages that the poignant composition will be sung in are Dja Dja Wurrung, Yorta Yorta, Woiwurrung, and Gugu-Yalanji.

Kimberley Moulton – artistic associate of RISING and curator at the Melbourne Museum – came up with the beautiful idea for Moving Objects, a collection of new work by First Nations artists of all different disciplines – music, sound, spoken word, visual, dance – and Bennett was quick to accept Moulton’s invitation to be involved. “I feel very grateful to have been able to do that – to go and sit with objects or what the western world considers an object, an artefact, whether it be a stone, axe, a spearhead, a woven basket, a grinding stone, shields and digging sticks – and to respond to those particular pieces,” Bennett reflects. “For me it was a really beautiful moment to sit with the ancestors and to listen and respond with how I felt from holding these pieces, so it became quite a beautiful journey for me and for those I wanted to invite to be a part of that. This is the musical outcome of those visits with the old people.”

“The western world takes many things for granted,” says Bennett. “If we don’t take care of what is living and what is here, then nothing comes back in return. If we continually take, it depletes, and this is what we’re seeing – the evidence of that

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happening now with climate change and it’s because we’re consuming too much. When we start to honour and worship the dollar over life, then we’re in a very bad position. We know that we do need an economy to survive in this world, but we also need each other; we also need clean water, fresh air and good, healthy nutrients from the country – if we’re not looking after the country, then we can’t get that and that’s the basis. It stems from such a big circle of ideas and practices and knowledges that I know my old people have passed down to me and my other ancestors and community members: Look after the land like your family because it is our family, and in return she will provide for us.”

Across more than 30 years, Bennett has inspired countless local and international audiences through the magnificent harmonies of fearless and acclaimed music trio Tiddas, as co-founder of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company Black Arm Band, and through her various roles as singer-songwriter, musician, artistic and musical director, composer, actor, soundscape designer and academic.

“I never stick to one thing,” says Bennett. “I go where my heart takes me. That tells me that I’m listening to my ancestors. I try my hardest to listen to my instinct and say I want to spend more time with that person, or I want to spend more time understanding what that means or how that will sound with my music – trusting my instincts and trusting my ancestors to guide me to places. I’ve tried different music, and I’m enjoying the relationships that I’m setting up now with classical musicians. I have, in a sense, more freedom. I can explore storytelling in a different way, and I can also utilise my ancient knowledges of First Nations people, Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung people, in my collaborations. I can come to those collaborations as myself without feeling that I need to either code-switch or jump to someone else’s tune. That’s a really beautiful transition and growth that I’ve been very blessed to have and experience.

“That’s how I like to live my life: never push the river; always go with the flow,” Bennett muses. “We all need music. And when I say all of us, I mean every living being, not just human beings, but the birds every morning sing to us, and every evening when the sun sets, they sing their evening song. The insects, the cicadas, the crickets – they all have their own song, their melody, their language, their story. It’s embedded in the country; it’s a part of who we are, and we need it for our wellbeing.”

“English has its limitations, so being able to learn languages as much as I can while I’m on this earth – that’s my purpose.”

Wurukur Djuanduk Balag – Ancestors Are Coming by Dr Lou Bennett AM (Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung) is on at the Melbourne Museum on June 3 at 7:30pm as part of RISING.

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CONFIDENCE MAN From Blue Light discos to changing electronic music.

Words by Lucas Radbourne

Photography by Jamie Heath

Laser beams surround Confidence Man, but they’ve avoided every single one to become one of the most exciting Australian acts today. So what’s their secret?

“Electronic music doesn’t have to take itself so seriously,” enigmatic frontwoman Janet Planet says.

Her celestial name is one of the quartet’s four pseudonyms.

Her vocal partner is ‘Sugar Bones’, while the other members – who remain hidden behind ghoulish cloaks – are referred to as ‘Clarence McGuffie’ and ‘Reggie Goodchild’; names stolen directly from graveyard tombstones.

“Pseudonyms definitely give you more freedom,” Janet continues. “It’s just a bit weird. When we first created these names, it wasn’t to give us more confidence, it just happened naturally.

“A lot of us came from a guitar background, so we were looking at electronic music thinking you could combine elements of Talking Heads. We were trying to do electronic music that has a live music element to it, with dancing and costumes and all the things that I love that are in theatre. I watched Paris Is Burning, Grace Jones, all that kind of stuff.

“When I walked on stage I became this other person. It’s really weird because I’ve seen pop stars say the same thing; this isn’t who they actually are. It’s the same thing with me.”

Confidence Man’s courageous aesthetic is Janet’s vision (“the boys let me have free rein”), but the music is a team effort.

The quartet are a Brisbane sharehouse supergroup, made from members of The Belligerents, Moses Gunn Collective and The Jungle Giants. For Janet, familial ties abound; the band consists of her partner, her brother, and her best-friend, while her mother makes their costumes.

Unlike most supergroups, Confidence Man are unique.

With imposing anthems like ‘First Class Bitch’ and intentionally awkward choreography, they formed in an attempt to revitalise Australia’s electronic music scene and so far, they’ve lavished in originality.

“I remember when I was a kid going to Blue Light discos, I always wanted a certain outfit that didn’t exist,” Janet continues. “Mum would make me them so I could go and hook up with the hot guys.

“The first few gigs we did were warm-up shows and I’d never even played in a band before. We were buying shiny gold outfits, doing ABBA covers and smiling lots. The feedback we received was that we were enjoying ourselves too much. So after that, we did the exact opposite.

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“It was in good contrast with the music. It was completely different.”

While their personas clashed with their outfits, their bouncy, guitar-driven electronica perfectly complimented Janet’s lackadaisical vocals. The strategy quickly proved a critical and commercial hit.

Within a year of their first single, the quartet won Live Pop Act of the Year at the 2018 National Live Music Awards. The next year, their debut album Confident Music for Confident People, won the AIR Award for Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album.

Success hasn’t affected the band’s intimate relationships, with Janet explaining “we’re probably all closer now because when you’ve been on tour with someone for six months, you know the good parts and the bad parts.” Still, for a meteoric success story, Covid should have been a career-halter.

Janet says it was a necessary productivity booster for the band’s acclaimed sophomore album, Tilt, which could easily be titled after the group’s unwavering desire to plunge full-tilt into their brash, confronting and exceptionally fun style. Tilt is all we’ve grown to know and love about Confidence Man, only more so, and the public agree; Tilt hit number seven on the ARIA charts (bettering the group’s debut by 24 places) and topped the UK Dance Chart. Unsurprisingly, Janet’s feeling confident.

“We had all our plans changed, we weren’t able to tour overseas, everything was pushed back and we were actually mildly relieved,” she says. “We’ve been chased up about our second album for so many years now so we finally had the chance to finish that off; it’s been surprisingly productive.

“Now that we’ve finished the second record, we know exactly what we’ll be doing. It’s kind of exciting…to be thinking about the fact that the record is done. Now we can [continue] working on the live show. I’m working on all new costumes at the moment…they’re very sparkly.”

Tilt is out now through I Oh You. Confidence Man are playing at Splendour In The Grass in July, and are coming to Northcote Theatre in August.

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scan to listen

Harvey Sutherland

ALBUM REVIEWS

BOY Words by Bryget Chrisfield Naarm/Melbourne-based producer, DJ, funk synthesist and overall jazzy cat Harvey Sutherland (real name: Mike Katz) has said that he created the majority of Boy “in a circular loop between [his] studio and [his] psychotherapist”.

Initially, Katz intended to make this record about his father, but then it soon became apparent that he was actually describing himself; so it makes total sense that a closeup photograph of Katz’s face – looking like a dapper, but dazed and confused, extra from Happy Days – was chosen to grace Boy’s cover.

“I like the idea of oversharing,” Katz explains in the accompanying presser.

“Electronic music has that archetype of the brooding, faceless producer.

I sort of like hacking that, doing the opposite.” Katz also sings lead vocals for the first time here – an experience he’s described as “really confronting” – on the saxtastic, Todd Rundgren-channeling track ‘Holding Pattern’ (after a slated collaborator fell through) and certainly doesn’t disgrace himself.

