beat magazine #1363

BEAT.COM.AU - I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

GRINSPOONBILLY BRAGG

THIS WEEK: MONSTER BODY, PENELOPE, LOWRIDER, EMMYLOU HARRIS, MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE, HIS MERRY MEN, MANNY FOX

PUBLIC IMAGE LTDIGGY AND THE STOOGES BEATS: DEMIGODZ

ISSU

E 13

63 |

20 M

AR 2

013

| BEA

T.COM

.AU

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

TO BOOK: 03 9699 3333MELBOURNERECITAL.COM.AUCNR SOUTHBANK BLVD & STURT ST, SOUTHBANKTransaction fees may apply

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

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THE REAL BLUES

MUSIC MAKER BLUES REVUE!FEATURING

IRONING BOARD SAMMAJOR HANDY

|

PAT WILDER

|

DR. BURT

WITH NASHID ABDUL-KHAALIQARDIE DEAN | ALBERT WHITE |NORTHCOTE S.C. WED 27 MAR

PRESENTS

Strawberry Letter 23OTISShug

gie

Smoking Gun

Lovin in My Baby’s Eyes

Going Up to

the Country,

Paint My

Mailbox Blue

Fishin’ Blues

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

&

THE ULTIMATE BLUES REVUE:

CRAYRobert

MAHALTajtrio

HAMER HALL ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE SUN 24 MAR

PRESENTSPRESENTSPRESENTS

2013 GRAMMY WINNER: BEST AMERICANA ALBUM

2013 GRAMMY WINNER: BEST REGGAE ALBUM

THIS WEEK!

THIS WEEK!

NEXT WEEK!

THIS WEEK!

THIS WEEK!

THIS WEEK!

THIS WEEK!

THIS WEEK!

“EXTRAORDINARY SONGS, MESMERISING

GUITAR PLAYING, AND A VOICE THAT GOES

EFFORTLESSLY FROM BRUISE-TENDER TO

SCAR-HARD IN A MATTER OF MINUTES ...

SHE HELD THE AUDIENCE

SPELLBOUND.”

THE GUARDIAN

AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH

SHAWN COLVINSPECIAL GUEST

LACHLAN BRYAN

THE CORNER MON 1 APR LIMITED GA SEATING

A UNIQUE PAIRING OF BLUES AND SOUL

BONNIE RAITT

WIT

H

MAVIS STAPLESARTS CENTRE MELB STATE THEATRE WED 27 MAR SELLING

FAST!

THE KING OF REGGAE

JIMMYCLIFFSPECIAL GUESTS LARRY MALUMA & DJ MOHAIR SLIM

CORNER WED 27 MAR SELLING FAST!

THE LONG AWAITED RETURN OF JOAN

ARMATRADING

SPECIAL GUEST GENEVIEVE CHADWICK

THE FORUM SAT 23 MAR SOLD OUT!

RODRIGUEZ PERFORMING WITH THE BREAK

ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE HAMER HALL THU 21 MAR SOLD

OUT! FRI 22 MAR SOLD OUT!

TEDESCHI TRUCKS

BA

ND

WIT

H G

UES

TS

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE

ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE HAMER HALL TUE 26 MAR SELLING

FAST!

THE FINEST MUSICIANS FROM THE STREET CORNERS OF THE WORLD UNITE ONSTAGE TO CREATE CHANGE

PLAYING FOR CHANGEFEATURING

MEMBERS OF BLUE KING BROWN WITH SARITAH THE CORNER MON 25 MAR ALSO APPEARING WITH ROBERT PLANT

FOR SELECT PERFORMANCES

THIS WEEK!

PRESENTS

PRESENTSPRESENTS

PRESENTS

PRESENTSPRESENTS PRESENTS


BLUESFEST TOURING PRESENTS

DIRECT FROM THE USA GOSPEL SPECTACULAR

THE BLIND BOYS OF

ALABAMAPLUS

ALLEN TOUSSAINT

ALSO

ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNEHAMER HALL WED 3 APR

SWEET HONEYIN THE ROCK

CAPLAN IS TO FOLK-BLUES WHAT SMOKE IS TO BOURBON. RUGGED, RASPY & ROARING WITH CHARISMA AND THE GROWLING INTENSITY OF SEASICK STEVE & TOM WAITS.

BEN CAPLAN SO

LO

SPECIAL GUEST LACHLAN BRYAN

NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB THU 4 APR

WITH GUESTS

CURRENT SWELL (CAN)

PRINCE BANDROOM SAT 6 APR

“TOM WAITS, NICK LOWE AND

JOHN PRINE ARE BIG FANS OF HIS ... THINK ELVIS PRESLEY ’S OUTPUT BEFORE HE JOINED THE ARMY”

GAURDIAN UK

“THE DISC WAS RECORDED IN 100% ANALOG

AND CONTAINS 100% ROCKABILLY SWAGGER.” TIME OUT

NEW YORK

JD MCPHERSONWITH SOUTHERN ROCK SUPERGROUP

ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOODFEAT CYRIL NEVILLE (THE NEVILLE BROTHERS / THE METERS), DEVON ALLMAN (ALLMAN BROTHERS)THE CORNER SAT 30 MAR

ALLEN

STONEWITH TEXTURE LIKE SUNNORTHCOTE S.C. THU 28 MAR

“ALLEN STONE HAS THE BEST EFFING VOICE I’VE EVER HEARD.” MTV

“THE SON OF A PREACHER MAN... PITCH-PERFECT POWERHOUSE” USA TODAY

JAKESHIMABUKUROSPECIAL

GUEST DANIEL CHAMPAGNETHE CORNER FRI 5 APR

“JAKE IS TAKING THE INSTRUMENT

(UKE) TO A PLACE THAT I CAN’T SEE ANYBODY ELSE CATCHING UP WITH HIM.” EDDIE VEDDER

AFTER RELEASING HIS OWN ALBUM OF UKULELE SONGS

BETTYELAVETTEWITH TEXTURE LIKE SUNCORNER THU 4 APR

WIT

H

EEZRA LEE AND HIS BAND

FEAT. BLUES COWBOYS - JOHNNY GREEN, HANK GREEN, GRUNTER AND SPECIAL GUEST RED RIVERS

SPECIAL GUEST FRASER A GORMAN

THE CORNER WED 20 MAR & THU 21 MAR

THIS WEEK!

VISIT BLUESFESTTOURING.COM.AU FOR TICKETING INFO OR CALL 02 6685 8310 ALL ARTISTS ALSO APPEARING AT BLUESFEST

ALSO

TOURING:

ROGER HODGSON NEXT WEEK! / JON ANDERSON

PLUS SPECIAL GUEST HARRY HEALY / ROBERT PLANT NEXT

WEEK!

THE LUMINEERS SOLD OUT!

PLUS SPECIAL GUEST THE FALLS

NEXT WEEK! / NEWTON FAULKNER

“HERE IS THE NEXT MAJOR VOICE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

IN MUSIC IN A LONG LINE STARTING WITH BOB MARLEY

- THROUGH TO MICHAEL FRANTI AND BEYOND....

DON’T MISS THE URGENCY OF THE MESSAGE OF THESE

FREEDOM SOLDIERS”

PETER NOBLE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR BLUESFEST

NEXT WEEK!

NEXT WEEK!

NEXT WEEK!

“PUT ME IN THE FAN CLUB!” KEITH RICHARDS

“ONE OF R&B’S GREATEST ...VOCALISTS.” ELVIS COSTELLO “ONE OF THE

MOST INCREDIBLE R&B SINGERS SINGING TODAY.” BONNIE RAITT

“ONE OF THE BEST SOUL VOICES EVER.” BLUES & SOUL

“INCREDIBLE ARTIST” ELTON JOHN “SHE IS GONNA STEAL THE SHOW...

UNBELIEVABLE.” DAVE GROHL FOO FIGHTERS

“THE GREATEST FEMALE SOUL SINGER.” RY COODER

“THE CURRENT QUEEN OF SOUL” HITS “THE MOST EMOTIVE, EMOTIONAL SINGER IN THE R&B WORLD.” THE MINNEAPOLIS

STAR TRIBUNE “THERE’S NO-ONE MORE SOULFUL.” CNN

“HER VOICE ... CONTAINS MORE CHARACTER AND DEPTH OF FEELING THAN ... ANY OTHER SINGER THIS SIDE OF BILLIE AND

ARETHA.” THE DETROIT FREE PRESS “JUST A MASTER” SHERYL

CROW “HIGH PRIESTESS OF R&B.” THE HUFFINGTON

POST “THE LAST GREAT VERNACULAR BLACK SINGER.” THE NEW

YORKER “RIVALS ARETHA FRANKLIN AS HER

GENERATION’S MOST VITAL SOUL SINGER.”THE NEW YORK TIMESUS SOUL

SENSATION

“AN ATOMIC BOMB IN LIPSTICK - THE

QUEEN OF ROCKABILLY” BOB DYLAN

“SHE’S LIKE MY ROCKABILLY ETTA

JAMES. I LOVE HER” ADELE

PRESENTS

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PRESENTSPRESENTS

PRESENTS

PRESENTS

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TUESDAY’S IN MARCH

LET’S GET TRIVICAL HOSTED BY LAURA IMBRUGLIA + SPECIAL MUSICAL GUESTS


Bob and the Rats are back in Boomtown for the first time since 1986

Down Under Events is excited to present the reunited Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof’s band will be playing together for the fi rst time since 1986. They last toured Australia in 1979

“Playing again with the Rats and doing those great songs again will be exciting afresh. We were an amazing band and I just feel it’s the right time to re-Rat, to go back to Boomtown for a visit. And to commence our World Tour Down Under where we enjoyed enormous chart success could not be more appropriate.” Bob Geldof

Rockin the Centre in Sydney with Boomtown Rats will be Iconic 80s stars, Eurogliders. Reformed by and featuring Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch will play all their huge hits including ‘Can’t Wait To See You, ‘We Will Together’ and ‘Heaven Must Be There’.

Hisense Arena Thursday May 23

I don’t like Mondays

Banana Republic

Rat Trap

Someone’s looking at you

Diamond Smiles

and many more great hits

Presented by

Special Guests

Eurogliders ONE SHOW ONLY


PRESENTED BY TRIPLE J, STREET PRESS AUSTRALIA, CHANNEL [V] AND MUSIC FEEDS

NEVER BE THE SAME TOURWITH SPECIAL GUESTS WALK THE MOON (US)

TICKETS & INFO AT THERUBENSMUSIC.COM

FRI 10 MAY FORUM MELBOURNE

SAT 11 MAYFORUM MELBOURNE

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FRIDAY APRIL 26THE FORUM THEATRE

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY triple j & VILLAGE SOUNDS

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WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

KING GIZZARD & THE WIZARD LIZARD

THEDRONES

I SEE SEAWEED OUT NOW


April 19 - The Corner Hotel,

Melbourne

May 18 - The Wool Exchange, Geelong

Tickets via oztix.com.au

WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES... BEAT.COM.AU/TV

16 HOT TALK

20 TOURING

22 JIMMY CLIFF

24 ARTS GUIDE, MONSTER BODY

26 ART OF THE CITY, COMIC STRIP

29 PENELOPE

30 NEON

31 GROUP SHOW

32 MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP

DRIVE

43 FRED WESLEY

44 INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH,

DEEP VALLY

46 IRONING BOARD SAM,

THE SNOWDROPPERS,

JAKE SHIMABUKURO

47 GRINSPOON

48 IGGY & THE STOOGES

49 PUBLIC IMAGE LTD

50 EMMY LOU HARRIS,

ALLEN STONE,

COUNTING CROWS

51 BILLY BRAGG

52 THE VON ERICHS,

WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE

TAV FALCO & THE PANTHER BURNS

53 CORE/CRUNCH!

THE BRONX

54 MUSIC NEWS

60 ALBUM OF THE WEEK, SINGLES,

CHARTS

61 ALBUMS

62 GIG GUIDE

70 LIVE

3 NEWTON STREETRICH MOND, VIC TO RIA 3121

Phone: (03) 9428 3600 Fax: (03) 9428 3611

email: [email protected]

BEAT MAGAZINE EMAIL ADDRESSES: (no large attachments please):Gig Guide: online at beat.com.au email [email protected] - it’s free! Club Listings: online at beat.com.auemail [email protected] - it’s free!Music News Items: [email protected] Artwork: [email protected] Beat Classifi eds 33c a word: classifi [email protected]

THIS WEEK IN BEATSDEMIGODZ

WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE PG52

FRED WESLEY PG 43 COUNTING CROWS PG 50

THE BRONX PG 53

IN THIS ISSUE...

PUBLISHER: Furst Media Pty Ltd.MUSIC EDITOR: Taryn Stenvei ARTS EDITOR / ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR: Tyson WrayEDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Nick TarasINTERNS: Alexandra Duguid, Dylan McCarthy, Katerina Capel, Natalie CastellanGENERAL MANAGER: Patrick CarrSENIOR ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR:Ronnit SternfeinBEAT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Pat O’NeillGRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Pat O’Neill, Mike Cusack, Gill Tucker, Rebecca HouldenCOVER ART: Pat O’NeillADVERTISING: Taryn Stenvei (Music: Bands/Tours/Record Labels) [email protected] Ronnit Sternfein (100%/Beat/Arts/Education/Ad Agency) [email protected] Aleksei Plinte (Backstage/ Musical Equipment) [email protected] Adam Morgan (Hospitality/Bars) [email protected] Furst (beat.com.au) [email protected] 0431 243 808Jessica Riley (Indie Bands/Special Features) [email protected]: classifi [email protected] GUIDE SUBMISSIONS: now online at www.beat.com.au or bands email [email protected]

ELECTRONIC EDITOR - BEAT ONLINE: Tyson Wray: [email protected]: [email protected] CO-ORDINATOR: Jessica Riley: [email protected] RECEIVABLE: Luke Forester: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected] Free Every Wednesday to over 1,850 places including Convenience Stores, Newsagents, Ticket Outlets, Shopping Centres, Community Youth & Welfare Outlets, Clubs, Hotels, Venues, Record, Music and Video Shops, Boutiques, Retailers, Bars, Restaurants, Cafes, Bookstores, Hairdressers, Recording Studios, Cinemas, Theatres, Galleries, Universities and Colleges.Wanna get BEAT? Email [email protected] DEADLINES Editorial Copy accepted no later than 5pm Thursday before publication for Club listings, Arts, Gig Guide etc. Advertising Copy accepted no later than 12pm Monday before publication. Print ready art by 2pm Monday. Deadlines are strictly adhered to.CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mary Boukouvalas, Ben Clement, Ben Gunzburg, Rebecca Houlden, Nick Irving, Anna Kanci, Cassandra Kiely, Charles Newbury, Richard Sharman, Tony Proudfoot.

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR: Christie EliezerSENIOR CONTRIBUTORS: Simone Ubaldi, Patrick EmeryCOLUMNISTS: Emily Kelly, Peter Hodgson.CONTRIBUTORS: Mitch Alexander, Siobhan Argent, Bella Arnott-Hoare, Thomas Bailey, Graham Blackley, Chris Bright, Joanne Brookfi eld, Tegan Butler, Avrille Bylock-Collard, Rose Callaghan, Kim Croxford, Dave Dawson, John Donaldson, Alexandra Duguid, Alasdair Duncan, Cam Ewart, Callum Fitzpatrick, Jack Franklin, Chris Girdler, Megan Hanson, Chris Harms, Andrew Hickey, Nick Hilton, Peter Hodgson, Lachlan Kanoniuk, Cassandra Kiely, Joshua Kloke, Nick Mason, Krystal Maynard, Miki McLay, Jeremy Millar, James Nicoli, Oliver Pelling, Matt Panag, Jack Parsons, Sasha Petrova, Liam Pieper, Steve Phillips, Zoe Radas, Adam Robertshaw, Joanna Robin, Leigh Salter, Side Man, Jeremy Sheaffe, Sisqo Taras, Kelly Theobald, Tamara Vogl, Dan Watt, Katie Weiss, Krissi Weiss, Rod Whitfield, Jen Wilson, Tyson Wray, Simone Ziada, Bronius Zumeris.

© 2013 Furst Media Pty Ltd. No part may be reproduced

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ATP: RELEASE THE BATSFollowing their hugely popular ATP I’ll Be Your Mirror event curated by The Drones this February, ATP have announced their next Australian chapter in the form of Release The Bats Melbourne, a Halloween event featuring The Breeders performing The Last Splash, The Jesus Lizard, The Scientists, Fuck Buttons, Lightning Bolt, Sleep, Forest Swords, Total Control, The UV Race, Hoss, White Walls, The Spinning Rooms and more to be announced. It takes place on Saturday October 26 and the event is held once again at the Westgate Entertainment Centre and Grand Star Reception in Altona. Tickets are on sale today from 9am via atpfestival.com.

RIHANNAGet ready to shine bright like a diamond. Pop superstar Rihanna has confi rmed that she is bringing her Diamonds world tour to Australia. The tour follows on from the success of Unapolegtic, Rihanna’s seventh studio album in as many years. Rihanna performs at Rod Laver Arena on Monday September 30. Tickets through the Live Nation website.

HOT TALKFREE SHIT

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

THE BIGGEST ININTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS

PHAROAHE MONCHY’all know the name. Pharoahe Monch has announced his return to Australia to precede his upcoming full-length release, P.T.S.D. Pharoahe Monch has blown Australian audiences away many times, most notably at a barnstorming Meredith Music Festival appearance in 2009. Supports soon to be announced. Pharoahe Monch performs at The Espy on Friday April 19.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM’S LAST SHOWOn April 2, 2011 disco punks LCD Soundsystem played their last ever show at the eak of their popularity at Madison Square Garden, New York. The Shadow Electric is presenting a fi lming of this last ever concert in its entirety for the fi rst time on the big screen in Australia this Friday March 22. We have a double pass to give away.

SHAKING THE TREE AND BRONWYN CALCUTTLed by professional performer Bronwyn Calcutt, the 30-voice strong Shaking The Tree choir sings her unique arrangements of gypsy, gospel, funk, and world music with a strong commitment to themes of social justice and freedom. Shaking The Tree also sings some of the best singer-songwriters of our times, including Leonard Cohen, Ricky Lee Jones, Richard Thompson, Gurrumul, Midnight Oil and The Cure. The group is accompanied by skilled member-musicians on accordeon, guitar, tsouras, whistle, ukelele and percussion. They perform at the Brunswick Uniting Church as part of the Brunswick Music Festival on Saturday March 23 and we have three double passes to give away.

Get yo’self to beat.com.au/freeshit.

GOTYE FOR SLAMUsing his global super-stardom for a good cause, Gotye has teamed up with the legends at SLAM (Save Live Australian Music) to reinterpret Quasimodo’s Dream, the 1981 classic by The Reels, with help from Perfect Tripod (featuring Eddit Perfect and Tripod) and a special collaboration by internationally acclaimed visual artist Patricia Piccinini. This is the second in SLAM’s 7” series where they release limited edition vinyls and digital songs. SLAM’s Pledge project is also about to announce a very special evening with with Gotye, where a group of lucky people will be able to grab the opportunity to dine with Gotye at his favourite Melbourne restaurant, then catch a live gig, Wally’s treat. Pledges for the fi rst 1,000 vinly orders close Wednesday May 15. All proceeds go to help SLAM with their fi ghting fund. Head to pledgemusic.com/projects/slam for all information.

CHANCE WATERSSydney’s Chance Waters will be celebrating the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore album Infi nity, with a national tour kicking off this March. The album, which debuted at #54 on the ARIA charts, was one of the artist’s many triumphs last year. Nominated as ‘Unearthed Artist of the Year’ in the 2012 j Awards, his video for second single Maybe Tomorrow was voted #7 in the 2012 rage 50. He also managed to secure two tracks in triple j’s Hottest 100. Don’t miss your chance to see Chance Waters at the Northcote Social Club on Friday April 26. Tickets and information can be found through the venue’s website.

SAN CISCOAfter blitzing South By Southwest this week, Perth indie rising popsters San Cisco are celebrating their return home by announcing their The Beach tour throughout May and June, including a stop in at The Corner Hotel on Saturday May 25 for an under 18 afternoon show and an 18+ evening show, with tickets from the venue website and box offi ce. They also play the Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Thursday May 23, with tickets available from Oztix. Support for both shows are from Millions and Chaos Chaos.


HOT TALKFor all the latest news check out beat.com.au


THE RUBENSAfter selling out their fi rst show, The Rubens have added a second Forum appearance to their Never Be The Same national tour. The new show is on Saturday May 11 with US indie band Walk The Moon and Melbourne local Ali Barter fi lling support duties. The Rubens have just fi nished off a big week at Austin’s SXSW music festival and will be supporting Bruce Springsteen this weekend at Hanging Rock.

AL MONTFORT FOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEARIn what will no doubt be the most righteous crusade of the new decade, Melbourne individuals are banding together to shine a light on an Australian they admire to nominate Al Montfort as Australian Of The Year. Having been neglectfully overlooked in previous years, Montfort, a member of local outfi ts Dick Diver, The UV Race, Total Control, Straightjacket Nation and Lower Plenty, brought unabashed joy to punters at Golden Plains with his slick saxophone stylings and ‘deal with it’ sunglasses-soaked attitude. The man, the music, the mullet. An inspiration to us all. Fight the good fi ght by facebook searching: 'Al Montfort for Australian of the Year'.

HEROES FOR HIRESydney’s Heroes For Hire will be hitting the road and traveling the east coast for a series of all ages shows this May. The shows will be the fi rst to feature the band’s new four-piece lineup, with guitarist Duane Hazell stepping up to the microphone. They will be joined by buds Nine Sons of Dan and Forever Ends Here. Catch them at Wrangler Studios in Footscray on Friday March 17. Tickets and information can be found through the band’s website.

HAND GAMES FIRST BIRTHDAYAfter a year of parties, management, bookings and monthly mixtapes, it has come to that time for Hand Games to throw their very fi rst birthday party. Hand Games mixtapes have clocked up 14,500 listens in seven months with contribution from over 75 Australian producers. The celebratory lineup for the Melbourne party includes NO ZU, Client Liaison, Electric Sea Spider, Andras Fox and D.Dumbo. Hand Games First Birthday is happening at The Liberty Social on Saturday April 20, with tickets on sale now from Moshtix.

THE REVEREND HORTON HEATRockabilly-happy The Reverend Horton Heat have announced that they will be touring Australia late May, with two Victorian dates. The Reverend Horton Heat, the stage name of Texan musician Jim Heath grew to have a strong cult-like following throughout the ‘90s, attracting such a following thanks to his penchant for black humour. The Reverend Horton Heat will be playing Melbourne at Billboard on Friday May 31 with tickets via Ticketek, and a second show at the Ferntree Gully Hotel on Sunday June 2 with tickets available via Ticketmaster. Tickets for both shows go on sale this Thursday March 21.

ZUCCHEROItalian rock superstar Zucchero, inseparable friend of the great maestro Pavarotti, is bringing his world-renowned music and vocal stylings to Australia next month. In the same way the Springsteen represents America or Bono does Ireland, Zucchero is the Italian voice for the world. He plays the Palais Theatre on Friday April 12. Tickets are through Ticketmaster.

WAGONSAfter spending the past year venturing into the solo realm with Expecting Company?, Henry Wagons will return to reassemble his band in 2013 for a taste of their fi rst album since 2011. Due out at the end of 2013, the album will be previewed with a headline Melbourne show this June. Get in quick for tickets, as the show will surely sell out. Wagons perform at The Corner on Saturday June 22.

OMUS outfi t OM are bringing their unique blend of spiritually resonant and essential drone to Australia for a national tour this May. OM formed in 2003 from the rhythm section of the disbanded Stoner doom metal band, Sleep. With a lineup comprised of Al Cisneros on vocals and bass and Chris Hakius on drums, they released three albums plus singles and EPs on credible labels such as Holy Mountain, Sub Pop and Southern Lord. OM perform at The Hi-Fi on Friday May 10.


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W2AUS — Prince Anniversary PartyFri 31 May

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (USA)

Sat 1 Jun

OM (USA)

Fri 10 May

Kamelot (USA)

Thu 7 Jun

Bilal (USA)

Fri 3 May

The BeardsSat 15 Jun

Unida (USA)

Sun 12 May

Born Of Osiris (USA)

Thu 23 May

The Ghost Inside (USA)

Sat 25 May 18+ Sun 26 May U18

Brothers GrimWed 24 Apr

The Black Seeds (NZ)

Sat 27 Apr

Grinspoon Fri 22 Mar

Otep (USA) Fri 26 Apr

Sam Simmons 28/3 – 21/4

Paul Foot 28/3 – 21/4

Rubber Bandits 28/3 – 7/4 Kransky Sisters 9/4 – 21/4 Festival Club 28/3 – 21/4

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

THIS WEEK at The Hi-Fi

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UNHOLY GOOD FRIDAY 2After a ripper of an inaugural event in 2012, Unholy Good Friday is back at The Bendigo, co-hosted by Heavy Mag. On Friday March 29 there will be a rare performance from ‘80s thrash legends Hobbs Angel Of Death as well as Melbourne’s own punk thrashers Depression, who play about once a year. Also joining in is Sydney’s Darkhorsem Maniaxe, Party Vibez and Counter Attack. Doors from 6.30pm.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKEKate Miller-Heidke will be setting out on her Heavenly Sounds tour, playing shows in churches and cathedrals across the country. Miller-Heidke will be joined by long time collaborator Keir Nuttall for her fi rst duo performance in over a year. She will sharing songs from last year’s critically acclaimed Nightfl ight, while country kid Franky Walnut will be supporting and supplying musical insight into the Australian identity. Join her for some spiritual sounds on the Friday June 21 in Mebourne’s St. Michael’s Uniting Church. Tickets go on sale on Monday March 18 through Ticketek. She has also announced an accompanying regional tour, playing the GPAC Drama Theatre in Geelong on Tuesday June 18 and The Capital in Bendigo on Saturday June 22.

HOT TALKFor all the latest news check out beat.com.au


CITY RIOTSAdelaide rock band City Riots have announced the release of their second single from their debut album, as well as a Melbourne show to usher in the song’s release. City Riots released their debut album Sea Of Bright Lights late last year, and have now lifted from it their newest single Catch The Sun. City Riots will be playing in Melbourne at Black Night Crash at the Rochester Hotel on Saturday May 18.

D AT SEAOn the back of his performance at Push Over Festival, solo artist D At Sea is touring his Unconscious EP (out via UNFD) including an 18+ Melbourne show at The Workers Club on Friday May 3 and an all-ages gig at Showground Shed on Saturday May 4. Tickets are via Oztix.

KISSTROYERKisstroyer will be descending on The Espy’s Gershwin room for a massive show later this month. The musically and theatrically accurate KISS tribute group have produced a performance that boasts all of the legendary band’s antics including fi re breathing, guitar smashing, and of course a set list fi lled with classics from I Was Made For Lovin’ You to Rock ‘N’ Roll All Night. You can catch Kisstroyer at the Espy on Saturday March 30. Tickets are available from the Espy’s website.

BOOMTOWN RATSIrish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist Bob Gedolf has decided the time is right to go back to Boom-town as his band announces their fi rst shows in over 25 years. The Boomtown Rats are to reform and play Australia, their fi rst show Down Under since 1979. They are best known for their song I Don’t Like Mondays. Support comes from ‘80s new wave rockers Mental As Anything. The epic show reaches the Hisense Arena on Thursday Mary 23.

GEORGI KAYPerth based indie-pop artist Georgi Kay has announced a Melbourne performance. The intimate show will serve as a celebration for Kay’s single Ipswich. Ipswich is already receiving rotation from radio stations like triple j, building on the success of her award winning previous releases, album Backwardsforwards and EP Strange Things. Georgi Kay plays Yah Yah’s Thursday March 21. Tickets can be purchased via Oztix.

YACHT CLUB DJSMelbourne’s favourite mash up maestros Yacht Club DJs have sold out their fi rst Ding Dong Lounge show, turning their one night stand into a bender weekender. They’ve announced a second show as part of their Mayhem tour on Sunday March 31 with Step-Panther and Apes also joining in on the fun. Tickets are from Oztix.

TEHACHAPIOne of Melbourne’s favourite foursomes, Tehachapi, will be calling it a day after four years of psychedelia. Taking to The Evelyn’s rooftop, Laura, James Anthony and Kosta, will be celebrating their successes and saying goodbye with the help of some sonic pals, including Matt Kelly who will be providing his own string quartet for the occasion. Strangers From Now On and Amanita will also be joining in the festivities. Join Tehachapi for the end of their days on Sunday March 24. Doors open at 1.30pm. Check out the venue’s website for more details.

THE DARKNESS/JOAN JETTAfter announcing an arena-sized 2013 Australian tour with Joan Jett And The Blackhearts, glam-rock revivalists The Darkness have been forced to cancel their planned visit due to medical reasons. Tickets for the Saturday April 6 show can be refunded at the point of purchase.

JAGWAR MAOne of the country’s hottest rising outfi ts, Jagwar Ma have announced a run of headline shows. Already announced as support acts for the upcoming The xx tour, the Australian outfi t will tour their homeland – which may become a rare occurrence following a relocation to the UK. Jagwar Ma perform at Ding Dong Lounge on Wednesday April 24 and Thursday April 25.

THE TEMPER TRAPAll-conquering global stars The Temper Trap have announced a very welcome homecoming show in Melbourne. The performance will follow on from their acclaimed self-titled sophomore album of last year. The band have been busy fulfi lling half-time duties at last year’s AFL Grannie, supporting Coldplay, and performing at this year’s Future Music Festival. The Temper Trap perform at Festival Hall on Wednesday April 24. Tickets onsale from 9am Friday March 22 Ticketmaster.

KIERAN RYANWith the release of his expansive self-titled solo record on the horizon, Kieran Ryan has announced a hometown show to launch the album on Saturday April 27 at The Toff In Town. Previously the songwriter for duo Kid Sam, Kieran has been writing grandiose indie with a fl owing Australian feel under his own name since 2010. The album is out on Friday April 5. Tickets for the Toff show are $10, on sale now from Oztix.

GLENN HUGHESHot on the heels of his performance at Sydney’s Stone Festival as part of supergroup Kings Of Chaos, Glenn Hughes will perform a special solo show showcasing a two set career spanning show. An intimate acoustic solo set will be followed by a ripping full electric show. Support comes from Massive. It’s at The Corner on Monday April 22. Tickets from the venue box offi ce and website.

THE NYMPHSIncorporating ‘40s jazz, ‘50s swing and ‘60s pop, The Nymphs are all set to release their new 7” single Shake with a launch show in The Velvet Room at The Thornbury Theatre on Friday April 5. After this they’ll go on to record their debut full-length album. Presale tickets are $12+bf from Oztix or $15 on the door if available.


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Friday May 10 The Hi-Fi

MelbourneTickets from lifeisnoise.com, oztix.com.au and the venue

RUMOURSStars Of The Lid, William Basinski

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PVT Corner Hotel March 23

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

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INTERNATIONAL

WANDA JACKSON Corner Hotel March 20DEWOLFF The Workers Club March 21THIS WILL DESTROY YOU Northcote Social Club March 21, 22MUTEMATH Billboard March 22RODRIGUEZ Hamer Hall March 22ROBERT CRAY Hamer Hall March 24FRED WESLEY Corner Hotel March 24BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Rod Laver Arena March 24, 26, 27 Hanging Rock March 30, 31MANU CHAO The Palace March 25CHRIS ISAAK Sidney Myer Music Bowl March 26WILCO Hamer Hall March 27, 28KITTY, DAISY & LEWIS Billboard March 27PAUL SIMON Rod Laver Arena March 27BONNIE RAITT, MAVIS STAPLES State Theatre March 27IGGY AND THE STOOGES Festival Hall March 27FALL OUT BOY The Palace March 27ROGER HODGSON The Palais March 28ALLEN STONE Northcote Social Club March 28BYRON BAY BLUESFEST Byron Bay March 28 – April 1EMILIE AUTUMN The Espy March 29 THE LUMINEERS Corner Hotel March 29TAV FALCO & THE PANTHER BURNS The Tote March 30, April 1COUNTING CROWS Hamer Hall March 30, 31DROPKICK MURPHYS Festival Hall April 2BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA Hamer Hall April 3ROBERT PLANT Rod Laver Arena April 3THE XX Festival Hall April 4, 5PENNYWISE The Palace April 4THE SCRIPT Rod Laver Arena April 6DEAP VALLY Northcote Social Club April 6SOJA Prince Bandroom April 6BEN HOWARD Corner Hotel April 6, 7BIRDY The Palais April 8PUBLIC IMAGE LTD The Palace April 11DIRT FARMER Ding Dong Lounge April 12

ZUCCHERO Palais Theatre April 12MICK TAYLOR Ferntree Gully Hotel April 19, Corner Hotel April 20, 21

EXTREME The Palace April 19JOSH GROBAN The Palais April 20BRYAN ADAMS Rod Laver Arena April 20JOSH GROBAN The Palais April 20, 21COHEED AND CAMBRIA/CIRCA SURVIVE The Palace April 21BLUE OYSTER CULT Prince Bandroom April 24DIG IT UP! The Palace April 25TOOL Rod Laver Arena April 27THE BLACK SEEDS The Hi-Fi April 27BLACK SABBATH Rod Laver Arena April 29, May 1THE BRONX The Corner April 30, May 1THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS The Corner Hotel April 23, May 2, 3TEGAN & SARA The Palais May 2MATT & KIM Northcote Social Club May 3YACHT Ding Dong Lounge May 3EXAMPLE The Palace May 3THE KOOKS The Palais May 1,3GROOVIN THE MOO Prince Of Wales Showground Bendigo, May 4AEROSMITH Rod Laver Arena May 4BILAL The Hi-Fi May 4HAPPY MONDAYS The Palace May 5FRIGHTENED RABBIT The Corner Hotel May 7, 8BETH ORTON Mt Michael’s Church May 8

OM The Hi-Fi May 10CRADLE OF FILTH The Palace May 10TRUCKFIGHTERS Ding Dong Lounge May 11JELLO BIAFRA Corner Hotel May 11, 12UNIDA The Hi-Fi May 12FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND The Corner Hotel May 14, Pier Live Frankston May 15THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM The Palace May 14, 15TENACIOUS D The Palais May 17,18DEFTONES The Palace May 17, 18LOCAL NATIVES The Forum May 18STAN RIDGWAY Corner Hotel May 18, The Caravan Club May 19KAKI KING Corner Hotel May 30

THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT Billboard May 31 MUNICIPAL WASTE Corner Hotel June 23A$AP ROCKY Festival Hall June 28P!NK Rod Laver Arena July 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, August 27 ALT-J (∆) Festival Hall July 30

AMANDA PALMER & THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA The Forum September 20FOALS Palace Theatre September 27

RIHANNA Rod Laver Arena September 30 ATP: RELEASE THE BATS Westgate

Entertainment Centre October 26

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THE CAT EMPIRE Prince Bandroom March 20, 21PASSENGER Anthenaeum Theatre March 20,21GRINSPOON The Hi-Fi March 22 PVT Corner Hotel March 23GREENTHIEF The Espy March 23BOOGIE 7 Bruzzy’s Farm, Tallarook March 29-31YACHT CLUB DJS Ding Dong Lounge March 30, 31DIAFRIX Corner Hotel March 31DEAD LETTER CIRCUS The Corner Hotel April 12DZ DEATHRAYS Ding Dong Lounge April 13THE TIGER & ME Northcote Social Club April 13BONJAH Corner Hotel April 13 NANTES Northcote Social Club April 19SASKWATCH Prince Bandroom April 19BRITISH INDIA Corner Hotel April 19EVERMORE, Thornbury Theatre April 21MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS Corner Hotel April 24

THE TEMPER TRAP Festival Hall April 24TAME IMPALA Festival Hall April 26THE DRONES The Forum April 26

CHANCE WATERS Northcote Social Club April 26HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY Corner Hotel April 26 BIG SCARY The Corner April 27FLUME Festival Hall May 2, 3MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA Forum Theatre May 4THE RUBENS The Forum May 10, 11EMMA LOUISE Corner Hotel May 10DRAGON The Palms at Crown May 11THE SEEKERS Hamer Hall May 14

SAN CISCO Corner Hotel May 25THE SUPERJESUS The Espy June 7, 8SOMETHING FOR KATE The Forum June 14THE BEARDS The Hi-Fi June 15

WAGONS Corner Hotel June 22.

Beat Magazine DISCUSS WHAT? BEAT.COM.AU/DISCUSSION

Jimmy Cliff is a Taylor Swift fan. After more than 50 years in the music industry, the reggae icon still likes to keep an ear to the ground, and Taylor is right up there in his list of young artists worth hearing. “I try to listen to everything in every genre of music because I like to stay current – I like to be current on what’s happening in the business so I listen to every thing from rock to rap to country to R&B to reggae – everything,” he says.

JIMMY CLIFFBY SIMONE UBALDI

“I’ve been listening to a variety of diff erent reggae artists. I love Queen Ifrica, I like I-Octane and there’s this new youth coming up in Jamaica that I really like. I like the Adele album too. I listened to her album before this one and I listened to this one. I like her songwriting and the way she puts across her things. And yes, I like Taylor Swift. She’s a good writer, you know. She writes songs that are true to her and it comes across. That’s what it’s about.”Cliff knows something about coming across. The reigning king of reggae – second only to Bob Marley in the history of the genre – he has written and performed a healthy number of classic hits in his lifetime. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, he brought us Wonderful World Beautiful People, Many Rivers To Cross, the popping joy of You Can Get It If You Really Want and a gentle cover of Cat Steven’s Wild World that is every bit as famous as the original. Later, in the ‘90s, he recorded Johnny’s Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now, which featured on the Cool Runnings soundtrack and put the journeyman artist back on the Billboard Top 20.Much of Cliff ’s early work, and early reggae generally, focused on political and social upheaval in Jamaica that seems long distant now, just as the Western counter-culture that tapped into reggae in the late ‘60s has become a quaint memory. But for Cliff , life is an ongoing struggle between negative and positive forces – an ongoing fi ght for peace and justice in the world.“The world has changed a lot socially and politically. Today, we see a lot of the political systems breaking down, the economic systems breaking down, the religious systems breaking down. For instance, who ever thought that a pope would resign? I for one never knew that they could resign! When we see things like this happening, it’s a lot of change, a lot of big, big change, 360 degrees change,” he says.Some of his more recent work was inspired by tours through Africa, where widespread poverty and political disenfranchisement have stirred the artist to write. Otherwise, Cliff ’s muse is still the general vibe of daily living. “Just living my life and seeing what’s going on in the world is enough to get me going, you know;

the echoes of the people. I am still attached to the social life of the world and those things still interest me. I think an artist is still an artist as long as the breath is breathing.”And this particular artist still has a lot of work to do. Cliff has released more than two dozen albums and written literally hundreds of songs over the course of his career. He starred in the fi lm, The Harder They Come, which introduced reggae to an international audience in 1972. He has toured the world countless times and in 2010 was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, but as far as Jimmy is concerned, his best work is still ahead of him.

“I am grateful that I have accomplished something that I set out to do. I have not accomplished all that I set out to do but it’s a part of it and I’m still on my way. I want to make more movies and bigger movies! I want to win an Oscar! I want to make more hit records, more number ones. I have my greatest songs still inside of me to write. I take encouragement from what I’ve done, for what I have to do,” he says.For an artist of Cliff ’s vintage, just withstanding the passage of time is commendable. The advent of computer technology has radically changed the music industry landscape, and not always for the better.“Technology has changed our lives a lot. In my business, we see a generation where people can

“I LIKE TAYLOR SWIFT. SHE’S A GOOD WRITER, YOU KNOW. SHE WRITES SONGS THAT ARE TRUE TO HER AND IT COMES ACROSS. THAT’S WHAT IT’S ABOUT.”

just go and download my music without having to buy it or anything like that, so it’s a lot of change in my personal life because that’s my livelihood,” he says. “The way people make music has also changed. Back in the day we went into the studio with six or seven musicians to record a song, but nowadays you can go into the studio with one person on a computer and you can get everything you need from that computer. It’s almost like everybody is under the same sound, you know? The creativity is not so fl owing, coming from the individual, technology is providing the sound. You can create, but only from the sounds they give you. It’s not always such a great thing.”Cliff dabbled with electronic production on his 2004 album, Black Magic, but when he went back into the studio to record 2012’s Rebirth, it was strictly back to basics. Producer Tim Armstrong of ‘90s punk acts Rancid and Operation Ivy assembled a studio band dubbed ‘The Engine Room’ (bassist/percussionist J Bonner, drum/percussionist Scott Abels, organ/percussionist Dan Boer and piano/lead guitarist Kevin Bivona) to help Cliff fi nd a classic reggae sound.“Tim played me some tracks when I went into the studio and the sound was amazing to me – he knew how to get those sounds that we used back then. ‘Wow,’ I thought, ‘How can you do that?’ It all just moved from there.”The highly successful collaboration, which went on to win a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album, features a delight for both Jimmy Cliff and Tim Armstrong fans – a cover of Rancid’s 1995 hit Ruby Soho, reworked in a sweet-fi tting reggae style.“It one of the tracks that they played to me in the studio and I didn’t even know that it was a Rancid song,” Cliff smiles. “It sounded like a good song to me. The melody, with the reggae sound from back then, I just thought, ‘This is good!’ I just put my voice on it and it turned out great.”Cliff ’s career is littered with collaborations – he’s worked with many of music’s leading lights, from Elvis Costello to Annie Lennox to Sting and Joe Strummer – but don’t expect him to seek out a recording partner next time around.“In this day and time, it has become like a fad to do collaborations. I don’t have anyone in mind, I prefer it to just happen how it happens, when we are feeling each other and then it works out. If it happens that way, I like it,” he says.Life is full of possibilities for the 64-year-old artist, who is basking in his recent Grammy success and has been touring regularly for the last few years. “There’s a thing is physics that says a body at rest stays at rest. A body in motion stays in motion. I stay in motion!” he grins, “And that’s how I’m going to stay.”

JIMMY CLIFF appears at Bluesfest in Byron Bay on Friday March 29. He plays the Corner Hotel on Wednesday March 27.


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

La Mama Theatre is currently hosting a very special première. Entitled The Joy of Text, the play is about how not to mess with the genius in class. Originally performed at the MTC, Robert Reid weaves an intelligent dialogue of conniving deception created by the protagonist, Danny. Danny is a high school student. Danny’s smart, very smart. So intelligent in fact that people ridicule his constant thirst for knowledge. Incensed, Danny decides to enact a revenge of his own kind. Disguised as an innocuous text, Danny uncovers a controversial student/teacher relationship at school. The question is: what will he do? The Joy of Text will be showing at La Mama Theatre until Sunday March 24.

