Community Cup 2010, this Sunday!

http://www.communitycup.org.au/

NYE and slightly beyond.

Hmm, probably the last post of 2009, and as expected, there are a shitload of shows on for New Year's Eve. These all either a/caught my eye for serious consideration, or b/had easily-grabbed art online. Cast your eye over this little lot- a rough count tells me there are over 30 bands listed.






Do not ask me why Bama-Lama go for the landscape layout, instead of portrait. Similarly, do not ask why I couldn't find any artwork to use for Yah Yah's or the Tote.

And afterwards? Well, there are a few recovery parties and such going on...this one at Ding Dong, on Saturday, looks good:


As to where I may end up, I'm still not sure. There are a few parties to check out first, and it's usually a long night for me. Have a good one, regardless of what you do. Salut!

Caution- contains football.

A big night at the Espy on Friday, with GUT, Dollsquad, Gun Street Girls and the Meanies playing out back in the Gershwin Room, and Kids Of Zoo, the Once Overs and the New Christs in the front bar. The whole thing is free, which makes me wonder why the two rooms are being separately promoted. I also wonder why the fucking Espy now has a Flash site, which makes it impossible to snag images.
The New Christs show is by way of launching their excellent new album, "Gloria", out now on Impedance Records:

They'll also be playing at the Tote on Saturday, and are promising to return soon as part of a full tour.
Speaking of the Tote, on Sunday afternoon their footy team takes on the Old Bar Unicorns (motto:" Feel the Fantasy"). Also playing are the Bar Open Bats versus the East Brunswick Club. Kickoff is around 1.00, at Brunswick Park, Hope St. Brunswick. That's a kid, dog and booze-friendly event.

And you could follow that up with the latest in the (appalling named) Sundae Workers Series, at the Workers Club- which is just the old Rob Roy tarted up a bit.
This week's is the last one, and features the Primitive Calculators, UV Repairs (some unholy blend of UV Race and the Repairs) and Brain Children DJs, all for $10.00

UPDATE: the football referred to above has been put back until next weekend. And moved.

Better late than never.

Being the sensitive and caring kind of guy I am, I was thinking about International Women's Day this weekend just past, when I realised that the Melbourne music scene are celebrating a week late.
Yes, ladies, the most handsome men in town are playing for your pleasure this weekend.
On Friday 13th, at Ding Dong, Rowland S. Howard plays with the Stabs and Nathan Hollywood*

Rowland's band for this show includes J.P. Shilo on bass and Mick Harvey on drums. This is definitely worth a look. $12 on the door.
Then, on Saturday at the Espy, there's an Aarght! Records showcase of sorts, featuring New Orleans duo Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Eddy Current Suppression Ring and UV Race. I do not know why there is no poster art for this event- here's a picture of Quintron instead:

* nb- Hollywood is actually quite handsome, so I'm told.

Looking back.

Well, that was an education.

X were absolutely sterling- passionate, energetic and clearly having a ball, so much so that Kim and Cathy refused to leave the stage after the first couple of encores, forcing Steve to come back on for one more song and giving the stage manager a mild heart attack.

About the Saints, though...well, let's just say Ed Kuepper was awesome, and that it will be a while before I listen to "Stranded" again.

But the mid week gig meant I was pushed for time, and didn't get this posted:

Oops. Won't make that mistake again.

Fractured retrobilly boogie?

No, I don't know what it means either, but I like the sound of it:


I'm just pissed off I missed it- going on as I write. Next time, fer sure.
Meanwhile, I am morally and contractually obliged to mention that X are playing at the Espy tomorrow night (Friday) with Dollsquad* and the Sons Of Lee Marvin.

But gig of the week would have to be this:

Assassination Collective, Deaf Wish, Paper Planes, and Graveyard Train, presented by the Afterdark crew. It's an album launch and all, but even so, I think it's free. Or at least cheap. Not as cheap as those Ass. Co. boys, though. Watch out for that one in the pith helmet.

*any record label looking for a kick-arse girly garage rock album to unleash on the public, get in touch.

Stuffed

Well, if I was a hot-rodding type, I'd be heading out of town this weekend, up to Newstead for this:

The idea of seeing the Hatchets, Ninetynine, Paper Planes, Bulls and the Stabs play outdoors, at night, with the kind of crowd I'm (perhaps lazily) assuming will go this is very, very tempting. But I'm not. So, moving on...