Under his Harvey Sutherland moniker, Katz has worked with the likes of Genesis Owusu and remixing credits to date include Disclosure, The Presets’ Julian Hamilton and The Lazy Eyes (his remix of their song ‘Fuzz Jam’ is a deadset sneaky banger). Throughout Boy, he activates limitless sonic – and neural –

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pathways with regular synth explosions triggering a sense of euphoria.

Album opener, and Boy’s patient card (if you will), ‘Jouissance’ – so named after a term Katz investigated after first hearing it used during one of his therapy sessions – is effervescent à la Gershon Kingsley’s ‘Popcorn’. There are many variations but, according to Katz, the English translation of ‘jouissance’ is “the itch that demands scratching, a masochistic desire”. Chinstrokerish?

Sure, but this is what musical enlightenment sounds like.

Christened “the godfather of Modern Funk” by Katz, Dâm-Funk (aka Damon Garrett Riddick) loans his pipes to lead single ‘Feeling Of Love’ – a perfect roller-rink soundtrack: “We need to realign our energies/ And get on the same frequencies, yeah” – brace yourselves for the epic keytar solo! ‘Michael Was Right About You’ (cute title) – all percolating, escalating bliss – will easily impress your hippest dinner party guests. The robotic ‘Type A’, which also ripples with sinewy bass, is offset by a deadpan vocal delivery courtesy of Jack “sos” Summers from Melbourne punk prospects CLAMM: “Because I. Want. It. All.” An elaborate diagram decorating the flip side of the vinyl sleeve dissects what it means to be funky, suggesting, among other deliberately tongue-incheek claims: “Even the most unfunky moment can be funky.” Said diagram’s final destination is “neurotic funk”, which is the perfect descriptor for Boy’s sprawling arrangements. And we’re tipping Axel F scored high rotation on Katz’s Discman back in the day.

Clarity Recordings/ Virgin Records Australia Release date: April 29

Dorsal Fins

Star Of The Show Trimming their lineup down from nine members to the essential songwriting holy-trinity of Ella Thompson (GL), Jarrad Brown (Eagle & The Worm) and Liam McGorry (Ex-Olympian, Saskwatch), Dorsal Fins entered McGorry’s Hope Street studio with zero expectations and no specific plans to make an album. Then Stars Of The Show – described by McGorry as “the most eclectic thing we’ve ever done” – emerged, with lead vocal duties switched-up throughout giving their third record an almost mixtape feel.

Ironically titled, since creating this record was a truly collaborative affair, Star Of The Show was produced by John Castle (Vance Joy, Megan Washington). The opening title track immediately hypnotises and we feel like we’re floating blissfully in the infinity pool of a house we’ve just broken into, until the groovy beat drops and hints of brass float by on the breeze to shake listeners out of reveries.

Boasting a clarity akin to the great Linda Ronstadt, Thompson’s vocals are pop perfection, glistening like sun glitter throughout the album’s ebullient second single, ‘Sister’: “I lost my way trying to be a woman.” Melancholy, Peter Hookchanneling bass enters around this song’s halfway mark before intensifying bongos massage our hopes up and then male BVs rush in, like supportive allies of an exhausted sisterhood.

Dorsal Fins have always been an innovative, exciting outfit, but free from the shackles of expectation and attachment to outcomes they’ve rewritten their statement of intent. Don’t be mistaken, however, Star Of The Show ain’t no hastily released collection of tinkerings.

Dot Dash/ Remote Control Release date: May 13

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SINGLE REVIEWS

Romero

Teether

Zretro

Talk About It

One Layer

Superpower

‘Talk About It’ is the opening track on Romero’s debut album, Turn It On! The Melbourne outfit are still relative unknowns, but the lived in, bullish sound of ‘Talk About It’ is an apt set-up for what’s to come. ‘Talk About It’ begins with blazing electric guitars, sounding not unlike The Strokes circa Is This It (or is it Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers circa ‘American Girl’?)

Turn It On! is out via local indie label, Cool Death Records, who’ve put out records by Tyrannamen, Power, and Low Life – all bands who made statements about contemporary psychic squalor while borrowing freely from rock music history. Romero follow suit, though the most salient point of comparison is Royal Headache.

According to the band, the album’s production aesthetic was influenced by the sound of Royal Headache and the first two Strokes albums, as well as Philadelphia hard rockers Sheer Mag. But the quintet of vocalist Alanna Oliver, guitarists Adam Johnstone and Fergus Sinclair, bass player Justin Tawil, and drummer Dave Johnstone, make the throwback sound come alive on ‘Talk About It’.

Oliver’s lyrics are directed at someone who’s struggling to talk about how they’re feeling. It’s hard to tell whether she’s gentling prodding them to speak or mocking them for their paranoia.

Either way, the song’s “Do you wanna talk about it?” chorus hook will jam itself into your brain.

Teether can do no wrong at present. ‘One Layer’ is the lead single from MACHONA: Afar, You Are an Animal, the Naarm-based MC’s upcoming fourth solo album, due on 27. MACHONA follows last year’s Glyph, a collaboration between Teether and producer Kuya Neil, which reached a wider audience thanks to support from Chapter Music and Triple R Album of the Week honours.

In March, 2022, Teether linked up with jazz and funk bass player, Don Glori, on the comically braggadocious jam, ‘Dizzy’. Meanwhile, Teether self-produced, recorded, and mixed MACHONA during a three-month stint of lockdown solitude.

Teether was also without an internet connection during this period, but the literal disconnection has not hampered the MC’s knack for drawing in listeners to follow his every word.

‘One Layer’ runs for just one minute and twenty seconds, during which time Teether’s flow is practically uninterrupted.

The scratchy electric guitar instrumental sounds more like Yves Tumor than the Soulquarians vibe of ‘Dizzy’, and it’s a perfect fit for Teether’s sort of anxious, sort of don’t give a shit rhymes.

“Internet ancient,” he says, early in the track. “Preaching to a valley of anxious faces.” What might be causing the anxiety? Some suggestions: “My ni**as got Centrelink payments,” Teether says. He adds, with a knowing grin, “I’m essential to the State / Still, I played chicken with the pigs on the way.”

Tell me, is beginning a song with a chorus a good idea? Zretro’s ‘Superpower’ argues the affirmative. “Tell me, why is understanding me your superpower?” sings Zima, one half of Zretro, at the top of ‘Superpower’. Zima, an acolyte of nineties and early noughties R&B, continues, “You know what I’m thinking even by the hour.”

These lines, which comprise the first of the ‘Superpower’ chorus, are repeated many more times before the song’s conclusion. The wonder and sense of disbelief in Zima’s voice never fades.

“This song represents the fire and the passion I enter my interactions with and how I knew love when I was young,” Zima said in a statement.

Zima and his partner in crime, producer 2nd Thought, are joined on ‘Superpower’ by Sengambian Jazz band guitarist, Luke Kozanski, and bass player Horatio Luna. 2nd Thought dials in an MPC drumbeat with a firm kick drum sound and adds some atmospherics keys. Most importantly, the three accompanists succeed in staying out of Zima’s way.

Zima recently appeared on Triple R’s The Score, where he was asked what Usher song he would cover. ‘Superstar’ was his answer, referring to a lesserknown track from Usher’s commercial mega-success, Confessions (the album with ‘Yeah!’, ‘Burn’ and ‘Caught Up’). He proceeded to sing it live on air. It was great, but ‘Superpower’ guarantees the next time he’s in a radio studio, the focus will be squarely on Zretro.

[ Cool Death Records ]

[ X Amount Records ] [ Hopestreet Recordings ]

– Words by August Billy

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BEAT MAG

Photography by Karsten Winegeart

Wows Words By Sidonie Bird De La Coeur If you ascend the staircase next to Yah Yahs (97B Smith Street Fitzroy) you’ll find yourself in a hyper-camp Western themed saloon, with drag queens hosting karaoke performances, bartenders dressed up as cowboys and DJs spinning tracks late into the night.

This is Wows, the newest queer-oriented venue owned and operated by Nicholas Jones, who currently owns Yah Yahs and Cherry Bar. “It’s going to be camp,” Nick says when asked what a typical night at Wows will look like, “I wanted to do something that was silly and fun. I wanted drag queens to run the karaoke [because] I think it will be really disarming – everyone loves drag queens and they make you feel really comfortable. We thought: how can we make karaoke even more fun and even more camp?

