Melbourne is often considered to be the music capital of Australia, but mostly these gigs take place in the CBD or in surrounding inner suburbs. It’s very rare that you’ll see a gig from current artists being held far away. As part of Urban Spread, The Jezabels and support Alex Lahey trekked out to the suburbs of Edithvale and Mulgrave for what was a great night of music.
Alex Lahey warmed the stage, opening with her debut single Air Mail. I’ve seen Alex perform a number of times in the last six months, and it’s always a fun and refreshing experience. She’s an incredibly likeable person and an amazing songwriter. Her set was divided mostly between her 2016 release B-Grade University and songs from her upcoming album, slated for release later in the year, although she took a moment to comment that this was the first time she’d ever played a venue that had also hosted kickboxing and a Shannon Noll concert. I only wish that more people had turned up early to catch her, but she had a solid group of diehards singing along with her in the front row to songs like Ivy League and her major key You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me. Lahey also announced that this would be the last in a string of local shows, as she was off to support Tegan and Sara on their UK tour. Watch this space: DJ Al Dente, her moniker when DJ battling her mum, is about to go global.
The main act began shortly after. Opening with Stand and Deliver the lead track off their third LP Synthia, The Jezabels were met with subdued cheers and applause. As front woman Hayley Mary swaggered onto stage, looking every bit the rockstar she is, it was great to see the band on stage. The band originally planned to tour early 2016, but were forced to reschedule when it was revealed that pianist and keyboardist Heather Shannon had been battling ovarian cancer. The band came roaring back late last year, and returned to Melbourne again with this short run of shows. Mace Spray, perhaps one of their most well known songs followed, as Mary commented on how civilised and polite the audience was. Aside from a small group of people in the front shoving people out of the way, who were subsequently ejected from the venue, the audience seemed happy to just bask in the glow of the band. A cut off their latest Smile was met with cheers from the female members of the audience, as Mary stared daggers into the crowd as she sang “Don’t tell me to smile,” during their anthem against street harassment united as the audience sang right back at the band.
“Do people still dance on a Friday night? This is a dance song” she teased, as fans cheered expecting to hear Time To Dance. Instead, they launched into Look of Love which received cheers and sing-a-long treatment from fans. Racing through hits like Endless Summer and Easy To Love, blended with new cuts My Love Is My Disease and Pleasure Drive, it served as a reminder to just how solid this band are live, and the hefty back catalogue they’ve already amassed.
Technical problems hindered the beginning of Hurt Me as tech staff arrived on stage to fix this issue, Hayley Mary headed into the crowd. One audience member received a kiss from the Sydney songstress, and many more were given warm hugs. During the song, once everything was fixed, Mary mounted the barrier, clinging to a man named Jim, whom she thanked for holding her up as she sang. Jim seemed to then request an older track, but after conferring with Heather, drummer Nikolas Kaloper and guitarist Samuel Lockwood, they joked they had simply forgotten how to play whichever song Jim was requesting.
The night came to a close with A Little Piece and the always fitting The End. Pub gigs used to be all the rage in Australia in the 1970’s, and if bands like The Jezabels keep on putting shows like this, I feel a resurgence coming on.
Photo: The Jezabels’ Website
Amanda Palmer is currently calling Melbourne home, recording at Richmond’s famous Bakehouse Studios, embarking on a three-month residency at The Gasometer, and this week performing at the Sydney Opera House this week. The solo artist, author, former Dresden Doll and frontwoman of Grand Theft Orchestra front woman and solo artist is perhaps one of my most beloved artists, and it was a true honour to chat with her in person at Bakehouse Studios. As we set up for the interview we chatted about her son and how her family were enjoying their time here in Australia. Although just an interview, her warmth and candour immediately made it feel like we were old friends having a chat.
During our 40 minute conversation, we spoke about her music, her fans, her marriage to beloved author Neil Gaiman, love, hate, Nick Cave and the power of creativity among other things.
You’ve got a five year visa to live in Australia, will you be staying for the whole time?
*laughs* No – the purpose of getting the visa was to solve a bureaucratic nightmare that comes from not working and gigging full time. Every year that I wanted to come here and not be just gigging, it was a real pain in the ass, because the Australian Government couldn’t understand why I would want to come here and not work the whole time – but it’s because I like it here. That said, Neil and I are sniffing around for a more permanent place to settle, and Australia is on the shortlist.
You’re a fan of couch-surfing, has that changed since the birth of your son?
You know what’s funny, it hasn’t changed since I’ve had the baby, more since I’ve met Neil. Neil is not a couch-surfer, he’s more particular about his surroundings. It’s been a project in our relationship for me to even get him to stay at friend’s houses, rather than hotels. It’s much easier to couch-surf as an individual than bringing your whole entourage, so I’ve had to reduce my couch-surfing as I’ve added more family members. That said, I’ve probably slept on friend’s beds and couches more with that baby than the average mother, because I’ve taken him travelling all over the world. We slept wherever there was a soft spot: on futons, on trains, with friends. But now that he’s getting bigger, it’s a little more difficult.
You’re playing at the Sydney Opera House, what can the audience expect?