Melbourne photographer Siri Hayes returns to the gardens at Heide in a group of new works that refl ect on our relationship with nature. Recently Hayes has embellished the surfaces of her photographs using domestic handcrafts. For this project she has hand-dyed yarn from plants grown at Heide to craft decorative objects which then feature in the creation of tableau-style photographs set in the museum grounds. Hayes’ exhibition opens at the Heidi Museum this Saturday March 23, and the exhibition is included with museum admission. Head to the Heidi website to see what else is happening across their three galleries, heide.com.au

Monster Body is a provocative and confronting performance. Atlanta Eke – Melbourne choreographer and performer known for her infl uential work throughout Australia and Europe – fi rst created the piece and performed it as part of Next Wave in May of last year. It has moved through many interpretations and performance spaces and will slide into the Dance Massive during the festival’s fi nal weekend. Beckoning the darker energies of the body, Eke presents a creature that is part sexualised beast and part asexual child.

BY KRISSI WEISS

BEAT’S PICK OF THE WEEK:

In 2009 and 2011, Dance Massive saw bold works, sell-out seasons and a coming together of artists and dance-lovers from around Australia. This year, Arts House, Dancehouse and Malthouse Theatre in association with Ausdance Victoria have continued their collaborations for Melbourne’s Dance Massive 2013. These venues have an established history of programming new contemporary dance works for both Melbourne and Australian audiences, with over 15 dance events spread across the three stages as well as the Dance Board of the Australia Council for the Arts and Ausdance National collaborating on a National Dance Forum, programmed in parallel to Dance Massive. From today, it is only on four more days until Sunday March 24, so head to dancemassive.com.au for more information about the events on and all ticketing details.

Having received a mass of praise thus far, Monster Body leaves a profound impressive on the audience, regardless of taste. With the performance over six months old on stage, Eke discusses the transformations that have occurred over that time. “I guess it does transform in a sense,” Eke says in a humble and unassuming tone. “I’ve performed it in a few diff erent contexts and it can be performed as a solo show and with other performers. I’ve performed it at various festivals so the space within which it’s performed can be very diff erent. At MONA FOMA I performed it in a huge underground space on a very small stage to a crowd that had been boozing on all day at a music festival. They were very rowdy but also very responsive to the work. It’s very diff erent to perform it

in a theatre where everyone is well behaved.”Overall, the response to the piece has been positive and even those who have criticised it have still been moved by what they experienced. Monster Body isn’t Swan Lake; it isn’t a pretentious two hours of pomp and ceremony, but rather a gutsy and raw story where substance takes precedence over style. “I’m just not all that interested in virtuosity or spectacle,” she says honestly. “I think audiences are really used to being given that in relation to dance. They look at it as a form of entertainment and not as an art form dealing with the body to say something about the world. I make it a point to use that as an aesthetical preference; I’m not being in any way virtuosic and I’m challenging the relationship of the spectator. People are used

FREE SHIT

MONSTER BODY

to being in the darkness watching something that they supposedly can’t do and I don’t agree with that relationship. Or they’re sitting there in the darkness, objectifying the body on stage, there’s an imbalance of power there. The lights are on in Monster Body, I’m not trying to create a complicated relationship with the people I’m in a space with.”This is where those audience members who are critical of the piece – usually industry-based – come unstuck with their experience of this work. Monster Body is explicit in its honesty, using a myriad of tones, textures, and moods, to subvert the status quo of body perceptions. Dark and light reign supreme, as the grotesque sits in parallel with the beautiful – even moments of comedy fi nds their way into Eke’s story. Any criticism seems to fail to understand that Eke is primarily concerned with using the body to comment on society – the political and the personal – as opposed to blatantly showing the extremes of the body’s capabilities.Eke responds with grace and humility to the discussion of dance criticism. “I think, in terms of critical writing about dance, there’s a long way to come from where we are,” she says. “For me, I look at the context within which the criticism is written, I look at the writer, and I realise that it’s their process. If someone from a commercial dance company comes to see this, they’re not going to get what they expect. I enjoy hearing people’s thoughts, whether they’re a qualifi ed critic or just an audience member, and I’m not one to be worried or disappointed by it.”Overwhelmingly, the response to this show is focused on the sexual objectifi cation of the female body. Whether that is simply because Eke is a young female or society is simply programmed that way is hard to guess, but it is interesting that for Eke, the piece has always been about the objectifi cation of the body in general terms, without there ever being a sexual focus. Even within dance as a whole, Eke looks at physical objectifi cation as being far beyond the sexual.“No I don’t think the body is necessarily sexualised in dance, but it is objectifi ed beyond that whether the performer is male or female,” she says. “On my behalf, this piece isn’t exploring sexuality on my behalf – it’s actually been described as asexual – but I think it’s commenting on how the image of the body can be exploited in the world generally and how it’s used to sell things. I didn’t go into this assuming the audience would have any particular expectations or make any particular judgements.”So how long will Monster Body stay alive? “I think, the fact that it can transform as it goes, means that I can perform it for many, many, many years,” she says. “I think the problem with making a performance that becomes a product that can be circulated on the market is that it becomes inherent to the time it has been made. I don’t know what it is to produce a product and just repeat that; I think that where I’m at in how the piece will manifest. It could go for a lifetime.”

FUTURE PERFECTFive people abandon the uncertainties of the present for a future that is already written. In collaboration with some of Melbourne’s fi nest performers and creatives, Jo Lloyd’s award-winning piece Future Perfect compellingly explores circumstance, transitions and the unknown. On a metallic set suggesting both infi nite possibilities and barriers, fi ve powerful dancers rigorously crisscross the space, pursuing an intricate choreography that sets up a fi ne, visceral balance between the exquisite and the menacing. It’s on until Sunday March 24, and we have some double passes to give away.

Monster Body will appear as part of Dance Massive from Friday March 22 – Sunday March 24 at Dancehouse, North Carlton. For more information, check out dancemassive.com.au

MORE OR LESS CONCRETEMore Or Less Concrete is Tim Darbyshire’s synaesthetic exploration of cyclical and audible movement. A collaborative and experimental project, More or Less Concrete exists in a realm of constant tension and continual movement, evoking evolutionary processes through its fl exing, sculptural shifts in time and space. It’s on at North Melbourne Town Hall until Sunday March 24, and we have double passes to give away.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION 3DOne of the biggest blockbusters this year (it has Bruce Willis in it), G.I. Joe: Retaliation 3D is the sequel to the hit G.I. Joe fi lm from 2009. Starring alongside old mate Brucey are Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Channing Tatum. The fi lm follows the G.I. Joes who are not only fi ghting their

mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to deal with threats from within the government that jeopardise their very existence. It comes out on Thursday March 28, and we have some double passes to give away. SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS Last year LCD Soundsystem announced their retirement. In celebration, and as a tribute to their fans, they performed one last show at Madison Square Gardens in New York and fi lmed it. Shut Up and Play the Hits became this performance. Consisting of a concert fi lm and documentary that explores the man behind the band, James Murphy, Shut Up and Play the Hits is a must see for any LCD Soundsystem fan. We have fi ve copies of the DVD to giveaway.

Head to beat.com.au to win.

WITH TYSON WRAY. GOT THOUGHTS, NEWS, GOSSIP, COMPLAINTS OR CAT PHOTOS? EMAIL [email protected] OR SEND BY CARRIER PIGEON BEFORE FRIDAY 12PM.

THIS WEEK:ON SCREENCreate your own mini-movie in a one-day workshop as you are introduced to the world of autobiographical storytelling. Digital stories are personally narrated multimedia tales for interpersonal communication between friends, family and the community and ACMI is giving all an opportunity to learn about how you can go about telling your own digital tale. For your opportunity to learn about digital storytelling, the next workshop is happening this Saturday March 23 from 9.30am to 5pm. Admission is $140/160 with USB included. Head to the ACMI website for all bookings, acmi.net.au

ON STAGE

ON DISPLAY


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FRIDAY ON MY MIND Friday On My Mind will host a very special guest this March, Troy Lum, one of the many faces behind Director of Hopscotch Group. Hopscotch was established in 2002 by Troy Lum, Frank Cox and Sandie Don. Since then, Lum has been the Managing Director for this successful independent Australian fi lm business. In his session at Friday On My Mind, Lum with expose the intricacies of the fi lm industry, his experiences within the fi lm industry, and the challenge he has faced along the way. Sure to be an insightful session, Friday On My Mind with Troy Lum will be hosted at ACMI on Friday March 22 at 5pm.

MELBOURNE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE TWO EVENTSMelbourne Festival have announced two new events programmed as part of the 2013 Melbourne Festival: Kneehigh Theatre’s adaptation of Noë l Coward’s classic romantic drama Brief Encounter, which has seen hit seasons in the West End and Broadway, and the Melbourne exclusive event PUSH, starring iconic dancer Sylvie Guillem and choreographer/dancer Russell Maliphant. Kneehigh’s production of Brief Encounter brings to life the famous railway station tea room in a breathtaking, delightfully funny and touching show interspersed with Coward’s typically debonair and witty songs. Brief Encounter will perform nightly at the Athenaeum Theatre throughout the Festival, opening on Friday October 11 and closing with the Festival on Sunday October 27. With PUSH, audiences will have an opportunity to experience one of the world’s most admired ballet dancers demonstrating the beauty of her art. Sylvie Guillem performs in a program of works by Russell Maliphant, with whom she also dances in an evening of solos and duets. Tickets for both Brief Encounter and PUSH will go on sale at 9am on Friday March 22. The 2013 Melbourne Festival runs from Friday October 11 – Sunday October 27 and the full program will be revealed on Tuesday August 13.

SALVOS’ VINTAGE TEE DAYThis Friday March 22, Australia’s largest charity recycler, Salvos Stores, will be hosting the country’s fi rst ever Vintage Tee Day, designed to promote and support sustainable fashion by encouraging everyone to wear a vintage or second hand t-shirt. The event aims to encourage the importance of recycling and Salvos Stores is advocating for individuals to create Vintage Tee Day based events at their workplace, school, university or any other appropriate location. Don’t have a vintage tee? There are over 200 Salvos Stores located in VIC, TAS, NT, WA and SA, so be sure to pop in to a store near you to fi nd an impressive range of pre-loved clothing to choose from. All profi ts go directly to The Salvation Army to assist in funding the various social programs and support off ered to those marginalised and disadvantaged. Do your bit for the environment by wearing your vintage or second hand tee on Friday March 22. For more information about Salvos Stores visit salvosstores.com.au

THE COMIC STRIP

FELIX BAR COMEDYThis Wednesday, Felix has got another big, ripping lineup down in St Kilda! It’s nearly comedy festival time, so we’ve got the best in town trying out new jokes. It’s happening this Wednesday March 20 at 8.30pm for only $12, at Felix Bar, St Kilda.

COMMEDIA DEL PARTEThis week at Commedia Dell Parte we get prepared for the comedy festival with Anil Desai headlining a great lineup of comics squeezing in some last minute stage time before their festival shows open. Come down and see Simon Taylor, Sam Peterson, Khaled Khalafalla, Michael Hogan, David Boyle and your MC for the evening Michael Connell. The room runs on a ‘pay as you like’ basis, so come along and have a great laugh, then pay what you believe the show is worth on the way out. Commedia Dell Parte runs every Thursday 8.30pm, George Lane Bar, St Kilda.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE COMEDYThe Comedy Festival starts tomorrow and Charlie is moving upstairs to celebrating. The going’s gonna get good. Tonight, big name surprise guests in the lead-up to the festival sharing the stage with Melbourne’s best comedians. For just $5. So come fi ll yourself with cheap piss and put your continence to the test as some damn rad comedians spit funnies into the business end of a loud stick. 8pm tonight, upstairs from Eurotrash Bar. Get down early for a seat.

THE EXQUISITE PALETTECreating an artistic pun this April is St Luke’s exhibition, The Exquisite Palette. Inspired by the concept of a canvas being where paints touch, over 200 kidney-shaped palettes have been transformed into contemporary pieces of art that are available for purchase. St Luke is supplier of fi ne art materials, helping aspiring Artists and Artisans around Australia fulfi l their dreams. The Exquisite Palette will on display at St Luke, 32 Smith Street, Collingwood, from Wednesday April 10. The exhibition runs for approximately four weeks.

BIG GAME HUNTINGThe Heide Museum of Modern Art will host acclaimed contemporary artist Fiona Hall’s newest exhibition Big Game Hunting this month. Inspired by endangered species around the world, Big Game Hunting is fusion of consumerism and environmental issues expressed in the form of contemporary three-dimensional imagery of animals. Organic, yet subtly artifi cial, Big Game Hunting will invoke deep thought through Hall’s alluring blend of aesthetics, colour, distorted shape and fragility. Big Game Hunting will be exhibited at Heide Museum of Modern Art from Thursday March 28 – Sunday July 21 with an Art Talk with Fiona Hall on Saturday March 30 at 2pm.

FOR MORE ARTS NEWS, REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS VISIT BEAT.COM.AU

FIVE BOROUGHS COMEDYThis Thursday, it’s the last Five Boroughs Comedy before the comedy festival starts. So there’s sure to be big names popping in to polish up their new jokes, along with the best of the local scene. Find out who this Thursday March 21 at 8.30pm, for only $12 at Five Boroughs (upstairs), 68 Hardware Lane, City. Dinner is now available before the show, downstairs.

MICF DAILYThe Gala marks one week left until the Melbourne International Comedy Festival offi cially kicks off , and with days now in single fi gures Beat has another edition of MICF Daily for your ears. Hosted by Funny Tonne winner Mike Brown, this daily audio show brings you interviews with the festival’s fi nest comedians plus breaking news on everything happening from the Town Hall and beyond. Today, MICF Daily presents its Festival Preview show. Mike is joined by funny lovers Lisa Clark and Nick Mason to talk about which acts you should be seeing at the fest. Plus there’s plenty of news about all things MICF. Listen and subscribe today at beat.com.au.

COMEDY AT SPLEENThis Monday, it’s the last Comedy@Spleen before the comedy festival starts. It’s going to be packed with the best of local, and recently arrived interstate and international acts. It’ll be packed with audience members too! It’s this Monday March 25, 41 Bourke St, in the city, at 8.30pm It may be free, but we appreciate a good gold coin donation at the door. And don’t forget, we run during the comedy festival too!

SUPANOVA Supanova is a celebration of popular culture. Over 120,000 patrons attend Supanova annually to meet their favourite stars from fi lm, TV, anime, comics and geek culture and to enjoy the atmosphere of the trading fl oor, where rare collectibles can be snapped up by buyers. Both kids and adults can also enjoy movie previews and screenings, gaming demonstrations, competitions, AWF Wrestling and more. This year, David ‘The Hoff ’ Hasselhoff will visit Australia for Supanova. The star of Baywatch and Knight Rider, The Hoff is a veritable small-screen institution. Other guests include Rose McGowan (Charmed), Eliza Dushku (Angel), Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie), Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville), Natalia Tena (Game of Thrones), Sam Jones (Flash Gordon), Kostya Tszyu, Ryan Robbins (Stargate: Atlantis), Noah Hathaway (Battlestar Galactica), Greg Cipes (Ben-10), Vic Mignogna (Fullmetal Alchemist), Garry Chalk (Transformers), Dave Gibbons (Watchmen,) Joe Jusko (Marvel & DC comics) and more. Supanova is on at Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday April 13 - Sunday April 14. Tickets on sale through foxtix.com.au

THE INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF MELBOURNE The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne returns this year to celebrate the centenary of Indian cinema. Kicking off the festival will be Raja Harishchandra, the fi rst fi lm of Indian cinema. Accompanying this landmark will be a program of 15 Indian classics including Pather Panchali, ‘curry western’ Sholay, Achut Kanya, a fi lm that delves into India’s caste system, and the comedy Garam Hawa. Included in the festival will be a tribute to Yash Chopra, a legendary director and fi lmmaker of Indian cinema. In honour of her deceased husband, Pamela Chopra will be attending the festival to accept an award for Yash’s lifetime achievements. The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will be hosted across various sites around Melbourne from Friday May 3 – Wednesday May 15.

HOPE IS THE SADDESTAfter smashing it in South Africa and New York last year, Hope is the saddest will be premièring at La Mama Theatre this April. Written and directed by Jeff ery Jay Fowler, Hope is the saddest illustrates the tale of three unlikely loners and their imminent connection. Heiress Marion, Dolly Parton fan Hope and aspiring inventor Theo provide the catalyst for Fowler’s play of desire, delusion and the innate hope that drives us. Hope is the saddest will première at La Mama Theatre from Wednesday April 3 – Saturday April 13.

THE NUTCRACKERAfter a sell-out European Tour, the Moscow Ballet La Classique will be bringing their rendition of the ballet classic The Nutcracker to Melbourne this April. Epitomising the pinnacle of Russian ballet and classical movement, The Nutcracker is composer Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece about the tale of Clara, her beloved Nutcracker doll and the Magician Drosselmeyer. The Moscow Ballet La Classique will provide their innovative take on the classic, including performances of infamous scores the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and The Waltz of the Flowers. The Nutcracker will be performed at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat on Tuesday April 23, Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne, Friday April 26 and Saturday April 27, and the Frankston Arts Centre on Sunday April 28.

START.OPTIONS.EXIT. Following a hyped fi lming season, Start.Options.Exit has garnered much attention. It’s diffi cult to avoid when the yet-to-released fi lm includes Chopper Read, Ron Jeremy and Tottie Goldsmith. Currently in post-production, Start.Options Exit. is the brainchild of writer/director Chris Mitchell, Yoav Lester and co-writer Ari Neville. Start.Options.Exit. is a dark comedy about two recalcitrant 20-somethings who discover that social convention is not their thing. With Chopper Read as an army disposal clerk, and famous porn star Ron Jeremy, this fi lm is sure to be hilarious. Start.Options.Exit. is currently in post-production and needs your support to be released. You can donate to their funding goal of $12,000 through Pozible.


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PENELOPEBY ALASDAIR DUNCAN

In Homer’s Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, waiting for her husband to return as she fends off the attention of numerous suitors. In his own work, Penelope, Irish playwright Enda Walsh puts a twisted, modern spin on the story. Penelope sits in a pool house, watching a group of men parade beneath her as they compete for her aff ection, observing for the safe distance of a closed-circuit TV camera. Does it echo reality TV culture? Is it a critique of the modern condition? Actor Lyall Brooks isn’t entirely sure, but he’s loving the chance to get tangled up in Walsh’s weird prose.

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“Some people are averse to Enda Walsh’s verbosity and his loquaciousness, but I think it’s a challenge,” Brooks says. “I absolutely love performing it. Every line is perfect.” Verbosity is an understatement. Walsh’s dialogue is notoriously challenging, knotty, and fi lled with slang and digressions. “It’s funny, because I’ve watched interviews with him and he does not come across as so wordy in person!” he laughs. “Someone asked him about Penelope, and the interviewer had all these ideas about what the play was about, and he just said, ‘Nope, it’s about death!’”The play itself takes place within an absurd, heightened reality, as four men – the last survivors from a group of hundreds – compete for the aff ection of a woman they can’t even see. “It’s amazing, the idea of these characters in a disgusting, fetid swimming pool,” Brooks says, “fi ghting over a woman they haven’t laid eyes on in 20 years, as she sits above, observing them through a camera. It’s like Big Brother meets Survivor meets American Idol. She doesn’t evict people, but the men self-evict by leaving or committing suicide. It’s a great juxtaposition of the stakes and the location.”Brooks says that his character, Quinn, is the sociopathic alpha male of the group. “He’s from the business world, so I see him as a focused, savaged, greedy corporate man,” he says. “He’s come into this new world using the skills he’s built up in his old life. He’s very cold, and he gets rid of his rivals the same way he would cut staff . He has a corporate machine working, and it’s ultimately going to support him with the prize. The play’s about a lot of things, and people can make up their minds when they see it, but to me, it’s a comment on modern industrial corporate greed, and Quinn’s a really big part of that.”The play requires all four men to be on stage at all times, and this has led to some quite intense bonding between Brooks and his fellow cast-mates. “It’s very intensive,” he says. “None of us can take a day off , because we all need to be here all the time.” This has been a learning experience. “We’re discovering how to be in the space when we don’t have lines,” he says. “It might not be your scene, but you’ll still be there. You can’t go off stage and prepare – you’re always there and involved in what’s going on, because you’re all stuck there in a swimming pool.”

Given the swimming pool setting, the play’s four central males perform entirely in speedos – aside from the obvious awkwardness of wearing such a revealing costume, Brooks tells me that this represents quite an acting challenge. “We’ve been rehearsing from day one in our speedos, because clothes give you a way out,” he says with a laugh. “I mean, think about it – when you wear clothes, you have pockets to put your hands in, and all kinds of things to distract you. When you’re performing in just your own skin, you have nowhere to hide – nowhere at all!”I ask Brooks is he’s feeling self-conscious at all, and he admits that, while he regrets not hitting the gym a little harder, he’s happy to bare all. “The thing is, it’s all in the characters’ heads,” he says. “One of Quinn’s rivals is written as a washed-up old fat man, but the actor playing him doesn’t look like that at all – he doesn’t have an ounce of fat on him – but it still works, because it’s all in the mind. He’s so convinced he’s a fat man that he has this extreme body dysmorphia.”This cuts both ways, and Brooks tells me that inhabiting the character of Quinn is simply a matter of confi dence. “My character struts around like he’s a muscle-bound god, and I’m not like that at all, but all that matters is that the character believes it, and it works. There’s this hyper, heightened masculinity. Everything’s heightened – the language, the aggression. The pool is their little peacock parading ground, and these men parade around with this woman as the prize.”A play set in a swimming pool represents a unique challenge in terms of creating sets, but Brooks tells me that Red Stitch Theatre Company are up to the challenge. “The guys are used to working miracles on a shoestring budget – they’re reusing old bits of sets, painting tiles, but the idea is that the pool is fi lled with 20 years’ worth of detritus, so they’re just cramming it with trash!”

“WE’VE BEEN REHEARSING FROM DAY ONE IN OUR SPEEDOS, BECAUSE CLOTHES GIVE YOU A WAY OUT.”

Penelope is on at Theatre Works in St Kilda from Friday March 22 until Saturday April 13. Head to redstitch.net for more information and tickets.


NEON: FESTIVAL OF INDEPENDENT THEATREBY JOSH FERGEUS

The Melbourne Theatre Company is launching a bold new festival of independent shows, Neon, kicking off at the Southbank Theatre in May. The centrepiece is fi ve original works from fi ve smaller companies – the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble, Fraught Outfi t, The Hayloft Project, THE RABBLE, and Sisters Grimm – each with a ten-day season in the Lawler. MTC Artistic Director Brett Sheehy had a desire to engage the wider theatre community from the moment he was appointed, and drove the project with the help of MTC staff and collaborators like Managing Producer Martina Murray.

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“We’re really excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with these companies and to open the MTC up to Melbourne’s vibrant theatre community,” says Murray. The fi ve companies developing work for Neon were initially approached by the MTC and invited to participate, based on their previous body of work. “It’s not curated beyond the choice of companies. Brett just developed a strong dialogue with Adena Jacobs through their work together, and through his time with her he got the cogs working about what could MTC do to engage the broader theatre community.” MTC brought in fi rst Jacobs, Artistic Director of Fraught Outfi t which is producing the work On the Bodily Education of Young Girls for the festival, then

others to nut out a model and Neon was the result.“Ideally not all fi ve companies would have the same aesthetic or develop the same kind of work,” says Murray of the selection of companies to be showcased in Neon. “But it’s hard to say what will be produced. Not everyone likes everything. I’m really excited, but we’re obviously a little nervous just like anyone who attempts something a little bit new. We haven’t even read a script, but I’ve got utter faith in all fi ve of these companies and the model. I’m nervous with them, not about them. It’s an honour to be able to support these fi ve companies to produce their work in this way.”One of the companies approached by MTC was drag theatre troupe Sisters Grimm, whose founders Ash Flanders and Declan Greene accepted the invitation and are currently developing their work The Sovereign Wife for presentation at Neon in July. “Our practice has evolved into claiming these cinema genres and retelling them with resources that aren’t really appropriate to the task,” states Greene. “We do everything ourselves from the bottom up, casting both performers and non-performers. We take very familiar genres and ‘queer’ them in a way.”The Sovereign Wife will aim to dissect the legend of the great Australian frontier with the story of a couple who head for a better life in the Australian goldfi elds only to fi nd poverty and heartbreak in the harsh soil of Ballarat. “In the past we’ve only ever done pretty much American genres,” says Greene. “An American Civil War epic, a take on a Hollywood horror fi lm…but we thought it would be really interesting this time to examine something that was culturally our own national territory and challenge ourselves to interrogate a genre of fi lm we’re not naturally drawn to – one without those inherently arch-camp qualities. We really issued a challenge to ourselves.“Our initial reaction was defi nitely to want to mock this genre,” remembers Greene. “We had to examine our feelings around that. One thing we were super keen to look at were the values which emanate from these kinds of fi lms, The Man From Snowy River, A Town Called Alice and so on. They espouse these values which are very white, male, colonialist kind of values. What we’ve done is try and reclaim our national values in some way. We’ve got together a pretty large cast to do that, nine people from diverse backgrounds, diff erent nationalities and sexual orientations, a real melting point.”“We felt vastly confl icted emotions about these fi lms. The values they espouse are ones which help to defi ne our national consciousness and the rhetoric which surrounds our heritage. They don’t acknowledge the vastly diverse experiences which make up Australian life – there are no Indigenous stories, or queer stories, even women’s stories. We’re looking to highlight that.”The other works featuring in Neon include By Their Own Hands from The Hayloft Project which will explore untold stories within ancient Greek mythology, Menagerie, presented by the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble and based on the life and work of Tennessee Williams, and Story of O, THE RABBLE’s festival of perversity which follows an anonymous woman as she submits to a series of ever-increasing sexual demands. As well as these a series of free events including panel conversations with leading Australians in the fi eld, question and answer sessions, and workshops and master classes for directors, writers and other theatre makers.“Our hope is that Neon will continue in the future,” says Murray. “We’re already getting quite a few expressions of interest in, we’re getting invited to shows and we’re having people engage from companies and groups who we normally wouldn’t hear from. We want to create a strong dialogue between all theatregoers and all theatre makers. It would be great to have new audiences come to the Southbank Theatre but we also hope that our regular audience come along and take part, and I think they will.”

Neon: Festival of Independent Theatre will be held from Thursday May 16 to Sunday July 21 at Southbank Theatre, The Lawler. Visit mtc.com.au/neon for more information


GROUP SHOWBY ALASDAIR DUNCAN

Theatre can take you to all kinds of new places, but the newest production by independent theatre company MKA aims to transport you to fi ve very diff erent worlds. Group Show presents the work of fi ve emerging Australian playwrights, and each play represents a wildly diff erent fl ight of imagination. From repressed ‘50s cocktail parties to fl eeting glances at train stations to wild group sex, each work is truly distinct. Directors Luke Kerridge and Prue Clark took on the task of putting these plays together, and it has been a challenge to say the least.

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“I’ve defi nitely learned that putting on fi ve short works is harder than one big work!” Kerridge says. “The plays are diff erent styles, and require diff erent design elements and approaches. That has been the challenge and also the fun of the project.”The philosophy behind Group Show is to expose the best and bravest new voices in the world of local theatre. “I suppose it comes from MKA being the theatre of new writing, being here to support new and emerging writers,” Kerridge says. “The philosophy is an all-in group show, of writers from all stages of their careers, but especially new and emerging. I suppose we’ve taken that philosophy a little big into the creative team. There’s a really big team of us – two directors, a designer, a lighting director, a choreographer, and we’ve all been working on it conceptually and practically. We have an ensemble of actors who appear in the various pieces, as well. We took the group vibe into the creative process.”Initially, Kerridge and Clark had planned to direct the plays separately, each choosing two or three to which they felt particularly drawn. That idea, however, didn’t fi t with the group spirit, and they soon hit upon the idea of co-directing. “We decided that, in order to have a more consistent vision for the piece, we should have a go at co-directing in the sense that we were both in the room,” Kerridge says. “Towards the end of the process, we did a tag-team thing where I’d look after one for a bit and then hand it back to her. We spent a lot of time making sure our vision for the plays was united, so we wouldn’t be confusing our actors by giving them diff ering direction! That was also something we chose to experiment with the process of doing it together.”Co-directing a show is a challenge, but Clark tells me that the process has paid off in all kinds of unexpected ways. “It’s been fantastic,” she says. “We did a lot of the preparation together. We came into the rehearsal room with some fi rm ideas of what we thought the plays should be. We felt solid in our understanding. There was never going to be the possibility of Luke throwing something crazy at me. It’s actually surprisingly relaxing, being able to co-direct, because it allows you to step back and put the audience hat on a bit more. I think that’s one of the hard things, when you’re directing – it’s diffi cult to get distance from the material. Co-directing has allowed us a lot of opportunities for that.”

So what of the plays themselves? The fi rst, Clark tells me, is about two swingers who are under house arrest in China, on trial for group licentiousness. The story tracks their relationship and history throughout this period of confi nement, off ering insights both funny and painful. The next plays with ideas of time. “It’s basically about a boy and a girl meeting at a train station,” Clark says, “but it’s almost as if they’re in parallel worlds. We see them twice, but each time, they appear to be slightly diff erent people with a slightly diff erent relationship. It plays with ideas of time and memory.” The third play is about two housemates who clash over their diff erent views and perspectives of the world … until a ghost unexpectedly enters, haunting them both. The fi nal two plays, however, are the most surreal of the bunch. “How do I describe the next one?” Clark ponders. “The main character is a clump of human hair stuck in a shower drain. It’s about the residue of past relationships, and it’s hilarious. It’s a dreamscape type play. It doesn’t follow normal logic.” The last play, Kerridge says, is set at a ‘50s party, and follows a lady with a diamond for a head. “She’s doing her best to have a good time, but she keeps getting interrupted by a critical voice in her head,” he says, “a voice that was formed way back when she messed up her part in a school play at the age of 13. So yes, that’s our weird show!”It’s a disparate bunch of works, but Clark and Kerridge tell me that some surprising points of commonality emerge. “What we realised as we rehearsed them was that that, in each script, a character seemed to be stuck,” Kerridge says. “In some cases, a character might be physically stuck, like under house arrest. Other times, characters are stuck in moments of time that keep repeating, or are haunted by moments that remain with them. We took that concept of being stuck to the designer, and that was the inspiration for the space. We’ve dreamed up a Dr Seuss-esque, surreal sort of waiting room, and that’s the common setting for all fi ve pieces. It really fi ts within this concept of being stuck.”

“THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A CLUMP OF HUMAN HAIR STUCK IN A SHOWER DRAIN.”

MKA Theatre Of New Writing presents Group Show, currently running until Saturday March 30 at the Northcote Town Hall.


triple j, Street Press Australia and Fasterlouder PRESENT

THE BEACH TOURWith very Special Guests Millions and Chaos Chaos (USA)

www.sancisco.com San Cisco Album out now

THURSDAY 23 MAY KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT VIC

Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix outlets

SATURDAY 25 MAY

CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC (U18 AFTERNOON & 18+ EVENING SHOW)

Tickets available from www.cornerhotel.com | 03 9427 9198 | Corner Hotel Box Office

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Music Victoria’s 2013 fundraising drive comes at a crucial time in the organisation’s existence. Formed in 2009 to represent the interests of the Victorian live music community, Music Victoria was off ered two years of initial government funding on the condition that the body would be fi nancially self-suffi cient at the end of the 2012-13 fi nancial year. Despite Music Victoria’s considerable success – from the practical (exemption from parking restrictions for musicians unloading gear for gigs) to the strategic (identifying the economic benefi ts of live music to the local economy), fi nancial security remains a diffi cult proposition. And while subscriber fees are not going to provide that security, membership is a critical element in illustrating the organisation’s ongoing relevance and importance to the Victorian live music scene.“Basically, we’d have to become a large scale promoter to be that sustainable,” says Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan. “And we’re a peak body, and we can’t compete against the interests of our members. Every other state has a government-funded peak body for live music. So what we really need is to have the membership that indicates to the government how important live music is,” he says.Donovan left his job as music writer for The Age to become Music Victoria’s inaugural CEO. “I suppose my expectations at the time were that I was excited about celebrating and promoting Victorian music,” Donovan says. “I was getting a bit sick of over-hyped international musicians coming out here, when we had such fantastic local musicians already.”It’s been a hard, but productive road for Donovan and Music Victoria since its formation. Music Victoria’s formation coincided with concern over the future of the live music scene. In early 2010 20,000 people took to the streets of

the Melbourne CBD to protest against the threat to live music posed by draconian liquor licensing laws. Music Victoria was an active participant in the government-sponsored roundtable established to fi nd a way through that particular bureaucratic malaise.But Music Victoria has also cast its net further than licensing issues, identifying a range of initiatives that, fundamentally, improve the lot of the average local musician. “What’s been exciting is that music is now represented at the negotiation table,” Donovan says. “I’m on a few boards – which actually takes up about half my time – and the interests of the live music industry are now being listened to, and taken into account when decisions are made.” Donovan has a long list of successful outcomes for the live music industry. “There’s a lot that’s been achieved, from the Music Guide that we launched – and there’s now an app for it – to the fact that there are now cool bands being put on at the MCG, and we also partnered with the City Of Melbourne for the AirPlay project, where we have local bands playing at the airport. And last year as part of the council elections we organised the fi rst ever local council survey, so for the fi rst time live music was a major part of the council election agenda,” Donovan says. And then there are the practical outcomes for musicians – what Donovan describes as the “hip pocket” benefi ts that make a struggling musician’s live that bit fi nancially less problematic. “We’ve now got parking permits for musicians, what we call ‘rock star parks’, and we’ve also cut deals with Virgin and Qantas so that musicians don’t have to pay excess baggage fees when they’re taking gear on the plan,” Donovan says. “We’re also involved in discussions about the building code, including recognising cultural clusters the ‘agent of change’ principle. We’re also really proud of what we’ve done with the Face The Music conference, where we’ve managed to get some really great speakers in the last couple of years.”Because independent music has tended to construct its identity as a burr on the side of the status quo, political agitation has historically been from outside of mainstream institutions – the result, unfortunately, has been more rhetoric than practical achievements. Donovan says he’s learnt you have to work with the system to succeed. “I’ve learnt that you have to work from the inside,” Donovan says. “There are a lot of people who have a misperception of the music industry. They grew up listening to the music in the 1980s when it seemed there was a lot of money in the industry. We’ve had to remind them that it’s actually made up a lot of small businesses, all of whom aren’t earning a lot of money.”While emotive descriptions of artistic success are nice, it’s dry statistics that attract the attention of hard-nosed bureaucrats. “We need statistics to hep the cause, to demonstrate just how important live music is. We’ve recently drawn up a matrix that shows how the benefi ts of live music relate to ten diff erent portfolios in government, so it’s not just something that’s of interest to the arts area,” Donovan says. Donovan notes that following the recent State government Cabinent reshuffl e, Michael O’Brien – who as Minister for Consumer Aff airs convened the roundtable on the future of the live music industry in the aftermath of the SLAM rally – is the Treasurer. “It’s good to have a music fan in that role,” Donovan says.Currently, Music Victoria’s membership rests around the 650 mark; Donovan aims to get that fi gure over the 1,000 mark. “We’re doing more target marketing – sometimes the specifi c messages can get lost with a general push,” Donovan says. “We still need to get the message out to musicians that they can save thousands of dollars if they join – we have to explain that value proposition. For venues we’re doing a lot of work with law reform, and for fans, anyone who cares for music, if you want to be able to see any type of music, any day of the week, then it’s a small price to pay.”

MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP DRIVEBY PATRICK EMERY

The MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE is happening until Thursday March 28. Jump on the bandwagon. For annual rates, member benefi ts and subscription information head to musicvictoria.com.au.

Patrick Donovan

wednesday march 20

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Music fans and media types love nothing more than to bestow god-like status on artists and performers. Few genres aggrandise as much as hip hop, where every MC is better than the last. At the same time, fans are quick to forget or push a performer aside, in favour of someone newer or shinier.Even after almost two decades in the game, Apathy and Celph Titled have managed to avoid this predicament through constant touring, releasing and staying true to their fan base, while branching out if the opportunity is right. Performing alongside several rotating members over the years, they have been part of super-group the Demigodz, who are finally releasing their first group project, titled Killmatic. “Satisfying is definitely an understatement,” says Connecticut born Chad ‘Apathy’ Bromley of the long-delayed project. “It’s a great accomplishment for our crew and of course adding these songs to our catalogue only makes for more soon-to-be classics for our fans to hear live whenever we get on stage.” His Tampa based counterpart Vic ‘Celph Titled’ Mercer chimes in about how special the release is for them, “especially after the long road it took to get the album completed.” For Killmatic, the quick-witted duo buckled down in the studio with current crew members Ryu of Styles Of Beyond, Esoteric, Motive and Blacastan. As prolific solo artists with other side-projects on the go, Mercer reveals that it took a while for the album to become a priority.“We planned to finish this album a long ago, but getting everyone on the same page takes time and focus.” Bromley, who had two solo albums of his own, says the album’s origins date back to 2007. “So this album was more a labor of love and we kept adding pieces to it as we went along and felt inspired.” Mercer believes their approach to lyricism and production wouldn’t allow them to release anything sub-par. “We are perfectionists, so we would sit on beats for a long time, re-work them and sharpen the lyrics, until the end result was the best it could be in our eyes.” Bromley doesn’t see the overall group dynamic as being all that much different from their previous efforts. It was in the fine-tuning and musical approach where things varied. “It was a little different than, say, our first Demigodz EP in 2002 where our crew was much larger and joints were thrown together quickly on the spot because we were much more anxious to just have product out.” As seasoned vets, their approach is admittedly more “calculated.” With the classic-in-

the-making finally released, now seems like the perfect time for the lyrical tag team to make their return to Australia.Last performing for Aussie audience with Mercer in 2005, Bromley is excited to be back. “I have great memories from that tour and I know our return visit will be that much more explosive.” Making his third overall visit, Mercer too greatly appreciates the response he gets from local audiences. “If I could come to Australia every single year I’d do it without question. Our audiences there are so amped to hear us live and they really get hype at the shows.” As artists who have been on the independent grind for the majority of their career, Mercer and Bromley don’t underestimate the importance

of performing live.“You can’t make it in this game if you don’t do live shows and tour. A live show is an experience that someone just can’t download off a website,” Mercer says matter-of-factly. Bromley has seen the music industry model change and is constantly aware of what needs to be done to make it. “The days of dropping a 12” vinyl single a couple times a year or putting out a CD and just sitting back collecting cheques are over. You’ve got to get out there and work your ass

off.” It’s been a long road for Apathy and Celph Titled, two lifelong rap fans who have always taken a DIY approach, dating back to their origins in the mid-to-late 90s. “We didn’t really know what we were doing when we first started out and had to experiment with different styles until we found ourselves,” Bromley says reflectively through veteran eyes. “Looking back, it’s easy to cringe at some of the unpolished music but many fans hold that stuff dear to them.”First recording under the oh-so ‘90s moniker of Apathy the Alien Tongue, he believes no matter how unrefined they sound today, his early efforts were part of a bigger picture. “Some of it is even vital to the younger artists in our scene because it helped mould and motivate them to be what they are today.” Mercer agrees, saying he can notice a bit of Demigodz in some of today’s young crop. “I can hear the influences in some of the newer MCs that make music in the same vein as ours but it’s only natural when you’ve been putting out records for 15 years.”The respect he has gained is one he appreciates but one he knows came from years of grinding. “It’s a nice position to be in, but as you can see it takes many years of work and dues paid to get in this seat.” Those days in the trenches have led to some big career opportunities over the years, including collaborations with Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and his Fort Minor side-project. “Those situations only came to us because we put in work and were able to show and prove,” affirms Mercer. “Our talent speaks for itself. Fort Minor was a huge boost of exposure, but it would’ve meant nothing if we didn’t continue to follow-up with quality consistent music after that project was over.” Bromley sees their more mainstream work as something that adds to their legacy rather than defining it. “I’m very proud of what we’ve built, but of course we’d like it to be larger. I’m content with our place in the game right now and it’s a very admirable spot for us to be in.”

demigodz words / andrew ‘hazard ’ h ickey

Demigodz play the Prince Bandroom on Friday March 29.

on tourXXYYXX [USA]Friday March 22, The Liberty SocialACTRESS [UK]Friday March 22, Brown AlleySTANTON WARRIORS [UK]Friday March 22, Brown AlleyDANIEL BELL [USA]Friday March 22, Brown AlleyRAHAAN [USA]Saturday March 23, The Croft InstituteDANIEL BORTZ [GER]Sunday March 24, Revolver UpstairsNETSKY [UK]Sunday March 24, RMH The VenuePROSUMER [GER]Thursday March 28, Mercat BasementSINDEN [UK], BRENMAR [USA]Thursday March 28, Revolver UpstairsTHE DEMIGODZ [USA]Friday March 29, Prince BandroomINNER VARNIKA: LEROSA [IRE], WBEEZA [UK], LUKE HESS [USA], XDB [GER] + MOREFriday March 29 - Sunday March 31, TBADAVID SQUILLACE [ITA], DAN GHENACIA [FRA], DYED SOUNDOROM [FRA], SHONKY [FRA]Friday March 29, Brown AlleyPACHANGA BOYS [GER]Saturday March 30, The Bottom EndSILENT SERVANT [USA]Saturday March 30, Mercat BasementIAN POOLEY [GER]Sunday March 31, OneSixOneARTY [RUS], MAT ZO [UK]Sunday March 31, BillboardGRANDMASTER FLASH [USA]Sunday March 31, The EspyBLACK SUN EMPIRE [NED]Sunday March 31, Brown AlleyJAMIE XX [UK]Friday April 5, Prince BandroomAXEL BOMAN [SCO], WBEEZA [UK]Saturday April 6, Mercat BasementIVAN SMAGGHE [FRA], SUPERPITCHER [GER], INXEC [UK]Sunday March 31, Brown AlleyELLEN ALLIEN [GER], MOVE D [GER], JIMPSTER [UK], BAREM [ARG]Friday April 12, Brown AlleyOPTIMO [SCO]Friday April 19, The Bottom EndIAN FRIDAY [USA]Friday April 19, Mercat BasementOTTO KNOWS [SWE]Saturday April 20, AlumbraEATS EVERYTHING [UK], DERRICK MAY [USA], BEN KLOCK [GER]Thursday April 25, Brown AlleyMOVEMENT: NAS [USA], 2 CHAINZ [USA] + MORESaturday April 27, Sidney Myer Music BowlMOSCA [UK]Saturday April 27, Revolver UpstairsEXAMPLE [USA]Friday May 3, The PalaceYACHT [USA]Friday May 3, Ding Dong LoungeYING YANG TWINS [USA]Saturday May 4, The EspyBAAUER [USA]Saturday May 4, Brown AlleyATARI TEENAGE RIOT [USA]Friday May 17, BillboardCOSMIN TRG [ROM]Friday June 7, New GuernicaCHRIS LIEBING [GER]Sunday June 9, Brown AlleyJEFF MILLS [USA] Sunday June 9, The Bottom EndATA [GER]Friday June 21, Mercat BasementA$AP ROCKY [USA]Saturday June 29, Festival HallEARTHCORE: ANGY KORE [ITA], PERFECT STRANGER [ISR] + MORE Friday November 29 - Sunday December 2, TBA

contactEditor:Tyson Wray / [email protected] Assistant: Nick Taras / [email protected]/Cover Design: Pat O’Neill / [email protected] Typesetting & Design: Michael CusackAdvertising:Ronnit Sternfein - (03) 8414 9710 / [email protected] Morgan - (03) 8414 8719 / [email protected] Stenvei - (03) 8414 9711 / [email protected] Kris Furst - (03) 8414 9703 / [email protected]: Callum LinsellContributors: Alasdair Duncan, Andrew Hickey, Annabel Maclean, Chloe Papas, Dan Watt, Jo Campbell, Kish Lal, Lachlan Kanonuik, Leigh Salter, Miki McLay, Morgan Richards, Nick Taras, Nina Bertok, Richie Meldrum, RK, Rose Callaghan, Ryan Butler, Simon Hampson, Tamara VoglDeadlines: Editorial: Friday 2pmAdvertising: Monday 12pmPublisher:Furst Media - 3 Newton Street, Richmond - (03) 9428 3600 - beat.com.au

off the recordw i t h t y s o n w r a yThere are few things I hate more than Styrofoam. Guitars, maybe, but that’s it.

the beatnutsThe Beanuts originally came together in 1989 and are as prominent as ever in 2013 embarking on another Australian tour. Starting off as a trio to becoming a quartet and now a duo, the remaining Beanuts, JuJu and Psycho Les show no sign of slowing down. They’ve worked on remixes for Cypress Hill, Naughty By Nature and Da Lench Mob and have a long line of hits to their name including Watch Out Now, Se Acabo and Hit Me With That. Fans don’t need the rundown on how they’ve been unstoppable with a stack of classic albums and anticipated collaborations including their most recent, LikNuts. Already having toured Australia in 2012, they return in what is expected to be an extravagant encore of sorts this Easter weekend. It’s all happening at the Espy Front Bar on Thursday March 28.

