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2022

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 10, 2022
Lynda Buchanan Photography

[Review] Chase Atlantic @ Festival Hall, Melbourne 8/12/2022

When the LA based Chase Atlantic announced they were heading homebound to Australia for their Cold Nights tour I couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement. I knew I had to be there in Melbourne to capture in person, their unique style of blurring the boundaries of genres. As I made my way to the upgraded venue of Festival Hall, the fans were already flocking in to get the best vantage point, so I joined the stream of people and got ready to immerse myself for the next few hours.

Opening tonight’s show was Queensland’s own Xavier Mayne. If you like The Weeknd then it’s pretty safe to say you might dig what Xavier is throwing down. He is definitely one to watch with his high energy performance jumping around all over the stage entertaining the crowd while being supported by drums and guitar. Long time Chase Atlantic fans may recognise Xavier from another project of his, The Young Art, who opened for Chase Atlantic back in 2016 on their Paradise tour.

Up next, Matthew Victor Kopp, who performs as Running Touch, was a clear favourite of the crowd when he hit the stage. For the fans who knew him as one of the founding members of Melbourne’s own OCEAN GROVE it seemed an extra treat to see him perform as part of his solo project. Starting his set atop a ladder, Matt alternated between various instruments and his microphone during the performance, much to the delight of the crowd, all while being accompanied by a drummer. His musical talent was evident and in full force, with the entire set being marked by his enthusiasm and unusual performance style.

As an intro video flashed on stage, the fully packed venue erupted into screams, the visuals on the screens continued: asteroids circling a smouldering planet, falling leaves and swirling heads.  Everyone could feel the rumble of the bass under foot as the headliner’s show began to unfold; one of the best feelings in the world. I didn’t think it was possible, but the enthusiastic crowd kicked it up a notch as Jesse walked out onto the stage. A fantastic way to begin the show, complete with fire bursting from various parts of the stage to warm up the crowd.

Starting off the night with the title track Beauty In Death from their 3rd studio album released in March last year. They immediately took charge of the crowd at the upgraded venue of Festival Hall. Lead vocalist Mitchel Cave was all over the stage in every position imaginable while maintaining his vocals with the passion the punters were there to see. Security was kept on their toes most of the evening handing out waters and pulling young ladies from the barriers that were a little overcome with the heat and excitement of seeing Chase Atlantic.

Jumping seamlessly from Too Late into Drugs and Money as if on cue, the crowd were almost as loud as the boys, singing every word of every line from their self-titled studio album, released back in 2017. There is no denying Chase Atlantic’s stage presence. Their limitless energy is infectious and makes you feel youthful.  Syncing perfectly with each other, the chemistry between them is flawless, and their smiles and banter on stage show that they are doing exactly what they love.

As each song bled into the next, including Cold Nights, Like A Rockstar & Slow Down, the audience were seen dancing, jumping and having an amazing time. It was impossible to find a single person who was standing still, and the mood in the air never dropped. In fact, as we galloped towards the end of the show, the crowd only grew louder, if that was even possible.

Although the show was over, you could still feel the overwhelming emotion oozing from the crowd as they left the venue, having just experienced a full-on, high energy Chase Atlantic show. This is one show you do not want to miss so if you are sitting on the fence, jump the hell off and buy the damn ticket!

You Can Can Still Catch Them 

 ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY
THURSDAY DECEMBER 15
 
THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16
 
POWERSTATION, AUCKLAND
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21

For complete tour and ticket information, visit: livenation.com.au or livenation.co.nz

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 10, 2022
Josh Mak

[Review] Nashville Pussy @ Northcote Social Club, Melbourne 8/12/2022

The following content may be inappropriate for minors and people with a stick up their arse. Warning: high level tongue in cheek sexual innuendo.

What the hell did you expect?

Nashville Pussy was in town and I was there to lap it all up. So screw the foreplay and let’s muff-dive on in.

The Black Tides are the dynamic duo of Adam O’Connor aka Red & Annette Sa. They have a sound that can be best described as, if Motörhead fucked the White Stripes and gave birth to a four-armed baby. Despite them being a two-piece band consisting of Red on Bass and Vocals and Annette on Drums and backing vocals, they had an incredibly full sound. A large part of this can be credited to Red’s intelligent use of effects and writing riffs and licks that covered the full sonic spectrum usually only heard from a larger band. The brilliant chemistry between the two members also contributed towards their show stopping performance, combined with playful tongue in cheek banter within the band and with audiences. A quote from Red: “Annette’s applause was bigger, like her genitals.” In my opinion poetically sums up the attitude and fun of seeing them live.

Their set even included a Punk Rock cover of Royals by Lorde – a song that I had previously paid no attention to, but now enjoyed it in its new incarnation.

Love, love, love this band and look forward to seeing them again.

