The Music (Sydney) issue #106

JEM AINE CLEMENT

People, Places, Things,

but maybe not Flight Of

The ConchordsFESTIVAL SMALL WORLD FESTIVAL

MUSIC PEKING DUK

ARTSART & ABOUT

Sydney / Free / Incorpppppppppppppppppppppppppporororororoororoororooororororoooroooororrrrrrororoororooorrrrroooooororororoooooroooooroooroooooooooorooooorrooooorrroooorrrooooooooroooooooooooooooooooooooooorroo

16.09.15

Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture

Issue

106

2 • THE MUSIC • 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015

THE MUSIC • 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 • 3


THE MUSIC • 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 • 5THTHTHHEHEHEHEE EEEEEEHHE MUMUMUSMUSUSUSISIIMUSMMMMMM S C • CC •• C ••••••• 1616TH11111111 SEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEBEEMBERRRR 201 2 2201201555 • 5 • 55 5



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THE ELEMENTS OF TECH AND BASSDRUM’NBASS PARTY FEAT: THIERRY D, ELLAGATOR, OHMAGE, SARISS, THE BASSIX, ROWDY ONE

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“Snow Leopard”; Sat 26 Sept: 6pm Basement: Por Que No Te Tenemos Las Dos presents: “Ebolagoldfish”, “Dividers”, “Wasters”, “Batfoot”, “The Great Awake”, Joe Guiton, Josh Arentz, Vetty Vials, Luke Seymop, Brendan Kennedy; 9pm Level

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5pm Level One: Destroy All Lines presets: Hardcore Show with “Antagonist AD” (-NZ), “Reaction” and local supports


THE MUSIC • 16TH SEPTEMBER 2015 • 9THETHETHETHETHTHETHETHETHEHHTHEEHEHETHETHETHETTHETHEHTHETHTHETHETHTHTHEETHHHHTHTHEHETHETHEHETTTTHHTHETTHETHTHEHHEHEEEETTHETHETHETHETHTHE HEEEEETHTTTTHTHHHHHEHHHEE MUSIMUSIMMUSMUMUSMUSIMUSIMUSIMUMUSIMUSIMUSIMUSIMUSIMUSIMUSMUSISMUSMUSMUSIMUSIMMUSIMUSMMUSSMUSUSIMUSIMUSMUSIUSSSSSMUMUSSSMUSIUUSIUMUSIMUSIMMMUSMUSIMUSUUSUSIMMUSIMMUSIUSUSUUSUUSSMUSIMUSIMMUSIMUSMUSIMUSMUMUSUSMUSSSIIMUMUMMMMMMMUUUUSIC •CC •C •C •CC •CC •C •C •C •C ••C •C •C •CCCC •C •C ••CC •C •C ••C •CCCCCCCCCCCCCC C CCCCC CCCC CCCCCC C 16TH16TH16TH16TH16TH6TH16TH16TH16TH16TH6TH16TH16TH16TH16THH16TH16TH16T16THT6TH16TH6TH16THTH116T16T6T116TH16T6T6TH6TTT16THH1116TH16TH16TH16T6T6TH6THH16TH116TH16TH16TH16TH16TH6T6TH6T66T6T6T66TH16TH16TH1116T11666666THHHH SEPTSEPSEPTSEPTSSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPPEPTSEPTPSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTEPTSEPTSE TTPTEPTESSEEPTPESEPTSEPTEPTSEPTSEPTSEPTSEPSEPTSEPTSEPTSSEEPTEEPTPTTSSESEPTSEPTSESSSSEPTSEPTEPTEPTPTPTSSSSSEEPTEPTTEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEEMBEMBEMBEEMBEBEEMBEMBEEMBEBEBEEEMBEEMBEM EMMBEEEMEMMBEMMMBEEMBEMBEE BBEMBEEMBEEEMBEEEMMBMBEEMBEMBEBBEEEMBEEEMBEMMBEEMBMEMBEMMBMMMEMBEBEBMBEEEEMBEEEEMBEMMMMMBEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR 2012012012012012012020120120120201201020120201201202011201201201111201201200012020111020122012001202012012020122012001220122012201000102010112012 202201200000111155 •5 •5 •5 •5 •5 •5 •5 •5 •5 •55 •55 •555555 •555 •55 •5 •5 •5555555555 555555555 5 55 999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

MusicMusic / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


Credits

PublisherStreet Press Australia Pty Ltd

Group Managing EditorAndrew Mast

National Editor – MagazinesMark Neilsen

Arts EditorHannah Story

Eat/Drink EditorStephanie Liew

Muso EditorMichael Smith

Gig Guide EditorJustine [email protected]

Contributing EditorsBryget Chrisfield, Steve Bell

ContributorsAdam Wilding, Andrew McDonald, Anthony Carew, Baz McAlister, Brendan Crabb, Brendan Telford, Cam Findlay, Cameron Cooper, Cameron Warner, Carley Hall, Cate Summers, Chris Familton, Chris Maric, Christopher H James, Cyclone, Daniel Cribb, Danielle O’Donohue, Dave Drayton, Deborah Jackson, Dylan Stewart, Eliza Berlage, Evan Young, Guido Farnell, Guy Davis, Hattie O’Donnell, James d’Apice, Jonty Czuchwicki, Kane Sutton, Kassia Aksenov, Liz Giuffre, Lukas Murphy, Mac McNaughton, Mark Beresford, Mark Hebblewhite, Matt MacMaster, Mitch Knox, Neil Griffiths, Paul Ransom, Mick Radojkovic, Peter Laurie, Rip Nicholson, Roshan Clerke, Ross Clelland, Sam Murphy, Samuel J Fell, Sarah Braybrooke, Sarah Petchell, Sean Maroney, Sebastian Skeet, Sevana Ohandjanian, Simon Eales, Tim Finney, Tom Hersey, Tyler McLoughlan, Uppy Chatterjee, Xavier Rubetzki Noonan

InternBrynn Davies

PhotographersAngela Padovan, Cole Bennetts, Clare Hawley, Jared Leibowitz, Josh Groom, Kane Hibberd, Peter Sharp, Rohan Anderson

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Art DirectorBrendon Wellwood

Art DeptBen Nicol

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Contact UsPO Box 2440Strawberry Hills NSW 2012Suite 42, 89-97 Jones StUltimo

Phone (02) 9331 [email protected]

—Sydney

Rosso’s Modern Life

Starting this week, comedian Tim “Rosso” Ross is taking his show Man About The House around the country with muso mate Kit Warhurst. The shows will be held in architecturally unique venues not usually open to the public.

Maiden Heaven

Iron Maiden will be visiting Australia as part of their world tour in support of new album The Book Of Souls. Bruce Dickinson is fl ying the

band, crew and stage production over on the Ed Force One in May 2016.

Redbull Treats Clubs

The Red Bull Music Academy are sending two of the US’s most prolifi c funk fusion producers, Benedek and Moon B to play free shows at a handful of Aussie clubs in October.

Iron Maiden

Moon B

Man About The House

c / Arts /Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


On Yer Bike

Thanks to Reid Cycles, we’re giving away a bike! Just in time for spring - the sun’s fi nally coming out to play, which means you can go on picturesque bike rides again. Visit theMusic.com.au/win to enter.

On The Sabbath

The Australian promoters for Black Sabbath have confi rmed that this is, indeed, The End. The British metal juggernauts are calling it a day with The End world tour, which will take in national Aussie dates starting mid-April.

Moonwalkin’

Just ahead of their 2015 east coast dates, Ohio’s Walk The Moon have confi rmed they will return to Australia for a fourth time in January 2016 to play a national tour showcasing latest album Talking Is Hard, with guests The Griswolds.

The amount of YouTube followers that helps you get

to #1 on the ARIA album charts, as displayed by

Troye Sivan.

Walk The Moo

Black Sabbath

Reid Cycles

WIN

3,562,878

LifestyleMusic / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


Catching Mono

Japan’s very own sound sculptors, Mono have announced their 2015 tour of Australia and New Zealand. Their otherworldly post-rock will wash over Aussie band rooms throughout December.

Sound It Out

UK metalcore heavyweights Bring Me The Horizon are the latest act to be added to the Soundwave bill, joining Lordi, Northlane, Refused, Failure, Dead Letter Circus and Bullet For My Valentine. January 2016 keeps getting closer.

Airling At Air

The tenth annual Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards will once again showcase the diversity of some of Australia’s best. Airling, Bad//Dreams and Dead Letter Circus are locked in to perform at the awards, held on 22 Oct at Meat Market.

Mono

Airling

Lordi

le / CultuMusic / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


ERROL FLYNN BOULEVARD, ENTERTAINMENT QUARTER,

MOORE PARK, SYDNEY

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MON 15 FEB

SOILWORK

Meet Kev

Visit theMusic.com.au/win for a chance to score a meet and greet with legendary cult fi lmmaker Kevin Smith while he’s here for An Evening With Kevin Smith nationwide. Bring stuff to sign.

When The Drop Hits

Stalwart Kiwi septet Fat Freddy’s Drop are visiting Australian shores for yet another extensive national tour in February in the wake of their forthcoming new album Bays, due for release next month. Supports will be Hiatus Kaiyote and Thomas Oliver.

Laneyay

St Jerome’s Laneway Festival has announced its venues and dates for its 12th edition. They include Brisbane Showgrounds on 6 Feb, Sydney College Of The Arts on 7 Feb, and Footscray Community Arts Centre/The River’s Edge on 13 Feb.

Kevin Smith

Fat Freddy’s Drop

The amount of Australia aged 14+ with access to

Netfl ix according to August video-on-demand household subscription data from Roy

Morgan Research.

2.2 MILLION

St Jeromes Laneway Festival. Pic: Peter Sharp

Music / Music / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


That dude wearing his bedazzled faux nudie suit is still strutting round the valley like he’s king dick #bigsound #bigsound15BIGSOUND may be over but the memories will linger on, hey @meowlings?

Please Stand Up

Just For Laughs’ The Stand Up Series returns this year and 24 comedians have been announced to perform at the Sydney Opera House 22 – 24 Oct, including Joel Creasey, Hannah Gadsby, Felicity Ward and Gen Fricker.

Sydney Bar Week

Sup, SUFF

The Sydney Underground Film Festival is on this weekend, 17–20 Sep at Factory Theatre. Check out more than 100 screenings including Back In Time, Knock Knock and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, masterclasses and special music performances.

Dumbsaint

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Gen Fricker

Holy Moly

To launch their new album, Panorama, In Ten Pieces (which includes 60-minute fi lm made

by the cinematic instrumental Sydney four-piece themselves), Dumbsaint are hitting the road this month and next on their fi rst

headline east coast tour in two years.

Sydney Bar Week

Yep, it’s on again. From 19 – 22 Sep, Sydney bars will host a slew

of parties, indie tasting seminars, a conference,

masterclasses, speakers, competitions and of

course, the Bar Awards.

Arts / LiMusic / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


LashesLoc It In

Having dropped new single Rolling On, Geelong indie-rockers The

Murlocs have announced a tour to support it this October/November. The boys’ headline

shows will cover Adelaide, Fremantle, Hobart, Ballarat,

Sydney, Melbourne and Geelong.

There’s

A Limit

After playing over 170 shows across three continents in 2014, Boy & Bear will be hitting the road yet again in January for a national tour in support of their forthcoming album, Limit Of Love, kicking off in Tasmania.

Favored Nations

Boy & Bear

The Murlocs

Damon Albarn

Describes the new Adele as “middle of the road”. There’s no denying her talent, but we’re not really surprised this is the case, so it’s kind of stating the bleeding obvious.

RIP Livers And Sleep

We might have just received from BIGSOUND by now. Just. So much to see and do, so little time.

Fat Bastardry

So Slash’s brother calls Axl Rose a “fat bastard” and, even though he later apologised, it means that probably any hopes of an original Guns N’ Roses line-up are beyond dashed – if they were even going to happen at all.

Jessica Hopper

The Pitchfork Senior Editor’s keynote speech at BIGSOUND highlighting misogyny in the music industry really hit home and hopefully has an effect from here on in.

Michael Stipe

While most musos distance themselves from controversial politicians using their music in a fairly standard way, Michael Stipe tweeted them to “go fuck yourselves” after REM’s track It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) was used by Donald Trump amongst others during a rally.

Locked Up

Good to see more than 1000 people according to reports marching against the draconian lockout laws, highlighting that they don’t so much solve the problem, as just shift it elsewhere.

Backlash

Frontlash

Favouring Our Nation

Genre-diverse sun-pop trio, Favored Nations have announced their fi rst ever tour Down Under to coincide with the release of their debut album, I Can See You. Kicking off in late October, the tour visits Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and Adelaide.

via Reclaim The Streets Facebook

LifestyleMusic / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


AntennaAntenna Documentary Film Festival has unveiled its full 2015 program. The festival features Warriors From The North, Another Country, The Birth Of Sake and more, running 13 – 18 Oct at Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinema, and Museum Of Contemporary Art.

Newtown Fest First Line-up

Jinja Safari, The Laurels, Steve Smyth, True Vibenation, Gordi, The Strides, The Cops and Coda Conduct are just a few of the names in the fi rst big musical line-up announcement from the organisers of the 2015 Newtown Festival, 8 Nov.

Little O’ This

On top of their already announced national tour in support of new album For

The Company, Little May have announced they’ll fi nish the

tour with an art exhibition at Goodspace, 2 – 4 Oct, the culmination on online art

campaign #ArtForTheCompany.

Little May

le / CultuMusic / Arts / Lifestyle / Culture


Beaming Down

The Beams Art Festival is on this week, in its fourth year. Chippendale’s alleyways will be lit up from 5pm on 19 Sep, featuring visual and performance art installations plus music from The Rhythm Hunters and more.

More Surry Hills

I Know Leopard, Lyre Birdland, The Civilians, Lucy Lowe, On The Stoop, High Top Brass Band, Demi Louise and acts from the Australian Institute of Music (AIM) join NOIRE, The Pigs and more 26 Sep at the 2015 Surry Hills Festival.

