Win tickets to Splendour in the Grass – Yves Klein Blue

02Jul09

Yves Klein Blue have SOLD OUT their headline album launch shows in Brisbane and Melbourne, with tickets to other venues selling fast.

The Sold Out show at Brisbane’s Powerhouse Theatre, Friday June 26th, also marks the release  date of the bands debut album – Ragged & Ecstatic.

YKB’s show at Northcote Social Club, Friday July 10th, has also sold out weeks ahead of time.

“Debut from Brisbane outfit aims high, aims wide – hits all its targets.” Rolling Stone  Yves Klein Blue are also involved in an Australian first on Twitter.  From Friday at 11am (not before!) you’ll be able to download a free YKB mp3 of ‘Make Up Your Mind’ just by Tweeting a message to your followers (see http://twitter.yveskleinblue.com). After downloading, music lovers will then be asked to tweet what lengths they would go to see the band play at the ‘Splendour in the Grass’ festival in Byron Bay on 25- 26th July.  All tweeters who participate  before 6th July will have a chance to see the band play side of stage at the festival.

The technology behind this Twitter promotion was pioneered in the US, and was used for the first time on July 2nd by Travis Barker and DJ AM, who reached an incredible 4 million followers.

So get tweeting!
“Ragged & Ecstatic is an assured and powerful debut.” Time Out

Yves Klein Blue hit the road in June and July. They will be gracing the main stage on  Splendour In The Grass on the weekend of July 25th to finish up their tour.  Their debut album already has critics talking. ‘Ragged & Ecstatic’ is out on June 26th, 2009 through Dew Process/UMA.

yveskleinblue.com
myspace.com/yveskleinbluemusic
twitter.yveskleinblue.com
dew-process.com

Filed: Concerts | Tagged: , | No Comments

Bag Raiders Join Modular and release ‘Shooting Stars’

29Jun09

Following months of courting, waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweats, and idle chit chat, Modular is very proud to announce that Sydney duo Bag Raiders are now a part of the Modular premiere league.

Bag Raiders new single, Shooting Stars (at media today and available on MPE) is the first release in Modular’s new collaboration with The Bang Gang Deejays in-house label, Bang Gang 12 Inches, and will be out August 14.

Jack Glass and Chris Stracey have signed their lives away in return for a novelty cheque and a sack of peanuts and now begin their climb up the ladder of enlightenment through electronics. Shooting Stars will be their first release on their newfound home, with an album to follow in early 2010.

Shooting Stars is the kind of blissful dancefloor epiphany usually associated with the French, an ecstatic track that teases and builds to the kind of hands in the air love-in that’s been the certified secret weapon of discerning DJ’s for some months, and it’s now time for the rest of us to join the throng.

The single comes correct with remixes by Kris Menace, Siriusmo, In Flagranti and Shazam, and a video directed by New York upstart Ron Winter.

Bag Raiders came to light through their Bag Raiders EP, released on Bang Gang 12 Inches in 2007. Last year saw them release the Turbo Love 12” on Bang Gang before now coming aboard the good ship Modular, where they’ll now sail into the sunset and beyond to prospective world dancefloor domination.

BAG RAIDERS ‘SHOOTING STARS’ NATIONAL RELEASE TOUR

SAT JUL 18 – Club4play, Geelong VIC
FRI JUL 31 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney NSW
SAT AUG 1 – The Whalers Inn, Warnambool VIC

THU AUG 13 – Wollongong University, Wollongong NSW
FRI AUG 14 – Lot 33, Canberra ACT
THU AUG 20 – Charles Sturt University, Bathurst NSW

FRI AUG 21 – Roxanne Parlour, Melbourne VIC

SAT AUG 22 – Club Mod Party – Electric Circus, Adelaide SA

THU AUG 27 – Elsewhere, Gold Coast QLD

FRI AUG 28 – Empire, Brisbane QLD

SAT AUG 29 – Shape Nightclub, Perth WA

FRI SEP 4 – King Street Hotel, Newcastle NSW

* FOR MORE TICKETING INFORMATION & SUPPORTS SEE WWW.MODULAPEOPLE.COM *

Filed: Album Reviews | | 2 Comments

The Solomons: Not the Island

19Jun09

I recently discovered a local Melbourne band called The Solomons and it surprises me that they’re not more well known, despite having played at some of Melbourne’s best live music venues.

