Photographer: KristaBella Photography
Photographer: KristaBella Photography
Continue reading Big Day Out 2012 – Sydney – 26th January 2012 | Photo Gallery
Review: Big Day Out 2012 – Sydney – 26th January 2012
Review by Sibel Kutlucan
Celebrating 20 years since the first ever Big Day Out in Sydney 1992, which boasted incredible bands such as, Nirvana and Violent Femmes, the Big Day Out has had a reputation to uphold with line-ups that every year do not disappoint. This year was no exception.
For 2012, Big Day Out offered an impressive line-up that consisted of a range of rock, dance, pop and hip hop acts, including Kanye West, My Chemical Romance, Noel Gallagher, Soundgarden and Kasabian.
The morning weather was bleak, with rain and threatening storm clouds looming. However, the masses of music fans still poured into the Sydney Showgrounds from 11am, anxious for a sure day of excitement, great music and the ambience of bare flesh, and despite the weather, did not scare away the summer attire of short shorts and bikini tops.
Earlier acts such as Sydney rockers Papa Vs Pretty and Victoria’s Stonefield enticed crowds and brightened up the sky. The busy schedule of all six stages charged on and as the bands played and the crowds grew the storm clouds slowly disappeared and the typical Australia Day sunshine arrived.
Sydney indie-rock band Bluejuice owned the Boiler Room, with their infectious music and attitude whipping their eager fans into a whirlwind of odd dance moves and great times, especially when they erupted with their hit, “Broken leg”.
Boy and Bear were another standout act in the afternoon as they took to the orange stage and showed why they were recent ARIA winners with their amazing cover of Crowded House’s “Fall at your Feet”, which commemorated Australia Day with the crowd enthusiastically singing along.
Kiwi songstress Kimbra had her audience enthralled as she took to the Converse Green Stage thrashing about and singing her lungs out of her waif like frame. Her powerful voice was contagious and her act was a definite standout of the festival.
Jersey alt-rockers My Chemical Romance pulled a huge crowd at the orange stage, with front man Gerard Way sporting new blonde locks and clad all in black, led their set through an impressive range of tracks off their discography including old favourites “I’m not okay” and “Helena”.
Brit indie-rockers Kasabian were welcomed to the blue stage with flashing neon blue lights and smoke slowly filling the stage, as their crowd erupted in cheers, eager to welcome Kasabian back to our shores. “Shoot the runner” as always was a definite crowd-pleaser and resonated with festival-goers long after their set finished.
Kanye West did not disappoint as he took to the blue stage for his hour and a half long set where he dominated the other acts of the night. With his eye-catching back-up dancers to his rather unique dress sense and contagious tracks, Kanye West delivered a fantastic set.
Amongst all the great music on the six stages, the Guvera skate ramp always had their crowd entertained; however it was when Tony Hawk took to the ramp that the skate ramp attracted more festival-goers that even some of the headliners. It was a moment not to be missed, and the epic skating was a nice break between the countless sets to take in.
Celebrating an amazing 20 years of festivals Big Day Out came home to Sydney this Australia day despite earlier problems involving the spilt of co-founders Ken West and Vivian Lees, as well as the announcement of BDO’s withdrawal from New Zealand next year. This dark news however, did not impact the festival and West said that the festival will come back stronger and that Big Day Out’s heart will always remain in Sydney, as it began here 20 years ago.
Once again the Sydney leg of the Big Day Out tour delivered an amazing Australia day to all the music lovers who bared the bipolar weather for a day of great music and experiences.
Review by Sibel Kutlucan
Related:
* PHOTOS! BIG DAY OUT – SYDNEY
* Review our review of: Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012
PART 1
Soundgarden, My Chemical Romance, Stonefield, Cage The Elephant, The Amity Affliction, Kimbra
PART 2
Kanye West, Kasabian, Abbe May, The Jezabels, Foster The People, The Living End, Mariachi el Bronx, Calling All Cars, Papa vs Pretty, Parkway Drive, Boy & Bear, The Vaccines
PART 3
Crowd Pics
Attack! Attack! + The Cab + River City Extension Sidewave announced!
Hailed as the British flag bearers for the post hardcore movement ATTACK! ATTACK! is the latest act from the UK blowing away audiences and creating a feverish buzz across the globe.
ATTACK! ATTACK! is set to continue their rapid rise on the back of their sophomore album ‘The Latest Fashion’ with Rock Sound declaring the album to “Blow the cobwebs from your speakers” and Killyourstereo.com calling it “beautifully crafted and pulled off with finesse”. It’s Australia’s turn to witness what all the fuss is about.
From the hallways of Las Vegas’ Liberty High School to the cover of Alternative Press THE CAB has been on a wild ride that has no end in sight. The release of their sophomore album, Symphony Soldier, is receiving rave reviews with absolutepunk calling it a “Masterpiece” and Music Tone declaring it “a must have in any music collection”. This is just the beginning for THE CAB.
Continue reading Attack! Attack! + The Cab + River City Extension Sidewave announced!
A stop motion video within a stop motion video!
500 people holding more than 1,500 (!!!) developed pictures all around Israel, creating a smooth music video within their hands. (Best viewed not on full screen).