In The Building

The 24th annual Parkes Elvis Festival kicks in 6 – 10 Jan and headlining is leading American Elvis tribute artist, Donny Edwards, the highlight of more than 150 free and ticketed events, shows, concerts and competitions across the four days of the festival.

I Know Leopard Another Country

The Rhythm Hunters. Pic: Graynoise

Parkes Elvis Festival

Wollombi Music Festival

Whee Wollombi

It’ll be a weekend of music, food, markets and workshops at Wollombi Music Festival 26 Sep (with a launch party 25 Sep and recovery sesh 27 Sep). We have a double pass to give away; head to theMusic.com.au to enter.


New US indie comedy People Places Things fi nds New Zealand actor/comedian Jemaine Clement - best known as being one half of comedy-folk sensations

Flight Of The Conchords - wandering out of his comfort zone and into romantic realms. Written and directed by Jim Strouse (Grace Is Gone, The Winning Season), it’s a touching and gently humourous look at the complexities that strike families and surrounding relationships when parents split up - a scenario that’s sadly all too common in this day and age.

Clement’s character Will Henry is a graphic novelist and art teacher in NYC, and when his long-term partner cheats on him (at their twin daughters’ fi fth birthday party no less) and leaves him for the gormless Gary - an off-Broadway performance artist - his life spirals into sadness and chaos as he struggles to juggle single fatherhood, the dating game and his dwindling artistic ambition. Much of the turmoil manifests in Will’s graphic art - beautifully rendered by Gray Williams - but the remainder unfolds via subtle dialogue and character development as Will rediscovers his zest for existence. The plot may verge on formulaic but there’s inherent warmth throughout that engenders empathy, especially throughout Clement’s portrayal of the endearingly bumbling nice guy whose life has been fl ipped on its head.

“I’m really happy with it,” the actor smiles. “People have been talking about how they can relate to the fi lm, which is really new for me; for people to get emotional in that way about something I’ve done.

It’s not really an experience I’ve had before, and it was quite nice to not have to worry about it being funny all the time. It’s cool that there didn’t have to be a joke every 20 seconds.”

Clement explains that it was the fi lm’s overall premise rather than his character Will that drew him to the project.

“I don’t know if I was drawn to the character of Will, but

more the overall tone of the fi lm and what it was about,” he refl ects. “I did like that he loved his children, but I found the script overall funny and the subject spoke to me fi rstly because I’m a father but also my parents didn’t live together and I think the way that situation is often portrayed in fi lms is like the parents aren’t together therefore they’re going to drugs or something. It’s usually really exaggerated, but I felt this is more realistic - there’s still sadness there, but this is a more realistic portrayal of what it’s like when parents split up.

“When I did the fi lm and went over to New York, for the fi rst part of it I wasn’t with my son so I could really relate with wanting to see your kid and your family. Also most of us have left someone or been left, so it’s easy to relate to a big part of that, and this relates to what happens when you have kids and what happens to the relationship then.”

It must have been a fairly intensive shoot for him, not because of the low budget but because Clement’s character plays a fairly dominant role in proceedings.

“Yeah, there’s only one scene that I’m not in,” he tells. “I thought it was going to be intense and any doubt I had about it at all was that it would be intense being in every scene, and whether I could keep it going and keep it interesting or whatever, but when we fi lmed there’s so many things to do that you just couldn’t worry about it - you just had to get onto the next scene. There were too many things to do for me to worry about what I was doing. And Jim made me do a few of the props - when my character vandalises a few of the posters and draws on these posters, he asked me to do that and I was drawing them in my apartment at night and I was, like, ‘Oh man, these aren’t

ew US indie comedy People Places Things fi nds New Zealand actor/comedian Jemaine Clement - best known as being one half of comedy-folk sensations

Flight Of The Conchords - wandering out of his comfortzone and into romantic realms. Written and directed by Jim Strouse (Grace Is Gone, The Winning Season), it’s a touchingand gently humourous look at the complexities that strike families and surrounding relationships when parents split up - a scenario that’s sadly all too common in this day and age.

Clement’s character Will Henry is a graphic novelist and art teacher in NYC, and when his long-term partner cheats on him (at their twin daughters’ fifth birthday party no less)

more the overall tone of the fi lm and what it was about,” he refl ects. “I did like that he loved his children, but I found the script overall funny and the subject spoke to me fi rstly becauseI’m a father but also my parents didn’t livetogether and I think the way that situation is often portrayed in fi lms is like the parents aren’t together therefore they’re going to drugs or something. It’s usually really exaggerated, butI felt this is more realistic - there’s still sadness there, but this is a more realistic portrayal of what it’s like when parents split up

P l a y i n g S t r a i g h t

Funny guy Jemaine Clement tells Steve Bell about wrestling with emotional heft in the lead role of charming new comedy fl ick People, Places, Things.

It’s cool that there didn’t have to be a joke every 20 seconds.

Film


What:People Places Things In cinemas

What:XxWhen & Where: Xx

working out, I thought they were going to look better,’ so I started getting stressed out about those. And I had to draw on the kids’ kites, and I’d worry much more about the drawings then the acting! I am not a professional illustrator. Fortunately the main body of the comics were done by Gray Williams so I didn’t have to worry about that.”

What about the adorable twins Aundrea and Gia Gadsby who played his onscreen daughters Clio and Collette, did the old showbiz adage about not working with kids and animals ring true?

“I loved working with those kids actually,” Clement chuckles. “They were great fun. When I fi rst saw in the script that there were identical twins I thought, ‘That’s a crazy thing to do, how are you going to fi nd twin actors?’ It’s hard enough to fi nd good kid actors anyway let alone two that looks the same - I thought it would really cut down the options - but I was sent a video of their audition and they were just mucking around and being themselves and I knew it would be fi ne. Even they improvised sometimes, they’d throw in little things. They were surprisingly comfortable - they’d never been in a fi lm before - but maybe it helps that they weren’t too conscious of the camera.”

Clement recently wrote and directed (and starred in) excellent horror/comedy fl ick What We Do In The Shadows (2014), did that experience give him a different perspective now he’s returned to purely acting realms?

“I think so. Doing something like that makes me realise that when I’m an actor I’m there to make the writers’ and directors’ vision happen. I think it makes me easier to work with after I’ve directed my own stuff, I don’t want to be that diffi cult guy for the director,” he laughs. “I want to only be helpful.”

His acting experience now covers the entire gamut of fi lmic possibilities, from blockbusters like Men In Black 3 and the impending Spielberg-produced BFG to smaller, lower-budget productions like 2007’s Eagle Vs Shark, What We Do In The Shadows and People Places Things, but Clement seems to enjoy these polar experiences equally.

“In some ways they’re quite similar, you’re still trying to do the same thing,” he explains. “It’s hard to say if they’re that different. They don’t seem that different really. The budgets are different, and you usually do the indie fi lms in a smaller amount of time. And there’s less people, and the big fi lms have big sets but basically it’s the same thing you’re trying to do - make people laugh or be excited or moved.”

And speaking of make people laugh, rumours have been rampant that Clement is teaming up once more with Flight Of The Conchords sparring partner Bret McKenzie to see how the titular band has been getting on since the second season fi nale of their TV show found them stranded back on the farm in

What about the aand Gia Gadsby whodaughters Clio and Cadage about not worring true?

“I loved working Clement chuckles. “TI fi rst saw in the scriptwins I thought, ‘Thathow are you going tohard enough to fi nd glet alone two that loowould really cut dowsent a video of their mucking around andknew it would be fi nesometimes, they’d thwere surprisingly combeen in a fi lm beforethey weren’t too cons

Clement recently(and starred in) exceWhat We Do In The Sexperience give him he’s returned to pure

“I think so. Doingmakes me realise thathere to make the wrhappen I think it ma

Is Bigger Better?

Since fi lming wrapped on People Places Things Clement has appeared in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s BFG, surely a slightly different experience?

“In some ways, although it’s not as different as all that,” he ponders. “And actually Steven Spielberg was surprisingly open to collaborating on ideas, I thought he was going to be telling us what to do and exactly how to do it. But we could make suggestions and he would listen to them and give it a go, and he would change things as he went. He’s pretty amazing at coming up with an action sequence - he’ll work on it a year before but also he’ll add on bits while we’re fi lming if he had a new idea, so it was actually quite exciting to be a part of that and watch him come up with an action sequence and stuff like that. That movie was motion capture as well so it was different - you have to wear those grey suits with the balls on them, and we had to learn how to walk like giants and stuff like that. Our characters will have our movements and our voices but not our walking. I can’t wait to see the fi nished product, I remember when that book came out and they read it to us at school; especially when it mentions Wellington in the book and we all lost it!”

rural New Zealand.“We’ve started writing fi lm

ideas,” Jemaine offers cryptically. “We’re not very far into it and it may never happen, but we have been talking about it. We’ve started writing stuff but we don’t really know where it’s going to take us yet. Hopefully somewhere.”

Jemaine Clement. Pic: Kane Skennar


To say Nick Martin is excited to tour Australia for the fi rst time since joining post-hardcore miscreants

Sleeping With Sirens (SWS) in 2013 is an understatement. But his excitement is pegged on something from completely out of left fi eld.

“The one thing I do want to do is go and see quokkas - is that how you say it?” he asks, back home in California after a tour of South America. “They’re like little furry animals on an island outside of Perth. I’ve held a koala, I’ve hung out with the kangaroos, I’ve done those quote-unquote typical Australian things, but I want to go see quokkas.”

It’s not something one typically expects to hear from a guitarist, especially one whose punk/hardcore band credits prior to SWS include Underminded and DRUGS. But as the oldest in the fi ve-piece - he’s 32 - touring these days has become less about quantity and more about quality.

“I’ve been doing this since I was around 18, 19 years old,” Martin explains. “How I used to travel and party when I was 21 versus now when I’m 32 are two completely different things. When you’re older you tend to want to enjoy the other things. Like, I want to enjoy the local culture and check out new things, and the cities and the people.”

And things are slightly different for all band members since catapulting onto the scene in 2010 with With Ears To See And Eyes To Hear. Amid the global tours, countless chart entries, signing with Rise and their recent move to Epitaph, the boys have built families and relationships back home. Keeping one foot in the band’s world and the other in the family realm is a challenge Martin says can be

overcome with effort.“You kind of have to consider it a long-

distance relationship. And it is diffi cult because you live in a different world to your partner. For us we’re in a different city every day, experiencing life in completely different ways, so it becomes diffi cult. Over the years it’s hard to fi nd the individuals that understand it, who are compassionate and backing what you do every day. So when you do have that, you cherish it a lot.”

Enlisting the god-like guidance of John Feldmann (Panic! At the Disco, The Used, All Time Low) for latest album Madness steered the band’s pop-punk fl avour towards a tighter, more mature direction. Each and every band member agrees that future SWS albums will be touched by none other than Feldmann, even if Martin admits the man can be a bit intense.

“Intense is an understatement!” he laughs. “John’s just like this very eccentric, crazy motherfucker - he gets out of his mind. He’s able to come into a room and if we come in and we’re not feeling it that day, somehow he can come in and spark something. He’s so high-strung but in the most positive way ever. To have someone that is equally at a level ten, or at a level 100 like John Feldmann - it’s nice to have. I wouldn’t want to break away from that.”

Pajama Party

“How I used to travel and party when I was 21 versus now when I’m 32 are two completely different things,” Sleeping With Sirens guitarist Nick Martin tells Carley Hall.

When & Where:20 Sep, UNSW Roundhouse

Music

Mitch Knox – Editor, theMusic.com.au

Tiger Choir

Hands down, the biggest surprise of the showcase for me. Watch them closely.

Morning Harvey

If there’s a more charismatic frontman getting about these parts than the spectacularly mulleted, deliciously mobile Spencer White, I don’t even want to know about it.

Avaberee

They played to a criminally small crowd at the Brightside Outdoor stage, but that just gave the ascendant Brissy act’s performance - fl awless as it was - an added dimension of hypnotic intimacy. Beautiful, bold tunes, and wonderment for days.

Polish Club

Yeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssssss. Seriously, that is all. So. Much. Yes.

Rainbow Chan

Another revelation. Quirky, glitchy electro-pop delivered by Chan with confi dence and candour, ably assisted by beats man Moses MacRae, all wrapped up in an evocative, danceable package. A true delight.

Honorable mention: Koi Child. Just have to mention them because holy hell, that group is stacks of fun.

The Best Of BIGSOUND Live

Polish Club. Pic: Bobby Rein



kinda like key point where the record came together was last summer. I spent three weeks working on vocals with an engineer - in London at the XL studios, they have a studio in their offi ce there - and on maybe the Wednesday of the fi rst week we recorded the vocals for Sister Of Pearl. And then the next night, Thursday, my manager was in town for one night and had this big group dinner at a restaurant in London that’s kind of like a more of a hang out-type place. I hadn’t been before - I haven’t since - but [when we were] walking into the restaurant, at another one of the tables was Bryan Ferry with three people having dinner! So I thought, ‘That’s a decent omen’.”

He moved from New York to London two years ago and Baio opines, “London is the closest, I think, to New York in terms of style of city, and obviously there is a world of differences between them, too. But, for me, working on this record, and writing lyrics, it gave me both a new environment, and a new life, to be excited about, and also a new perspective; to look back on sort of growing up and living in New York.”

Back in New York, Baio was involved in “college radio” (“I would play at, like, 2am to maybe three listeners on the internet”), which he reveals was “much more for [him] than for anyone else”. “They had this really awesome library in the studio and, you know, I came from suburban New York and, living in the city for the fi rst time as an adult, it was so fun. It just exposed me to so much more music that I didn’t know. Like, the breadth of stuff I listened to from when I was 19 - it’s insane!... To just go and pull CDs off the wall, import them into my computer and then, like, get to listen to Can for the fi rst time when I’m 19, you know? That time in my life is where a lot of my taste formed that this album is kinda ultimately the expression of.”

