Saturday, July 11
[kenneth says...]
at least this is still kept up to date.
[5:59 PM]
Tuesday, March 31
[kenneth says...]
where?
before the month rolls out again, i should report back.
Jack Ladder + the Duke Spirit
Oxford Art Factory
27 March 2009
Jack Ladder is good at doing what he does, it's just not something I'm really into. Last time I saw him he was solo with an acoustic guitar. Now he's electric with bass and drummer full time. Drums the most interesting aspect of the show for me.
the Duke Spirit, didn't know much about them, just wanted to check it out. Glad to have come out tonight. Lead girl Liela quite a star. Dear, I'd said that so many times. But this time I'm not saying they're going to be big. By all accounts they already are. Her voice is different from the norm just by the necessary degree. She has all the right moves on stage. Read a review where they were likened to the Howling Bells. That dark country tinge thing is all the rage.
Birdlife + Caitlin Park + Lauren Horton
Hopetoun Hotel
23 March 2009
Birdlife had brief moments of interests. When the girl sang. But I may be sexist that way.
Caitlin Park sounded a bit like a local Cat Power at first. There were some laptop electronics that were rather ill judged though. Otherwise I'd be interested in seeing how this act develops with time. Wouldn't mind seeing again.
Lauren Horton. Rushed into a start while the crowd is still hanging around late on a Monday night. Seemed to rush thru the set, even had to cut it short as the crowd was starting to thin. Didn't radiate the same charm they did last time i caught them. Not their best show.
Leroy Lee + Melanie Pain
Oxford Art Factory
18 March 2009
Leroy Lee, one shaggy haired surfy dude on acoustic guitar, most interesting thing was finishing some songs off with loops and effects.
Melanie Pain. That's how she spells Melanie, I swear. pretty little French girl with pretty little French accent singing songs in English and French with a guy on keyboard and a little record player as accompaniment for the first half. It wasn't totally light background music. Her sound has an interesting, slight country tang to it. She calls them her cowgirl tunes. Still light and airy and pretty, largely. New single very buoyant bright and cheery.
[12:07 PM]
Tuesday, March 3
[kenneth says...]
march
Dear.
Another month rolls around. Just been so distracted. Maybe i've moved on from this blog. I'd say we may need some time apart, but that's already what's been happening. I haven't been scribbling about shows lately either. the best I can offer is this:
the Jezabels + Under Lights
Hopetoun Hotel
28 February 2009
Local band i really dig. reminds me of Love Outside Andromeda. and also early days of seeing Little Birdy. Saw Under Lights as a two piece once and was really underwhelmed. Much better tonight with five people on stage. Give or take. I was distracted by something stupid in the crowd. Moving on...
Roni Size / Reprazent
Good Vibrations Festival / Centennial Park
14 February 2009
"Reprazent is back!" What can I say? I was knackered, plans have fallen thru, but it'd take a lot more to make me miss Reprazent. Si on bass, live drums and guitars, Onallee, Dynamite MC, various unnamed men on keys and technology, Roni centre stage behind some keys, rather restraint. Dynamite MC of course a legendary junglist MC, have no trouble rousing the crowd up for the one drum'n bass act on the bill. Old hits from both albums, new cuts, and the club tracks from Full Cycle. Even the shit tunes. They played everything. And I was happy. Can't wait for this third LP.
Inga Liljestrom + Malone
Vanguard
7 February 2009
Gareth Malone. No doubt he's skilled. It's just not my kinda music. Give him credit for a unique sound. Inga, too, is drifting away a bit from the sound i so loved. musos got to evolve, sounds change. I can't determine what I make of her third proper LP. I mean, i haven't even got my hands on it yet. I'm hoping I'll warm to these new "mountains songs".
Heidi Elva + Lauren Horton + Andy Jans-Brown
Supper Club
5 February 2009
First act, did not care. Second act, Lauren Horton. Fun, quirky, interesting pop music I'd love to see again. Heidi, sound was a bit off, crowd was a bit rude and talkative. Not her best show ever. Shame it may be her last in a while. But if that means i can get album nunber 2 sooner, I'll be happy with that.