The group has been on the scene for about two and a half years but it’s only now that they’re really starting to really emerge as one of the better locals. Whilst they identify themselves as a rock-pop group, I don’t think they really have a definitive genre, having heard some of their demos on the MySpace/Facebook music player.

But who says bands need a particular genre anyway? Not in this day and age. I find that there are so many bands who feel a need to label themselves as being a particular style of music, whether it’s supposedly “indie” or rock or powerpop or whatever, but the thing is, there are hundreds, even thousands of bands of the same “brand” and they eventually end up sounding all the same anyway.

What makes this group stand from the rest out is their highly distinctive sound. Never mind the drive of ideas behind the music (although I’m sure there’s some influence there) but these guys have an edge about them. The lead vocalist also plays trumpet, which adds a different dimension to the music. The group play very tightly and cleverly incorporate some jazz undertones into their sound which makes it all the more sweeter on my ears.

The Solomons have a double A-side (Some Kind of Aid/Rise and Fall) to be launched sometime in the next couple of months and will be a sample of their debut EP due for release later this year.

Rise and Fall is subtly pensive with clever instrumentation and luscious harmonies carried throughout the tune. Some Kind of Aid is a hot infusion of funky rhythms and guitar licks that is complimented by cool female lead vocals and some explosive trumpet tunes.

The Solomons have played support to British India and will do so again next Saturday night at the HiFi. The band will also be supporting Evermore on July 24th at the Shoppingtown Hotel. Information on tickets to both shows is on the bands myspace or their facebook page:

Despite their quiet presence, The Solomons’ climb to the top is steady and impressive.  Check them out and let us know what you think.

Filed: Commentary, Opinion, Recommended | | No Comments

johnnyonline: Halleluja – a Leonard Cohen cover

19Jun09

By day I work for a social media agency, which means I get to see some really incredible content at time. And this cannot be ignored. johnnyonline – big thanks man.

Filed: music video | Tagged: , | No Comments

Splendour in the Grass announces second line-up

18Jun09

I am not going to Splendour this year, but if you are lucky enough to have got your paws on a ticket, then I reckon you will be either super-happy with the second line-up announcement, or completely underwhelmed.

If (like me) you remember the halcyon days of the Hacienda, Madchester, flared jeans and fishing hats, then you will be dancing in the street at the prospect of the Happy Mondays coming to Australia with all the pills, thrills and bellyaches that their arrival promises.

If you can’t remember the late 80s, (and I would assume the majority of Splendour devotees fall into this category), then there is nothing earth-shattering about this announcement. Doves are a solid if uninspiring festival band, so the other two highlights would be Architecture in Helsinki and Bridezilla who are both worth a walk across a field for.

Here is the second line-up in full:

Happy Mondays (in their ONLY Australian show), Doves, Architecture In Helsinki, You Am I, The Beautiful Girls, Downsyde & Drapht, Kisschasy, Little Red, Bluejuice, Children Collide, Miami Horror Live, Art vs. Science, Paul Dempsey, Dappled Cities, Dananananaykroyd, Holly Throsby, Bridezilla and Deya Dova

I have just seen the words that I really didn’t want to – “in their ONLY Australian show“.