The Names is a multicultural feast for the ears and something about the tone of Baio’s album, which is established pronto through opener Brainwash Yyrr Face, calls to mind DJ Shadow’s You Can’t Go Home Again. Shadow’s track invites Russian folk dancers into your imagination and, interestingly, Baio majored in “Russian regional studies” at university. “I guess [the banjo intro] could be a little bit like a balalaika or something,” Baio ponders. “That’s interesting, yeah, I didn’t make that connection but I had a balalaika - my mum gave me one for Christmas, like, ten years ago when I was a student, but I could never get a good sound out of it. And so maybe [I’m] just doing a computerised impression of it.

“When I was working on [Brainwash Yyrr Face] I had 28 years of my life, of listening to music and loving music, and, when you actually sit down to work on something, you’re working your way through and you’re kind of trusting your intuition. And what you’ve listened to over the course of your life and what fi lters through, it can be, like, a very subtle process... So that’s a cool thing, and I think that’s defi nitely true that that’s something that fi ltered through that track. I fi nished it a year ago and I never thought about it until you brought it up right now. So it’s funny, yeah.”

What:The Names (Liberator Music/Glassnote Records)

Baio is the solo project of Chris Baio, and the Vampire Weekend bassist is already seated at the boardroom table of Mushroom HQ, Albert Park

when this scribe enters the room. Looking and dressing like a dapper Oxford scholar, Baio expresses a desire to check out the Bowie exhibition at ACMI during a “little break” he has today. “I can go maybe for, like, an hour and a half. I’m gonna do that,” he decides. “I mean, him and [Bryan] Ferry are my two favourites.”

Sister Of Pearl, the latest single to be lifted from Baio’s debut long-player is actually an overt reference to Roxy

Music’s Mother Of Pearl. “For me the turn of phrase came and it sounded like a song that had already been written,” Baio explains. “It would seem like someone in the 1950s or something would have written a pop song called Sister Of Pearl.” Then Baio tapped into “more traditional pop songwriting” and “very deliberately referenced a lot of [his] favourite Bowie and Ferry tracks” in the lyrics to complete the song.

Although he’s never met his aforementioned heroes, Baio had a Ferry sighting. “After writing and making Sister Of Pearl my lawyer sent it to [Ferry’s] management, ‘cause I wanted to be sure, and apparently he heard it and was cool with it. So it was nice. And there’s a credit in the liner notes saying that Sister Of Pearl was inspired by Roxy Music’s Mother Of Pearl, by Bryan Ferry 1973. But, before that, the

Pearls Before Swine The day after recording vocals on a song inspired by Roxy Music’s Mother Of Pearl, Chris Baio saw Bryan Ferry in a London restaurant and thought, “That’s a decent omen,” he tells Bryget Chrisfi eld.

That time in my life is where a lot of my taste formed that this album is kinda

ultimately the expression of.

Music


“I didn’t know that though till we were halfway fi nished it,” a still somewhat bemused Ron Sexsmith admits of the

“happiest” album he’s yet produced, Carousel One. “But it wasn’t until halfway through the sessions that I realised, looking at the list that was on the wall at the studio, ‘Wow, none of these seem like downers, really,’” he chuckles. “’They’re all pretty outgoing or something.’ So that was a nice surprise, especially after my last record [2013’s Forever Endeavour], which was a lot more introspective. I mean I never really know why songs turn out the way they do. The one before that [2011’s Long Player Late Bloomer] was more uptempo but was kind of grumpier lyrically. This album, there’s more humour on it and I don’t really know why but I’m happy about it.

“The songs were sort of written in two different batches actually. Half the songs were written while I was waiting for Forever Endeavour to come out, and then the other half were written while I was touring that record around. I also had a few different producers that were gonna do the album originally that for whatever reason fell through. I had the hardest time trying to fi nd

a producer, so by the time Jim Scott came around I had about 30 songs. Then it was just a matter of which ones feel sort of like a record.”

Introduced to Sexsmith by mutual friend Kevin Hearn from Barenaked Ladies, the Valencia, California-based Jim Scott is probably best known for his work with Wilco, but his CV includes albums for the Stones, Ryan Bingham, the Dixie Chicks and even Crowded House and

Missy Higgins.Performing at folk festival songwriters

circles inspired Carousel One’s Getaway Car.“That’s a true story, that line, so it was

kind of fun to throw that into a song,” he chuckles. “I’m not a fan of these sorts of things. In fact I have a hard time getting gigs at folk festivals ‘cause they always insist that you do these songwriters circles and I don’t really enjoy them, and I was doing one this time at Niagara Falls that was so bad and my wife was in the audience and she could just see that I was not enjoying it, and so she went into the dressing room and gathered all our things, put them in the car and had the engine running for when it was all over so we could just run out the back door and take off. They wanted me to come out later and sing this fi nale with everybody, so that line was just sort of about the kind of psychic thing that happens when you’ve been with someone long enough, where they can read your mind from across the room.”

Happy Accident

Other songwriters, like Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello, reckon he’s the business. For his 14th album, Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith accidentally cut his happiest yet. He chats with Michael Smith.

When & Where:19 Nov, Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbim-by; 21 Nov, Newtown Social Club; 23 Nov, The Basement

Music

Steve Bell – Editor, The Music

Cosmic Psychos

Young ‘uns defi nitely showed their promise with possibly the most distinctly Australian set of heavy rock ever delivered at BIGSOUND, then mooned us to show their appreciation.

The Goon Sax

Super young Brisbane trio seem to strip back time with their jangly brand of indie rock, woozy and emotive and simultaneously fragile and robust. So compelling.

Polish Club

Sometimes hype is aimed at the wrong targets and other times it’s utterly justifi ed, and this Sydney duo belong unreservedly in the latter camp as they stun all and sundry with a polished set of soul-heavy blues rock, and that voice.

Gold Class

Some lucky punters endured a face-full of invective from the frontman of this Melbourne outfi t, who souvenired a lot of hearts and minds with their austere post-punk and smooth invective.

High Tension

If any fool ever tries to say that women can’t rock sit them down in front of this thrashy Melbourne outfi t and let them get their face melted off by Karina Utomo’s incredible scream. A lot to love.


High Tension. Pic: Bobby Rein




It’s been a steadily skywards pointing career trajectory to date for young Brisbane four-piece The Jungle Giants. Their

carefree brand of pop-infused indie rock has really touched a nerve with the Australian music public, with substantial radio play for their breezy tunes quickly translating into not only large crowds for their live shows but also consolidating them a role as firm festival favourites.

Now, having gained a swag of traction with debut long-player Learn To Exist (2013) - which debuted at #12 on the ARIA Albums Chart and #1 on the AIR Chart - they’re back with follow-up album, Speakerzoid (which takes its strange title form a misheard Sonic Youth lyric). It’s an assured evolution of The Jungle Giants’ aesthetic, with a focus on upbeat, dance-inducing rhythms and their trademark rampant melodies - it’s still very much the same band, they’ve just taken one seismic step forward.

“We knew that we could just do the same album again,” Frontman Sam Hales muses. “We could follow that same structure and just do Learn To Exist 2, but we didn’t really want to so for us it just became the simple decision,

‘Let’s make good music again, just new good music’. So one decision was to not make it the same and not pigeonhole ourselves but still make fucking good music.”

“I think at the end of the day we had a lot of trust in our fans, and we’ve always connected more with our fans in a live setting anyway,” offers guitarist Andrew Dooris. “The shows that we played after the first album were such a confirmation, and

what it really meant to us was that we had to keep doing it for them and for us - we have to keep growing with these people. We wanted to stay connected to them, and the only way to do that was by being proud of the work that we’re doing, and we would never have been proud doing that same album twice.”

Even from their earliest forays the live realm has been an important part of The Jungle Giants’ armoury.

“I think a big thing with Speakerzoid is [that it gives people] something more to expect when they come to our shows,” Hales admits. “I remember for the first two years of touring Learn To Exist someone would see us for the first time and, every single time, they’d be like, ‘I had no idea you guys played so hard, or didn’t just play soft!’ So what we were essentially doing - especially with songs like [2011 first single] Mr Polite, which is a sugary kinda song - we would just put a shitload of beef on it when we played and we’d be quite aggressive, and that would surprise people. So I hope what Speakerzoid will do is give people an idea that we do fucking get aggressive live, and it adds to our repertoire with these long, building songs that you can just kind of jive to the whole time.”

Giant Strides

No second album blues for Brisbane indie outfit The Jungle Giants! Frontman Sam Hales and guitarist Andrew Dooris school Steve Bell on their desire to evolve alongside - rather than away from - their early-adopting followers.

What:Speakerzoid (Amplifi re) When & Where: 18 Sep, Enmore Theatre; 25 Sep, ANU Bar, Canberra; 31 Oct, This That, Newcastle Foreshore; 14 Nov, Gentlemen Of The Road, The Domain; 29 - 31 Dec, Lost Paradise, Glenworth Valley

Music

To read the full interview head to theMusic.com.au

Joel Edmondson –QMusic Executive Offi cer

Fraser A Gorman

A young Paul Kelly with a limitless repertoire of genius banter.

Polish Club

Quality songwriting is lacking in many two-piece acts, and it’s what makes these guys stand apart.

Waax

Marie DeVita is quickly becoming one of the most charismatic frontwomen in Australian rock.

Luke Daniel Peacock

The honesty of his storytelling is both compelling and devastating.

Ann Vriend

The Canadian soul singer delivered one of the more instrumentally competent performances I saw during the festival.


Fraser A Gorman. Pic: Bobby Rein


“It’s like a full-on spring vibe today,” singer-songwriter Dustin Tebbutt begins. “I want to maybe get out and do

some gardening. But I don’t have a garden. I’m going into the neighbour’s and dig around in there. Get some herbs.”

The desire to raid and tinker with a stranger’s garden bed is kind of symbolic of the importance environment holds for Tebbutt. The Sydneysider proved that with his debut, The Breach, in 2013, which saw him lauded for its title track, claiming an impressive #44 in triple j’s Hottest 100. The EP was penned during Tebbutt’s sojourn to Sweden, where the bleak winter inspired the woody, minimalist folk under his falsetto croons. His latest, Home, is again a product of his surroundings, this time back on Australian soil.

“The environment was a very big part of my imagination as a kid I think,” Tebbutt explains. “My brain has always been very adherent to responding to things in that kind of way, and then when I started writing music it was kind of inevitable. And moving to Sweden I was just overwhelmed, really, in a nice way, with all the different colours and

sounds and the snow.

“I feel like I can’t really escape the effect it has. When I do try and write something that’s not about that, I do fi nd it hard to fi nd as powerful ways to say things. It just doesn’t feel as authentic to me. So I think in one way it has put some bounds on what I’m doing at the moment, and at the same time it just feels natural.”

While Tebbutt’s acute understanding of his surroundings has an anchoring

trait in his music, the production of Home was physically adrift. Between tours with Missy Higgins, Hozier and The Kite String Tangle, various collaborations and playing at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, the troubadour wrote, recorded and produced the seven-track “mini album” in his parents’ house, grandparents’ house and his Sydney home.

“Which is kind of strange because it’s all about this idea of home, and it’s kind of the only thing I haven’t really had over the course of the recording,” he laughs. “Coming back to Australia and writing all those tunes about that concept was one thing, putting it all together in a state of not being in a home was pretty weird.”

Tebbutt credits the more celebratory sound of Home with his upheaval, and some of it to songstress Thelma Plum, who lends her forceful but fragile voice on Silk.

“This song came up and it just felt like I was trying to tell two people’s stories. When I was singing it didn’t quite feel like all the words I’d written were mine. And so I started thinking about whose voice would say that part really well and her voice fi ts in really well with mine. So we did it and it was beautiful. It’s amazing to record her. I’m used to spending a whole day doing vocal takes and she just walked in and smashed it. It was good fun.”

Where The Heart Is

Amid a whirlwind year of collaborations and touring, transient singer-songwriter Dustin Tebbutt found the time to write and record a new “mini album”. He tells Carley Hall it’s fi nding a sense of place in the chaos that lends inspiration.

What:Home (Eleven)When & Where:25 Sep, Factory Theatre

Music

Uppy Chatterjee – Editor, theMusic.com.au

Dorsal Fins

The nine-piece on stage genuinely looked like they were friends having a musical dance party, with a brass section. Special props to the percussionist who was having a blast while playing his beer bottles and sample pads.

Harts

Just, wow. Already emanating rock god vibes and wouldn’t be surprised to see this guy slay a festival main stage very soon.

High Tension

A wretched banshee scream and live show like no other.

Mojo Juju

Dressed to the nines, Mojo Juju’s voice is brassy, bold and fi lls an entire fucking room with no effort at all.

Stonefi eld

Bring back the all-girl axe-wielders! These girls were kickass.


Harts. Pic: Bobby Rein

Eat /


Eat/Drink

Pandan Paradise

Albee’s Kitchen. Pic: David Ma

Green Peppercorn - 1 Hamilton

Rd, Fairfi eld

It’s a twist on the classic creme brulee: the pandan creme brulee. It’s a subtle twist but you’ll probably be marvelling over it for days.

Albee’s Kitchen - 420 Kingsford

Pde, Kingsford

One of their popular dishes is actually Pandan Chicken (chicken marinated in pandan sauce and served wrapped in a pandan leaf), and they have a range of Malaysian sweets such as talam cake (coconut and pandan layered cake).

Thanon Khaosan - 413

Pitt St, Haymarket

It’s a Thai dessert dream over here - there are so many options on the hawker cart display. Among their delights is coconut jelly wrapped in pandan leaf, and pandan taro balls.

House Thai - 202

Elizabeth St, Surry Hills

If you want a DESSERT dessert, here’s where it’s at. It’s called BTS (Better Than Sex) and it consists of toasted brioche served with pandan coconut gelato topped with Thai caramel

sauce and sprinkled with roasted black and white sesame seeds. Oof. One to share for sure.