Let’s have drag queens.”

Designed to look like an old Western saloon except with a lot more glitter, guests are invited to dress up to fit in with the theme. When asked about the cowboy theme, Nick says “I love in queer spaces when you flip the script – drag is about flipping gender norms, giving the middle finger to what society says that you should be – and what better way to do that than with something that is as hyper masculine as cowboy?”

“Wows is … 100% my biggest passion project, this is about me trying to give back to the community and trying to create a space that I wish existed when I was 18,” he continues. “It’s not lost on me that the clubbing experience can be intimidating and that’s particularly pertinent for younger queer kids – so creating spaces where they feel safe to express themselves and feel safe to explore themselves, I think is really important.”

If you’re looking for a venue that is a safe space for all those who identify as LGBTQI+, want to belt out some tunes at karaoke or just really like wearing big hats, chaps and spurs – check out Wows. “Let’s just be ,” Nick says, “and camp is about being irreverent, being fun, being silly – we all take ourselves way too seriously and I think we have the best nights when we don’t.”

Wows is located on Smith Street in Fitzroy and open from Thursday to Saturday.

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Photography by Joe Downey

The Leadbeater Hotel Words By Sidonie Bird De La Couer In the heart of Richmond, situated on the corner of Victoria and Church Streets is The Leadbeater Hotel – a leading live music venue and pub with gigs on Friday and Saturday nights. Having operated Nevermind Bar for just over ten years, owner of the Leadbeater Joe Downey has put the concert experience at the forefront of the venue’s ethos. Extending the stage to make room for bigger acts, constructing a green room and the fitting of a new sound system has transformed this venue into a premier gig destination.

“We’ve managed to leapfrog into the upper echelon because of the quality of the sound system,” Downey says.

“We really wanted to nail it first time because our focus is on the artist experience and I think the crowd will follow. We do ensure the patrons are having a good time but we feel if the artist experience is fantastic and they are cared for and able to sound their best, the rest will follow.”

Previously known as the Eureka Hotel, this 350-400 person capacity Richmond venue was once home to the famous Hunchbax theatre restaurant. The venue booker for The Leadbeater is Will Clancy of Melbourne outfit DIET, who has focused on bringing fresh talent that fills the venue’s bandroom.

“When we started looking into bookings for the place, the mantra around here was that we are not a genre-fied venue,” states Clancy. “We won’t discriminate against any music types or different genres of music. It was more about having a bit of diversity across the board and getting more Melbourne bands in as well as trying to pull some interstate people in as well.”

The Leadbeater Hotel is located on the corner of Church and Victoria St in Richmond and open every day except Monday.

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FRIDAY JUNE 17TH

VENUE SPOTLIGHT

The Tote Photography by Brendan Bonsack

Bar 303 Words By Sidonie Bird De La Coeur Northcote’s second oldest live music bar is celebrating its 22nd year of providing music to the north. They unfortunately couldn’t celebrate their 20th birthday in 2020 because of the pandemic, so this year’s celebration promises to be extra special. With fair prices, great tunes and talkative bartenders, this High Street institution is loved by locals for its friendly atmosphere, retro vibes and ridiculous variety of quality acts.

With a consistently interesting and eclectic mix of performances - their booked acts ranging from blues and jazz to rock - there’s something for everyone at Bar 303. Each time you go you’ll be treated to a vastly different band. Every Thursday night, Bar 303 puts on the iconic Hammond Sessions

by Hawker Heights, where the trio bring out the Hammond organ and tear through steamy blues, soulful R&B and vintage jazz for a sophisticated, world class act.

Open until 3am, even on weeknights, this cool and groovy Northcote hotspot is a great spot for late night drinks. With good reading material available on the bookshelf, it’s a nice venue to just chill out and read a book at 2am, if that’s your thing.

A chill dive bar with a great atmosphere and acoustic or jazz bands playing in the front room by the window, Bar 303 lets you get up close and personal with the acts that you’re there to see. They also have film and comedy nights that take place in the backroom, which has seen repertoire from the likes of Ross Noble and Alan Davies. Bar 303 also hosts a monthly comedy open mic called ‘Smiling Politely’. Past film events have included The 303 Cinema, Local Shorts, Cine-Cult, Cinerarium, Melbourne Horror, Dub Offs, Live Soundtracks and many other local showcases.

Bar 303 is located at 303 High Street, Northcote.

They’re open from 5:30pm – 3am every day, except for Sundays.

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Words By Lucas Radbourne Despite being fire-bombed, shut down for being high risk, and closed for two years during the pandemic, The Tote is celebrating its 40th anniversary in wild style in 2022.

“The Tote’s 40 year cultural legacy is the history of Australian contemporary music of which, we are immensely proud. It’s a miracle the Tote endures considering being firebombed, shut down by the state government in 2010 for live music being “high risk”, the pandemic lock-downs, and the odd plumbing disaster. We remain today committed to our core value of staging original contemporary Australian live music by celebrating the 40 plus years with hundreds of truly awesome gigs of old school and emerging Australian rock’n’roll bands,” Tote owner Jon Perring said.

A cornerstone of live music in Melbourne, The Tote passed 40 years as a live music venue in 2021 and now with eased restrictions, is celebrating the milestone in grand fashion over the next 12 months.

They’re in the midst of hosting 12 featured ‘Tote legends’ gigs, featuring the likes of The Meanies, Holy Serpent, Kim Salmon & The Surrealists, The Slingers, Warped, The Grinding Eyes, a celebration of the life of Spencer P. Jones, Desert Highways Festival and more. They’ll also be handing over the programming reigns to a special series of guest curators, including Bruce Milne, Wally Meanie, Penny Ikinger and Kasumuen Records.

The Tote will also host three outside concerts in the stunning surrounds of the Abbotsford Convent, they’ll release a book of the 40-year history of live music at The Tote, there’ll be a limited-edition Tote Lager by Brick Lane Brewing, and a ‘Tote School’ – a series of public workshops on aspects of live music practice.

In final exciting news, The Tote will be launching Tote TV, a free live streaming channel where you can watch sold-out gigs on The Tote’s main stage. They’ll record the best selection of these gigs for a vinyl LP release to document The Tote’s 40th Anniversary: ‘Live at The Tote’.

The Tote is open from Wednesday to Sunday, located on the corner of Johnston Street and Wellington Street in Collingwood.

BEAT.COM.AU

Photography by Ruby Boland

Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers on the stigma of ‘girl bands’ 2022 has kicked off to a blistering start for Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers.

Words By Alex Callan

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Having already impressed festival crowds nationwide over the summer, the band now have their eyes set on the group’s most monumental move yet: releasing a full-length release. Known for their gritty grunge pop paired with unapologetic lyricism, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers are four friends from Canberra who met in high school and have burst into the Australian music scene with infectious energy.

“I’m actually so excited,” says the group’s guitar player Scarlett McKahey, “It’s really strange to have something proper that we are actually releasing because until now we have only really done singles here and there. Especially after Covid, it just doesn’t really feel like something that can happen so I’m really excited.

“It’s definitely the thing we have worked on the most, probably in our whole lives. We’ve really put our all into it which is really nerve-wracking, but I also feel like we are at this point now where we don’t really care what people think of it because we really like it.”

With their single from last year ‘AHHHH!’ already sitting at over a million and a half streams and ‘Girl Sports’ looking in good stead to do the same, it seems Teen Jesus are quickly becoming one of the hottest bands in the country.

Although, considering they are gearing up to release their debut EP Pretty Good For A Girl Band, that’s a strange analysis, given there’s still no telling the scope that Teen Jesus will attain. What we do know is they’re already getting noticed by the likes of The Foo Fighters and have signed to James Tidswell’s label Domestic La La. They’ve played festivals including BIGSOUND, Groovin’ The Moo, Laneway, Falls, Lost Paradise and Spilt Milk - just to name a few. They’re set to take their new EP on the road for their Pretty Good For A Girl Band Tour that will see them performing around the country in August, before landing in Melbourne for a show at The Corner Hotel on September 2.

Expanding further on their forthcoming EP and its change in style, Scarlett said, “I don’t think we’ll go too far from our roots and what we like to write about, which is kind of teenage, like cringe stuff, ya know, like cute stuff.