Interview: Kat Davidson – Comedian
Kat Davidson is a comedian. She would like you to think she’s funny, insightful, and sharp… but deep down, she’s UNTIDY.
Not too many comedians have such an eclectic resume‘ as Kat Davidson does, then again, there aren’t too many like her to begin with. She has been wetting the pants and causing the tears of laughter of audiences in Australia and overseas for the past fourteen years. She unloads her comedic storytelling on the stage but can also be heard on local ABC radio as a presenter. She has headlined and supported some of the biggest National and International comedians on the stage with great success.
With her new show “UNTIDY” ready, spit polished and set to amuse, Kat hopes to show the comedy fans who see it during The Brisbane Comedy Festival at The Brisbane Powerhouse from February 28th to March 4th 2012 that our lives our made up of underlying comedy full of mess, clutter, and untidy random events.
I caught up with her before she was to go on The Pacific Jewel Cruise Ship to perform her stand up shows and sail the Pacific Ocean. Who ever said Stand up Comedy is dark nightclubs and no glamour?
Continue reading Interview: Kat Davidson – Comedian
Tour News: Xavier Rudd – Follow The Sun – Australia & NZ Tour – March-April 2012
Photo Credit: Amy Skinder
To celebrate the release of Xavier Rudd‘s latest offering, Follow The Sun, Rudd will tour Australia and New Zealand; winding his way around the country to catch up with friends, catch a few waves, and reconnect with his fans in person, from the stage, where he belongs.
Masterfully delicate, Follow The Sun is the essence of Xavier Rudd‘s spiritual connection to this world: his humble understanding that everything was here before us and will remain long after we are gone, and that every day is a new gift to cherish and to respect.
As a song-writer, Xavier Rudd has always been able to place complex ideas into heartfelt words with a universal simplicity. Having covered vast musical ground with his previous albums, Follow The Sun is the familiar sound of Rudd’s earlier work as an ambidextrous solo artist. His voice, his guitar and his message; carried along with gentle rhythms and musical textures.
Continue reading Tour News: Xavier Rudd – Follow The Sun – Australia & NZ Tour – March-April 2012
So Frenchy So Chic @ Brisbane Powerhouse – 20 January 2012 | Live Review
Review by Lauren Sherritt
With a long developed reputation of class and French charisma, you could guess that tardy is not high on the list of characteristics organisers of the famed So Frenchy So Chic touring shows would want it to be associated with. Forty-five minutes after the last show of the 2012 tour was supposed to begin, however, Brisbane audiences could have been excused for thinking it while they waited outside the closed doors of the theatre.
After finally inviting us to file in and take our seats the bad news was broken; Asa, one half of the night’s double bill, was very ill and after failing to be able to complete sound check she had regretfully decided to pull out of the show. This left patrons with the choice of leaving, full refund in hand, or staying for an extended set by the show’s other half, French American band Moriarty.
While some did choose to walk and have their seats further toward the front happily filled by audience members who were initially in the back, the majority stayed to greet the well known blues band with cheers and smiles. Lead singer Rosemary Standley introduced the act, emotion evident in her voice as she dedicated their set to sick peer Asa. While it had evidently been a rushed preparation for their now twice as long set, Moriarty joked their way through the mix up in routine as they played a highly entertaining show.
Starting with “She’s Going to War”, the band comprised of a double bass, percussion, bass and electric guitars, the occasional keyboard, brilliantly played harmonicas and strong group vocals, showed off an extraordinary amount of energy for self described “jet lagged and weary travellers”. Standley oozed sensuality as they kicked off the slower song “Cotton Flower”, and the band began to look very comfortable on stage after their unexpectedly early beginning.
It wasn’t only front-woman Rosemary on show throughout the night, Moriarty proved that they are truly a musical ensemble, with each musician showcasing breathtaking talent on their instruments. For the most part, Stephan Zimmerli played the always favourite double bass and also chipped in a joke or jab at any quiet interval. Vincent Talpaert on drums was definitely the conductor of the band, though very much keeping himself inconspicuous off to the side, the rest of the band members looked to him for guidance on everything from the revised set list to keeping the beat. Charles Carmignac wowed the crowd with not only his guitar playing skills but his smooth dance moves and surprise whale noises, while Arthur B. Gillete, who with long sandy hair and a floppy gardener’s hat could easily be mistaken for Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz, exuded cheerfulness and an evident love of making music. The highlight of the night was witnessing the talents of Thomas Puéchavy on the harmonica. Wearing a harmonica belt (similar to a tool belt, his held at least eight different harmonicas in leather pockets around his waist), he masterfully played harmonies and solos, adding a brilliant depth to the band’s sound.
After playing fourteen songs, Moriarty were cheered back on stage for an encore, any disappointment from the earlier events in the evening wiped from the audience’s mind. Finishing beautifully with an unplugged musical rendition of Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann’s “Long is the Night”, which Moriarty turned into a soft, crooning lullaby, the band took one final bow in front of a thrilled audience.