Chat Thai Thaitown - 20 Campbell

St, Haymarket

Khanom chan is an ancient Thai dessert. It’s a steamed multi-layered firm pudding made from pandan and coconut milk, and Chat Thai Thaitown will have one for you if you’re lucky (it’s subject to availability).

Ms G’s - 155 Victoria St, Potts Point

If you’re new to pandan but you like a hint of it, Ms G’s Tropical Passion dessert could be the thing you’re looking for: it’s lime custard, tropical fruits, chocolate coconut soil, pandan meringue and coconut sorbet.

Alice’s Makan - 580 George St, Sydney

Alice’s Makan has a huge menu of rotating Malaysian bite-sized sweets (kuih), including the kuih serimuka (coconut cream sticky rice topped with pandan and coconut custard), lapis (coconut and pandan flavoured rainbow layers), talam (smooth sweet pandan topped with salted coconut cream), and dadar (rolled pandan pancake with coconut filling). Insert crying and prayer hands emojis here as you see fit.

Some call pandan the ‘Asian vanilla’ but it’s so much more than that.

/ Drink


Eat/Drink

Hot Spot

Los Vida

Proud purveyors of the finest cuisine south of the border (the Mexican border), Los Vida have now opened their third venue in Sydney’s Crows Nest.

The new venue is set to be larger than her sister destinations in Westfield and The Wintergardens with a 200-seat capacity as well as two bars, a selection of Mexican street food and a 50-person private function area.

The opening of course means that being ‘over the bridge’ is now even cooler and tastier. Reviewers, bloggers and customers alike have even more opportunity to sink their teeth into Los Vida’s acclaimed Yucatan Fish Taco or Ancient Grain Salad. Diners on the hunt for healthy and authentic Mexican food can now escape the bustle of the CBD and throw themselves into the vibrant area that is Crows Nest.Los Vida have already begun construction on another venue in Barangaroo, which means that, before 2015 is out you’ll be overwhelmed with choices for a great Mexican dining experience.

The Bar That Jack Built

The world’s first crowd-sourced bar was created in Sydney last year, and this year it’s happening again and also travelling to Melbourne.

The bar’s called The Bar That Jack Built and will be completely built by fans and made from materials donated by fans. Up-and-coming bands have also been sought out to provide entertainment once the bars are operational. And it’s all part of a unique event by Jack Daniel’s that will honour the birthday (well, no one knows the exact date, but it’s customary

to celebrate it in September) of none other than Jack Daniel himself.

The Bar That Jack Built is being built at six workshops between Wollongong and Geelong, and the finished thing will be on display, up and running at Federation Square, Melbourne, 18-20 Sep and Parramatta Park, Sydney, 25-27 Sep. Food will be provided by the best local food trucks.

Renae Bunster from Perth makes this hot sauce called Shit The Bed. She’s currently crowdfunding to pay for the first large commercial batch of sauce so she’s been promoting that on Facebook lately. Turns out someone shared a photo of her hot sauce with UK DJ Danny

Drink Up

Howells, because he’s a massive hot sauce fan, and he in turn has been helping Bunster promote the STB sauce. One of his

Facebook mates happens to be DJ John Digweed - who also shared a pic of the sauce with the caption: “I always used to joke to #dannyhowells that if he called me before midday that he must have s**t the bed - trust him to discover this product!”

So that was certainly a serendipitous turn of events!

Entertaining anecdotes aside, you can head to bunstersfresh.com.au for info on how to help Bunster’s STB sauce go commercial. Also, if you post a photo of the STB sauce and get 500 shares on Facebook you get a free bottle of sauce.

Check OutShit The Bed Hot Sauce


Small World Festival celebrates all that is good about Sydney’s inner west and beyond, offering live music, quality food from local restaurateurs and refreshments by Young Henrys. This year it will be held at Sydney Park, with the music line-up featuring the likes of The Church, DZ Deathrays, Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders, All Our Exes Live In Texas and more, while culinary delights are provided by the likes of Bloodwood, Mary’s and Porteno. It all takes place on Saturday.

Jack Ladder, Elana Stone & Georgia Mooney from All Our Exes Live In Texas and Graham from Young Henrys. Pics: Josh Groom & Peter Sharp.

In In FocusFocusSmall WorldFestival


17 parramatta Rd. Annandalewww.annandalehotel.com

THURSDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER – 7PM

ZAC GUNTHORPEFRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER – 8PM

THE WEIRD ASSEMBLYSATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER – 8PM

ROSS WARD XPRESSSUNDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER – 3PM

JOHN VELLA


at rehearsals where he handed out lyrics to Smells Like Teen Spirit and I make my entrance to a Nirvana song. There were no rules!”

In Pan, which, as you can imagine puts a few new twists on the origin of Peter Pan (played by young newcomer Levi Miller): “Adults had to be as children see them - ridiculous and frightening in equal measure,” says Jackman. So while the actor’s Blackbeard is torn between between vanquishing this young upstart and “almost wishing him to fulfi l his greatest fear” he also had to a cut a larger-than-life fi gure. And that’s where Wright had a few innovative ideas.

“I thought we were going to use the historical version of Blackbeard, which is quite theatrical and amazing, by the way - he used to put sticks of incense in his beard and light them so there was a cloud of smoke around his head as he emerged with his cutlass,” laughs Jackman. “But no, Joe showed me a picture that had my face, a Marie Antoinette wig, a Louis XIV costume and all this bling. And I was like, ‘Oh, I’m in.’”

Jackman has collaborated with the likes of Woody Allen, Christopher Nolan, Baz Luhrmann and Darren Aronofsky, and says he’s come to realise that fi lm is very much a director’s medium. “Actors can make three movies a year; a director makes a movie every two or three years. A great director knows that if they’re lucky they can make ten movies in their life, so these great directors make tough choices - they don’t go into things lightly. So whatever is on the page, the director may even be more important. That’s been guiding me over the last ten years. Joe Wright is a director of the highest order and I was really keen to work with him.”

Still, the stage frequently beckons Jackman, who believes that “being on stage makes me better on fi lm and vice versa”. “After Pan I did a Jez Butterworth three-hander, a very poetic piece called The River,” he says. “And it had a six-minute period in the middle of the play where I just prepared a meal with no dialogue and no one else on stage. It was just that for six minutes! I do like to go back and forth between stage and fi lm, it’s where I get the best out of myself, and I think I now enjoy fi lm as much... but I’m most at home on a stage.”

He’ll get to feel very much at home later this year when he takes his stage show Broadway To Oz to fi ve capital cities around Australia. “I obviously want the show to be fun and entertaining - a bit of a party - but at the same time, like Pan, it has moments of intimacy. I like to create an atmosphere, even though we’re in an arena, of being in my living room, where people get to understand who I am and what I love.

“I’ll sing songs from things I’ve been in and things I haven’t, share stories about my life, make fun of myself and play with the audience. No two shows will be the same. And there’ll be spectacle - I have an opportunity to do what I haven’t done before, which is have a 35-piece orchestra, 20 dancers and incredible lighting. When there are moments to put on a show, I really want to put on a show.”

What:PanIn cinemas 24 Sep

A two-day media junket, where the talent is subjected to an ongoing barrage of nine-minute interrogations by an unbroken stream of

reporters, is enough to test the patience of the most even-tempered performers.

So it speaks volumes about the legendary and seemingly limitless affability of Hugh Jackman that the Australian actor is able to maintain good humour and laid-back charm during his recent press commitments for Pan, the upcoming re-imagining of the Peter Pan story, in which he portrays the pirate Blackbeard, the original nemesis of the boy who never grew up.

If the berserker rage Jackman regularly unleashes in his signature role as surly, steel-clawed superhero Wolverine is at all simmering, he’s doing a great job

of keeping it from reaching boiling point. There is, of course, more to Jackman than his star-making role in the X-Men franchise. Over a two-decade stage and screen career, he’s proven himself adept in challenging dramas and charming romantic comedies. And then there are his talents as a song-and-dance man to be reckoned with.

Strangely enough, his role in Pan - directed by Joe Wright of Pride & Prejudice and Hanna fame - gives him the opportunity to showcase many of these skills, with Blackbeard emerging as a fearsome villain, a fl amboyant showman and a melancholic veteran of many, many battles. “It was an embarrassment of riches,” smiles Jackman, recalling the role. “It was a lot of scenery-chewing, playing to the back rows and having the time of my life, and then Joe randomly comes up with this idea

There’ll Be SpectacleDespite the rigours of an intense media schedule, Guy Davis fi nds Hugh Jackman just as amenable and approachable as he’d imagined.

wherelse to goget tmuc

Hwhencapitshowat thI like

Joe showed me a picture that had my face, a Marie Antoinette wig, a Louis XIV costume and all this bling. And I was like, ‘Oh, I’m in.’

Film



From Suffolk to Sydney via Spain, the music of British pianist and composer Benjamin Britten will once again find

form and flow as choreographer Rafael Bonachela leads Sydney Dance Company (SDC) in a triple bill of short works set to some of the Lowestoft-born auteur’s most romantic pieces.

Triptych will feature two re-staged and one new Bonachela creation, in addition to the exquisite vocals of ARIA Award-winning chanteuse Katie Noonan and the live accompaniment of 17 young string players from the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Add a splash of fashion from designer Toni Maticevski and Britten’s beautiful song cycle will be reconfigured and reinvented.

For Perth-born dancer and SDC veteran Juliette Barton, Triptych represents both a return and a departure. Having previously danced one of the Les Illuminations duets with the company, she’s familiar with the steps but, as she points out, Britten’s music is not the usual soundscape-glitch favoured by contemporary dance. “I guess it does change the stylistic approach and you have to adapt.

It’s quite deep and emotive and really quite moving. There’s a lot to hang on to.”

As someone whose job it is to physically interpret music, the “hanging on to” part is critical. “I tend to hold on to whatever is in the music that inspires me or what it is that evokes some kind of feeling response. So, it might not be a storytelling thing but something in me that will hopefully transfer across to the audience.”

However, part of the dancer’s craft is also to be cognisant of the greater whole and to not become too introspective. In other words, the classic balance between performance and expression. “You hook onto those musical things fairly early in the process but, at the same, you have to come at it from both angles; so, y’know, the emotional or mental but also the idea of being in tune with what the whole piece is.”

This dual focus trick is doubly difficult when performing to live music, as SDC will for Triptych. Natural tempo variations require much closer attention and, as Barton admits, “It’s so easy for dancers - once you’ve rehearsed something so many times - to go onto auto and just let muscle memory take over; but you kinda have to throw that out the window when you’re dancing to live music, which is a really nice and refreshing challenge because it encourages you to be right in the moment.” The other intriguing aspect of the show will be incorporating Maticevski’s bespoke garments. “I imagine they’ll be in keeping with his very glamorous, high-fashion style. But, y’know, they’ll be danceable, because one of the things that’s very beautiful about dance is the physical form and being able to see the articulation of that.”

Danceable Fashion

When Sydney Dance Company launch Triptych this month, they will once again be bringing Benjamin Britten back to life. However, as dancer Juliette Barton tells Paul Ransom, there’s more to the work than romance and beautiful gowns.

What:TriptychWhen & Where:25 Sep - 10 Oct, Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney Dance Company

Dance


Andrew Mast - Group Managing Editor, The Music/theMusic.com.au

Big White

Three strong songwriters supplying a variety of indie sub-genre bliss. And those keys - there’s nothing else like them at this point. And cannot shake their wonderful You Know I Love You.

Pearls

Everything that is good about rock music is here: stompy wompy glam, grimy garage, indie cool and even an angry Runaways-esque moment.

Gold Class

Intense troubadour, dare we say ‘angular’, indie rock. Equal parts scary and joyful.

The Goon Sax

Heart-breaking tales of heart-aching teens in the rawest indie pop form.

All Our Exes Live In Texas

Pure country goodness littered with wicked onstage banter. Surely their breakthrough is soon.

Plus: Polish Club (of course), Totally Mild, Immigrant Union, Shocking Pinks, Aldous Harding.

All Our Exes Live In Texas. Pic: Bobby Rein

Juliette Barton. Pic: Peter Greig


In FocusArt & About

Mark Pokorny, Dad’s Pool

Paul Blackmore, Stretch

Mark Evans, The Big Splash

Henrique Fanti, Floatie

Art & About in 2016 has evolved from a month-long festival of art in unusual places to a yearlong public art initiative that incorporates live music, photography, fi lm, installation, public performance and more.

A small sample of what’s on offer includes:Near Kin Kin, a 21-metre sculpture in Customs House

Square that draws our attention to the coexistence of nature and the urban, in a space walking distance from one of our city’s best examples of that harmony, Royal Botanic Gardens.

In an outdoor gallery in Hyde Park, Australian Life showcases 22 photographs that best sum up our shared experience, as well as our differences.

And Games + Actions (For A Quiet City) a “sonic situation”, performed by volunteers in shared spaces, Mitchell Library, Hyde Park and Martin Place.

Art & About runs across Sydney from Friday.


IndieIndie

But Wait... There’s More!

Circus Focus

Answered by: Matt Wilson

Briefl y describe your role in the production: I’m an acrobat, musician and performer.

What are your special skills? I sing, I play guitar, bass and operate sonic textures via keyboard. As well as that, I do a few stunts, fl ying trapeze, pole climbing, juggling, acrobatics and a surreal chair balancing act. Sometimes my pants fall down too.

Why should people come to your show? For the same reason people have always come to the circus: to allow themselves a moment to lose themselves and celebrate all the wonderful and stupid things human beings are capable of. To have a laugh, to be entertained, and hopefully inspired!

Why did you fi rst decide to get involved in circus? I never wanted a conventional job and the circus fascinated me. It always seemed outside of society. I was playing music and doing a bit of acting and circus was a niche where I could do both and more.

What’s your pre-show ritual? Warm up the body, warm up the voice, preset props, warm up the brain. Eat a couple of red snakes.

When and where is your next round of shows? 17 - 19 Sep, IMB Theatre, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre; 23 - 26 Sep, Canberra Theatre; 1 - 3 Oct, Riverside Theatre.