Surely if those cheeky northern monkeys are coming all the way over from England they will do more than one show? Bez and Shaun will want to see much more of this beautiful country and all that is has to offer, even if they have forgotten all about it by the time they get on board the flight home…

Filed: Other | | No Comments

difficult for you easy for me

18Jun09

There was a song on the hit parades back in the 70s or 80s called ‘Difficult for you easy for me’. Can someone please tell me who sang it. Jack Henson and his orchestra has a track with the same title on his Ballroom dancing record but it doesn’t sound like the same tune and it has no lyrics

Filed: Other | Tagged: | No Comments

Warp20 (1989 – 2009)

16Jun09

Warp Records is an English record label that has been at the forefront of electronic music for 20 years. The label has been home to many of the greatest exponents of IDM (Intelligent Dance Music – an off-putting, but descriptive name for the genre) such as Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Autechre, (Chris) Clark and Boards of Canada.

To celebrate their 20th birthday, they are releasing a beautifully-packaged box-set comprised of cover art, vinyl and CD compilations later this year. And when I say beautifully packaged, I mean “beautifully packaged in a 10 inch square slipcase wrapped in charcoal Buckram embossed paper with tipped-on gloss-laminated cover photograph, designed by YES, photographed by Dan Holdsworth.”

Full details from the website as follows. I will be pre-ordering mine from Bleep.com as soon as they get the matching T-shirts back in stock!

Warp20 (1989-2009) The Complete Catalogue: 192 page book
10” square, 192 page full-colour, perfect-bound book. The complete-ist’s dream – a catalogue of artwork of every Warp release from its inception in 1989 to August 2009. Includes artwork from over 400 sleeves including work by the Designers Republic, Julian House, Build, Universal Everything and Kim Hiorthøy amongst others.  Foreword by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Black un-coated board cover with debossed and foiled typography.

Warp20 (Chosen): Double CD album
The definitive best of Warp on 2 x CDs. Ten songs chosen by you (Warp20.net), ten songs chosen by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Packaged in deluxe case-bound 10” folder, exclusive to this box set. Your personal messages and memories from Warp20.net featured on pullout poster.

Warp20 (Recreated): Double CD album
2 x CDs featuring twenty brand new cover versions of Warp songs by Warp artists past and present; including tracks by Autechre, Harmonic 313, Jamie Lidell, Plaid, Clark, Maximo Park, Leila, Seefeel, Luke Vibert and more… Packaged in deluxe case-bound 10” folder exclusive to this box set.

Warp20 (Unheard): Triple 10” Vinyl
Secret treasures newly rediscovered from the Warp vaults. Unheard and rare tracks by Boards of Canada, Autechre, Broadcast, Elecktroids and others cut to 3 x 10” vinyl. Housed in uncoated card sleeves with debossed typography. Vinyl exclusive to Warp20 (Box Set).

Warp20 (Elemental): CD album
Specially-commissioned hour long piece by re-edit master Osymyso, made from sections, samples, and fragments of Warp music from the last 20 years. Exclusive to Warp20 (Box Set) and packaged in deluxe case bound 10” folder.

Warp20 (Infinite): Double 10” Vinyl
2 x 10” vinyl cuts of hand-picked locked-groove loops from Warp tracks. Four sides of loops for mixing fun. Exclusive to Warp20 (Box Set) and housed in uncoated card sleeves with debossed covers.

Filed: Other | | No Comments

FBI Community Radio Fundraiser

14Jun09

Fri, June 19, 2009

Doors: 8pm

Tickets $10 on the sale from Moshtix and www.roxanneparlour.com/events

The Melbourne music community is gearing up to get behind Sydney community radio station FBi 94.5FM who are in desperate need of support to stay on air.  A huge line-up of bands, DJ’s and performers have rallied around the independent not-for-profit station to put on a huge fundraising night at Roxanne Parlour, Friday 19th June featuring Qua, Faux Pas, Hot Little Hands, The Frowning Clouds, Tan and 80’s dance troupe The Real Hot Bitches.  Some of Melbourne’s favourite DJ’s and promoters are also lining up to make a special guest appearance on the decks, with an all star-cast of special guest versus sets to show their support for independent radio and specialist music.

Michael Chugg said In a recent interview on FBI ”Stations like FBi and Triple R in Melbourne…are the radio of the 21st century and I would much prefer to listen to community radio than certain other stations “.