Yeah, it’s my fourth time playing there. A very very stripped down, no frills, intimate show. One of the things I’m trying to do with my tour this fall and winter is to just remind everyone that I’m a songwriter. I’ve gone off track a bit with the TED talk, the book and more longform writing, and I feel like it’s my responsibility to pull the narrative back and say, ‘Amanda Palmer is a songwriter and that’s why this shit all happened in the first place.’ I also have quite a bit of new material that I haven’t played at all to this crowd, so it’s going to be me, a piano, a ukulele and some stories.
You’ve been very collaborative over the last few years; working with The Grand Theft Orchestra, Jherek Bischoff, etc. Is this new record solely Amanda Palmer?
Any time I play any of my songs on solo piano, they’re stripped down just by me. I have a touring album on sale that’s just piano versions of Theatre Is Evil, so I’m gonna be playing a few of those. I’ve put out a bunch of music through my Patreon, some of which is solo, some of which is collaborative, but the running theme is that I wrote it all. I’m also going to take requests, which is fun to do in a place like the Sydney Opera House. Hopefully I can make it feel like a bar, it’s pretty huge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9LzyW1P82Q
Something I really enjoy about your live shows is that you introduce your support acts on stage in person. What made you decide to do that?
That’s a good question. Since the dawn of The Dresden Dolls I never understood the point of doing an entire evening with other bands, and ignoring the fact that you were all together at the same time. I remember the first time we opened for a larger act and they didn’t even say hello. I found myself thinking ‘why are we even here?’ You know, naively with my inner theatre dork and community minded person. I just naively thought it was supposed to feel like a night where we were all together and everyone gleefully acknowledges that fact. And then I felt like my dream was crushed.
I think people really like the feeling of going to a venue and feeling like they’re a part of something larger. Having been a support act myself, I want to drive the point home to my community that the support act isn’t just there as an afterthought, they’re part of the family and you introduce the new member of the family. You remind fans that they should be paid just as much respect as the main act because they’re on this stage and that’s what we do in this family. And I think when you do that it just breeds a kind of respect that touches everything. And, if you’re an asshole to your opening act, what does that say about you and how you wanna be treated by other musicians and artists?
It’s also about crushing unhealthy paradigms about what live music and rock stars are expected to do. One of the things that always mystifies my promoters and venue people, is that I don’t mind at all walking around, chatting, being seen. I’m supposed to be this huge surprise at the end of the night, and as far as I’m concerned it’s much better to be connecting with people throughout, rather than hiding in a dressing room until you make your grand diva entrance at 11 o’clock. That’s fucking lonely. When you actually really think about that, it means you’re alone until 11 o’clock, with your rider, backstage. I don’t want to be a diva in my tower, I wanna be with my community.
Theatre Is Evil is still the biggest crowdfunding for music of all time. Today it’s far more common for artists to crowd fund projects, did you foresee this happening or was it a leap of faith?
There was definitely a leap of faith in launching the Kickstarter, but not that much. I had done Kickstarter before with two other projects, a piano album I produced for my housemate, and one Neil and I did for our big tour. I learned enough from that to know that people would get on board. What a lot of people may not know about me is I’m a lot more conservative than they think. I test and I really strategise, and even then I’m often wrong.
It reminded me how great my fans are, how weird I am and it reminds me that you can’t take anything for granted in the music industry. I try to be very careful when it comes to music, crowdfunding and even when it comes to me. The most important thing to remember is that the basics don’t change. People love music, people want music and people will help the people that want to give them music.
I was amazed that you were criticised for using Kickstarter. It’s not different to buying music. People are electing to buy your music, they’re just setting their own price.
Well, add permanent truth number four: people will criticise what they don’t understand. In a world of crass consumerism and crass capitalism, the Kickstarter was really hard for people to get their heads around. I’ve come to accept that fourth truth as a part of life: do things a little different and you’ll be criticised, no matter what. You just have to have your thick skin like a coat at the door. You just put it on.
Speaking of being criticised because of misunderstandings, from the Oasis song and video, to asking musicians to play for free or for the chance to play with you, and now to Donald Trump, do you feel you’ve made a career out of being misunderstood?
I don’t think I’ve made a career out of being misunderstood, but I think it’s very possible that I’ve made a career out of dealing with the experience of being misunderstood. It’s never my intention to be misunderstood, I don’t like being misunderstood. I actually can’t stand it. But the longer I stick at it, and the more work I do and the more books I read, the more time I really spend examining the human condition, really exploring why the world in 2017 would react to a woman saying a certain thing. It all makes a lot more sense to me now, in context, than when I was younger. The double standards are just rampant. One of the things I love about being married to Neil is that we’re so similar, and we say such similar things. And it’s really gratifying to finally have a control in the experiment of my life; to have positive proof that people are just getting angry at the things I say because I’m a woman.