Jeanie

EP Focus

Answered by: Aaron D’Arcy

EP title? Crazy

How many releases do you have now? This is our debut EP with the album coming out early 2016.

Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? It’s always exciting working on a new project and the fi rst with ABC Music. Writing and recording for a duo is inspiring as you can feed off each other to tell the story.

What’s your favourite song on it? The fi rst single You’ll Be With Me Till I Die. Always a great feeling to hear it on the radio.

We’ll like this EP if we like... First Aid Kit, Cory Chisel, Speed Orange and Robert Ellis.

When and where is your launch/next gig? 20 Sep, The Newsagency; 9 Oct, Lewisham Hotel.

Website link for more info? facebook.com/jeanietheband

Sam Joole

Album Focus

Album title? SHAPESHIFTING

Where did the title of your new album come from? It’s the title track.

How many releases do you have now? I have two solo LPs and a handful of EPs, including Alien Zoo and a few other side projects.

How long did it take to write/record? Two-and-a-half years. But possibly lifetimes...

Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? Sacred shapes and sacred geometry. Also Ryan Adams and analogue recording equipment! Travel is usually also something that gets my songwriting ticking.

What’s your favourite song on it? A hard decision between Shapeshifting and Reality Show. I also have a huge soft spot for You Can See Str8.

Will you do anything differently next time? Yeah. I’ll never make the same record twice. Next time I’ll use loopers and Ableton a lot more. I’m not usually a fan of love songs but... some are gathering.

When and where is your launch/next gig? The iTunes launch party is 17 Sep at Spring Street Social. Starts 8pm and Ari Levi is opening the show. It’s free.

Website link for more info? samjoole.com

Screamers - Deluxe Edition

Theatre Focus

Answered by: Gavin Vance

Describe your show in a tweet? Mad Max meets Wizard Of Oz meets Question Time in a mad rock, pop and gospel musical mash-up made for this moment in time!

When you fi rst read this show what stood out to you directorially? The chance to make a bold comment about the state of things in our country at the moment. Our Wicked Witch (played by Vashti Hughes) is a twisted representation of the oncoming fascism we’re seeing via Abbott and his cronies!

What’s number one on your directing bucket list? Screamers - Deluxe Edition. Because I love a challenge, and managing all the buzzing talent (but out there calendars and body clocks) of the talent in the show has been one of the most breathtaking experiences of my directing life so far!

What excites you about Australian theatre? At the moment underground queer stuff, particularly Yana Alana, and of course the great Betty Grumble and the ever-experimental Matt Format who both appear in Screamers - Deluxe Edition. Seventeen at Belvoir was great. The (too slowly) increasing numbers of shows representing Indigenous culture is exciting but there must be room made for more!

When and where is your show? 22 - 24 Sep, Giant Dwarf



Following a triumphant return to Splendour In The Grass, complete with outrageous video intro from The Hoff,

Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles, aka Peking Duk, hung out in Sydney with Mark Ronson - the pop genre-buster among their “main infl uences”. “It was crazy,” enthuses Hyde. “He was like, ‘I like your stuff, man’ - and that was cool.”

Meanwhile, the nu-house DJ/producers are conquering the US, this year premiering at Coachella one Friday afternoon, joined by Los Angeles hip hop pals OverDoz. And, yes, says Hyde, they did check out their compatriots AC/DC - kinda. “Reuben went and saw AC/DC. I was actually passed out in our caravan at the time, but I was... conscious - I was very tired. I heard the whole set and it was tight as anything. I’m very proud to say that AC/DC killed it.” Tonight Hyde is speaking from Chicago, where Peking Duk are hitting Lollapalooza. He claims to be “very well rested” but, though cheerful, the jetlag is obvious.

In the lead-up to Stereosonic, the down-to-earth Duks will play Sydney’s exclusive Optus RockCorps 2015 extravaganza in Luna Park’s Big Top alongside See You Again MC Wiz Khalifa. Hyde, himself once a wannabe rapper,

is “stoked”. The charity-based Optus RockCorps scheme, in its third year, encourages young people to volunteer in local communities with the reward of tickets not otherwise available for purchase. Hyde, who used to be “a tea and bikkie boy at an old persons’ home” promises that Peking Duk will do their bit. “We always aim to put on a good show, so whether we’re playing in front of 20 people or 10,000 people, we always

put our all into it. If it comes down to us playing in front of volunteers, we’ve got mad respect for those people. So we’re gonna try to bring it as hard as we can possibly.”

Peking Duk often muck around in interviews, and Hyde is playfully evasive when asked about their much-anticipated debut album on new global label Sony Music (he offers strange allusions to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight). The triple j faves lately aired another brilliant single in the glam-rock disco stomper Say My Name, inspired by Arctic Monkeys, not AC/DC. Hyde concedes it’s a departure from 2014’s mega-hits High (featuring Nicole Millar), which won the ARIA for Best Dance Release, and Take Me Over (SAFIA’s Ben Woolner). They’ve even had (a few) “haters”. “It’s always been like that. Ever since High or Take Me Over, people are gonna be like, ‘I want Take Me Over or High 2 - I want that next song to sound like that’. But the music that we’re making for the album is so different to everything that we’ve made before... It’s like a segue to the sort of shit that we’re making - not to say that we’re making that exact same style for the album at all.” There’s been speculation about the identity of Say My Name’s mysterious Canberran vocalist Benjamin Joseph, rumoured to again be Woolner. Hyde isn’t betraying secrets - he’s back to teasing: “Me and Reuben had sex one night and had a baby called Benjamin Joseph.”

Mad Respect

Canberra’s Peking Duk is the biggest act to emerge from the Australian dance music scene since Flume. But they still get starstruck, as Cyclone discovers when she talks to the Duk’s Adam Hyde.

When & Where:30 Sep, Big Top Luna Park

Music

FBi additionsAngie – Free Agent (Rice Is Nice)Panda Bear – Crosswords EP (Domino)Gold Class – Furlong/Bite Down (Spunk)Chromatics – Shadow (Italians Do It Better)Sunbeam Sound Machine – Cloudbreaks/Getting Young (Dot Dash/Remote Control)Julia Holter – Sea Calls Me Home (Domino)Mansionair – Speak Easy (Liberation)Le1f – Koi (Terrible/Remote Control)SMTB – Vernon (Import)Diaspora – Wit A Indigo (Independent)Oneohtrix Point Never – I Bite Through It (Warp/Inertia)

Kelela - Rewind

Angie

Triple j additionsBring Me The Horizon – That’s The Spirit (Sony)Dylan Joel – Blank (It’s Offi cial Music/Warner)Gengahr – Fill My Gums With Blood (Liberator)Jai Wolf – Indian Summer (Foreign Family Collective/Inertia)Kelela – Rewind (Warp/Inertia)Mac DeMarco – Another One (Spunk)Major Leagues – Someone Sometime (Popfrenzy Records)Mansionair – Speak Easy (Liberation)World’s End Press – Tall Stories (Liberation)


For the brothers, Australia was an obvious place for the Dutch men to come and show off their decades of experience, and to also meet people who are as “enthusiastic and passionate” about the job as they are. “We follow a lot of barbers and hairdressers in Australia and New Zealand on Facebook and Instagram. There’s some amazing stuff coming from Down Under... We became more and more curious about the growing barber community so when we had the chance to tour we really didn’t need a second to think about it.”

The Schorem Live Hair Show travelled through Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and was unlike what you would ever expect from a typical hair show. “We’re barbers, we don’t really belong on stage,” says Barbier. “We [wanted] the whole thing to be like we’re in the shop, drinking beer, cracking a few jokes.

“We did a tour in Canada which turned into mayhem, people getting really drunk but having a ball! We had so much fun as well - that’s all that matters in the end, right? Have a fun night, get a little wild and rock’n’roll.”

The Schorem barbers wear their infl uences on their sleeve (quite literally in the case of heavily tattooed Bertus and Leen). “The most infl uential haircut is the pompadour - 99% of the haircuts we do are inspired by that all time classic,” says Barbier, but the Schorem style has evolved with and drawn inspiration from the development of rock cultures. “We love the fact that so many kids are reinventing the rock’n’roll style, from rockabilly to psychobilly, but also punk and ska for example. Some of these music styles just need new blood, right? It’s a good thing to see so many kids want[ing] to become a barber. We do hope they realise it takes lots and lots of practice to become a good barber.”

Witnessing the strength of rock’n’roll subcultures globally has been an important part of the touring experience for the brothers - not that they ever doubted the popularity of their craft. “There will always be people keeping those cultures alive... We’ve been doing these kind of haircuts for over 25 years; there has always been a large group coming from different subcultures who have been sporting these cuts.”

Finally, some parting advice from the barbers for anyone thinking of rocking a pomp or fl at-top themselves: “It’s important to understand that it’s not the hair, it’s the way you rock it. As long as you feel confi dent and relaxed with your haircut, it’s a haircut that suits you.”

gbecame more and morcommunity so when wedidn’t need a second to

The Schorem Live Melbourne, Sydney andwould ever expect fromwe don’t really belong othe whole thing to be likcracking a few jokes.

“We did a tour in Capeople getting really drmuch fun as well - that’Have a fun night, get a

The Schorem barbesleeve (quite literally in and Leen). “The most in- 99% of the haircuts weclassic,” says Barbier, bwith and drawn inspiratcultures. “We love the fthe rock’n’roll style, frompunk and ska for examneed new blood, right? want[ing] to become a takes lots and lots of p

Rockin’ The Hair

Concealed within the centuries-old streets of Rotterdam, Schorem, the Netherlands’ most notorious barber shop - famous for their

pompadours, quiffs and fl at-tops - is keeping the culture of rock’n’roll in men’s hair and fashion alive and well.

Schorem, quite literally the Dutch translation of ‘scumbag’, has become synonymous with the classic style of 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s pop culture. The Schorem barber

shop opened in 2010 and bikers, punks and greasers from all around the globe quickly became desperate to make an appointment at Rotterdam’s fi nest barber shop. Since then the brand has expanded into one

of the foremost barber shops in Europe, establishing its own barber academy, line of specialty hair products and an international cult following.

Schorem founders and brothers Bertus and Leen Barbier have just completed a small run of live hair shows Down Under, giving Australian fans the opportunity to see their signature cuts performed live, to learn the tips of the trade and to banter with the men themselves about the fi ner aspects of the barber trade. “We want to do haircuts you can show your grandchildren without making them laugh,” explains Bertus Barbier.

The Schorem barbers are not interested in trends - instead, they believe the philosophy that style is timeless. “You can watch a movie with Humphrey Bogart or Gary Grant in a hundred years and they will still be style icons... We cut the classics, and the classics will never go out of style.”

The Schorem Barbers are kinda rock stars in the hairdressing world. Dylan Van Der Riet chats to one of the two, Bertus Barbier.

We want to do haircuts you can show your grandchildren without making them laugh.

Culture

The Schorem barbers’ hair product, Reuzel Pomade, is available from selected barber shops nationwide and online. Visit reuzelpomade.com for more information.

Pic: Jelle Mollema

Pic: Jelle Mollema

OPINION


Opinion

T he Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) has done it: his second album proper, Beauty Behind The Madness, is a

triumph, despite its commercial concessions - more uptempos, more hooks and glossy, fl ossy collabs... It should mitigate the (mild) disappointment of 2013’s Kiss Land.

Last year the Canadian-Ethiopian illwaver (controversially) duetted with R&twee doughnut-licker Ariana Grande on Love Me

OGFlavas

Urban And

R&B News

With Cyclone

Harder. He then crossed over with the ornate ballad Earned It, off the Fifty Shades Of Grey OST. But, while Tesfaye has popifi ed his darkwave R&B, he’s sacrifi ced none of his subversiveness - or enigma.

Beauty... is no ordinary reinvention. Songs such as the absorbing The Hills (a reunion with longtime co-conspirator Illangelo) evoke Tesfaye’s mixtape sleepwalker soul. He often sounds like a phantom Michael Jackson - there’s even eerie Thriller-era electric guitar (Real Life). Tesfaye has hired Swedish hit machine Max Martin (Britney Spears!) for some numbers, including the disco mega-hit Can’t Feel My Face - very Off The Wall - which nevertheless allegorises cocaine. Again, on In The Night - retro MTV social-pop - an unusually empathic Tesfaye sings about a victim of abuse. Indeed, the guy who put the subliminal into sub-bass is still writing about decadence, ambivalence and estrangement.

The star contributions to Beauty... have received much coverage. The most successful is Labrinth’s Losers - a post-dubstep waltz that eclipses Kanye West’s ol’ soul-sampling Tell Your Friends. Incredibly, that incongruous Ed Sheeran hook-up, Dark Times, isn’t an A&R hot mess, but bare urban blues. However, like Madonna and Prince’s ‘80s Love Song, Prisoner, Tesfaye’s seductively destructive duet with Lana Del Rey, risks being mutually annihilating - if not too obvious.

Visual Art Wank And Theatre Foyers

With Dave Drayton

In which we humbly step aside and acknowledge a sustained and superior solution of brows high and low courtesy of Nicholas Mirzoeff.Mr Mirzoeff is Professor of Media, Culture and

Communication at New York University. Sounds like a pretty schmick, pretty highbrow gig, no? But that hasn’t stopped him from writing a book about Seinfeld while

ModeratelyHighbrow

disseminating how visual culture shapes modern warfare...

His most recent offering, How To See The World, blends semiotics, sociology and art history in a bid to offer readers an entry point into visual culture. Admittedly the size of this column constrains its content somewhat - it would be hard to adequately combine Abu Ghraib photographs, the placards from Zucotti Park’s occupation and Delmer Daves’ 3:10 To Yuma in a few hundred words, for example - but I won’t pretend allowing a few extra pages to this column would elevate it to Mirzoeff’s level.

What I can do in this space, however, is recommend a reading of Mirzoeff. Why?

Because what is of the utmost importance in this age of unavoidable visual saturation, of Instagram and .gif-punctuated listicles, of selfi es and citizen reporting, is a way of seeing the world, of navigating through the overwhelming orchestra of visual culture, cacophonous as it is; Mirzoeff doesn’t tell us how to navigate, but teaches us to read the map.