The Espy will be packed on Friday, and not just with an early crop of English backpackers. In the front bar, you can catch Deaf Wish, Brisbane's Vegas Kings, Kids Of Zoo and Pistons Misfire, with DJ Sam Kamikaze (aka Sam Agostino, of Kamikaze Trio & Digger and The Pussycats) before after and probably during the bands. And that's all free. While out in the Gershwin Room, you can see the Cosmic Psychos, the Spazzys, GUT and Mammoth Mammoth for a measly $10.00. $10.00!

Something tells me that hallway carpet is going to take a pounding.

Across town, at a newish place called Yah Yahs, Crystal Thomas and the Flowers Of Evil are launching their (excellent) debut CD:

It's at 99 Smith St. Fitzroy, and apparently is pretty OK. Supports from the Stu Thomas Paradox & Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts. And as you can see, they'll be launching in Sydney and Adelaide over the net few weeks, too.

On Saturday I may go to this ridiculous thing:

which is on at Birrarung Marr, and sees a bank celebrate it's 150th birthday by sponsoring a half-arsed, semi-arty and patronisingly indigenously-themed mini festival in a park. But the awesome Wagons are throwing in a half hour set, so it may be worth a quick look.

A weekend and a half

Well, that was a weekend and a half. 15 goddam bands in 2 days. Late nights, a few beers, and a lot of fun.
There are some pics and words of the Visitors here  if you need background - for all the reformation/reissue angle,  there was not one minute of their set that felt gratuitous or nostalgic.  Maybe it's because they have been dormant for so long, but they brought real freshness to a solid set, which took in about everything I could have hoped for:

Despite ripping off/paying homage to his "Minister of Defence" tag for my "Minister of Offence" role with GOD many years ago, I've never seen Mark Sisto perform before. He was excellent- in great voice, punchy, sly and very funny too. Pip Hoyle and Deniz Tek didn't disappoint the Birdman tragics in the crowd either, though having said that I'd reckon that you could enjoy these guys for the class act they are, without any knowledge or experience of their past activities. CD details are here if you are interested.
It was a bit of a struggle getting my arse into Flip Out for the 3.00pm kick-off the next day, but I made it and I'm glad. In the past festivals have been a bit "meh" for me- they all seem to go on too long, have too much dead time, may involve standing round in a field, or a combination of all three. This thing really hit the spot though. Highlights were the Pink Fits bruising, high-energy set, the return of the Stabs, US legend MOTO's deranged guitar riffery/perversion and ECSR's killer closing set. There were old friends and new friends, there was "Creature From The Black Lagoon" on the big screen, there was beer, there was the promised free CD- all good. 

Flip Out

Now, ordinarily, this show, at the Espy on Friday night, would be head and shoulders above the rest:

The Visitors were one of a clutch of bands (see also- the Hitmen, the Other Side, Comrades of War, New Christs and New Race) formed from the debris of Radio Birdman on their return from Europe in 1978. They played a dozen or so shows, recorded an album, released an EP's worth of it, and then disbanded. The album eventually emerged years later, and is now being reissued, on Citadel Records, to mark their reunion. I never saw them, and am really looking forward to this. I mean, it's not often you get to see legends play. Vocalist Mark Sisto's role as Birdman's "Minister for Defence" led to me being christened "Minister for Offence" during my time roadieing for GOD. And, it's free, yet. Make the most of it.

But even that looks like being relegated to warm up status, because on Saturday the first (of many, hopefully) Flip Out Festival hits the Corner Hotel.

A solid attempt to get a decent festival going in Melbourne, without the big bucks and sponsorship. There is so much going on here, in addition to the music. The first 200 people through the door will receive a free 18 track Aarght Records/Stained Circles sampler. There's a record fair 2 – 6pm, a rooftop BBQ will run from 5 – 8pm, and the Gimme Shelter and Primitive DJ’s will be playing tunes in the front bar.

PERFORMANCE TIMES - OVER 2 STAGES:
3.00 SUPER WILD HORSES
3.45 THE UV RACE
4.30 THE STRAIGHT ARROWS (SYD)
5.15 THE FROWNING CLOUDS
6.00 THE PINK FITS (SYD)
6.45 DEAD FARMERS (SYD)
7.30 KNIFE FIGHT (NZ)
8.15 THE STABS
9.00 KING AUTOMATIC (FRANCE)
9.45 DEAF WISH
10.30 M.O.T.O (USA)
11.15 BEACHES
12.00 EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING

And if that isn't enough for you, the Straight Arrows are using Flip Out to kick off a tour to launch their new single, and you can go and see them again on Sunday at Bar Open in Fitzroy.