Juana Molina
the Famous Spiegeltent
31 January 2009
I was disappointed. Didn't help that I rocked up late (CURSE YOU CITYRAIL!) and was relegated to standing round the back. Acoustic guitar, electronics/keyboard. Failing equipment and tanties. brief glimpses of brilliance in amongst all that looping and live resampling. But too little too late for a visiting international.
the Matthew Herbert Big Band
Opera House Concert Hall
24 January 2009
What a kook. What an inspiration. Nar, he's not a kook, just a description I overheard some square say. Eska's voice/performance grated with me a bit. I was fine with it on record. But It totally didn't work for me when she tried to sing Dani's parts in "the Audience". I was in a very small minority, it'd seem. Amazingly got the Opera House Concert Hall up and dancing. What a sight! Got enough of the demonstration of interesting sampling/recording techniques. Made me want to give it a go when I got home. Double encores, and oh have I forgotten to mention? Some simply beautiful songs. Not only cleverly constructed, not only political, but just simply beautiful pop songs. Fantastic.
Camille (Fra)
City Recital Hall
22 January 2009
Brilliant. Clever and witty use of voice and body for making sounds. Even turns it into a visual event with the outfits in orange white and black, the jumping to the beat, the passing around of the "samples". The only musical instrument aside for the human body was a grand piano. My favourite would have to be the torch songs, the quiet tender ones. enticing.
Decoder Ring + Seekae
Hopetoun Hotel
17 January 2009
Secret shows! Seekae had interesting moments, probably sounds interesting on record, but still a bit rough constructing their shows live. Best when one of them got on the drums. Crack Cartel, playing a warm up show for the Big Day Out. After "welcome shoppers" it was all largely new, unheard material. And it all sounded solid. There was never that yearning for old material. Third LP soon come, and I look forward to their impending proper shows. Excellent.
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings + Ray Mann Three
Hyde Park Barracks
11 January 2009
The hype around this act I could not fathom. But then look at my record collection; there's nothing there I'd label traditionally soulful, let alone soul. Still, I'm glad to hear new things. First, local support, Ray Mann Three. Like Ben Harper. they could've done a very good job, who knows. I didn't. I'm just not into that sound. And shit, in the end, the same criticism could be leveled at Sharon Jones. oh yeah, sure, she's got a voice, a tight band, some moves and a sense of humour. Entertaining as a show, as a performance, it's just that the music didn't connect with me.
"Headroom"
Brighton Up Bar
10 January 2009
Sydney's home of kooky beats and basslines tonight welcomes Lorna Clarkson and Sophie what's-her-name who does some production that's interesting. I had high hopes for this line up, but it didn't really connect for me tonight. I had nothing else better to do, so I stayed on and see how the other djs do. But it wasn't a vintage night out.
Adam Freeland
Chinese Laundry
9 January 2009
New album soon come, so I wanted to hear what he was rocking in the clubs. But the crowd in the Chinese Laundry was just rude and ruining my vibe, man. so at the first cheesy track I called it a night.
The Ghosts of 29 Megacycles + 3ofmillions + Underlapper
Serial Space
9 January 2009
Underlapper. Great. My kind of pop music. 3ofmillions. More difficult, saved by the trumpet and the drums. 29 Megacycles. Too difficult. Even the projections were a challenge to deal with. Noise and guitar feedback and gross videos; I do not like.
the Gin Club + the Laurels + the Handsome Young Strangers
Annandale Hotel
3 January 2009
Handsome Young Strangers, seen them a few times now. No, there're not my thing, but credit where credit's due, they do their country punk thing well. Easily wins most crowds over. The Laurels, I'd been told to keep an ear out for them, was really looking forward to checking them out, and they just kinda disappointed. Dang. The Gin Club. Nice enough. Faint praise.
Skream/Benga b2b+ Hermitude + Western Synthetics + Bec Paton
Oxford Art Factory
2 January 2009
Ah, reliving gigs in reverse chronological order, I'm glad I got to see my favourite dj Bec Paton rock it early at this show. Then I wandered out and went AWOL for an hour. Western Synthetics didn't do anything for me. Hermitude was better. I used to love them, but then they fell out of flavour with me. And lately it's been coming full circle, I starting to dig them again. Skream and Benga. Oh thank you! finally the pace steps up. Slow is boring. Don't be restricted to a speed because of the genre. Benga i didn't dig so much, but Skream was happy ripping it up to an almost hip-hop to drum'n bass pace. For a moment there, I liked dubstep!
Underworld
Bondi Park
31 December 2008
What was I expecting and what did I get? New material? No. Annoying but generally nice gurners for a crowd? Largely, yep. The most epic and amazing new year's countdown? I have never been in anything more epic. Generally top notch Underworld show? Got that. Couldn't ask for more.
