An American journalist working for an Australian music magazine talking about music.
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I have only been a resident of Adelaide for about a year now. When the assignment to cover the Panic EP launch of local band The Aves rolled through my inbox, I had no idea who The Aves were, nor did I know how to correctly pronounce their name (long a? Short a?). Never one to say no to free passes to a show, I made my way to Jive Saturday night.
Another local band, The Honey Pies,
opened the show. They possessed a playful exuberance that had the
stilettoed groupies bouncing jauntily from one fake-tanned calf muscle
to the other. Despite possessing the energy of a seven-year-old on a
Fizz Whizz binge, the music of The Honey Pies shifted genres so much
that they ultimately sounded like karaoke night at some hipster dive
bar in Brooklyn. Not exactly whetting my appetite for The Aves brand
of lo-fi garage rock...
Click on the link below to read the rest of my review:
The show opened with Gold Fields, a group of young guys who bounce around on stage like a bunch of Mexican Jumping Beans. Their moderately known material is nothing to call home about, however their enthusiastic live renditions were infinitely more interesting than their studio recorded counterparts, showing that Gold Fields has some promise.
The kaleidoscopic electropop peddlers that everyone came to see, Melbourne's Miami Horror, took their sweet time taking the stage. This prompted a few overzealous cheers at the appearance of an overweight sound guy who came to check some of the onstage equipment.
To be completely honest, I was skeptical when the band took the stage. They all looked slightly pretentious and kind of sleazy, like they had just shown up to some 1970s porno shoot. I wasn't sold on how their studio sound would transfer to a live setting, especially considering that I had heard that some of their early live shows consisted of nothing but front man Benjamin Plant singing over prerecorded background music. Surrounded by their expensive synths and nearly tripping over all of the wires running along the floor, the band launched into song after song of danceable indie pop that had everyone on their feet.
Miami Horror played through their set with an infectious energy that quickly spread throughout the crowd of The Gov, which I suppose would be fairly easy when six of the twelve tracks on your debut album have been released as singles. Even though there wasn't an appearance by Kiwi alt-cutie Kimbra (who performs the vocals on 'I Look To You'), Miami Horror delivered an upbeat performance that truly electrified the crowd. The show was, in a word, awesome. I left incredibly impressed and I would assume that everyone in attendance would agree with me if I said that it was $35 well spent.
I did, however, feel somewhat violated during the show, given Plant's penchant for putting his guitar between his legs and thrusting his hips forward in a thinly veiled demonstration of some kind of oversexed junior high school perversion. I don't know if a guitar can be used as compensation for a certain part of male anatomy, but given Plant's proclivities, he should look into acquiring one of these.
Rip It Up sent me to review this show, however they didn't end up using it, so here it is, better late than never.
A shoulder-to-shoulder, sold-out crowd packed The Gov on Friday, 20th of May as the five members of Boy & Bear took the stage and settled behind their instruments. Incandescent light bulbs were strung above while little lamps salvaged from garage sales adorned the stage, setting the mood for an intimate and powerful performance.
Boy & Bear have garnered attention due to their captivating vocal harmonies and memorable melodies, and seeing them live is not only a treat for the ears but the eyes as well. They perform together like a consistent and concise well-oiled machine, easily capturing the essence of their studio recordings. This isn’t to say that the band simply slides into their comfort zone and plays their songs in a mechanical or rigid fashion. The sold-out crowd was treated to extended guitar solos and an incredibly energetic performance, prompting them to sing-along while waving their hands in the air.
Boy & Bear’s set consisted of many fan-favourites including “Blood To Gold” and “Mexican Mavis”. However, it was the song that secured them the number five spot on this year’s Hottest 100 that incited the biggest reaction. Their cover of Crowded House’s “Fall At Your Feet” was an exceptionally potent experience, with the chugging beats of drummer Tim Hart levying palpable emotion.
