The Avalanches‘ first album Since I Left You, was released when I was too young to purchase CDs (or download/streaming them), but in the 16 years since, they became an enigmatic mystery and a legend; the album was everywhere, universally acclaimed, and the world were collectively waiting for what would finally come in 2016 as the beautiful Wildflower.
Taking their show on the road, they played a select few local and international festivals last year, wrapping up 2016 with Falls Festival, as well as a series of much-anticipated headline sideshows, two of which took place in Melbourne. After selling out the first night, January 3rd a second show was added for the 4th.
Upon arriving at Melbourne’s amazing Town Hall, I was stunned how quiet the room was. There was no one on stage, soft music playing in the background, and most punters were just sitting around chatting to each other in groups. Soon, everything went black and a shadowed figure walked out onto the stage. It was hip-hip legend and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, Grandmaster Flash. Flash is considered one of hip-hop’s greatest pioneers when it comes to DJing, mixing, and cutting, introducing a wide range of turntable techniques which single-handedly influenced the way so many DJs and producers work today. His influence extended far beyond hip-hop, and can be clearly felt throughout The Avalanches’ music.
Seeing Grandmaster was interesting. I was so pumped to see him, and considering his fingerprint on my favourite genre, my expectations were high. He took the crowd on a nostalgic journey through some of music’s best funk, jazz, disco, and hip-hip, landing plenty of Michael Jackson in particular. Although you’ve gotta respect the 59-year-old for still being out on the road, the minimal scratching and maximum need for hands to be up in the air didn’t quite do it for me. While simply being able to watch the man live in action was exciting for its sheer historical weight, it nevertheless did leave a little to be desired.
Photo: Juan Castro
After a merciful 30 minute interval spent escaping the sweatbox of Melbourne Town Hall, The Avalanches graced the stage, with a full live band. The band now consists of only two member Robbie Chater and Tony Di Blasi. Fortunately, Robbie was well enough to show off his skills on the guitar. The rest of the live band consisted of singer Eliza Wolfgramm, rapper and vocalist Spank Rock, and drummer Paris Jeffree.
Wasting no time, they launched right into Because I’m Me, the perfect song to show off the whole band’s abilities right up top. Eliza can really belt out any vocals thrown at her, and Spank Rock’s ability to mimic the various rapping styles and tones featured throughout the album was thoroughly impressive; touring bands often face a huge challenge when considering to perform songs with featured artists who may not be on stage at the time – so finding an artist who can essentially cover all bases was undoubtedly a real blessing. Especially, when it came to doing his best Danny Brown during Frankie Sinatra. At the end of Frankie Sinatra Tony jumped on the theremin, perhaps one of the most unique musical instruments I have ever seen played live.
Photo: Juan Castro
For such a heavy synth, turntable, and sample driven set The Avalanches were able to keep the crowd engaged and each song fresh and interesting. They performed a couple of covers including The Clash’s Guns Of Brixton, which Eliza sung while swinging a baseball bat above her head. Guest vocalist Oscar Key Sung also came out for an intimate performance of Colours.
After revisiting a few old favourites like Flight Tonight and Radio, the large banner behind the band dropped to reveal a video screen, which started to play the acid-trip laced film clip to Subways. The visuals added a cool, unique touch, and the song was the most well-received of the night.
Photo: Juan Castro
Spank Rock then got a chance to perform some of his own material as the group covered his track Bump, before launching into a more acoustic rendition of If I Was A Folkstar with Oscar Key Sung back on vocals.
The end of their regular set ended with a killer performance of one of the most classic Avalanches tracks, Frontier Physiatrist, with accompanying video. Tony then thanked everyone and said they were just going to pretend to leave, which didn’t stop the crowd from delivering a roaring encore chant, complete with stomping and cheering.
They emerged again a few moments later, and gave the crowd the exact three songs we were all hoping for; Electricity, the kazoo laden The Noisey Eater, and the song that started it all, Since I Left You. Mic drop, and everyone left the stage.
Photo: Juan Castro
It was an incredible night, complete with a subconscious history lesson. From Grandmaster Flash’s set, which harks back to the very origins of sampling and scratching, to the mighty mighty Avalanches and the way they have so uniquely crafted their music using these techniques, it was as interesting to witness in action as it was to hear and enjoy. The contrast was an experience that will not be matched; The Avalanches’ return was every bit as magical as you could hope for.
Check out our full photo gallery here, photos of The Avalanches at Falls Festival in Byron Bay, and of Grandmaster Flash also in Byron Bay.