Mammoth Mammoth entered the stage with all the intensity and charisma of pro-wrestling. Frontman Mikey Tucker spewed water from his mouth across the stage like an angry geyser whilst drummer, Frank ‘Bones’ Trobbiani was like a force of nature, pummeling and dominating his drum kit. Mammoth Mammoth have a presence that don’t merely request that you pay heed, but instead put you in a headlock and demand your attention. As a frontman, Mikey Tucker certainly has an assertive and compelling aura that surrounds him, whether he’s striding amidst the crowd or laying on the stage as guitarist, Ben ‘Cuz’ Couzens rests a leg on him while shredding out a solo.

Despite their hawkish demeanor, Mammoth Mammoth are a bunch of guys who love what they do and have a hell of a time doing it.

Closing the set with a song about Paul Stanley’s Penis (Love Gun by KISS) was the perfect cherry on the top of this whiskey-drenched cake of a set.

Self described as “Bigger than Jesus, louder than hell.” I’m most certainly inclined to agree.

To be hailed as “America’s last great Rock and Roll band” by the legendary Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, is incredibly high praise to live up to – and Nashville Pussy did not disappoint.

If Nashville Pussy were a meal, they would be Nashville hot chicken. Riffs that had a southern fried crunch, bathed in a voice like the finest hot sauce. Yes, it burns but god damn it tastes so good you keep coming back for more.

Ruyter Suys (pronounced “Rider Sighs”) guitarist of the band absolutely blew me away. She had the wild abandon and tenacity of players like Rory Gallagher and Angus Young, tearing into the fretboard as they opened the set with Struttin’ Cock.

Frontman Blaine Cartwright, sang with the ferocity of a crazed preacher man. Maintaining the intensity throughout their monstrous 17-song set which included songs like, She Keeps Me Coming and I Keep Going Back, Pillbilly Blues, Till the Meat Falls Off the Bone and the very educational, Pussy’s Not a Dirty Word.

Backed by Bonnie Buitrago on Bass and Ben Thomas on Drums, they performed like Energizer bunnies on speed.

Often as bands get older they exhibit signs that age is catching up with them but this could not be further from the truth with Nashville Pussy. They have not only beaten the hands of time, but it appears that they have straight out broken them and have lost none of their mojo.

For an encore, Blaine Cartwright gave us invaluable advice: “Don’t listen to all the people telling you what you should believe, the only thing you need to know, is that everyone just has to Keep on Fucking.”

As the band hit the last chords in their epic finale, Ruyter Suys baptized the front row in beer, then proceeded to play her guitar with the empty can and in a jaw-dropping display of pure Rock n’ Roll, she literally ripped the strings right off her guitar!

Nashville Pussy are a band that must be experienced live, and I for one, cannot wait to see them again.

Stadium shows are spectacular but the underground club gigs and bands with a cult following, hold an extra special place in my heart.

All the bands tonight clearly displayed the influence and inspiration that the mighty Motörhead has gifted to the world of Rock n’ Roll. If Lemmy could have seen this show I’m pretty sure he’d raise a glass of Jack and Coke in approval.

You can still catch them at the following shows

Sat 10th Dec – Wollongong – La La La’s

Mon 12th Dec – Sydney – Crowbar

Limited VIP Meet & greet packages available.

 GET YOUR TICKETS HERE >> https://hardlinemedia.net/nashville-pussy

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 10, 2022
Kynan Arden

[Review] Offspring / Sum 41 @ John Cain Arena, Melbourne 7/12/2022

I don’t think there are many words that can capture the pure bliss and adrenaline of a double injection of pure punk nostalgia, and I’m sure that can be said for a lot of big rock shows, but Sum 41 and The Offspring delivered something truly out of this world and will keep my heart pumping for months on end.

The venue collectively packed with avid fans in anticipation for the big night, ready for Sum 41 to deliver their introduction. Obviously keeping the spirit of Australia, the lights dimmed and then reddened to the tune of TNT by AC/DC, right before the band followed by Deryck ran into the spotlight. His energy immediately screamed volumes to the upcoming performance he would deliver as a frontman. The skater punk icons wasted no time, immediately erupting into their intro as well as The Hell Song, and no expense was spared for the unexpected pyro technics that could melt your face off even in the side stands.

Deryck’s involvement with the crowd is the type of interaction I’m inspired by as a musician/frontman myself, hyping up the crowd to the max and encouraging them to lose their mind like, as Deryck called them, “crazy motherfuckers”. The audience did not brush this off, as the circle pits and jumping ensued for the entire first set, even to the point of Whibley questioning their exhaustion. With chants to screaming competitions to call and responses, this group always knew how to keep a room alive, especially with the violent giant balloon popping

I think my leather pants were strong enough to contain my punk excitement when Deryck mentioned the name of Sum 41’s classic album, All Killer No Filler, right before Dave Baksh began the riff to In Too Deep which caused a temporary earthquake with the amount of feet jumping up and down, including my very own. Deryck proceeded to talk about how special it is to perform all these tunes that the boys wrote while they were teenagers, right before treating the OG Sum 41 fans by taking us all the way back to a track from their very first 2000 album, Makes No difference.