FBI’s music Programmer Dan Zilber said “currently, there are no plans to switch off transmission, but the station requires $1 Million to secure its long term viability. We’ve been ardent supporters of Sydney’s music art and culture since first broadcasting in Aug 2003 and have made significant contributions to the careers of artists and musicians while providing considerable support to Sydney’s venues, promoters and publicists.”

SAT, JUNE 20

CONTROVERSY LAUNCH PARTY SATURDAY JUNE 20 ft; Cameron Bird ( Architecture in Helsinki)

No black or white, no rules.  Controversy is the new night – disco  from the future, and classics from before time began. An epic main
room lineup, headed by Cameron Bird ( Architecture in Helsinki) and the infamous ‘parlour room party’ will both be in fulll swing – nu
disco, party edits, future house, baleric cool and heavy slung funk.

Cameron Bird , when not front manning architecture in helsinki, has DJ’d along side the likes of hot chip, gucci sound system and more.

Mainroom antics from Chestwig, Otologic, Jean Pierre, Leslie Salvadour and parlour times with Campfire, Waves At Night DJs, Lewie Day,
Superhandz & Francis Chang and Flirtclub Djs.  End of exams calls for celebrations, to help controversy has secured 20 cases of beer, free
to give to the masses throughout the night with other drink specials to boot.  This is the start of something rude, with a star studded
lineup of interntational guests to grace the decks at Controvesy over the next few months, help set the standard as we launch this show on Saturday June 20 at Roxanne.

STATE OF MIND (NZ) Album Tour, PATCH (SA), KITO (WA), 3RD EYE (Byron)

Sat, June 27, 2009

Doors: 10pm

DOWNLOAD PRESS SHOTS http://www.roxanneparlour.com.au/highres/StateOfMindHighres.jpg

Presenting BBA Sessions instalment number 48!

The State Of Mind lads are back, reppin’ the new album, soundin’ heavy!
Plus MC Lowqui on the MIC runnin’ tings proper!
In Support we have Adelaide Superstar DJ Patch on 3 decks!!
+ Safire, Dabeata and Kallous

In the Dubstep room we present two of Australia’s hottest properties in Dubstep!
Kito (WA), 3rd Eye (Byron). Alongside two of Melbourne’s finest, Dust, Same O.

That’s right folks, two rooms of mayhem soon to unfold again on the massive Nexo Sound Systems @ Roxanne Parlour

Email – info@brokenbeatassault.com for cheap tickets

Alan Braxe

Fri, July 3, 2009

DOWNLOAD PRESS PHOTO http://www.roxanneparlour.com.au/highres/AlanBraxehighres.jpg

Since 1997, we find Alan Braxe on titles as big as “Music Sounds Better With You” (Stardust), “Intro” (in collaboration with Fred Falke), … but also on numerous remixes for artistes as varied as Björk, Britney Spears, Annie, Kylie Minogue, Goldfrapp, Kelis, Jamiroquai or Justice.  After numerous years of studio work, Alan Braxe now performs as a DJ throughout the world: USA, Australia, Europe (IBIZA)… and he is rediscovering the ambience of clubs which made him fall in love with electronic music.

Indiependance Day – DRE SKULL

Sat, July 4, 2009

Doors: 9pm

Tickets on sale through Moshtix  http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=27736&ref=moshtix

DOWNLOAD PRESS PHOTO http://www.roxanneparlour.com.au/highres/dreskullhighres.jpg

Dre Skull (NYC), Dangerous Dan (Bang Gang), Knightlife (Cutters Records), U-Go-B (Modular), Peacocks LIVE, Cheap Date, Megawouti, Post Percy, Ando & Coleman, Nick Foley, James Fava, D’Manual, Lloyd Tofflon, Ben Cappa, Ando & Coleman, Vinnie La Posta.