Review by Lauren Sherritt
Related:
Read our review of So Frenchy So Chic: Nouvelle Vague, Berry @ The Powerhouse, Brisbane June 14, 2010
So Frenchy So Chic In The Park @ Werribee Park Mansion, Melbourne – 15th January 2012
CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL GALLERY
All photos by Naomi Rahim
The Kill Devil Hills @ The Annandale Hotel, Sydney – 20 January 2012 | Photos
Photographer: Robert Pugsley
Photographer: Robert Pugsley
Continue reading The Kill Devil Hills @ The Annandale Hotel, Sydney – 20 January 2012 | Photos
THE SISTERS OF MERCY Second Melbourne Headline Show – On Sale Now
Following the announcement that their first show at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne has sold out, UK post-punk legends The Sisters Of Mercy announce a second headline show at the Corner Hotel on Thursday March 1.
The band is also touring around the country as a part of the Soundwave Festival in February and March.
“Be advised that the Sisters are going on tour again. We will behave very badly. We will wear some very loud shirts. We will wear some very wrong trousers. We will perform some very legendary rock music. It’s what we do.” (Sisters Of Mercy)
Despite numerous line-up changes, disputes with their record company that saw the band cease recording in 1990, legal battles and internal dissent, The Sisters Of Mercy have remained at the forefront of the underground scene since their formation in Leeds over thirty years ago.
Continue reading THE SISTERS OF MERCY Second Melbourne Headline Show – On Sale Now
Chopper’s Big F**ken Australia Day Weekend Special
Sit Down Comedy Club 26-28th January 2012
Double Pass Giveaway!
See below for details
This Australia Day, the green and gold turns black and blue as Australia’s Most Wanted comedian Chopper headbutts his way back to Brisbane for a long weekend of comedy. Australia Day – the day we celebrate all things Australian, by calling people UnAustralian for doing UnAustralian things; like playing soccer, not laughing when you read ‘Phuket’ or chucking a ‘sickie’ on a public holiday.
And so, we ask – what is more Aussie than spending Australia Day with Chopper? Absolutely bloody nothing. It’s more Aussie than a meat pie covered in mateship and skin cancer……More Aussie than waiting for your compo cheque to clear at the beach…More Aussie than Don Bradman riding Pharlap up the hills of Gallipoli on Grand Final Day…
Heath Franklin’s Chopper is one of Australia’s most loved comedy characters and highest selling live comedy acts. First seen on Network 10’s The Ronnie Johns Half Hour, as Chopper, Heath Franklin has gone on to sell over 180,000 tickets in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. He has released two highly successful live Chopper DVDs, released the board game ‘Chopoly’ and been nominated for a Logie and ARIA.
Continue reading Chopper’s Big F**ken Australia Day Weekend Special
Like Moths To Flame – When We Don’t Exist | Album Review
Review by Billy Geary
The problem with Ohio metalcore group Like Moths to Flame’s latest effort When We Don’t Exist is that it brings literally nothing new to a genre already more stale than that piece of cake that’s been sitting on the bench for the last couple of weeks. The passion and energy is bleedingly obvious in the music, but so is fact that the bands song writing is in desperate need of an overhaul.
When We Don’t Exist seemingly takes every single metalcore stereotype possible and rolls it into one big wall of sound. Excessive amount of breakdowns? Check. Angry, tough guy vocals/lyrics? Check. Awkward clean vocals in the chorus? Check. We’ve literally heard it all before. You could pick any one of the album’s 11 tracks and find the same things. Take ‘GNF’ for example, featuring the inspired lyrics of ‘I don’t give a fuck about the way you’re feeling’ before the guitars take the listener into another open string chug fest.
Continue reading Like Moths To Flame – When We Don’t Exist | Album Review
The Damned @ Metro Theatre, Sydney – 21 January 2012 | Photo Gallery
Photographer: Robert Pugsley
Photographer: Robert Pugsley
Continue reading The Damned @ Metro Theatre, Sydney – 21 January 2012 | Photo Gallery
Photos: (Part 2) Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012
Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Continue reading Photos: (Part 2) Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012
Review: Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012
Review by Lauren Sherritt
Big Day Out – it’s not just a music festival. It’s a fashion show, the latest summer clothes coming out to play (2012 including girls shortest short shorts, guys screen printed singlets and a whole lot of hair on everyone). It’s a test of the strength of boyfriends’ spines as they hoist their girlfriends high above the crowds on their shoulders. It’s a feat of endurance, a challenge put to the elements that no kind of weather can stop the show, a day of sunscreen and sunburn, of thrills, friendship and fried food. And yes, there is some excellent music as well.
The Gold Coast leg of the festival kicked off at eleven a.m. For those of us travelling from further afield the day started much earlier, a mixture of trains and shuttle buses becoming more and more crowded with others in festival garb as we neared the event.
Ticket checks, bag checks, ID checks done and we were in. The sun shone brightly, the outside glare making us squint to make out the shape of Abbe May and band on the contrasting dark stage, their hard rock carving through the muggy air.
Continue reading Review: Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012
Photos: (Part 1) Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012
Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Continue reading Photos: (Part 1) Big Day Out 2012 – Gold Coast Parklands – 22nd January 2012