Sum 41 neither spared any humor as Deryck acquire his guitar, claiming we shouldn’t get excited as he had no idea how to play it, all before intentionally awfully playing Smoke on the Water and Seven Nation Army, even surprisingly roping in the band to perform a pop punk cove of We Will Rock You. But I’m sure many of us knew why the guitar was in his hands, as there were two hits they were yet to play. I couldn’t even finish my thought process before the iconic opening riff to Fat Lip amplified through John Cain Arena followed by the conclusion of Still Waiting already damaging my vocal chords for the night. As they disbanded, I sat their in awe wondering how on earth that performance could be topped…..oh boy was I wrong.

The 30 minute interval between sets are always the prime time at any show to get some booze and grub, but regardless of this there was instead a plethora of antics as entertaining as the shows themselves. At first, a giant blimp bearing the iconic Offspring logo flown by a drone circled over the packed arena like a hawk over its prey, followed by a mysterious crew member coming onto stage donning a gorilla mask who proceeded to slingshot shirts into the crowds of thousands. This was all followed by quintessential American stadium games, like kiss cams, headbang cams, twerk cams, and as essential as always in our blessed country, mullet cams. Laughs turned into a loud countdown from 10 as the boys were ready to put on a show.

I could not contain my aching grin as The Offspring already proceeded to performing hit after hit back to back, opening with the classic Come Out And Play, followed by the iconic “AY YA YA YA YA YA” to All I Want, and then a song I never thought would be performed live, Want You Bad, taking me back to a time I’d have this on repeat in class to escape my most punk worthy oppression at the time…general mathematics. Dexter and Noodles did what they do best next to putting on a killer show, delivering a gut busting crowd interaction really showing the brotherhood between the two.

After performing a few of their latest hits including Let the Bad Times Roll, Original Prankster sent all of us as a collective into a frenzy, as if we were listening to their greatest hits record being played live on stage. The ending of this track ended with a few second of silence, before the crunchy bass riff introducing the SMASH hit, Bad Habit, which in itself transformed the mosh pit into a zombie horde straight out of World War Z, all before Dexter swiftly halted the song unsurprisingly at this point. Dexter and Noodles continued to share more banter before cussing like sailors and getting everyone involved with expletives flying from every direction.  

Noodles proceeded to continue his own standalone comedic standup, expressing his love for playing guitar and demonstrated this with covers of Security by Amyl and The Sniffers, Back In Black, Thunderstruck, The Trooper, concluded with possibly the greatest cover of In the Hall of the Mountain King I’ve ever witnessed, right before Dexter returned to join the band with an explosive cover of Blitzkrieg Bop by none other than the Ramones.

At this point in the night, I was sweating, my neck ached, my legs shivering, and my grin was ever so plastered across my face, which I didn’t think could grow any wider until Dex whipped out the acoustic to smash of Spare Me The Details, as I’m sure we all have a shitty ex to dedicate that belter to.

Now we get into a solid 10 minutes of pure, authentic emotional beauty, as the lights dimmed, a grand piano was rolled onto stage. Sat behind the grand was Dexter, who delivered an emotional speech about cancelled tours and trials throughout the pandemic, all before introducing the new and improved mellow alteration of the Ixnay On The Hombre tear-jerker, Gone Away. And oh, my friends there were waterworks all around me behind our flashlights that lit up the entire stadium, a purely magical moment.

We swiftly moved on from the topic of loss, back to the ballads for shitty partners, and what other song could portray that than a personal favourite, Why Don’t You Get A Job?; joined by a wonderful backdrop of the iconic cartoonish album cover of Americana…safe to say my voice was non-existent by this point. Then the USA hailing punks concluded the show with Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) and The Kids Aren’t Alright, which provided such a blast for us all.

As they exited the stage, it’s almost idiotic to not assume there would be an encore with the hits they were yet to play, and this confirmation came to light as the blimp reentered the arena, now donning a banner announcing the words none other than:

DANCE FUCKER DANCE!

The band returned to the stage to bust out, of course, You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid, which sent the crowd berserk (as if they stopped being such a way at all). We in the stands finally ignored the signs and stood for the remainder for the show, because why the fuck wouldn’t we. Dexter and Noodles between finales exchanged one last demonstration of brotherhood after introducing the incredible band, with Noodles praising his best friend Dex with his song writing and even the completion of a PHD in biology, then after a count in and seeing all vocalist collectively approached the mics, we heard it:

La la LA LA LA La La la la la!

The ever so recognizable vocal introduction to a rock n’ roll anthem, Self Esteem, that was answered with the screams or the existential lyrics, neck-shattering head banging and ground shaking jumps, for the final time turning up the energy to 11.  Adding to this the inclusion of confetti and beach balls, as the band embraced to a rapturous crowd as they said their good byes.