But now we are also kind of sick of being treated a certain way all the time. We’re kind of getting into our angry stage of ‘Stop calling us a chick band,’ but then also that whole, ‘aww, love you’ side.

“There’s a good balance in the songs because there are five songs on the EP and every one has a different tone to it.”

With the EP’s title a protest against the macho bullshit attached to the male-dominated music industry and ‘Girl Sports’ a response to a male dentist who once told the group’s bass player Jaida to stick to “girl sports” after knocking her teeth out skating, it seems pretty clear that Pretty Good For A Girlband is much more than a collection of songs, it’s a statement.

“The biggest thing that we want people to take away from it is that we just want to be taken seriously, I think this EP really does that,” states Scarlett.

“Like I said before, we have really put our all into it and then even the title being Pretty Good For A Girl Band, we just don’t want to be known as that. I mean, we’re a band, not a girl band.

“We’re not trying to cancel anyone or get mad at anyone, we just want to make people think a little bit or even to just think ‘Oh, Teen Jesus are good’ and not ‘good for’.”

When discussing the labels that the band get lumped with (with one recent review even commending Violent Soho for taking a “group of girls” who “lacked experience” on tour with them), we discussed the notion of ‘boy bands’ and how they differ from the stigmas attached to ‘girl bands’.

“I actually love the term ‘boy band’, but then you think about it and it’s like, well is Dear Seattle a boy band? Yes, they are. I’m just going to start referring to all-male bands as boy bands because if you can’t beat them, join them.”

Pretty Good For A Girl Band is out now through Domestic La La. They’ll be playing at The Corner Hotel on September 2, tickets on sale now.

BEAT.COM.AU

THE VIRTUAL REALITY FUTURE OF CLUBS AND FESTIVALS Melbourne is home to one of the world’s most thriving nightlives.

So, when the city was locked in by the world’s longest lockdowns, the industry found new ways to ensure that music could continue to shine and be shared.

Photography by Pim Myten

When the first wave of lockdowns birthed online radio stations and an endless array of collaborations and compilations, it quickly became clear that electronic music was never going to stay quiet, but the largest avenue to emerge was the rise of online music event streaming, and a virtual reality nightlife.

While Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement of Meta came with much debate, many figures in the industry now believe these new mediums are our future, with the pandemic merely acting as a catalyst. The world has reached a new era, where communities will congregate in digital form via virtual worlds. Despite dance floors returning, the movement is burgeoning forward.

“The event starts with patrons lining up outside the venue usually 30 minutes before the event, kind of like waiting outside in the line for the doors to open,” ,” LONER founder James Lorenz (online name: Zeal) describes.

“Once the doors are open, the first set begins and patrons pile inside. What happens inside is the usual club shenanigans.

Some are dancing, some are socialising and drinking, some are messing about in the toilet, the merch shop of the alley out front, or even hanging out by the bar as though they were getting a drink in real life.”

LONER is a VRChat nightclub that flourished during the pandemic and saw its community actually grow when dancefloors returned. The collective showcases alternative electronic music across Japan, USA and Australia, and felt pivoting to VR was a logical decision to build their platform.

Zeal and Lincoln Donelan (Velatix) decided as lockdowns loomed in early 2020 to shift their event focus to the VR space.

Their parties, hosted on the free-to-play PC game VRChat, allow patrons to cosplay as anime avatars, interacting with live DJ sets and light shows, as they hit the dancefloor, navigating various venue hotspots and chatting with fellow attendees in real-time.

The online world, inspired by some of the group’s favourite basement nightclubs like Sub Club and The Mercat, features a digital experience devoted to capturing the nostalgic feeling of being in real clubs, some now defunct, at a fraction of the cost required in the physical form.

With live midi controlled lasers, specialised audio, and a wide range of post-processing tweaks to mirror a sweaty, crowded basement club, the events helped mimic the feeling of packed dancefloors, with people yelling at each other over the music, while the fluorescent glow of convenience store lights blind weary clubbers who duck outside for a break. All of these

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Words by Sam Howard and Azren Paul factors were taken into account when creating proximity to real-life clubbing experiences via their virtual world.

While virtual reality DJ sets date back to the times of Habbo Hotel in the early 2000s, the spread of the virus and extended lockdown measures encouraged VR clubs across the world. The initiative #unitedwestream emerged just days after lockdown in Berlin, attracting over 1800 artists who performed to more than 40 million viewers, raising €1.5 million in crowdfunded donations. One of the world’s largest electronic music festivals, Tomorrowland, saw its very first digital festival and with no limits to audience capacity, more than one million electronic music lovers tuned in.

Even Burning Man moved to the virtual world via the Multiverse metaverse app, which mirrored the Black Rock City location as the organisers refused to go a year without the historical desert rave. Punters got the opportunity to experience some of their favourite artists and wander across the dusty landscape, creating their own avatars and hoverboarding from stage to stage.

Many promoters have found virtual events are far more inclusive, allowing them to show acts that are otherwise unreachable due to the costs of air travel or ticket prices. For other collectives, it’s the collaboration of events across borders that continue to bear interest, and the return of dance floors only creates more opportunity to bring people together, in both physical and digital form.

Iain Mac, of Stockholm Syndrome Australia, became a leader in promoting the potential of streamed and virtual-reality events during lockdown.

“The world was expressing something unprecedented and as a result, we had to adjust the way we live,” Mac says.

“I’m a firm believer that streaming and self-governed online communities are absolutely the way things are going, so it’s best to embrace it as soon as possible. The rise of social media and online gaming is changing the way we connect, with the next generation primed for this.

“Kids get home from school and jump straight online, building relationships digitally, forming online communities.

Meetings and connections can come in both forms. “The world was expressing something unprecedented and as a result, we had to adjust the way we live.

“It’s in the virtual spaces where we’re able to book tours, collaborate, release and connect with other musicians and likeminded communities. This is just the next addition.”

BEAT.COM.AU

Photography by Kylie Coutts

Sarah Blasko’s success of heartbreak With a voice that seems to echo on air and songs that provide joy steeped in anguish, Sarah Blasko has been a mainstay of the Australian music scene since the release of her debut album The Overture and the Underscore in 2004.

Words by Jordan Mccarthy

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In 2009, she released As Day Follows Night, the highlight of Blasko’s long and illustrious career to this point. 12 years later, she’s still reflecting on its momentous impact.

“It was a very vulnerable record.

I was heartbroken when I wrote it, and I was also learning how to write on my own,” she says. “When I think back, I’m very proud of myself that I kind of took that step. It was hard work, and it was a really full-on time.”

The album saw Blasko finish the award season with a (very fragile) triple j Australian Album of the Year Award and the ARIA for Best Female Artist.

With hits including ‘We Won’t Run’ and ‘Bird on a Wire’, As Day Follows Night is still seen as a benchmark of song writing and production in Australian music. The heartbreak album being unlike anything Blasko had done to that point in her career and something she will always be proud of.

Blasko attacked her heartache head on and decided to step outside her comfort zone to produce the record, heading to Sweden to work with producer Bjorn Yttling. Blasko had to work every day in a strange studio with people she didn’t know and who spoke a completely different language.

Ytlling’s process was a complete change to the way Blasko’s first two albums came together, and was at times a rocky experience for her.

“The producer that I worked with was very direct and he worked very quickly,” she says. “I kind of hated working with him, yet I loved working with him at the same time. The principles that he taught me were huge. He had just had a child at the time, and he was like, ‘right, we start at 11am’ and I think we were finished by six every day.

“The first two albums that I’d made, were literally 12-hour days, nonstop week after week for six to eight weeks.

I thought that kind of labour was normal, but he taught me to go in and rehearse so you know what you’re doing, but then you still capture the imperfections. You do it quickly, and you keep it fresh.”

Ytlling’s process for As Day Follows Night is one Blasko still applies when making music today and it’s the reason it remains one of her favourite albums.

“It finished so quickly, and we did it so quickly it just felt so effortless,” she says. “So, when I listened to the album, it was joyful to listen to because it was such a quick, easy process.

“It was a huge shift for me. I felt like, well, that’s how I want to make records from now on. The labour is not always the best thing for music, and it can kind of

stifle it and crush it. So, from then on, I’ve taken that same idea and applied it. The times that I haven’t applied it, I think I’ve ended up not being happy with the result.”