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t o u r r u m o u r sTensnake, dOP, Jimmy Edgar, Sepalcure, HNQO, Vakula, Nina Kraviz, The Revenge, 6th Borough Project, Rahaan, Oxia, Andrew Weatherall

poncho presents bands on the dancefl oor

party profi le:

Where’s it at? Bimbo DeluxeSo why is the north side better than the south side? Tough question. As someone that grew up around St Kilda, my heart definitely says south. But after living and working in Fitzroy for the past three years and witnessing firsthand the abundance of creative culture, my head says the north. I’ll have to give it to the north just because there’s less wankers on this side.What’s the best thing about the north side? Edinburgh Gardens on a warm afternoon, less pretension, more tattooed babes and there’s street art up the wazoo.What’s the worst thing about the south side? Backpackers, traffic and a general “look at me” attitude.So tell us about the party your throwing? Poncho are a team of Melburnians who create unique, left-of-centre music TV and put on taste-making music events. Their website has evolved into a vast music TV channel that both produces and provides a platform for forward-thinking, original video content. Regular purveyors of some of Melbourne’s biggest parties, this event will showcase nine of Melbourne’s best bands swapping their

instruments for turntables. Fun starts from 6.30pm with DJs on the rooftop as well as down on the dance floor. Free entry.Who’s playing? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Pretty Little’s, City Calm Down, Rat & Co, Atolls, Iowa, Hunting Grounds, Bored Nothings and DJ Slymewave (Big Scary).What sort of shit will they be playing? Rock musicians spinning tunes to make your clothes fall off.What night is it on? Good (bad) Friday March 29.And it’ll be better than the party on that night over at Lucky Coq, why? Because Poncho TV are throwing the party and if anyone has seen some of the antics they get up to on their webisodes, they’ll know that there’ll be some fun and freaky stuff going on.It’s free, yeah? Hells yeah.What’s the one thing we’ll remember most vividly in the morning? Not sure but hopefully the girl’s name next to you.Give us one more reason why we should come on down? It’s day one of a four-day weekend for the vast majority of us so why wouldn’t you come down?

ian fridayIan Friday is on a creative mission to spread "global soul" and his next stop is Melbourne. Since the early ‘90s, Ian Friday has been making an impact within the arts beginning with a non-profit organization called The Tea Party NYC Inc. which provided a platform for emerging and established artists including Erykah Badhu, Talib Kweli and Mos Def. As a producer, Friday is a connoisseur of both original productions and remixes. Known for his hits Life Starts Today, Theorama Del Faya and Found Myself all on Tea Party Music as well as Carib's Leap on West End Records his DJ sets are an aural delight. Catch a legend for the first time at The Mercat on Friday April 19.

arty & mat zoArty and Mat Zo, the pair that have given us two collaborations Mozart and Rebound have teamed up for a club tour. Currently ranked #28 in the DJ Mag Top 100 of 2012, Arty has experienced a stellar past few years. In 2011 the release of house anthem Around The World on Anjunabeats gained him unprecedented support from heavyweights Axwell, Tiesto, Above & Beyond and Armin van Buuren. Recently releasing tracks on Axwell’s Axtone label and constant touring it is hard to believe the young Russian has had time to work on a debut album, but that’s exactly what he’s doing. Joining him will be Mat Zo who is well known for his acid tongue on Twitter as well as his passion for breaking down the barriers of genres in EDM. Not one to fall behind, Zo has been touring along with and producing with Porter Robinson and getting his debut album ready for release too. Catch all the excitement at Billboard The Venue on Sunday March 31.

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apathy

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electronic - urban - club life2

3electronic - urban - club life

50% North 50% South 100% Freewww.bestofbothsides.com.au

Supporting

news - head to beat.com.au for more circolocoOne of the most sought after party brands in the world, Circoloco is bringing the party to Australia this Easter Sunday. This and That label head honcho and longtime Circoloco resident David Squillace is headlining with his signature sets revered by peers and fans alike. Joining him and making their Australian debut is Dan Ghenacia, well respected in the Paris underground having founded and ran Freak N’ Chic for seven years and makes up one third of the Apollonia collective. Dyed Soundorom and Shonky who make up the rest of Apollonia are joining him too on what is set to be a raver’s delight. It’s all happening on Friday March 29 at Brown Alley.

south side hustleWhere’s it at? Lucky Coq.So why is the south side better than the north side? It’s always more fun when things move south of the border. What’s the best thing about the south side? Booshank’s Grindr strike rate.What’s the worst thing about the south side? Booshank’s Blendr strike rate.So tell us about the party your throwing? It’s called South Side Hustle, we run every Sunday at Lucky Coq from 7pm until close. House music all night long. Who’s playing? Special guest Jason ‘Suenomartino’ Martin plus residents Askew, Booshank. Junji Masayama and Disco Harry.What sort of shit will they be playing? Music to make wiggly worms work their bodies.What night is it on? Sunday!And it’ll be better than the party on that night over at Bimbo Deluxe, why? Our naked conga line will be 200% more naked than the one at Bimbo’s.It’s free, yeah? As. A. Bird. Yes.What’s the one thing we’ll remember most vividly in the morning? “Hey baby, we have matching disco bruises!”Give us one more reason why we should come on down? Come down and see Suenomartino play a rare prime-time dance floor set!

the psyde projects block

party

party profi le:

Where’s it at? Lucky Coq.So why is the south side/north side better than the south side/north side? Because there are less beards.What’s the best thing about the south side/north side? Because there are less beards. And MILFS.What’s the worst thing about the south side/north side? The Yarra divide.So tell us about the party you’re throwing? It’ll be dope. Just like chicks who are on speed.Who’s playing? The Psyde Projects, Mr. Moonshine, D’fro & iLLresponce.What sort of shit will they be playing? Block rocking jams with a whole lotta twerk upside your head.What night is it on? Friday March 29.And it’ll be better than the party on that night over at Lucky Coq/Bimbo Deluxe, why? Cause of the gospel that will be spread.It’s free, yeah? Yep yep.What’s the one thing we’ll remember most vividly in the morning? The flashbacks.Give us one more reason why we should come on down? The Psyde Projects!

party profi le:

rahaanA fixture of the Chicago house music scene, Rahaan is bringing down a slice of nostalgia to Australia. Dropping disco and funky beats to house music devotees since the ‘80s, Rahaan’s name is well cemented in the ever cherished Chicago scene. His outstanding skill behind the decks has brought him from the underground circuit out onto the international playing field. In between touring Rahaan gets busy producing soulful disco and house for Christine Eva and Atlanta based singer/songwriter Ozara Ode. It’s his ability to so swiftly move from producer, DJ to arts enthusiast that sets him a part from the crowd. Get down to The Croft Institute Melbourne on Saturday March 23.

third chapterDrop everything and get ready for Good Friday (March 29) because Third Chapter are back with another party. You know how it goes: good people, good beats and a whole lot of good times. This time around, Inflation Night Club on King St. will help host the latest 3C event. With the main room and rooftop bar hijacked by Third Chapter and some of the finest DJs in Australia keeping the party rocking, it’s sure to get wild once again. Headlining the festivities are 2x Australian DMC World Champion B.TWO and also a live drum and DJ set from BAGSvDK. Joining the party are more heavy hitters in DJ Wasabi, Second Hand, Kodiak Kid and Swisher.

sinden & brenmar Revolver’s infamous Saturday night crew The Late Show and long standing collaborators Too Much and Scattermusic are coming together to bring two of the most talented producers to Melbourne, Sinden and Brenmar. A vital part of the new wave of UK club producers, Sinden’s collaborative and left-field approach spawned a new wave of music inspired by the jacking house of Chicago and New York mixed with influences of UK jungle and garage. In 2010 he launched Grizzly to bring the world his tastes and pioneer a sound ensuring it wasn’t going to fade away like any other old fad. The label has been a successful launchpad for Mele, Brenmar and Distal as well as hosting several releases from SBTRKT. Brenmar is a at the forefront of Sinden’s vision for this ever present sound, producing music that somehow melts together commercial R&B with Chicago and UK bass. Purists may upturn their noses but for those who like to party this will be a night to remember. Get down to Revolver Upstairs on Thursday March 28.

enhanced australiaFor the very first time on our shores, Evolution Events and Rush Productions join forces to present the highest calibre of trance and progressive music with Enhanced Australia. With a lineup to make trance and progressive enthusiasts salivate, Enhanced Music sticks to their mantra of releasing brilliant dance music and retaining the utmost respect from tastemakers. Since its inception in 2008, label manager Will Holland has always been careful in selecting the artists which share and represent the label’s vision for musical quality, melodic sound and its forward thinking approach, whilst nurturing promising and talented future names. The lineup is made up of Daniel Kandi, Will Holland, Estiva, Beat Service, Nick Arbor, Thomas Knight, Alana Aldea, Jed, Alison Spong, Harlan Buskes, Mike Hafner, Petar Ang, Exis, Sensualise with lots of amazing local support. It’s all happening on Friday April 19 at Trak Live Lounge Bar.

parp

parp

Where’s it at? Lucky Coq.So why is the south side better than the north side? They are both just as good as each other, because they are both in Victoria!What’s the best thing about the south side? Lucky Coq.What’s the worst thing about the south side? The kebabs.So tell us about the party your throwing? Well the party is all about techno! And the different kinds of techno that everyone knows and loves!Who’s playing? Matt Radovich, Darius Bassiray, Peter Baker, Jay Reading, Mr Pyz, Dean Benson, Mike Buhl, Caine Sinclair and Chiara KD.

What sort of shit will they be playing? Every and all kinds of techno.What night is it on? Good Friday March 29.And it’ll be better than the party on that night over at Bimbo Deluxe, why? That’s simple, we will be playing techno.It’s free, yeah? Of course it’s free, that’s how we roll.What’s the one thing we’ll remember most vividly in the morning? The techno.Give us one more reason why we should come on down? It’s free, the beer will be cold and you know MTC will deliver a kick ass techno party.

melbourne techno collective’s good friday

party profi le:parp

party profi le:parp

waving at trains & cutters records

Where’s it at? Lucky CoqSo why is the south side better than the north side? It’s closer to Antarctica.What’s the best thing about the south side We have gears on our bicycles.What’s the worst thing about the south side Dan Whitford will have to travel from the north side for this event.So tell us about the party your throwing? Featuring the DJs and producers who are focusing the world spotlight on Melbourne right now.Who’s playing? Knightlife, Andras Fox, Nile Delta, Katie Drover, The Tortoise, James Ware and M5K.What sort of shit will they be playing? Music for line dancing.What night is it on? Saturday March 30.And it’ll be better than the party on that night over at Bimbo Deluxe, why? Because they tried to book our DJs for their night, but they were already playing at Lucky Coq.It’s free, yeah? Yep.What’s the one thing we’ll remember most vividly in the morning? That Knightlife dropped Jump to It by Aretha Franklin.Give us one more reason why we should come on down? Andras Fox will be playing the late spot rather than his normal warm up duties. The kid’s got skills.

s t r i k e

snaps o n e t w e n t y b a r


Didier Cohen

l u c k y c o q

German house DJ/producer Daniel Bortz has a deft touch for striping things back to the minimal without losing the soul. After spinning house and techno for more than a decade and releasing tracks from 2007, Daniel Bortz found his way into the international spotlight in 2011 along with the resurgence of house. Well known for his bootlegs and last year’s re-working of James Blake’s cover of Feist’s Limit To Your Love, the Augsburg native has recently put out some sublimely smooth, down-tempo numbers on Berlin-based imprint Suol and has been playing the global festival circuit. “I do think it’s a good example of how simple I make my music,” Bortz says of the Limit To Your Love remix. “My production technique is very minimal and I always try to keep everything very clean. For me, the most important thing in making a track is to find the focal point in the production and reduce everything around it to make that focal point stand out. “Also, when you take out the James Blake vocal, I think it clearly shows I have some roots that are grounded in dub techno... now that I think of it, I can’t really pinpoint a moment or movement that got me to where I’m at today musically as I have such a varied music taste.”

While his sound is by no means divorced from Berlin’s techno obsession, it certainly isn’t following the herd, with house still defying the mainstream in Bortz’s university hometown, situated in southwest Bavaria.“I can’t really say that the house scene over here is that big, as Augsburg is quite small. That said, for the size of the city there really are a lot of creative people based here. Augsburg is very close to Munich, and Bavaria is very close to Italy which, in a way, gives the local scene a little bit of that Italio-disco influence,” he explains. “There’s also a very big indie influence in Augsburg... so the city is small and we are quite sheltered from the major dance music scenes in Germany, but in a way that’s good as we’ve create our own sound and scene.” Forza Electronica is a monthly party Bortz has been running for six years, providing him with a testing ground for his techno/house innovations. “From the start, there have been many changes with the musical direction of the night. In the beginning it was more orientated towards Detroit techno, but over the years it’s gradually changed to a more house flavoured sound as I wanted to set myself apart from the rest of the parties that were being held in Augsberg.

daniel bortz words / jo campbel l

“I think it was around 2009 when I tried to bring a deeper and slower sound to the night, which took a while for the crowd to get used to. Eventually the sound grew on everyone and now it’s very successful. From the start my vision for this event was to introduce the crowd to many different styles of music, so I’m very lucky to have an extremely open minded crowd who attend the night.” Bortz’s remix of fellow German Console’s A Homeless Ghost is soon to be released and although Bortz has gained notoriety remixing, he’s not a proponent of the current fixation on remixing. “I have done quite a few remixes but I’m not always a fan of them,” he says. “What I don’t like about them is when people make remixes for a track that cheapens the original to the point where they sell out. “As long as you can keep the integrity of the track in check, I’m happy to do remixes. Also, it’s also difficult when you’re DJing to find the right version of a track when there are five different versions,” he laughs. “Sometimes I just feel like saying to some producers and labels that it really is ok to release a great track without doing any remixes for it. There are so many new tracks being released every day and the good ones will always be found regardless of a remix or not.” While his Heal The World EP, released last year on Suol, was more down tempo than his previous work, there’s no down-turn expected in the level of his popularity, with heavy-hitters such as Laurent Garnier getting behind it. It’s likely that we’ve only just witnessed the genesis of this wizard of hi-tech, slowed-down minimalism’s career.

Daniel Bortz plays at Revolver on Sunday March 24.

When any snippet of news about the new Avalanches album is hungrily devoured, Flume dominates all and a baffling number of people listen to Knife Party, it’s hard to remember that there was a time when dance music was the runt of the litter in Australia. But back in the ‘90s, there were only a handful of electronic acts breaking through – and Sonicanimation were one of them. That was mostly thanks to Theophilus Thistler, a song that is such an earworm, simply reading its name can still get the tongue-twister chorus stuck in your head. The duo responsible for that track, Rupert Keiller and Adrian Cartwright, became a mainstay of the Big Day Out’s Boiler Room, put out several albums, and danced up a storm all the way into the mid-2000s. But after releasing a best-of in 2005 and doing the

festival thing one last time, they vanished.“I went off travelling in 2006 after Big Day Out and I never came home,” Keiller says. What began as a holiday became seven years in Canada, where he was content to live the life of a ski

bum in British Columbia. “They have quite amazing mountain biking in the summer. I ended up just staying there and riding my bike a lot in the summer and snowboarding in the winter, all the while thinking that I was gonna continue on with writing music just by myself. But [that] never really happened.”Instead, Keiller began DJing for

tourists, banking on the fact that Australian skiers of a certain age would have fond memories of Sonicanimation. “I knew that there were quite big Australian crowds at the ski hills – there’s several

sonicanimation words / jody macgregor

really good quality ski hills all over British Columbia – and I thought I could probably DJ, go off the back of ‘DJ Blah from Sonicanimation’. That was cool for a couple of years, but then I noticed the age group of people that I was playing to, they were people that hadn’t heard of Sonicanimation. It was quite often, ‘Who are they? Who’s this band, who’s this guy?’”So Keiller was inspired get the band back together, before they were forgotten completely. Cartwright was immediately up for it, and the third slot in the group, which they’d given to a rotating cast of DJs back in the day, was filled by Sexton Blake, who Keiller had met and worked with in Canada. A slot on last year’s Homebake lineup followed, as did work on a new album, Once More From The Bottom, which Keiller says is as eclectic as any of their earlier work. With luck, it will restore them to their rightful place in history: somewhere between Itch-E & Scratch-E and B(if)tek, among the first wave of Australian dance music to reach the popular consciousness, and laying the groundwork for the likes of Pnau, Cut Copy and The Presets.“I don’t give that kind of thing a lot of thought, but we do get people saying that to us a lot since the last record that we did,” says Keiller. “I’ve met a lot of people who’ve said, ‘When you guys stopped there was no one for a while and then The Presets came along and they were like the new version of Sonicanimation and then someone else came along’ – but I don’t really apply that to myself… I don’t know, it’s always different from the inside. I feel like I just do what I love doing, and hope that people listen to it and want to come see us.”

Sonicanimation play The Toff In Town on Saturday March 30.

facebook.com/danielbortzofficial

soundcloud.com//danielbortz

“I’ve met a lot of people who’ve said, ‘When you guys stopped there was no one

for a while and then The Presets came along and they were like the new version of

Sonicanimation”

snaps b i m b o s

facebook.com/sonicanimation00

gaz from yacht club djs

the count with:

Ten bands everyone should know about: Clowns, Velociraptor, Apes, The Yard Apes, Step Panther, Udays Tiger, San Gras, Sheriff, Sasquatch, Hollow Everdaze. Nine food items that you need to make a kickarse dinner party: Really good tacos, beers, tequila, ground beef nachos, habanero sauce, limes, my home made guacamole, good corn chips (not Doritos).Eight possessions that define you: Rainbow glitter drumkit, my cat B.C. (Battle Cat), my broken down piece of shit ‘79 Jaguar, Marshall Combo with Marshall changed to Arsehole, Technics SL1200s and my record collection (I swear I have records I haven’t listened to), my studio, all the weird shit in my house, there’s a lot of things I can’t explain but can’t part with, my tattoos, that seem to get stupider with every new one, funny is apparently something a aspire to look like. Seven favourite movies/TV shows that go on your mixtape: Banshee, Aliens, Predator, Red Dwarf, The Life Aquatic, Italian Spiderman, Game Of Thrones. Six bad habits you can’t escape: I’m shy and it makes me act like a dickhead, I sleep in too much, I’ve quit smoking about 30 times, I leave Important things to the last minute, I’m gullible, apparently I’m clumsy, I’ve never noticed, but I seem to get told every other day. Five people who inspire you: My dad cause he’s the best mate I’ve ever had, my mate Murph because he seems to be happy with everything all the time, anyone who shreds on guitar because I can’t and have never wanted to be able to do anything more than that (Guy can), Yetis, and the dog from Harry and the Hendersons

for giving hell to a yeti.Four things that turn you on: Girls that look like gypsies, cool weird guitars, cars from the ‘60/’70s, especially Camaros and Jaguars, good coffee and the feeling straight after a really big show. Three goals for your music: To get our original material out asap, to keep touring here and overseas successfully (I don’t know what else I ever want to do!) and to be able to keep coming up with ideas for our insanely complicated mixtapes. It’s way more work than you’d imagine!Two live gigs you’ll never forget and why: The first Meredith we played, I nearly shit my pants I was that nervous and there was a real chance my shyness would have got me and I would go catatonic, but it’s amazing what you can do when you push yourself right? It’s such a special weekend even when you aren’t playing, which I never thought I’d get to do. The second would have to be touring with Mumford and Sons. We initially thought it was weird as shit that we even got asked by them to come along, but turns out they love us and we had them all on stage dancing the whole time, and pretty much everyone that had played that day.One day left before the apocalypse and you: Probably throw a party with the people that are important to me, play music, have some laughs. Just be happy, if it’s all gonna end all you have left is being happy and each other. When’s the gig? Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday March 30 and Sunday March 31 with Step Panther and APES.

facebook.com/yachtclubdjs

the psyde projects block party

party profi le:

Where’s it at? Lucky Coq.So why is the south side better than the north side? Better Photoshop moments, higher grade cigarette butts, less public urination and better cars putting in circuits.What’s the best thing about the south side? The customers’ medium income level.What’s the worst thing about the south side? The pretension of money.So tell us about the party your throwing? The Malaysian Gameshow sensation arrives in Australia for one night only. Created and hosted by the illustrious Kangkung Belacan, it showcases aspiring career celebrities competing for the title of Zillion Dollar Dreamboat. Created in 2010 by Malaysia’s prince in waiting, Kangkung Belacan, celebrities compete and are judged on the following criteria: Photoshopped Beauty, Internetedness, Ears for Dance, Excellent Pizza Toppings and Dressed For Success. Audience judges contestants in their presentations, sound selection and pizza toppings. Winners hold the title of Zillion Dollar Dreamboat with a swag of prizes including: Eternal Pizza Dreams, 300 A+ rated re-tweets, Codsplay Costume of Choice, Superannuation Advice, and Exclusive Designed Arcade Dance Avatar.Who’s playing? Paz, CC Disco, Dublin Aunts, Edd Fisher and Mr Moonshine.What sort of shit will they be playing? The latest club, disco, house and dance sounds.What night is it on? Sunday March 31.And it’ll be better than the party on that night over at Bimbo Deluxe, why? You have the chance to be Photoshopped into an image with Edd Fisher.It’s free, yeah? Nothing is truly free. You dance for your life.What’s the one thing we’ll remember most vividly in the morning? The winner holding aloft their designer cosplay costume.Give us one more reason why we should come on down? Word is there will be a bookie by the name of “Antz” who will also be taking bets on the Zillion Dollar Dreamboat winner.N.B ZDDB does not condone illegal gambling.

zillion dollar dreamboats


club guide wednesday march 20 COQ ROQ - FEAT: AGENT 86 + DJS LADY NOIR + JOYBOT + KITI + MR THOM Lucky Coq, Windsor. 8:00pm. COSMIC PIZZA - FEAT: NHj Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. DUBSTEP GRIME DRUM & BASS - FEAT: DJ BADDUMS + DJ CARMEX Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. HOODRAPZ - FEAT: WEDNESDAY Workshop, Melbourne. 8:00pm. LOST & FOUND - FEAT: DJ SPIDEY + DJ RUBY FROST Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 9:00pm. NEW GUERNICA WEDNESDAYS New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. SOUL ARMY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE DINNER SET Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm.

thursday march 21 3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: HANS DC + JAKE JUDD + NIKKI SARA-FIAN Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. BANG N MASH Word Events Warehouse & Lounge, Melbourne. 8:00pm. BILLBOARD THURSDAYS - FEAT: MATT DEAN + MATTY GRANT + PHIL ROSS Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. $10. CHI BEATS Chi Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. DO DROP IN - FEAT: DJ KITI + DJ LADY NOIR The Carlton Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. DON’T THINK I’M ALIVE THURSDAYS The Vineyard, St Kilda. 8:00pm. FREE RANGE FUNK - FEAT: AGENT 86 + LEWIS CANCUT + WHO Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm. FUN HOUSE - FEAT: DJS FINLO WHITE & MC KITTY KAT Co., Southbank. 10:30pm. GOOD EVENING - FEAT: DJ PEOPLE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. GRAD PARTY THURSDAYS - FEAT: DJ ROWIE European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 6:00pm. LE DISCO TECH Pretty Please, St Kilda. 9:00pm. LOVE STORY Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. MOOD - FEAT: NUBODY Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. NEW GUERNICA THURSDAYS - FEAT: CONDUCTORS + JAMES KANE + NEGATIV MAGICK + NU BALANCE + POST PERCY New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. RADIONICA Workshop, Melbourne. 4:04pm. THE RITZ THURSDAYS - FEAT: CAUC-ASIAN DJ’S + JOSHUA GILILAND + KEN WALKER + LUCILLE CROFT + CARRICK DALTON & SAM COHEN + ED WILKS + MAX KRUSE + TIM LIGHT + ZACK ROSE Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 9:00pm. $20. TIGER FUNK LIVE - FEAT: DJ MOONSHINE Bimbos Deluxe, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. TROCADERO Match Bar & Grill, Melbourne Cbd. 7:01pm.

friday march 22 ANYTIME Workshop, Melbourne. 9:30pm. BADABOOM FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJ ROWIE European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 5:00pm. CANT SAY Platform One, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm. $10. CHI FRIDAYS Chi Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. CQ FRIDAYS Cq, Melbourne. 9:00pm. DEEP CUTS - FEAT: DJ DEEP AAGEAN Cape Lounge, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. DISCOTHEQUE - FEAT: ELANA MUSTO + GREG SARA + SCOTT T Match Bar & Grill, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. DITCH THE DESK DISCO - FEAT: DJ JOEY LIGHTBULB Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 12:00pm. $5. DNA FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJS DUCHESZ + OOHEE + PAZ First Floor, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. FRIDAY DEBRIEF - FEAT: DJ OBLIVEUS Big Mouth, St Kilda. 10:00pm. GUTTER HYPE RECORDS - FEAT: ROBSPINX Cape Lounge, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. $10. I LOVE OLD SCHOOL - FEAT: SHAGGZ & PUPPET + DJ TEY + MERV MAC Red Bennies, South Yarra. 11:00pm. $10. JEAN PAUL + LAST BOY SCOUT + MAGIC HOUSE Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. JUICY - FEAT: CHAIRMAIN MEOW + COBURG MARKET + MR. FOX + TIGERFUNK + WHO Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 9:30pm. LA DANSE MACABRE - FEAT: DJ GUVNOR Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. LATIN QUARTER Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. MEET YOUR MATES FRIDAYS - Libation, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. MEZZANINE & THE BACK ROOM - FEAT: DJ MANNEQUIN + DJ XTIAN Abode, St Kilda. 11:00pm. MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - FEAT: DJS PREQUEL & EDD FISHER Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 12:00am. MIDNIGHT MIDNIGHT - New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. PANORAMA - FEAT: DJS MATT RAD + MR GEORGE + PHATO A MANO + TOM MEAGHER Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. POPROCKS - FEAT: DR PHIL SMITH Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. REMEMBER ME The Motel, South Melbourne. 9:00pm. RETRO SEXUAL One Twenty Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. REVOLVER FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJ LEWIE DAY + DJ MIKE CALLANDER + DJ ALEX THOMAS + DJ KATIE DROVER + DJ WHO Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm. SHUFFLE FRIDAY NIGHTS Bridie O’reilly’s Brunswick, Brunswick. 11:00pm. STANTON WARRIORS Brown Alley, Melbourne. 8:00pm. THE FOX FRIDAYS Fox Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. UPTOWN GROOVE Order Of Melbourne, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm

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saturday 23 mar BEAT BEAT TANUKI - FEAT: DJ MASH Horse Bazaar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. BILLBOARD SATURDAYS - FEAT: FRAZER ADNAM SCOTT MCMA-HON + JAMIE VLAHOS + MR MAGOO + ZIGGY Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $15. CHI SATURDAYS Chi Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. FIRST FLOOR SATURDAYS - FEAT: BILLY HOYLE + DJS DUCHESZ + MZRIZK + WASABI First Floor, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. GLITCH THIS Workshop, Melbourne. 8:00pm. GOOD TIMES DOWNSTAIRS - FEAT: DJ ARKS + DJ JUMPS + DJ MANCHILD Cape Lounge, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. HOT STEP - Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. JACKET OFF Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 8:30pm. JAMBOREE SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ LORD Red Bennies, South Yarra. 10:00pm. LAB 22 Palace Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. MIDNIGHT RUN - FEAT: DJ KIERAN + DJ BENNIS + DJ DAN WATT + DJ GUPSTAR + DJ PINBALL Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. $5. MIXED DRINKS SATURDAYS - Libation, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. MOTEL SATURDAYS - The Motel, South Melbourne. 9:00pm. NEO SACRILEGE - FEAT: DJ NERO Abode, St Kilda. 9:00pm. NEW GUERNICA SATURDAYS New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. ONESIXFIVE - FEAT: DJ COURTNEY MILLS + DJ HOOPS + DJ OLLIE HOLMES + DJ JOSH PAOLA + DJ WILL CUMMINGS Onesixone, Prahran. 3:00am. POISON APPLE - FEAT: ZOOLANDA Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 8:00pm. SATURDAY CONFIDENTIAL Galley Room, Melbourne Cbd. 7:12pm. SATURDAY IS FOR DANCING - FEAT: ANDY CAN & ROC + WASABi Big Mouth, St Kilda. 9:00pm. SATURDAYS - FEAT: ACTION SAM + DJ ROWIE European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. SATURDAYS AT ONE TWENTY BAR - One Twenty Bar, Fitzroy. 2:49pm. SOUND EMPIRE - FEAT: DJ TATE STRAUSS + DJ JOE SOFO + DJ MATTY + DJ MISS SARAH + DJ PHIL ROSS Fusion, Southbank. 10:30pm. $25 SOUTH SIDE SHOW - FEAT: EDD FISHER + KNAVE KNIXX Red Bennies, South Yarra. 9:00pm. $15. STAR SATURDAYS Star Bar, South Melbourne. 4:02pm. STRUT SATURDAYS - FEAT: ANDREAS + DANNY MERX + HENRIQUE + JASON SERINI + MARK PELLEGRINI + MC JUNIOR + NICK VAN WILDER Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 9:00pm. $22. TEMPERANCE SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ MARCUS KNIGHT + DJ XANDER JAMES Temperance Hotel, South Yarra. 9:00pm. TEXTILE - FEAT: DJS PACMAN + JEAN PAUL + MOONSHINE + TAHL- Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm. THE FOX SATURDAYS Fox Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. THE LATE SHOW - FEAT: RANSOM + REX + TOO MUCH + BOOGS +

BOOSHANK + JULIEN LOVE + NHJ Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. WHY NOT? Pretty Please, St Kilda. 4:21pm. sunday march 24 DANGER - FEAT: GEORGE HYSTERIC & ROHAN BELL-TOWERS The Carlton Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. goo goo muck - Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. GUILTY PLEASURES Pretty Please, St Kilda. 9:00pm. MOTEL SUNDAYS The Motel, South Melbourne. 9:00pm. NEVER CHEER BEFORE YOU KNOW WHO’S WINNING - FEAT: REPETER FONDA Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 9:00pm. NO MORE-BANG-FOR-BUCK BURLESQUE SHOW! - Red Bennies, South Yarra. 9:00pm. PLANET ROCK - FEAT: DJ PERIL Cape Lounge, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. REVOLVER SUNDAYS - FEAT: DJ BOOGS + DJ SPACEY SPACE + DJ RADIATOR + DJ SILVERSIX + DJ T-REK Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:30pm. SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE - FEAT: ASKEW + BOOSHANK + DISCO HARRY + JUNJI + MISS BUTT + PAZ + PETER BAKER Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:30pm. SUNDAE SHAKE - FEAT: AGENT 86 + PHATO-A-MANO + TIGERFUNK Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. SUNDAY SESSIONS - FEAT: FOUNKSHUI & K-FE HAVANNA Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 4:30pm. SURRENDER - FEAT: DJ SERGEANT SLICK + DJ ADAM TRACE + DJ ADRIAN CHESSARI + DJ CHRIS OSTROM + DJ SEF Fusion, Southbank. 9:00pm. THE SUNDAY SET - FEAT: DJS ANDYBLACK + HAGGIS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 5:00pm. monday march 25 DUVZ ‘N’ S-TEA Espy, St Kilda. 8:30pm. IBIMBO - FEAT: LADY NOIR & KITI Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. KOOL AID - FEAT: DJ MU-GEN Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. STIFF DRINK - FEAT: DJ MICHAEL KUCYK + DJ MICHAEL OZONE + DJ ROMAN WAFERS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

tuesday march 26 BIMBO TUESDAYS - FEAT: ADAM ASKEW Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. COSMIC PIZZA Lucky Coq, Windsor. 9:00pm. DJ JAGUAR E55, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. NEVER CHEER BEFORE YOU KNOW WHO’S WINNING - FEAT: REPETER FONDA Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm.


second album and we pretty much had a whole album done but sonically it wasn’t at all where we wanted it to be,” he says. “So we

scrapped the whole thing and only took two songs and wrote a whole new album. The album has done exactly what we wanted it to do and we’re very grateful and thankful for that and also for all the people out there spreading the love. Being an independent artist for so long, you know what the hustle and bustle is about so when you get love back it really makes you feel good.”

b e . a t c o .

Didier Cohen

r h y t h m - a l - i s m a t f u s i o n

snaps

urban club guide wednesday march 20 COMPRESSION SESSION - FEAT: CASSAWARRIOR + DD + RICKA E55, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm SOUL ENSEMBLE Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

thursday march 21PENNIES Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:30pm. $6. RHYTHM-AL-ISM - FEAT: DJ DAMION DE SILVA + DJ K-DEE + DJ SIMON SEZ Fusion, Southbank. 10:00pm. $15.

friday march 22 CHAISE FRIDAYS - FEAT: SOULCLAP + DJ CLAZ + DJ DIRX + DJ PERIL + DJ SEF Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 4:30pm. $50. CREW LOVE - FEAT: DJ TONY SUNSHINE Sub Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. $15. dj lord Red Bennies, South Yarra. 10:00pm. $20. FAKTORY - FEAT: DJ DAMION DE SILVA + DJ DURMY + DJ K DEE + DJ YATHS Khokolat Bar, Melbourne. 9:30pm.

GET LIT Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. LIKE FRIDAYS - FEAT: BROZ + DIR-X + DJS DINESH + NYD + SEF + SHAGGZ + SHAUN D La Di Da, Melbourne. 8:00pm. SWEET NOTHING FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJ MARCUS KNIGHT + DJ XANDER JAMES Temperance Hotel, South Yarra. 9:00pm

saturday march 23 CHAISE LOUNGE SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ ANDY PALA + DJ KAH LUA Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. LAUNDRY SATURDAYS Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:30pm. PHATURDAY - FEAT: TOM SHOWTIME + DJ AYNA Blue Bar, Prahran. 10:00pm. SATURDAY NIGHTS - FEAT: DJ DAMION DE SILVA + DJ JAY SIN + DJ K DEE Khokolat Bar, Melbourne. 9:30pm. THE DOJO Order Of Melbourne, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

sunday march 24 BE. - FEAT: DJ DAMION DE SILVA + DJ JAY J + DJ KEN WALKER Co., Southbank. 10:00pm. $15. YUNG WARRIORS + ABE APE + JOHN JR Atherton Gardens, 2:00pm.

monday march 25 FREEDOM PASS - FEAT: PHIL ROSS + B-BOOGIE + CHRIS MAC + DOZZA Co., Southbank. 10:30pm. HIP HOP OPEN MIC First Floor, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

tuesday march 26 CAN I KICK IT? Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

Melbourne hip hop crew Diafrix have been breathing fresh life into Aussie hip hop for over a decade with two finely crafted albums out in the world so far – 2009’s Concrete Jungle and 2012’s Pocket Full Of Dreams. While local artists have injected a truly unique flavour into hip hop, the overused template has started to wear a little thin. Diafrix have waited patiently in the wings determined to stick to their sound that’s in part born from their unique origins. Both MC Momo and MC Azmarino are African refugees and while that has had a massive effect on who they are as people and artists, it’s not all they are or all they want to say. “Coming to this country and joining the culture with English not being our first language was hard enough let alone then trying to enter into a subculture,” Momo says. “We really didn’t know where we stood. Sometimes when we’d go into venues people were like, ‘What the fuck do these guys think they’re doing?’ and now some of those people are our peers. People have changed and that just took time and no matter what, that just motivated us. We felt like we were the voice of our community and it was a beautiful struggle.”Momo has dissected this tale a thousand times over and last year’s breakthrough album Pocket Full Of Dreams (featuring the killer single Running It) was proof that the group have more to talk about. “If you listen to Pocket Full Of Dreams there’s isn’t much about our origins in the lyrics; there’s like two songs about it,” he says. “Even though it’s a big part of us it’s not like that’s the only story we can tell. With Concrete Jungle, that was a big part of the story but it seemed like that was the only part people focused on. We certainly weren’t going to rewrite that first album; I’ve got a thousand stories.”Diafrix did rewrite the second album though, just in a different way, and there is almost an album’s worth of material that has been so far been shelved from Diafrix’s live set. “We started working on the

diafrixwords / krissi weiss

Diafrix are getting ready for their most extensive tour to date and still riding a high from supporting current hip hop darlings Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. “It was effin’ amazing!” he says. “It was actually ridiculous to be honest. Macklemore is just such a humble dude, I think the whole tour was a shock for him because he didn’t know how big things had gotten here for him. Every single night at every gig he’d be like, ‘Make sure you support Diafrix’ and that was just so overwhelming for us because that was the first time that an artist that we’re supporting has ever done something like that.”Things may seem to be on the up and up for Diafrix but Momo admits there are always nerves when venturing out on a headline tour. “This is our first more than ten day tour and it’s hard to play in regional areas where you don’t know if you’ve got a following or not and even though it’s music, it’s a business as well,” he says. “Either we’re gonna get there and there’s gonna be no one there or we’ll be drinking champagne afterwards.”

Diafrix will be at The Corner Hotel on Sunday March 31; Ferntree Gully Hotel on Friday April 5 and Pier Live Pelican Bar, Frankston, Saturday April 6. I’m A Dreamer is out now through Illusive.

facebook.com/diafrix


Adelaide soul band Lowrider have a live show that’s famous for its energy and ability to win over people who might not ordinarily think that dancing to a soul band is the way they want to spend their night. It’s given them enough of a reputation to earn them support slots for touring internationals like Alicia Keys, Lupe Fiasco and even, a bit oddly, Christina Aguilera. With their latest release, Black Stones, they wanted to do a better job of getting that live sound down in the studio. Drummer, producer and self-confessed band “control freak” Paul Bartlett convinced the rest of the band to take a different approach to recording this time.“[On] past albums, we took the approach of creating the songs for the

lowrider words / jody macgregor

kind of found a loophole in the Adelaide circuit,” Bartlett explains. “Basically, we marketed ourselves as a cover band and did one or two covers that we changed up and then jammed on originals. We were playing four or five nights a week all around Adelaide doing that. There’s not a lot of [venues] in Adelaide, so I think we almost played in all of them. So we did that and built up a following and then did our own shows after that.”That Beatles-in-Berlin period of constant gigging was useful as more than just a way of tightening their act, according to Bartlett. “That was also a good way to figure out whether you can stand being with the same people for that long.” Helping out on that front is the fact that his brother, John, plays keys in the band. But is it necessarily better having that close connection to one member of the band? “We’ve always had a super-close relationship and always made music together,” he says. “We’ve been in other bands together and at home it’s always been us just dicking around making music. It’s definitely a much better thing. The chemistry between us is fantastic and so enjoyable and being able to share the journey with him, it’s great.”That journey had its start when Paul was ten and John six, and not much has changed. Back then they were jamming together and recording it, just like they are now. “Putting on stupid little concerts for Mum and Dad in the lounge room, that whole thing,” is how he describes it. “I remember we borrowed a little four-track recorder the school had, somehow talked the music teacher into lending it to us. All of a sudden it’s like, ‘Wow, we can record stuff!’ Since we were kids, man.”