That starts around 8.00pm, with the Arrows on at 11-ish.

Monday morning is far away as I write this, but I suspect it won't be a pleasant awakening.

Get out.

The Sand Pebbles launch their new album "Ceduna" on at the NSC on Saturday. They went to the beach last summer and made a concept album inspired in part by an old travel diary- wait, wait, come back. It’s really nowhere as pretentious or silly as that makes it sound. Its much better indeed. So let’s re-phrase that- as the Drones did with ‘Gala Mill’, the Sand Pebbles went to a place and took some inspiration from it, which they have channeled into their new album. But there’s no over-arching narrative or theme beyond that, though- as they say in the liner notes, they got high, and they wrote these songs. All of which are well worth your eartime.
The launch features well-chosen supports from Ross McLennan (whose recent Mistletone LP, “Sympathy For The New World” is also truly excellent) and Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts. All for $10.00

Also on Saturday- UV Race kick off the first week of their month-long Saturday afternoon residency in the Tote front bar. That’s free, from around 4.00pm. They don't have a CD out, but this is what their "Lego Man" single looks like:



From the youngest to the oldest- across town the legendary X are playing at the Espy with a few friends:

Too much choice

Coming up on the midway point of this year, and things are looking as healthy as ever. We're spoilt for choice here on Friday night.
After work drinks are easy- at Off The Hip, being entertained by the Ransome Brothers and the Reactions. That's free, from about 5.30 onwards.

After that, it gets a bit tougher. Two highly regarded local bands, both of whom are playing in peak form at the moment, but on different bills. You've got Eddy Current Suppression Ring and friends at the Espy:

or Witch Hats at Roxanne, playing one last show before they head off to the States.

The Espy show is sold out, with only a few tickets available on the door, while Roxanne is a dive of a place, if that makes it any easier to choose. I know where I'll be- but I'm not saying.

Something new on Saturday- what I understand is the second outing for the Sweet Jelly Roll club night, at North Melbourne's Public Bar. As they say:

Sweet Jelly Roll is a monthly night of down and dirty dancing and drinking to the finest tunes from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. Featuring resident DJ’s Razor Totin’ Slim and Pearl Jackson playing rhythm & blues, surf, Vegas grind, latin rythms, doo-wop, rockabilly, gypsy swing and soul plus special guest bands and authentic burlesque performance.

That's a combination that will be hard to beat on a cold winter's night.

Graphics free weekend

Well. No pics this week, for various reasons.
Joel Silbersher and HOSS are doing a bunch of shows in the next few weeks, starting tomorrow:

FRIDAY 20TH OF JUNE ESPY FRONTBAR, ST KILDA W/THE BLACKLIST, KILLER BIRDS.
SATURDAY 21ST OF JUNE THE TOTE, COLLINGWOOD W/THE BAKELITE AGE, FAMOUS CRIMES.
JOEL SOLO SHOW AT LABOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
ALSO, SYDNEY WILL SEE HOSS GIGS FRIDAY 4TH OF JULY THE EXCELSIOR HOTEL, SURREY HILLS.W/POKER HEARTS, KILLER BIRDS.
SATURDAY 5TH JULY DIRTY SHIRLOW'S, 32 SHIRLOW ST, MARRICKVILLE.W/WHOPPING BIG NAUGHTY, HELLCRABCITY, KILLER BIRDS.

But I couldn't find a handbill for any of these. Still, I would love to go to that Marrickville one.

Also on Friday, Cabaret Nocturne is on at somewhere called La Di Da's in Little Bourke St. I was going to post the flyer for that, but the more I looked at it, the less I liked it. Check it out here and you'll see what I mean.

On Sunday, the Local in St. Kilda is holding it's first "Spectapular" beer festival, with 40 Australian microbrews on tap from 12.oo noon til 1.00am. $25 gets you 20 samples. There's a link to the (crappy .pdf) handbill here.

And that's your lot.

Four way action weekend

There's a lot going on.

On Friday, The Double Agents play a farewell show at Cherry before heading off on their second European tour.