I literally say one thing and Neil says the same thing, and I get a heap of criticism and he doesn’t. I turn to Neil and ask ‘am I crazy or did that just happen?’ and Neil goes, ‘Nope, you’re right, that happened because you’re a woman.’ We’re not identical, he has his way of saying things and he can receive his fair share of criticism. But the world is a very fearful place, and for whatever reason I trigger a lot of fear in people. So that’s where a lot of the anger, hate and criticism comes from – I upset the status quo. It’s certainly a lot easier to understand now, but I’d never reverse the clock and live a less interesting life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C17yfGyJjM
Something I’ve noticed is that when people interact with you, and they get to meet you, they’re very emotional because your music has touched them. What is that experience like for you?
I feel like I’m in a piece of continuum, because I felt the exact same way when I listened to Nick Cave‘s last record. And when I see him next week, I’m not gonna be able to express eloquently or effectively what listening to his last record did for me or helped me, how it unlocked me and healed something in me. I’m going to be grateful and lay some platitude at his feet and say, ‘There’s nothing I can say but thank you for making this piece of art.’ The reason we have art and music, is there’s things you can’t articulate in chat and speech. It’s why we do it. I’ve been on the giving and receiving end of the incredibly therapeutic power of music, and I don’t really care at any given point where I am in that continuum. As long as I’m in it.
On Nick Cave and his film Once More With Feeling, he said ‘Trauma is a terrible thing to write about, people wish they had more interesting things to write about but the mundane is more powerful.’ What’s your take on that?
I totally agree with Nick, I watched that film the day it came out in the States. It changed my life, because I was really battling my inner critic. It was like getting hit with a brick of reminders that we cannot be precious or sentimental of the reality of our lives: whatever is happening is happening. Criticising your own inspiration does such a disservice to anyone who could benefit from the art you’re going to make from your experience. I was also impressed with his ability to be vulnerable authentically, but still play the persona of Nick Cave, all the while being aware of what he was giving creatively.
You’re currently occupying the Gasometer Hotel in Melbourne. How is the residency going so far? Also, could you talk a bit about the plan to write songs with the audience?
We opened the roof up, and it was just, ‘crazy Amanda drinks wine and tries to figure out what she’s gonna do for the Opera House gig.’ I’m treating [the Gaso residency] like a little workshop. On Thursday night I handed out 300 index cards and I asked them anonymously to write down their most painful, intimate, untold relationship memory. I haven’t read them yet but I have them. I have a project in me that’s a relationship cycle, and I need to disguise my own marriage. So I’m gathering coats and hats from everyone else and sticking them in a blender so you can’t tell what’s about someone else and what’s about me and Neil.
Do you feel that’s an important thing, separating the reality of your marriage and personal life with your public image?
I don’t really have the fanbase who picks my music apart and I tend to be very forthcoming about what my songs are about. That being said, there are some songs on Theatre Is Evil that are fully disguised and no one will ever know the truth about them. I’m willing to give some away and explain them, but some will always remain a mystery. That’s the weird thing about being married – when I was in relationships that were crashing and burning, I would write openly and fearlessly about my exes. But clearly there was nothing there to protect, but that’s not the case with Neil. I’d really like to stay married!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZCadqQY-Lw
Amanda Palmer: Australian Tour Dates
Jan 20: Sydney Opera House, NSW
Feb 3-4: Melt Festival, Brisbane, QLD
Feb 10-11: Festival of New and Old Art, Hobart, TAS
Feb 15/22: The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Feb 24-25: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, SA
March 2/9: The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
March 10: National Gallery of Victoria, VIC
March 11: Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, QLD
Palmer’s latest release, Piano Is Evil, is available only at these shows.
Image: Kambriel
When the opportunity to review FOMO Festival came up I had the option of travelling to Adelaide or Sydney. I had never attended a music festival in the South Australian capital and was keen to see how it compared to other cities. A week before the festival Empire Of The Sun were forced to pull out due to flight issues and Slumberhaze were also unable to attend this leg of the festival, but that didn’t stop Adelaide punters heading out for a day of electronic and hip-hop music.
Arriving in Adelaide I checked the weather reports, which said things like ’43 degrees’ and ‘Avoid outdoor activities’, good thing I was going to a music festival. Arriving at the Adelaide Gaol, I noted how small the setup for the festival was inside the space. It really felt like a boutique festival in a major city, a nice change from the usual hectic pace that comes with touring festivals. DJ Hannah Wants was spinning onstage as a small crowd of hardcore partiers vibed along with her deep house beats. Many punters planted themselves under trees or in the shade, attempting to escape from the oppressive heat.
Photo: Facebook
Desiigner announced his arrival to the stage with his trademark ‘BRRAAAAP’ which sent punters running to the stage. The Brooklyn rapper opened with his New English mixtape’s lead track Caliber. Whilst the energy was there, and fans were keen to see one of G.O.O.D Music’s newest signees in the flesh, it was disappointing to see how little he rapped live. During Freestyle 4 he really brought the heat, smashing his guest verse, but when the moment came for major key tracks Timmy Turner and Panda (which he performed three times) Desiigner spent more time ad-libbing and making noise as the backing track rapped for him. Festival goers seemed unbothered by this though and hyped along.
Local George Maple swaggered onto stage, with a complete shift in tone and energy. A real strength of FOMO Festival was the diverse nature of the acts. Maple brought her signature sound of dark r’n’b flavoured with bass heavy beats. ‘Thank you for coming out to see me when it’s so hot, I really appreciate it!’ she said as security guards hosed the mosh in front of her.