The band’s new material lulled concertgoers into a sleepy shuffle, although a few eccentric diehards tried their best to clap along. Despite these slight missteps, Boy & Bear always managed to get the crowd’s collective pulse beating again with their folksy brand of country balladry and indie rock.
Late in their set vocalist Dave Hosking announced to the crowd that although he “probably shouldn’t be saying this”, the sold-out Adelaide crowd was the best they’ve had so far. To be fair, when a show is as good as it was on Friday night, the band deserves it.
The last time I reviewed a show at the Uni Bar (The Drums) I was called a “douche” by some of our readers after I said that the sound quality was terrible (it was). Haters gonna hate, I guess, and so I’m just going to get my main complaint out of the way right now.
The doors of the Uni Bar opened at 8, and The Panics didn’t take the stage for over 3 hours. I understand that they want to sell drinks, but for melodic soft-rock like this, the last thing I want to do is stand around for five hours. I’m not at a rave, I haven’t popped any E and, quite frankly, after my second jug of Pale Ale I started to get drowsy. There. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on to the performance.
I’m sure that most of you have heard of The Panics...
Click on the link below to read the rest of my review...
The Drums are the perfect band to kickstart summer. With songs like the bouncy, can't-help-but-singalong nature of their signature track "Let's Go Surfing", the band really shines with their brand of sun soaked indie pop. The only problem is that Australia is on the other side of the world, and whereas the warmer months are encroaching on the States, The Land Down Under is slipping into chilly nights and lots of rain. Despite this, The Drums came to Adelaide this past Tuesday with hopes of invigorating the crowd and helping them forget that they'd have to put off surfing for another few months.
Australia loves their indie music and The Drums are no exception. The New York trio (although since the departure of their guitarist, the band has become a five-piece) was well received in the tiny Adelaide Uni Bar, which as you might have guessed, is a quaint little bar on the campus of Adelaide University, and virtually everyone in attendance was anxious to get through the support acts. When The Drums did finally start cranking out tunes, I couldn't help but be underwhelmed. The band had a lot of energy, and rolled through track after track of fan favorites, including "Best Friend", however they sounded terrible.
I don't know whether it was the small venue (I would estimate that the sold out crowd hovered around 300), crappy acoustics, or a sub-par soundsystem was the culprit, but the crisp, jangly tunes of their debut album were replaced by a muddied, second-rate version of themselves. Vocalist Jonathan Pierce also sounded atrocious, leaving me wondering how much of the studio-version of his voice was achieved through post-production wizardry. Aside from sound quality issues, the band stuck primarily to the well known tracks of their debut, occasionally tossing in a new song here and there. The new songs that we did hear didn't really impress me all that much, however it should go without saying that because of the audio-related disparities the finalized studio versions of these songs will probably sound a lot better.
Despite the fact that I was disappointed with the show, I can't say that it in any way influences my view of the band. I still love their debut, and it goes without saying that I will pick up their new album whenever it is released...I'll just think twice about dropping $50 to see them live.
I had the pleasure of meeting a few members of Adelaide-born, Melbourne-based, band Society of Beggars last week while on a brief holiday in Melbourne. After a few beers, the boys provided me with a copy of their debut album, Exit Soul, imploring me to review it for this blog. Not being one to shy away from new music, I obliged.
Overlooking the unfortunate album title, I dove into the album without bias, despite the guys from the band being rather stand up guys. Describing their sound as straight up, no frills rock n' roll, I was eager to hear the noise they were making, and upon my first listen, I was a reviewer divided. The first four tracks didn't really do much for me, the melodies were there, as were crunchy guitars, competent drumming, and a gravelly, cigarette smoke coated voice that suited the sound very well, but it didn't immediately grab my attention. It was rock n' roll, no doubt, just somewhat generic rock n' roll.
Album opener, "Skortha" (again with the unfortunate titles), are acoustic driven numbers that devolve into a showcase for guitarist Jim Michalopoulos' favorite distortion pedals. "Grand Illusion of Nonbeing" (seriously?) is the albums closest ballad but it is hampered by a poor mixing job that makes the guitar work sound tinny and the drumming sound like Dibi (one name, kind of like Cher) was beating on a bunch of overturned buckets.