Even as I exited the arena through the hordes of tireless fans screaming the lyrics to Sweet Caroline, I don’t think I could shake the lingering buzz that I received from this prodigious show, a truly phenomenal experience that I will never forget. Safe to say that upon The Offspring, or Sum 41’s return, I will be throwing myself into the pit. It’s exhausting and painful for a skinny beanpole like myself, but what can I say…..I’ve Got A Bad Habit.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 8, 2022
Megan Milner

[Review] Soulfly @ Manning Bar, Sydney 6/12/2022

The 6th of December marks the end of sideshows for this year’s Good Things Festival, and I’m spending it at the Manning Bar in Sydney seeing the mighty Soufly. They must be looking forwards to one last throwdown to cap off the Australian performances after appearing at 3 festivals in 3 days across 3 different states. 

The initial support, Melbourne’s Primitive pull-out of the show last-minute moving Sydney’s deathcore superstars To The Grave to the main and only support. To The Grave have been busy! Not only did they also appear at Good Things Festival (in Melbourne and Brisbane only), they supported Soulfly on their Melbourne sideshow and we’re lucky to have them here tonight.  

They open with Red Dot Sight as lead singer Dane Evans storms the stage in a balaclava under his hoodie. They may be a different brand of metal in comparison to tonight’s headliner, but the crowd bounce and headbang along as the Sydney squad play their hearts out. If you haven’t seen To The Grave perform before, I highly recommend it. Evans has a stage presence beyond his years and a voice that can compete with the likes of Phil Bozeman and Brooke Reeves. I can’t wait to see his evolution; I feel he will only get better!
Simon’s drum kit is positioned in front of Soulfly’s, leaving little room for movement up there, he nonetheless near destroys each drum with strength and accuracy. Just that morning, the film clip to Axe of Kindness was released, and we get to hear the heavy, gritty assault live!
The single is out now and will be on their new album Directors Cuts coming February 24th. 
Closing the set with Wastage, they call for a wall of death. Metalheads pour down to the floor from the outskirts as Evans counts down to carnage.  

The venue’s capacity fills very quickly as the time draws near for metal legends Soulfly to take the stage. I make a very silly decision to buy merch as I hear the intro to Back To the Primitive stream out of the speakers behind me. I tap my card, grab my shirt and sprint to the front. The venue claps along as the band appears one by one.
It may be a Tuesday but that does not stop the pit from going ballistic! The album Primitive, in which Back to the Primitive is from, was released in 2000 and looking around, everyone sure knows the words. Max and co take no prisoners ripping through tracks such as Prophecy, Downstroy and Filth Upon Filth from their latest album Totem. 

As most know, Dino Cazares, guitarist from Fear Factory is along for the ride. The two guitar legends share a moment on stage, axes facing each other – shredding like it’s child’s play, the crowd lap it up. Ritual is one of the strongest songs of the night, a loud chanting chorus that everyone can join in and a chugging slower outro to bang our heads.
Soulfly was born in 1998, but they were made when they arrived in Australia in 1999, according to metal god himself Max Cavalera. Tonight, the admiration is mutual!
Multiple sound problems at Good Things made me glad I went to tonight’s event because the sound is excellent! One punter rips his top off and twirls it around his head, giving Bleed one of the finest receptions of the night. 

Max asks us if we want some Chaos AD, to roars of excitement! Max’s son Zyon (who it’s playing drums for Soulfly) counts down to the Sepultura classic, Refuse Resist and the venue lose their minds. Brazilian football chants work very well in a metal setting, with a few lyrical alteration we are singing “ole ole ole ole Soulflyyyy Soulfyyyy’.
As an enormous Fear Factory fan, I am beyond excited to hear the intro to Body Hammer, it’s cut short to make way for the huge single, Replica. The intro to Demanufacture also teased as Soulfly gets back to business.  

Tonight’s fantastic show is rounded up with Eye For An Eye and the ever-amazing Jumpdafuckup. As metalheads we are used to artists asking us to sit down, only to jump to the sky as the beat kicks in. I could not wipe the smile off my face watching the entire venue takes part, not just the moshpit! The energy is electric as we yell the chorus knowing the show is coming to an end.  

Soulfly was a highlight of the Good Things line up and I was so fortunate to see them perform twice. With his contagious grooves, persistent worldwide touring, and love for metal, Max Cavalera has established himself as a true symbol of our scene. The current Soulfly line up, Dino Cazares, Mike Leon and Zyon Cavalera is outrageously talented, I hope it stays this way for some time.
The world is opening back up, and the shows keep on coming. I can’t wait to see what 2023 has instore for music lovers across Australia.  

