Category Archives: Review

Falls Festival 2010 – Festival Review

by Jose Eduardo Cruz

This was my first Falls Festival and it was an event that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Absolutely everything that was put in place by the organisers was solely for the enjoyment of the 16,000 attendees. I would find it really hard to find something negative to say about the whole experience.

Firstly, the organising committee have to be given a massive thank you for putting such a high level event. From our arrival we were subjected to VIP treatment. VIP camping grounds, with warm showers may I add, which come in handy when the temperature plummets to 5 degrees. In typical Victorian style the weather fluctuated between 5 degrees at night to 41 degrees in the middle of the day.
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Woodford Folk Festival – December 30th 2010 – Live Review [P2]

Review: Kenada Quinlan


[Photo Credit: Silvana Macarone] 		  Following the licensed streets, the once closed Amphitheatre is showing tonight and as the clock strikes 8pm, Evil Eddie is on schedule. Interaction with the 10 row deep bouncing spectators is initiated with the first instalment of ‘Somebody Say Evil’. “That was a little self-indulgent but thank you!” smiles the lead man and ex-Buttefingers vocalist/songwriter Eddie Jacobson. Taking a back seat yet pivotal to the performance, Jacobson enjoys the company of his fellow comrade Toddy Spitfire as the two slickly pinball lyrics from one song to the next.

Charging through ‘Aint Love Grand’ and the addictive ‘Voices In My Head’, the vision becomes clear as the studio sounds are brought to life via a strong family of well equipped and known Brisbane musicians.With the crowd multiplying by the second, the festivities continue and the only exit from this show is to refresh yourself with the energy that has been freely given to you.
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Woodford Folk Festival – December 30th 2010 – Live Review [P1]

Review: Kenada Quinlan
Photo Credit: Silvana Macarone

The first day of blissful dry weather and the number of smiles has doubled at the sight of the sun. Tallulah Rendell’s first port of call before her 6 week tour of the continent is a string of gigs in the usual Woodford fashion. Strumming soft emotive of blues driven rock, the half-Australian, London based solo artist resembles the tones of PJ Harvey. Taking inspiration from an operatic era, Rendell’s quaintly captivating structures decide to haunt at instances, delivering momentary bouts of individualism.
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Rise to Remain “Bridges will Burn” – EP Review

Review: Lana Harris

  Rise to Remain is proving to be a prophetic moniker for this five piece Metalcore band from London. Only a few years old, they’ve been awarded a Golden God award for Best New Band in 2010 and their EP release, Bridges will Burn, displays that the band are worthy of such accolades. The overall sound of Rise to Remain contains all the definitive elements expected in metal – shredding up and down the fretboard, melodic and scratchier vocals combined within tracks, heavy guitar and drum work, blended with the speed of hardcore.

Best track on the album is ‘Illusive Existence’. It contains cascading avalanches of relentless drumming that makes it the most brutal of the songs. Space is allocated within this to show off not just the talents of Pat Lundy (drums) but also a good chunk of solid guitar soloing. Guitar shred is prevalent throughout the EP, appearing on every track but only ever in shortish bursts.
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U2 @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane w/ Jay Z – 8 December 2010 – Live Review

Review: Lana Harris
Photo Credit: Stuart Blythe
View full photo gallery here
The crush down Caxton St at five pm begins the stadium size spectacle that will be U2 and Jay-Z tonight. By the time Jay-Z takes the stage at 6.30pm, the standing room ticket area is already mostly full. Jay-Z lives up to his hype, resplendent in Gangsta Garb, sunglasses welded to his face, rap antics peppered throughout his set, a ten piece accompaniment to his words provided by drumming, saxophone, trumpet and keyboard among others. He’s playing early, to an audience mostly waiting to see a main act distinctly different in style. He copes well with this, managing to get hands in the air and ladies spinning clothes above their heads during the one hour set. ‘On to the Next One’ and ’99 Problems’ get the crowd going, and ‘Forever Young’, covered in an ode to Notorious B.I.G, is also popular. Throughout the set the bass is massive, pummeling the throat, rattling hearts against rib cages. He exits the stadium in a stretch golf buggy.
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Yann Tiersen “Dust Lane” – Album Review

By Maria Bailey

  After two years in the making, Yann Tiersen’s sixth studio album Dust Lane was well worth the wait. Known predominantly for creating the innovative soundtrack for the award winning film Amelie, Tiersen stays true to form. While staying faithful to his trusty harpsichord and mandolins, the French composer and musician demonstrates a movement in his avant-garde style, incorporating an array of vintage sythesises, various musical genres and defying typical song structures. Tiersen is first and foremostly guided by his vision and intuition in creating the eight tracks on Dust Lane and has created a dreamy masterpeice at that.