Photo: Facebook
Tech problems marred GoldLink‘s set, as his DJ’s decks wouldn’t play the song correctly. Launching into his set in spite of this, a professional through and through, he soldiered on performing tracks from his latest project And After That, We Didn’t Talk to a crowd mixed of diehards and people keen to check out new music. I caught GoldLink at Laneway 2016 in Melbourne and the crowd was a similar size, why are people sleeping on one the best talents in the game right now?
Conversations with punters at the bar hinted that many people may not be familiar with the hip-hop acts on the bill and had chosen to come along for the electronic acts instead. Closing his set with his Kaytranada/AlunaGeorge collaboration TOGETHER, he was hit again with further tech problems but made the most of it and finished the song a capella, showing off his formidable flow.
Metro Boomin’ was the next act on the bill and presented an interesting experience. Producers often don’t get the credit they deserve for the projects they make, and unless you’re a hip-hop fan you may not be familiar with Metro, one of the hottest producers in the game right now, but I guarantee you’ve heard his work. Seeing him spin live it struck me just how influential this young producer has been on the scene. Every song he dropped was hit after hit, punters who maybe were unfamiliar with his name came around quickly just hearing his vast body of work.
Blending with other hip-hop bangers, Metro Boomin’ was a highlight of the festival and easily a crowd favourite. Towards the end of his set he announced ‘I got to work with one of my idols last year, can I do a few tracks from that album?’, there were raucous cheers of excitement, knowing what was coming. In quick succession he dropped FML, Waves, Facts (Charlie Heat Version) and Father Stretch My Hands Part.1 all from Kanye West’s latest release The Life of Pablo. A perfect way to close a set.
Photo: Facebook
British grime talent JME was an interesting choice for the festival. Often described solely as ‘Skepta‘s brother’ (despite making solid music in his own right), it was really interesting to see how grime has been taking off and resurfacing around the world, very much thanks to JME’s label Boy Better Know. I was sadly a little disappointed by his performance though. Maybe it was the crowd just weren’t feeling it, or the hype from Metro Boomin’ was too hard an act to follow, but it felt like the energy dipped. Even heavy hitters Man Don’t Care and That’s Not Me (one of the best releases of 2016) seemed to fall flat. I’m saying it now though, don’t sleep on JME. Go check out his 2015 album Integrity> and let the grime goodness into your lives.
Shifting the genre back into electronic were Peking Duk, introduced by David Hasselhoff, and teasing their mega hit with Nicole Millar High from the very top of the set, the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by the Canberra electronic duo. With insane drops and grooving melodies married with killer visuals and lights, Peking Duk showed Adelaide why they are two of the darlings of the Australian music scene. Current hit Stranger went off and by the looks of this performance, plus FOMO’s cheeky promo of the single when it was #3 on the charts, the Duk may have another number one on their hands.
Photo: Facebook
Headliners Flosstradamus were easily the most hyped artists of the festival. Each person that approached me, chatted to me in the crowd and at the bar talked about how keen they were to catch them for the last time, the band announcing their separation earlier (though Curt Cameruci will continue to perform under the Flosstradamus moniker though). Blending remixes and originals, they brought the house down and were a perfect closer to the Adelaide leg of FOMO.
Hot, sweaty and tired from a day of partying hard people began heading home or kicking on to various after parties showing that Adelaide can party as hard as Melbourne or Sydney.
Image: Facebook
2016 was a huge year in music, no question. Release after release of insanely high quality music and 2017 is shaping up to be a very promising year in music as well. Here are some of the albums we’re looking forward to in the new year and some of the rumours that are getting us excited for what’s to come:
The xx, I See You
Expected release date: January 13
It’s been just a little over four years since The xx released their sophomore effort Coexist. The friend who introduced me to what is now one of my favourite bands once described their self titled debut and Coexist as ‘the stories teenage infatuation followed by the stories of adult relationships’ as their sound matured over time. We’ve been given a taste of what is to come with lead single On Hold and the newly dropped Say Something Loving, we may be looking at an xx album that explores the moments where you realise your relationship isn’t working, and you have no idea where you go from here. Prepare to feel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blJKoXWlqJk
Kehlani, SweetSexySavage
Expected release date: January 27
After dropping her mixtape You Should Be Here in 2015 to massive acclaim, 2016 was an intense, emotional year for Kehlani. Following a damaging social media incident, Kehlani was briefly hospitalised. Soon, she returned to the live scene with the beautiful 24/7, in which she shed light on the incident and, before following it up with teaser singles CRZY, Distraction and Advice. From what we’ve heard so far, SweetSexySavage is going to be an R&B-heavy album with incredibly personal lyrics. Kehlani was named ‘one to watch’ in 2015 and in 2017 I believe she’s about to prove that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1waZCoYbts
Big Sean, I Decided
Expected release date: February 3