The songs that make up the first half of the album were ultimately forgettable, however about midway through the album a raucous and jaunty tune titled "Another Mask" reinvigorated my attention. Vocalist Yianni Michalopoulos croons and strains his voice to the limit behind a rollicking melody that reminded me of The Pixies, and is easily the stand out track on the album. After hitting a high note, the album switches pace, with a slow burning number titled "Exit Soul", that evokes the spirit of The Black Crowes with bluesy harmonies that really shows off Yianni's impressive hard rock pipes. The album then gradually pulls you back to its hard rock roots with the acoustic driven song, "The Third Tree". The jarring, creepy finger plucking coupled with neo-psychedelic chanting are perfectly balanced by the chugging beat that keeps the momentum going.
Unfortunately, the album slips back into the formulaic songs heard during the first half of the album. "Veil", despite boasting some string arrangements, does little to save itself from it's own self-imposed gimmick. "Beautiful Fatalism" is a throw away track, a quasi-instrumental number that focuses solely on two or three piano notes hit over and over again, which begins to feel like a tack hammer to the forehead past the two minute mark. Album closer "Man Of The Street", sounds like a Rage Against the Machine b-side, a half baked idea that never maturated beyond the basic four-chord structure. Yianni's vocals were uninspiring and did little to elevate the mundanity of the track, though the album does end on an interesting note...a hidden track featuring a sole ukulele.
Overall, Exit Soul has a handful of stand out tracks, however their relevance is impeded by the generic hard rock songs that bookend the album. If Society of Beggars were more inclined to focus on their more sonically interesting tracks than being loud and brash, they would be able to put together a more cohesive collection of songs.
Friendly Fires played a sold out show at The Gov on the 17th of February that I was lucky enough to attend. The band was energetic to say the least, with each band member bouncing around on stage like a Mexican jumping bean. The set consisted of fan favorites off of their self-titled debut album like "White Diamonds", "Jump In The Pool" and "Paris", as well as some new songs that had the crowd twisting their bodies and bopping their heads.
Overall the show was fun, although it was a little on the short side, with Friendly Fires performing for just a little over an hour. The new songs that I heard didn't impress me immediately, as they showed off the bands penchant for flair and hooks, however I just felt as though the new songs were trying a little too hard. The band was straining for the hooks to really catch on with the audience with varying degrees of success.
Friendly Fires' new album Pala, is set to drop sometime this year, and even though I will definitely be investing in a copy, the show left me wondering if their sophomore album will be as instantaneously infectious as their first. I suppose only time will tell. In the meantime, if you ever have the chance of seeing Friendly Fires live, I highly suggest you doing so. It is a fun, raucous, dynamic experience that will delight your ear drums and have you tapping your feet and flailing your arms wildly in anticipation.
So I went to the Laneway Festival in Adelaide this past Friday and it was a blast. A great lineup (much better than Big Day Out) and phenomenal sets by bands big and small made the day very memorable. My only complaint was that the venue was tiny. It was literally held in an alleyway behind a nightclub. This generally wasn't a problem, however there were instances of people being pushed, stepped on, spilled on, burnt with lit cigarettes, and on occasion, hit in the head with flying Asahi beer bottles (don't fret, they were plastic). The above picture kind of sums it all up, although it was even more crowded when some of the bigger name bands came on later in the evening (Two Door Cinema Club was almost unwatchable due to the mass pandemonium that set in when they took the stage). In total there were three stages, the main stage (pictured above), a medium sized one tucked into a corner, and the smallest stage actually being inside of the nightclub. Overall it was an enjoyable experience and all of the bands that I managed to catch had some really great sets including the following:
Warpaint - not only can they play their instruments, but this all girl band isn't too bad to look at either. Bear In Heaven - sonically impressive band from Brooklyn (despite the fact that the lead singer looks like the ultimate lax bro). The Antlers - played some new songs that were so-so, but a good, raw set overall. Two Door Cinema Club - fun and energetic, if you've heard their album you've pretty much heard them live. Yeasayer - the set was a little hit and miss for me, but impressive nonetheless. Cut Copy - my girlfriend hates Cut Copy but has admitted that they put on a great show, I've seen them twice now and I have to agree.