Lowrider play the Corner Hotel on Friday March 22 and Pier Live Frankston, Saturday March 23. Black Stones is out now through Illusive.

album,” he says during a break from rehearsing for their next tour. “Then, once the album was done, we would look at how we were gonna take them to the stage. Whereas this time around, we jammed them a lot more and created live songs that sounded really cool in the room and then just put them down on the album. They were still pretty produced and worked on but we wanted to make sure that they had that live feel to begin with.”That live feel they’ve captured originally came about through hard work. Before Lowrider played their first ‘real’ gig they’d performed almost 800 times, having found a sure-fire way to book paying gigs even though nobody knew who they were. “Very early on we facebook.com/wearelowrider

f a k t o r y a t k h o k o l a t b a r

Didier Cohen

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n o d i g g i t y a t r e d l o v e


Call 1300 304 614(landline only)

or 03 9614 3441

www.keypass.com.auApplication forms available at Police Stations

29th Apartment 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9078 8922

303 303 High Street, Northcote

Abode 374 St.Kilda Rd, St.Kilda

Albert Park Hotel Cnr Montague & Dundas Pl, Albert Park, 9690 5459

Alia Lvl 1, 83-87 Smith St, Fitzroy, 9486 0999

Alumbra Shed 9, Central Pier, 161 Harbour Espl, Docklands, 8623 9666

Back Bar 67 Green St, Windsor, 9529 7899

Bar Open 317 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9415 9601

Baroq House 9-13 Drewery Ln, Melb, 8080 5680

Bendigo Hotel 125 Johnston St, Collingwood 9417 3415

Bertha Brown 562 Flinders Street, 9629 1207

Big Mouth 168 Acland St, St.Kilda, 9534 4611

Billboard 170 Russell St, Melb, 9639 4000

Bimbo Deluxe 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 8600

Birmingham Hotel Cnr Smith & Johnston St, Fitzroy

Black Cat 252 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 6230

Blue Bar 330 Chapel St, Prahran, 9529 6499

Blue Tile Lounge 95 Smith St, Fitzroy

Boutique 134 Greville St, Prahran, 9525 2322

Brown Alley King Street, Melb,9670 8599

Brunswick Hotel 140 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9387 6637

Builders Arms 211 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Cabinet Bar 11 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne, 9654 0915

Caravan Music Club 95 Drummond St, Oakleigh

Caseys Nightclub 660A Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, 9810 0030

Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets 80 Smith St, Collingwood, 9415 8876

CBD Club 12-14 McKillop St, Melb, 9670 3638

Chaise Lounge Basement, 105 Queen St, Melb, 9670 6120

Chandelier Room 91 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, 9532 2288

Chelsea Heights Hotel Cnr Springvale & Wells Rd,

Chelsea Heights, 9773 4453

Cherry Bar AC/DC Ln, Melb, 9639 8122

Chi Lounge 195 Lt Bourke St, Melbourne, 9662 2688

Co. Lvl 3, Crown Complex, 9292 5750

Colonial Hotel (Brown Alley) Cnr King & Lonsdale St, Melb, 9670 8599

Commercial Club Hotel 344 Nicholson St, Fitzroy, 9419 1522

Cookie Lvl 1, 252 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 7660

Corner Hotel 57 Swan St, Richmond, 9427 9198

Cornish Arms 163 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

CQ 113 Queen St, Melb, 8601 2738

Croft Institute 21 Croft Alley, Melb, 9671 4399

Cruzao Arepa Bar 365 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 7871

Cushion 99 Fitzroy St, St.Kilda, 9534 7575

Damask 1/347 Burnswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 4578

The Dancing Dog 42A Albert St, Footscray, Footscray, 9687 2566

The Drunken Poet 65 Peel Street, West Melbourne, 9348 9797

Der Raum 438 Church St, Richmond, 9428 0055

Ding Dong Lounge Lvl 1, 18 Market Ln, Melb, 9662 1020

Dizzy’s Jazz Club 381 Burnley St, Richmond, 9428 1233

Double Happiness 21 Liverpool St, Melb, 9650 4488

E:55 55 Elizabeth St, Melb, 9620 3899

East Brunswick Club 280 Lygon St, East Brunswick, 9388 2777

Edinburgh Castle 681 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

Electric Ladyland Lvl 1, 265 Chapel St, Prahran, 9521 5757

Elwood Lounge 49-51 Glenhuntly Rd, Elwood, 9525 6788

Empress 714 Nicholson St, Nth Fitzroy, 9489 8605

Espy 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda, 9534 0211

Eurotrash 18 Corrs Ln, Melb, 9654 4411

Eve 334 City Rd, Southbank, 9696 7388

Evelyn 351 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 5500

Ferntree Gully Hotel 1130 Burwood Hwy, Ferntree Gully, 9758 6544

Festival Hall 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne, 9329 9699

First Floor 393 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 6380

Forum Theatre 154 Flinders St, Melb, 9299 9800

The Fox Hotel 351 Wellington Street, Collingwood, 9416 4957

Fusion Lvl 3, Crown Complex, Southbank, 9292 5750

The Gallery Room 1/510 Flinders St, Melbourne, 9629 1350

Gem Bar & Dining 289 Wellingston St, Collingwood, 9419 5170

George Basement, 127 Fitzroy St, 9534 8822

Gertrude’s Brown Couch 30 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, 9417 6420

Grace Darling Hotel 114 Smith St, Collingwood, 9416 0055

Grandview Hotel Cnr Heidelberg Rd & Station St, Fairfield, 9489 8061

Great Britain Hotel 447 Church St, Richmond, 9429 5066

Grind N Groove 274 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville

Grumpy’s Green 125 Smith St, Collingwood, 9416 1944

Gypsy Bar 334 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9419 0548

HiFi 125 Swanston St, Melb, 1300 843 4434

Highlander 11a Highlander Lane, Melb, 9620 2227

Hoo Haa 105 Chapel St, Windsor, 9529 6900

Horse Bazaar 397 Little Lonsdale St, Melb, 9670 2329

Iddy Biddy 47 Blessington St, St Kilda, 9534 4484

Jett Black 177 Greville St, Prahran

John Curtin Hotel 29 Lygon St, Melb, 9663 6350

Khokolat Bar 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, 039642 1142

La Di Da 577 Lt Bourke St, Melb, 9670 7680

Labour In Vain 197A Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 5955

Lomond Hotel 225 Nicholson St, East Brunswick

Longroom 162 Collins St, Melbourne, 9663 9226

Loop 23 Meyers Pl, Melb, 9654 0500

Lounge 243 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 2916

The Lounge Pit 386-388 Brunswick St, Fitzroy 9415 6142

Love Machine Cnr Lt Chapel & Malvern Rd, Prahran, 9533 8837

Lucky Coq 179 Chapel St, Windsor, 9525 1288

The LuWOW 62-70 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 5447

Mercat Cross Lvl 1, 456 Queen St, Melb, 9348 9998

Mink 2 Acland St, St Kilda, 9536 1199

Miss Libertine 34 Franklin St, Melb, 9663 6855

Misty 3-5 Hosier Ln, Melb, 9663 9202

Mockingbird Bar 129 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9534 0000

Musicland 1359A Sydney Rd, Fawkner, 9359 0006

Neverland 32-48 Johnson St, South Melb, 9646 5544

New Guernica Lvl 2, Hub Arcade, 318-322 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9650 4464

Night Cat 141 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 0090

Night Cat 279 Flinders Ln, Melb, 9654 0444

Noise Bar 291 Albert St, Brunswick, 9380 1493

Northcote Social Club 301 High St, Northcote, 9489 3917

Old Bar 74 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9417 4155

One Twenty Bar 120 Johnston St, Fitzroy

Onesixone 161 High St, Prahran, 9533 8433

Order Of Melbourne level 2, 401 Swanston St, Melb, 9663 6707

Palace Hotel 893 Burke Rd, Camberwell

Palace Theatre 20-30 Bourke St, Melb, 9650 0180

Palais 111 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs, 5348 4849

Palais Theatre Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, 9525 3240

Papa Goose 91 Flinders Ln, Melbourne, 9663 2800

Penny Black 420 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9380 8667

Pier Live Hotel 508 Nepean Hwy, Frankston, 9783 9800

Pony 68-70 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9662 1026

Portland Hotel Cnr Lt Collins & Russell St, Melb, 9810 0064

The Prague Hotel, 911 High St, Northcote, 9495 0000

Pretty Please 61c Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9534 4484

Prince Bandroom 29 Fitztory St, St Kilda, 9536 1168

Prince Of Wales 29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9536 1168

Public Bar 238 Victoria St, North Melb, 9329 6522

Railway Hotel 280 Ferrars St, South Melb, 9690 5092

Red Bennies 371 Chapel St, South Yarra, 9826 2689

Red Love Lvl 1, 401 Swanston St, Melb, 9639 3722

Retreat Hotel 226 Nicholson St, Abbotsford, 9417 2693

The Retreat Hotel 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9380 4090

The Reverence Hotel 28 Napier St, Footscray, 03 9687 2111

Revolt Elizabeth St, Kensington, 03 9376 2115

Revolver Upstairs 229 Chapel St, Prahran, 9521 5985

Rochester Castle Hotel 202 Johnston St, Fitzroy, 9415 7555

Rooftop Cider Bar, Cnr Swanston & Flinders St, Melbourne, 9650 3884

Room 680 Level 1, 680 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, 9818 0680

Roxanne Parlour Lvl 3, 2 Coverlid Pl, Melb

Royal Derby 446 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9417 2321

Roal Melbourne Hotel 629 Bourke St, 9629 2400

Ruby’s Lounge 1648 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave, 9754 7445

Saint Hotel 54 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, 9593 8333

Sandbelt Live Cnr South & Bignell Rd, Moorabbin, 9555 6899

Scarlett Lounge 174 Burnley St, Richmond, 9428 0230

Seven Nightclub 52 Albert Rd, South Melb, 9690 7877

Spensers Live 419 Spencer St, West Melb, 9329 8821

Spot 133 Sydney Rd, Brunswick, 9388 0222

Standard Hotel 293 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy, 9419 4793

Star Bar 160 Clarendon St, South Melb, 9810 0054

Station 59 59 Church St, Richmond, 9427 8797

Stolberg Beer Café 197 Plenty Rd, Preston, 9495 1444

Strange Wolf 71 Collins Street (enter via Strachan Lane), Melb, 9662 4914

Sub Lounge & Restaurant 168 Elizabeth St Melb, 0411 800 198

Sugar Bar (Hotel Urban) 35 Fitztroy St, St Kilda, 8530 8888

Temperance Hotel 426 Chapel St, South Yarra, 9827 7401

Thornbury Theatre 859 High St, Thornbury, 9484 9813

Tiki Lounge 327 Swan St, Richmond, 9428 4336

Toff In Town Lvl 2, 252 Swanston St, Melb, 9639 8770

Tony Starr’s Kitten Club 267 Lt Collins St, Melb, 9650 2448

The Tote Hotel 67 Johnson St, Collingwood, 9419 5320

Town Hall Hotel 33 Errol St, North Melbourne, 9328 1983

Trak Lounge 445 Toorak Rd, Toorak, 9826 9000

Tramp 20 King St, Melb

Transport Hotel Federation Square, Melb, 9654 8808

Trunk 275 Exhibition St, Melbourne, 9663 7994

Tyranny Of Distance 147 Union St, Windsor, 9525 1005

Two of Hearts 149 Commercial Road, Prahran

Union Hotel Brunswick 109 Union St, Brunswick, 9388 2235

Veludo 175 Acland St, St Kilda, 9534 4456

Victoria Hotel 380 Victoria St, Brunswick, 9388 0830

Wah Wah Lounge Lvl 1, 185 Lonsdale St, Melb

Wesley Anne 250 High St, Northcote, 9482 1333

Westernport Hotel 161 Marine Pde, San Remo, 5678 5205

Willow Bar 222 High Street, Northcote, 9481 1222

Windsor Castle 89 Albert St, Windsor, 9525 0239

Workers Club 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 9415 8889

Workshop Lvl 1, 413 Elizabeth St, Melb, 9326 4365

Yah Yah’s 99 Smith St, Fitzroy, 9419 4920

The Vine 59 Wellington St, Collingwood, 9417 2434

w h e r e t o n e x t ?

for more venues, visit:beat.com.au/venues

venuedirectory



FRED WESLEYBY LACHLAN KANONIUK

To state that Fred Wesley has worked alongside the biggest legends of funk would be something of a fallacy – Fred Wesley himself is one of the biggest legends of funk. Joining James Brown’s band in the ‘60s, Wesley rose to the ranks of The J.B.’s’ bandleader and music director in the ‘70s. He then brought his midas touch to George Clinton’s Parliament and Funkadelic outfi ts, as well as his own Horny Horns off shoot. Punctuating some of history’s most iconic tracks with his trombone smarts, Wesley has since toured with his own group, now known as Fred Wesley And The New JBs. It’s in this regard that the iconic trombonist will return to Australia alongside his appearance at Bluesfest.

“It did not feel like we were makin’ history at the time,” Wesley humbly states, looking back on his work in the ‘60s. “I was just trying to make it through the day trying to please James Brown, makin’ good music. When it was fi nished I was glad it was fi nished and that it was good. It was a job. I had no idea that it would last till this day historically. I’m sure it will last forever, now that I look at it and see how it’s accepted and what it has infl uenced.”Recent years have seen revival of funk and soul, introducing a new generation to the classic sounds of the era. It’s a trend Wesley has witnessed many times since the ‘60s. “I saw it in the ‘90s. You had Groove Collective, Incognito, Jamiroquai. Lately you have Janelle Monae, Sharon Jones. I’m sure that it goes in waves, every time someone pops up with something new, but based on the same old music,” he explains. “I’m sure it will happen over and over again.”Few musicians have the reputation for being as ruthless as James Brown, with his methodical pursuit for perfection becoming that of legend. “He had to be defi nite and exact about what he wanted. That’s the only way he could claim all the music was his,” reasons Wesley. “By controlling it, it all became his own. But it was actually the band and all the musicians that he had in the band at that time that were making the music. If you listen to songs like Soul Power, then listen to Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose, there’s a diff erence. James Brown put his spark on it, but it was the musicians that made it. James Brown had such a strong personality that he was able to claim songs like Soul Power, but it wasn’t his, it was the musicians’.”

Moving from working with one icon to the next, Wesley found more comfort working with P-Funk progenitor George Clinton. “James Brown would claim all his music, but George Clinton would claim the music, but give the musicians credit. Bootsy [Collins], Bernie Worrell, Gary Shider – they would all contribute. George would fi guratively and literally recognise our contributions. I would do horns, Maceo [Parker] would do horn solos. He recognised the musicians, but he would use them as he wanted to. He would take some tracks out, leave others in. It was quality control,” he recalls. “As producer, he had the last say on what did and didn’t make it.”Since the dissolution of Parliament and Funkadelic in the late ‘70s, Wesley has taken charge and led various bands under his own resolve. “Well since I left James Brown and George Clinton I just came into my own. Doing music my way, albums like House Party. Subsequent albums I’ve done – New Friends, To Someone – I’ve done them my way. I’ve been infl uenced by James Brown, by George Clinton, by Bootsy, and all the musicians I’ve met along the way. But I do my music my way now. I just hire musicians that I respect and I like. I don’t lay down no stringent rules about anything. I hire musicians with good character, who play good. That’s the way I keep my band intact. James Brown would hire anybody, but rule them with an iron fi st. I don’t like to do that.”While Wesley’s return to Australia will no doubt attract long time fans of funk, the new generation are also in for something special. “The message is freedom, and good times. People feel free when they hear this music. The freedom and the dancing all contribute to longevity. First-timers are gonna expect a good time. We play the show as a house party, and everyone can understand what a house party is. We do some covers – Herbie Hancock, and we do some JBs, Master P, and my original tunes. We gonna have a great time.”

“THE MESSAGE IS FREEDOM, AND GOOD

TIMES. PEOPLE FEEL FREE WHEN THEY HEAR THIS MUSIC.

THE FREEDOM AND THE DANCING ALL

CONTRIBUTE TO LONGEVITY.”

FRED WESLEY AND THE NEW JBS perform at the Corner Hotel on Sunday March 24. They also play Bluesfest in Byron Bay alongside Iggy and The Stooges, Rodriguez, Robert Plant and more from Thursday March 28 – Monday April 1.

WATCH INTERVIEWS, CHATS & AWKWARD SILENCES..... WWW.BEAT.COM.AU/TVBeat Magazine

with Christie Eliezer * Stuff for this column to be emailed to <[email protected]> by Friday 5pmFESTIVALS #1: LANEWAY TO STAGE IN AMERICALaneway Festival is going into North America, its fi rst show staged in Detroit on Saturday September 14. There’ll be 25 acts, including fi ve Australian acts, playing to an estimated 15,000 at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre. The bill is announced in May. It’s been quite a trip for co-founders Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio. Beginning in Melbourne in 2004, it’s spread to capital cities around Australia and to Singapore three years ago where it drew 10,000. For Laneway Detroit, the two Australians teamed with Detroit-based Palace Sports and Entertainment and LA talent agency Paradigm.

FESTIVALS #2: CHANGES FOR HEALESVILLE MUSICHealesville Music Festival has grown to two days in March (Friday 22, Saturday 23). The more eclectic program has 21 acts playing across four venues. Events include buskers competing for spot on the Saturday, the Poets Breakfast, workshops, chalkboard concerts and a free outdoor stage. Go to healesvillemusicfestival.com.au.

FESTIVALS #3 PORT FAIRY FOLK SELLS OUTPort Fairy Folk Festival was another sell-out, drawing 11,500. President Bruce Leishman estimates it injected $12 million to $15 million into the local economy. Highlights included the packed-out ‘Women In Song’, Eric Bogle, Finbar Furey and John McCutcheon joined by three local choirs for a concert for peace and Paul Petran’s ‘Words and Music’, Gurrumul (you could hear a pin drop), Ruth Foster, Xavier Rudd, Glen Hansard, Tim Finn, Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento, The Little Stevies unveiling new songs and The Bedroom Philosopher who was attacked by moths!

FESTIVALS #4: NEW INITIATIVES FOR MELBOURNE JAZZThis year’s Melbourne International Jazz Festival (Friday May 31 to Sunday June 9) will have 100 events from international and local names, artistic director Michael Tortoni announced. These include ten Australian premieres and eight festival exclusives (see their website for full details). Two new initiatives are Explorations in Jazz which bring together musicians at the forefront of contemporary jazz and the 12-week Unleash the Best band competition for schools with $50,000 in prizes and a concert on the festival’s fi nal day.

SEAM LAM LAUNCHES PR AGENCYFormer UNFD and Hopeless Records promotions and label manager Seam Lam has launched her own PR agency Paris Is Patient. “My long-held ambition has been to set up my own business on a creative level,” Lam says. Paris Is Patient specialises in communications strategy, publicity and media representation for the music, arts and entertainment industry – off ering media relations and outreach, social media planning, marketing solutions and styling services. For more info contact Lam at [email protected] or visit parisispatient.com.au or facebook.com/parisispatient.

ADDITION TO GI & SANICKI LAWERSSolicitor Amity Jarvis has joined GI & Sanicki Lawyers. She brings with her a wealth of experience in law and the arts with stints at Creative Legal, Herbert Geer, Mollison Communications and Bangarra Dance Theatre. Jarvis replaces Ben Strong who has moved to an in-house role with Austereo.

MUSIC VICTORIA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE THIS WEEKIndustrial Strength is a big admirer of what Patrick Donovan and Bec Duke at Music Victoria have achieved for the music scene. These include protecting our venues through the Agent Of Change Principle (if you move in near a venue, don’t gripe about the noise) and lobbying to remove the link between live music and violence in the 2010 Live Music Agreement. From this week until Thursday March 28 they’re running a membership drive under the tag Jump On The Bandwagon. Those who become fi nancial members during this drive receive membership benefi ts as well prizes as tickets to Iggy Pop, Robert Plant and Santana. For all the details visit musicvictoria.com.au.

THINGS WE HEAR* As Jack Nicholson said, you can’t handle the tooth! Guns N’Roses Australian tour kicked off to a biting start in Perth fan threatening to sue them. Darren Wright, 39, claims two front teeth were broken when Axl Rose fl ung a cordless mic into the crowd and hit him. The tour promoter off ered an apology and a signed Axl mic (the irony does not escape us) but Wright says that won’t pay for his estimated $5,000 dental bill and hired a lawyer.Meantime in Melbourne, fans battling the rain at Myer Music Bowl were given a one-off surprise – for the fi rst time on this tour, they did a version of Rose Tattoo’s Nice Boys (which they covered on their EP Like A Suicide) and got the Tatts’ Angry Anderson to come back on to sing it with them.* So what was the illness that caused the axing of The Darkness/Joan Jett visit? Darkness drummer Ed Graham’s hip problems have resurfaced.* Australian trade magazine The Music Network is ceasing its print version and will remain an online publication.* With Tame Impala and DZ Deathrays making waves in the UK, highbrow newspaper The Guardian asked readers to tweet them with suggestions for their Top 5 list of “the best Australian bands you’ve never heard of.” Winner was Melbourne garage female band Valentiine, who are relatively unknown in Oz but just fi nished a European tour and have a UK manager. Also on the list: Melbourne alt-country Lower Plenty, post-dubstep electronica merchants Kucka, Sydney duo Palms and electronica duo Collarbones.* It was a good week last week for The Drones. Their album debuted at #18 on the ARIA chart thanks to community radio and triple j. After opening for Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Bimbadgen Estate in the Hunter Valley, they were invited to do the rest of the Oz tour and NZ too.* Former Skyhooks members Greg Macainsh, Bob Starkie and Bob Spencer did a set of ‘hooks songs in front of 1,000 in Newhaven on Saturday night to celebrate the Phillip Island Board Riders Club’s 50th birthday. Handling vocals was Laura Davidson of the Groovy Gurus, with Spencer acclaiming she “nail[ed] every note” including “the high C# at the end of Women In Uniform.” The late ‘hooks singer Shirley Strachan maintained that when he fi rst left, the band should have replaced him with a girl singer, citing Jane Clifton. * Aussie music streaming service Songl will be launched later this week.* Neil Young and Crazy Horse drew a record 9,500 to The Hill Winery, the largest A Day On The Green show in Victoria.* After similar boozy forays by AC/DC and Motorhead, Iron Maiden are launching their own Trooper beer. Singer Bruce Dickinson hopes it’ll go global. Bassist Steve Harris has his own pub on his UK estate.* Kasabian guitarist Jay Mehler quit to join Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye.* One Direction’s Niall Horan wanted to get a Made In Ireland tattoo on his arse, but the tattooist said that his arse cheeks were “too squidgy”.

MUSIC AND THE NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICYThe Federal Government’s National Cultural Policy – Creative Australia, which gave the arts sector an extra $195 million to top it up to $235 million, had some good news for the music sector. There wasn’t too much cash splashed out, and the hope there’d be tax incentives for investment in music didn’t come through. The Community Broadcasting Foundation gets $5 million, of which $2.4 million is a lifeline to the almost-axed AMRAP program. The Government’s funding body, the Australia Council, gets an extra $75.3 million over four years some of which will hopefully go to contemporary music. An extra $39 million is also ear marked to ensure that initiatives as Playing Australia, Festivals Australia, Contemporary Music Touring Program and Contemporary Touring Initiative continue. The Council will also get an overhaul so grants to sectors including music will be assessed by their peers.The Creative Young Stars Program gets $8.1 million for local MPs to give grants for competitions and training which sports already gets. It means local MPs and their staff will work with the music industry, a relationship which could help when it comes to working out problems that music venues have. In any case, a National Arts

and Culture Accord with state, territory and local government “will provide an opportunity to analyse the planning and regulatory rules that present barriers to artistic and cultural practice and limit opportunities for live music in urban areas” arts minister Simon Crean said. Money is also set up so school leavers and at-risk students get training in arts careers, with $500,000 a year earmarked to help peer-funding projects.

HOUSE VS. HURRICANE GAIN EQUAL VISIONHouse Vs. Hurricane signed with New York City-based punk and metal Equal Vision Records. It will release their UNFD album Crooked Teeth in the US and Canada. Guitarist Chris Shaw admits the label “released some of our favorite and most inspiring records.” They’re on a 23-date European tour with For The Fallen Dreams, Dream On Dreamer and No Bragging Rights this week before returning for a ten-date East Coast run from Thursday April 18.

FRENCH LABEL FOR DALLAS FRASCADallas Frasca announced her deal with French label Veryshow, home to Skunk Anansie and Triggerfi nger. The deal was struck in January. On her website, she thanks the label for making her band’s fi rst headlining European tour a success. Many shows sold out. These included launches for the Sound Painter album in Switzerland, France (600 people in Paris) and London dates. France’s biggest rock station Oui FM (think triple j) is fl ogging two songs and TV program Album De La Semaine reckons they’ll be bigger than AC/DC and Jet in France. Frasca and band return to the UK/Europe June to mid-August playing ten festivals and open for Patti Smith on Corsica Island in July.

CAVE OPENS UP AT SXSWAs part of an ‘In Conversation’ session at SxSW, Nick Cave revealed that forming a band to get girls “actually works!” Chuckles said he’d been an “anti-magnet” to the opposite sex at school but “things immediately changed in terms of my attractiveness” when he formed The Boys Next Door. In the session he talked about still feeling “an imposter” in the music industry (“which I’m quite happy about to be honest”), forming Grinderman with only some Bad Seeds members (“an unbelievably fucked up, passive aggressive act”), Kylie Minogue (“she had a very lovely eff ect over things for a while – she was a force of nature”) and how a New Zealand sanitary towel company once wanted to use Red Right Hand in an ad campaign (“the mind boggles!”).

WANNA WORK AT LEVEL TWO, SOUNDPROOF?Level Two Music and Soundproof are looking for an experienced Book keeper/Financial Controller in their South Melbourne offi ce for three days a week. Duties include accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliation, payroll, BAS and withholding tax, royalty accounting and reporting, weekly reporting to management and experience using MYOB. Forward your letter of interest by Friday March 22 and CV to Tracy Callan, [email protected].

WANNA WORK AT PREMIER ARTISTS?Premier Artists, Australia’s largest entertainment booking agency is looking for a full time accounts manager. This job would suit a person who can work in a team environment and meet stringent KPIs on a weekly basis. Artist and management liaison is essential so good written and verbal interaction skills are necessary. Skills required are as follows: MYOB experience, bank reconciliations, Excel band worksheet application, debtors follow-up, and creditor payments. The role has a permanent part time assistant. Apply via email to [email protected] by COB Monday March 25.

ATTENDANCE UP FOR PUSH OVERDespite the 37-degree heat, this year’s all-ages Push Over Festival at Myer Music Bowl topped last year’s attendance, organisers reported. The 30-band bill included headliners The Amity Affl iction, Violent Soho, Northeast Party House, Dream On Dreamer and DZ Deathrays. A cake marking Push Over’s 21st birthday was shared backstage by the Affl iction and VIP comp winner Louise Cox. Nine FReeZA Push Start fi nalists battled it out, with Wodonga’s Hounds

LIFELINESExpecting: daughter for US country band Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott and husband drummer Chris Tyrell. Split: Janoskians’ Jai Brooks and Victorious star Ariana Grande.Ill: Morrissey cancelled more US shows from double pneumonia.Arrested: Russian police nabbed fi ve people for doing the Harlem Shake dance on a World War II memorial. They also nabbed those involved in a play about the harassment and jailing of Pussy Riot.Died: original Yes guitarist Peter Banks, 65, heart failure. Banks and Yes bassist Chris Squire forming Yes in 1968. He played on their fi rst two albums before being sacked over arguments over the direction of Yes. He formed Flash and Empire, and published his autobiography Beyond & Before.Died: former Samson and Iron Maiden drummer, Clive Burr, 56, in his sleep after suff ering from multiple sclerosis. He played on Maiden’s fi rst three albums Iron Maiden, Killers and The Number Of The Beast.

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTHMUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP

Homebound taking out the winning spot, receiving a prize including recording time, musical gear and CD pressing. Pixie Juice took out the APRA Songwriting Award and Mad Star Crew danced up a storm at the Push Over Underground Hip Hop stage, winning battle of the breaks.

ARTIST SHOWCASE SUBMISSIONS FOR AWME 2013The Australasian World Music Expo, held this November for the sixth time, is calling for export-ready acts with management to submit to showcase. Deadline is Monday April 1. AWME is a mix of showcase, conference, trade event and networking over four days. Check out its website at awme.com.au.

GOOD WORKS #1: ‘PERCUSSION’ FOR SOUNDSCHOOLSoundSchool is an Australian-based not-for-profi t organisation with music initiatives to raise money to buy musical instruments, teaching aids and tuition for children in deserving communities around the world. Last November a group of Australian musicians and delegates visited SoundSchool’s participating orphanage in Dehli, India. One was journalist Larry Heath who put together coff ee table book Percussion. A range of overseas and local acts – including AFI, Django Django, Deftones, My Morning Jacket, Birds of Tokyo, Cloud Control and Big Scary – discuss their favourite percussion instruments. These answers are accompanied by artworks from illustrators, graphic artists and photographers, inspired by the instruments in discussion. The book is out next month, see heathmedia.com.au/percussion.

GOOD WORKS #2: KATIE NOONAN PLAYS FOR RAINBOW WARRIORKatie Noonan took time out from her dates at the Arts Centre’s Famous Spiegeltent to perform a 45-minute set with her band in front of Greenpeace’s new Rainbow Warrior on the weekend. It was part of a campaign to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Noonan said, “I refuse to be part of the generation that stood by and let the Great Barrier Reef be wrecked by coal ports and climate change. How many scientists do we need to tell us to act before we actually listen?” Actor Michael Caton also dropped by for lunch on the ship to meet the crew and lend his support. The Rainbow Warrior is in Australia for six weeks, travelling between Melbourne and Queensland.

CLUB FRIDAY COMINGRisky Entertainment and Seven Nightclub team up to bring the weekly Club Friday to Seven at 52 Albert Rd, South Melbourne. There’ll be three rooms of music, from R&B to house, electro and deep house. Details this week.

WOMEN ON WAVES HITS 500JOY 94.9’s independent women’s music show Women On Waves – presented by volunteer of 19 years Anita Gibbons – celebrates its 500th episode. Saturday March 23 sees a tribute to Gibbons and the show at the Eureka Hotel in Richmond. Performing are Marie Wilson, Michelle Parsons, Jade Leonard, Kerryn Fields, Di Watson, Pippa Wilson, Nicolette Forte and B obbi Macumber. MCs are regular W.O.W. co-hosts Sammi & Lisa.

DEAP VALLYBY KRISSI WEISS

They’re sexy, they’re sultry and they’re the embodiment of all that was debauched and depraved in ‘70s rock. Los Angeles two-piece Deap Vally – drummer Julie Edwards and singer/guitarist Lindsay Troy – are no tribute band or novelty act. They play driving, hard rock and perform it with an energy that feels like they might kick you in the face and plant a giant kiss on you on your way to the ground. With only two singles out in the world, Deap Vally have supported Eagles Of Death Metal, Muse and The Vaccines and are riding a tsunami of hype.“I’m not actually that surprised,” Julie Edwards says of the band’s success so far. “I feel like we’re doing something that we’ve rarely seen any two women do. I think when you do something that’s unusual, you’re probably going to get a little extra attention for that. We like to declare it, you know? Lindsay has such an amazing voice and while I’m not that surprised, I’m really, really grateful.”The creation of Deap Vally begins with an innocuous and charming tale: the dark vixens of rock met at a needlework class. You couldn’t make that shit up. “We thought it was such a pathetic story; we wanted a better origin that wasn’t so embarrassing and weird,” she says. “I was teaching crochet, Lindsay was at a point in her life where she wanted to start making clothes and selling them so she came in to learn. She learned really fast, which to

me is the sign of a really cool person. Then we started talking for hours after class, discussing everything we’ve been working on and how we were both musicians and how we found ourselves in the same place, which was feeling disappointed and burnt out and wondering what was going to happen next. We were brainstorming how she was going to take over the world with her solo stuff , and I suggested we jam. We got together with a friend of mine who plays bass – there was one day where we were a three-piece – and it really felt right.” Things took off fairly quickly and with an unending touring schedule, Deap Vally are also getting ready to release their debut album Sistrionix, produced by Lars Stalfors of Cold War Kids and The Mars Volta fame. While they get ready for a run of headline tours, Edwards is still thankful for and surprised

by the support slots they’ve played. “To have the opportunity to tour with Muse and to play in front of tens of thousands of people in one shot – what an amazing opportunity,” she says. “It’s also been a steep learning curve; that’s where you really test yourself. Can you perform for that many people? Can you get your message across? Can you motivate and energise that many people or are they just ignoring you? There are so many bands that don’t get the opportunity to go through those lessons for years, and we already have.”No matter how talented the two are as musicians, it’s hard to ignore the heavily stylised image that precedes them. But Edwards explains that it was all their own doing. “I’m not sure what motivated us to go for that look,” she says. “We created the image completely, and it’s us and how we want to express ourselves on stage; it just feels natural to us to be provocative and to be really engrossed in the music. It’s funny because when we started the only thing people noticed was that we were sexy or that we were dressed scantily, but that is only a small part of it all. For me, I wish I could wake up tomorrow and be Jimmy Page but I’m not, I’m me, and so I’m trying to channel the golden age of classic rock with the mystery, the sexuality, the amazing hair. I feel sometimes it’s a lot to live up to though.”It might seem to outsiders that having a bunch of panting fans gawking at you on stage, and driven to a gig more for sex than rock‘n’roll, wouldn’t be ideal. But for Edwards it’s all about making an impression, and letting the music speak for itself. “I think people are drawn to music for the wrong reasons a lot of the time,” she says. “But I think we’re not leading them astray; we’re not drawing them in and then having them hear insincere, crappy, careerist music. The music is a real expression of ourselves through something that’s as heavy as we can

throw down and they’re hearing the product of spontaneous communal jamming and passion. I love messy, raw music. I don’t like music that’s been pitch-corrected or the drums quantifi ed, it gives me the creeps. I do think though, however, we can draw people in to experience something raw and honest. All of our fans who are creepers, the ones that we’ve met, have all been really respectful and really nice actually.”

DEAP VALLY play at the Northcote Social Club, Saturday April 6 with Gung Ho. Sistrionix will be out in May.


IRONING BOARD SAM

THE SNOWDROPPERS

JAKE SHIMABUKURO

BY TAMARA VOGL

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

BY JOSHUA KLOKE

Billed as the ‘Eighth Wonder Of The World’, Ironing Board Sam has played electronic blues for the past six decades. During those years he has lived through segregation, the Civil Rights Movement and was in the same hotel when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Despite his talent and success, he didn’t sign to a label. Hitting financial lows, he was introduced to Music Maker Foundation. A non-profit North American organisation dedicated to giving back to the roots of American music, Ironing Board Sam joined the family in 2010, and since then has received financial help with medical care, vehicle repairs, and relocating to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Due to perform at the first Australian Music Maker Revue, Ironing Board Sam speaks with Beat about music memories, his outstanding inventions and Music Maker.

The five-year interval between albums from Sydney’s The Snowdroppers will finally cease the Friday March 22 with the release of Moving Out Of Eden. Singer of the rugged four-piece, Johnny Winter, explains that following the release of debut album Too Late To Prey the group faced a dilemma about the appropriate direction to pursue.

Almost seven years ago, an innocuous video of Jake Shimabukuro performing his rendition of While My Guitar Gently Weeps in Central Park, New York on his ukulele was posted on YouTube. The video showcases Shimabukuro’s delicate yet complex fingerpicking, revealing the Hawaiian-bred to be capable of taking what’s often mistaken as a plaintive instrument to great new heights.

Ironing Board Sam was born Sammie Moore in 1939 in Rockhill, South Carolina. He spent a year and a half in college but had to drop out after he got married. Sam learned to play on his father’s pump organ and joined several groups around the area as a teenager. Sam’s confidence grew to the point where he formed his own group and worked small clubs around South Florida. In 1959, he moved to Memphis, where he picked up his colorful nickname. Sam didn’t have the regular legs to support his electric keyboard, so he improvised and used an ironing board stand, which he hid with a drape. Club patrons began looking behind the drape and teasing Sam about the ironing board. He didn’t like it at first, but he was tagged Ironing Board Sam, and the name stuck. With a brilliant mind for self-promotion and a gift for gadgets, Sam designs and sews his own intricate stage costumes. His inventions run from a baby bottle holder to his famous button keyboard. He says he can convert an automobile’s gas engine to a diesel engine (and vice-versa), and can produce free electricity for an entire apartment

complex with a machine that has only five moving parts.“When I built the button board I didn’t know exactly what I was doing,” Sam explains. “I couldn’t afford any organ so I made me an instrument that would play four octaves. I didn’t think much of it but later I began to realise what I had done in making the button board.” This instrument had two keyboards. The main one looked like a regular organ keyboard, but underneath it had been fitted with guitar strings. The keyboard was fed through a wah-wah and then into an amplifier, which would then produce the sound of guitar, organ, piano or a combination of the three. The bass keyboard was made with 60 stationary upholstery tacks connected to electronic sensors. Sam ran a wire down his arm to his fingers, which conducted electricity to the buttons. Commenting on the Civil Rights Movement, Sam says, “I was there and I saw it all happen. I stayed at the same hotel where they shot Martin Luther King. I noticed musicians didn’t go through [segregation] as much. They got a chance to eat where they wanted and had more opportunity.”

“It was the end of 2011 and I was really worried about where it was going and what we were doing,” he says. “I came to the decision that we could make the same album again and some people would love it and some people would hate it. Or we could do what we want and some people would love it and some people would hate it. We made the album we wanted to make.”Originally, The Snowdroppers sound was characterised by a strong Americana/blues attitude but Winter says after touring Too Late To Prey the band resolved to incorporate more of an Aussie touch. “It was basically getting a bit honest with ourselves. We went, ‘Well hang on, we’re not a bluegrass band, we’re not a blues band.’ We’re not good enough musicians, we’re just a rock band; albeit with those influences but at the end of the day we realised we just like classic rock. We’re an Australian rock band and we shed the costume and allowed ourselves to be a little bit more.”The major re-formatting of the music industry in recent years has increased artist’s freedom to call the shots on stylistic moves and release frequency, but it’s still difficult to maintain a commitment to making the music you like, when you like. However, Winter is adamant that The Snowdroppers weren’t going to churn out another record just to satisfy industry norms.“You hear, ‘You’ve got to release something everything 18 months,’ ‘you’ve got to do it this way,’ and I talked to a couple of people who were like, ‘No fuck that, you release it when it’s

ready.’ It’s easy to be forgotten about, but do you put something out that’s sub-standard just to maintain some kind of presence in the industry? That’s fucking ridiculous. You make music because you like making music and the songs you play.”Having an Australian sound is more complex than speaking in the Australian idiom or including blatant nods to Australian bands. Nevertheless, Winter details The Snowdroppers determined intentions to imbue the new record with distinctive Australian qualities. “Me and Pauly the guitar player, we write the songs for the most part, we wanted this to sound like an Australian record. It’s not as if we went and listened to the entire Midnight Oil back catalogue, Hunters & Collectors, Hoodoo Gurus, AC/DC, The Sports, The Triffids, and we just digested that and re-created that. It was more that there’s something about those bands that is inherently Australian.”Johnny intimates that while deciding not to heed to outside expectations put them in a liberated position, the songs didn’t exactly rush out.“Songwriting for us doesn’t come easy, we find it incredibly difficult. We’re not one of those bands that go, ‘Oh I write a song everyday, we write on tour, we’re always writing.’ It takes us that forced time away to really sit down and we’re in the writing zone.”The obvious stylistic and thematic structuring of Too Late To Prey consequently made some tracks sound somewhat forced. In contrast the unique storytelling perspective

Over 11 million views later, and Shimabukuro’s name is now synonymous with the ukulele. Yet contrary to popular belief, that video did not launch Shimabukuro’s career. His first solo full-length, Sunday Morning, was released in 2002, and Shimabukuro has released records at a fairly prolific rate since. In the process, Shimabukuro has turned on an entire new generation of fans to the ukulele. Though he makes great efforts to include his interpretations of pop music on his records as well as his own compositions, he still doesn’t believe it’s his responsibility to introduce the ukulele to the world.“I love sharing my passion for the instrument with people of the world,” says Shimabukuro, reached on the phone from a tour stop in Berkeley, California. “It’s a dream come true. I never really thought about the need to introduce people to the ukulele.” Instead, the ever humble Shimabukuro believes there are others making inroads just as credible. “I definitely credit people like Eddie Vedder or Train, these are people who are really exposing the instrument to a new generation. A lot of Eddie Vedder’s fans wouldn’t necessarily go to a

ukulele concert, but he’s bringing it to them, and people are becoming aware. Even a song like Train’s Hey Soul Sister did so much for the instrument because it was such a massive song. And that’s great.”Often associated with benign Hawaiian sunsets, the ukulele is an instrument that projects a certain peaceful state of mind. Throughout his 11 studio albums, Shimabukuro has done just that – project a comforting aesthetic. “It all makes me smile because I enjoy showing people the different sounds of the instrument. It’s capable of a variety of genres, even though I embrace the traditional Hawaiian method.”The traditional Hawaiian method Shimabukuro favours was given a cinematic push on Grand Ukulele, his latest full-length. Featuring a large collection of backing musicians and a more fleshed out approach, Shimabukuro has had to find a balance on his latest tour, as he continues to perform on his own onstage. He credits the transition to a man who favours cinematic approaches to making records, a man that at first might’ve seemed like a strange choice for

In the mid-‘60s Sam tried to audition for both the Stax and Hi labels, but was told they had more than enough artists to work with and to try somewhere else. It was suggested Sam try Chess in Chicago. “I did one session at Chess. When I went back to find if they were interested in recording me, I was told the producer I’d worked with had been fired,” Sam says. “I was out in the cold. At that point I was totally discouraged with the record business. I knew I had what people wanted to hear, but the record companies wouldn’t let me prove it.“Disco,” says Sam. “After it came in it was hard to find work. I drove 1,500 miles in one direction looking for a place that had live music but couldn’t find one. Then I drove 1,500 miles in another direction and couldn’t find one.”Sam’s next piece of self-promotion involved a 1,500-gallon tank filled with water. He devised a way to play underwater, which totally amazed an enthralled audience. “I went on the road with the tank,” said Sam. “But I found out the tank was too big to get into a lot of clubs.” By 1982, Sam was back in New Orleans but still finding it hard to find work, necessitating yet another interesting form of self-promotion. “People didn’t want to hear live music,” said Sam. “They just wanted to play records or the jukebox. I was

of Moving Out Of Eden (recorded with Welsh producer Richard Jackson) shines with convincing confidence. Winter endorses Jackson’s ability to execute stomping sounds without disguising the personality of the band.“He did the Future Of The Left albums, which we really liked. We liked his mixing because it was quite bold but still maintained that grittiness.”In an effort to give albums optimum sellability, it’s not uncommon for a standardising production filter to be switched on. Winter confirms that this trend which he perceives to be prevalent in contemporary music didn’t interfere with The Snowdroppers’ specific aims.“You look at the pop stars now and everything from the production quality to the fashion, and vocally, it’s quite

Shimabukuro to work with.“It’s definitely different playing these songs solo without the people I had on the record. It wasn’t that difficult of a transition, however. The record was produced by one of my heroes, the great Alan Parsons. When Alan and I were working on the record, he wanted me to perform each song on the record as if it were indeed a solo piece.“And once I came up with the solo arrangements, we decided what to do to surround the ukulele,” he continues. “When it came time to perform these songs, I just stuck to the original arrangements and it worked. It’s really nice with the orchestra and the rhythm sections, sure. But I’ve been able to perform them both as solo pieces and with the rhythm and orchestra sections. They have their own unique character to them.”Now a cagey veteran when it comes to writing and recording, Shimabukuro insists there was no fear about

hurting, so I decided to become the Human Jukebox. I built a giant jukebox that I fit inside with my keyboard and amplifier. I had slots built into it where people put money when they wanted me to play their request. The police were standing around and didn’t know what to arrest me for. In the end they took my jukebox and gave me a ticket. They never gave it back and I couldn’t be the human jukebox anymore. I was just trying to make a living.”On Music Maker, Sam says, “They’ve been very good to me. They make sure that I have transportation, they help me with bookings and gigs and they make sure I’m healthy. They do this all for musicians.”Looking forward to coming to Australia, Sam says, “I met a lot of Australian people in Switzerland and they always asked me if I needed help. I liked that. They seem to be nice people. Also they speak English so they know what I’m singing. I can get my message over.”