The Double Agents are bidding farewell to their beloved Oz, as they head off on their second sojourn to Europe in early June. Taking a stellar new line-up, regulars Dave Butterworth, Kim Walvisch and Chris Loughtman will be joined by Callum John Barter(Ancient Free Gardeners) on the skins and Dave Larkin (yes, he of Dallas Crane infamy) on bass guitar. Playing their blistering brand of garage country swamp in one final Melbourne show before heading to France, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy & Belgium, the tour will also celebrate the vinyl release of their last album “Seemed Like A Good Idea…” on prestigious French label Beast Records. Dave Larkin kicks off the evening with a solo slot before The Agents smack you across the face with a set (or two). ‘Tis an early show - done and dusted by 11:30pm. Expect their usual bar-rattlin’ shenanigans as well as a raffle of rare and unique Double Agents memorabilia to help raise touring funds.

See? It's an early show. So a bit later on Friday night, you can probably make it across town to see Sydney's Johnny Casino bring his Secrets to Bar Open in Fitzroy for a one-off freebie with the Shimmys and Midnight Woolf.

This is an opportunity that's impossible to pass up- did I mention it was free? Here's some YouTube of them doing "Cowboys And Indians" to whet your appetite, if you need it.
Then on Saturday, there's are two more excellent lineups. At Ding Dong:

Rowland's stick insect silhouette is a familiar enough sight around certain parts of town, but I haven't seen him play live for ages. And he's playing with Kes, too. I really shouldn't have to say any more- this is guaranteed to be intriguing, and entertaining.

BUT there's stiff competition from the Espy, where you can see Dave Graney & the Coral Snakes with the almighty Wagons, who are headlining if the relative sizes of the band names on the Espy's gig guide wall is anything to go by:

That's for free too, by the way. And no, I don't know who that bloke is.
Finally, on Sunday, there's an open day at St.Kilda police station in Chapel St., from 10.00 til 3.00, if you fancy it. All sorts of entertainment is planned- but I just want to see if my phone number is still scratched into the wall of womens' cell number three.

This weekend- New Christs and more

The New Christs are back in town, playing at the Espy on Saturday 5th April, just a few weeks after their Ding Dong show in late May. With Radio Birdman once again returning to indefinite retirement, this will be your last chance to catch Younger & Dickson live for a while- though European readers have a forthcoming New Christs tour to look forward to.
Supports include excellent locals Cold Harbour, who seem to be hitting the boards fairly regularly lately, and who I think have an album due out soon, as well as a stack of others including the Bower Birds and the Killerbirds. All this,and for free, too.
The post-development Espy is still an OK place to see bands, especially when they put on big line ups like this, otherwise it’s just a frustrating place to deal with the hordes of backpacker types who treat it as their local.

Halloween and onwards

So I write this sitting in the deepening twilight, with a bag of chocolate frogs and some glow in the dark M & Ms at the ready, listening to Kopper's special Halloween Savage Kick podcast

but none of the neighbourhood kids seem keen.

Anyway, there is lots coming up.
Friday at the Espy sees the Lime Spiders headline a massive bill of local and interstate acts- the sort of bill you usually only see on New Year's Eve, and for only $15.00

On Saturday the Bakelite Age are launching their (excellent) new album, "Return Of The Magical Molerat" at the Tote.

While on Monday, Route 66 are holding Wolfcall 2007 over at the Central Club in Richmond


AND FINALLY on Tuesday (officially known as "Horse Day" here in Melbourne)Wagons are showing off their newie, "Curse Of Lightning", over at the Northcote Social Club.


phew!

This weekend- Little Red etc.

Every so often someone comes along that I have to see for myself. Eddy Current Suppression Ring were one who lived up to the buzz, now it's Little Red. Their month long Wednesday night residency at the Tote has lead people whose opinions I trust to make some extraordinary statements,like this. So I'll be at the Espy on Friday, when they play the Gershwin Room for free, with Even and the Summer Cats. Their myspace songs sound OK, be interesting to see how they cut it live.

On Saturday afternoon I hope to head over to Steve Miller's new bar, the House of Refreshment, at the Abbotsford Convent.

Steve says "You won't find eggs, 'cooked to your liking', skinny lattes, wraps, low fat muffins or light beer. It's S for Salt, F for Fat, S for Sugar, C for Caffeine and A for Alcohol". That'll do.

And no movies this week.