When I was too young to

actually go to them, I used to envy all the places around town one could go to to get their rock’n’roll

and metal fi x. Strangely when I turned 18, a lot of those places magically seemed to disappear or change their format, meaning my uni years were pretty lean when it came to club-based entertainment that wasn’t that crappy ‘Retro’ joint on Sussex Street. During my major label days, Club 77 was a fi xture as were a few others and then Venom rose to the top, but that’s been hit from a few sides and isn’t the weekly go-to it once was. Most places seem to be ‘events’ now rather than regulars, unlike, say,

TheHeavyShit

Metal And

Hard Rock

With Chris

Maric

Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead

The Weeknd


OPINIONOpinion

Dickinson’s recent cancer scare and members of ‘70s and ‘80s bands departing with scarily increasing frequency, will their current understudies rise to the legendary heights of these golden gods?

I guess the answer to that lies with the fans. They have the power to elevate musicians to those heights. The last truly great one that crossed into the mainstream was arguably Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl is probably the biggest next gen rockstar, but he is now 46 years old - hardly a spring chicken. The new bands today - will you make them the rock legends of tomorrow? Are they worthy? Fuck I sound old! Haha.

Elm St in Oslo or the Crobar in London, both of which are full time 24/7 rock’n’roll bars. Yes, we have Frankie’s in Sydney and Cherry Bar in Melbourne, which are both awesome, but are set up that little bit different.

With metal’s recent chart dominance and Soundwave doing its thing, plus Spotify claiming metal is its most popular genre, are people just content to sit at home and get into it in front of their devices? There should be more places one can go that play our beloved tunes on the in-house PA and we shouldn’t get that excited when an old rock classic comes on the video jukebox at Pancakes On The Rocks.

There are some new people out there who are going to try and change that. Deaf To All But Metal is a new monthly ‘heavy metal party’ that’s been created by a group of friends who look like they were tired of partying at each other’s houses and

wanted somewhere bigger and better. Not content with playing More Human Than Human on high rotation, Deaf To All But Metal will focus on new (not nu) and old in equal measure via a bunch of thematic DJs and they’ll have live acts too. Their inaugural launch will be 9 Oct at Valve Bar (which is also the home of Venom) and local Icelandic/

Norse devotees Fenrir will be fi rst band up. Head along! Sydney needs more weeknight entertainment of the heavy kind.

Now - where are the new rock stars? For a number of years that question has been doing the rounds and with Dio fronting an ever-growing all-star metal band in the afterlife, it’s a question that seems to have a fair bit of urgency to it. Recently the 69-year-old legend that is Lemmy has begun to show he may not be immortal after all. A series of cancelled Motörhead shows and emerging health problems have cast some doubt over just how long he can continue. At that age he could quite easily be planning bingo nights at the local retirement village, but we all know he will one day die onstage as he has said countless times. With that in mind, as well as Black Sabbath announcing one more trip around the globe, Bruce


Album / EAlbum/EP Reviews

That striped sunlight sound is back. The fi rst solo album in seven years for erstwhile The Go-Betweens frontman Robert Forster fi nds him once again exploring the sunny upbeat terrain that’s so aurally representative (and cognisant) of his hometown Brisbane, and this tranquil approach suits this strong batch of songs down to the ground.

Forster enlisted the help of locals Scott Bromley and Luke McDonald (of The John Steel Singers) - as well as his drummer Matt Piele and violinist/vocalist Karin Baumler - and while they mesh perfectly it’s unsurprisingly the songs themselves which defi ne Songs To Play. It’s a diverse batch (albeit never straying too far from Forster’s long-established template), covering classic pop (Learn To Burn), meandering indie rock (Disaster In Motion), and even vague bossa nova (Love Is Where It Is). Gently cascading acoustics and beautifully languid melodies defi ne Let Me Imagine You, the funtastic I Love Myself And I Always Have is tongue-in-cheek but contains kernels of truth (“I march to my own beat”) while I’m So Happy For You is indelibly positive.

It’s wonderfully sparse - space is imperative to the appeal - and Forster is at the top of his game both vocally and lyrically. The routinely strong narratives - and the rich imagery that he summons so effortlessly - are delivered in that inimitably grandiose-yet-laidback manner which has long served him so well, fostering that begrudging wisdom. The inspiring sounds of a great songwriter relaxed, confi dent and subtly stretching his substantial wings.

Steve Bell

Reclusive singer-songwriter Dustin Tebbutt is the latest fragile gentlemen to lay his soul bare for the masses, weaving his feelings into delicate melodies on this debut mini-album. While he didn’t hole up in a woodland cabin to make this record, it’s no surprise he’s previously spent time writing in Scandinavia given the sheer breathtaking scope Home encompasses. The NSW singer simultaneously sounds intimate while maintaining an expansive and expanding sonic landscape, threading an aural tapestry of spectacular detail.

The composition of this album explores the synchronicity between notes, as every acoustic instrument imaginable is employed to create a rich and fl oating effect. Tebbutt’s voice itself becomes a part of the music at its best moments, soaring alongside high-strung guitar notes and gliding strings on Life In The Middle. The writing across these

Chris Baio is an intelligent man with clever rhythms and an acerbic writing style. The Vampire Weekend bass player has been making electronic music for a number of years now, but The Names is his debut full-length release. Graduating from Columbia University with the other members of the aforementioned band, the 30-year-old is thankfully still in touch with his theatrical side. He swoons with the melodramatic fl air of Bryan Ferry on the Roxy Music-inspired Sister Of Pearl, warbling “Like a sentimental crook it’s tough to get away,” in his affected accent over an anachronistic harpsichord melody. While his stage antics are skilfully matched with an equally playful variety of sounds throughout the record, there’s also a strong thematic undercurrent to the album.

Drawing its title from the seventh novel by American writer Don DeLillo, The Names was largely infl uenced by Baio’s relocation to

Dustin TebbuttHomeEleven Music

★★★★½

BaioThe NamesGlassnote/Liberator

★★★½

seven songs of devotion refl ects this interconnectedness, focusing on intertwined personalities and converging lives. “We’re becoming home,” he sings on the title track in an expression of commitment that’s reminiscent in its sincerity to Van Morrison’s early pastoral spirituality. Far from retreading the same brokenhearted sentiments other songwriters might fall back on, Tebbutt devotes this album to dedication. “When you say those words it’s only to me,” he sings on Plans as he traces his lover’s palms in the breaking dawn. While the breached heart he sang about with his fi rst single may never be fully mended, he seems in the meantime to have found a way to fi ll it with some beauty.

Roshan Clerke

London two years ago. Like the book, its subject matter addresses the intersection of culture, perspective and identity. Despite this intellectual background, his writing stays fi rmly grounded in the personal. “When I look into a mirror the man I see is a version of the person I want to be,” he relates on Needs. The record is split roughly in half, with instrumental tracks dispersed throughout and providing a bookending of sorts to the two sides. These songs unfortunately tend to disturb its fl ow and seem better served in another setting. What coherence is sacrifi ced is more than compensated for by the strength of the music, making The Names a compelling and enjoyable listen.

Roshan Clerke

AlbumOF THEWeek

Robert ForsterSongs To PlayEMI

★★★★½


EP ReviewsAlbum/EP Reviews

Metal AllegianceMetal AllegianceNuclear Blast/Caroline

BattlesLa Di Da DiWarp/Inertia

MetricPagans In VegasCreate/Control

Motion City SoundtrackPanic StationsEpitaph/Warner

★★ ★★★★★★★ ★★★

A vast circus of thrash-orientated metal talent, Metal Allegiance is essentially Alex Skolnick (guitars, Testament), David Ellefson (bass, Megadeth) and Mike Portnoy (drums, Dream Theater) plus 18 other contributors. Ordinary folks might question whether the likes of Let Darkness Fall really needed three bass players; four if you include Mastodon’s Troy Sanders, who contributed vocals only. If your answer is “yes,” then you’ll fall head over heels for Triangulum and its six additional lead guitarists. Others will wonder where this hypnotically directionless shred-athon is meant to be heading.

Christopher H James

While many missed the gloriously nonsensical vocals of the departed Tyondai Braxton on Battles’ last album, Gloss Drop, the void was fi lled somewhat by a menagerie of guest singers drawn from a range of disciplines. Haters will presumably have a fi eld day with Battles’ new, entirely instrumental album. From start to fi nish, La Di Da Di is packed with the pulsing, dynamic rhythms you’d expect, is fl awlessly executed and depressingly familiar. For a band with all their combined talents, who would’ve thought Battles would release such a predictable album?

Christopher H James

Glitchy and glitzy synth pop, Pagans In Vegas blurs the line between robots and humans. Locking us into an arcade-game soundscape, Metric’s sixth album is encoded with dark truths about our digitised world. Menacing synths are released in riotous track Fortunes and hurtle us into The Shade’s neon grooves that dance with Emily Haines’ electric vocals on the grid. Synthesised lasers power up again in Cascades until we defeat the dark guitar riffs in fi nal battle: Too Bad, So Sad. Futuristic synth-pop that explores the sinister side of the internet age.

Cara Oliveri

Motion City Soundtrack have made the epitome of harmless pop punk fun on Panic Stations, which is fi lled with soaring guitars, tight harmonies and fl ighty keyboards. Inoffensive, rule-abiding and not interested in challenging anyone’s expectations or going beyond any comfort zones, this record will change no one’s mind for better or worse regarding this band. There’s a perfection to every note and every beat that keeps the album from ever feeling real, or heartfelt, or lived in. Motion City Soundtrack defi nitely know how to craft a melody, but Panic Stations would just be better if that craftsmanship wasn’t always so meticulously precise.

Pete Laurie

Darwin DeezDouble Down

LuceroAll A Man Should Do

Rob Hirst & Sean SennettCrashing The Same Car Twice

More Reviews Online theMusic.com.au


Album / EAlbum/EP Reviews

Gay ParisLadies And Gentlemen, May We Present To You The Dark ArtsMGM

Chris CornellHigher TruthUniversal

Jess GlynneI Cry When I LaughAtlantic/Warner

Glen HansardDidn’t He RambleAnti

★★★½ ★★½★★★ ★★★½After months of teasing, Gay Paris have fi nally bestowed upon us the birth of evil child number three - and it’s been well worth the wait. Stacked with groove-riddled doom riffs and the charismatic growl of Wailin’ H Monks, Gay Paris have exceeded expectations with a record that is just as hard, fast and brutal as it is dripping with explosive energy, funky bass lines and dirty dancing jams. A sure-fi re hit for your next goat sacrifi ce or key-swapping soiree.

Mark Beresford

With 2009’s Scream now thankfully a distant memory, Chris Cornell has made a distinctly organic return in Higher Truth. Drawing inspiration from his recent acoustic tours, Higher Truth pulls back to a simplistic nature and shifts the focus onto Cornell’s biggest strength in songwriting. While there are still some tracks, such as album opener Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart and Our Time In The Universe, that go heavy into production with a disjointed result, Josephine, Dead Wishes and Circling uphold the alt-folk basis of the record much to the listening pleasure of Soundgarden and Cornell fans alike.

Mark Beresford

English singer-songwriter Jess Glynne has one of the biggest voices in pop music, so it’s hardly surprising her debut album rides the thin line between exhaustion and exhilaration. Despite the themes of hope and optimism about which she sings, it’s diffi cult to sit through the entire thing when her voice is constantly turned up to 11. The dance tracks mostly fair well, with the majority of the production work being covered by fellow English artist Starsmith. While it’s not shattering any boundaries, you could defi nitely do a lot worse when choosing a pop record this year.

Roshan Clerke

Glen Hansard doesn’t mind striking while the iron’s hot. Just on a month after his regular band, The Frames, released a 25-year best-of compilation, up pops a solo record. Luckily it’s a pretty good one for the Irish folk crooner, packed full of what we’ve come to expect. There are plenty of acoustic guitars, neat melodies and thoughtful lyrics as Hansard takes another haunted trip down memory lane. Although some tracks are too understated for their own good, big songs like Winning Streak, Her Mercy, My Little Ruin and single, Lowly Deserter, deliver the goods and make this well worth a listen.

Paul Barbieri

Ainslie WillsOh The Gold

Drunk MumsGone Troppo

Troye SivanWild

More Reviews Online theMusic.com.au


L i v e R e


Live Reviews

The Smith Street Band, Andrew Jackson Jihad, The Sugarcanes, The SidekicksManning Bar9 SepWho’s reading this? That’s the intrigue that surrounds bands with near cult-level followings like The Smith Street Band. Surely not moshers who were at the show. They hardly need a written affi rmation of the religious experience they had Wednesday night in a cramped, sold-out Manning Bar. Is it punters looking for insight on the supports? Well - they fucking nailed it. There it is in four words. No. It’s got to be people who are curious about The Smith Street Band show experience. Is it for them? You know what; perhaps it isn’t. For some, spinning the epic Throw Me In The River at home, on good headphones, locked away from the world is the best option - short of Wil Wagner performing in your bedroom.

Lucy Wilson fronted The Sugarcanes. She was an impassioned, soulful slow-burner of an opener, great for the ease-in. Chugging guitars and organ-style keyboards fi lled the steadily-fi lling room. The Ghost Of Willie Mitchell was the doo-wop-fl avoured highlight.

The Sidekicks ramped it up another notch. Their more polished, typical ‘nasal’ emo tunes - clean guitars and pocket-sized two-minuters - a nice change of pace.

In the group’s native USA the roles would be reversed: Smith Street would be supporting Andrew Jackson Jihad. Boy, were they a delight, their folk-punk tunes evoking a more frantic, drum-heavy Mountain Goats. The group’s live iteration built and built until frontman Sean Bonnette could no longer

contain his hard-hitting lyricism and youthful energy.

The Smith Street Band, as expected, nailed their post-rock-inspired quiet/loud/quiet dynamic, Wagner’s distinctive voice in fi ne form for set highlight Throw Me In The River.