Check out the full lineup here. Scroll below for video from the show.
Deerhunter
Cloud Control
Warpaint
Cut Copy
Make sure you head over to Spoz's Rant for an incredibly detailed review of the show chock full o' videos pictures and other goodies.
So I have been in Australia for quite some time now and I have had numerous opportunities to bask in Australia's rich culture and become friendly with the denizens of the "Land Down Under". I feel as though most Americans opinions of Australian people are limited to the actors and actresses we see grace the big screens at our local cinemas, and we know virtually nothing of Australian culture or how people act and behave here. Fret no more because I am going to give you a crash course on Australian culture. Basically, the United States and Australia are exactly the same. We're allies. We help each other spy on each others citizens. We both have Kentucky Fried Chicken (see video below)!
That is not to say that Australia and the United States do not have their differences (as you could probably tell from the video, they're not as concerned about potentially racist advertisements, mainly because the culture of Australia is to not take anyone or any group too seriously). Australia tends to be more laid back than America, and certainly isn't afraid to make fun of itself...
*An Anzac is someone who served in the Australian or New Zealand military*
As I mentioned before, Americans and Australians are very similar. One difference that stands out the most for a lot of people back in the States are the accents. Australians, like Americans have different accents depending on where they are from, however since most Americans have little exposure to Australians, they don't see that the "Australian accent" varies quite a bit. Living here has exposed me to dialects and slang that I never knew existed, and since I did not want to be misconstrued when I spoke (i.e. didn't want to piss someone off by calling them "buddy"), I decided to comprise my own version of an Australian Dictionary. It's true that Australians speak English, but a lot of the slang they employ is quite different to what Americans are used to. The following words and definitions are the words I have encountered along with the definition I was given by the person who spoke the word, and I assure you, they are all regularly used words phrases.
Stubbie - bottle (usually beer) Bottle-O, Bottler, Bottle Shop - package store/liquor store Bogan - an unkempt person, someone who does not value academic or monetary pursuits Savvy B - Sauvignon Blanc (wine) Shocker - surprising Heaps - a lot Esky - cooler/ice chest Cheers - thank you Mate - friend Carpark - parking lot Park - parking space Goon - cheap wine Goon Sack - the bag of wine found in boxed wines Budgie Smuggler - speedo style men's swimsuit Feral - a blanket term for someone or a group of people who are off putting because of dress or behavior.
As I encounter new phrases or words I will update the Australian dictionary, which you can find on the right under "Pages".
A little bit of trivia before I go, Ben Folds used to live in the same city as I reside in now (or maybe he still lives here, I'm not sure). Anyway, after living here for a while, I finally know what he's talking about in this song.
So I recently went to the Parklife festival, which was incredibly enjoyable. There were four stages situated in Adelaide's Botanic Gardens, each stage showcasing a variety of different artists. The festival's website says this, "PARKLIFE is Australia's most forward‐looking music festival, bringing you a lineup of artists who completely define the moment in music." I suppose that is a fairly accurate description of the talent they had lined up. There was something like over 40 acts there, including Groove Armada, Missy Elliot, Mix Master Mike, etc, however Rhiannon and I only saw the following:
- Stubanga - Wolf Gang - Darwin Deez - The Wombats - Kele - Holy Ghost! - Cut Copy - The Dandy Warhols
All in all, it was a good day. The wait for the port-o-potties was never painfully long and I was only asked if I was willing to trade drugs for a lawn chair once. The $9.50 beers were a bit of a downer though.