After crafting a modern classic with his 2015 third album Dark Sky Paradise Big Sean is only moving from strength to strength. Last year he joined forces with Jhené Aiko to release TWENTY88, commenced work on G.O.O.D Music’s second compilation album Cruel Winter and was nominated for a slew of awards. Released in succession, lead singles Bounce Back and No More Interviews immediately set the bar high, as well as new single Moves, which came out with the official album announcement late last month. One of G.O.O.D’s most consistently promising artists, this should be a great album indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phr1pOFK1V8
Sampha, Process
Expected release date: February 3
On a routine flight between Melbourne and Sydney some time ago, I opened the inflight magazine. In the music section was a feature on, at the time, up and coming electronic musician SBTRKT. The visuals were so intriguing that I went a bought his self-titled debut the same day. This also introduced me to British crooner Sampha, who features heavily on SBTRKT’s work, and has since been called up to sing and produce with some of the world’s biggest names, like Kanye West, Drake, Solange and Frank Ocean. Sampha’s voice is a work of art in and of itself and his production talents are second to none. Having released two EPs and featuring on so many other songs over the past few years, it’s almost difficult to believe that Process is his debut album, but we absolutely cannot wait to experience the fully realised project, particularly as a solo artist, rather than as a collaborator. Pre-released singles Timmy’s Prayer and Blood On Me are both outstanding – this will undoubtedly be one of the best “debuts” of 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oM1DFL43Lk
Thundamentals, Everyone We Know
Expected release date: February 10
Sydney legends Thundamentals have been off the scene since their 2014 release So We Can Remember but have come roaring back with the announcement of their next album Everyone We Know. In 2016 we were treated to four singles Late Nights, Never Say Never, Think About It and Ignorance Is Bliss as well as a huge national tour with Pez and Mallrat (check out H&E’s review of their Melbourne show here). 2017 is set to be a huge year for the Thundas, let’s get it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t61f8PZtK8k
Rumours
G.O.O.D MUSIC (Various artists), Cruel Winter– G.O.O.D Music/Various Artists
Kanye West’s beloved imprint released its first compilation Cruel Summer was released back in 2012, and its follow-up, Cruel Winter has been constantly rumoured ever since. In the middle of 2016, West released a massive collaborative track, Champions, featuring heavyweights Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo and Desiigner. The track, as well as a few related social media posts, sparked more interest in the compilation. It has now been rumoured for a February release, although this is completely tentative; considering how busy Kanye West has been in both his personal life and careers, not to mention so many of their artists releasing their own albums and embarking on world tours (Desiigner is in Australia right now and Big Sean’s album is out next month, to name just two examples,) exactly where they found the time to piece it together is unknown. That said, they have had almost five years, so you never know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyfOvJ6ByIY
Arcade Fire
During a reddit AMA in mid-2016, the band’s frontman Win Butler hinted that the next Arcade Fire album could be ready for the North American spring of 2017. Back in October, the Canadian group also played a secret show, during which they apparently debuted several new songs. Considering that Will Butler released his solo album last year, the 3+ year break since 2013’s Reflektor is understandable, but we’re hoping that 2017 will see the band’s fifth studio album.
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys members have been busy with their own projects, including Alex Turner’s Last Shadow Puppets, and drummer Matt Helders spent much of 2016 touring with Iggy Pop. Now that that’s all been wrapepd up, it’s looking like a follow-up to 2014’s AM is on its way; the boys were recently spotted arriving in their home town, spurring rumours that they’re back in the studio.
https://twitter.com/1892AnfieldRoad/status/807193215703142401
Bad Religion
Donald Trump is President of the United States, so of course Bad Religion are making an album.
Gorillaz
Gorillaz creator Damon Albarn has been hinting at a new Gorillaz album throughout 2016, sending the internet into a frenzy. Now slated for 2017 the album is rumoured to feature Vic Mensa, De La Soul, Snoop Dogg, LCD Soundsystem, André 3000 and The Horrors, just to name a few.
London Grammar
Fresh from performing at Falls Festival, London Grammar dropped an ethereal new track on January 1, no doubt a first taste of their long-awaited follow up to 2013’s If you Wait. Judging by the ethereal atmospherics and the spotlight firmly focused on Hannah Reid’s stirring vocals, it’s looking like the album will no doubt expand on the sound fans came to know and love on their groundbreaking debut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqhgXAGP4Ho
Schoolboy Q
Although he only dropped Blank Face last year, Q recently posted on Instagram that he’s already working on a new album, which will hopefully see the light of day this year. We’re cool with that!
System of a Down
SOAD have been spotted on Instagram practicing new material, and have just announced a string of new shows. If this is a new album, it’s the bands first in 12 years. Further evidence of new material is that they have announced a few European tour dates, and it’s looking like they’ll perform at a few festivals as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSvFpBOe8eY
It’ll be hard for 2017 to live up to the amazing music that 2016 produced, but considering that these are just a tiny percentage of the albums we’re waiting on, it’s looking pretty promising.