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Muse @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre, December 5th, 2010 – Live Review

Review: Lana Harris

View full photo gallery here

[Photo Credit: Matt Palmer]		   If you didn’t realise MUSE were an astronomic rock explosion of a symphonic band, tonight’s stadium extravagance featuring floating performance platforms and blinding silver sequined suits leaves no doubts as to the epic nature of these revolution focused rockers.

Beginning with ‘Uprising’ from latest album The Resistance, MUSE starts the night five metres above the stage, perched on moving

pillars and hidden between huge rectangular prisms which display Orwellian arrangements of human movement. Pairing tracks with visual displays that are often breathtaking and always in the theme of wonder at the natural or fear of the dictatorial is used to great effect throughout the show. ‘Resistance’ is accompanied by DNA helixes spiralling and human forms twisting upon the screens of the prisms above, interspersed with close ups of the band for those sitting further away in the stadium. ‘Undisclosed Desires’ has verdant lasers flinging their light across the crowd, creating a visual spectacle reminiscent of swarms of fireflies hovering above punters’ open mouths.
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Radio Birdman “Live in Texas” – LP Review

Review: Lana Harris


Buy This Album Here!		   Radio Birdman are Australian old school punk rock, around since the times of The Saints and inevitably compared to them. Their punk elements blend with a healthy dash of the pub rock feel that often comes from Australian acts. Radio Birdman are the group you can chuck it on at a party and no-one will text you at four in the morning asking ‘who was that playing when I downed the tenth shot of tequila?’ because its one line chorus has been stuck in their head ever since. Instead, partygoers will subtly begin to sway and bop their head (way before it could be attributed to intoxication) or be heard humming one of the hooky riffs as they exit the bathroom.

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YOU AM I @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 27th November 2010 with We All Want To, The Honey Month, Charles Jenkins – Live Review

Review: Pepa Wolfe
YOU AM I @ THE HI-FI BRISBANE – 27TH NOVEMBER 2010
SUPPORTED BY – WE ALL WANT TO, THE HONEY MONTH, CHARLES JENKINS

  An eclectic night at the Hi-fi (Brisbane) began with Charles Jenkins and his special brand of epic tales and poetry. Just the man, his guitar and a few gems, mainly from his current album Walk This Ocean and the previous release Blue Atlas.

A smattering of devotees amongst the early chatting crowd requested favourites. He didn’t have time to play Trees of Brisbane, but those begging for Swing Bridge got lucky.

Friendly, self-depreciating and appreciative of his audience, he worked his way through a strong set, from the heartbreaking Autumn Fall to the thrilling beckoning of Save. Fantastic imagery, bittersweet, at turns gripping then soothing, each song has simplicity yet feels cinematic. Such a beautiful repertoire. If you’re not yet familiar with Jenkins, do yourself a favour and become promptly acquainted.

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Boiling Point @ Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane 19 November 2010 [Live Review]

Review: Lana Harris
The show begins before we’ve even entered the room. An usher approaches, explaining that to gain admission, tickets are not enough. We’ll need to remove our shoes and any socks and crowd into the shopfront’s store room, leaving behind our footwear. As compensation we will be given a small torch. Crammed into the dark room with forty other people and their exposed feet, we wait for the show to begin.