Image: Juan Castro / Howl and Echoes
After 24 glorious years, Falls Festival continues to provide us with the most unforgettable moments across the New Year festivus. The 2016-17 lineup saw some major international names, as well as our best local acts rounding up another year in style. In Byron Bay, it was a balmy 33 degrees across the three day event and climaxed with a torrential downpour for the very last performances on day three.
Day one got the party started with festival favourites Northeast Party House, Hot Dub Time Machine and Client Liaison, who have time and time again proven that they know how to get the crowd going better than just about anyone. Joining them was the one and only scratch maestro and hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash, who, at 59 years young, showed off his skills to the young crowd. Ringing in the new year, the legend that is Donald Glover AKA Childish Gambino brought his phenomenal new funk album Awaken, My Love! to life, as well as delivering a bunch of his older hip-hop tracks to keep the rap-loving fans in check.
In this gallery you will find Northeast Party House, Mallrat, Spit Syndicate, Client Liaison, Broods, Grandmaster Flash, Hot Dub Time Machine and Childish Gambino.
PHOTOS: Falls Festival Day II
PHOTOS: Falls Festival Day III
Read our full review of Falls Festival here!Northeast Party House
Mallrat
Spit Syndicate
Client Liaison
Broods
Grandmaster Flash
Hot Dub Time Machine
Childish Gambino
Photos: Dani Hansen/Howl & Echoes
Festival season is well and truly in full swing, and for those who can’t attend any of the major camping festivals, there’s a seemingly endless plethora of sideshows to pick from in a city near you, and we may have just witnessed the best one. One of the most incredible comebacks in recent times has been the mighty Avalanches, who returned last year after a 16 year gap, delivering their stellar sophomore album Wildflower. With features from rappers including MF DOOM, Danny Brown and Biz Markie among others, the hip-hop influence was immediately clear on their sound as well as their famed use of sampling and turntablism. So when it was announced that none other than scratch maestro himself Grandmaster Flash would supporting the group, it made a lot of sense to combine the two (as strange as it is to see one of hip-hop’s earliest and most important names in an opening slot), and indeed, it worked a treat.
The Avalanches and Grandmaster Flash were both in town to perform at Falls Festival, and we were lucky to also catch them live in Melbourne at Melbourne Town Hall on January 3.
At 59 years old it was impressive to see the master still in action, no doubt feeling revitalised due to the sudden influx of attention he’s receiving right now thanks to Netflix programs The Get Down and Hip Hop Evolution.
Chances are the nobody in the crowd actually expected they’d get to catch The Avalanches live one day, making for an unforgettable experienced for all who attended. To be able to see a live performance of music crafted in such a thoroughly unique and painstaking manner, is matched by little else, particularly when brought to life by a full live band.
Grandmaster Flash
The Avalanches
All images: Juan Castro for Howl & Echoes
It’s just about to tick over into December, which means one thing: we’re less than a month from the 24th annual Falls Festival. With just a few weeks of shitty Christmas carols and resisting the urge to murder everyone at your local Westfield who also decided to buy presents at the last minute in a rain of blood, we took a breather to look at the acts on the bill you should, nay, must see lest you want future generations to snicker when you try to tell them tales of your Falls experiences that don’t include:
Childish Gambino
Gambino’s return to Australia is set to be meteoric in scale. The man is about to release what is sure to be one of the top contenders for album of the year this Friday in the long, long LOOOOOONG anticipated Awaken, My Love!, and what we’ve heard of it already has us dribbling.
His set at Falls will be one of the first chances for fans anywhere in the world to cop a big old earful of new material in a live environment, plus you just know that amphitheatre is going to be absolutely seething to the likes of solidified belters like Bonfire, Freaks And Geeks and 3005 among swathes of others.
He’s not playing a single sideshow either, so if you go to Falls and don’t see Childish Gambino, we can’t be responsible for the twisted ruin your soul becomes in the coming years as it shrivels with regret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp7eSUU9oy8
Jamie T
Having not been spotted since a goosebump-inducing set at last year’s Splendour In The Grass is London vagabond Jamie T. With his latest album Trick up his sleeve, the inimitably-accented rocker is back for summer to captivate audiences once again.
You may remember him from yell-along hits such as Sheila, Sticks And Stones and Zombie among many others, but if you’ve never seen him live and you do at Falls, you’ll remember him from the shivers you get up and down your spine thinking back to that moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEQXJQn8LZg
Grandmaster Flash
The crafty veteran of the bill is the granddaddy of the decks in Grandmaster fucking Flash. Seriously, it’s 2016 and Grandmaster Flash is on a festival bill. What a time to be alive.
The man has seen damn near everything in hip-hop since its genesis. I’m not sure if he’ll be making his entrance from a beam of light bursting down through the heavens but such is his myth that it’s more than likely.