It’s 2007. I’m hanging out with my friend Melissa. She was instrumental in moving me away from mainstream pop, leading me to explore different artists and genres. She hands me a copy of The Teaches of Peaches by Peaches and tells me to chuck it on. The record opens with Peaches’ best known song, Fuck The Pain Away. I remember thinking it was cool, and then the lyrics kicked in. “Sucking on my titties like you wanted me, calling me all the time like Blondie.” I had never heard anything like it. It changed the way I thought about what music could be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmFp0I8AZqw
It’s hard to believe that at one point Peaches was a school teacher, before leaving all of that behind to pursue a musical career. The Teaches of Peaches, her second album, was released independently in 2000. The basis of the album was set to Roland synthesiser and drum machine, although it branches out with blistering guitars on tracks like Rock Show. The album has a very DIY sound and is very simple in execution. The album was written in Canada while Peaches was living with indie singer Feist (who contributed vocals to this album and features on her latest release Rub) and was recorded between Berlin and Toronto, where she was signed to Kitty-Yo Records.
Lyrically, the unapologetically feminist album focuses on sex and gender, and ultimately and is unapologetically feminist, a now staple of Peaches’ career. Tracks like Diddle My Skittle, Suck and Let Go and the Mignon-assisted Lovertits are brash comments on female sexuality and sex in general. For sixteen year old me, I had never heard a woman sing so overtly about sexuality or her own needs. Pop musicians talk extensively about having sex, but it’s often from focused on pleasing the male. Think Britney Spears’ I Was Born To Make You Happy, for example. Peaches writes about having sex, and about pleasure – her own.
I saw second track AA XXX as a commentary on the limitation of sexuality in young girls. That boys are allowed to be gross and make dirty jokes, but women are held to an unreasonable and uneven standard, one that can stifle their sexual, physical and mental health in later years. I have absolutely no doubt that Peaches was a groundbreaking force that shaped me into the vocal advocate for gender equality that I am today. I learnt a lot from exploring her music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYg3aHT8vGc
The Teaches of Peaches for me feels very much like a precursory album; it’s Peaches showing what she’s capable of achieving. Her subsequent albums showcased a beefed up sound – it’s no longer just a keyboard in a bedroom, but the DIY spirit is still there. When I had the chance to interview her earlier this year, she told me she’ll never lose that independent spirit to do what ever the fuck she wants to do.
Now considered to be a masterclass in electroclash, I hold no doubts that the album is still a tough listen for some people. It’s raw, unpolished and very very real. It was designed as an extension to her live show, rather than the reverse, which is obviously more typical. Musically, it reminds me very much of Daft Punk in 2005, when they adapted a lo-fi electroclash sound and made it their own. Today that sound is everywhere, and Peaches was a forerunner of that.
If you’re looking to expand your horizons, dance to something dirty, or just want to fuck the pain away, The Teaches of Peaches is for you.
From the ashes that were Melbourne’s Palace Theatre and Shebeen, Brunswick’s Howler and Thornbury’s The Croxton Bandroom have risen proud. Tonight we found ourselves at The Croxton Bandroom to catch Thundamentals along with a few special guests.
It’s been three years since Thundamentals dropped So We Can Remember, something of a staple for Australian hip-hop. Now, the guys are back with new material ahead of a new album, and are on the Never Say Never tour around the country. Joining them for the ride is Mallrat, fresh from the release of her Uninvited EP and Pez, supporting his sophomore record Don’t Look Down, who was joined by 360 for a portion of his set.
Image: Facebook
Tuka, Jeswon and co. took to the stage to the blistering Noodle Soup mixed with elements of Dr. Dre’s The Next Episode amid cheers from the audience. Their set mainly consisted of tracks from the new album, giving fans a welcome taste of what’s to come, and the crowd ate it up with whoops and cheers. Ignorance Is Bliss saw the Thundas working a trap-style flow, demonstrating their ability to change, experiment and constantly evolve.
As with all Thundamentals shows, the message is of love and tolerance. Tuka stopped the show to address two punters having a disagreement in the front row and asking them to ‘hug it out’, they requested the audience shake the hand of someone they didn’t know and they spoke extensively to their primarily white audience about the need for calm in increasingly xenophobic times. Prior to performing their major hit Got Love, they announced that portions of their merch sales would go towards an Indigenous support group as part of their continued charity and advocacy efforts.
Tuka then asked the audience, “Do you want to know something no one else does, we thought we’d tell you in person instead of on the Internet.” He continued, “We want to tell you the name of our next album. It’s called Everyone We Know. When we say So We Can Remember, you say Everyone We Know!”
Image: Facebook
I shared a moment with the person next to me during their reworking of Matt Corby‘s Brother, he rapped the verses while I sung Matt’s hook as the set began to come to a close. Stating how much they hate the whole, pretending to leave before the encore ‘bullshit’, the group finished in style with major players Smiles Don’t Lie and Something I Said.
As you can always rely on them to, the boys from Thundamentals put on a hell of a show, and left huge anticipation for Everyone We Know.
Read our interview with Tuka on the Got Love Initiative and vulnerability in creativity
Melbourne quartet Birdhouse are back in the studio and they’re giving you the first taste of new EP Sweet, featuring a lead single of the same name. With slick riffs and a hook that will drill itself deep into your brain, this new release is a tasty treat of what’s to come. Fresh from placing fourth at the Melbourne Bank Music Prize and prepping for a run of festival slots, as well as an upcoming single launch at Collingwood’s Yah Yah’s in Melbourne, we chatted with Jamie, Nick, Danny and Pat about all things Sweet and all things Birdhouse.