American. Some people go, ‘Oh dear, wow, that’s a bit dangerous if you want to go overseas to America, they’re not going to get it.’ Well fuck that. If they don’t get it, they don’t get it. We’re an Australian band. I don’t want to go, ‘Let’s make this more American, let’s make this more palatable globally.’ It was just a sub-conscious thing to try to get that Australian-ness, however you get it or whatever it is, back into the recording.”

working with Parsons. Shimabukuro’s past releases have favoured a bare bones approach, whereas Parsons is legendary for making cinematic records. Evidently, the two gelled perfectly.“I was just extremely excited to work with him,” he says in earnest. “Sure, I was nervous, but I went into the project with an open mind because it was a once in a life-time opportunity. I wasn’t so worried that he was going to change my sound or interpret the music differently. I just wanted to get a lesson from the master. And I sure did learn a lot,” he says with pride.

IRONING BOARD SAM plays with MUSIC MAKER BLUES REVUE at Northcote Social Club on Wednesday March 27, and at Bluesfest in Byron Bay alongside Rodriguez, Robert Plant, Allen Stone and heaps more running from Thursday March 28 – Monday April 1.

THE SNOWDROPPERS play the Northcote Social Club on Friday April 5. Moving Out Of Eden is out on Friday March 22 via (FOUR | FOUR). They also play Byron Bay Bluesfest on Thursday March 28 and Friday March 29.

Hear the stylings of JAKE SHIMABUKURO at the Corner Hotel on Friday April 5, as well as an appearance at Bluesfest in Byron Bay from Thursday March 28 – Monday April 1.


GRINSPOONBY AUGUSTUS WELBY

One of Australia’s most successful live bands Grinspoon have just hit the road in support of their seventh record Black Rabbits. Following the first two shows of the tour, singer Phil Jamieson reveals that the band have lengthened their onstage time in order to represent a good proportion of output from their 18 year career. “We’re playing for a reasonable amount of time. We’re doing 90 minute sets now, which is a little bit more exhausting.”Released in late 2012, Black Rabbits continues with the cleaner textures heard on preceding LP Six to Midnight and displays an averred incorporation of positivity. Understandably, the band are looking to emphasise tunes from Black Rabbits in the setlist, but this doesn’t mean the angst-driven material on their early albums has been left out. “We want people to come along and get a bit of each record. We’re opening with songs we’ve never played, we’re playing album stuff we haven’t played for a number of years from older albums, plus doing a chunk of Black Rabbits. We feel it’s a bit unfair to our old fans if we just played all Black Rabbits stuff.”Often bands seek to bury songs written in their nascent years and spurn fan insistence to revisit their younger selves. However, Jamieson doesn’t view any of the early Grinspoon material with embarrassment. “It’d be a bit annoying if you took it that seriously that you hated songs you’d written. We really wanted to play these songs, not particularly because fans wanted to hear them.”Jamieson’s attitude suggests that no Grinspoon song is likely to get absolutely tossed away, but it’s still unlikely the setlist would include something they feel no present connection with. Nevertheless, he explains the fluctuating tides of creative identity mean that older songs can return to relevance at any time.“We’re doing a song called Freezer off Licker Bottle Cozy, which was released in 1996. It’s a very, very fast punk rock song, which weirdly aligns with Black Rabbits.” Something unique about Grinspoon is their history of consistently drawing big crowds in smaller regions outside of the major Australian cities. There aren’t too many bands in Australia who have such a firm following in regional areas, however, Jamieson doesn’t detect much of a distinction between the people who inhabit the various locales. “In all honesty I really don’t think there’s any difference between people. It doesn’t matter if you live in the city or live in the country, if you go and play there they’ll probably like it, depending on the venue. Maybe in the country they’re a little bit excited about it, whereas there may be a certain area of nonchalance in Melbourne specifically. In general people are pretty much just people.”

Grinspoon formed in Lismore in the early ‘90s and Jamieson explains that their regional origins made the decision to play in obscure areas before reaching bigger cities fairly straightforward.“For us to tour in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane we would be driving from Lismore so therefore we’d try to hook up dates along the way to pay for petrol. Because we’ve always been doing it or supporting bands that did it back in the day as well, Newcastle was always our first port of call and Wollongong and Geelong and those kinds of places, and we just kept doing it.”A general claim of many commentators on the Australian music scene is that the touring circuit is basically limited to the capital cities. Grinspoon’s approach proves that if you attempt to play in country areas people will come to see you.“I think there’s a number of bands that could pull a crowd in regional areas but they don’t go there. This isn’t a huge monetary thing – we’re not rolling in cash, laughing our way to the bank – Grinspoon love touring, we love playing live and essentially it enables us to do it. That’s kind of what we do and we’re reasonably good at it I think. Whether it be to five people or 500 hundred people, it doesn’t really matter,” says Jamieson.Jamieson denies there’s a noticeable difference in atmosphere and attitude when playing country clubs as opposed to playing the flashier city theatres, however there is one occurrence at bigger city gigs that stands out.“The only difference is, and I can tell you this for a fact because we just played The Metro Theatre in Sydney on Saturday night, there’s about a thousand people at the end of the show trying to steal your drink rider. In the country there’s none of that. We finished the gig at The Metro Theatre and I went up to hang out with Kingswood after we finished playing, to tell them they were a great band and I really enjoyed the show that night, and you couldn’t actually get into the bandroom; it was literally packed. But that’s not going to happen in Wagga Wagga, because we don’t know anyone in Wagga Wagga, we’re just going to play the gig and not have any people coming backstage.”

“THIS ISN’T A HUGE MONETARY THING –

WE’RE NOT ROLLING IN CASH, LAUGHING

OUR WAY TO THE BANK – GRINSPOON

LOVE TOURING.”

GRINSPOON play The Hi-Fi on Friday March 22 with support from Kingswood and Emperors. They also play the Bended Elbow in Geelong on Wednesday April 24, Pier Live in Frankston on Thursday April 25, Inferno in Traralgon on Friday April 26 and the Ferntree Gully Hotel on Saturday April 27.


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Aside from being Iggy Pop’s guitarist and the founder of Raw Power, James Williamson is an intellectual avant-gardist whom humbly accepts a proto-punk title and defies David Bowie’s definition of ‘nihilistic rock’. “In all honestly, I’ve never really come to grips with punk rock and all the other titles. First of all, when we were coming up, there were no labels or pseudo genres in our vocabulary. I don’t believe titles hold any real meaning, but I do believe we write authentic and original music, and you can call it whatever you want, but I think we call it rock’n’roll.”It’s no secret the rock’n’roll hooligan wrote the majority of the 1973 record Raw Power on his Gibson B-25 Natural acoustic that’s now sitting idol at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. “The Raw Power writing process wasn’t anything out of the norm,” Williamson explained. “We weren’t successful in convincing our management to release any of our stuff after the first two records so I just sat in my bedroom and knocked them out, one by one. I would take them to Jim (Iggy) and he began putting lyrics to them and they slowly evolved from there. It’s nothing contrived, it’s just the natural process.”Being Williamson’s first record with The Stooges, this was around the same time they began experimenting beyond bud. “I was no stranger to this band when I joined it,” Williamson chuckled. “Hell, we met in middle school and I had done my fair share of things as well. Coming from Detroit, the drug scene had gotten far heavier than it did in Ann Arbor, Michigan. So by the time I joined The Stooges, what they were starting to get into wasn’t really a big deal to me.”The Raw Power days set the foundation for the Pop/Bowie era. The pair first met in New York when Pop was trying to find a new record deal after The Stooges briefly disbanded in 1971. “Bowie was basically a fan of Iggy. I shouldn’t speak on behalf of everyone, but we thought Bowie was pretty lightweight and a frivolous kind of guy, and that includes Iggy.” It wouldn’t be until Williamson and Pop arrived in England for the production of Raw

Power that they started nitpicking Bowie’s character. “By this point, Bowie had already released a number of his own records and he was very hell-bent on an approach. I don’t think the band ever really liked Bowie. I know I never have personally. I think he’s a smart guy and he eventually learnt how to write music pretty well but it’s not so much his music, there are just some people you like and some people you don’t and I don’t like the guy.”Whilst Iggy And The Stooges continued a heavy touring schedule throughout 1973, they also sustained heavy drug addictions that ultimately led to the band’s demise in early 1974. Williamson then worked with Pop, alongside Bowie to launch his solo career but it wasn’t until Iggy split with Bowie for Berlin when Williamson had to make a jump-ship decision on his career.

“I could have gotten another band together, but I just didn’t have the heart for it anymore and I wanted to know what I was going to be when I grew up. So, I went and got a job as a recording engineer at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. However, I soon learnt I wasn’t cut out for the job when I realised there is only one thing worse than playing in a band everyday and that’s recording bands you don’t like everyday.”It was around this time when Williamson found himself in an electronic store when he witnessed a father and son playing with a very peculiar box. “I remember watching them quite vividly and it actually turns out that this box was a very early personal computer. I became fascinated with this technology because it was right at the very beginning of contemporary computers. This is when I decided that I was going to learn how to design these things and it’s been an incredible ride for me. I spent a whole lifetime in that career.”The ex-electronics engineer admits to entirely retiring the guitar. “Music is a very emotional outlet for me so I can’t just diddle around on the side. It was an either/or thing for me so I just sat the guitar aside and went on with my life. That’s the way it was going to be.” As years went by, Iggy And The Stooges finally reformed in 2003 and Williamson kept plugging away with technology. It wasn’t until the unexpected death of original member, Ron Asheton in 2009, when Williamson stood up with Iggy And The Stooges from an early retirement of the Fortune 500 company, Sony.They’ve written a brand new record due for release in April titled Ready To Die and whilst there is very little information circulating online, Williamson explains, “The leak in the press was not intentional and unfortunately I can’t tell you much besides we like it and we hope you like it. I will also say that we plan on playing some of the new tunes when we’re down there in Australia.”

“YOU CAN CALL IT WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT I THINK WE CALL IT ROCK’N’ROLL.”

IGGY AND THE STOOGESBY MATT MARASCO

IGGY AND THE STOOGES play Festival Hall on Wednesday March 27 with special guests The Beasts Of Bourbon. They also play Byron Bay Bluesfest, taking place from Thursday March 28 to Monday April 1. New album Ready To Die is out on Fat Possum Records/Warner Music Australia on Friday April 26.


PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.BY JOSHUA KLOKE

At 57 years of age, John Lydon has lost none of his trademark vitriol. He answers the phone from his Los Angeles area home sounding unharnessed. “I’m wasting my day talking to you,” says the Public Image Ltd. and former Sex Pistols frontman, after being asked how he’s enjoying his afternoon.

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Lydon is at once one of the more engaging yet confusing fi gures in the music industry. He’s built a legitimate enough career post-Sex Pistols with Public Image Ltd., his reggae-tinged post punk act. Yet in speaking to Lydon (or more accurately, having Lydon speak at you) it appears he bears such a weighty grudge against the business end of the music industry, and at times, humanity in general. So much so that actually speaking about the art that Public Image Ltd. is now standing behind, This Is PiL, their fi rst studio album in 20 years, is an impossibility.Sure, Lydon’s philosophies are steadfast, and he doesn’t waver from them in the slightest. But keeping him focused on more direct questions is another matter altogether.“[Talking to journalists] is one of the very few things that I don’t mind doing in the music industry,” continues Lydon. I begin to get a question in, before he interrupts, seemingly unaware that there are two people in this interview. “I live in an industry that’s allegedly about communication, but most of the people I see don’t want to discuss anything they do. Unless of course, it’s fl uff pieces.” This is John Lydon, take it or leave it. With This Is PiL, Lydon is attempting to break back into an industry that cast him away. After appearing in advertisement for Country Life butter to fund This Is PiL, he still faces an uphill battle; those who followed Lydon’s career with the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. are part of a very diff erent target audience. Lydon makes attempts to rationalise his age and his place in the music industry on One Drop, a rattling cut from This Is PiL.“Cannot explain us/And that’s what made us/We are the ageless/We are the teenagers/We are the last chance,” he sings in a paranoid fury. Does Lydon then, still feel a kinship with the disenfranchised youth he spoke of and for in the late ‘70s with Sex Pistols?“That’s where I come from,” he says proudly. “And society, as far as I can see, isn’t ready to accept me. I’m happy to be with the disenfranchised. That’s where the best people are.“I come from a time when we wanted to change things, and we did, in the short term,” he continues. “But I fi nd now that what we spoke about is falling on deaf ears. Young people seem set in the mindset that it’s all been done before, so why bother? That’s an appalling letdown of yourselves and of everybody around you. We’re in this world together and we’ve got to make it work. That kind of lazy attitude is worse than the enemy we’re trying to overtake.”So Lydon sees himself as a man still chalk full of energy, refusing to quietly fade away into his golden years. He agreed with the assertion, however, that for the last 20 years, while Virgin Records mishandled Public Image Ltd., he refused to make any anger-fuelled diatribes in the press.“I’m not that kind of person. It’s not people who made the decisions, it’s corporations. The heads of departments are constantly being changed, which is what with happened with the large record labels I was on. And with my project, as that’s the word they used, was put into the hands of the accounting department, which is a completely faceless entity. Much like the Catholic Church, really!” he chuckles.“There is molestation going on in one way or another. As for being angry, bitter and twisted, I can’t aff ord to be that way. I know what life is worth above bad business.” It’s a brief moment of clarity from Lydon. Even with a new record to promote, Lydon is still at an age when the idea of his legacy becomes a talking point. The Room I’m In, one of the more revealing tracks of This Is PiL, details Lydon’s struggle growing up in sub-standard housing in London, though it can (and has) been interpreted as Lydon’s look back at his career in the music industry, one that left him feeling trapped.“I’m sure there are elements of that lurking in the song. I want think about getting things right, and therefore there’s no self-pity. No more songs that are spiteful or resentful. I just get on with it.” Though without provocation, Lydon manages to return the topic of conversation to the industry that did him wrong, one he allegedly doesn’t care about any longer.“So big business treated me bad; fuck ‘em! I ain’t got enough hours in the day to care about that. It stopped me from working for a long time, so I had to use my brain in other ways. But ultimately, it led me back to writing songs, which is one of the things I truly love in life. Therefore that’s the reward.”After an exhausting 40 minutes on the phone with Lydon, I still had more questions than answers. Namely, is Lydon’s edge still a genuine one? Or has he become a caricature of his former self, focused more on a grudge than allowing his music to be a vehicle for social change as it once was?The phone connection between Lydon and I grew thin towards the end of the interview, prompting me to ask Lydon if he minded me shouting my questions at him. His answer may very well sum up who John Lydon is at 57. He’s still got a lot to say, and isn’t afraid who hears it.“Shout all you like mate, it’s one of the very few therapies I believe in.”

PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. play the Palace Theatre on Thursday April 11.


EMMYLOU HARRIS

ALLEN STONE

COUNTING CROWS

BY MITCHELL ALEXANDER

BY BENJAMIN COOPER

BY ALASDAIR DUNCAN

Is it poor form to ask an interviewee about a completely diff erent band? Does it suggest that you haven’t got much to talk about that’s directly relevant to them? Yes? Shaddup, write your own story about Americana icon Emmylou Harris, because this one bounds out of the gate referencing one of the sweetest country pop songs of 2012, Emmylou, by First Aid Kit. From the sisterly Swedish duo came the childlike simplicity of the chorus – namechecking two iconic relationships in the form of Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons, and Johnny and June Carter Cash. One platonic, one romantic, both uniting to make unforgettable music. The actual Emmylou Harris on the other end of the phone recalls the fi rst time she heard the song with delight.

“Too much non-music is popular right now. Everywhere I turn the happening thing is this fake electro stuff . What’s even worse is that’s the stuff that is winning Grammy Awards.” Allen Stone likes music played on instruments that soak up and radiate years of sweat and weariness. He’s searching for the genuine article – his own thread of the rock‘n’roll narrative – and he doesn’t care if he off ends a few electronic artists along the way.

Some performers say that, when they walk on stage, they feel as if they step outside of themselves – for Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz, the opposite is true. “To be honest with you, I’d say I feel that way the rest of the time,” he says. “I don’t really have stage fright, but I sure as shit have everyday life fright. I’m more comfortable on stage than I am anywhere else. Life can be very disorienting. When I’m singing a song, I’m not worrying about anything else – all I’m thinking about is how to get it right at that point.”

“It’s interesting, because I’d heard about the song, and I had not heard the song, which is hard to believe,” she explains from her home in Nasvhille. “But I was in this little store in Adelaide, they’re playing music, I don’t know if it’s the radio or whatever it was, and this song came on, and I thought just as the guitars started, ‘This really sounds good’.“And then the singing came and it made me stop. And then I heard the line about me and Gram and I said, ‘Oh, that’s the song that everyone’s been talking about!’ What a way to hear it. No expectations at all, and I was completely won over even before the chorus. You can really tell a song, something about how it moves in and pulls you in right away, even before the singing started, I wanted to know what it was.”

I recall my own experience talking to First Aid Kit’s Klara Söderberg and how the duo are engulfed by fans thanking them for being the vessel of introduction into the world of Emmylou and Gram Parsons (check out 1973’s GP or Grievous Angel from the following year if you’re still unaware). Sisters Klara and Johanna did not grow up in a house fi lled with country or folk music, but they found their way to Harris and Parsons via interviews with Conor Oberst, their big high school crush. Harris is noticeably humbled and shocked at her role in indie-pop music circa 2013, but can also relate. “For me, I just remember Peter, Paul & Mary where huge in the States when I was growing up, and they did this song Blowin’ In The Wind,” she continues. “And then all of a sudden you ask yourself, ‘Now, who

The softly-spoken young man from Washington state is an exceptionally unlikely troublemaker. In many ways, the strength of his opinions concerning the quality of pop music is a product of circumstance. Over the last six months the hype around him has grown: he’s now internationally touted as part of the next wave of successors to Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. “Oh my goodness, what’s happening right now is so foreign to me,” Stone admits. “There are people talking about my music in ways I never even began to imagine. I’m sitting here, in a hotel room, surrounded by my band, and talking to journalists from all over the world. The momentum of it is crazy. Good crazy.”Things were much simpler where Stone grew up, in the tiny rural town of Chewelah, near the Idaho border. His father was a preacher, and it was through involvement in church choirs that he fi rst became interested in singing and performance. “I was pretty sheltered growing up,” he says. “I had a great childhood, but it’s crazy to think that there are more people buying tickets to one of my shows now than the entire population of my hometown.”Stone survived on a diet of gospel music from his home

and church until his teenage years. Once he heard classic recordings by Bill Withers and Aretha Franklin, and in particular Wonder’s classic album Innervisions, he was hooked. He left home and attended Bible college for a year, but ultimately decided that his calling lay elsewhere. “I understand the importance of religion. I get that it’s a part of most people’s lives. I just think that your version of religion – which is obviously based on the beliefs that are important to you – is what it is. Some people drink a 24-pack of beer and watch the football, and some people take communion. It’s whatever you need it to be.”Reviews of Stone’s live performances rush to note the preacher persona Stone inhabits onstage. It’s an understandable touchstone of the genre, and one that audience members have praised for its transformative eff ect; his gigs convert sweaty band-rooms into shared spaces to attack Christian hypocrisy and to worship the audience’s shared, hopeless optimism.“I’m really not aware that I seem to be ‘preaching’,” says Stone. “That’s just how I learned to sing songs. I’ve always had a love for music, and I grew up watching my dad on stage and in the church. It naturally just comes out of me

Duritz has fronted Counting Crows for more than two decades. Their debut, August And Everything After, would become a defi ning document of the alternative-rock movement, thanks to the earnest and deeply-heartfelt quality of singles like Mr Jones and Round Here. Duritz has remained a vital force since then, but admits that often, it’s far from easy. The singer is surprisingly open and self-deprecating about his various struggles. “I’ve had to deal with a lot of mental illness over the years, and that’s hard on everybody,” he says. “It’s hard for me to do some of the necessary stuff sometimes, because my head doesn’t work right. I’m very conscious of the fact that I don’t want to be the one who drags the band down. My inability to work makes things hard sometimes.” Duritz admits that this has been a factor since the early days, and that ironically, his attempts not to put a strain on the band often strain the most. “I mean, me being crazy is probably the biggest problem the band has,” he says with a laugh. “It’s not always good for me to be away,

but over the years, I’ve chosen to go off on tour instead of taking responsibility for getting better. A lot of things have dragged on a lot longer than they should because of that.”Not every band can remain functional for two decades – there are fi ghts and fallings-out, singers go solo, line-ups change drastically. Counting Crows, however, have remained a pretty tight unit, and Duritz insists that this is because everyone in the band is treated as an equal, with money split evenly between all members. “Right from the beginning, I knew that if we were going to do this for the long haul, there needed to be enough money for everybody,” he says. “I’ve seen a lot of bands make that mistake, and I never wanted it to be that way with us, so we split everything, even the publishing money. You can’t have a band where people can’t aff ord to be in it. The decision is a pretty simple one – do you want more money for yourself, or do you want that guy over there, your friend, to have an equal share so you can stay together and keep playing? If you want to be in a band, you have to make sure everyone does okay.”

is this fellow called Bob Dylan?’, which sets you off down a whole path of musical discovery. That’s what it’s all about”.She might not have heard that song if she wasn’t in a little shop in Adelaide, like she may never have put together an album with country rock titan and longtime friend Rodney Crowell. Old Yellow Moon is an album of country mainstays peppered with contributions from various friends, and the sense of fond nostalgia could almost be overwhelming if the results weren’t so delicious. Crowell, ya’see, was one of the earliest guitarists in Harris’ Hot Band during the ‘70s, but it wasn’t too long before Crowell left to stake his own claim on the country music landscape. Like two wagons circling (what is it about country music stars that prompts cowboy similes?) the two formed a strong bond over the decades since without working together substantially. When it was fi nally decided to release an album together, it made sense to continue the friendly aff air and list the likes of Brian Ahern (Harris’ longtime producer and ex-husband) and other members of the Hot Band.“I think there’s a lot of nostalgia [on this album], and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that,” Harris off ers. “It’s about a friendship that’s almost 40-years-old, we met in 1974, we’ve kept our friendship going over these years, completely eff ortlessly, because we might go for years without seeing each other and we just pick right up where we left off .“Rodney and I have seen each other through, marriages, divorces, births of children, births of grandchildren, deaths of friends. So I think this album is the result of a journey. And I think the songs we’ve selected, it’s not a romantic duo, it’s about life and friendship and the things that happen. We didn’t set out to do it, but it came about organically that this

record gathered up people and stories and lines that run through our lives. “We tried to get live recordings as much as we could. But my favourite story from recording, it doesn’t happen very often. I had just taught Rodney Old Yellow Moon, and we demoed it one time, with just two guitars and vocals, and later on when we listened back... that was it. We weren’t going to be able to get the feeling of the singing any better than that. You just don’t look that in the eye and say, ‘We can get it better’.”

EMMYLOU HARRIS and Rodney Crowell’s album Old Yellow Moon is out now through Nonesuch/Warner.

ALLEN STONE plays Northcote Social Club on Thursday March 28, and Bluesfest in Byron Bay alongside Iggy and The Stooges, Rodriguez, Robert Plant, and heaps more running from Thursday March 28 – Monday April 1.

As well as playing the Byron Bay Bluesfest over the Easter long weekend, COUNTING CROWS play Hammer Hall at The Arts Centre on Saturday March 30 and Sunday March 31.

that way. Both my dad and my brother are ministers, and the reality is that when they’re up on the pulpit, they’re entertainers. They might be communicating a diff erent message to mine, but we’re all entertainers.”Stone has self-released two albums – 2010’s Last To Speak and 2011’s self-titled eff ort, which was re-released by ATO last year (and in March 2013 through Universal Music Australia) – and has developed a fanbase through relentless touring across America. “I’ve been travelling and performing since I was 19-years-old,” he says. “I’ve played almost 50 shows a year for six years, and about 350 shows in the last two years.” Many of those shows have been in small rooms in the homes of fans, and his current success was largely generated by a clip of him performing his song Unaware in his mother’s living room. The video went viral, eventually catching the attention of late night television host Conan O’Brien and then being picked up by Ellen Degeneres. Both invited Stone and his band to appear on their respective shows, increasing his presence in even more

living rooms. When we speak, his band is holed up in a Los Angeles hotel following their performance on Ellen – another experience that he describes as “good crazy”.“It’s one more thing that we’ve all done together in this crazy year. Thankfully they’re the kind of people who would slap me across the noggin if I needed to be brought back into the game,” Stone says. “I regard the band as my family now. Families get in each other’s faces and annoy each other because they share so much, and do it all frequently. The other side of that is it means you grow a lot. And then there’s the fact that they’re great musicians: it wouldn’t be possible to tour as much as we do if they weren’t such talented players.”

Counting Crows consistently go out of their way to ensure that their live show is as spontaneous as possible, and Duritz tells me that when the band returns to Australia, we can expect no less. “We don’t plan the shows too much ahead of time,” he says. “After sound check, around dinner time every night, I send a text out to the band, to the crew, to the opening bands if we’re close friends… everybody on the road with us who could conceivably give a shit. I ask if there’s anything that people want to hear or want to play on that particular night, and then when I hear back, I know what I want to play, so I include all the songs that everybody names, and that’s the set list. It’s good to hear what everybody wants. I mean…” he pauses. “What better song to play on any given evening than the song that somebody’s dying to play?”This approach, Duritz insists, makes things more exciting for everyone. “I think you owe your audience a great show,” he

says. “They’ve paid their hard-earned money to be there, they deserve something great. I don’t think you owe them any particular songs.” Take this as forewarning – you may not necessarily hear all the hits, but you’ll certainly get a vibrant performance. “We’ve been playing a diff erent show every night for 20 years now,” Duritz says. “We even turn it into a game sometimes. If we’re playing two diff erent nights in the same city, the game will be not to repeat a single song in the set. The question is – can we do that? I don’t think a lot of bands could do that. They couldn’t play through two shows with no repeated songs and make it work, but I think we can. I love that about our band.”


BILLY BRAGGBY CAMERON SUNDBLOM

Billy Bragg is regarded as one of the most enduring protest musicians of our genera-tion, but one fan tweeted in 2011 that he was listening to him to get over a break-up, describing him as ‘The Sherpa of Heartbreak’. Bragg says his new album, Tooth And Nail, had its genesis in that comment. It’s his most poignant album in years, and fur-ther evidence that his personal side cannot be undersold.

“Because I write political songs and few people do, that becomes my USP,” Bragg says. “Although I don’t mind being labelled a political songwriter, I’m in danger of being dismissed as a political songwriter.”Bragg’s preference to get his political songs out there quickly in recent years has infl uenced what he had left over when it came time to record Tooth And Nail.“My last release before this album was a song called Never Buy The Sun, about the phone-hacking scandal. If I’d waited until next month to get that out, it would’ve been a real shame. I wrote it on the Friday of the week the story broke, then I recorded it and it was up for free download by Wednesday. But that means when I make a new record, I’m bound to have more personal songs than political songs,” he says.With evocative lyrics, haunting melodies, and a beautiful warm sound, Tooth And Nail is a brilliant achievement that stands up against Bragg’s best work. It also feels like the belated natural follow-up to 1998’s Mermaid Av-enue, on which Billy collaborated with Wilco to put music to the lyrics of folk icon Woody Guthrie. Bragg had good reasons for not continuing the Mermaid Avenue vibe back then, but he’s excited that things have come full circle 15 years later.“I made an album called England, Half English that tried to address the rise of the far right in my country,” he says. “It was the album after Mermaid Avenue and the Americans didn’t get it, but I couldn’t make any other record. That’s kind of what stopped me from following up Mermaid Avenue. Now I’ve found my way back to the pathway that working with Woody and Wilco opened up.”Bragg has been closely connected with the legacy of Woody Guthrie since recording Mermaid Avenue, and last year took his songs on the road to celebrate his 100th birthday. This connection has heavily infl u-enced his own approach.“Woody made me realise how important tunes are in engaging people with what you’re saying. When peo-ple write a protest song, they spend all their time on the protest. You should get a great song with a huge hook, and people will engage with what you’re talk-ing about. Also, Woody never wrote a cynical song in his life.“Perhaps the most important way that it infl uenced me was working in the studio with Wilco. I’d never worked like that before, and I’ve never not worked like that since,” he says.What Billy learned during the Mermaid Avenue col-laboration fed into the Tooth And Nail sessions. The album was recorded in fi ve days with producer Joe Henry, in his basement in South Pasadena, California. Billy wasn’t initially confi dent of success in their small recording window.

“The idea that I could make a recording in fi ve days took me a while to get my head around. I guess I wasn’t confi dent enough. But I felt like rolling the dice, so I put my money up and didn’t tell anyone I was making a record. I could’ve come back with the most expensive demos I’ve ever made, or the founda-tions of a record. I thought the least likely scenario would be a complete record that sounded amazing. But by Wednesday we’d recorded ten tracks, so I thought if I got my arse in gear and wrote a couple more, I’d have a whole album.“I was amazed when the songs came through the speakers, because I more or less sang as the track went down and we used that take. I just trusted Joe. It was a huge relief and a huge confi dence builder, just to be the guy who’s got to sing and play.” Excluding the Mermaid Avenue releases, Tooth And Nail is just Billy’s fourth album of new material in 22 years. He doesn’t feel the same call to record albums regularly, but he knows he has a loyal fanbase to sup-port his work.“People aren’t gagging for the next Billy Bragg re-cord, and when I say people I don’t just mean the general public. Record companies aren’t. The only person who is putting any pressure on me to make a new record is my partner. The response to Tooth And Nail and the last Australian tour proves that if I commit to doing it, there is still an audience out there that’s interested in what I’m doing. It’s just a matter of self-motivation.”

“PEOPLE AREN’T GAGGING FOR THE NEXT BILLY BRAGG

RECORD, AND WHEN I SAY PEOPLE I DON’T

JUST MEAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

RECORD COMPANIES AREN’T.”

Tooth And Nail is out on Friday March 22 through Cooking Vinyl/Universal.


THE VON EHRICS

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE

TAV FALCO & THE PANTHER BURNS

BY PATRICK EMERY

BY KRISSI WEISS

BY PATRICK EMERY

The Von Ehrics come from Texas – the so-called Lone State – and the only state in the American union with a secessionism explicitly written into its constitution. Robert Jason Vandygriff, founding member, singer and guitarist, says there’s a lot to love and enough to be wary of in his home state.

“I had some scrap wood to burn and so I started a big bonfire, and my neighbour found a dead coyote and, well this sounds weird, but he knows I like to make art out of bones so he gave it to me. I cut the head off ‘cause I was gonna take the skull and make art with it. I know, this sounds weird, but it’s one way to honour the spirit of the coyote. I didn’t expect that when I woke up today,” blues artist William Elliott Whitmore answers when asked what he’s been up to before our chat. It’s a run of the mill opening question, rarely met with an engaging answer. But so far Whitmore wins the prize for the most unique response – ever.

Despite his extensive musical pedigree and profound influence on contemporary music, Tav Falco eschews the descriptor ‘musician’. Through his principal outfit, Tav Falco & The Panther Burns, Falco has explored musical styles from blues to rock’n’roll, from punk to psychobilly, from jazz to tango, influencing artist from Alex Chilton to Kim Salmon to Jason Pierce. “I’m not much of a musician,” Falco says in his soft, laconic southern drawl from his current home in Vienna. “I’m more of a stylist”.

“Despite Texas’ storied history, its beauty, its music, its culture and so on, I think the best thing about Texas is probably the food, with its women being a close second,” Vandygriff says. “As for the worst thing, it’s the stereotypes Texans get as being arrogant, horse riding, gun toting bumpkins who think their state is the greatest thing on God’s earth. While the latter may be true, we are generally very cordial when we discuss it. It’s either that or our state’s political leadership.”Vandygriff grew up listening to the country music of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and George Strait, before gradually getting into the metal and punk of Motörhead, Rancid, Ramones, Slayer, Social D and Bad Religion. “And I always had a soft spot in my heart for soul,” Vandygriff says. “I may have been the only kid in Fannin County who would ride around and listen to Al Green or Sam and Dave.”In mid-2000, Vandygriff formed the first incarnation of The Von Ehrics, with the band’s name taken from the legendary Von Ehrics wresting family. “The Von Erichs were a wrestling family from Dallas,” Vandygriff explains. “All but one of the five brothers died tragically. ODs, suicides, motorcycle crashes, very tragic stuff. In Texas and around the US they were huge. They used to sell out Texas Stadium and the Cotton Bowl (these are two very large football stadiums)

and they were on television all the time. They were as big as the Dallas Cowboys back then. It was a big thing in the ‘80s when I was a kid. But I never was much of a wrestling fan – naming our band after them was more about paying homage to where we are from.” The Von Ehrics’ music reflects Vandygriff’s twin influences of country and punk. “People try to tie the two [genres] together in different ways,” Vandygriff says. “At times it can be the attitude, but that depends on who you are listening to. The similarity I find is musically. The songs are, for the most part, simple in how they are written. A lot of times the songs are only unique because of who is playing them. It is fairly common for a punk or country song to be three chords and whatever you want to sing about. Outside of that I don’t see much of a relationship between the two. Maybe The Von Ehrics are kind of like the missing link.”In 2006 The Von Ehrics released The Whiskey Sessions, an album title that reflected the band’s modus operandi in the studio. “We kind of reflected on the recording process and what it was like – long days in the studio and late nights with friends,” Vandygriff says. “We recorded it in Charlotte, North Carolina. We have a strong fan base out there and a lot of pals. We would go work hard in the studio, open a bottle around lunchtime and before you knew it we were

Hailing from Iowa in the States, Whitmore has the sort of gravelly blues voice that sounds like it was bottled a hundred years ago in a saloon with Robert Johnson, and has only just been set free. He writes gritty roots music and yet has somehow forged a career playing alongside artists like Chris Cornell, The Pogues, The Low Anthem and Clutch. His country heritage seeps into his music and life – he’s a true woodsman – but he insists that all bone sculptures are from found objects. “I don’t hunt,” he says. “My father used to hunt in the purest way you can think of hunting – to put food on the table – but I never got into doing it. I just take what’s left and make sculptures out of it. My folks were both naturalists; we never had much formal religion and we would read books on Native American beliefs, so we were very much taught about respect for the land and our place within it. We’re really no more important than any deer or blade of grass or insect. I don’t look at bones or skulls as things to be ignored and buried.”

Whitmore is a storyteller, a narrative songwriter, drawing on life around him. “I like to tell a story and a lot of the stories are based on my life or someone close to me; I don’t have to go far to get that material,” he says. “Unfortunately, I’m not as good as some songwriters are at making that stuff up but fortunately, I don’t have to go far to hear interesting narratives. I feel lucky that I live in a landscape where all I have to do is sit back, observe, and try to write it down.”He finds that stepping into the shoes of those around him is a grounding exercise that is a continuation of the ethos of his parents. “It’s a good way to gain perspective on the world,” he says. “I’ve got an old song called Lift My Jug and it’s from the perspective of this hobo Hub, who’s dead now, but when I was a kid he was a local character and a real life hobo. He had a shack, literally down by the river, and sometimes my dad would give him a ride into town. My dad would say: ‘Don’t judge old Hub by his looks, he’s a good man and he chooses this free life and that doesn’t make him a bad guy’.

Born Gustav Falco in Arkansas, Falco moved to Memphis in 1973. “If you wanted to go to the big city, you went to Dallas or Memphis,” Falco says. “But Dallas is a terrible place, so I made the transition to Memphis because of the music and arts scene – there were film makers, photographers, musicians and visual artists.” Shortly after moving to Memphis, Falco bought himself some film equipment and teamed up with to start documenting the local music scene, with a particular emphasis on those musical styles Falco believed warranted broader public attention. It was this amateur cinematic project that provided the genesis for Falco’s career in music. “Pretty soon there was no separation between what was going on behind the camera, and what was happening in front of the camera,” Falco says. At a show in 1978 to celebrate the final performance of local legend Jim Dickinson’s Mud Boy group, Falco engaged in the theatrical event that would lead to the creation of Tav Falco’s Panther Burns.“My idea of Panther Burns came of out my performance work,” Falco says. “I was encouraged to start a group after my performance destroying a guitar on stage at the last ever Mud Boy show in the late ‘70s. I performed Bourgeoisie Blues, and destroyed my guitar with a chainsaw.

It was quite a cacophony, and it was also a gesture. It was rather an hysterical performance,” Falco laughs.Not long after, Falco was hosting a party at his house, and playing some rudimentary guitar “like RL Burnside”. Former Big Star guitarist and songwriter Alex Chilton had rung the house in search of Falco; hearing Falco’s guitar playing, Chilton quickly came over and, after a night of sharing musical and philosophical ideas, began encouraging Falco to start a band. Chilton would become a founding member of The Unapproachable Panther Burns, and go onto produce a number of the band’s early records. The name of Falco’s band derived from a local southern legend of a wild cat. “I had heard this name, Panther Burn, around Memphis,” Falco says. Dropping into a dramatic, hushed storyteller’s voice, Falco explains the story of a panther that prowled a plantation in Mississippi, just off Highway 61. When the land was being cleared, the panther eluded all attempts to capture it. One night the cat was corralled into a cane break, and set on fire. The resulting demonic screams laid the foundation for a curse that is said to continue to the present day.For Falco, the story of Panther Burn was more than colourful local legend. “There was the Rolling Stones and

doing an impromptu show and the world famous Milestone after the session. It was a great experience, but we always came home feeling a little beat up.”The title of the record wasn’t the only time in the band’s early days that The Von Ehrics had drawn upon inebriated excess as the source of artistic inspiration. “We were on the road a lot back then and with that comes a lot whiskey – and other things. I was kind of writing a reflection of what we were doing,” Vandygriff says. “I could tell you stories about rituals I had to start each night just to feel halfway normal. Now that’s not to say that you can’t get stoned and write a song. Inspiration can certainly be found in that. But for those records it was more of a reflection.”The band’s latest album, Two Foot Stomp is a quantum leap from the previous Von Ehrics records, a progression

As I got to know Hub, I learned he was a good man, and he was probably the freest man I’ve ever met.”The bands that Whitmore plays with are more often than not good friends, but no matter what, opening to Chris Cornell’s crowd with a swampy blues set is going to be a hefty task. “It’s always a challenge to get people to listen to you when they’re not there to listen to you,” he laughs. “It’s a challenge and I like it. It doesn’t always work but I’ve got a good sense of humour, so I try to make people feel at ease. I like to feel that the audience and I are in it together and people usually respond to that.”So why has Whitmore chosen this genre to express his stories and melodies? “My parents again, I must go back

Muddy Waters, and now there is Panther Burns,” Falco says. “There was a critter that had somehow outlived the frontier – this panther was the symbol of the type of music that is untamed and uncontrolled. Panther Burns became the ditch diggers of American music.”After Chilton left the band, the Unapproachable Panther Burns became Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, utilising the services of a rotating lineup musicians through the ‘80s and ‘90s (the present lineup of Falco, Grégoire Garrigues, Giovanna Pizzorno and Laurent Lanouzière has remained stable since the ‘90s). Falco’s eclectic and stylish indulgence of different genres has remained at the core of Panther Burns.“It’s the job of the artist to break down barriers between the arts,” Burns says. “In the ‘60s you had a lot of concepts that were thrown out, and then started again. People threw out terms like creativity, and they picked up their instruments and just started playing them. In Panther Burns the idea was that genres were not sacred. But that doesn’t mean that we’re not reverential. And we’re not just a revivalist

that Vandygriff puts down the time the band put into the recording process. The album also includes the single Lord I Pray, which is accompanied by a video clip featuring a man in a mauve suit wandering around with a keyboard. “His name is Bob Crawford. There is a documentary about called His Name is Bob. He is always out and about in the Dallas scene. He has had a real hard life but he stays so positive. He goes out to shows and stands in front the stage and just holds that damn keyboard above his head while the band plays. Or he carries around some random vinyl record. Everybody knows him. He is a real sweet guy. He is all over YouTube, too. A very interesting person.”

to their guidance,” he says. “Living in the country we had a lot of country music around and they would always play records. My dad played guitar and my mum played the accordion while both my grandfathers played banjo. That was the music I knew. It was all country music and soul music. As a teenager I got into punk, hip hop and rock, but I realised early on that roots music is what I like to make. When I was 16 I would’ve loved to be in a punk band, but I decided to leave that to the experts and do what I do best.”

outfit. The idea is to deconstruct a genre or song or idea, and then reconstruct it, and re-interpret it.”Over 15 years ago Falco moved to Vienna, a move he says preserved his artistic edge. “Without a doubt this transition that I’ve made isn’t for everyone,” Falco says. “I could’ve stayed in Memphis as a rocker – but Panther Burns is more than a rocker, it’s much more complex than that.” While Falco isn’t a political agitator, his role in elevating oft-neglected genres – many of which have strong political undertones – has a political context. “An artist can’t be totally apolitical,” Falco says. “There comes a time when you have to speak out. I’m not a crusader, but when I’m asked, if I have to speak out, then I will.”

THE VON EHRICS play Cherry Bar on Friday March 22 with Area-7 and Double Black.

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE will perform at The Corner Hotel on Tuesday March 26. Field Songs is out now on Anti-.

TAV FALCO & THE PANTHER BURNS play The Tote on Saturday March 30 and Monday April 1, Boogie Fest in Tallarook on Sunday March 31 and Byron Bay Bluesfest on Thursday March 28.


CRUNCH!

CORECORE GIG GUIDE

Thursday March 21: This Will Destroy You, Tangled

Thoughts Of Leaving, Fourteen Nights At Sea at

Northcote Social Club

Electrik Dynamite, The Deep End, Fille Fatale, Dead City

Ruins at Next

Friday March 22: Grinspoon, Kinswood, Emperors at

HiFi

This Will Destroy You, Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving,

Dumbsaint at Northcote Social Club

River Of Snakes, Dumb Numbers, Dead River, Bricks Are

Heavy at Yah Yahs

Saturday March 23: Hug Therapist, Road Ratz, Bateman,

The Evidence at Gertrudes Brown Couch

The Mercy Beat at The Retreat

Greenthief at Gershwin Room

Sincerely, Grizzly, Dead Owls at Rochester Castle

Superguns, Don Fernando, Motherslug, Riff Fist at The

Bendigo

Heroes For Hire, The Playbook, Sidelines at Bang

Sunday March 24: The Smith Street Band, Kingswood at

ST Kilda Bowls Club

Ten Volt Shock, DEAD, Scul Hazzards, The Ruiner at The

Gasometer

Tuesday March 26: William Elliot Whitmore, Lincoln

LeFevre, Lucy Wilson at The Corner Hotel

Thy Art Is Murder have announced a massive headlining ‘Hate Across Australia’ tour with San Diego’s Cattle Decapitation and fellow locals King Parot and Aversions Crown. The guys will likely be basking in their recent nomination in the Best New Band category at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards when they hit the Corner Hotel on Thursday June 13. You can also catch them at Arrow On Swanston for an all ages gig on Friday June 14.