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 7, 2022
Renee Morrison

[Review] Jack Johnson @ Brisbane Rivestage, Brisbane 3/12/2022

“It seems to me that maybe”….. I should start calling myself a Jack Johnson fan.  I’m embarrassed to say that prior to Saturday’s Brisbane show, I’d never seen the American singer-songwriter before. I’m embarrassed to say that, had someone asked me to name five of his songs, I would probably have struggled.  And yet, during Jack’s near two-hour long set, it was odd to realise that there were few songs I didn’t know the words to. This perhaps best speaks to the power of this artistic juggernaut.  While Jack could boast (unlikely) of his multiple Grammy nominations, his worldwide fandom or of his millions upon millions of views on the socials, to experience that kind of reach – where your songs actually become part of common, even unconscious, vernacular, is hard to imagine.  Fortunately for us, Jack’s lyrics typically preach life and love, including a love for our environment. For more than a decade now his record label (Brushfire Records) and touring crew have worked towards ‘greening’ the music industry by expanding eco-friendly touring practices and promoting sustainable food and plastic free initiatives.  To celebrate his eighth studio album, Meet the Moonlight, the surfer-turned musician played five Australian shows: all outdoors and under said moonlight. On the Brisbane leg Jack was supported by none other than Ziggy Alberts and Indigenous newcomer Emily Wurramara, both of whom returned to the stage later to join the headliner.

To suggest that there was ‘standing room only’ by the time Jack came on is a huge understatement.  It was obvious people had gotten there early, laid down their picnic blankets and settled in to watch the sunset. Brisbane had put on quite the sunny summer afternoon for us too which meant punters were very happy to wait.  We didn’t have to wait long though – Jack came on right on time despite his warning us that he may not. Surf was up on the Goldy and an earlier post on his socials suggested Jack was having a hard time tearing himself away from the beach.  The band is certainly no stranger to Australia, having toured at least six times before and while I have seen countless shows in Brisbane over the years, I can honestly say I have never heard a crowd roar like they did for Jack Johnson on Saturday night.

One doesn’t become a multi-platinum selling musician, nor have a career that spans decades without truly understanding their audience and making a connection.  Johnson’s care and attention to detail in this regard was once again obvious on tour with Saturday night’s setlist sure to please even the ‘oldest’ of fans. Yes, there were songs played from the latest album (Costume Party, One Step Ahead, & Don’t look Now) but these were carefully weaved between twenty or more beloved tracks from the entire array of Jack’s back catalogue.  Those who’ve followed the artist for more than two decades would have no doubt approved of Jack’s heavy drawing from debut album Brushfire Fairytales and from his 2005 In between dreams. Taylor from the latter started the show and allowed the crowd to quickly warm up their vocal cords before the real singalong began during Sitting, Waiting, Wishing, up next.  By the time the familiar riff to Flake began, there was no stopping the capacity Brisbane crowd – Jack now had 9500 backup singers and you know what, they did alright! Next came one of many mashups – a combo of Upside down / Time is the master/ Badfish and John Holt cover You can’t control it. 

In Inaudible Melodies, drummer Adam Topal gets the first chance to show off his numerous talents. Actually Jack takes the time to introduce and pay tribute to all long-term band members during the set (bassist: Merlo Podlewski; and pianist but also singer/songwriter/ ALO member: Zach Gill).  When Emily Wurramara returns to the stage to sing Lady Blue as a duet, it is easy to see why Johnson chose the up-and-comer to support him. The song’s calming melody and hypnotic ukulele  immediately transport us to the water, like so many of the headliner’s tunes. This was followed by crowd pleaser Bubble Toes – you know the one – la-da-da-da-da-da – just try not to join in.  Next, it’s Zach Gill’s time to sing along, offering the last verse of the undulating and understated Wasting Time.

In between new tracks, Costume Party and Don’t Look Now, Ziggy Alberts returns to the stage. Here we are treated to Heaven, the first single of Ziggy’s second album ‘Laps around the Sun’ and the first of his tracks to ever reach ARIA chart status.  Ziggy clearly has a good fanbase here too – and why not; he tells us ‘you sound beautiful Brisbane’ before heading backstage again.  Ultra-fun Banana Pancakes follows before the rhythmic Rodeo Clowns. It seems like an odd note to finish on in some ways as the band leaves the stage.  Fortunately, we are not done yet! Jack returns amid thunderous applause, the likes of which I have not heard in Australia before.  I also can’t recall seeing an artist give us seven, yes seven, encores.  How blessed Brisbane feels at this point. Most of these see Jack on stage solo doing acoustic versions of classics like Do you remember and Breakdown while the crowd whistle along to I got you.  The full band returns for final track, unsurprisingly, the infamous Better Together. This, like so many of Jack Johnson’s songs, has undeniably entered the realm of cultural artefact. Like so many of his songs, the track just vibrates in a way like it was always going to be written and always going to be so special to so many. Will I be signing up to see Jack and band again? Absolutely. But how to end this review? “There is no combination of words I could say. But I will still tell you one thing, it’s always better when we’re together”.  So get there Australia.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 7, 2022
Kynan Arden

Jacob Collier @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne 4/12/2022

The packed Forum venue was already breezy with excitement and anticipation for the return of one of the most accomplished, one of a kind rising star acts of this century, Jacob Collier, who finally returned to Australian soil for his 82nd show of the Djesse world tour. And even after so many shows, oh boy did he deliver.