When it comes to your creative process, do you guys jam together or create separately and bring it to the other band members?
Pat: Predominantly it is our separate ideas brought to the whole group. We then jam on it and all have our own input to further expand the original idea. Sometimes a song might come from improvising and jamming to random shit too, which is always cool.
Does the music come first or the lyrics?
Danny: The music. It’s far more effective in our opinion, to write lyrics that correlate with the music, rather than writing music to correlate with the lyrics. To write lyrics you need to figure out what the music is saying and what emotions it evokes.
Sweet is the lead single off your upcoming EP, what does this song tell us about it and what can fans expect?
Danny: Our EP will hopefully show an interesting range of styles – the four songs are pretty different to each other. One of the few things Sweet and the other tracks have in common though, lyrics-wise, is an element of anxiety, self-consciousness and regret. I think these highly uplifting themes are present in every song in some way, but paired with an unhinged spooky feel in All My Life and some good old adolescent aggression in Time Traveller. Short answer, fans can expect four dope as, thought-provoking tracks.
Image: Scott Hudson
You were finalists in the Melbourne Music Bank prize competition and got to perform at Hamer Hall, how was that experience?
Nick: Playing at Hamer Hall was nuts. We were ecstatic to have made the top 12, let alone top 4 and play at such an iconic venue. We got to meet some valuable people in the industry and share the stage with great musicians in the top 4. Whatever the outcome, the experience was one to remember.
You’re about to hit up a whole bunch of festivals before the year is out, is this a precursor to an EP tour?
Nick: That’s the plan. We haven’t set out a proper plan for the tour yet, but it’s on the to-do list and we are pumped to hit the road and share our tunes. I’m in need of a tan too so getting up to Queensland is priority number one for me!
Photo: Will Yum
How did you guys feel the very first time you ever heard a recording of yourselves, was it a special moment?
Jamie: The first time we ever jammed, we decided to record it. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t Jeez, were we rusty. But skip forward a few years to now, hearing the final recording for our track “Sweet” for the first time was a special moment to hear something we’d worked so hard on come out like we’d hoped. There was a good mixture of relief and contentment. Also Pat farted at the time too, so there was disgust somewhere in there too.
If you could have written any song in history, which one and why?
Pat: Tribute by Tenacious D.
Melbourne fans can catch Birdhouse at Yah Yah’s on Friday November 25, more information on their website.
Image: Supplied
Queen of the Punk Cabaret, Amanda ‘Fucking’ Palmer is not shy when it comes to her love for Australia. Whether it’s dedicating a whole album to us with Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under or writing and recording Theatre Is Evil in Melbourne with The Grand Theft Orchestra Palmer has become a favourite down here, drawing in large audiences with her unique style of performance and music. Her home away from home in Melbourne will be treated to a residency at The Gasometer Hotel, which is certain to contain many treats, surprises and special guests from local musicians. Previous shows have seen appearances from the likes of Jen Kingwell, Missy Higgins, The Tin Star Band and Brendan Maclean, so it really is a mixed bag at what could happen. On top of this, Sydney fans will be treated to stripped back solo show at The Sydney Opera House, featuring ‘just Amanda and a piano’. Wherever Amanda goes, spectacle and wonder is sure to follow. If you have never seen her perform live, get yourself down to one of the dates below and experience an Amanda Palmer show for yourself.
She’s also fitting in a string of appearances around the country in spots like MONA in Tasmania, The Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland and the NGV in Victoria.
Most recently, Palmer delivered a really beautiful rendition of David Bowie’s Space Oddity for TED. The dramtic, string-led version also featured a special guest, politican Al Gore. Check it out here, with fingers crossed that we’ll get to hear it live come 2017.
Amanda Palmer Australian Tour Dates
30th December –31st December 2016: Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford, QLD
12 & 19 Jan, 15 & 22 Feb, 2 & 9 March 2017: The Gasometer, Melbourne, VIC
21st January 2017: Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW
3rd February 2017 – 4th February 2017: Melt Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, QLD
10th & 11th February 2017: MONA, Hobart
24th & 25th February 2017: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, SA
4th March 2017: Playhouse Theatre, Canberra, ACT
10th March 2017: National Gallery Of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC
For more information head to Amanda’s website.
Image: Amanda Palmer
The rise of Tkay Maidza has been undeniably mammoth. From her breakout hit Brontosaurus to Switch Tape and now to her debut album TKAY, she has gone stride to stride in becoming one of Australia’s biggest exports. Last week, Maidza brought her high energy show to Melbourne’s 170 Russell for one night only; her last visit to Melbourne saw multiple sold out shows at the Northcote Social Club, so you knew the night was going to be lit. Supported by Midas.Gold and Sable, lit is putting it mildly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXKN_IBdhRA
Midas.Gold was first up, opening up the ceremonies for the night. Gold is one of the most promising hip-hop acts in the game today, so it was a little disappointing to see a relatively small crowd vibing with him. “Some of you may know me, most of you don’t.” Gold joked on stage before launching into another high energy track. Fresh from dropping his For What It’s Worth project (read our review here), I highly recommend turning up early to catch him, you won’t be disappointed.