His set will be full of vintage hip-hop for the soul, but let’s face it, if you don’t make it your business to bask in the glory of The Message played live, you will have to look St. Peter in the eye one day and tell him why he should let you into heaven when you already passed up the chance to be there once before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYMkEMCHtJ4
Bernard Fanning
Do you feel that? It’s elation, it’s ecstasy, it’s euphoria… it’s the unofficial Emperor of Queensland Bernard Fanning. Yes, there’ll be heat-induced visions of Milton Mangoes and Castlemaine Cranberries by the Brown Snake with the 1994 Maroons re-enacting their Miracle Try as the singer-songwriter-sacred deity takes to the stage guitar in hand at this year’s Falls to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that none of us are worthy.
One of the few bonafide legends of Australian rock still making noise today, miss Bernard Fanning live and be condemned to a lifetime of being jersey-slung out of bed by Gorden Tallis every morning instead of an alarm clock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYlyghmTSIU
MØ
Danish sensation MØ (fun fact, that’s actually pronounced ‘Mer’) might be best known for her vocal contributions to that one Major Lazer song that became a small hit, but she’s a pop star in her own right as well, with stunning solo album No Mythologies To Follow an absolute ripper.
Possessed of a badass swagger and a bloody great set of pipes on top, prepare to get absolutely lost in the MØ live experience. Just see if you can even begin to handle the pure pop rapture that is Kamikaze at any rate, you’ll be hooked for life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVD9j36Ke94
Marlon Williams
Yet another Kiwi export that Australia will no doubt be claiming for its own very soon is smoky crooner Marlon Williams. If you’re looking for a change of pace from a frenetic Falls to a laidback lounge in the grass, you’d do well to catch Williams, whose 2015 self-titled debut set hearts aflutter and saw swooning rates increase by 600% (approximately).
Williams is a throwback that’ll stop you in your tracks, and with three days of being absolutely buckled to push your way through, it’s so important to take some time out to chill here and there. Let Marlon Williams be the soundtrack to at least one of those brief periods of peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow8qMY8JkR0
Client Liaison
Speaking of throwbacks, Melbourne’s Client Liaison do late 80s/early 90s dance pop better than anybody on this planet. They’ll be riding into Falls in an off-white limousine (probably) and pulling out all the stops onstage. These guys are showmen to the bone (frontman Monte Morgan a true treasure) and their set will be absolutely wild.
With a debut album’s worth of new material to light up the night with from this year’s Diplomatic Immunity, (Canberra Won’t Be Calling Tonight ought to bring the house down the moment that first kookaburra starts warbling, as will Wild Life and World Of Our Love from that same album), expect elaborate stage props and costumes, choreographed dancing and glorious, tear-inducing saxophone solos.
Client Liaison live aren’t just a pick-me-up, they’re a grab-you-by-the-collar-and-throw-you-into-the-galaxy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XnyF-tDia4
City Calm Down
An enthralling live act, Melbourne’s City Calm Down have been one of Australia’s biggest breakout acts of the last year since sophomore record In A Restless House first exploded onto the national consciousness.
Post-punk in the vein of The Cure (frontman Jack Bourke’s wide-ranging vocals eerily reminiscent of Robert Smith), the City Calm Down boys bring their sprawling sound from record to stage with razor sharp precision and professionalism and leave audiences breathless. They’re known for a blisteringly honest cover of Bowie’s Let’s Dance and their own signature tunes in Rabbit Run, Son and the anthemic Your Fix always leave a crowd breathless.
City Calm Down are a group on the upswing and there doesn’t look like a zenith in plain sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26AQCCQKkcc
Grouplove
If you like unbridled joy, superhuman levels of energy and dancing, all of the dancing, then California’s Grouplove will unquestionably be for you. They too have a brand new album this year in big hit Big Mess and they’ll no doubt be bringing a sizeable horde of fans to life with good vibes exploding from the sound system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNDXUhKFPA4
Catfish And The Bottlemen
Having an outstanding year are blue-chip Welsh rock and rollers Catfish And The Bottlemen. Their latest album The Ride has been thrilling and chilling auditory senses and uppercutting everyone directly in the feels since its release earlier in 2K16. They’re back to turn it up to 11 in Australia once again and their loud, evocative rock and roll is nigh on perfect for a summer festival.
If you don’t drunkenly sway while holding a pair of Extra Drys aloft and off-key bellowing the chorus to 7, were you even at Falls?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibv5N70ncsk
If you’re of the opinion that this list is lacking a little in Aussie talent, not to worry. Keep an eye out for our list of Aussie Acts to Catch at this year’s Falls Festival coming soon.
Image: Miss Dimplez