There’s fi nally been offi cial word from the legal camp of Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins in relation to the child sex off ence charges. The singer’s lawyer has said Watkins “Furiously denies all of the charges and allegations made. He intends to fi ght to the bitter end to clear his name.”

Central Coast dudes Mark My Words will team with Declaration for some East Coast tour dates this April. Catch them at The Bendigo on Friday April 19. They’ll also wander down to Tassie for the All Tomorrow’s Shoeys Festival.

Municipal Waste are coming ya’ll! These legends will return to our shores on the back of new album The Fatal Feast - Waste In Space in June. They’ve also got two Corner Hotel sets booked it with an underage set on Sunday June 23 afternoon, and an overage performance at night.

Three of Melbourne’s best are joining forces and hitting the road this April. Anchors, Strickland and The Union Pacifi c have all decided to be tour bros and will start an extensive tour at Phoenix Youth Center in Melbourne (sans Union Pacifi c) on Friday April 12, before heading to The Bendigo on Wednesday April 24. Tickets will be available at the door.

You know how there are all kinds of reality TV shows these days documenting the lives of messed up units, who have messed up habits, caused by deeply messed up psychological issues? You know, like Hoarders, or that addiction show where people are compelled to eat coach cushions and hair? There needs to be a series exploring the reasons behind people leaking music to the public. So often it comes from within a trusted team of industry types, so what compels the mole to turn on a team of dedicated souls and rob them of potential income by releasing tunes to the masses? Sure, abusing positions of privilege is not an entirely new concept, but for such little personal reward, it’s pretty perplexing that it keeps happening. But then again, me being perplexed to the point of distraction about how PEOPLE ARE THE WORST is not an entirely new occurrence either. WORST!

THE METAL DAD RANTOkay, so I have a six-year-old, right? We had a kid a bit younger than most of the other parents I run into at the playground, and in my neighbourhood the general trend seems to be to not have a child until you’re nudging 40, so I fi nd that I have to deal with a whole bunch of 40-somethings whenever I take little Junior to play on the swings or whatever. Now, if you’re reading this you’re probably into rock and metal and your look probably refl ects that in some way. Me too. And over the last few years I’ve noticed something kinda weird. Whenever I’m forced to talk to these stuff y 40-something parents at the park or whatever, and they fi nd out what I do for a living and they see that I’m, like, a metal guy, they really awkwardly throw in words like ‘dude’ and ‘cool’ like it’s the fi rst time they’ve said these words in 20 years. And they try to drag out these antiquated rock references. “Oh you’re a music journalist? I had a Pearl Jam shirt when I was 18.” I’m kinda embarrassed for them. And also it makes me feel stupid, like they think I’m so dumb that I have to hear the words ‘dude’ and ‘cool’ every 20 seconds in order to understand what’s being said to me. Now, in my experience metal dudes are usually pretty well-read so I fi nd this particularly funny. No wait, not funny, what’s the other thing? Oh yeah: insulting. Have you ever had an experience like this, where your metallicism has forced you to deal with patronising jerks? Email your rants to [email protected]

If you’re heading to the Black Breath/I Exist show on Thursday April 11 at The Rev, you may be pleased to know local supports have been announced as Chaingun. Tickets are only available at the door, so make sure you get in early.

Not even kidding, Fall Out Boy are actually recording with Sir Elton John for their new album Save Rock And Roll. Seriously. It’s happening.

Everyone’s favourite band La Dispute are returning to Australia this winter, bringing with them Pianos Become The Teeth. Having played at The Arthouse on their fi rst ever tour, they’ve now progressed to the Corner Hotel. They’ll play an overage gig on Friday July 12 and an underage set on Satruday July 13. Brilliant. Thanks, Resist.

If you’re keen on meeting Sydney band Northlane and perhaps giving ‘em a bit of a high fi ve for their new album Singularity then you can head on down to UNFD offi ces in Richmond on Thursday March 28 from 5pm. If you’re after a bit more than that then head down to Plastic on the same day (Good Friday Eve) and catch them there.

THE BRONXBY LACHLAN KANONIUK

Over the course of a decade, punk champions The Bronx have established a fervent, reciprocal love aff air with Australia – working their way to an annual pilgrimage in both their standard form and as their Mariachi El Bronx alter ego. For the fi rst time in fi ve years, the outfi t will be arriving with an album’s worth of new material to bust our loyal crowds’ heads with. Speaking in his distinctive Cali accent after hitting the stage in Manchester, lead singer Matt Caughthran runs us through the lead-up to the band’s fourth self-titled release ahead of their return to Australia.

“The only tricky thing was deciding on the right time,” Matt says on the recording of Bronx IV. “We thought about doing it after the fi rst El Bronx record, but it didn’t seem right. We had a lot of momentum going with El Bronx and we had a lot

of songs that we still wanted to write, so we decided to do another El Bronx record rather than do Bronx IV. After those two records we were all super excited to go back again and make that transition to plug in and get loud.”As most evident on Bronx IV cut Life Less Ordinary – a relatively downtempo number that could have easily worked on Mariachi El Bronx III – there is some overlap between the two acts that is becoming more apparent. “Usually there’s not, but you’re right, there are a couple of tracks on this album that could have gone either way. Life Less Ordinary is defi nitely one of them, because we tried that song so many ways – heavy, fast – a thousand diff erent fucking ways, but at the end of the day it just sounded better naked. And we said, ‘Well, should this just be an El Bronx song?’ But we kind of liked the vibe it had with the distortion and the delay and the droning, so we decided to put in on the Bronx record.”Listening to Bronx IV, you gather the sense of an aural evolution into a more spacious brand of punk. “Sonically, I think it sounds fucking amazing to be honest with you. The one mission we had with this record is to simplify the sound a little bit and streamline our songs. There was a time towards Bronx III where we put in diff erent parts just for the sake of putting diff erent parts in,” Matt concedes. “We didn’t want to make that record again, we wanted straightforward songs. We’ve written songs like that before, but never approached a record in that way. Joby [Ford] and Ken [Horne] do a lot of leads on this record and I think it’s amazing, it’s a lead-heavy

record. I dig the guitar tones. It sounds raw, it sounds big and it sounds loose.”Continuing the themes of death and destruction evident on the initial trilogy of Bronx records, Bronx IV exudes an attention-commanding, anthemic cry of catharsis. “It’s based on self-destruction in my head. That’s where it starts. It’s also a matter of knowing how fortunate you are, knowing how lucky you are to be able to do what you love doing. There’s a certain amount of panic with that, trying to make it last and wanting it to never end. I think in that way you’re always looking for those windows to close, you’re always looking for the band to break up, you’re always looking for your life to end. I think that those parallels are something that can’t be ignored. It’s kind of a forced way of thinking for me, my brain is wired to always be protective – trying to keep things going and making things last longer,” he reasons. “I love what I do and I know that I don’t have a backup plan, there’s nothing in my life that gives me the sensation that The Bronx does. I don’t want that to stop. That kind of way of life, that outlook, can lead to some fucking revelations.”This year marks ten years since the fi rst Bronx record. It’s in this sense that the band are survivors, still going from strength to strength consolidating their loyal fanbase. “Now more than ever, longevity is key. It’s something that I’m very proud of. A lot of people think that at some point you have to turn in the keys and live a regular life. I think that if you keep fi ghting for what you believe in than there’s no reason you

can’t do what you want to do from the day you’re born until the day you die. It’s not easy. I mean, ten years in the band feels like fucking 40 years of anything else, I’m not gonna lie man. We hit it pretty fucking hard for a lot of those ten years – physically, creatively, mentally, spiritually – everything. It’s all-in, one-hundred and fucking 60 percent,” Matt beams. “I live or die by those ten years and I want ten more, god willing.”

METAL, HEAVY ROCK, CLASSIC ROCK

PUNK, SKA, HARDCORENEWS, REVIEWS AND GOSSIPBY EMILY KELLY: [email protected]

LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD SHITWITH PETER HODGSON: [email protected]

THE BRONX will be performing at Bendigo’s Groovin’ The Moo on Saturday May 4, as well as sideshows at the Corner Hotel on Tuesday April 30 and Wednesday May 1. Bronx IV is out now through White Drugs/Shock.

STEVE STEVENS HITS TOWN FOR CLINICGuitar legend Steve Stevens (Billy Idol, Vince Neil, Steve Stevens’ Atomic Playboys) is at Cherry Bar on Saturday March 23 for a clinic on behalf of Roland, Boss and World Of Music. He’ll be demoing the new Roland GR-55 guitar synth as well as the new Roland/Fender G-5 and VG guitars. Stevens is currently working with Sebastian Bach on new material. “He’s working on a new record and he asked me to write some stuff ,” Stevens told me last week. “I think I’m about six songs in now, and so far he really likes where I’m heading with it, so I hope to be on his next record with this stuff .”

GIG ALERT: KAMELOTMelodic progressive goth metallers Kamelot have never been to Australia before, but don’t hold that against them: they’ll be here in June. Their new album Silverthorn was released late last year and they have no shortage of self-described ‘elaborate melodic metal’ to draw from. They’re at The Hi-Fi on Friday June 7. Tickets are $59 plus booking fee from metropolistouring.com and the venues from Friday March 22, and limited VIP meet and greet packages are available for each show too.

OBITUARY BRING DEATH TO MELBOURNEDeath metal pioneers Obituary will play two exclusive shows in Australia this May – in Melbourne and Sydney – for their Rotting Slow In Australia tour, playing tracks from their 1989-1992 hat-trick of classics, Slowly We Rot, Cause Of Death and The End Complete. They’re at The Espy on Friday May 3, and tickets are on sale now.

GIG ALERT: THE SPASMSNew garage-punk psych band The Spasms have their debut gig on Friday March 22 at Off The Hip Records, 381 Flinders Lane, with Carrie Philis & The Downtown Three and The Ears. Free entry, doors at 6pm. Free beer! The Spasms features Kit Atkinson (of The Kits), Pete Hansford and John Davis.

UNHOLY GOOD FRIDAY RETURNSThe Bendigo Hotel and Heavy Mag have joined forces once again for Unholy Good Friday Season 2, on Friday March 29. This godless aggrofest features rare performances from ‘80s thrash legends Hobbs Angel Of Death and fellow time travellers (and punk thrash legends) Depression. Also joining this awesome spectacle is Sydney’s Darkhorse, and Maniaxe, Party Vibez and Counter Attack. Doors at 6.30pm.

NEW DALLAS GREEN SINGLE Dallas Green’s outfi t City & Colour has just released a new single (Of Space And Time) and a new in-studio video in anticipation of their next album. They’ve just played South By Southwest and they’re hitting the UK’s enormous Reading and Leeds festivals, and more info on album #4 will be released shortly. In the meantime, get thee to an internet to check out the new song and in-studio video.

NEW ORIANTHI ALBUM OUT NOWAdelaidean beauty Orianthi’s new album Heaven In This Hell is out now, and it’s awesome. Ori sheds some of the pop sheen of previous releases in favour of a dirtier blues-rock sound with plenty of world class guitar playing.

PERSEVERANCE GET MADMadhouse at the CBD nightclub in Melbourne CBD presents an absolute treat for punters on Friday March 22. Not only are the mighty Perseverance making a rare live appearance, but they are launching their magnifi cent second full length album, Silence, Forever; Endless this night. So it promises to be a truly memorable evening of raw but atmospheric metal mayhem. Providing heavy support on the night will be Evil Intent, who will be heading down from Bendigo to destroy all in their path with their blistering brand of blackened thrash metal.

SENSES FAIL UNVEIL ALBUM #5Senses Fail will release Renacer, their fi fth full-length studio album, on Friday March 29 via 3Wise Records. The album was recorded in Los Angeles, California at The Airport Studio and Red Bull Studio with producer Shaun Lopez (Far, Deftones). “We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in February 2012 and immediately got to work writing Renacer,” singer Buddy Nielsen says. “The approach to this record was to embrace change and explore a diff erent side of the band. The process was long, but was probably the smoothest out of any other record because we wrote without any boundaries. Renacer is by far our heaviest eff ort to date, which felt like a natural progression for us.”

THE SUPERGUNS CD LAUNCHThis Saturday the Bendigo are hosting The Superguns’ CD launch with supports Don Fernando, Riff Fist and Motherslug.


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MUSIC NEWSFor all the latest news check out beat.com.au

YOURCOMPREHENSIVE LOCAL GUIDE

JUDGE PINO & THE RULING MOTIONSWith the recent resurgence in lover’s rock, you gotta come see Melbourne’s answer to it: Judge Pino & The Ruling Motions. A Bar Open staple for a long time now, these guys are shit hot, playing hit sessions for the people. Bringing you the digs from vintage Jamaican sounds of the ‘70s and rocking out dancehall, lover’s rock, reggae hits with bonus live improvisations in between, these men are here to move you and groove you. They play at Bar Open on Saturday March 23. Doors at 10pm, free entry.

BOWLED OVERTone Deaf launched their Bowled Over Summer Series back in 2012 with a sold out party to celebrate triple j’s Hottest 100 Countdown on Australia Day at the iconic St Kilda Bowls Club in Melbourne, serving up some of Melbourne’s best up-and-coming bands and DJs, cheap beers and ciders BBQ delights and the hugely popular barefoot bowling. They’re back for 2013, bringing The Smith Street Band, Kingswood, The Pretty Littles and Singles to the stage on Saturday March 23.

CUTSince forming just last year, Cut have had airplay on triple j and Rage, launched their debut single and played alongside some truly great bands. They’re now kicking off the launch of their fi rst EP on shiny 10” vinyl at The Old Bar on Friday March 22. To help them celebrate are Iowa and Mightiest Of Guns, two kick-arse local Melbourne bands.

THE MERCY BEATHeavily infl uenced by the classic metal and mayhem of the ‘70s and the relentless energy of ‘80s punk, The Mercy Beat’s sound is pure solid rock. Riding high off the release of their debut album How To Shampoo A Yak and the more recent single Sex Funeral, The Mercy Beat are once again heading down south. You can carve yourself a slice of this refreshing slab of hard rock at The Retreat Hotel from 10pm on Saturday March 23 when they play alongside three-piece puke punk band and Carlton suburb dwellers The Sinking Teeth.

THE GOOD CHINAMelbourne indie pop eight-piece, The Good China released their debut EP We Knew That We Had To Leave towards the end of 2012 and are back in 2013 with a new single called You Looked Better A Brunette. They’re celebrating the release with a single launch at the John Curtain Hotel on the Saturday April 6 and all hair colours are encouraged to attend.

MADRE MONTEMadre Monte will return to their old stomping ground at Bar Open on Friday October 19. The band will indulge in their usual mix of Cumbia, reggae and Afro-Colombian rhythms, with extra inspiration and musical knowledge collected from revisiting homelands. It’s been a while in between drinks, but Madre Monte are looking forward to fi nally shake it once again at Bar Open this weekend. Doors at 10pm, free entry.

DUMB NUMBERSGeelong-born musician and fi lm maker Adam Harding has a new band project, Dumb Numbers. Based in sunny Los Angeles, this project is an international collaboration of huge proportions, featuring members of Dinosaur Jr, Melvins, Sebadoh, Best Coast, Emperor X, Useless Children, Magic Dirt and Dead River. The Australian tour will include Adam Harding with Murph from Dinosaur Jr, Steve Patrick from Useless Children and Bonnie Mercer from Dead River. You can catch them on Saturday March 23 at The Public Bar alongside Bodies, Hotel Wrecking City Traders and Claire Birchall. Doors open at 8pm with $10 entry.

SASKWATCHSaskwatch have cut their teeth at Cherry Bar for nearly three years and now they’re one of the most hyped bands in Australia. Still, they want to play a month of Thursdays at Cherry in March, back where it all began. Kicks off each week at 8pm and entry is $10. They’re joined by DJs Vince Peach and Pierre Baroni. The line will be long, so head there early.

THE GRAND RAPIDS The Grand Rapids are launching their new single, Brian’s Got A Rubber Soul, at Yah Yah’s on Saturday March 23. All guitar-organ and rolling drum and bass, and at fi ve and a half minutes in length, it’s probably not going to get many spins on the radio so pop into Yah Yah’s to get your free copy at the launch. Guaranteed to be a night of kaleidoscoping, smoke, light and laser action, the support lineup on the night includes Trapping Afterland Band, The Walking Who and The Citradels. Psych up! Doors 5pm, bands start at 9pm, free entry.

PERSEVERANCEPerseverance will be making a rare live appearance to launch their second full length album Silence, Forever; Endless with heavy support from Evil Intent, who will be heading down from Bendigo to help shake Madhouse to its core. To experience this unforgettable night of raw metal mayhem head down to Madhouse (at the CBD nightclub) on Friday March 22.

MESSED UPDon’t get sad now that summer is over. Head down to The Tote this March for some mid-week tunes. Every Wednesday in March, Messed Up will be keeping the place nice and sweaty with their trashy lo-fi surf pop. Joining them in the heat will be some of the sickest garage bands in Melbourne. So if you love beers, bands and babes then you’ll love Messed Up’s residency this month at The Tote.

THE FLOORSStill riding high off the back of their recently released debut album Dead Beat, dirty fuzz punk blues three-piece The Floors are proud to announce a one off Melbourne show. Beautiful, ugly and imperfect, a ragged spiritual appropriation of rhythm and blues un-fucked-with by computers and radio formulas, The Floors are brothers Luke and Ryan Dux and Ashley Doodkorte. They play Friday March 29 at Yah Yah’s. 8pm.

APODIMI COMPANIAOriginating in Brunswick but residing in Athens, Greece for the past 15 years, Apodimi Compania is one of the world’s leading exponents of Rebetika and Greek folk song and dance music. Apodimi Compania perform at The Spotted Mallard as part of The Brunswick Music Festival on Friday March 22. Hit up brunswickmusicfestival.com.au for tickets.

THE LONDON KLEZMER QUARTETThe London Klezmer Quartet are playing at The Spotted Mallard for the Brunswick Music Festival on Saturday March 23. Expect exuberant and accomplished performances from Europe’s top klezmer players as they take you on a musical Odyssey through the Yiddish villages of eastern Europe and beyond, playing the music that could keep a wedding party on their feet for days. Support from The Zaporozhets. Tickets are available at brunswickmusicfestival.com.au, don’t miss out.

THE SUPERGUNSBorn from early morning booze and forged through countless jam sessions in an old bordello in Collingwood, The Superguns are a four-piece metal band local to Melbourne. They push an energetic, dynamic and aggressive stage show that has been known to impress punters all over the city. Having recently recorded their debut self titled EP, The Superguns are set to make their mark on the Australian music scene with an explosive launch on Saturday March 23 at The Bendigo Hotel, joined by special guests Clagg, Riff Fist and Motherslug.

SUPER WILD HORSESFollowing their much loved 2010 album Fifteen, Super Wild Horses are releasing their sophomore LP Crosswords on Saturday April 6 via Dot Dash/Remote Control. The fi rst single Alligator has already been making a heap of noise, and the stunning new video is out now. The dynamic duo will be playing a special show at The LuWow in Fitzroy on Thursday March 21 to offi cially launch the single and give fans a sneak peak of the upcoming album. Supporting the band’s single launch will be blues groovers The Murlocs, all-star dream band Early Woman and Brain Children DJs. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door from 8pm.

AGENCY DUB COLLECTIVEMelbourne’s hardest working live dub band are fi nally back from a mammoth 20-show 10,000km summer tour. To celebrate their return they’ll be back at The Retreat Hotel at 9pm on Friday March 22. The ultra special two set show will feature Cass from The Black Jesus Experience kicking it on bass, plus special guest DJ Malicine (Sound System Unknown) at the Dub Controls to ensure your maximum listening pleasure.

DUNEMulti-instrumentalist Dune released her debut EP Oh Innocence last week. Featuring her debut single Shoestring and a brand new single in the form of title track Oh Innocence, this expansive EP boasts fi ve self-produced tracks which traverse a futuristic vista created from textured synths and beats, resplendent with lashings of primal emotion and stark imagery. She launches it at Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday March 23.

WE ALL WANT TOWe All Want To release their new single No Signs on April 5, taken from their forthcoming sophomore album Come Up Invisible. To celebrate, We All Want To will be touring their ‘90s-tinged set shining with audacious ambition and genuine conviction to a stage near you. See it all come to life in Melbourne on Friday March 10 at The Yarra Hotel in Abbotsford, and Saturday May 11 at The Public Bar in North Melbourne.

JOSEFINA PAULSONFresh off the plane from Sweden, Josefi na Paulson is master of the traditional Swedish keyed fi ddle, also called a ‘nyckelharpa’ a rarely played (and correctly pronounced) instrument that inspires audiences everywhere. Get a good squiz on Thursday March 21 at The Great Britain Hotel. Doors open at 8pm and it’s free.

DEATHROW HARMONICAThis Thursday March 21 sees Deathrow Harmonica joining up with The Dead Elected and Girl On Fire for a night of eclectic alternative rock. With backgrounds in folk, rock, punk and grunge, Deathrow Harmonica’s music is a combination that will surely attract other species of like-minded vibrations. Show starts at 8pm and it’s only $5,




HIS MERRY MENHis Merry Men bring a fat nine-piece sound and dance party attitude to every gig. They sport suave outfi ts, face-melting dance moves and a dynamite four-piece horn section called the ‘Hell Yeah Horns’. Their classic, ol’skool sound borrows infl uences from surf rock, neo-soul and hip hop and mixes it all up to create their own big, brassy funkfest. They’re bringing their fi rst tour of 2013 to The Empress on Saturday March 24 with support from The Bon Scotts. Tickets are $12 presale or $15 on the door.

BONNIE RAITTNamed as one of the Top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone, ten-time Grammy Award Winner and general rock royalty Bonnie Raitt teams up with Mavis Staples for an unforgettable night of blues and soul at The State Theatre, Melbourne Arts Centre on Wednesday March 27.

THE OVEREASYSSummer is not over yet – it’s cooking at Claypots on Thursday nights. If you’d like to enjoy some cool music from the golden years, head down to Claypots at The South Melbourne Market to have a listen to The OverEasys, a laid back three-piece featuring ukelele, piano and a bit of percussion. Join the crowd and grab a glass of wine, tap your feet, sing along, and maybe even grab a bite to eat while you’re at it.

DAZOOKHard hitting, bass driven, stoner rock outfi t Dazook will be hitting The Victoria Hotel alongside The Balls on Saturday March 23 at The Victoria Hotel. Doors open from 10pm, plus it’s free entry, so everyone wins.

ANNA’S GO-GO ACADEMYAnna’s go-go classes are great fun, an excellent cardio workout, and have been described as ‘inspiring”, “a retro hit parade…everything from Elvis’s Jailhouse Rock to AC/DC’s Jailbreak, and a “high energy dance party with the hostess with the mostest. Every Thursday night at The Vic Hotel from 6pm and at The Gasometer Hotel on Tuesdays at 7pm and 8.30pm.SUZUKI NIGHT MARKET

Now in its 15th year, the Suzuki Night Market attracts over 200 stall holders and showcases some of Melbourne’s fi nest artisans, producing locally made clothing, jewellery, prints and an array of cultural goods. The hawker style food stalls off er everything from traditional African curries through to the sweetest of honey dumplings. Music can be found all over the Suzuki Night Market. Look out for buskers around the site, and there is entertainment around every corner. The Suzuki Night Market runs every Wednesday night until March 27 at Queen Victoria Market, 5pm ‘til 10pm. Entry is free.

TRACY McNEIL BANDCanadian sweetheart Tracy McNiel is bringing her brilliant mix of alt country, rock-pop goodness to The Retreat Hotel to support Snooks La Vie on Thursday March 21. With songs that have been described as ‘mini masterpieces’, McNiel has spent the past few months tucked away in a studio somewhere recording her third album and is only resurfacing for a few select shows around the city.

LOWRIDERHaving recently dropped their brand new LP Black Stones, Adelaide four-piece Lowrider have announced an extensive national launch tour. Lowrider perform at The Corner on Friday March 22, Pier Live on Saturday March 23, and Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on Sunday March 24.

DAVID OLNEY AND SERGIO WEBBAmericana pioneers David Olney and Sergio Webb are acclaimed for their awe-inspiring theatrical live performances. They’ll be doing one show only as a part of The Brunswick Music Festival with special guests the Bill Jackson Trio. Be there on Thursday March 21 at The Spotted Mallard to experience the full eff ect. Grab your tickets at brunswickmusicfestival.com.au.




THE LACHLAN BRUCE BANDTonight at Bar Open, The Lachlan Bruce Band will be rocking for the last time, well for a few months anyway. So get on down and have some beers with Lachlan before he heads off to rock the shit out of Europe. Blues giants The Ivory Elephant and soul greats Stevie And The Sleepers will be tearing up the stage as well, so don’t miss out. Doors open at 8.30pm and it’s free entry.

KOOYEHNine-piece reggae/soul/dub band Kooyeh have spent the past two years honing their sound to develop something that “is forever moving forward, but occasionally looks over its shoulder to respectfully wink at the past.” Originally from the beautiful Blue Mountains, Kooyeh is made up of four vocalists and an array of instruments that work together to create something great. You can catch them every Tuesday at The Evelyn Hotel in March with supports Haunted Ducks, Silentjay, Demian, Up Up Away, At The Sauna and Echo Drama. Doors open at 8.30pm.

AMY GANTER & THE LOVE AND SQUALORSNothing spells diverse more than a band made up of members from all over the place. Each band member brings their own individual fl avour and style, mixing classical, jazz, blues and folk music to create a wholly diff erent sound. Blending cello, guitar and saxophone they produce the perfect atmosphere to support the original voice and honest lyrical work of Amy Ganter. Catch the delicious ensemble at The Great Britain Hotel supported by Mana Band on Sunday March 24 at 7.30pm.

KASHMERE CLUBKashmere Club was born on a stage in 2009. The Melbourne trio hungrily moved from south-west Victoria to the big city to chase that illusive feeling of ‘the best live gig ever’ and share it with as many people as possible. Relentless gigging and a blind faith in the power of a live show, Bill, Nathan and Jono released their debut EP, Roundabout Girl, to The Hi-Fi Bar last year. Now they bring their antics to The B.East on Sunday March 23 at 9pm. Free entry.

CORAL LEE & THE SILVER SCREAMBeersoaked Sundays at The Old Bar are proud to have Coral Lee and The Silver Scream every Sunday in March. Coral’s soulful tunes evoke the era of Doris Day and Wanda Jackson and seamlessly combine steam train rhythms, vintage vocals and gritty guitar picking. Coral Lee will show you why she’s considered one of Melbourne’s fi nest female blues guitarists, swapping screaming solos with Ben Franz on the lap steel. Swinging from the sides of the rockabilly/R&B bandwagon, The Silver Scream is a collection of some of Melbourne’s favourite musos.

THE CAT EMPIREThe Cat Empire play three sold-out shows at The Prince Of Wales this week (tonight, Thursday March 21 and Friday March 22) as well as Bluesfest on Sunday March 31. This week they’ve also announced the release of their fi fth studio album Brighter Than Gold, which is out on Friday May 10 via Two Shoes Records through Inertia.

SPITE HOUSETo promote the release of their six-track EP Spite House are appearing at The Gasometer Hotel on Friday March 22. They’ll be joined by TAX, Angel Eyes and Hex On The Beach and will also be selling copies of their EP on both cassette and compact disc, so take some spare cash.

YOUNG GURU AND TONYROYSTER JRJay-Z’s DJ, legendary sound engineer and producer to the stars Young Guru and drummer child prodigy extraordinaire Tony Royster Jr will be making tracks Down Under this month. For the fi rst time ever, the aural talents of two of the most respected folk in their fi elds will merge to elevate the collaboration between live instruments and their pre-recorded counterparts. The performance locations are secret, but you can fi nd the venue details by following facebook.com/AddedFlavaAudioLabs.

HONEY BADGERSBuilt from members of The Hondas, Master Gunfi ghters and Euphoriacs, Honey Badgers have in their short lifespan built themselves a formidable reputation as one of the city’s most engaging live acts. A combination of sickly sweet hooks and belligerent drum and guitar squalls, Honey Badgers are equal parts rock'n'roll vigour, unapologetic emotion and infantile playfulness. They’re currently recording their debut EP which is going to be shit. Get yer hands out yer pockets and come get slapped around a bit when they play at The B.East on Friday March 22 with support from Wakefi eld. 9pm, free entry.

THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRAA band with 17 members doesn’t get out that often, so when there’s a show at Melbourne’s most eccentric venue, The LuWow with the full afro-beat experience, it’s one not to be missed. The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra are playing on Good Friday Eve (Thursday March 28), with two sets of dancefl oor-fi lling afro-funk grooves, served with a side of tropical cocktails. These guys recently released a new single entitled The System and are hard at work on material for their sophomore album.

SUNSET BLUSHThe purple ghost of the local scene, Sunset Blush has been slammin’ and scammin’ it for a while now. For their show at 303 in Northcote on Sunday April 7, Sunset Blush team up with The Antoinetts, who’ve also been stylishly blowing the roof off garages around town, Eva McGowan, and Jimmy Daniels, who croons the way Ray Charles taught him. End your week with right.

THE REV FLOOD RELIEF SHOWThe Reverence Hotel is hosting a benefi t show on Saturday March 23 with all proceeds going to Australian Red Cross’ QLD Flood Relief Appeal. Doors open at 8pm, and no pre-sale tickets so get down early for crusty Footscray scoundrels Scrayfi sh, mighty trash rockers Spew ‘N’ Guts, unpredictably awesome hardcore newcomers Kodiak Throat, Australian punk juggernaut Wolfpack and the rad metal, HC, thrash crazy-crew, fresh from tearing it up at Soundwave in Melbourne Party Vibez. It’s only $10.

THE SIDESHOW BRIDESOriginally from a little known town in the Hunter Valley, NSW, sisters Layla and Rhianna Fibbins are appearing at The Retreat Hotel’s sweet back beer garden on Saturday March 23. Their haunting harmonies and ensnaring melodies uniquely blended with a mix of country/folk carry tales of the reckless abandon of drinking whiskey while still in your fl oral Sunday dress. They’ll be there from 4pm so head on down early for some quality music and a beer or two.

DEMON HUNTERDemon Hunter can be described as a band with a vision and unstoppable artistic talent that breaks past the boundaries of a traditional rock band to become something of incalculable value. They’ll be bringing their music to The Evelyn Hotel on Saturday March 30 at 8pm alongside aggressively promising metal-core band I The Breather for the fi rst time in Australia.

NEBRASKATAKNebraskatak aren’t your everyday happy-go-lucky indie pop band. Their songs are the weapons against every past heartbreak, the shields against future ones and the rose petals on lovers’ bedspreads on Valentine’s Day. Oh and also, they’re just really fun to dance to. Like most bands, mutual friends and a touch of fate brought them together, but a shared adoration for boogie-able bangers and the song Complicated by Avril Lavigne kept them together and creating the angriest, sweetest, grooviest indie pop music Melbourne has to off er. They are as excited as year 12s on the fi rst day of schoolies to announce that they will be launching their very fi rst EP at The Evelyn Hotel on Friday March 22, with support from Oh Pep!, Young Maverick and The Darjeelings. Make sure you’re wearing your dancing pants – it’s going to be huge.

THE PIERCE BROTHERSAfter a hectic January playing shows with the likes of The Beards, Ash Grunwald and Bonjah, Melbourne-based twins The Pierce Brothers are set to launch the release of their new EP Blind Boys Run at The Evelyn Hotel on Thursday March 21. With a trip to Europe on the cards this will be one of the last chances to catch The Pierce Brothers in a Melbourne headline set for a long time, don’t miss it.

VAN & CAL WALKERVan & Cal Walker have been plugging away now for such a long time just trying to get Melbournians to realise that being bearded lumberjack-looking Tasmanians with fl at caps is a really cool look and they despair their anti-fashion stance will never catch on. If you want to join them, it really is as easy as not shaving and asking your rich parents to buy you designer fl annelette. Banjos and mandolins are optional, looking like a two-headed hillbilly is essential. Head out and try your new look in good company Sunday March 24 when Van and Cal play The Retreat Hotel beer garden stage from 4pm. Free entry.

KLARA ZUBONJAKlara Zubonja is a progressive singer/songwriter whose music is driven by spontaneous and energetic passion. Her voice conveys both sweetness and strength within the same breath. Known for her extensive range of expressive colour, her concise song structures play host to her vocal theatrics, her provocative lyrics and her naïve and minimalist keyboard vamps. Klara performs at The B.East on Thursday March 21 from 9pm. Free entry.

HOLLOW EVERDAZEThis Thursday at Bar Open sees four artists coming together for a night of noise-pop, post-punk and poignancy. Created in 2007, quartet Hollow Everdaze project a sound echoing feelings of ruralism and original ambitions. Fresh from their Selfi sh single launch at The Toff , this rising band is not to be missed. The Primary make noisy post-punk both beautiful and confronting, and are drumming up quite the buzz around town with their intense live performances and unique mixture of sounds oozing fury and atmosphere. Tangrams are newcomers existing somewhere in the space between Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, playing self-described “goth-tinged reverb-drenched noir rock”. Lastly, Ollie Jach (The Mansion, Alaska) is a keys player stepping out into the centre stage with his beautiful, vulnerable and intimate songs that have to be seen and heard to be believed. Catch these four acts at Bar Open on Thursday March 21. Doors at 8pm, free entry.

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SLEEP PARADE & THE SIREN TOWERLocal fi ve-piece and all round legends Sleep Parade are launching the fi rst single from their forthcoming album Dancing With The Enemy at The Northcote Social Club on Friday March 29. Joining them as co-headliners are Perth quartet The Siren Tower, who are returning to Melbourne off the back of rave reviews of their debut album A History Of Houses. This will be The Siren Tower’s only show in Victoria – so don’t miss it. Support will be provided by LeBelle and Hotel On Mayfair with tickets only $12 at the door.

ACOUSTIC SHOWCASEPaddington Entertainment is set to present another popular acoustic showcase on Sunday March 24. They’ve got seven talented artists on the bill, with genres ranging from blues and folk to soul and rock. Head on down to The Bendigo Hotel to check them out, doors open at 5.30pm.

CASTLEMAINE FRINGE FESTIVALCastlemaine Fringe Festival Music is 21 years young. This year will be brighter and bouncier than ever – and even more unruly. The musical lineup includes Deniz Tek, DD Dumbo, Laura Lee Williams, Mood Swing, Old King Cols and jamming acts almost every night at Caspa, which is the home of the Fringe Festival. It’s on until Sunday March 24. All information is at castlemainefringe.org.au.

MILES BROWNFor a night of synth, noise and ambience be sure to check out the awesome foursome of cool dudes playing The Gasometer Hotel on Saturday March 23. Miles Brown of The Night Terrors will bring his melancholic dance party concoction, Tim Coster will envelop you with deep synth minimalism, Glass Bricks will destroy your mind with a swirl of sound mayhem and Satyrs will make sure you remember that the devil is real and currently living in Brunswick. Entry is $8, doors open at 8pm.

THE SINKING TEETHStarting off the year with a hard-hitting agenda, The Sinking Teeth headline The Tote Hotel on Thursday March 21. After storming into Melbourne’s music scene last year, the band continues to produce their punk, alt-rock styled performances and sounds. Ivy St follow with their ‘70s-esque post-punk grunge noises and intense live shows. Opening up the night are Seesaw, a drum and bass duo that create minimal textures of pure bliss, their aggressive drums and snarling bass lines create a post–punk shamble of sounds.

CARRIE PHILLIS & THE DOWNTOWN 3Carrie of The Booby Traps teams up with Johnny Casino, Craig Jackson and Scott Nash to deliver formidable rock’n’roll outfi t, Carrie Phillis & The Downtown 3. They will be heading to Melbourne for a couple of shows to launch their debut EP Spend It With You. Catch them live Friday March 22 at Off The Hip Records in-store party with The Ears And The Spasms, then on Saturday March 23 at The Old Bar with Sun God Replica & The Mockingbird.

THE INFANTSThe Infants are a new band in town. They’ve already played a bunch of gigs (including support for Thee Oh Sees) and they’re getting through March with a Wednesday night residency at The Old Bar. For this Melbourne four-piece, off kilter is on point. Somewhere between drag races and Sunday drives, The Infants spew visceral vignettes and romantic recreations. Blaise Adamson (vocals/keys) skips from yelps to whispers telling aff ecting fl ashbulb memories while instrumentally the rest of The Infants, Chris and Anthony Morse (bass/guitar) and Jack Normoyle (drums), bend luxurious and persuasive into harrowing and heady.

ROCK AND POP CULTURE TRIVIAMelbourne’s best trivia night has found a new home at The B.East. Triple R’s Jess McGuire and Shock Record’s George H. will present their iconic rock and pop culture trivia nights every Tuesday at The B.East from 8pm, a wicked celebration of all that useless information gathered from fi lm, TV and music delivered in a relaxed three round format with loads of alcoholic prizes to give away.

ANIMAUXIt’s no secret that Melbourne pop favourites Animaux can’t get enough of The Evelyn Hotel, so it’s no surprise that they’re putting on another of their infamous residencies at their favourite venue this March. With a massive 2013 already lined up, including appearances at St Kilda Festival and The Hills Are Alive, you’d be crazy not to get down to the Ev every Wednesday in March to catch Animaux in action. Being joined by special guests each week, including El Moth and I Know The Chief, every show will be a guaranteed party. Kicks off each week at 8.30pm.

THE WILLIE WAGTAILS& MANNY FOXReturning from Britain with a suitcase full of new tunes and a debut album due for release mid year, Manny Fox is once again joining forces with The Willie Wagtails. Two horn wielding, foot stomping bands, harmony singing, cheeky lyric bearing bands will make for one hell of an evening. The Great Britain Hotel is where it’s at on Saturday March 23, 9pm




60 SECONDS WITH… THE COUNT WITH…

MANNY FOX CROOKED SAINT

Defi ne your genre in fi ve words or less:Pop-dance-R&B-experiments.What can a punter expect from your live show?Punters will dance even if they don’t know how, punters will be tempted to sing along from time to time by Dave, Piers and Eva’s silky doo-wop backup vocals and punters will take a lyrical tidbit, maybe a scene or a character described in a song, and put it in their pockets for later.When’s the gig and with who?We are launching The Do It Quick single at The Workers Club, a matinee show on Sunday March 24 with The Royal Jelly Dixieland Band and Hello Satellites. Doors 1.30pm, $10 entry. The full album was produced by Nick Huggins and will be released in July.Where can I get the single?Do It Quick is available now for free download on the wide world web at mannyfox.com.au The song is about two teenage shoplifting sweethearts. The boy has bragged for sometime to his girlfriend about his competence as a thief, but when the chance comes to impress he becomes incredibly nervous, stuff s it all up and is caught. He thinks that all is lost until, languishing at the police stati on, he musters the courage to steal a policeman’s cigarettes and returns to his beloved a hero. Later he kisses her and can taste the Sergeant’s cigarettes on her breath.What’s your favourite song, and why?I can never choose just one, it hurts too much. Here are four in brief. Countdown by Beyonce. The hooks, the horns, ah! Building A Wall by Hello Satellites. Instant pop classic. And they built a thongaphone specifi cally for this song. Beaten Metal by Antibalas. Hold onto your hats ladies and gentleman. Tough. They lift the sky, shake the ground and move the trees. Don’t get me started. Other People by Beach House. Sweet, sweet melodies.If you could go on tour with any musician or band, who would it be?Beyonce or Antibalas, either would be fi ne.

Name/Band: Crooked SaintTen bands everyone should know about:The Demon Parade, Ashleigh Mannix, Dirt Farmer, Jimmy Hawke & The Endless Party, Kingswood, Little Feat, Stealers Wheel, The Raconteurs, The Hello Morning and Immigrant Union. Nine food items that you need to make a kickarse dinner party:Nine kinds of sausage. I just love sausage! Eight possessions that defi ne you:It’s what you ‘don’t’ have that defi nes you.Seven favourite movies/TV shows that go on your mix-tape: Papillion, A Mighty Wind, Seinfeld, Braquo, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Saturday Night Live and The Last Waltz. Six bad habits you can’t escape: Smoking, drinking, being awesome, sarcasm, saying ‘sweet’, and laughing at my own jokes.Five people who inspire you: Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko. Four things that turn you on: Sweat, lace, tattoos and questionnaires. I love combining them. Two live gigs you’ll never forget and why: Ian Browne at The Forum – because hearing damage is permanent. The Darkness at The Corner – fan or not, it was quite a spectacle. One day left before the apocalypse and you…: Write the song that would have gone on to defi ne a generation.When’s the gig/release? Friday March 22 at Ding Dong Lounge with Winter Moon and White Summer.

THE BACKYARD JOBThe Backyard Job have released their debut album. From gangster grime straight outta Brooklyn to vocals that you would only expect from an angel, this guitar riff driven, bass pounding, world music infused LP has got everything. The high-energy release includes special guests from all over the globe. Featuring Necro, Natalie Gauci, Buray Hoshsoz, MC Harzee, Eltio and more, this disk has got something for everyone. The album was produced entirely in their backyard studio, which shines through in its sound. With its rough exterior and contrasting musicality, the self-titled album is sure to get you m oving.

LOVE OF DIAGRAMSLove Of Diagrams have returned from snowy Chicago where they recorded a new album in two weeks with revered engineer Steve Albini. To celebrate, they’re playing at The Tote on Saturday March 23 with supports Zond and Eastlink. Head down and get acquainted with the new songs before the album comes out.

STOMP DOGStomp Dog bring a dirty rawness to their mix of dark country folk, lively bush yarns and haunting murder ballads. A Stomp Dog show takes the audience on a wild ride with songs that run at a frenetic pace that threatens to go off the rails at any moment, followed by tunes based in a deep melancholia, urging the listener closer. Bring your dancing shoes, a shoulder to cry on, and money for beer this Saturday night at The Drunken Poet from 9pm.

GRAND PRISMATICAfter a bumper 2012 promoting their debut LP Birds & Beasts, Grand Prismatic return in 2013 with new material, a fresh attitude, and the same clothes. To mark the occasion, the band will play every Saturday arvo during March in The Tote front bar from 5pm ‘til 7pm, culminating in the launch of their current double A-side Smoke That Thunders/Soul Rip. With support this week coming from Velcro, you’d outta be there and be square.

THE HUNTING SEASONFresh from the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, up-and-coming folk rock band The Hunting Season are bringing their fresh and energetic melodies to Cherry Bar on Sunday March 25. They’ll be accompanied by Singles and Mitch Rainey, plus the Cherry DJs until 3am. Doors open from 2pm, free entry.

DORKUS MALORKUSDorkus Malorkus sings about hurt feelings and awkwardly expressed hearts. Dorkus supplies heart-on-sleeve, guts-on-fl oor lyrically-driven pop that’s good for both cuddling and raging. Joint headlining the night is Jack Goodlet, who attempts to explain himself through songs that shift between frail fi nger picking and clenched hand brutality, from whispers to screams to some sort of croaking sound. Dorkus and Jack perform at Bar Open on Sunday March 24. Doors at 10pm, free entry.