12 years on Blasko now finds herself in a very different place. She gave birth to her first child with partner Dave Miller in 2015, and the initial heartbreak that inspired As Day Follows Night is long in the past.

When performing on stage, Blasko knows she needs to identify with feelings of heartache and loss for it to feel genuine, so she must simultaneously embrace it while refining elements to keep it fresh and relatable to who she is today.

“Any of the heartbreaks or the struggles that you feel now, you need to put that into the performance of it, for it to feel authentic, because otherwise you’re just playing something that’s old,” she says.

“There’s been a couple of arrangements that I’ve changed around a little bit, not in a big way or in a melodic way, but just to bring the songs to where I am now.

I think that’s important, because people can tell when something just feels like it’s being played the same way over and over.”

Though, she certainly hasn’t forgotten the pain that inspired the album all those years ago.

“I still remember what that heartache felt like, I know who that person was, and I feel so much love for who I was and who they were. I was younger then, so I guess I see it in a way that I feel for this younger version of myself.”

Ultimately it was this heartache that led to the most successful period of Blasko’s career. The award nominations came in swiftly following the release of As Day Follows Night with major wins.

Blasko had the pleasure of playing at the ARIA awards the year she won Best Female Artist, and picked up the J Award.

Looking back, it’s not necessarily the accolades that Blasko remembers so fondly.

“I mostly look back at the recording experience,” she says. “I really remember playing it live with my band, but I’d be lying If I said I didn’t think that it was great to win these awards. It’s all the fun things around it that you remember.

“I remember my manager smashing my J Award, which was really funny. We were having a few drinks, celebrating and we thought it looked like it wouldn’t be able to break…. it did.”

A deluxe 10th anniversary reissue of As Day Follows Night is out now via Dew Process / Universal Music Australia.

BEAT.COM.AU

Photography by Giles Clement

Sound the sirens, Joan As Police Woman returns to Melbourne Joan Wasser is a name that has circulated the music industry since the start of the 90s.

Words by Tammy Walters

44

Known for her work in The Dambuilders, Black Beetle, Antony and the Johnsons, and as the titular force for Joan As Police Woman, Joan has been dubbed “one of the 21st century’s best musicians”.

Joan was adopted at a young age and raised in Connecticut, where she tended to stand out from both her family and her peers. Whether it was the bright costumes, the mohawks or the dyed dreadlocks, her early infatuation with violin was never going to last for long. She picked up the guitar, took over vocal duties, and found her unusual moniker - Joan As Police Woman - from a 70s TV series starring Angie Dickinson.

From there, the seasoned multiinstrumentalist has been associated with the biggest names in the industry.

Her three year relationship with Jeff Buckley until his untimely drowning sparked a transformation in her musical career that’s since seen her star studded collaborators include Elton John, Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, John Cale, Sheryl Crow and the Scissor Sisters. In short, Joan is a coactive force.

During lockdown, she continued to grow that contact list for her latest album, The Solution Is Restless, boasting the impeccable talents of Dave Okumu and the now late, Tony Allen.

“I met Tony Allen through Damon and this record, The Solution Is Restless, which I released in November, I started with one night of improv with Tony and Dave,” she says.

“I took the tracks and wrote songs from them; I created song forms, did tonnes of editing and created the songs from those during the lockdown.

“I spent a year making this record during the lockdown using those tracks as fodder for writing those songs.

“Dave Okumu is a long time friend.

I met him in London when we were doing a project around Gil Scott-Heron, this was one of Tony’s last recordings and I feel incredibly grateful to have worked with him.”

She further recruited Blur and Gorillaz mastermind, Damon Albarn, for track ‘Get My Bearings’, while also returning her talent to the Gorillaz’ latest sonic cog-turner ‘Song Machine’.

“I’ve known him for several years,” she continues. “We went on a trip together to Ethiopia with Africa Express so we got to know each other then and just collaborated on the recent Gorillaz record.

“I feel like we share a very similar way of liking to work on music which is very easy going – just hang out in a room,

make yourself comfortable and the music will happen, which is the best way for me and clearly also for him.

“It’s always been really easy collaborating with him and I feel we share a similar feel about melody and rhythm.

It’s super easy. I adore his voice and I just adore his process; I don’t know what else to say other than easy,” she laughs.

Recreating the work live for her upcoming Australian tour in late May / early June, Wasser will be bringing an incredibly talented pool of musicians including Parker Kindred (drums), Benjamin Lazar Davis (bass), and Eric Lane (keys).

“We’re doing the songs with our arrangements and it’s going great, we’ve been on tour for a few weeks now and it’s going fabulously,” she says.

“It’s what I feel like I’m supposed to be doing so it’s great to return. I am bringing one show and it is plenty of music I promise. It’s going to be great, I can’t wait to get back.”

Joan was previously in Australia in 2019, playing a solo show at Melbourne Recital Hall as part of Melbourne International Arts Festival, promoting her discography collection, Joanthology.

Whilst Joanthology put the spotlight on her 15-year-spanning music museum, the singer-songwriter is nowhere near her termination zone, with Joanthology Part II a real possibility.

“I don’t think of it really as what I want to achieve,” she explains, “for me, music is infinite and there is so much more music I look forward to making and that’s a continuous thing.

“There are so many ways to do it,” she says, repeating it again and again…”there are so many ways to do it that I don’t know about yet.

“That’s one of the most exciting things about staying open and curious and interested; there are so many ways to make music and communicate through it.

So I’m always looking forward to learning about more ways to do that, because it’s the only thing that really makes sense to me.”

The Solution Is Restless is out now via PIAS Recordings. Catch Joan As Police Woman on Thursday 2 June 2022 at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre. In partnership with PIAS.

BEAT.COM.AU

FROM THE STUDIO, TO THE STREET,

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SEL EC T MUSIC & IV Y L EAG UE PRES ENT

LOVE BOREDOM BICYCLES

JUNE 02 PRINCE OF WALES

BUNBURY

03 LYNOTTS LOUNGE

PERTH

04 MOJO’S

FREMANTLE

05 MOJO’S

FREMANTLE [AA]

08 MUMBO JUMBOS

CENTRAL COAST

J U LY

09 WAYWARDS

SYDNEY

07 SOOKI LOUNGE

BELGRAVE

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HUXLEYS

CARINGBAH

08 PELLY BAR

FRANKSTON

11

GERRINGONG TOWN HALL

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09 NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB

MELBOURNE

12

CAMBRIDGE HOTEL

NEWCASTLE

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MELBOURNE [AA]

10

BALLARAT

VOLTA

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MONSTER SKATEPARK

SYDNEY [AA]

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UNSW ROUNDHOUSE

SYDNEY (BEER GARDEN)

15 REPUBLIC BAR

HOBART

16

LA LA LA’S

WOLLONGONG

16 ROYAL OAK

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17

UC HUB

CANBERRA

23 CROWN & ANCHOR

ADELAIDE

23 THIRSTY CHIEFS BREWING CO NORTHLAKES 24 BLACK BEAR LODGE

BRISBANE

25 VINNIES DIVE

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26 SOLBAR

MAROOCHYDORE

T ICKE TS

Gigs + Events

May12 – JunØ3.

For thousands more gigs head to beat.com.au/gigguide

Thursday May 12 MURPHY: A LIVE MAGAZINE

THE VENDETTAS. STONETRIP, THE DREADFUL TIDES Bar

DRIFTWOOD: THE MUSICAL

Open. Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $22.45.

Richmond. 8:30pm. $24.

UMULAT The Tote. Collingwood.

MAYZIE. SID O’NEIL, PRETTY IN PINK, MAGGIE SLATER

MISS EILEEN & KING LEAR. POLLYMAN, HANNAH MCKITTRICK The Curtin.

THE UGLY KINGS. A GAZILLION ANGRY MEXICANS, MILLAR JUKES Northcote Social Club.

Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 8pm. $46.

GLASSHOUSE JAM SESSION

Bar 303. Northcote. 7:30pm.

8:30pm. $22.45.

Carlton. 8pm. $22.85.

ASIAN COMEDY: MAY COMEDY

Republic. Melbourne. 7pm. $20.

THURSDAY COMEDY CONNECTION Comedy

Republic. Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15 - 18.