The track followed the group’s signature build format, but that moment where it all comes crashing down was second to none.

Lucy Wilson re-emerged for the slow-building crooner I Scare Myself Sometimes. Quick glances around the room evoked visions of hungry greyhounds champing at the bit; the majority weren’t taking in the beauty of the moment, instead hanging for the music to ramp back up to mosh-level. And truly, that’s fi ne. This gig had to be the highlight of their year. For those looking for a different experience however, the back of the room was the place to be.

So there you have it: an amazing performance. Nothing short of a barnstormer. Just make sure you ask yourself: do I see Wil Wagner as an everyman poet or a fucking legend who I can mosh my heart out to? If the former is true, go along. See if it’s for you. Both parties are rewarded; perhaps not in equal proportion.

Alex Michael

Yumi Zouma @ Goodgod Small Club. Pic: Rohan Anderson

The Smith Street Band @ Manning Bar. Pic: Peter Sharp



Meg Mac @ Metro Theatre.

Pic: Renee Coster

Meg Mac @ Metro Theatre.

Pic: Renee Coster

That moment where it all comes crashing down was second to none.

e v i e w s


Live Reviews

Perch Creek, King Curly, Julia JacklinNewtown Social Club11 SepJulia Jacklin was the curtain warmer on the night, with her not-quite-country style. Her sweet voice, permeated with Western twangs, delivered melancholic, heartfelt songs. Don’t Let The Kids Win was performed well, despite a self-confessed mistake in delivery. She fi nished off with LA Dream, an emotional tune about a past lover that reduced the crowd to a sobbing mess.

Next up were King Curly. It’s no secret these guys have been around for a while, their performance oozing the tightness only accomplished with years of experience. They

began with The Land Of Love, which divinely showed off their musical prowess. With their impressively unconventional instrumentation - nylon string guitar, double bass and trombone - they offered a point of difference distinguishing them from most other bands. Trombonist John Hibbard even whipped out the triangle for one track, providing tinkles that cordially set off the song. A Good Song and I Am Coming Back (In A Revenge Song) were two standouts, giving us our folk

hit for the evening.The Hodgkins siblings plus

one friend, Perch Creek were the headliners for the night. Bitchin’ Betty Lou, written about youngest sister Eileen, was played early, giving Camilla the perfect opportunity to enlighten us about the ongoing sibling rivalry. The way they were arranged on the stage, in a line so no member was left at the back, worked well. They played an assortment of songs, old and new, with a range of instruments and everyday objects used to make amiable clamours. Where You Been showcased a megaphone, while Lear played the washboard in another track. The song that was being launched on their tour, Mama Sings, saw Christi play a handsaw to create a wonderful whistling sound. Every song delightfully boasted each band member’s musical talent, while the solos and harmonies exhibited their vocal ability. Carper Catinach was their fi nal piece, an upbeat song resonating circus jingles where Eileen delivered an extraordinary tap-dance solo on a table top, the perfect fi nish. Perch Creek mix the best parts of folk, jazz and rockabilly peppered with their own adorably dorky charm.

Kassia Aksenov

Meg MacMetro Theatre11 SepSydney rolled up its sleeves to see Melbourne chanteuse Megan McInerney, better known as Meg Mac, in all her neo-soul, R&B-fuelled glory. With no more than a self-titled EP and a handful of independent singles under her belt, the ascendant powerhouse Unearthed by triple had sold out the Metro.

She slinked on stage wearing head-to-toe black and belted out soul-laden tunes Turning and Every Lie among

others. While her vocal prowess is beyond her 25 years and seemingly from a different era, it’s Meg Mac’s stage presence and production that may still need seasoning.

Apart from her self-penned material, McInerney has a reputed penchant for covering songs and treated us to a

couple of her most adored: a minimalistic yet haunting, gospel rendition of Grandma’s Hands by Bill Withers, and the infectious Bridges from New Zealand duo Broods. She also debuted her Jimmy Ruffi n cover, What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted, earning even more points for creativity with her doting fans.

Upright and centrestage is where McInerney spent most of her time, but she also sat behind her hired Wurly to perform unheard crooner Oh My God, followed by an intricate a cappella track sung in French and sustained by a looping pedal.

Accompanied by a three-piece band, Meg Mac took liberties in her musical arrangements and showcased her originality as a budding artist. We heard her commanding fi rst song, Known Better, her brand new song, Never Be, and her bluesy piano song, Roll Up Your Sleeves - all with new life breathed into them.

An hour later, Meg Mac left her crowd pining for an encore

and a promising, forthcoming debut album.

Shannon Andreucci

Yumi Zouma, Spirit Faces, YEEVSGoodgod Small Club10 SepSydney alternative/rock band YEEVS slaughtered our eardrums as the fi rst, overly energetic support act of the night. The band’s deafening roar seemed to have some effect though on one lonesome audience member wearing a cap, sunglasses and fi ngerless leather gloves on the D-fl oor, who was softly bending, waving, crouching and blissfully playing air guitar to the frantic noise blasting from the stage.

As the second support act to hop up on stage, Sydney trio Spirit Faces somehow fell on the complete opposite side of the music spectrum. One really wonders what genre they would classify themselves as. After watching them perform for over half an hour, as a listener you’re pretty much guaranteed to still be unsure. Their sound was probably best described as confusing, underwhelmingly random, mellow, kind-of-electronic repetitive beats and taps, with each follow-up track annoyingly almost indistinguishable from the one before.

New Zealand four-piece Yumi Zouma broke tradition and played on the venue’s dance fl oor, kicking off with the fi rst track off their self-titled debut EP, A Long Walk Home For Parted Lovers. The sound was slightly muffl ed with the fi rst few tracks and this issue remained unsolved for most of their set. However, they did nonetheless manage to create an adorable, boppy ‘80s vibe during their set, particularly when playing an organic, stripped-back version of The Brae. It was followed by

The best parts of folk, jazz and rockabilly peppered with their own adorably dorky charm.

Meg Mac took liberties in her musical arrangements and showcased her originality as a budding artist.

L i v e R e


Live Reviews

another track off their EP, Solka Gets Her Hopes Up which was an elegantly charming highlight to their set.

Vocalist Kim Pfl aum delivered whispery, pixie-like vocals while a couple of audience members swayed, weaved and waved in the crowd. It felt a little like an intimate performance art piece being held in someone’s living room or garage space. This worked though, despite the ongoing sound problems, Yumi Zouma soldiering on through the show.

Tanya Bonnie Rae

Megan WashingtonThe Basement11 SepAt The Basement last night, Brisbane singer-songwriter Megan Washington chose songs “like a lucky dip”; from her list of 40 that she could play solo. The set thus leaned heavily towards her debut record, 2010’s I Believe You Liar, and follow-up EP 2011’s Insomnia. It was after all the Tangents tour - there should’ve been no expectation that she play singles My Heart Is A Wheel and Who Are You and so she didn’t. The only songs from last year’s There There to get

a look in were a restrained Limitless, the subdued To Or Not Let Go and the wrenching Begin Again.

It was a set of unsurprising intimacy, sly glances shared

between Washo and her audience (and her lone guitarist, who appeared to add subtle texture to the middle part of the set) as she sat behind a keyboard under a single spotlight. The audience crowded around, cross-legged on the fl oor, looking up at Washington and rarely turning their eyes away from her - not even to whisper something awed to the person beside them. This kind of stripped back setting put the onus entirely on Washington’s powerful voice and honest lyrics, standing in stark contrast to recent festival sets that’ve been more attuned to dancing, Washington the effervescent showman. Washington is a born storyteller, taking delight in telling a story about a gorilla and his human love interest (now a set staple in low-lit rooms such as these), and being playful with the crowd, skipping the encore because she doesn’t like the idea of it: “Just imagine that I left the stage and now I’m back.”

Songs like Skeleton Key and Sentimental Education from Insomnia brought with them the most emotional gravitas, while How To Tame Lions remains a cheeky crowd

MoreReviewsOnline

theMusic.com.au/music/live-reviews

The Getaway Plan @ Uni Bar, Wollongong

The Preatures @ 170 Russell

The Monikers @ Crown & Sceptre Hotel

The Love Junkies @ X-Wray Cafe

favourite. Lover/Soldier, about a long-distance relationship, and Washington’s “will in a song” Underground, which she played on guitar, deservedly had the crowd muted and teary. Washo remains one of the gems in Australian indie-pop’s crown.

Hannah Story

Washo remains one of the gems in Australian indie-rock’s crown.

Megan Washington @ The Basement. Pic: Pete Dovgan


Arts ReviewsArts Reviews

TheatreHayes Theatre Co to 3 Oct

★★★½There’s always an air of excitement around a show when the ensemble clicks together like fi nely crafted jigsaw pieces. This High Society is fast paced, hilariously funny and features those beautiful Cole Porter musical numbers but it’s the effervescence of the quality cast that really brings the production to life. Amy Lehpamer has a big job in carrying the show on her character’s elegant shoulders

High Society. Pic: Kurt Sneddon

Anything Goes. Pic: Jeff Busby

Anything Goes(snarky socialite Tracy Lord) but across the whole cast there’s a depth and commitment to the piece that makes High Society a joy to watch. Leading men Bert LaBonte and Bobby Fox both get to smoulder in the romantic numbers - True Love for LaBonte and You’re Sensational for Fox -while Virginia Gay shows off her beautiful comic timing playing gossip rag photographer Liz Imbrie. The arched garden party set is simple but effective and Porter’s songs sizzle, from the sly wink of Well, Did You Evah! to the raucously wicked Let’s Misbehave. The theatre still hasn’t quite got the right mix on the vocals but there’s an awful lot of fun to be had watching Tracy trying to juggle her dull, uptight fi ance George Kittredge, ex-husband CK Dexter Haven, two reporters and her mad cap family all on the eve of her wedding.

Danielle O’Donohue

High Society

TheatreJoan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House to 4 Oct

★★★★

Caroline O’Connor was born to play Reno Sweeney, the toe-tapping, sermonising night club singer aboard the SS American in Anything Goes. It’s the kind of star turn that will hopefully remind the international star why she should come home to perform more often. Charged with the playful songs of Cole Porter, including You’re The Top; Friendship; Blow, Gabriel, Blow and the absolutely show-stopping fi rst act fi nale featuring the title song, O’Connor’s nimble feet almost outshine her pipes. Mercifully her leading man, Alex Rathgeber proves up to the task of playing alongside such a star. The rest of the cast have their moments. Todd McKenney’s Lord Evelyn is the very picture of an inbred, English fop while Gerry Connolly manages to do a lot with a little. Occasionally an accent slips, or the acting gets a little too over the top but this is supposed to be silly fun not Opera Australia’s usual tragic melodrama. It’s just a shame that in 2015, shows such as this still rely on outdated cultural stereotypes of “the East” when some minor changes would make the ending far more palatable to modern audiences. Otherwise though, the exhilaration of watching O’Connor lead the entire ensemble through the rigorous tap-dancing show pieces should delight both musical theatre fans and opera lovers in the mood for something light.

Danielle O’Donohue

Comedy / G


Wed 16 Ursula Yovich: 505, Surry Hills

Chris Wainhouse + Emma Zammitt: Brass Monkey, Cronulla

Celtic Woman: Civic Theatre, Newcastle

Mitch Anderson & His Organic Orchestra: Coopers Hotel, Newtown

The Iron Horses: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney

Fractures: Lass O’Gowrie, Wickham

The Mulder Pulford Nonet: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville

Youth Rockin The Black Dog - Heat 3: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton

Interlol feat. Andrew Wolfe + Marty Bright + Seaton Kay-Smith + Matty Milesborne: Manning Bar, Camperdown

Kevin Bloody Wilson: Mounties, Mt Pritchard

The Squeezebox Trio: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe

Luna + Sand Pebbles: Newtown Social Club, Newtown

Comedy with Chris Wainhouse: Oatley Hotel, Oatley

Bam Bam: Orient Hotel, The Rocks

Wallflower + Nonie + Mac Tango + Vasban: Rad Bar, Wollongong

Natasha Stuart + Joseph Calderazzo: Rock Lily, Pyrmont

Mark Isaacs Trio + Briana Cowlishaw: Seymour Centre (Sound Lounge), Darlington

Dirtcaps: The Argyle, The Rocks

Country & Inner Western feat. Adam Eckersley Band + The Soorleys: The Basement, Sydney

The Usual Suspects: The Oxford Hotel (Gingers), Darlinghurst

Bad!Slam!No!Biscuit!: The Phoenix, Canberra

Songs of Jason Robert Brown feat. Melody Beck + Lloyd Bowden + John Milligan: The Vanguard, Newtown

Lower Class Brats: Transit Bar, Canberra

The Hoochie Mommas + Mojo Men + #5 Blues Drive: Valve Bar, Ultimo

Thu 17 Don Walker & The Suave Fucks + Karl S Williams: 505, Surry Hills

Knox + The Baldwins + The Scat Sundays: Brass Monkey, Cronulla

Hot Damn! feat. Absolution + Awakened + Synaescope + The Elk Collective: Bristol Arms (Retro Nightclub), Sydney

In Hearts Wake + Make Them Suffer + Ocean Grove + Stories: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West

Daniel Weltlinger: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville

Levingstone: Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington

Omega Ensemble: City Recital Hall, Sydney

Spring Comedy Carnival: Comedy Store, Moore Park

Baltimore Gun Club + Versus Fate + Roymackonkey: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney

Ecca Vandal + Kid Kairo: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney

Big Blind Ray: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville

D At Sea + Millie Tizzard + Sienna Lace: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton

The Dominos: Marble Bar, Sydney

Jason Walker: Midnight Special, Newtown

Fait Accompli + Sparrows + Jugular Cuts + I Kid K: Newtown Social Club, Newtown

Joe Echo Duo: Orient Hotel, The Rocks

The Dandelion: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst

Sarsha Simone + DJ Trey: Play Bar, Surry Hills

Hippie Death Star + Milkk + Colliderz: Rad Bar, Wollongong

Clash of the Bands - Heat 5: Rock Lily, Pyrmont

Joan Baez: Royal Theatre, Canberra

Ruth Carp & The Fish Heads + Swamp Fat Jangles + Lacey Cole & The Lazy Colts: Slyfox, Enmore

Sam Joole + Ari Levy: Spring Street Social, Bondi Junction

The Mae Trio: Sunset Studios, Sandgate

Zac Gunthorpe: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale

The Guide

The Music PresentsAn Evening With Kevin Smith: 18 Sep State Theatre

Yours & Owls Music & Arts Festival Weekender: 2 – 4 Oct Stuart Park North Wollongong

BAD//DREEMS: 9 Oct Oxford Art Factory

Laura Marling: 20 Oct Enmore Theatre

The Phoenix Foundation: 21 Oct Oxford Art Factory

Gentlemen Of The Road: 14 Nov The Domain

Mullum Music Festival: 19 – 22 Nov Mullumbimby

Mew: 2 Dec Manning Bar

Fairgrounds: 5 Dec Hazelberry Park Berry

Bully: 9 Dec Oxford Art Factory

Festival Of The Sun: 11 – 12 Dec Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park Port Macquarie

Bluesfest: 24 – 28 Mar Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm

Bully: 9 Dec Oxford Art Factory

Gig Of The Week

Goodgod Small Club will host the enigmatic Ecca Vandal as she trips up to NSW on Thursday. This might be your only chance to check out this wild Melbourne-via-South Africa powerhouse.