ESCESC sound a lot like a Flying Nun love child who lives between the split homes of Thom Yorke and Joy Division. Head on down to The Evelyn Hotel every Monday in March to see ESC supported by the likes of Scot Drakula, Straw King Eye, Flyying Colours. Plus, there’s a special treat of the launch of the video clip for their single on the fi nal night. Doors open at 8pm.

THE ONE DAY PROJECTSome of Melbourne’s most well-known rock and metal musicians have banded together for the ‘One Day Project’ to raise awareness and funds for Autism Spectrum Disorder at a benefi t gig at The Evelyn on Sunday March 31. The One Day Project is a committee of devoted music maniacs that want to give back to the community by producing benefi t events to celebrate and make aware of the people that are less fortunate. The benefi t show at The Evelyn features a stellar lineup of some of Melbourne’s heavy, hard and best. Jay Dunne, singer and frontman of 28 Days has just been confi rmed as the MC for the night, and Jeff Martin of The Tea Party has also lent his support to the project donating some signed drum skins for auction from his most recent gig. The night will also see performances from King Parrot, Heaven The Axe, Bronson, Don Fernando, Wolfpack and The Charge, plus DVD launches of Frankenbok and Dreadnaught. All funds raised from this event will go to Amaze, who help people and families in the Autism Spectrum with raising awareness and support. Tickets are $22+bf via moshtix.com.au. In the meantime, go and check out Amaze at amaze.org.au.

METROPOLIS NEW MUSIC FESTIVALWith his provocative mix of sonic magic, British composer, DJ and producer Matthew Herbert is Creative Director the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, has scored many fi lm, dance and theatre projects and has opened Björk’s acclaimed live show at the Hollywood Bowl. Now, he presents three special works for the Metropolis New Music Festival, plus a soon-to-be announced DJ set. On Monday April 8 will be Herbert’s world premiere of Made Of Music, a work commissioned by Melbourne Recital Centre themselves, that will bring the exquisite, world-class space of Elizabeth Murdoch Hall to life. Then on Friday April 12 is The End Of Silence, Herbert’s improvised soundscape devised from a ten-second recording of war photographer Sebastien Meyer being bombed by a Gadaffi war plane in Libya in 2011. His third work is the controversial One Pig, on Saturday April 13, which tells the life story of a pig from birth to dinner plate. Metropolis New Music Festival has announced a special off er, allowing people to purchase tickets to all three of Matthew Herbert’s concerts for the price of two. The deal is priced at $50, saving $25, and bookings can be made via tickets.melbournerecital.com.au. The Metropolis New Music Festival 2013 is a boundary-pushing, thought-provoking series of concerts, talks and DJ sets devoted to the exploration of new music, all located at the Melbourne Recital Centre, held from April 8 ‘til April 20.

MARK SEYMOURMark Seymour will be performing live on stage with an acoustic trio set playing all of his greatest hits. Mark Seymour performs at The Hawthorn on Friday May 31, with the show starting at 8pm. Tickets are $25 via trybooking.com.

GEORGI KAYGeorgi Kay is a 19-year-old artist from Perth. At the age of ten, the left-handed Georgi taught herself to play her dad’s electric guitar upside down, listening to his diverse range of music from Bruce Springsteen to The Verve, and Arctic Monkeys to Michael Jackson. Jump forward a few years and at 17, Georgi won the Song Of The Year WAMi for Breakfast in Bedlam. Having just supported Alpine on their national tour, Georgi plays at Yah Yah’s on Thursday March 21. Doors at 8pm, $10 entry.

STEVIE PAIGE BANDStevie Paige is widely regarded as one of the best soul/blues voices anywhere in the world, with a guitar style that has been described as completely unique. This graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts, “Chain” and Victorian/Tasmanian award winner now heads up one of the fi nest bands you will ever hear. The stellar rhythm section, Robbie Little on Bass and Mark Kennedy on Drums. The knockout horns of Jeff Mead on Sax and Tom Jovanovic on Trumpet, and Hammond maestro Kim Kelaart. The Stevie Paige Band are a fi rst class act not to be missed. They play the Famous Spiegeltent on Saturday March 23 from 7pm.

THE VON EHRICSTexan misfi ts The Von Ehrics were formed in 2000 with a mission. They wanted to combine the infl uences of the country and gospel music on which they were raised with the punk and metal records they found as rebellious teenagers to create a wholly diff erent sound. You can experience this awesome combination at Cherry Bar on Friday March 22. Doors open at 5pm. $15 entry.




FIRE BEHAVING AS AIRHaunting female vocals submerged in drawn-out atmospheric soundscapes. Melbourne’s own Fire Behaving As Air create bittersweet dream-pop and textured psychedelic noise rock and will be celebrating the offi cially release of their debut EP Desire on Friday March 22 at The Grace Darling Hotel, alongside the wall-of-sound shoegaze of The Quivers and the neo-psychedelic drone’n’roll of The Citradels. Fire Behaving As Air’s release will be available for purchase at The Grace Darling or as a download from their Bandcamp page.

MANNY FOXPop soaks through Manny Fox’s tunes like oil in a chip bag, with styles older than suburban footy clubs: folk, ragtime, R&B and a foot tapping fi rmly in the experimental. You’ll fi nd equal space to brood, ponder or let your body relinquish control. Having collaborated with producer Nick Huggins, Melbourne band Manny Fox will be releasing their debut full length album in July. The fi rst single, Do It Quick, which is the band’s fi rst release since their debut EP Back Fence in 2009, will be launched on Sunday March 24 at a matinee show at The Workers Club featuring special guests The Royal Jelly Dixieland Band. Doors at 1.30pm, $10.

LUCKY COQ SUNDAY BLUES SESSIONLucky Coq are hosting a free blues roof session with a free barbeque every Sunday in March. This weekend and next sees Zevon And The Werewolves Of Melbourne hit the infamous rooftop for some Sunday jamming. It kicks off at 4pm.

CATHOUSE CANARYAfter a heady, awesomely successful 2012 saw the sold-out release of their debut EP at The Northcote Social Club and a string of following gigs, Cathouse Canary are doing one last show before buckling down and holing up to work on an album release. The band will be playing The Bendigo Hotel tonight alongside Felicity Anne, VELA and Bear The Mammoth.

CRAIG WOODWORDCraig Woodward (ex-Headbelly Buzzard among others) brings his weekly ol’ timey music jam session to The Victoria Hotel. BYO instrument or just hang out and enjoy the music in the beer garden. Every Saturday afternoon from 4.30pm.

DRUNK MUMSDrunk Mums have a Wednesday residency at Cherry Bar this month, receiving permission to unleash indie-rock over the venue all the way through March. Doors at 7pm, free entry, Cherry DJs ‘til 3am.

DARYL BRAITHWAITEDaryl Braithwaite, one of Australia’s rock legends, is performing live at The Hawthorn on Friday April 19. Daryl Braithwaite has been captivating crowds for over 30 years and this show will be no diff erent. With a full fi ve-piece band this event will be one not to miss. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased via trybooking.com.

THE REPROBETTESAll-girl garage growlers The Reprobettes are on the loose and out to get every thrill they can beg, buy or steal. Their irresistible girl power combined with their undeniable talent and infectious sound make for a truly sick performance. The Reprobettes will be joined by The Bluebottles when they perform at The Victoria Hotel on Friday March 22 from 10pm.

FULL UGLYThere’s a lot of damn good pop music springing up around Melbourne at the moment but few do it as well as Full Ugly. Led by Nathan Burgess (Love Connection) these guys drop heart-breakers/melters like no one’s business. They take over The Gasometer every Wednesday in March with free shows and an awesome deal where the pub turns into something like an RSL with free pool, free pinball and a $2 raffl e with rad prizes including free jugs and food. Nuts.

SEAN SIMMONSFollowing The Spoils’ sold performance of The Velvet Underground & Nico as part of Pure Pop’s Summer of Classic Albums Series, Sean Simmons goes out solo this Wednesday March 20 at The Standard Hotel, playing Spoils’ big hits as well as the odd experimentation and possibly even a Velvets song or two.

THE DANCE HALL RACKETEERSThe Brunswick Music Festival, in association with Hip Hillbilly Enterprises, celebrates 25 years with the Big Ball in Brunswick; a Western swing and old-timey country roots spectacular starring local kings of western swing The Dance Hall Racketeers plus an exclusive appearance by old time country music masters The Baylor Brothers. Don’t miss this, get tickets at brunswickmusicfestival.com.au for Sunday March 24 at The Spotted Mallard.

LE BLANC BROS CAJUN BANDA fi ne tribute to the music and culture of the French speaking Cajuns, Le Blanc Bros Cajun Band play the traditional music of southern Louisiana. Waltzes, two-steps and Creole blues are authentically performed with energy and style. They play on Sunday March 24 at The Old Bar. Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

THE PHYCHOTIC TURNBUCKLESRampaging rulers of the rock world The Psychotic Turnbuckles will be smashing Cherry Bar on Saturday March 23, followed by Little Murders and The Kave-Inns. The guys have an awesome night lined up, plus DJ Mermaid will be pumping the beats until 5am so there’s no excuse for an early night. Doors open 5pm, $20 entry.

THE MOCKINGBIRDSThe Mockingbirds will be crooning their sweet country melodies at The Victoria Hotel this Sunday March 24. Head down at 5pm to kick off the perfect Sunday session in style.

LARRY MALUMAOn the back of launching his new album Bakaindi (Ancestors), local legend Larry Maluma has been announced as the support for Beat cover star Jimmy Cliff at the Corner Hotel on Wednesday March 27. Tickets are from the venue and venue box offi ce.

STORMING VEGASHailing from West Melbourne suburbia, high energy rock band and AC/DC-inspired Storming Vegas will be teaming up with The Balls and Selenium at The Bendigo Hotel on Thursday March 21. Their music consists of screaming solos, pounding bass and crashing drums all set to fast and heavy rock’n’roll riff s which are sure to shake the venue to the core.

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AIRIT NOW CHARTS1. How To See Through Fog THE DRONES2. Rescue MAMA KIN3. Phil Collins BIG SCARY4. Freo JOSEPH TAWADROS5. Dirty Hercules NGAIIRE6. Summer Rain SIMONE AND GIRLFUNKLE7. Alstroemeria J.ROJAS8. Someone Else STORMCHASERS9. Walk of Shame CLAIRY BROWNE & THE BANGIN’ RACKETTES10. The System THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA

OFF THE HIP1. Spend It With You 12” CARRIE PHILLIS &DT32. Girls In The Garage (LP)_ VARIOUS3. Tales From The Beyond LP LA BASTARD4. Break It All (LP) LOS SHAKERS5. I Am Who I Am (CD) JOHNNY CASINO6. Bazooka (LP) SHOES7. Runaways (CD) SALMON & JONES8. Relics (LP) DMZ9. Royal Headache (LP) ROYAL HEADACHE10. Instore Party, Friday 7pm

WOOLY BULLY1. Housewives (7”) HOUSEWIVES2. Box Of Wine (7”) MEAT THUMP3. Ways Of Being (LP) RITES WILD4. Cut Sleeves (LP) BITS OF SHIT5. Autonomy & Deliberation (LP) UV RACE6. Premonitions (7”) COPS7. Silver & Gold (7”) SOUTHERN COMFORT8. Just Deserts (LP) EL JESUS DE MAGICO9. Regeneration Report (LP) SEDITION ENSEMBLE10. None Left (7”) RAW PRAWN

3RRR SOUNDSCAPE1. Mala DEVENDRA BANHART 2. Pale Green Ghosts JOHN GRANT 3. Malabar SONGS4. The Next Day DAVID BOWIE5. The Ash And Clay THE MILK CARTON KIDS6. Letherette LETHERETTE7. Water On Mars PURLING HISS8. The Middle Way LOW9. Woman RHYE10. Relativity 3 LEMAITRE

COLLECTORS CORNERMISSING LINK1. Dance To A Dangerous Beat (LP) INFORMATICS2. Deutsche Elektronische Musik Vol.2 (2LP)VARIOUS3. Split 7” SEWERCIDE / RANDOMORDER4. Bruise Cruise split 7” THEE OH SEES/QUINTRON5. I See Seaweed (CD) THE DRONES6. Vexovoid (CD) PORTAL7. Chelsea Light moving (LP/CD) CHELSEA LIGHT MOVING8. OK Computer (2LP) RADIOHEAD9. Until the Light Takes Us (DVD)10. The Next Day (CD) DAVID BOWIE

SYN SWEET 16 1. I See Seaweed THE DRONES2. Anxiety AUTRE NE VUET3. Love Is Lost DAVID BOWIE4. WHOA EARL SWEATSHIRT5. Second To None ALL THE COLOURS6. Worn ATOLLS7. Stella TELLING8. Closer To The Sun YON YONSON9. Spend It With You CARRIE PHILLIS & THE DOWNTOWN 310. A Violent Sky APPARAT

BEAT’S TOP TEN SONGS ABOUT CLARITY1. Clear Spirits LES SAVY FAV2. Clairity MAC MILLER3. Crystal Clear - YOUNG GUNS4. One Vision QUEEN5. Clear Island LIARS6. Eyes Open WOLFMOTHER7. The Greatest View SILVERCHAIR8. Clarity JOHN MAYER9. Do You See What I See HUNTERS AND COLLECTORS10. I Can See Clearly Now JIMMY CLIFF

I’m not angry. This is my thinking face.

DRAPHT FEAT. SUFFA Salute (Sony)Drapht’s new single is whomping and fresh, with a coy, swinging guest part by The Hilltop Hood’s Suff a. Big slurs of bass and shuddering sci-fi samples come together in a meaty, stadium worthy sound.

FRACTURES Twisted (Independent)Melbourne artist Fractures (aka Mark Zito) blends pre-fab beats, crooning vocals and layers of synth samples to promising eff ect on Twisted. This soul-heavy electro-pop tune is reminiscent of Gotye, Thom Yorke and Chet Faker – with dense composition and a deft tension between sound and feeling.

STORNOWAY Knock Me On The Head (4AD/Remote Control)Knock Me On The Head is the alarmingly upbeat lead single from Stornoway’s second album, Tales From Terra Firma. In abandoning their folksy sweetness and light, the band has gone very weirdly astray. The tune has shades of up-tempo Belle & Sebastian, but it is bouncy in a terribly naff way. Points for their kaleidoscopic, organ-fuelled ambition, but I don’t think it works.

CHARLES BABYHappy Aff air (With A Terrible Consequence)(Independent)Melbourne’s Charles Baby has a strained, quavering voice that takes some getting used to, but the melody of Happy Aff air carries you along until you fi nd your feet. With a tripping banjo, a barely-there rhythm section and a few carefully placed whistles, the song is sweet and earnest. And ultimately, Charles’ voice becomes a distinctive and memorable thing, his thoughtful lyrics falling gracefully from his tongue.

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Prancer (Party Smasher Inc/Remote Control)So I’m cueing this one up thinking, how is it I know the name Dillinger Escape Plan but I don’t know their music? And lo, the answer comes screaming into my ear brain. This extremely aggravating metal tune might be awesome, I have no idea, because I have made it my business to ignore aggravating metal and all of its relative qualities. I can tell you that this tune in particular has a really fast bit about two thirds of the way through which sounds like they are a) trying to bully you into Satan’s army and b) telling you that it doesn’t matter if you join Satan’s army since regardless you are going to burn in hell. I don’t want to be too judge-y but if you like this you probably have emotional and social issues and you might want to buy yourself a pet turtle or something.

DAVID BOWIEThe Next Day (Sony)

David Bowie’s always at his best when he’s fucking with your idea of who David Bowie is. He achieves that on The Next Day by shattering the idea that he’s a 66-year-old dude making his fi rst album in ten years. It’s no mistake that the cover features a defacing of the artwork for Heroes – this album could fi t in very neatly between Heroes and Scary Monsters, with little teases and hints here and there which recall moments from 1.Outside, Heathen, Tin Machine II, Station To Station and Let’s Dance. But perhaps the most overt ode to the Bowie of old is You Feel So Lonely You Could Die, which sounds suspiciously like a long-lost track from the Ziggy Stardust sessions, before confi rming your sense of ‘this sounds familiar’ by ending with the lonesome drum beat from Five Years.But once you get over the slight ‘this sounds a little like something that would fi t on that album’ feeling, you can appreciate The Next Day on its own merits. And when you do that, you’re going to fi nd Bowie’s most consistent album since the ‘70s. It’s generally a hard-rocking set (The Next Day, The Stars (Are Out Tonight), You Will Set The World On Fire), scattered with a few psychedelic detours (Valentine’s Day, I’d Rather Be High), a brief foray into Heathen-style moody balladry (the sentimental single Where Are We Now, which is in no way representative of the rest of the album) and ‘70s-like experimentalism (If You Can See Me, Heat). One of the biggest surprises is Dirty Boys, which comes across as part Tom Waits, part Nick Cave, part The Doors and yet all Bowie.Make sure you pony up for the Deluxe Edition, which includes three further songs. I hesitate to use the term ‘extra songs’ because these aren’t throwaway tracks chucked in to pad out the running time – they really fi t within the fl ow and feel of the album, and the third of these

three additional tracks, I’ll Take You There, is one of the fi nest of the entire album, a dirty rocker beamed straight from the same universe as Diamond Dogs.It’s too early to speculate on whether The Next Day will be Bowie’s last album – if he’ll take off again after this, or if he’ll return, reenergised, to the world of ongoing musical creation. And for now those questions just don’t matter. All that matters, all that’s real, is that with The Next Day David Bowie has made an album that sits in the upper regions of great Bowie albums.

PETER HODGSON

Best Track: I’d Rather Be HighIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: PIXIES, MINI MANSIONS, ‘70s BOWIEIn A Word: Perfect

TOP TENS

SINGLES BY SIMONE

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

SINGLE OF THE WEEKBIG BLACK DELTA Side Of The Road (One Love Recordings)This delightfully squelchy tune pumps and punches and rocks from the hips. It comes from LA-based musician Jonathan Bates of Mellowdrone and it takes synth rock in a happy new direction – one where melody and style roll in riotous, sexy union.

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CITY AND COLOUR Of Space And Time (Dine Alone)The Alexisonfi re frontman has a fourth solo album due out this year, and this milky single to precede it. The softest of soft rock, Of Space And Time is a dirge of a song with a high, lilting chorus which in certain to melt the heart of many an X Factor watching tweenage idiot.

ATOLLS Worn (Independent)This grimy little bitch of a tune comes courtesy of Melbourne‘s Atolls, an on-the-up trio (including Lucas Skinner of King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard) who released their debut single late last year. The guitars are a mess of fuzz, the melody is a grating low rider and Lucas sings like a real snake-charming low life. Excellent.

IGGY AND THE STOOGES Burn (Fat Possum/Warner)Forty years after the fi rst Iggy and the Stooges record, a follow up is on the way, heralded by this garage punk monster. The drums slap, the guitars squiggle and Iggy leads the troupes with a vaguely psychedelic air. It’s a bit silly, and defi nitely has the air of recycled genius about it, but it could be a whole lot worse. It’s plenty noisy.

PARAMORE Still Into You (Atlantic/Warner)The fi rst track from Paramore’s long-awaited sophomore album has a Fall Out Boy fl avour, say if Fall Out Boy were fronted by Katy Perry. This in my book is a ringing endorsement – it’s pure pop goodness with a healthy dose of guitars and a bit of a disco sheen. Plus if you were wondering just how big Hayley Williams’ voice can get, here’s your answer. American Idol big. Also an endorsement – I love American Idol.

SOLKYRI Hunter (Independent)Solkyri is a Sydney-based post-rock three piece that cites Mogwai and Sigur Rós and infl uences. Hunter is a sturdy attempt to mimic the chest-melting instrumental dynamics of those bands, but they just don’t get the atmosphere right. It’s all chugging guitar noise and slapping drums, with no sense of subtlety or intimacy.

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Best Track: White LeavesIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: SNOW PATROL, TRAVIS, OASISIn A Word: Delicate

BIRDS OF TOKYOMarch Fires (EMI)

Lead singer Ian Kenny’s two bands, already quite distinctive from each other, are taking even more divergent paths lately. As Karnivool get deeper, darker, heavier and more progressive (by all accounts their new record is shaping up this way), Birds Of Tokyo become more mellow and peaceful. At the end of the day music is all about mood. Whereas Karnivool are a band to completely immerse yourself in, March Fires is music to chill out to, maybe with a beer, a few mates and the back porch on a warm day, when you don’t want anything too intrusive. The songs are eminently catchy, and barely get out of second gear, aurally or tempo-wise. Every track is a serene anthem.

This album is closer to Coldplay than Karnivool.The funny thing about Kenny is that his voices sooths you no matter which of his two bands he is fronting at the time, and he is in fi ne fettle on this record. There’s virtually no up tempo rock on this album, unlike their Universes album of 2008. Their self-titled third record of 2010 hinted at a more sedate direction, and that has come to full fruition on March

Fires. More mainstream awards beckon for this, a most accessible of alternative rock bands.

ROD WHITFIELD

ALBUMS FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO BEAT.COM.AU/REVIEWS

Best Track: All The Great LakesIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: AIR, ANNA TERNHEIM, MY BRIGHTEST DIAMONDIn A Word: Sapient

BRIGHTER LATER The Wolves (Independent)

This really doesn’t sound like a debut album and it really doesn’t sound self-produced either. The unhurried beauty of The Wolves is primarily the work of Jaye Kranz, an Australian who spent a lot of time in the States composing the tracks and then, after moving back to her native Oz, worked with bass player Virginia Bott to record the release.It begins with All The World, which features the growl of too-low Hammond, that Bossa Nova beat you get on old organs complete with the wood stick clicks, tumbling mandolin that sounds like the romantic stuff you’re supposed to have played to you while you sit in a gondola, and sweet fuzzy guitar. All the little accidents are preserved.

Kranz’s vocals are simple with a country twang and their precision really complements the nebulous elements of the music.First single The Woods has a great syncopated chorus which sounds like trekking through trees with its quietly thumping bass drum and the little keyboard licks are kind of like the dreamy stuff which French legends Air produced for The Virgin Suicides soundtrack.All The Great Lakes features leslie-wobbling chords, chimes and delicately plucked electric guitar and has something distinctly spiritual about it (now would be a good time to reveal that the whole thing was recorded in The Chalk Horse, a converted church in Melbourne’s suburb of Yarraville). Come And Go is the second single and begins with acoustic guitar and Kranz’s voice piercing through the echo in its doubled glory. Satellite does something weird to your brain when its quietly percussive scratching on the neck of a guitar sifts along beside lush keys, and fi nale Holy Water is as intimate and heart-punchingly great as some of Stina Nordenstam’s best.Despite all the analogies I’ve just made, The Wolves consistently drops little gems of composition and sound that

are quite new. This release is considered, beautifully arranged, expertly played and very exciting for a debut. Look out.

ZOË RADAS

Best Track: Sail To The SunIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: BEACH HOUSE, crippling manic depression.In A Word: Fuzzy

WAVVESAfraid Of Heights (Pod/ Inertia)

Professional, polished and paranoid, Wavves have returned with a beautiful record of mistrust and obsession. Afraid Of Heights has a lot less space and air than their previous record King Of The Beach. It might be a sunny day but if the curtains are drawn how would you know?Sail To The Sun opens the disc, it’s a Saints era sounding pop-punk and a shining example of what this record does best, surprisingly reminiscent of what Ash did best. Lunge Fwd surges seamlessly in from Mystic, a pound track with soaring chorus. I imagine Dog, (“still I’ll be your dog”) to be a unrelated sequel to the Stooges I Wanna

Be Your Dog but with xylophone twinkling away, acoustic strumming and clear thumping Violent Femmes bass lines. The title track is grungier than most, in the Elastica sense of grunge, woos and all, with the albums continued sense of despair, “Woke up and found Jesus, I think must be drunk, I’ll always be on my own,” but shows clear growth in signwriting and atmosphere, with a full minute-worth of atmospheric outro winding down like the spring of pocket watch. Paranoid is a surprisingly upbeat, building into the most instantly likable track on the album, Cop, a fun poppy soundscape, lifting backing vocal and choir like lead vocals.I Can’t Dream fi nishes the album on a down note (although bonus track Hippies Is Punk feat Jenny Lewis appears on the end of my copy), a lament of sorts giving the narrative closure.Production from John Hill (M.I.A., Santigold, Nas and Wu-Tang) gives the material and the band the room and expertise

to really stand on their own.Spacey and addled, it plays perfectly as an album, a cohesive unit of songs ebbing and fl owing into one another.

JACK FRANKLIN

Best Track: To Keep Me WarmIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: LAMB, LONDON GRAMMAR, PORTISHEAD In A Word: Redolent

EMMA LOUISE Vs Head Vs Heart (Frenchkiss)

Emma Louise could have gone a couple of ways in the making of her debut album. As the opening spectral chords of Vs Head Vs Heart bled through the air I was worried that she’d gone the way of an ever more airy acousticness that would threaten to just wash her melodies away, but this is an very clever album which – although yes, it’s heavy on vocal chords and softly rippling guitar – manages to be thoughtful but still always pulsing with propulsion. It takes its time but utilises some fantastic electronic elements which ensure it’s always, always moving forward in some way.Atlas Eyes shows us Emma has further developed her ability to write weirdly stirring

and unexpected melodies and sing them with penetration which is admirable considering she never belts. Last year’s single Boy comes next and I think it’s had a little re-working, with these tiny plinks of guitar like acorns falling down, speckled through the chorus. It remains a great track.Stainache is kind of watered-down but Mirrors takes Emma’s music up into the league of London Grammar in its sensitivity and tiny little details. It’s also got this great synth line through it, and that mnemonic magic moves through into Freedom which is, quite frankly, fucking great. Along with Cages and Pontoon, it sounds like it belongs on Cliff Martinez’s soundtrack for the 2011 fi lm Drive. The whole thing winds up with To Keep Me Warm, a real beauty with echoing percussion and sweet electronic keys.Emma Louise has obviously paced herself with this release but taken advantage of everything that’s been off ered to

her in the last few short years. These songs will sound great with a full band or just with an acoustic guitar and Emma’s voice.

ZOË RADAS

POPSTRANGERS Antipodes (Spunk Records)

Just so you have a fancy new fact to throw at your friends, the Latin origin of the word ‘antipodes’ is that of ‘those who dwell on the opposite side of the Earth’. This grunge-fuelled noise pop trio is more than aware of the corner of the world they hail from, and Popstrangers aren’t making any apologies for it.Known for their energetic performances, the recorded counterpart is undeniably diff erent to the powerful in-person experience. While it’s always diffi cult to transfer the live energy of raw, distorted guitar clangs and hi-hat smashes, Popstrangers do seem to be missing something special on the LP. It’s not to say that the recordings are

bad in any way – just that their on-stage presence is a hard spectacle to top.With an unmistakable Kiwi drawl, Joel Flyger’s wails and murmurs are unabashed and unhurried on the record. The vocals on tracks such as Cats Eyes and 404 are reminiscent of a younger Kevin Shields, and the overall sound certainly harks to their Bloody predecessors. After all, it’s hard not to notice the sonic infl uences of seminal post-punk groups like The Cure and Pixies – those being solid foundations to build upon.While tracks like Witches Hand and Heaven are strong standouts, there are some tracks that really let the album down. Occasion is, in all honesty, boring. Drawn out with moody vocals and sparse guitars over six minutes, the end result is something genuinely droll and over-indulgent. The songs on the album are quite clearly divided: a few are uninspiring, several are passable, but a few are simply magical. They’ve been hailed as the Millenials’ answer to the shoegaze void, and with exceptional off erings like What Else Could They Do it’s easy to see why.

Overall, Antipodes is a pretty solid eff ort, showcasing a sonic unit with much potential. This is defi nitely a band you want to keep your eye on.

JOSH LING

Best Track: What Else Could They DoIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: CLOUD NOTHINGS, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA, 1995In A Word: Promising

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Best Track: Step Up For The Cool CatsIf You Like These, You’ll Like This: Is This it THE STROKES, The Clash THE CLASH, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? THE VACCINESIn A Word: Housebound

PALMA VIOLETS180 (Rough Trade/Remote Control)

Once upon a time in the UK, the music press were obsessively searching for the band who were the new Smiths. The latest hype-band from Britain, Palma Violets, are of the next generation, so it’s easy to box them in as the new Libertines. Shouty dual vocals and garage rock messiness can be ticked off the checklist, though 180 speaks to a room-full of friends rather than a new generation. The album is named after their shared accommodation and very own ‘Factory’ in Lambeth where they held impromptu performances and parties.Clad in a self-conscious attempt at an iconic album cover, Palma Violets’ debut

successfully captures the intensity and intimacy of their gigs. They opt for a fairly polished production rather than going too far down the lo-fi path and this compliments their punchy, primitive compositions nicely. Cheers and shouts from the small crowd are captured in and around the songs.The lyrics celebrate the quartet’s boxed-in lifestyle and the raucous parties that ensued. Opener Best Of Friends favours friends over romance with the chorus “I wanna be your best friend/I don’t want you to be my girl” and All The Garden Birds captures a wild, memorable night out with the wistful “all my friends were there.” Love does eventually creep in, as it almost always does, with the passionate cry of “you made me feel like I’m the only one” on the unromantically titled Chicken Dippers.

180 would make a great on-off album, yet its share-house sing-alongs leave you wondering how they will develop outside of these four walls.

CHRIS GIRDLER

Beat Magazine SUBMIT YOUR GIGS TO [email protected]

PVTAustralian born three-piece band PVT is gearing up to bring their new material to life on stage following the release of their bloody brilliant fourth album Homosapien. Evidently their most ‘human’ record yet, Homosapien scored a bunch of alternative radio ‘album of the week’ awards surrounding release and is receiving loads of praise around the globe. To get a feel of what they’re all about check out their current single Vertigo, which can be viewed in 3D if you still have an old school pair of red/blue 3D glasses lying around from that time you saw The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl back in 05’. If you’re without eyewear, it’s still a pretty sweet video. They’ll be at The Corner Hotel on Saturday March 23.

GIG GUIDE

GRINSPOONGrinspoon, one of our most cherished live rock bands and the inventors of the very creepy hugging technique known as the ‘grinspoon’, are on their way to Melbourne for the Black Rabbits tour. In September last year, they released their seventh studio album, Black Rabbits, which made its ARIA chart debut at #8. For this tour, the Lismore quartet will perform the longest set the band have ever played, with a mix of everyone’s favourites and a healthy selection of new tunes from the new album. It could go on for ten hours for all we know! Mate, make it 12! Grinspoon play The Hi-Fi on Friday March 22.

WEDNESDAY MAR 20

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC DIZZY’S BIG BAND Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. FROCK Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. LO-RES + TOM FRYER BAND 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. THE EMMA GILMARTIN QUARTET Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $20.

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS ABSOLUTELY 80S Daveys Bar & Restaurant, Frankston. 8:00pm. ANIMAUX + I’LL BE AN INDIAN + MANSION ALASKA Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $8. BAGHEERA + BROTHER CHILDS + LOW SPEED BUS CHASE John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. CATHOUSE CANARY + BEAR THE MAMMOTH + FELICITY ANNE + VELA Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8. COLLAGE - FEAT: ESCAPEGOATS + SAND GIANT + SLUGGER & THE STONE Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. DRUNK MUMS + LOW FLY INCLINE Cherry Bar, Mel-bourne Cbd. 7:00pm. JUSTIN BERNASCONI + ALICIA ADKINS Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. KINCH TALES Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. MESSED UP + THE BOOGIE WOOGIE BOOGIE BOARD BOYS + THE SUMMERVILLES Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. PASSENGER Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. SUPER MAGIC HATS + RACHEL HAIRCUT + SOCCER LEGENDS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE CAT EMPIRE + FLAP! Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $50. THE INFANTS + DIVIDE & DISSOLVE + DORKUS MALORKUS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $6. THE LACHLAN BRUCE BAND + IVORY ELEPHANT + STEVIE & THE SLEEPERS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. THE SKAMPZ Monash Hotel, Clayton. 9:00pm. TRANSVAAL DIAMOND SYNDICATE The Loft, War-rnambool. 8:00pm. WAKEFIELD Dogs Bar, St Kilda. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK JACK PANTAZIS Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. 8:30pm. $15. ‘COMMUNITY’ SHOWCASE Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 7:00pm. ACAPELLA GO + CRAFTY ANNE + JEN WEN N ME Wesley Anne, Northcote. 7:00pm. $5. CANDYRAT GUITAR NIGHT - FEAT: MANELI JAMAL + OWN VAN LARKINS Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 8:30pm. HARRY HOOKEY BAND Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St

Kilda. 9:00pm. LUKE THOMPSON + BEN ABRAHAM Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $10. MARY COUGHLAN Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $35. OLYMPIA + BLOOD RED BIRD + CONOR FARRELL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10. OPEN MIC Grind N Groove, Healesville. 7:30pm. OPEN MIC Ontop In Ormond, Ormond. 8:30pm. OPEN MIC Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. SEAN SIMMONS Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. WANDA JACKSON + THE EZRA LEE BAND Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $60. WINE, WHISKEY, WOMEN - FEAT: TERESA DIXON & TAMARIN YOUNG + ELIZABETH BARKER Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm.

THURSDAY MAR 21

INDIE, ROCK, POP, METAL, PUNK & COVERS

AYLEEN + LES THOMAS + ROB GRAHAM Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. BELLE ROSCOE & RECREATION + BAD NEWS TOILET + INFLUX + READABLE GRAFFITI Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm. $10. CEASE & DESIST + INSTRUMENTS FOR ANIMALS + WHODAFUNKIT? Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $10. DEWOLFF + CITY VS COUNTRY + HOUSE OF LAU-RENCE Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. ELEPHANT EGO + I’LL BE AN INDIAN + SASS GILLIES + THE SAND DOLLARS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. GEORGI KAY + DJ MARI-ARI-USHKA Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. HOLLOW EVERDAZE + OLLIE JACH + TANGRAMS + THE PRIMARY Bar Open, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. LACHY DOLEY TRIO 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $10. PASSENGER Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. RAT & CO Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. RUBY’S BAND COMPETITION Ruby’s Lounge, Bel-grave. 8:00pm. $5. STORMING VEGAS + SELENIUM + THE BALLS Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $5. STRAW KINGS + CARP + PARADING Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $5. THE RAFFAELLAS + PRIVATE LIFE + TULLY ON TULLY Espy, St Kilda. 8:30pm. THE REMOVALISTS + MAGIC HANDS + SHARK ALARM + WHERE WERE YOU AT LUNCH Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $6. THE SINKING TEETH + IVY ST + SEESAW Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. THIS WILL DESTROY YOU + FOURTEEN NIGHTS AT SEA + TANGLED THOUGHTS OF LEAVING Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $38. WANDA JACKSON + THE EZRA LEE BAND Corner

Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $60. WAR PIGS + LITTLE KILLING + PENGUINS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $8. WILDFIERS + WHEN IN ROAM + WOODY PITNEY John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC ARREBATO ENSEMBLE Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 8:00pm. CARLITO’S WAY First Floor, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. HAROLD JEFTA & ROGER CLARK ALTO BATTLE Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. JAMES SHERLOCK TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. SASKWATCH Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. THE HUE BLANES TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15. THE OVEREASYS Claypots Evening Star, Melbourne. 7:30pm.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK 1.1 IMMERMAN + VOICEROM Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. ALICIA ADKINS Open Studio, Northcote. 8:30pm. BACKWOODS CREATURES Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 8:30pm. BLUES ROCK SHOWDOWN - FEAT: DOUBLESHOT OF BLUES + SAMMY OWEN BAND + THE FLYING PANDAS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. CIDER TREE KIDS + HIDING WITH BEARS + STRAG-GLED IN Penny Black, Brunswick. 8:30pm. DAVID OLNEY & SERGIO WEBB + BILL JACKSON TRIO Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 6:30pm. $32. ECHO DRAMA Veludo Bar & Restaurant, St Kilda. 9:00pm. JOSEFINA PAULSON + GOYIM Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. KLARA ZUBONJA The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm. LAURA SMOCK DINNER SHOW Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 7:00pm. LOOUNGE THURSDAYS Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. MAX GOES TO HOLLYWOOD + KINGS CUP + WON-DERLUST The Public Bar, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $7. OPEN MIC Acoustic Cafe, Collingwood. 7:30pm. OPEN MIC Balaclava Hotel, Balaclava. 7:00pm. SIMON PHILLIPS Two Brothers Brewery, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. THE DAN PARSONS BAND Post Offi ce Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. THE PIERCE BROTHERS (BLIND BOYS RUN LAUNCH) + AL PARKINSON + ELLIOT FRIEND + LIL-LIS Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $12. TRACY MCNEIL BAND + SNOOKS LA VIE Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm. WOLF & HOWL + ROOSTER Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 8:00pm. WOMBAT Td’s Cafe & Bar Grill, Dandenong. 8:00pm. ZOE K & THE SHADOW KATZ Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15.

FRIDAY MAR 22


AREA 7 + DJ LUCY ARUNDEL + DOUBLE BLACK + THE VON EHRICS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 5:00pm. $20. AURAL PLEASURE + CHEVY + CODIX & APIX + HIT THE FAN + KEYPTIC + MASON + POLAROID + STRAIGHT JACKET SYMPHONY Idgaff Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. BORED NOTHING + MAGIC BONES + THE MESSEN-GERS + THE WALKING WHO + THEM SWOOPS Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. BREAKING HART BENTON + BROOKE RUSSEL & THE MEAN REDS + THE SWEET BY & BY Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. CUT + DJ SHITSHAKE + IOWA + MIGHTIEST OF GUNS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. DUNCAN GRAHAM & HIS CO-ACCUSED + REX WATTS Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. 8:30pm. $5. FIRE BEHAVING AS AIR + THE CITRADELS + THE QUIVERS Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $10. FUNDRAISING BAND NIGHT - FEAT: THE PRETTY LITTLES + ANDY & LEAH SENIOR + ERN MALLEY + GERYON + MADELINE LEMAN + THE INFANTS Bruns-wick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. GRINSPOON The Hi-fi , Melbourne. 8:00pm. $41. GRUNGE ROCK ORIGINALS - FEAT: STEVE WARD Barleycorn Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. HONEY BADGERS + WAKEFIELD The B.east, Bruns-wick East. 9:00pm. INDIAN RED + CIDER TREE KIDS + EMMA HALES + HIDING WITH BEARS Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $10. INTOXICA The Luwow, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. $5. JORDAN MILLER & JACK CARTY + DAN PARSONS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. LIVINGSTONE DAISIES + LARGE NUMBER TWELVES Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $25. LOWRIDER (ALBUM LAUNCH) + FLOUNDER Corner Hotel, Richmond. 8:30pm. $20. MADHOUSE - FEAT: PERSERVERANCE + EVIL IN-TENT Mckillops, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15. MADRE MONTE Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. MUTEMATH + BIG SCARY Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $50. MY DYNAMITE + MIMI VELEVSKA + PAPA MAUL + ZUZU ANGEL John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. NEBRASKATAK (EP LAUNCH) + OH PEP! + THE DAR-JEELINGS + YOUNG MAVERICK Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. $10. PARADING + DJ KEZBOT + MAP ENDS + SPINNING ROOMS The Public Bar, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $8. PENSIVE PENGUIN + BIG WINTER + MATTHEW DAN-IEL Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $10. RICHIE1250 & THE BRIDES OF CHRIST + ARCHER + EXPAT LIMA + THE NIGHT PARTY Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8.


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for bookings: [email protected]

Name:The Psychedelic Unknown, bass player for the Psychotic Turnbuckles.

Define your genre in five words or less: Wyld fuzzed-out sounds!

Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like? ‘60s garage punk that’s louder than God.

What do you love about making music? Bringing a small amount of hope to the lives of all the drones of dull city.

What do you hate about the music industry? The music industry holds no interest to The Psychotic Turnbuckles...we are too busy being cool and being great.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why? To see The Snails performing their garage punk non-hit Snail Love Theme in a groovy club on Sunset Strip in 1966.

If you could assassinate one person or band from popular music, who would it and why? The Psychotic Turnbuckles have been assassinating all those who cross our path since we formed in 1984. We have laid waste to dull cities. It’s our calling.

What can a punter expect from your live show? Colors, energy, arrogance and to groove to the eye.

What’ve you got to sell CD-wise? Destroy Dull City 2CD is now out on Citadel Records. It’s a 46-track collection of primo beef. It includes the original EP of the same name plus the Beyond The Flipout album, A+B sides for all the original singles, rarities, unreleased cut plus two new live tracks. Be prepared to be stunned by its greatness. It will be selling at the gig, in retail or at citadelmailorder.com.

How long have you been gigging and writing? We re-located to Australia from Pismo Beach, California, in 1984 after the authorities banned us from the professional wrestling circuit.

THE PSYCHOTIC TURNBUCKLES

RIVER OF SNAKES + BRICKS ARE HEAVY + DEAD NUMBERS + DEAD RIVER Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. $10. RODRIGUEZ Hamer Hall, The Arts Centre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. RUSSELL MORRIS Basement Discs, Melbourne Cbd. 12:45pm. SEXY/HEAVY + CITIZEN + SYSTEM OF VENUS Re-volver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:30pm. $8. SHADOWS AT BAY + KUNG FU MONDAY. + THESE DIRTY ROSES Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $5. SHORT SHARP PRETTY + ADALUCIA + HANDS LIKE OURS + RAINBOW MASSACRE Bendigo Hotel, Colling-wood. 8:00pm. $7. SPITE HOUSE + ANGEL EYES + TAX Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. SQUID PARTY - FEAT: DJ SILENCE WEDGE + DJ TOKKO + POST PERCY Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 9:00pm. $10. STRAIT SHOOTERS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10. THE AUSTRALIAN BON JOVI SHOW + FOOVANA + PANTALLICA Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. THE REPROBETTES + THE BLUEBOTTLES Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. THE SPASMS + CARRIE PHILIS & THE DOWNTOWN THREE + THE EARS Off The Hip Records, Melbourne. 6:00pm. THIS WILL DESTROY YOU + DUMBSAINT + TAN-GLED THOUGHTS OF LEAVING Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $38.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

AGOSTINA Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $20. ANDRE’S JAZZ JAM Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. GIL ASKEY & THE ROGER CLARK QUARTET Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20. JAMES SHERLOCK TRIO Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MORELAND CITY SOUL REVUE Post Offi ce Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. THE CHARLIES + FUNK RABBIT 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5. THE FEM BELLING QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. THE KARATE BOOGALOO City Hall Pop Up Bar, Cheltenham. 5:00pm. TIM PLEDGER’S WORLD MUSIC Open Studio, North-cote. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK

AGENCY DUB COLLECTIVE + DJ DAVE THE SCOT Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. APODIMI COMPANIA Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 6:30pm. $32. ARMFIELD Elwood Lounge, Elwood. 9:00pm. BLACK & WHITE BLUES The Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:00pm. CANDYRAT GUITAR NIGHT - FEAT: MANELI JAMAL + OWEN VAN LARKINS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 6:00pm. FLYING ENGINE STRINGBAND Railway Hotel, Fitzroy North. 9:30pm. HEALESVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL - FEAT: THE WOOHOO REVUE + CHARLES BABY + MUSTERED COURAGE + THE LITTLE STEVIES + THE STETSON FAMILY. Healsville Festival Site, 7:00pm. $28. JAME FORBES Two Brothers Brewery, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. LEBLANC BROS CAJUN ACES Lomond Hotel, Bruns-wick East. 9:30pm. MATT KATSIS Elsternwick Hotel, Elwood. 8:00pm. PSARANDONIS (THE KING OF THE LYRA) Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $63. SPENCER P JONES Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 5:30pm. THE COMPANY & BIG BUG Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. THE ELECRIQUE BIRDS + THE DIVINE FLUXUS Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION - FEAT: DAN BOURKE Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 6:00pm. VICTOR STRANGES & DC CARDWELL Mission To Seafarers, Docklands. 7:30pm. $10. WINTERMOON & CROOKED SAINT + WHITESUM-MER Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10.