LC & THE NOM DE PLUMES. ANNI NEPTUNE, JOSHUA MCCOMBE Whole Lotta

The Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts. Clayton. 1pm, 7:30pm. $29 - 59.

Mamma Chen’s. Footscray.

8pm. $15.

Northcote. 8:30pm. $22.30.

SOOPA DOOPA BUSH BAND

MORNING MAXWELL. LAMALO, JADE ALICE Sooki

MOUNT KUJO Bar 303.

Northcote. 8pm.

LAW AND ORDER: PTV 2022

HOLLY HEBE. TAMARA & THE DREAMS, EVIE LULU The

THE COFFINS. LAST INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, DZIRÉ, CHLOE FUCKING HOLMES The Workers Club.

Ballroom. Brunswick. 8pm. $48.96.

Leadbeater Hotel. Richmond.

8pm. $20.40.

BON JOVI FOREVER: THE AUSTRALIAN TRIBUTE Hotel

Westwood. Footscray. 8pm. $22.19.

FUZZ MEADOWS. SEEDY JEEZUS, SHROUD, BELLHOP

The Tote. Collingwood. 8:30pm. $17.35.

LOVEBONER. SKINK TANK, PROPERTY The B.East.

Fitzroy. 7pm. $9.85.

Brunswick East. 7:30pm. Free.

VANESSA AMOROSI (LAST CBD SHOW) Transit

8pm. Free.

Rooftop Bar. 8:30pm. $50-$145.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

MARK SINTON. THE WELLINGTONS DUO, PD RICHES, DJ DAVE SHAW

WENDY RULE Sooki Lounge.

Belgrave. 8pm. $24.50.

The Jazzlab. Brunswick. 8pm. $20 - 25.

8pm. $22.85.

PURPLE MATTER Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm.

REUBEN KAYE Brunswick

CLAIRE CROSS. NIRAN DASIKA

DELIVERY. PRIMO!, EGGY, PROGRAM The Curtin. Carlton.

BRET MOSLEY The Thornbury Local. Thornbury. 8pm. Free.

CHIMERA OPEN Studio.

Northcote. 8pm. $22.19.

Melbourne. 9pm. $27.50.

CELTIC ILLUSION REIMAGINED

Arts Centre Melbourne.

Melbourne. 7:30pm. $89.90.

THE WIKIMEN Open Studio.

Northcote. 8:30pm. $15.

Love. 7pm. $15.

LAW AND ORDER: PTV 2022 (LATE SHOW) The Toff in Town.

HOPE D. NOAH DILLON, PLATONIC SEX Corner Hotel.

Micawber Tavern. Belgrave.

6pm. Free.

Brunswick Artists’ Bar. Brunswick. 7:30pm. $12.85.

The Toff in Town. Melbourne.

7pm. $27.50.

47

Friday May 13

SUGAR BOOT Bar Open. Fitzroy.

Lounge. Belgrave. 8pm. $19.40.

ADAM RUDEGEAIR Ragtime Tavern. Preston. 8pm. Free.

LAW AND ORDER: PTV 2022

The Toff in Town. Melbourne.

7pm. $27.50.

LAW AND ORDER: PTV 2022

(Late Show) The Toff in Town.

Melbourne. 9pm. $27.50.

STEVE SEDERGREEN TRIO

Bird’s Basement. Melbourne.

7:30pm. $35.

NADAV RAYMAN TRIO The Jazzlab. Brunswick. 8pm. $30.

BOWIE BALL. PEPPY SMEARS, TASH YORK, WILLOW SIZER, GERALDINE QUINN, MELISSA DAVID, CHLOE TOWAN, JEROME JAVIER, NKECHI ANELE Night Cat. Fitzroy. 8pm.

$34 - 44.60.

TOWNS. DEBBIES, HALLIE The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $23.20.

BEAT MAG

Saturday May 14 DRIFTWOOD: THE MUSICAL

The Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts. Clayton. 2pm, 7:30pm. $29 - 59.

DOC HALIBUT Brunswick Artists’ Bar. Brunswick. 8pm. Free.

CARPAL TUNNEL. OSHIMA, POST GHOST Mamma Chen’s.

Footscray. 7pm. $10.

RON S. PENO & THE SUPERSTITIONS. SERENE DREAMS Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 7pm. $38.76.

FREYA JOSEPHINE HOLLICK

Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 10pm. $14.89.

PINKO COLLECTIVE Bar 303.

Northcote. 3:30pm. Free.

WASTEMAN. FIVEFOURS, BIG FAT ELEPHANT THE LEADBEATER HOTEL.

Richmond. 8pm. $19.99.

MOONAH COLLECTIVE PRESENTS: SPAWN, TWO HEADED DOG, REDRO REDRIGUEZ & HIS INNER DEMONS Hotel Westwood.

Footscray. 2pm. $10.

STEVE LUCAS & THE RISING TIDE. DAVE HOGAN, JOEY BEDLAM Hotel Westwood.

BELLHOP. SPUNK, BIFF Old Bar.

Fitzroy. 8pm. $5.

THE ALLNITERS. THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY, HORNSTARS Corner Hotel.

Richmond. 8:30pm. $45.

ROSS WILSON & THE PEACENIKS: EAGLE ROCK 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR AARON SCHEMBRI Yarraville Club.

Yarraville. 8:40pm. $30.

RICK DANGEROUS & THE SILKIE BANTAMS Cherry Bar.

Melbourne. 7pm.

CELTIC ILLUSION REIMAGINED

Melbourne Recital Centre.

Southbank. 7pm. $40 – 153.

EXPO. DISCO JUNK, CARPET BURN Bar Open. Fitzroy.

8:30pm. $17.35.

48

Town. Melbourne. 8pm. $15.68.

SOUL SACRIFICE Bird’s Basement. Melbourne. 7:30pm. $44.

RITA SATCH The Jazzlab.

Brunswick. 8pm. $30 - 35.

THE HARRY TINNEY QUARTET. MERINDA DIAS-JAYASINHA MCW BREAKING POINT

COOKII The Tote. Collingwood.

Thornbury Theatre. Thornbury.

7:30pm. $32.31 - 53.12.

SNOW & CO. DAMSEL EYES, THE GRAVY TRAM The Workers

8:30pm. $28.60.

Club. Fitzroy. 1pm. $13.

HUMAN NATURE Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne).

Melbourne. 8pm. $110.15.

THE VICTIM’S BALL. T.K. BOLLINGER & THE COLD HARD GROUND, SASHA ČUHA The

FORWARD EVER: 4 SOUND SYSTEMS, 2 ROOMS, 200% VIBES The Croxton. Thornbury.

6pm. $25.

LAZERTITS. PORPOISE SPIT, ZIG ZAG, HUNTLY, CABLE TIES DJS The Curtin. Carlton. 8pm.

Poet. West Melbourne. 3pm. Free.

VAN DIEMEN’S BAND

THE JIVES. PAMELA ST, BLANCO TRANCO The Toff in

HUMAN NATURE (Matinee Session) Hamer Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne). Melbourne.

2pm. $110.15.

ZEN MONKEE. PIXIE RIOT, WARDENS The Tote.

B.East. Brunswick East. 9pm. Free.

SPOONFUL Post Office Hotel.

Coburg. 9pm.

Classic Southside. Elsternwick.

8pm. $30.

Footscray. 8pm. $27.46.

SLUSH + SHINY COIN The

Northcote. 8pm.

Arts Centre Melbourne.

Melbourne. 7:30pm. $89.90.

$22.85.

Collingwood. 9pm. $17.35.

NIR TSFATY & INVICTUS QUARTET. JEANE Wesley Anne.

TAPSALTEERIE The Drunken

MOJO MAFIA The Drunken Poet.

West Melbourne. 9pm. Free.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

LA MAUVAISE RÉPUTATION

Open Studio. Northcote.

8:30pm. $15.

NINA ROSE (SOLO) Open

Studio. Northcote. 5:30pm.$10.

Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $15.05.

Sunday May 15 COCO JUMBO. EXPORTS The

Tote. Collingwood. 4pm. Free.

THE FOUR SCOOPS Bar Open.

Fitzroy. 5:30pm. Free.