On The Sly

On Thursday, Slyfox hosts LIVE at The SLY. The line-up is as follows: headliners Ruth Carp & The Fish Heads, Swamp Fat Jangles and Lacey Cole & The Lazy Colts. Plus, there’s $5 drink specials from 7.30–9.30pm.

Ecca Vandal

Ruth Carp & The Fish Heads

Wallfl ower

Spring Time Tunes

Check out the tunes of Wallflower when they debut their dreamy new single Soliloquy at Rad Bar, Wollongong on Wednesday. For fans of Bibio and Coldplay.

Gigs / Live


The Guide

(The Terrace), Sydney

Dave Debs: Tahmoor Inn, Tahmoor

Eddie Boyd & The Phatapillars: Tattersalls Hotel, Penrith

Weird Assembly: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale

James Morrison: The Basement, Sydney

Steve Edmonds: The Beach Club, Collaroy

Original Sin - INXS Show: The Bridge Hotel, Rozelle

Liam Gale & The Ponytails + Echo Deer + Slow Loris + Mama Schultz: The Gaelic, Surry Hills

Andy Miles Night on the Prawn: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville

Glenn Esmond: The Illawarra Brewery, Wollongong

The Road Runners: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle

Slapdash Song Night: The Oxford Hotel (Gingers), Darlinghurst

Alex Lloyd + Sarah Belkner: The Vanguard, Newtown

Dave Ireland: The Vineyard Hotel, Vineyard

The Powderfinger Show: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi

Holy Holy + Fractures: Transit Bar, Canberra

The Elements of Tech & Bass with Thierry De + Ellagator + Ohmage + Sariss + The Bassix + Rowdy One: Valve Bar (Basement), Ultimo

Library Siesta + Moto Maji: World Bar, Potts Point

Sat 19 D At Sea: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt

Disentomb + Daemon Foetal Harvest + Diminish The Gods + Immorium: Belconnen Magpies, Belconnen

Please Kill Me - The Story of CBGBs with Damien Lovelock: Brass Monkey, Cronulla

The Bitter Sweethearts: Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst

British India: Cambridge

Hotel, Newcastle West

Lolo Lovina: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville

Rebel Rebel: Carousel Inn, Rooty Hill

AC Slater + Cassian + Friendless: Chinese Laundry, Sydney

King Tide + Project Collective Ska: The Basement, Sydney

The Shouties: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville

Wallflower + Lavers + Nonie: The Phoenix, Canberra

Alex Lloyd + Sarah Belkner: The Vanguard, Newtown

Kevin Bloody Wilson: Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi

The Wash + The Shnand + Florentine + Neu Adult: Valve Bar, Ultimo

Fri 18 Nathan Cole: 99 On York, Sydney

Disentomb + Wretch + Deminish The Gods + Nekrology: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt

Filth with Koi Child: Beach Road Hotel, Bondi Beach

The Headliners: Bidwill Hotel, Bidwill

Shane Nicholson + Emma Beau: Brass Monkey, Cronulla

Lower Class Brats: Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle West

Keyim Ba: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville

Insanity Proof: Campbelltown RSL, Campbelltown

Dirtcaps + Hydraulix + Autoclaws: Chinese Laundry, Sydney


Sam Newton: Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee

Brent Murphy: Coogee Diggers (The Bunker), Coogee

John Vella Duo: Crown Hotel, Sydney

The Jungle Giants + Art Of Sleeping + Hockey Dad: Enmore Theatre, Newtown

In Hearts Wake + Make Them Suffer + Ocean Grove + Stories: Entrance Leagues, Bateau Bay

Bill Kacir: Figtree Hotel, West Wollongong

Gorgeous Songs from Brazil & Beyond with Anna Salleh: Foundry 616, Sydney

Sydney Pony Club 2nd Birthday feat. Noise In My Head + Maximus Nice Guy + The Streat: Goodgod Small Club (Danceteria), Sydney

Joe Echo: Jacksons on George (PJ’s Irish Whiskey Bar), Sydney

Mary Jane Guniey: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville

The Gentle Enemies + Ape BC + Flaccid Mohawk: Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham

Ladies of Jazz feat. Liza Ohlback + Kate Lush: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton

RAW Showcase: Manning Bar, Camperdown

Dirty Cash: Marble Bar, Sydney

L.A.M: Marquee, Pyrmont

Fraudband + Sounds Like Sunset + Miners & Milk: Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville

Katchafire: Metro Theatre, Sydney

Oliver Thorpe: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe

Conrad Sewell + Avalanche City + Vera Blue: Newtown Social Club, Newtown

Little May + Gordi + Jim Lawrie: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst

Sydney Cyper Supremo feat. DJ Adverse + Makoto + Run Jay: Play Bar, Surry Hills

Celtic Woman: Qantas Credit Union Arena, Haymarket

Fait Accompli + Sparrows + I Kid K: Rad Bar, Wollongong

Funk Revolver + Glen Cunningham Duo + DJ D-Flat + DJ Kitsch 78: Rock Lily, Pyrmont

Babicka + Mic Mills: Slyfox, Enmore

Kevin Smith + Jason Mewes: State Theatre, Sydney

Necrostalgia: Studio Six, Sutherland

Jones Jnr: Sydney Town Hall

So Average

Come vibe with Average Rap Band at Gingers on Saturday supported by good friends Eno x Dirty (NZ). Doors open 9pm. There will be cow bells involved. There will be no laptops.

Average Rap Band

Acting Koi

After recording their debut album on some island with Kevin Parker last year, nu-jazz hip-hop septet Koi Child will play Beach Road Hotel this Friday for free. They’ll also be playing Saturday at Goodgod Small Club.

Koi Child

I Dream Of Jeanie

Smart new country-pop duo, Jeanie will be melting hearts at The Newsagency this Sunday. Sweet to the ears harmonies and bouncing acoustics are the theme of the evening.

Jeanie

Terrace Times

Jones Jnr will perform on Friday in support of the sustainability inspired transformation of Sydney Town Hall’s rooftop – dubbed The Terrace. This is part of a string of one-off shows being held at The Terrace.

Jones Jnr

Comedy / G


The Guide

Ross Ward Express: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale

Cafe of the Gate of Salvation + Tina Harrod: The Basement, Sydney

Spaceport 2: The Gaelic, Surry Hills

Chich & The Soul Messengers: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville

The Roys: The Merton Hotel, Rozelle

Average Rap Band + Eno x Dirty: The Oxford Hotel (Gingers), Darlinghurst

The Steptones + Young Monks + Azim Zain & his Lovely Bones: The Phoenix, Canberra

In Hearts Wake + Make Them Suffer + Ocean Grove + Stories: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Waves), Towradgi

Hayds & Suavess: Transit Bar, Canberra

Frenzal Rhomb + Topnovil + The Culture Industry + Fractures: Uni Bar, Wollongong

Venom Nightclub feat. Transcendent Sea + Helens Gate + The Underground Architect + Versus Fate + more: Valve Bar, Ultimo

Sun 20 D At Sea: Bald Faced Stag, Leichhardt

Eddie Boyd & The Phatapillars: Beaches Hotel, Thirroul

Buried In Verona + Hand Of Mercy + Polaris + Void Of Vision + Autumn: Belconnen Magpies, Belconnen

Chich & The Soul Messengers: Botany View Hotel, Newtown

Choirboys + Craig Woodward & The Lonely Dogs: Brass Monkey, Cronulla

A Leonard Cohen Birthday Bash with Monsieur Camembert: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville

Fox Company + The Bottlers + Rogue Scholars: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney

James Thomson + Katie Brianna: Freda’s Bar & Canteen, Chippendale

Songs On Stage feat. Stuart Jammin + X-iled: Harlequin Inn, Pyrmont

The Hinterlandt Ensemble: Hotel Blue, Katoomba

The Mighty Surftones: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville

The Living Room feat. A Girls A Gun: Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham

Cave-Waits-Cohen with Mikelangelo: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton

The Slowdowns: Marrickville Bowling Club, Marrickville

Restless Leg: Midnight Special, Newtown

Ricardo Steyer: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe


I Exalt + Semper Fi + The Prototypes + Portraits: Rad Bar, Wollongong

Suite Az + DJ Nino Brown: Rock Lily, Pyrmont

Joan Baez: Sydney Opera House, Sydney

John Vella: The Annandale Hotel, Annandale

Tracey Bunn + Mick Daley: The Gasoline Pony, Marrickville

One Love: The Vanguard, Newtown

James Southwell Band: Towradgi Beach Hotel (Sports Bar), Towradgi

Sleeping With Sirens + Storm The Sky: UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington

Baltimore Gun Club + New Archetypes + Disclaimer + Amber Lies + Psycho Smileys: Valve Bar (Basement), Ultimo

Mon 21 A Leonard Cohen Birthday Bash with Monsieur Camembert: Camelot Lounge, Marrickville

Frankie’s World Famous House Band: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney

Sonic Mayhem Orchestra: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville

John Maddox: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe

D At Sea + Millie Tizzard: Rad Bar, Wollongong

The Bootleg Sessions feat. Good Bison + The Culture Industry + Bleach It Clean + Harrison Lambert: The Phoenix, Canberra

Broadway Unplugged - Divas: The Vanguard, Newtown


Crossfire Hurricane + Stiff Joyntz: Coogee Diggers (The Bunker), Coogee

Anthems of Oz: Corrimal Hotel, Corrimal

Vanessa Heinitz: Crown Hotel, Sydney

80s Mania feat. Paul Young + Nik Kershaw + Go West + Cutting Crew: Enmore Theatre, Newtown

The Widowbirds: Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, Sydney

Koi Child: Goodgod Small Club, Sydney

La Bondi Fonda: Jam Gallery, Bondi Junction

Justine Wahlin: LazyBones Lounge, Marrickville

Metal Madhouse feat. Dreamkillers + Temtris + Mad Charlie + Bleeding Gasoline: Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham

The Bob Corbett Band: Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton

Alphamama: Marble Bar, Sydney

Circa Survive + PVRIS: Metro Theatre (all ages), Sydney

Katcha: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe


Wildcatz + Jimmy Bear: Orient Hotel, The Rocks

Holy Holy + Fractures: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst

Wells + Pikachunes: Rad Bar, Wollongong

Mark Da Costa & The Black List + Frank Lakoudis + DJ Cool Jerk + DJ Troy T: Rock Lily, Pyrmont

Have/Hold + Mowgli + Gravel Pit + Girls Genes: Roxbury Hotel, Glebe

Small World Festival feat. The Church + DZ Deathrays + PVT: Sydney Park, St Peters

Pat Capocci: Sydney Town Hall (The Terrace), Sydney

Wake Up

Prime metalcore purveyors, In Hearts Wake are setting off on the NSW leg of their Badlands Regional tour. Expect heavy breakdowns and mild-ear drum perforation cases at Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle on Thursday and Towradgi Beach Hotel, Saturday.

Holy Fractures

Fractures is the moniker of Mark Zito, whose unique, atmospheric songs can be heard on his self-titled debut EP, and also live this Saturday when he supports Holy Holy at Oxford Art Factory.

Good Katches

The people get what the people want, and they obviously want Katchafire. Returning due to popular demand for more sweet reggae vibes, Katchafire will spark up Metro Theatre on Friday.

Break A Leg, Or An Arm

Despite some apparent in-band injuries Frenzal Rhomb will hit Wollongong’s Uni Bar as hard as they can on Saturday. The ‘90s punk rockers are bringing in YouTube-famous drummer Kye Smith as a sub for this show.

In Hearts Wake

Fractures

Frenzal Rhomb

Katchafi re. Pic: Averie Harvey


ORDER NOW

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Comedy / G


The Guide

Tue 22 Enmore Comedy Club: Enmore Theatre (Cafe), Newtown

Songs On Stage feat. Russell Neal: Gladstone Hotel, Dulwich Hill

Will Sparks + Slice n Dice + Press Play + Rojdar: Max Watt’s (under 18s), Moore Park

Isis & Cainan Ashton + Joseph Kalou + Hannah Robinson + more: Mr Falcon’s, Glebe

Anton: Orient Hotel, The Rocks

Seth Sentry: Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst

Gordi + Twin Caverns: Sydney Town Hall (The Terrace), Sydney

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Just Swell

Conrad Sewell begins to cement himself as an Australian star for 2015, announcing his first ever headline tour with a respectable three shows in three nights at Newtown Social Club, Friday to Sunday.

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Documents

The Music (Sydney) issue #106