 

If there’s two words I can use to describe the quintessential Jacob Collier extravaganza, they would be ethereal and idiosyncratic. This was not an ordinary show in the slightest, but more-so a journey and collective insight to the mind of Jacob. From Collier enthusiastically running barefoot onto the stage jumping around and hyping the crowd, to swiftly sitting at his grand piano accompanying slower but funkier/soulful tunes lead by his band whose talents know no bounds.

 

Never before have I seen such a brilliant display of musical versatility brought out on stage. Jacob never ceased the flaunt of his multi-instrumentalism and extensive improvisation, as he’d  tirelessly jump between multiple instruments in one song,  like faster than a broke uni student catching money in a cash machine.

 

And whilst on the topic of things, I’ve never seen the kind of audience interaction/participation at a live gig than what was at a Collier gig and it is quite boldly unmatched. For Jacob managed to turn the entirety of a packed, sold out Forum into a harmonic and angelic choir for around 10 minutes straight, with such precise conducting of an ethereal, orchestral beauty that I never thought I would be amongst in my lifetime. The combination of this, non stop banter, and the occasional chat with the audience really made this whole experience personal and brought a togetherness among us

 

Now don’t get it twisted, our boogie boots were strapped on once Collier picked up the electric bass, and lead his incredibly talented band for back to back tracks Time Alone With You and All I Need. With his hit song Hideaway being amongst the set. Let me tell you that there was not on idle pair of legs amongst the crowd, as everyone moved like Bootsy himself.

 

We all thought it was over, and were waiting for the house lights to come on, as it had been set up with Jacob introducing his band and crew and smashing it one last time before triumphantly leaving the stage, but the audience were hungry for more. What started off as the quintessential “ONE MORE SONG” chant eventually became the iconic “Boom Boom Clap” rhythm of We Will Rock You, enticing the young Londoner to grace us with one last encore…..and oh boy did he do such a thing as he stormed the stage to the roar of hundreds of fans, right before delivering an incredible solo rendition of Somebody To Love by Queen. He even once again transformed the audience into a choir for the operatic sections of the iconic track, permanently leaving an incredible mark on us.

 

Thank you Jacob for a fantastic performance, well worthy of 2 sold out shows in Melbourne alone. 

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Album InterviewsInterviews
December 3, 2022
STM

Interview with Jack Panther (Q & A)

Tāmaki Makaurau-based queer artist Jack Panther has unveiled his latest single, with Weekend At Bernies arriving as an equally quirky and anthemic piece of summery pop. he took time to answer a few questions for us about it. 

How did you get your start in music?

As a toddler and a kid I adored music, I think I always have! Around 14 I began writing some angsty poetry in which at the same time I happened to start teaching myself piano. It was a lot of fun diving into each area and then connecting the two.

At 16 I began seeing a piano teacher who I began showing my songs to. Our lessons quickly became more songwriting lessons, then production lessons. I owe him a lot, I think he opened doors a lot earlier for me which I may not have seen otherwise.

I then went on to study music in my last year of highschool and at university.

How would you describe your genre?

I would say it’s super era/project dependent. I’ve begun diving into a quirky, fun, bright, distorted alt-pop realm. It’s been a lot of fun to not write sad stuff but dive into more fun music.

What differences, if any, are there between the Australian and New Zealand music scenes and how do you navigate them when touring in one place or the other?

I find both scenes really fascinating. In my opinion I think Australia has more room for experimentation which I adore. With platforms like Triple J to give artists boosts I think it can change the music scene entirely. At the moment NZ doesn’t quite have anything like Triple J and this forces creatives and artists to have to box themselves into a more commercial area.

I am yet to tour Australia but I am so excited for the day. NZ has been so fun to tour, I’m learning a lot and can’t wait for the next one!!

What's the favourite show you’ve ever played?

Last weekend in Auckland was huge and possibly one of my favourites. Just the crowd was insane and so fun to play to, I really felt as though I could thrive and have fun. Shows like that are game changers

How do you go about songwriting, what is your creative process?

Recently I’ve been vibing a lot off the production and write around that. Because my new music is so fun and bright it’s important to make that vibe immediately. It’s a new thing for me, I used to write then produce around it however I’m now trying the other way. It’s sort of stronger too I think?

I love your new single WEEKEND AT BERNIES. Can you tell me about the writing and recording process?

I flew down to catch up with some mates in Wellington! I got a DM from this guy called Tarn PK who was wondering if I was keen to do a session. It just so happened I was coming to Wellington and we worked out a recording session. We immediately clicked, he knew my vibe and that’s how we made WEEKEND AT BERNIES. It all just sort of flew out of me. We then had about 10 zoom sessions afterwards (when I was in AKL and he was in WLG) writing and going through the production together.

The music video for WEEKEND AT BERNIES is awesome! How did it come about? Where did the idea come from?