DRE SKULL [Brooklyn//USA]

One of the world’s greatest “cross-boundary-party-DJs”. Think queer, fun, singalong, go crazy lose yourself tunes!

QUEER ROOM PARTY TUNES FROM :  Matty Dee [NYC] & Jonno Heyes and home town favourites, Soccer Mum Djs

Clearly a party to look forward to. Get your UNCLE SAM dress up on with some Statue of Liberty style…

Check out these links:

Dre Skull <here> – http://www.dreskull.com

Knightlife <here> – http://www.myspace.com/dancewithknightlife

U-GO-B <here> – http://www.myspace.com/ugob

Peacocks <here> – http://www.myspace.com/peacocksltd

Dre Skull boom mix for Radio 1 (Uk): <here> –

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=fffc5dd8599e16dbe7ba8e3c6e11ce20e06e8cccf9f991ed5621d66e282a0ee8

Aleks and The Ramps – Album Launch w/ Mixylodian, Peter Escott, Slo-mo Speedboat (Architecture In Helsinki)

Fri, July 10, 2009

Doors: 9pm

Tickets on sale June 10 at Moshtix.com.au and roxanneparlour.com.au/events

DOWNLOAD PRESS SHOT  http://www.roxanneparlour.com.au/highres/Aleks&TheRamps_3764.jpg

Melbourne five-piece Aleks and the Ramps offer their second full-length album entitled Midnight Believer, an adventurous and playful combination of indie-rock and innovative pop. Having earned the Album Of The Week accolades by Triple R and Fbi Radio, as well as great reviews by street press across the nation, they’re launching this masterpiece in Melbourne at Roxanne Parlour.  Looking over the history of Aleks and the Ramps live shows, no doubt there will be some wildly engaging synchronised moves and the ever spectacular glowing banjo.

With support from good friend and international act, Mixylodian, an electro/indie project consisting of himself and a revolving cast of humans, gameboys, samplers and backing tracks. Mike will be playing some songs solo, and then with a backing band, who happens to be none other than Aleks & The Ramps!

“Antique Limb is a sheer delight…” – Single Of The Week, Inpress

“Refreshing and endearingly maniacal…Definitely one to watch” – The Age

Listen to Aleks & The Ramps here – http://www.myspace.com/aleksandtheramps

Address: Contrary Bookings 36 Keele St, Collingwood, 3066

Roxanne – Level 3, 2 Coverlid Place, Melbourne

The Workers Club – Cnr Gertrude & Brunswick Sts, Fitzroy

Filed: Concerts | Tagged: | No Comments

Lee “Scratch” Perry in the Opera House

12Jun09

Last night the godfather of dub, Lee “Scratch” Perry and his band performed at the Sydney Opera House as part of Brian Eno’s Luminous festival. Perry has always been a mad bugger, and now at 73 years old, he’s a mad ancient bugger, complete with purple-dyed hair and beard, gold-sprayed shoes and loads of bling. His half-open eyes show the toll that years of ganja and other drugs have taken, but at least he is still alive, a fact that should give Iggy Pop hope for a long future ahead of him!

Perry’s band was a five piece, consisting of guitar, bass, drums and two keyboardists. Although not quite as advanced in years as Perry himself, the band were clearly experienced hands and looked very relaxed as delivered a very danceable dub groove for a solid two hours. Over recent years, the Opera House has become more expansive in its musical selections, which is great, but the fixed seating in the Opera Theatre does curtail the natural instinct to get up and boogie to danceable acts like this one. It was no surprise then, that the side aisles quickly filled up with groovers.

On the mixing desk was the legendary Adrian Sherwood and this must be the first time I’ve been to a gig where the mixer was almost as famous as the act on stage. Sherwood created the On-U Sound label back in 1979 and was a key figure in the UK reggae scene as well as being a driving force behind the dub-influenced industrial funk act Tackhead. Since then, Sherwood has dabbled in a wide range of styles as a producer and performed  in his own right. He has been collaborating with Perry for over 10 years and clearly knows the material inside out. Given that dub music from its origins is fundamentally a studio creation, there are challenges recreating that in a live setting (although effects pedals, samplers and other technological developments do help). Fortunately, doing just that is the idea behind Sherwood’s creation of On-U Sound in the first place, and the years of experience shone through. This was perhaps the best mixed concert I have ever attended.