Tidying up, odds and ends, etc

Well, I got knocked out of the Mess & Noise scrabble competition in the first round on Sunday afternoon, playing up in the Corner Hotel beer garden, but was cheered up by heading downstairs afterwards to see the Good Shepherd Circus Pie Classic- a charity event featuring a long list of local musos and others having a crack at competitive cooking. I missed out on getting a taste of Bob Log III's special chicken & breastmilk dish, but among many other highlights, it was worth going just to see Ron Peno at work:

And I didn't get to see Sixfthick at the Espy the night before(due to an unfortunate and stupid incident I don't want to go into here) so it was good to see them, down on the floor:

In other leisure time news- my pool game is getting better, pub trivia is going OK (second, third & last from three attempts), I'm stuck in a never-ending game of punch buggyand it looks like I may crank up the homebrewing again soon. And this week a parcel arrived from my pal Grrtch, which included a very fine Garagepunk.com t-shirt, amongst other goodies: Thanks, Grrtch!

This stuff is all just a distraction from what I should be writing, of course, a bit of a wrap up of Lobby Loyde's memorial service, which I attended on Saturday- that I am finding very hard going.

Thanks to Tim Chuma for the use of those pics, too.

Another big week.

I've mentioned the return of X this week, at Ding Dong, in a previous post.
Cherry Rock 007 is on in AC/DC Lane on Sunday, but if you want to avoid the crowds and are happy to see only see a few of the acts, Eddy Current Suppression Ring and the Pink Fits are at the Espy on Friday night, for free.

More time out.

Well, it appears I now have bronchitis to go with the tinnitus. So, I'll be spending all day tomorrow on the sofa trying to catch up on some live and CD reviews for the I94 Bar (apologies to the Sacred Cowboys, Cold Harbour, X, the Killer Birds, the Kamikaze Trio and many others for the delay) and trying not to smoke too much, before fullfilling my annual obligations to the shareholders of Lindt and Cadbury.

I guess this means I'll miss the Scientists show at the Espy on Sunday...fuck.


Hopefully I can get caught up and back on my feet for the Double Agents album launch at the Spanish Club on the 20th.
Thanks to Patrick Emery for the use of his Scientists piece

Phew.

Still recovering from last week's pig out, and think I'll be having a quiet one this weekend.
For the record- the Double Agents launch was great, Spencer Jones solo was great, Sixfthick were fucking explosive. A weekend of sweat, heat, beer & loud gritty music. I didn't get down to the Tiger By The Tail video shoot though- if you have a strong stomach there is a snapshot of proceedings here.
This weekend's details are in honour of and for the benefit of the mysterious G, author of the excellent blog Sex Kittens Compare Scratches , who is in town for a few days.


At the Espy Front Bar in St. Kilda tonight- Mach Pelican, The Havenots (Japan), The Gingers, Three Chord Disasters.

But they are up against the "Beasts VS. Drones" show at the Tote in Collingwood. This sounds a bit goddamn special, frankly- "Two of Australia's toughest and dirtiest rock bands attempt to out-cool each other in a rare solo challenge at The Tote, Fri 23rd of February with a special umpire in judicial mode. The night will feature solo sets from the old guards of oz rock: Spencer P Jones & Brian Hooper of The Beast of Bourbon, competing for street cred and raw sex appeal with the new wave: Gareth Liddiard, front person of the Drones, and Christian Strybosch, original Drones drummer. The totally impartial umpire in this death match, who will also grace the stage to break up the general machismo and any spontaneous punching-on, will be the gorgeous and delightful Laura Jean, making this a night of intimate performance from the cream of Melbourne's artistic crop. To enhance your listening pleasure, the normally sweaty Tote will be transformed into a sophisticated club atmosphere, with lounges, tables and candlelight, and all acts performing live in the pit. All that for only $12.00? Bargain.

There are rich pickings on Saturday too. Spencer P. Jones is doing his solo thing again at the idGAFF Bar in the afternoon, which you can follow with ECSR at the Corner Hotel, or maybe Dollsquad over at the Evelyn.

On Sunday , the Prayer Babies are at the Greyhound with accompaniment from the South Of The River gospel choir, from 5.00pm or so. Perfect end to the day.

For stubby holders, silly hats, fridge magnets etc, you're on your own, but they are all easily found in Swanston Street, just up from Chloe's Bar. Enjoy your stay, Greg.