I’ve been meaning to work with Charlotte Evans (director) again for years. We had been in the occasional comms and then I got funding for WEEKEND AT BERNIES. I sent Charlotte a picture of the Backstreet Boys all huddled in together for a photo and it’s iconic. I sent it to her and was like “WOW, imagine if I played all 4 characters”. Charlotte totally blew it out of the water from there. It was awesome to see her work.

What's next for Jack Panther?

I’m wrapping up the tour this weekend in Christchurch for our final show! Next week I’m pretty much locking myself in the studio and making more music. I’m so excited for what’s next and for 2023. A couple of shows booked here and there but my main focus is finishing off all the new exciting songs.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 2, 2022
Megan Milner

Electric Callboy @ Factory Theatre, Sydney 1/12/2022

German electronicore party monsters Electric Callboy have arrived on our shores, ahead of appearances at 2022’s Good Things Festival. Before the festival cylinders fire up, Electric Callboy are warming up with 2 sold-out headline shows; at Melbourne’s Max Watts, and Sydney’s Factory Theatre. Along for the party are Clay J Gladstone and Paledusk from Japan, the latter also appearing at the Good Things Festival. 

Tonight’s venue may be half the size of the night priors Melbourne show, but the excitement and smiles sure are doubled! The Factory Theatre has had a facelift since I last attended a show here and it has a fantastic atmosphere with multiple rooms, hosting metal shows and comedy nights simultaneously. Scattered mullets, activewear and outfits are in full swing in hopes tonight’s headliner reciprocates the wardrobes. 

Clay J Gladstone begin the madness with a high-energy set. The Blue Mountains Emo Punk boys, fill the stage in kilts, overalls – sans shirts of course! They get the crowd dancing and singing early on, which isn’t the easiest feat for a local band supporting international acts. I sure hope to see Clay J Gladstone on more line ups, with a longer set. Their personalities pour out of their songs and dance moves, they’re a lot of fun! 

Japan’s Paledusk are up next, the first of 2 international headliners tonight. A Japanese, and a German band on the same night? I love festival season!

It feels as though they only just departed Aussie shores, as they appeared on the Metalcore Snitches tour alongside Alpha Wolf, Fit for a King and Great American Ghost in June. Paledusk’s music is unique and tight. The combination of metalcore, industrial, nu-metal, and EDM is exciting and impossible to look away from. We are even treated to an Eminem cover of Lose Yourself, Paledusk style. The guitarist never stands still, complete with spin kicks and windmills. Vocalist Katio jumps in the crowd for a sing along with their new friends, before closing out the set with Lights.
The pit is well and truly warmed up!

After their appearance at Good Things, they are darting across the east coast for a run of shows with Starve. Head to Destroy All Lines for more details on this tour.

Right at 9:10pm, the lights descend, and pink party ambience covers the stage. Intense dance music and intro, “In a world of desolation and sadness, six ultra-attractive men arose to bring back the joy. So, prepare yourself for the time of your lives. This is Electric Callboy. Are you ready?” Electric Callboy bound onto the stage straight into one of their biggest hits, Pump It. Each member kitted out in matching tracksuits, mullets and sweatbands the crowd erupts. Their mix of party tunes and heavy beats is the perfect combination. Before the crowd can catch their breath, we’re hurled into Arrow of Love as band members and crowd members alike make love hearts with their hands. This really is one of the happiest, most positive shows I’ve been to in a long time.  

The lights darken and members exit the stage, returning in normal stage clothes asking if we know how to ‘Jump the Fuck up’, why yes Electric Callboy, we sure do! The Scene begins with a marching beat and chant before the crowd jumps the fuck up to the ridiculously intoxicating beat. One of two lead singers, Nico points out that the huge headphones he is wearing aren’t just for fashion. He’s been battling an ear infection and can’t wear in ears, so big over-ear headphones are the next best option. While feeling a little vulnerable, the second vocalist Kevin says he looks cute and asks the crowd to join in to make him feel better. Kevin and Nico share a kiss during Supernova, the love is flowing through the venue tonight! 

MC Thunder 2 (Dancing Like a Ninja) shows the full extent of the vocal talent Kevin possesses. He conjures gutturals from the belly of hell, as crowd-goers look to their friends with pure delight in the form of a stank face. While the two singers cover most areas of the stage, the band members are giving just as much. Their music is tight, and they don’t miss a beat. The sound guy needs a raise because tonight is flawless. 

September saw the release of their latest album Tekkno, which holds many gems. One of those gems is Tekkno Train, which begins with a fun dance beat beginning the united clap. Interrupted by a heavy breakdown before a big singalong chorus, it’s impossible to stand still! Drummer, David-Karl Friedrich is beating the drums so hard, I can feel it in my chest. Do you want to know what happiness looks like? Its friends dancing around singing the words ‘choo, choo choo, choo choo choo we’re riding on the Tekkno train’

The band exit the stage once more before the intro of favourite Hypa Hypa seeps through the speakers. We all thought we had to wait until the end of the set to hear this one! Hands are in the air clapping to accompany the vocalists, who have returned in yet another costume change. Its contagious ‘do do do do’ sing along ignites the crowd as the circle pit opens to madness.