SATURDAY MAR 23


ARE YOU READY TO ROCK - FEAT: SPIRO & DAVE Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10. BANG - FEAT: HEROES FOR HIRE + SIDELINES + THEPLAYBOOK Royal Melbourne Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. BECAUSE THEY CAN (U18S) + A SLEEPLESS MELO-DY + DAYLIGHT HOURS Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 12:00pm. $20. BOWLED OVER - FEAT: THE SMITH STREET BAND + KINGSWOOD + THE PRETTY LITTLES St Kilda Bowl-ing Club, St Kilda. 12:00pm. CANOS + CAVANAGH & ARGUS + MICHELLE VAN DER ROSS Cornish Arms, Brunswick. 8:00pm. CHAPTER RAY + LANE CHASER & THE ON FIRES Barleycorn Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. $10.

60 SECONDS WITH…

Which band would you most like to have a battle/showdown with? A Texas death match with any genius house DJ.

What inspires or has influenced your music the most? The fuzzed-out ‘60s sounds of the Pebbles series, MC5, Stooges, Radio Birdman, The Sonics and The Cramps.

What do you think a band has to do these days to succeed? Be bland, dull and have plenty of lame tattoos.

Why should everyone come and see your band?Put away your Playstation and come and get a taste of the real life.

Do you have a pre-gig ritual? If so, what is it? We drink The Turnbuckle-Tonic. It’s made up of clam shell chowder, turtle soup and a little-known spirit called Rocket Reducer.

When’s the gig and with who? It’s the first and only Psychotic Turnbuckles gig in Melbourne for 18 years. It’s Saturday March 23 at Cherry Bar with Little Murders and The Kave-Inns.


RODRIGUEZForty-two years has passed since the release of Rodriguez’ debut album, Cold Fact. If you don’t know the story behind Rodriguez, you haven’t watched one of the best documentary in years, Searching For Sugarman, or maybe you are dead, then sorry. Rodriguez is getting the recognition and success he deserves. His last tour in Australia in 2010 saw Rodriguez sell out multiple shows in Sydney and Melbourne. He’s coming to our shoes for Bluesfest, but he’s also stopping by Melbourne – or ‘The Burn’ – as my really cool friend likes to call it (tell you one thing mate, with this bloody scorchin’ weather, he’s not wrong!). Onstage with Rodriguez on his Australian Tour will be surf rock band The Break who comprise of the three founding members of Midnight Oil, Rob Hirst, Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie as well as Brian Ritchie, of US band Violent Femmes, and Jack Howard from Hunters and Collectors. Rodriguez plays at Hamer Hall on Friday March 22. Tickets are sold out/

Name/Band: Megan Crocombe from His Merry Men.

Define your genre in five words or less: Funk soul surf-rock brass party!

Bearing the terrible clichéd nature of this question, what do you reckon people will say you sound like?Well, I’ve always just assumed that it’s something along the lines of, “Argh! Rapture beyond compare! I have never felt such wild, screaming, panties-to-the-wind euphoria! I want to laugh and dance and thrust! They sound like seven days at Disneyland; seven nights at the Moulin Rouge; and seven kilos of pure Belgian chocolate.” Or something like that.

What’ve you got to sell CD-wise?Our debut album, Kind Of Loud, is available on iTunes and from all good music retailers. We are savagely proud of its 13 tracks. They are the product of so many years of work: writing, work-shopping, gigging, recording, mixing and promoting.

When’s the gig and with who?We’re about to embark on our first big tour of the year,

the Pillow Tour. Three states, four cities, strictly four shows only. We’re so lucky to be chumming up with Melbourne band, The Bon Scotts for the whole tour. We’ll finish up in Melbourne on the Saturday March 23 at the Empress Hotel. It’s going to be a rip-snorter of a night! Special guests Morning Of The Earth will kick off the night with their unique brand of surf-inspired hip hop. The Bon Scotts will be a’reelin’ and a’rockin’ to be back in dear Victoria and playing to their home crowd. And as for His Merry Men, we have a special lusty desire for the approval of all Melbourne music-lovers (as do all Brisbanites, I’m afraid. It’s a whole complex we’ve got going on over here). We will be grooving our very hardest and pulling out all the stops to impress you.

What makes you happiest about what you’re doing?I’m happiest onstage; the band really in sync and throwing out new ideas; each member playing their best and having fun with our music; the crowd loose but not too loose; they have drunk enough that they lose their inhibitions and get up and dance but not so much that they don’t give a damn who we are or what we’re playing. I love a really responsive crowd. An excited audience will always get the very best out of us as musicians and performers.

60 SECONDS WITH... HIS MERRY MEN

DAZOOK + THE BALLS Victoria Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. DUMB NUMBERS + BODIES + CLAIRE BIRCHALL + DJ CISCO ROSE + HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS The Public Bar, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $10. DUNE Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $10. FEED THE BIRDS + JAMES WALMSLEY + MILLAR JUKES Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 3:30pm. FULL UGLY + PASCAL BABARE & TEETH + TIM RICH-MOND Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood. 9:00pm. $8. GRAND PRISMATIC + VELCRO Tote Hotel, Colling-wood. 5:00pm. HE MISSED THE IGNITE - FEAT: AURANIX + BLUE JAY + GOLDEN BROWN + SALAD DAYS Musicland, Fawkner. 7:30pm. $10. HIS MERRY MEN + THE BON SCOTTS Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. HUG THERAPIST + BATEMAN + ROAD RATZ + THE EVIDENCE Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. $5. KASHMERE CLUB The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm. LEOPARD SLUGG + MYYTH + OPTICAL SCREW + THE NBC Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. LOVE OF DIAGRAMS + EASTLINK + ZOND Tote Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. LOWRIDER Pier Live, Frankston. 8:00pm. MARK SEYMOUR (THE SEVENTH HEAVEN LAUNCH) Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury. 8:00pm. METAL OBSESSIONS TH BIRTHDAY - FEAT: THE AMENTA + ARBRYNTH + DEPARATE + DESECRA-TOR + OKERA + THE LEVITATION HEX Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 3:00pm. $15. MILES BROWN + GLASS BRICKS + SATYRS + TIM COSTER Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $8. MINING BOOM + BAD DREEMS + PALMS Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:30pm. NICK BARKER + THE SHIVERS The Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick. 8:00pm. $18. OCEANS (CHARITY GIG) - FEAT: SONS OF AB-RAHAM + ALITHIA + GREENTHIEF + MOROCCAN KINGS + RAINBIRD + RIOT IN TOYTOWN Espy, St Kilda. 7:00pm. $15. PARIS WELLS + ELIZA HULL Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm. $14. PVT + COLLARBONES + I’LLS Corner Hotel, Rich-mond. 8:30pm. $30. QUEENSLAND FLOOD RELIEF BENEFIT - FEAT: KODIAK THOAT + PARTY VIBEZ + SPEW N GUTS + WOLFPACK Reverence Hotel, Footscray. 8:00pm. REFLECTIONS + ALL IN A YEAN + OH PACIFIC + OUTLINES Idgaff Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. ROCK VS METAL - FEAT: KING OF THE NORTH + COUNTER ATTACK + KING PARROT + THEM BRUINS John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. ROSS DE CHENE HURRICANES + CHOOK RACE + DIGGER & THE PUSSYCATS DJS + DRUNKEN POACHERS Workers Club, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. SAVIDAS Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 10:00pm. SOUL SLAP - FEAT: JOSH TAVARAS + LAST FLIGHT FOR DISCOVERY + OCEAN TO ATHENA + ZENITH SKIES First Floor, Fitzroy. 7:00pm. STELLA + NOTHING HURTS ROBOT + REAL NOE

+ SONIC JUNGLE + THE SMOKING ACES Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 8:00pm. $15. STEVE LUCAS & THE SMALL FAKERS + THE SUBSTI-TUTES Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh. 8:00pm. $27. STEVE STEVENS GUITAR CLINIC Cherry Bar, Mel-bourne Cbd. 6:00pm. $28. STRAY LOVE + ALEXANDER HAMILTON Penny Black, Brunswick. 9:30pm. SUN GOD REPLICA + CARRIE PHILLIS & THE DOWN-TOWN 3 + DJ WHISKEY CREAM + THE MOCKING-BIRD Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $10. SUPERGUNS + DON FERNANDO + MOTHERSLUG + RIFF FIST Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10. THE DEAD HEIR + A CHEEKY GRIN + COGHLAN RUE + REDS UNDER THE BED Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:30pm. THE RESIGNATORS + KID ORY Bridge Hotel, Castle-maine. 8:30pm. $10. THE SINKING TEETH + DJ ADALITA + THE MERCY BEAT Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:00pm. THE VON EHRICS + CHERRYWOOD + DOUBLE BLACK Ruby’s Lounge, Belgrave. 8:00pm. $15. THEY + DINOSAURS EXIST + DIRTY F + HUSK Central Club Hotel, Richmond. 8:00pm. $15. UNION PARTY BAND Union Hotel, Brunswick. 9:00pm.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC GALAPAGOS DUCK Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 9:00pm. $20. GRACE BARBE 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. HEATHER STEWART (SINGS BILLIE HOLIDAY) Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 9:30pm. $25. JOAN ARMATRADING Forum Theatre, Melbourne. 8:00pm. LIAM WERRETT QUARTET Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. RAPSKALLION + CHARLIE MGEE + HOOP DOGG + MISS FRIBY Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:30pm. $15. SAMANTHA MORLEY Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $20. THE LONDON KLEZMER QUARTET + THE ZAPORO-ZHETS Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 6:30pm. $26. THE MONIQUE DIMATTINA SEXTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $25. THE PAUL WILLIAMSON QUARTET Uptown Jazz Cafe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE TEK TEK ENSEMBLE Open Studio, Northcote. 9:00pm.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK CHRIS RUSSELL’S CHICKENWALK Post Offi ce Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. DANNY WALSH BANNED Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. GLENN SKUTHORPE BAND Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 9:30pm. HEALESVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL AFTER PARTY Grind N Groove, Healesville. 10:00pm.

JAMIE MACDOWELL + DAVY SIMONY + MORGAN JOANEL Chandelier Room, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. $10. JUDGE PINO & THE RULING MOTIONS Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. LAKE BOLAC EEL FESTIVAL - FEAT: THINGS OF STONE & WOOD + ANDY ALBERTS & THE WALKA-BOUTS + BLUE COUCH + NEIL MURRAY & JIM MOGINIE + NITIDA + RHYS CRIMMIN & THE TOMS + ROESY + TANK DILEMMA Lake Bolac Eel Festival Site, Lake Bolac. 1:00pm. $30. MANNY FOX + THE WILLIE WAGTAILS Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 9:00pm. MATT DWYER & MAGNATONES Elsternwick Hotel, Elwood. 8:00pm. PUTA MADRE BROTHERS + GOING SWIMMING + THE INFANTS + TOM LARK Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. SMOKY MARIGOLD + JOEL EDMONSON + ROXY LAVISH Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. STOMP DOG Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 9:00pm. THE GRAND RAPIDS + THE CITRADELS + THE WALKING WHO + TRAPPIST AFTERLAND BAND Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. THE MANDY CONNELL BAND Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick. 9:00pm. THE PRAYERBABIES Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. THE SIDESHOW BRIDES Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. THE STEPHANIE BOWTELL BAND Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. TRANSVAAL DIAMOND SYNDICATE Baha Tacos & Tapas Bar, Rye. 8:00pm. $10. WILD TURKEY Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 7:30pm.

SUNDAY MAR 24

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC BLACK JESUS EXPERIENCE The Horn African Music Lounge, Collingwood. 7:00pm. DALE RYDER BAND + BAD BOYS BATUCADA + MS BUTT + NUDIST FUNK ORCHESTRA Espy, St Kilda. 5:30pm. DANCEHALL RACKETEERS + THE BAYLOR BROTH-ERS Spotted Mallard, Brunswick. 5:00pm. $26. MIRKO GUERRINI QUARTET Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $18. THE DAIMON BRUNTON QUINTET Open Studio, Northcote. 5:00pm. THE HORNS OF LEROY The B.east, Brunswick East. 7:00pm. VELVET CAKE GYPSIES Open Studio, Northcote. 9:00pm.


ABREACT + JENARIUM + ZEFORAGE Idgaff Bar & Venue, Abbotsford. 8:00pm. ASTRAL SPACE CORE + BELOVED ELK + CLAVIANS + MONOTREME PRICE + SNOTJERK Tote Hotel, Colling-wood. 8:00pm. BEERSOAKED SUNDAYS - FEAT: CORAL LEE & THE SILVER SCREAM + DJ KEZBOT + GATOR QUEEN + LE BLANC BROTHERS Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. $6. BIG SISTA + THE DUFRANES + VERY HANDSOME MEN Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. BRIGHTER LATER + SPENDER Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm. $12. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. 8:00pm. DORKUS MALORKUS + JACK GOODLET Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm. I AM DUCKEYE (UNPLUGGED) + I AM DUBEYE + KAREN HEATH Empress Hotel, North Fitzroy. 8:00pm. JAN COOPER & THE FABULOUS COOP DEVINE St Kilda Bowling Club, St Kilda. 6:30pm. JVG GUITAR METHOD Union Hotel, Brunswick. 5:00pm. KUWAPA UGANDA FUNDRAISER - FEAT: THE TOOT TOOT TOOTS + CHERRYWOOD + FRASER A GOR-MAN + GRIZZLY JIM LAWRIE + JESS RIBEIRO & THE BONE COLLECTORS + SAINT JUDE + TWO JACKS & A JILL The Public Bar, Melbourne. 2:00pm. $12. NEW NAVY + SONS ET AL. Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 2:30pm. $15. NICKY DEL REY & THE SLOWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB + THE BAKERSFIELD GLEE CLUB Prince Public Bar, St Kilda. 5:00pm. OH PEP! + THE COMPANY Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. POCKET PERSPECTIVE + BRENDAN WELCH Em-press Hotel, North Fitzroy. 4:00pm. PRETTY CITY + GOING SWIMMING + MY PIRANHA Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 8:00pm. $10. REDFIELD + DAWN OF THE JACKEL + ROSERVELT + VINAL RIOT Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. $8. ROBERT CRAY Hamer Hall, The Arts Centre, Mel-bourne. 8:00pm. SHANTY TOWN + ECHO DRAMA + ME’NAGE A SKA John Curtin Hotel, Carlton. 8:00pm. TEHACHAPI + AMANITA + MATT KELLY STRING QUARTET + STRANGERS FROM NOW ON Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 1:00pm. $15. TEN VOLT SHOCK + DEAD + SCUL HAZZARDS + THE RUINER Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm. $10. TEN VOLT SHOCK + DEAD Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. 8:30pm. VIRTUE + BOTTLE OF SMOKE + CHARLIE JARRATT + FREE STATE + PETA EVANS TAYLOR + PRETTY VIL-LAIN + ROXUS Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 12:00pm.


AARON SCHEMBRI & ROSS HANNAFORD Barleycorn


Photos from Push Over 2013 are now up on our website thepush.com.au and on our facebook /pushovervic, YouthCentral also have a fl ickr with a tonne of photos there too, so don’t forget to check them out and tag yo’self. There are some especially sick photos from The Amity Affl iction set and of the breaking battles tearing up the fl oor over at the Black Stage. We’ve also got interviews with some of the bands up, so if you want to know what Hand Of Mercy, Allday, Tully On Tully and Twelve Foot Ninja have been up to, that’s the place to check them out. Got feedback and comments from Push Over? Feel like winning some cool merch from our mates The Amity Affl iction, In Hearts Wake and We Are Unifi ed!? Then get over to our website or facebook and fi ll in the Push Over 2013 survey asap, we wanna know your thoughts for the day. In other news you can use, there’s soon to be a volunteer position vacant at the Push Offi ces in Brunswick. Keep an eye out here for the announcement and for details how to apply…It’s that time of the year again when Music Victoria kick off their annual ‘Jump On the Bandwagon’ membership drive, which will run until next Thursday. There are plenty of cool benefi ts to becoming a member and you’ll also be in the running to win some fabulous prizes, not to mention you’ll be helping your peak body continue to nurture and support your music scene. It’s a cause worth signing up for and you can do that at musicvictoria.com.au.

If you’ve got news you’d like us to share in this column or in our online gig guide, send your info to [email protected] and we’ll bang it up for you!

ALL AGES TIMETABLE

Thursday March 22Santana and Steve Miller Band, Rod Laver Arena, 7pm, $114 - $159, tivcketek.com.au, AA

Friday March 22Jimmy Brown w/ Pat Ward and Cadence, RPM, Mundy St, 6.30pm – 9.30pm, $10, Rory White on 5434 6092 or yobendigo.com.au, AA Ye Olde Castle Reopening w/ Heroes For Hire, Let’s Not Pretend, Brighter At Night, My Favourite Accident, and Fille Fatale, The Castle, Hemmings Park, Princes Hwy, Dandenong, 7pm – 11pm, $12 or $10 with fl yer, Shannon Stephens on 9793 2155 or facebook.com/musonetwork, AABright Pool Party w/ DJ Jarrad, Bright Sports Centre, 47-49 Gavan Street, Bright, 7pm – 9.30pm, Free, Lili Korndorff er on (03) 5755 0592, AA

Saturday March 23Generating Y w/ Lloyde Dodsworth, Hayden Dally, Georgia Quirk, Burn Squad, DURT, Wade Kongas, Jesse Lavery- Dub-LJ, Briega Young, The Babel Brothers, and The Elements Dance Crew, Victory Park, Mostyn Street, Castlemaine, 110am – 4pm, Free, Jodie Hearn on (03) 5471 1826 or castlemainefestival.com.au, AA

Because They Can w/ special guests, Ding Dong Lounge, Level 1/18 Market Lane, Melbourne, 12pm, $23.50, oztix.com.au, U18Sunshine festival w/ music, rides, food, cultural activities, Street Surfer Bus, local performers, SYN FM, skate clinics and Brimbank Stars, Sunshine Town Centre, 10am – 6pm, Free, brimbankyouth.com, AA

Monday March 25Jason Mraz w/ Zac Brown Band, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, King`s Domain, Linlithgow Ave, Melbourne, 6pm, ticketmaster.com.au, AA

Tuesday March 26Muso Magic, Wesley Hall, Bury Street, Euroa, 9am – 3.30pm, Free, Buff y Leadbeater on (03) 5734 6313, AA

ACCESS ALL AGESWednesday March 20th, 2013With Ruth Mihelcic

+ BEAT PRESENT...

[email protected]

LOWRIDERHaving recently dropped their brand new record, Black Stones, Adelaide four-piece Lowrider swing for the fences with their brilliant new track Golden Sun. To launch the album, these cats (who are seriously fun live) will visit the Corner Hotel on Friday March 22, and Pier Live in Frankston on Saturday March 23. All, my, friends, know the lowrider…

MANU CHAO Manu Chao’s first ever visit to Australian shores, for 2012’s Sydney Festival, saw legions of fans scramble for a place amongst 60,000 others in The Domain for the Festival First Night free concert, and snap up tickets for his one and only headline show at the Enmore Theatre. Struth! It was pretty clear this bloke better had come back or there would’ve been a riot. Unfortunately for those of us who love a bit of a riot, Manu Chao and his band La Ventura announced they were coming back. Next Monday March 25, the Palace Theatre will host this iconic musician before he heads to Bluesfest in Bywizzle Baywizzle.

• Send your classifi ed listing information to Beat Magazine at 3 Newton St, Richmond 3121 with a cheque, money order or credit card number (including expiry date and name on card, NOT AMEX or DINERS) (1.5% surcharge on Visa and MasterCard) OR deliver it yourself with cash OR you can email your classifi eds to us - clas-sifi [email protected] with credit card details • DEADLINE IS THURSDAY 5pm, prior to Wednesdays publication • Minimum $5 charge per week. We do NOT accept classifi eds over the phone - sorry.

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MUSICIANS WANTEDACOUSTIC ACTS WANTED FOR FRIDAY NIGHT SPOTS IN FITZROY Solo/Duo/Groups send an email with pics or samples to [email protected]. Bar split is paid, summer dates available.

BANDS WANTED for artist showcase in the Espy Gershwin Room. A great step towards bigger shows. Contact [email protected]

BATTLE OF THE BANDS. Registration now, starts Wednesday the 28th Dec and every Wednesday after for 8 week (less the 26th Dec & the 2nd Jan). First prize: recording time in a studio. Call Jesse 0411 803 579

MALE, FEMALE, ALIEN BASS PLAYER WANTED! We’re a Melbourne based pro unit about to release our debut album. We love Q.O.T.S.A, Radiohead, The Kinks, Red Kross, The Beatles, Hendrix, The Pixies etc. We need a pro player with great gear, attitude, and transport. Vocal ability would be great. We aim to take this thing as far as we possibly can. To rock with us contact Stav: 0405 204 293 [email protected] www.atomicbliss.com.au

SERVICESFREE VENUE HIRE - Fully stocked bar - Huge capacity, whole venue or partial. Call Jesse 0411 803 579

MUSIC MANUFACTURING & DISTRIBUTION www.drumsrecords.net, P.O. Box 1187 St. Albans VIC 3021 Australia

RESOURCES FOR EVENT MANAGERS, promoters & venue managers. www.globerockerz.com

EMPLOYMENTEXPERIENCED BAND BOOKER WANTED. If you’re experienced in booking bands and want to work with an experienced well known venue booker at a great venue in Melbourne’s music heartland then send us an email. Let us know a bit about yourself, what type of bands you’ve booked, where, contacts you have and how long you have been in the game and importantly what you may be able to bring. Be quick. Send email to: [email protected]

FLAUNT IT. Internationally acclaimed producer of pro-feminist erotica looking for confi dent, adult women to smash the stereotypes and earn good money ($400 and up). Don’t overlook this til you’ve found out more about it. Jessica 9495 6555 or www.feck.com.

MALE LIFE MODELS. Aaryon photography and media has ongoing work available to models 18+. No experience necessary. Email recent pictures and contact details to [email protected] for selected interview. * (renew at the end of 8 weeks)

PAID PROMOTERS wanted for new Rock Club. Contact [email protected] for more details.

WE WANT EVERYONE Promoters, Bands, DJs - Revitalised bar, The Barley Corn, has reopened its doors 7 days a week and we want YOU. Call Jesse 0411 803 579

SALESELECTRIC MOTORISED BIKE BRAND NEW!! Front and rear disc brakes, good quality suspension forks, Shimano components, high quality Canadian lithium battery, very light, normally $1499, Will sell for only $950. Call 0425 37 1604

PETROL MOTORISED MOUNTAIN BIKE BRAND NEW!! Twist throttle, chain driven, kill switch, suspension, Japanese bearings in motor not Chinese so will last! Heaps of fun! Cheap transport $750. Phn: 0425 371 604

Hotel, Collingwood. 2:00pm. ALL GOOD IN THE WOOD Barleycorn Hotel, Colling-wood. 7:00pm. AMY GANTER & THE LOVE & SQUALORS + MANA BAND Great Britain Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. BILL JACKSON WITH PETER FIDLER & SERGIO WEBB + MARTY KELLY & AUBURY MAHER Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East. 5:30pm. BRODERICK SMITH Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. 4:00pm. CHERRY BLUES AFTERNOON - FEAT: CHRIS WILSON + MID CITY ARCADE BLUES Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 3:00pm. COMMUNION - FEAT: MUSTARD COURAGE + HOUSE OF LAURENCE + I A MAN + JACK DONNE + KATHRYN ROLLINS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. $18. FRED WESLEY & THE NEW JB’S + THE CACTUS CHANNEL Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $55. HARMANIAX Penny Black, Brunswick. 5:00pm. JAM SUNDAYS Musicland, Fawkner. 5:00pm. JIMI HOCKING Bay Hotel, Mornington. 3:00pm. JOSEFINA PAULSON 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. $5. JULES BOULT & THE REDEEMERS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 4:00pm. LACHLAN DUTHIE + JAKKSEN FISH + JAMES GOW-ANS + JOE FORRESTER + JORDAN RIDDLE + MADE-LINE LEMAN + WALKER Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood. 5:30pm. $10. LE BLANC BROS Post Offi ce Hotel, Coburg. 8:00pm. LINDSAY FIELD & SAM SEE & GLYN MASON Carring-bush Hotel, Abbotsford. 4:00pm. MANNY FOX (SINGLE LAUNCH) + HELLO SATEL-LITES + ROYAL JELLY DIXIELAND BAND Workers Club, Fitzroy. 2:00pm. MOCKINGBIRD + LAKE PALMER Victoria Hotel, Bruns-wick. 5:00pm. MOUNTAIN & SWAMPS Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood. 3:00pm. OPEN MIC Rose Hotel (williamstown), Williamstown. 3:00pm. PATRICK JAMES (EP LAUNCH) + SCOTT BOYD + WIL-LOW Workers Club, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. PETE ZOCH Elsternwick Hotel, Elwood. 8:00pm. SNOOKS LA VIE Standard Hotel, Fitzroy. 7:30pm. SOPHIE ROSE + SUNSET BLUSH + UNNECESSARY TENSION 303, Northcote. 4:00pm. SUNDAY FUNDAY - FEAT: ROWIE + NACKERS Big Mouth, St Kilda. 6:00pm. THE BONA FIDE TRAVELLERS + HEATHER STEWART TRIO Drunken Poet, West Melbourne. 4:00pm. THE BOYS Wesley Anne, Northcote. 4:00pm. THE LARGE NUMBER 12S Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 5:00pm. THE WHISKEY ARCHIVE Wesley Anne, Northcote. 8:00pm. TWO DOORS DOWN Thornbury Local, Thornbury. 5:00pm. VAN & CAL WALKER Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 4:00pm. ZEVON & THE WEREWOLVES OF MELBOURNE Lucky Coq, Windsor. 4:30pm.

MONDAY MAR 25

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC LEBOWSKIS - FEAT: SAM ZERNA QUINTET + RON ROMERO QUARTET 303, Northcote. 8:00pm. SAM ZERNA QUINTET + RON ROMERO QUARTET 303, Northcote. 9:00pm. $8. THE ALLAN BROWNE TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15.


ESC + SCOTDRAKULA + STRAW KING EYE Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MANU CHAO LA VENTURA Palace Theatre, Mel-bourne Cbd. 8:00pm. MONDAY NIGHT MASS - FEAT: EUPHORIACS + STA-TIONARY SUNS + THE CLITS Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 8:00pm.

ACOUSTIC, COUNTRY, BLUES & FOLK ACOUSTIC SESSION Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. CHERRY JAM Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 6:30pm. HUNTING SEASON + MITCH RAINEY + SINGLES Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 2:00pm. PAUL WILLIAMSON’S HAMMOND COMBO Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm. PLAYING FOR CHANGE Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $55.

TUESDAY MAR 26


BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. 8:00pm. CHRIS ISAAK Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne. 8:00pm. COLLAGE - FEAT: ROD FRITZ + AURORA + DAVID BELL + LEADLIGHT. GABRIEL LYNCH Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm. JOSH ARMISTEAD + JOHN SUTHERLAND + SHEA WILCOX Old Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. MELBOURNE FRESH INDUSTRY SHOWCASE Re-volver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm. $15. NEVILLE STAPLE Northcote Social Club, Northcote. 7:30pm. $45. THE BRUNSWICK DISCOVERY - FEAT: THE UN-BELIEVABLE + RACHEL CLARKE + TRUTH CHIEF Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick. 8:00pm. THE PATRON SAINTS Cherry Bar, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. TRANSCRIPTION OF ORGAN MUSIC + LEHMANN B SMITH + PALM SPRINGS Grace Darling Hotel, Colling-wood. 8:30pm. $7. WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE - FEAT: WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE + LINCOLN LE FEVRE + LUCY WILSON Corner Hotel, Richmond. 7:30pm. $25.

JAZZ, SOUL, FUNK, LATIN & WORLD MUSIC

FREQUENCY Dizzy’s Jazz Club, Richmond. 8:00pm. $14. KOOYEH + AT THE SUANA + ECHO DRAMA Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy. 8:00pm. THE FURBELOWS Open Studio, Northcote. 9:00pm. THE NAT BARTSCH TRIO Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Melbourne. 8:30pm. $15.


JEB CARDWELL Labour In Vain, Fitzroy. 8:30pm. OPEN MIC Wesley Anne, Northcote. 7:00pm. WAYWARD BREED Retreat Hotel, Brunswick. 10:10am.

Because They Can


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It’s after midnight. One half of Client Liaison, frontman Monte Morgan, is backstage removing his shirt and adorning a talisman-like chestpiece while his bandmate, Harvey Miller, smoothly strides past the vintage offi ce mise en scene (replete with fax machine and appropriated Diners Club logos) to pour himself a cup from the water cooler. The crowd is in their hands after the stellar preceding portion of their set, a showcase of their impeccable Michael Jackson-meets-Johnny Farnham pop smarts, and they’re about to blow everything wide open with their satircal ode to our nation’s gaudy culture, End Of The Earth. It was a defi nitive starmaking turn, one that you can’t really picture happening anywhere other than the Supernatural Amphitheatre.We huddled like ewes under the scant shade of the ghost gum trees during both days. “That breeze is nice.” There were a few drops of rain as we greeted Sunday evening. An eager patron overshot the mark with a bright yellow poncho as The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion burst into their set with 2 Kindsa Love. It was hot. But not hot enough to dissuade the trio’s eponymous frontman from kicking it in leather pants. Spencer cuts a fi ne fi gure, perpetually on the off ensive with an imposing forward-leaning stance. Returning from hiatus a few years back, Blues Explosion still emit a potent sense of danger. “THE BLUES IS NUMBER ONE.” “Judah Bauer. [beat]. Russell Simins.” “YEAH!” The staple JSBX cries punctuate the set to great eff ect.Blues Explosion guitarist Judah Bauer spent that band’s hiatus playing with Cat Power. He played along with drummer Jim White. Jim was also here this weekend, performing with lyra-slinger Psarandonis. Usually a beast on the skins, Jim left the percussive elements primarily to the acoustic string instrumentalists on his fl anks, striking a barebones kit containing only tom and snare.

Few artists are as polarising in the live setting than one Chan Marshall. The set timing for Cat Power’s return to the Supernatural Amphitheatre was a little off the mark, missing the aimed sundown synchronicity to provide a somewhat droll welcome into the fi rst evening. Opening track The Greatest had a reworking to incorporate minor chord arpeggi similar to that of Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain. Chan’s vocals were consistent, but rarely great. Same goes for the new band. And the new material, such as Cherokee, didn’t quite hit the mark. Fetishising Rowland S Howard is massively on trend, and Chan paid homage with a shonky rendition of Young Charlatans/Boys Next Door classic Shivers.I made plenty of great decisions over the course of the weekend. A pre-4am Melbourne departure resulted in primo shade-drenched bush camp. Lots of water intake kept the rig in top form. I slip slop slapped like a motherfucker. But my one misstep was barrelling front and centre into the frenzied Dinosaur Jr. crowd while in

thongs. I felt the pain of everyone stomping on my toes. Lou, J and Murph were as vital as ever, projecting a gut-rumbling tsunami of noise much like they did in the same setting three years ago. This time, however, there was no satellite Lou Barlow solo set. In fact, the tendency for Golden Plains to bend Meredith’s strict one-stage rule has fallen by the wayside. Not that it really matters.Opossom progenitor Kody Neilson is a focussed dude in the live setting. It can lead to some derailment when things aren’t going to plan, but everything went swimmingly. Despite his partner and bandmate Bic Runga’s absence, tracks such as Blue Meanies and, especially, Getaway Tonight were early weekend highlights.Buoyed by a very tidy lead-in interstitial DJ set, Toro Y Moi kicked things into overdrive with Underneath The Pine cut New Beat. The stream of smoke machine emanating from the stage took us on an interstellar journey, a pretty funky one at that. Wild Nothing did similar on the fi rst day, coming across somewhat like a poppier version of Kurt Vile with a soaring psychedelic bent.

Canuck duo Purity Ring were a revelation in the live setting, being one of the few outfi ts to parlay ridiculous hype into a worthy live show. And then some. Corin Roddick’s lanterns-as-midi-trigger contraption was transfi xing, complemented by grandiose stage ornaments. Vocalist Megan James was hypnotising and perfect with a stage presence that belies the outfi t’s relative youth.I went into Flume with the intention of being the Mr Cool Guy who heaps derision on the country’s current hottest musical property. But god dammit, he crushed it. After running through his established material for the majority of his set, including the pretty tedious mash of Biggie’s Juicy, he debuted a handful of new tracks with an allegiance to trap. While Flume/mainstream-Australia might still be lagging behind trend-wise on the electronic pop front, it looks like we’re catching up somewhat.There were only a few moments of glory during Moodymann’s festival-closing set. His dropping of Seven Nation Army was not one of them. But the set was serviceable for the most part, and over a bit too soon. A touching tribute came in the form of the interspersion of an interview with recently deceased Australian dance crusader Ajax.The fi rst night was closed in fi ne fashion with a set from Melbourne identity Post Percy, providing a satisfying send-off to a bloody pleasant Saturday.The polish of Naysayer And Gilsun’s audio-visual set was remarkable. The rear projection screen was crystal clear, showcasing a variety of iconic fi lmic moments (Network’s “mad as hell” speech spliced with The Shining, to name but a selection). It’s a novel concept, a well-executed one at that, but the sensory overload was a strange thing to process as a lead-in more adept electronic music proponents.

The slight lull of Naysayer And Gilsun slingshotted nicely into a powerhouse opening from Julio Bashmore, who went on to fulfi l a dreamy house set, perhaps the early AM dance highpoint of the festival.Zanzibar Chanel were very much Zanzibar Chanel. That is to say, very brilliant. Vocalist Zack was a twirling cyclone of shirtless glory.

Old mate Ted Ballieu scored a few mentions on the weekend. ‘Burbs poet Barry Dickins delivered rousing, recently dated, prose in his fi rst of two interstitial orations.Dick Diver’s Al Montfort managed to drop a few cheeky sardonic quips of “ditch Ted” during the ambling and infi nitely brilliant Head Back. It was the highlight of one of the weekend’s best sets. They opened with Alice, continued with the tender Keno, and worked their way to Water Damage. Established champions of the Melbourne jangle, Dick Diver become pioneer’s of Drangle (jangly Dragon covers, obviously) with a ridiculous and euphoria-inducing rendition of Are You Old Enough? These lovable scamps were on point.It was a slow burn, but Mulatu Astatke with Black Jesus Experience went from pretty good to pretty darn excellent over the course of their set. The rhythmic grooves were topped off with some incredible verses from rapper Liam Monkhouse.Actually, the more I think about Dick Diver doing Dragon the more I fall in love with it. Is it a shunning of the incessant Flying Nun comparisons, iconoclastically embracing a daggy Kiwi band instead? And fuck it, the track is a corker even when devoid of irony.Decked out in all black attire, Bushwalking ran through a commanding display of mostly new material, opening Sunday’s proceedings with a solid triumvirate of distinctive, adept playing styles.It’s a known fact that ska is objectively the Worst Genre Of Music. Populace outfi t Melbourne Ska Orchestra did little to challenge that notion, but not without trying. The tactic of covering history’s least terrible ska song (The Specials’ A Message To You Rudy) very nearly worked, but not quite.Inadvertent or otherwise, Golden Plains displays a stronger showing on the rock front than its sister festival, but this year fell short of the top-notch gallery of old rock dogs on display at the Meredith just passed. Redd Kross failed to fi re in the same way Hot Snakes and Earthless did back in December. Festival openers Money For Rope were a fairly weak consolation for the last minute withdrawal of SixFtHick, though their meat-and-potatoes rock‘n’roll did gradually build momentum through the course of their set. Adelaide’s The Mark Of Cain performed with a ring-in for John Stanier (one of the greatest drummers the world has to off er at this point in time), resulting in a fairly lacklustre set. DJ Keb Darge took over for an hour (plus another 15 minutes due to delay) on Sunday night for a dull runthrough of vintage bluesy rock‘n’roll, the kind of soundtrack that is more suited to a morning stroll around your local supermarket. But the dullness worked in my favour as I overcame tall guilt for the fi rst time in my life as I planted myself front and centre for the weekend’s main event.“Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time, for we have knocked her up. I have tasted the maggot in the mind of the universe, but I was not off ended, for I knew I had to rise above it all, or drown in my own shit.” George Clinton,

slightly paraphrasing the iconic intro to Maggot Brain, the 10-minute guitar solo originally performed by Eddie Hazel as the title track to Funkadelic’s 1971 LP. After performing a worthy (also golden boot-worthy) rendition of the track, long-serving P-Funk guitarist Michael Hampton gestured upwards to the sky in Eddie’s direction. It was one of many highlights of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic’s all-out two-hour jam.After a slight delay, the set was opened with a heavy-as-hell performance of You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks. Within the opening bars, George Clinton emerged with little fanfare from side of stage in a double-breasted suit and gilded glasses and stayed in view for the entire duration of the performance. He was the ultimate hypeman, planting his microphone as a supplement in front of whichever amp was currently blasting a solo, continually off ering his ear to the audience to raise raucous cheers. George’s granddaughter Sativa made a cameo to bust out Something Stank And I Want Some (the band got what they wanted after a stream of joints made their way from audience to stage). George went into protective grandpa mode as he playfully snatched the mic from Sativa as she began to rap about hard (as steel, still getting harder) dick.Early on, the dancer performing as Sir Nose D’Voidoff unk made his presence felt during Parliament classic Flash Light. He did his thing – handstands, rolling his immaculate abs, picking his Pinocchio-length nose (which was scrawled with “Fuck George”), then concluding his role as antagonist with a funky dance-off with Clinton (George’s moves were next-level). It was all happening. The back-up singers were all stars, especially the one rocking silver hot pants and rollerskates.

Funkadelic cut Red Hot Mama was a surprise inclusion on the setlist, and by god, it was the greatest thing I have ever experienced. Holy shit. (Not Just) Knee Deep was an elongated groove. Things were mixed up with a guest appearance from Mary Griffi n. It nearly fell fl at after two malfunction microphones, but as soon as she found a functioning conduit for her incredible voice, things got wild for her cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy.The set was closed with a funky runthrough of Atomic Dog. Shit. Goddamn. We got off our collective ass and jammed.“They say losing love is like a window to your heart. Everybody sees that you’re blown apart.” The Tallest Man On Earth was joined onstage by his wife Amanda Bergman (who performs under the moniker Idiot Wind) to cover Paul Simon’s Graceland.It was lovely, it was heartfelt. BY LACHLAN KANONIUK

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NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE Rod Laver Arena, Friday March 15

You never really know what to expect with Neil Young. The notoriously cantankerous, and occasionally precious performer who exited a ridiculously successful Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young tour with a suggestion to Steven Stills to ‘eat a peach’, the politically aware author of the anti-Nixon protest song Ohio who voiced support for Ronald Reagan in the ‘80s, the commercially successful songwriter who refused to indulge his radio hits for many years. If you’re Neil Young, you do what the fuck you want: because you’re Neil Young.But that was then, and this is now. In the ‘70s, Neil Young was a young-ish bloke who displayed the annoying attributes of an old bloke bemoaning social and economic progress; in the 21st century, Neil is rocking out like a young bloke, taking the piss out of his infamous self-indulgence and wiping the songwriting fl oor with his pale imitators. Tonight’s show at Rod Laver Arena commences in strange and comic circumstances: a posse of stage technicians clad in white laboratory coats wander around the stage with clipboards. Eventually, the signal is given, and the over-sized cabinets are lifted from over equally over-sized amplifi ers; shortly after, another large prop appears in the form of a large microphone. Eventually Neil and his band mates appear. Neil is older, wiser and no less talented. He’s wearing the

same faded Aboriginal fl ag t-shirt he wore on his last Australian tour; while there’s a slight sag in his jowls, he’s looking remarkably health and happy. There’s a dose of theatricality in the show’s opening: The Beatles’ A Day In The Life plays over the PA, and then Neil and the Crazy Horse guys stand to attention for Advance Australia Fair. You assume Neil’s observed the local irony: in the United States, everyone would know every single word to the national anthem; in Australia, we can’t even hum along properly.From there, it’s a set that walks the line between the old and the new. The old comes in the form of material from Rust Never Sleeps, Zuma and Harvest; the new material from Psychedelic Pill stacks up above so much competing dross that’s been wantonly released on the market over the last 10 years. When Neil – in acoustic mode – off ers the evening’s token commercial radio friendly moment with Heart Of Gold, he follows quickly with Ramada Inn from Psychedelic Pill. The subtle irony of the sequence – a slight jibe at the tedious nostalgia of the baby boomer generation to follow a baby boomer classic – is probably lost on the lot of the audience, but it doesn’t disturb the moment. And then there’s Neil in stand-up raconteur mode, embarking on a self-referential journey through his

extensive discography, before settling on Cinnamon Girl. Cortez The Killer follows next, and if you’re not happy now, why did you bother coming? There’s a nod to Buff alo Springfi eld days – please, can someone get those guys out to Australia before it’s too late – with Mr Soul, before Hey Hey, My My concludes the set. The guys in the lab coats are back on stage in the brief intermission before the encore: the prop cabinets stop short of covering the prop amplifi ers, and Neil, Talbot, Molina and Sampedro are back. Tonight we get Roll Another A Number and

while it lacks the punch of Like A Hurricane, no-one’s complaining – at least, not audibly. There is no other Neil Young but Neil Young.

PATRICK EMERY

LOVED: RIDE ON RED HOT MAMA GURRRRRRL YOU SURE LOOK GOOD TO ME.HATED: That George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic couldn’t play for three hours.DRANK: A coconut and a bit too much Club Mate.

LOVED: Cortez The Killer.HATED: The fact that the show had to end.DRANK: Only my water, because the bar lines were too long, and the beer expensive and nasty.

GOLDEN PLAINS Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Saturday March 9 – Monday March 11

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

Dick Diver

Purity Ring

Cat Power

pics by Pat O'Neill

pics by Richard Sharman

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beat magazine #1363

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