Parades + Underlapper + Sailmaker
Hopetoun Hotel
27 December 2008
Wandered into town to check out Underlapper, a band I'd been steadily warming to. First support Sailmaker didn't do much for me. Underlapper did a solid enough show. But headliner Parades, a band I hadn't heard of, they really impressed with a show of noisy pop and electronic noises. Fun and cheery with a hint of danger that's not found in the toned down EP recording they had on sale.
Handsome Young Strangers + the Justin Walshe Folk Machine
Botany View Hotel
21 December 2008
Handsome Young Strangers are the headliners, but the sneaky support the Justin Walshe Folk Machine sidestepped HYS's energy and bravado and won the crowd over with silly fun humour.
Darren Hanlon + Oliver Mann
St Stevens Church
20 December 2008
A church as a venue. Could really do with cushions for each punter. Or would that displease God too much? Oliver Mann had an amazing voice. But didn't win me over tonight. If folk tunes sung with big deep voices is your thing, by all means, check Oliver out. Dazza solo tonight, no drummer, Bree or Evelyn. Laura Jean and the guy from Youth Group was present to lend a helping hand. Maybe. Names and faces get jumbled up in my memory. As to be expected from a Dazza show, you sigh, you swoon, you smile, you laugh, you marvel at the pop song-craft. You leave thinking he's the best damn songwriter in the country. and almost 3 months later, that's still my opinion.
Divorcee
Hermann's Bar
18 December 2008
I was heavily medicated. I probably shouldn't have driven. The singer looked like a disproportioned highschool kid that should still be singing in a highschool band, the drummer was cheery with floppy arms like an octopus in an under the sea rock concert. I was heavily medicated. I probably shouldn't have driven. But Spod afterwards was making me sick. sicker.
Peabody + Wifey + Line Drawings + Border Thieves
Spectrum
12 December 2008
Border Thieves. Interesting. Very tight and together for what is supposedly their first or second gig ever. Loved the judicious use of samples for a rock band. When was the last time i heard that done well? Rocket Science? Line Drawings. Didn't do much for me. Wifey. Interesting, country and violin sound melding with the straight up rock. A band I'd like to see again. Peabody. Maybe a bit too loud, the very front has it's advantages, but it's not the right place for seeing every band. It was so loud and intense it just washed over me, I couldn't take it all in. What the hell happened?
78 Saab
Annandale Hotel
3 December 2008
Secret Show! Forgot what name they gave themselves. They didn't even print anthing in the ad, it was just a follow up to a battle of the bands competition, a short set till the venue had to close. Two triplej hits I recognised. The rest, well, it was over before I had formed a proper opinion of them. I'll give them another shot sometime later.
[8:55 PM]
Wednesday, February 4
[kenneth says...]
purchasing.
Oh no! I missed making an update in the month of January! A whole month passed and I didn't get around to finishing writing the reviews for the shows seen in December. And all the while I'd been seeing more shows. What can I do? Well, I haven't done a purchasing report in a while. A fair while, it would appear. I can't write a report about every one of them. Truth be told I haven't heard everyone of them.
Nerissa Campbell Musings Of A Telescopic Tree
Danny Byrd Hospital Mix 7
Hospital Records Out Patients 3
Hospital Records Out Patients 2
Hospital Records Out Patients
Commix, Nu:Tone, Logistics The Future Sound Of Cambridge 3
2562 Aerial
Bug, The London Zoo
Mazzy Star Among My Swan
Mazzy Star So Tonight That I Might See
Mazzy Star She Hangs Brightly
Bluebottle Kiss Patient
Jamie Hutchings After The Flood ep
Juana Molina Un Dia
Soft Tigers Gospel Ambitions
Camille O'Suvllian Sings Brel Live
Red Snapper A Pale Blue Dot
Adam Freeland Two Hours To Jupiter
Evil Nine They Live!
Terminal Sound System Constructing Towers
Krust Journey Thru The Cycle
Matthew Herbert Big Band, The There's Me And There's You
Chemical Brothers, The Brotherhood
Mr. Scruff Ninja Tuna
Alps Of New South Wales Alps Of The World
Mountains In The Sky Electron Suite
Meow Meow Here Kitty Kitty... The Lost Sessions
Hazel Brown Rivers And Veins
London Elektricity Syncopated City
Camera Obscura Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi
Deepchild Departure
dj Shadow & Cut Chemist The Hard Sell (Encore)
Mrs. Jynx The Standoffish Cat
Heidi Elva Ships And Trees
Camera Obscura Under Achievers Please Try Harder
Camera Obscura Let's Get Out Of This Country
Steinski What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective
Gudrun Gut I Put A Record On
Amon Tobin Chaos Theory soundtrack
Commix Call To Mind
Lavender Diamond Imagine Our Love
Pivot O Soundtrack My Heart
Unkle End Titles... Stories For Film
Desks, The Winter Catalogue
Nick Huggins Shipwreck
Tricky Knowle West Boy
Comatone E-50
Red Sun Band, The the Shiralee
Swell Session Swell Communications
Hampdens, The The Last Party
Burial Untrue
Burial Burial
Budspells Nomadik Souls
Abbe May Howl & Moan
Portishead Third
Shapeshifter Live
Abbe May Abbe May & the Rockin' Pneumonia
[10:18 AM]
Friday, December 26
[kenneth says...]