There is no extra light provided once the doors to the shopfront are opened. We creep in using our bare feet for balance and our small torches for sight. Bolder venturers have already spotted the still as statue performers; others illuminate kitchenware hanging from the ceiling and news stories on the wall recounting the trial of a 1950’s female that killed her husband by poisoning him.
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The Boat People – Dance to My Pain/ Antidote Double A-side Remix Package – CD Review

Review: Lana Harris


Buy Album Here		   This double a-side release features tracks from the recently released Dear Darkly, creating a target audience of people who love The Boat people singles but who won’t commit to buying a full album, and fans who love The Boat People so much they’ll buy this just for the remixes of the two title tracks.

The CD opens with ‘Antidote’, which is a very sweet love song, a well crafted pop tune, and the last time on this CD that guitars are able to take the front of stage. From ‘Dance to My Pain’ and onwards through the remixes, synthesisation and beats take over. C’mon, Boat People, just admit it: you want to be a dance act. Sure, sure, not a traditional dance act,

but a revitalised, fresh, Aussie pop influenced electro outfit who, every so often, get to wear a furry animal costume on stage – even if it’s done in the spirit of irony.
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Montpelier ‘Last Boat’ Single Review

Review: Lana Harris

  With a surreal seascape cover and references to a great songster, Montpelier capture interest with their new release before a single note has been played. The song is ‘Last Boat’ and it’s a taste of the four piece indie pop rockers’ upcoming EP due out in April 2011. With one EP under their belt, local touring and a feature on Triple J’s unearthed program, Montpelier have set out to catch some new fans with this ode based on the drowning of musician Jeff Buckley in 1997.

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Manic Street Preachers @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane with Dead Actors Club, 13 November 2010 – Live Review

Review: Denis Semchenko

  Tonight’s crowd at The Hi-Fi is presumably identical to the one for The Charlatans on Wednesday night (I didn’t go, but a couple friends attended the show): not a lot of young people; Britpop aficionados and sporadic old-school goths rubbing shoulders with rowdy-looking UK expats. Additionally, the atmosphere – surprisingly for the venue – is exceptionally friendly and everyone seems to be here for a genuinely good time.

As often the case with touring overseas acts, the choice of an opening band is a trifle idiosyncratic. Rolling a cool name, busy hairstyles, drainpipe jeans, red Nord synth and spiky guitars into one indie-dance package, Melbournians Dead Actors Club are fun to watch for the first couple of numbers, but soon get predictable. We do, however, have a hoot when the quintet air a track that is The Bloodhound Gang’s

“Bad Touch” in all but name – in this era, any cheesy ’90s reference, whether purely coincidental or not, is likely to get a jolly response.
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WEST SIDE STORY @ Lyric Theatre QPAC, 7th November 2010 – Live Review

Review by: Pepa Wolfe

West Side Story, the classic piece of Musical Theatre inspired by Romeo and Juliet and conceived by Jerome Robbins, hit Brisbane this week in a flash of movement and colour.

Director Joey McKneely brings a wealth of experience to the Australian production, reimagining again as he has done around the world, this story of star-crossed lovers and feuding gangs on the streets of 1950s New York.

The rear projection of a grainy black and white still of New York City located the piece, surrounded by tiers of iron balconies, the simple scope of the design hinting at the grand scale of the drama that was about to unfold.

A vibrant production, of swirling movement, soaring vocals and rolling accents all buoyed by the full swell of the 19 piece orchestra, West Side Story maintains an intense energy during the group numbers, but wanes a little during the solo pieces. Both Josh Piterman as Tony and Julie Goodwin as Maria were in fine voice, but the outstanding choreography easily stole the show.
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Gareth Liddiard “Strange Tourist” Album Review

Review: Ben Connolly

  It’s an almost shameful admission, but I just didn’t get into The Drones. I don’t know why; their mix of growling guitars, flat-tonal Australian vocals and aggressive, charged lyrics ticked all the boxes for qualities I generally seek out in bands to obsess over. I guess by the time I’d cottoned on to their charms, however, the boat had well and truly sailed and was now somewhat overburdened by eager fan-boys keen to wring the band’s name out for as much street cred as possible. Truth be told, the fan-boy’s fervour (and the self-assured scoff of the object of their adoration) scared me just a little. That said, The Drones’cover of Kevin Carmody’s River Of Tears at

the Cannot Buy My Soul gig remains one of my highlights of recent years (check the clip out on Youtube if you’ve never seen it).
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