And the music itself? Some of the classics made an appearance, including “Blackboard Jungle Dub (version 2)”, which is one of the all-time dub classics and probably my favourite Lee “Scratch” Perry track. It is also a great example of a dub track that was very much a studio creation, but the band’s rendition was superb. Like so much dub, the original was an instrumental and for the live performance Perry, somewhat bizarrely, chose to sing lines from “Where-ever I lay my hat, that’s my home”. A strange choice, but it almost worked. Perry was first and foremost a producer, a creator of a distinctive sound. He was never a great singer (witness this track from 1982 for example) and age has not really improved his sound. His timing and sound was often uneven, his words largely imprehensible, but sometimes the eccentricity faded to the background and the singing and music blended perfectly. The uplifting “Kilimanjaro” was a case in point: fueled with the rather bizarre Rastafarian imagery that is so much a part of reggae, it was a triumph.

There were some disappointing omissions, I’d have loved to hear Disco Devil to name just one, but that really reflects the volume of Perry’s output over the years.

In all it was an extremely enjoyable concert, with an excellent sound fronted by one of the crazier giants of music history. It was an opportunity I was glad I didn’t miss.

- Sean Carmody

Filed: Concerts | Tagged: , , | 6 Comments

Statement Of Intent: A Key Ingredient To Making It In This World

08Jun09

rock-star-babyLike the great musician Joey ‘The Lips’ Fagan, I believe in starts. Once you have the start the rest is inevitable.

The first song on a debut album is critical. It is the opening gambit that should sum up your dreams and aspirations and place your contemporaries on notice: This world is mine and I dare you to stop me.

Now there are some mighty fine debut albums that feature great opening tracks but the best ones are those that personify the ambitions of the artist.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Bruce Springsteen – Blinded By The Light (from the album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J)

Certainly not the biggest song in his career (throw a blanket over a dozen classics) or the most well known version (that goes to Manfred Mann’s Earth Band), ‘Blinded By The Light’ is Springsteen kicking off Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. with a Dylanesque stream of rhyme. The key line is right at the end:

“Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun
Oh but mama that’s where the fun is”

Any teenager wanting to be a musician can relate to that.

U2 – I Will Follow (from the album Boy)

29 years after its debut, ‘I Will Follow’ still sounds fresh, thanks primarily to The Edge’s guitar work. The song itself is pure youth bursting out of the speakers. The best statements of intent need a little earnestness and who better to deliver that than the most earnest band of the 1980s?

R.E.M – Radio Free Europe (from the album Murmur)

Released as a single two years prior, ‘Radio Free Europe’ was re-recorded for their debut album in 1983. Much like ‘I Will Follow’ it is more about the raw sound than the lyrical prowess. The driving beat is a strong reminder that when drummer Bill Berry left, R.E.M. would never be the same.

Hoodoo Gurus – I Want You Back (from the album Stoneage Romeos)

I have always seen the Gurus as a great singles band  but upon reflection their albums are just as strong, none more so than their debut. ‘I Want You Back’ is vintage garage rock that saw the Aussie quartet break through to college radio in America.

Oasis – Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (from the album Definitely Maybe)

Opening salvos don’t get any more direct than ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’. The song is as much about the band’s wish to get out of their own shit hole of an existence as it was Britain’s. Love them or loathe them, the Gallagher brothers have embodied the words of this tune ever since.

What is your favourite statement of intent? Let us know.

Filed: Commentary, Opinion | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments

  • About

    Unsleepable is a free theme for WordPress created by Ben Gray. If you don't want this particular text on your site then you'll have to either edit it manually or slide a widget in to this area. This area is called "subfoot center."