Sable sent the crowd into a frenzy with his tropical and house reworks and live electronic instrumentation. Tracks like his remix of Jack Ü‘s Where Are Ü Now? and The Throne‘s N***** In Paris were crowd favourites, with the beats growing more and more intoxicating as the set progressed, becoming more hip-hop heavy throughout, ending on reworkings from the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Skepta.
The room imploded when Tkay Maidza appeared on stage. Flanked by her DJ and drummer (Tim Commandeur, best known from Operator Please) she launched into the album’s lead track Always Been, blending seamlessly into her collab with Killer Mike Carry On. Something that I’ve always enjoyed about a Tkay Maidza show is there’s very few rest periods. Maidza moves like lightning through the songs, whipping the crowd into a frothing mess of arms and jumping. It’s been roughly a week since TKAY dropped but the fans were already across it, screaming lyrics back at her throughout. Tkay’s ability to blend hip-hop, dance and pop music makes her music so accessible to so many people and she brings people together to do one thing: party.
“We think you might know this one,” Maidza beamed at the audience as M.O.B began to screams and cheers. She then moved flawlessly into new single Tennies, which oozes M.I.A vibes but is still 100% Tkay. Every track was a banger and Maidza kept up the energy for her entire set. Switch Lanes brought the house down, self-described as the “reason you know me”, before closing with latest single Simulation, triggering waving hands in the air and arms around friends. Always leaving the crowd wanting more, she departed the stage and the, as I like to call it, “get the fuck out” music began to play. Standard cries for an encore rang out and were rewarded when Maidza and co. reappeared on stage to perform Brontosaurus. The DJ spent some time trying to find the track in his mix, as Tkay joked that normally they don’t return, but Melbourne went off. After goading the crowd more and more, as the stomping feet reached a peak Brontosaurus started and was the perfect end to an amazing gig.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7zU29NSQmk
Catch Tkay Maidza on her remaining tour dates:
05 Nov, Capitol, Perth, WA
10 Nov, Metro Theatre, Sydney, NSW
18, Nov, HQ, Adelaide, SA
19 Nov, Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS
For more details, go here
Coda Conduct have been travelling all over in support of their latest single Usually I’m Cool. Normally I would catch them in Melbourne, however I was overseas during their Grace Darling Hotel show and missed out. So I decided to hit the road and check them out earlier this month at the Transit Bar in their hometown of Canberra. Supported by local acts Genesis Owusu and Kirklandd, Coda Conduct delivered one of the most energetic gigs I’ve seen in Australian hip-hop.
Fresh off his Visions release and a killer performance at FashFest Kirklandd opened the gig with an earnest energy. Kirklandd is still a new face to many but he is well on his way to becoming a local mainstay. With slick Cam Bluff production and great lyricism, Kirklandd is a natural on stage – and immensely grateful, too. He clearly enjoys ever moment on stage, soaking it up, not taking anything for granted. The highlight of his set was a cover of Lupe Fiasco‘s Kick Push, said to have inspired the rapper along his own path.
Photo: Victor Tawagi
Genesis Owusu followed shortly after and to say I was excited would be an understatement. Genesis is one of the most exciting acts in the country right now, and it was my first chance to see him performing live. His genre-blending style and unique lyricism is what has been missing from the local scene. With a masterfully structured set, each track slowly builds in tempo as the audience energy continued to grow. The crowd lost it when Genesis’ brother, Citizen Kay, joined him on stage for a surprise treat, their supergroup two-piece The Ansah Brothers. All in all, Genesis seriously turned it up and showed The Transit Bar why he’s definitely not one to sleep on.
Photo: Sara Heaven
Closing out the night were the always incredible Coda Conduct. Sally and Erica opened their homecoming show with a remix of Shirley Bassey’s iconic Big Spender, before debuting some new songs, such as Rider, which gave an exciting taste of their upcoming sophomore EP. Banter was sprinkled throughout the set, both between the pair and with the audience; one of the best things about a Coda Conduct set is that they never take themselves too seriously, while simultaneously proving their deadly skills. The entire crowd got down during Click Clack (Front N Back), Coda’s anthem to the male posterior, and vibed along to the new single Usually I’m Cool. Coda seemed truly moved by the love and support from their native Canberra. During Knees High Erica ribbed her brother in the audience, saying, “it’s amazing people know the words to that song, my brother doesn’t and it’s about him!”
Image: Facebook
“We have one more song left and it’s a slow one,” Sally remarks, to yet more huge crowd cheers. Dewis, Coda Conduct’s longtime DJ, then points out that they haven’t done Pool Room yet. The atmosphere is electric as their catchiest and most infectious track kicks off with the familiar “C-O-D-A Coda Conduct, you think they’re ready for this?” The crowd scream the lyrics back at the group, while Citizen Kay, Genesis Owusu and Kirklandd lead the charge, turning it up in the front row. After a brief break and wild applaude, the crew return for a final encore track, proving that not only does Canberra turn up for its local talent, Canberra supports local hip-hop in a big way.