LAW AND ORDER: PTV 2022

RAGTIME SUNSET SESSIONS

Ragtime Tavern. 6pm. Free

Thursday May 19 SYDNEY ROAD VINTAGE BALL 2022. PEARLY SHELLS

Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 7:30pm. $33.76.

SHAKY STILLS Brunswick

Artists’ Bar. Brunswick. 8pm. Free.

THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND

The Tote. Collingwood. 8:30pm. $33.70.

MESS: THROUGH THE ROOF. CATHERINE RYAN, R. P. DOWNIE, REUBEN LEWIS, TIFFANY ALWIS The Capitol

(RMIT). Melbourne. 8pm. $10.

THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH Bar 303. Northcote. 7:30pm. $10.

LUCAS ABELA. JOSH WELLS & KARINA UTOMO, RAMA PARWATA Northcote Social

Club. Northcote. 7:30pm. $20.

EDDIE VAN HALEN CELEBRATED WITH SIMON HOSFORD’S FAIR WARNING Corner Hotel. Richmond.

7:30pm. $46.46.

THURSDAY COMEDY CONNECTION Comedy

Republic. Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15 - 18.

HOT DEPARTMENT: AFTER PARTY Comedy Republic.

The Toff in Town. Melbourne.

6pm. $27.50.

Melbourne. 7pm. $28.

LAW AND ORDER: PTV 2022

Open Studio. Northcote. 8pm. $32.74.

(Late Show) The Toff in Town.

Melbourne. 8pm. $27.50.

REGINA SPEKTOR TRIBUTE SHOW: ALICE MCDONALD. PATRICK BURTON GRACE

Classic Southside. Elsternwick.

7:30pm. $25.

DAIMON BRUNTON QUINTET VANISHING POINT Sooki Lounge. Belgrave. 7pm. $25.

BARNEY MCALL: NON COMPLIANCE TRIO The Jazzlab.

Brunswick. 8pm. $25 - 30.

BEAT.COM.AU

Friday May 20 ZOË FOX & THE ROCKET CLOCKS Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 8:30pm. $28.15.

QUEEN BEAVER PRESENTS BEAVERS BEHAVING BADLY

Bar 303. Northcote. 7:30pm. $20.

LAZY GHOST The Leadbeater

PEARLE. CHEV PERSON, DOUBLE DOLE BAND, STAV & THE MELBOURNE SONGWRITERS COLLECTIVE, TUSHARA ROSE Mamma Chen’s.

Brunswick. 8:30pm. $33.76.

FRENZAL RHOMB. TOTALLY UNICORN, SOMETHING SOMETHING EXPLOSION

Richmond. 8pm. $18.10 - 20.15.

Club. Fitzroy. 1pm. $15.05.

THE WOODLAND HUNTERS

FREAKCLUB: BAMBI VOL. 1

TOTE ROCKS 40: HOLY SERPENT. FUZZMEADOWS, VVARP The Tote. Collingwood.

Ragtime Tavern. 6pm. Free.

Footscray. 5:30pm. Free.

Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $23.75.

The Croxton. Thornbury. 8pm. $46.95.

BEWARE DEMISE: ALERA + HEADWRECK The Tote.

VINTAGE CROP. THE LIVING EYES, HOOPER CRESCENT The

Collingwood. 8:30pm. $17.35.

Curtin. Carlton. 8pm. $22.85.

MAN VS SYNTH. CUPID IN DENIM, JE BAHL The Tote.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

Collingwood. 9pm. $11.25.

GEORGIA MAQ + SKY CITY GOLD Melbourne Museum.

Carlton. 7pm. $40 - 45.

HOT DEPARTMENT: AFTER PARTY Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 7pm. $28.

AMELIA EVANS Melbourne

THOMAS TAPS TRIO Open Studio. Northcote. 8:30pm. $16.91.

TUG. CREEK, HOTDOG BAND

BROKEN CREEK Wesley Anne.

Northcote. 8pm.

Recital Centre. Southbank.

8pm. $25.

Bar Open. Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $17.35.

FEMINISTA VINYL FUNDRAISER. HANNAH BLACKBURN, FACE FACE, SHOOT THE GENIE Old Bar.

Fitzroy. 8pm. $11.25.

KIRIN J CALLINAN Northcote

Social Club. Northcote.

8:30pm. $40.40.

JACK BOTTS. DUSTY BOOTS, BEN CAMDEN, FELIPE BALDOMIR, MADDY MAY

Corner Hotel. Richmond. 7:30pm.

SIALA Yah Yah’s. Fitzroy.

9pm. $15.

THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS. THE TEETHERS Cherry Bar.

Melbourne. 8pm. $22.59.

FAB FOLK NIGHT WITH MAISIE

CAT CRAWL + LONG HOURS

Post Office Hotel. Coburg. 9pm.

RENEE GEYER Bird’s Basement.

Melbourne. 7:30pm. $45.

CANNONBALL WITH CHANTAL MITVALSKY The Jazzlab.

Brunswick. 8pm. $30 - 35.

EGOISM. MONTGOMERY The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $26.80.

Saturday May 21 EDITH LANE: EDEN ON THE PARK BELATED LAUNCH PARTY. ORANGE ORANGE

Mamma Chen’s. Footscray.

8pm. Free.

ARCHER Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 1pm. $28.05.

THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND Brunswick Ballroom.

FOURTH PLACE. CALEB COLTON, REYKO, REMEDY, BIG ONE LUCA G, CUZIN LETH The Leadbeater Hotel.

The Tote. Collingwood. 3pm. $11.25.

8:30pm. $22.45.

SHOUSE. KOMANG, M8RIARCHY Melbourne

REBECCA MENDOZA QUARTET

The Jazzlab. Brunswick. 8pm. $30 - 35.

THE DANIEL MOUGERMAN QUARTET Classic Southside.

Elsternwick. 8pm. $30.

THE LANDMARKS. A RIOTING MIND, HUNTER The Workers The Workers Club. Fitzroy. 8pm. $23.20.

RAGTIME SUNSET SESSIONS

INLND PRESENTS: LIVE Whole Lotta Love. 7:30 pm. $20.

ADAM 2, ACOUSTIC DUO

Transport Hotel. 4-7pm.

Museum. Carlton. 7pm. $40 - 45.

Sunday May 22

TK REEVE. JOE’S MISSING HOURS, TERESA DUFFYRICHARDS Old Bar. Fitzroy.

KARAKAS Thornbury Local.

8pm. Free.

PRESS CLUB. RANGING HORMONES, MONEY BOYS, ZIG ZAG Corner Hotel.

THE COOLABAHS: FIRST EVER SHOW. SPUNK, ALL WE NEED

8pm. $17.35.

Richmond. 8:30pm. $29.10.

BUGS The Croxton. Thornbury.

7:30pm. $34.90.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

HOT DEPARTMENT: AFTER PARTY Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 7pm. $28.

JUMPIN JACK JORDAN & FRIENDS Open Studio.

Northcote. 5pm. $10.

CAM TAPP Transport Hotel/ Public Bar 4-7pm. Free.

Mamma Chen’s. Footscray.

6pm. Free.

KAIT ROGERSON Micawber Tavern. Belgrave. 6pm. Free.

Thursday May 26 HERCULES BY DANIEL SCHLUSSER ENSEMBLE, HAUNTED BY EURIPIDES Arts

House. North Melbourne.

7:30pm. $10 - 20.

RUEDELEON The Toff in Town.

Melbourne. 8pm. $19.03.

LOST RAGAS. D.C. CROSS

CJ COMMERFORD & THE SUPERTONES Bird’s Basement.

YORKE Northcote Social Club.

Northcote. 7:30pm. $26.05.

Melbourne. 7:30pm. $40.

Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 8pm. $33.76.

PJ MORTON Corner Hotel.

Richmond. 8pm. $64.90.

FRIDAY MAY 13

Bret Mosley 8pm

SATURDAY MAY 21

Karakas 8pm

SATURDAY MAY 14

Rachel Caddy 8pm + Amelia Allen Trio

SUNDAY MAY 22

Tig Lieschke 5pm

SUNDAY MAY 15

Live Music Fri, Sat & Sun Tues Trivia, Weds Open Mic Thursday Happy Hours 5-11pm Kitchen till 11pm, Open Daily All gigs Free Entry

49

Hannah Potter

5pm

FRIDAY MAY 27

Lot 56 8pm

FRIDAY MAY 20

Kellock + Keser + Efron 5pm

SATURDAY MAY 28

Alethia Band 8pm

BEAT MAG

MAX LAWRENCE. JULAI, PEACHNOISE, TANZER The

Curtin. Carlton. 8pm. $22.85.