The banter on stage is just as entertaining as the performance, the German accent only makes it more wonderful. Kevin speaks of a tradition of dancing with friends to a type of music in Germany called Schlager. It’s overused, dance-pop-infused music that is scoffed at. Luckily, they wrote their own Schlager song which transitions quite abruptly into deathcore. Hurrikan is a major hit of the night, coming in at only 1 minute and 39 seconds the crowd is left in awe at what they’ve just witnessed. 

One fake encore later, we’re treated to the latest single Mindreader, the film clip, not even a fortnight old. An incredible aspect of the evening is not only that it is Electric Callboys very first Australian tour and they’ve sold out 2 shows, but the crowd knows songs so well, even when performed entirely in German! The members are incredibly moved and thankful for the support, interacting with the crowd at every opportunity. Spaceman may receive one of the most enthusiastic receptions.

Another fake encore reveals the German madmen decked out in bowl cuts and matching white vests. This can only mean one thing, it’s time for We Got The Moves. I’m not sure if it’s predominately laughter or cheers, perhaps both but the crowd is pumped! The song kicks off with the signature head bop, as the band and crowd leave nothing in the reserve tanks. 

Tonight, was a fantastic showcase of top tier musicians. We were captivated by our international guests and what a treat it was. Electric Callboy is such a strong band and if you look beyond the funny lyrics and ridiculous film clips for a moment, you will find talent in truckloads. They have unquestionably swept the globe, and I am ready for the takeover! Their recorded music is only going from strength to strength with imaginative film clips and now Australian audiences know how great they are live.  

If you are heading to the Good Things Festival this weekend, do yourself a favour and get in the gates early to catch their set. 

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Gig ReviewsReviews
December 2, 2022
Josh Mak

Sleeping With Sirens @ Max Watts, Melbourne 1/12/2022

It was a delightfully cool evening that heralded the start of summer as I arrived at Max Watts, 30 mins before the doors were to be opened. A long queue had already formed and snaked it’s way around the corner and down the alley like a magnificent, black veiled, rainbow serpent.

Emo, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, none of these labels mattered tonight. All that mattered was that Sleeping With Sirens were in Melbourne and had sold out the venue.

 First up were Melbourne’s very own, Bad/Love. Having just completed a tour in October supporting Stepson, the boys were in fine form and delivered a killer, high energy set from start to finish. Their guitarist appeared to have had some technical issues early in the set but the band smoothly continued while it was sorted out and didn’t miss a beat. The crowd responded enthusiastically towards the band and even got a circle pit going mid set.

After some initial delays due to technical issues, The Beautiful Monument took to the stage and delivered a set that was like a soundtrack to an emotional roller coaster. Songs akin to a cocktail of heartbreak and angst resonated with the audience as vocalist Lizi Blanco managed to simultaneously capture both joy and sorrow in her performance.

While we waited for Sleeping With Sirens to take the stage several ABBA songs were played over the sound system much to the crowds delight. They gleefully sang along, loud and proud to know all the lyrics. I guess no matter what genre of music you are into, we can safely assume everybody loves ABBA.

At 9:40pm the lights dimmed and the crowd screamed as Matty Best took to the drums and gradually built upon the tension in the room with a series of well executed drum fills. As he reached a crescendo the whole band ran out on stage. Kellin Quinn acknowledged the crowd and was rewarded with a raucous reception as the band began playing, Break me down.

Sleeping with Sirens performed with a frenetic energy as Kellin swung his microphone from his neck and bassist Justin Hills ran around giving high fives to members of the audience. By their 3rd song, Leave it all behind, the crowd had transformed into a sea of undulating bodies creating a marriage of synchronicity and chaos.

Circle pits and mosh pits spontaneously erupted and we even got to see the infamous wall of death as they performed Complete Collapse and Crosses off their new album. Aggressive, groove driven verses gave bloom to anthemic choruses that the fans were all too eager to sing along to. From their reaction it seems the fans not only approve but absolutely adore the new material.

Despite all the moshing the crowd seemed respectful of each other at all times and there was a sense of camaraderie among the fans. This sentiment was further reinforced when Kellin made a heartfelt speech about self worth and being there for each other. We were even treated to a little acoustic set performed by Kellin Quinn and guitarist, Tony Pizzuti which included a tasteful cover of Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls.

Ending on a high note they played Bloody knuckles off the new record and the fan favourite If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn. Sleeping with Sirens definitely have some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen and it seems to me that to them these aren’t just songs, but Anthems for those who don’t belong. And for them Kellin Quinn isn’t just a vocalist, but the voice of their generation.

If tonight’s performance was anything to go by then I can confidently say that we’re in for one hell of a day at Good Things Festival.

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