THURSDAY COMEDY CONNECTION Comedy

FRANJAPAN Cherry Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. $22.59.

THE HOLD STEADY The Croxton. Thornbury. 7:30pm. $74.90.

Republic. Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15 - 18.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

GREG STEPS. NATASHA JOHANNA Open Studio.

ROSS WILSON Sooki Lounge.

Northcote. 7pm. $20.

VOID OF VISION. HOLDING ABSENCE, BLOOM Sooki

Lounge. Belgrave. 7:30pm. $34.

MAT JODRELL QUARTET The

Belgrave. 8pm. $49.90.

DAVE HOLE Bird’s Basement.

ODETTE. LIYAH KNIGHT

APATE. STARVE, ELISION, OVTSIDER The Workers Club.

Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $24.25.

House. North Melbourne.

7:30pm. $10 - 20.

Saturday May 28

COMMUNE: A GOTHIC ECO-OPERA FEAT: THE OMEGA POINT. ALEJANDRO ESPINO ALDANA, ALEXANDER MEAGHER Church Of All Nations.

STORYTELLERS AT THE STATION FEAT: THE WEEPING WILLOWS Casey Radio.

Music Club. Bulleen. 7pm. $45.

BRET MOSLEY The Drunken

Poet. West Melbourne. 6pm.

Free.

MARK SEYMOUR & THE UNDERTOW Brunswick

Ballroom. Brunswick. 8:30pm. $55.

CARLA GENEVE The Tote.

Collingwood. 8:30pm. $28.60.

HORROR MY FRIEND The B.East.

Brunswick East. 7pm. Free.

LIARS Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank. 7:30pm. $40 - 50.

DELYRIUM Bar Open. Fitzroy.

6pm. Free.

ZEN MONKEE. COCO JUMBO, GERARD. J. HOLMES Bar Open.

Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $17.35.

JESS DAY. MOLLY MILLINGTON Northcote Social Club.

Northcote. 9pm. $29.10.

WRESTLEROCK WITH DANGEROUS CURVES Corner

Hotel. Richmond. 8pm. $45.45.

50

GLENN SHORROCK Yarraville Club. Yarraville. 8:40pm. $30.

ONE MORE WEEKEND. FAIRTRADE NARCOTICS Cherry CELESTE BARBER: FINE, THANKS (Early Show) Hamer

Friday May 27

SIONNACH RUA’S GREAT IRISH SONG BOOK Soundgarden

THURSDAY COMEDY CONNECTION Comedy

THE PEARLY SHELLS SWING ORCHESTRA WITH YVETTE JOHANSSON The Jazzlab.

Thornbury Theatre. Thornbury.

8pm. $39.80.

CATNIP THE BAND Micawber Tavern. Belgrave. 8:30pm. Free.

ALICE SKYE Northcote Social Club. Northcote. 8:30pm. $29.10.

Thornbury. 7:30pm. $10.

Bar. Melbourne. 8pm. $17.48.

Brunswick. 8pm. $30 - 35.

Carlton. 8pm. $19.50 - 35.

GEORGE ALICE Northcote Social Club. Northcote.

7:30pm. $35.30.

Melbourne. 7:30pm. $44.

Jazzlab. Brunswick. 8pm. $20 - 25.

HERCULES BY DANIEL SCHLUSSER ENSEMBLE, HAUNTED BY EURIPIDES Arts

THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH + SCARLETT COOK Cafe Gummo.

Hall (Arts Centre Melbourne).

Melbourne. 5:30pm. $92.15.

CELESTE BARBER: FINE, THANKS Hamer Hall (Arts

Centre Melbourne). Melbourne.

8pm. $92.15.

THE HOLD STEADY The Croxton. Thornbury. 7:30pm. $74.90.

THE STROPPIES. POSSIBLE HUMANS, THE GLASS PICTURE, THE TOADS The Curtin. Carlton.

8pm. $17.75.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Cranbourne East. 7pm. $15.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL PRESENTS UP NEXT Arts Centre Melbourne.

ADAM GEOFFREY COLE. MATT MALONE Open Studio.

Melbourne. 5pm. $15.

HERCULES BY DANIEL SCHLUSSER ENSEMBLE, HAUNTED BY EURIPIDES Arts

House. North Melbourne.

6:30pm. $10 - 20.

COMMUNE: A GOTHIC ECO-OPERA FEAT: THE OMEGA POINT. ALEJANDRO ESPINO ALDANA, ALEXANDER MEAGHER Church Of All Nations.

Carlton. 8pm. $19.50 - 35.

SIONNACH RUA’S GREAT IRISH SONG BOOK Frankston

Arts Centre. Frankston. 8pm. $50.50.

MARK SEYMOUR & THE UNDERTOW Brunswick Ballroom.

Brunswick. 8:30pm. $55.

TOTE ROCKS 40: KIM SALMON & THE SURREALISTS The Tote.

Northcote. 3:30pm. $20.

GRAND WAZOO Bird’s Basement.

Melbourne. 7:30pm. $55.

REBECCA BARNARD: SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL The Jazzlab.

Brunswick. 8pm. $30 - 35.

FIRE ROOTS. BLEW LAYN, SOUTHLAND LATIN ROCK, THE CLEVER REFERENCES The Workers Club. Fitzroy.

1pm. $13.

Sunday May 29 CORN NUT CREEK. FIONA STEELE POME. Richmond. 3pm.

$20.

MARTY ROSE Micawber Tavern.

Belgrave. 2:30pm. Free.

THE FOUR SCOOPS Bar Open.

Fitzroy. 5:30pm. Free.

RAGTIME SUNSET SESSIONS

Collingwood. 8:30pm. $33.70.

Ragtime Tavern. 6pm. Free.

THE SHIFTIES. BROOKE RUSSELL & THE MEAN REDS

Thursday June 2

The B.East. Brunswick East.

9pm. Free.

PETER VADIVELOO Thornbury

BURIAL PIT. ISUA, WAITING Old

Bar. Fitzroy. 7pm. $15 - 20.

Local. 5pm. Free.

JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN Palais Theatre. St Kilda. 8pm. $85.58.

Republic. Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15 - 18.

ANDREW MCSWEENEY & THE WISHING HORSE Wesley Anne.

Northcote. 8pm.

Friday June 3 GALLAGATH - AN ABNORMAL TOUR W/ RUMPUS & YA BOY ALASKA Whole Lotta Love.

Brunswick. 8pm. Free.

BRET MOSLEY Golden Vine Hotel. Bendigo. 6pm. Free.

THE COOL & SMART VERY FUNNY COMEDY HOUR The

Improv Conspiracy. Melbourne.

8:15pm. $20.

KATANKIN LIVE The Thornbury Local. 7:30pm. Free.

MICK THOMAS’ ROVING COMMISSION Hotel

Westwood. Footscray. 8pm. $32.74.

THE EVILS. FRANCIS GLASS BAND, WITH WITCH The Tote.

Collingwood. 9pm. $17.35.

NICK BATTERHAM Melbourne Recital Centre. Southbank.

7:30pm. $40.

HARVEY SUTHERLAND

Melbourne Recital Centre.

Southbank. 8pm. $45.

SOME JERKS. HEARTS & ROCKETS, BABY 8 Old Bar.

Fitzroy. 8pm. $15.

AMMONIA’S DAVE JOHNSTONE. HOLOCENE, MOLER Northcote Social Club.

Northcote. 8:30pm. $46.

DREAM ON DREAMER (FAREWELL SHOW). YONG LIONS, BAD LOVE Corner Hotel.

Richmond. 8:30pm. $40.40.

MAIN STAGE Comedy Republic.

Melbourne. 8:30pm. $30.

A TRIBUTE TO FLEETWOOD MAC Sooki Lounge. Belgrave.

8pm. $24.50.

EMILY WILLIAMS Bird’s

Basement. Melbourne. 7:30pm. $44.

MICHELLE NICOLLE QUARTET

The Jazzlab. Brunswick. 8pm. $30 - 35.

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