a blog's not a person.
sorry blog, been a while since you've been updated on my whereabouts. since we last chat, i've seen the following:
Parades + Underlapper + Sailmaker
Hoey
27 December
Handsome Young Strangers + the Justin Walshe Folk Machine
Botany View Hotel
21 December
Darren Hanlon + Oliver Mann
St Stevens Church
20 December
Divorcee
Hermann's Bar
18 December
Peabody + Wifey + Straight Lines + Border Thieves
Spectrum
12 December 2008
78 Saab
Annandale Hotel
3 December 2008
the Audreys
Oxford Art Factroy
21 November 2008
i'll come back to add notes about them later.
[9:50 PM]
Tuesday, November 18
[kenneth says...]
nice
15/11/2008 @ by Parramatta river
Decoder Ring
Took me a while to find the stages. I had been expecting them to host the event inside the vast a beautiful Parramatta Park, but instead it was staged by the ditch next to a great big shopping centre/car park.
Large video projections on to tents or giant balloon shaped orbs, life rafts drifting down the puddle, fires and rescue flares being waved around on raised platforms, while music on stage ranged from the operatic to the didge' played to a dance beat. Very mixed and varied night, but I don't care, I just came for the return of Decoder Ring.
Now missing the front girl Lenka as she does her own solo pop thing, Decoder Ring revert back to the instrumental rock with mild electronic/dance influence that is their first album roots. Still featuring the old but no less beautiful video projections from their past tours. I miss the submarines and the giant freaking eyeballs.
Band members were bathed, cloaked in stage lights, focus diverted to their music and their video projections. The varied, family friendly general public crowd were appreciative of the band's thumping beats and guitars. Just a 45 minute set tonight, their first gig in a long time. No doubt had restrictions from the council regarding a strict ending time. In return, they do get to play in a special stage, lights and fires and all, and end the set with brief fireworks. "Welcome shopper" won't ever sound so epic again. Nicely done, looking forward to see what they do next.
16/11/08 @ Annandale
Jamie Hutchings, The Maladies, The Shipwrecked, Loene Carmen, Mark Moldre
What do i remember about the night? First act Mark Moldre was on the guitar supported by a bass player from Jamie's band that isn't Bluebottle Kiss. Play some emotional indie rock ballads.
Missed the Shipwrecked checking out the Thai restaurant at the back of the Annandale for the first time. Been here so any times, never bothered to look in the back and find the whole other half of the venue! Surprisingly nice place considering the state the main venue is in. Food was really good.
The Maladies, second time catching them play out. Developing a still small but dedicated following. Don't seem to play out much that often, but all that should change and they should be headed for bigger and brighter things, with their debut album about ready for launch. Singer with a unique voice in the Sydney scene.
Speaking of unique voices, in this day and age at least, Loene Carmen has what sounds to me quite an old fashioned delivery, very breathy and feminine. Almost annoyingly so, like early Holly Throsby to a rock backing. It has its charms, need to hear a bit more than this very short set allowed
Jamie Hutchings solo, or acoustic, cause there's more people on stage now then there was when Bluebottle Kiss' playing. Keys, drums, bass, another guitar and a backing singer. Brilliant though he may be, and he does stand out and rise above the average performance level of the night. But one can't help but feel a pang of disappointment that that voice is not singing out the front of Sydney's finest rock band. Has there own moments with the as promised excursions in vocal harmonies, sister Hutchings lending vocals and clanging on wine bottles to very enjoyable effect.
[10:39 AM]
Tuesday, November 11
[kenneth says...]
i missed my highlighter.
i don't think these write ups are finished!
19/10/08 @ Government House
Hermitude + Mr. Savona + Entropic + Tecoma
Last year we didn't make it past the gates, the Coda headlining show being cancelled on the day due to rough weather. This year I rocked up feeling rather ill and tired. Napped through most of the performances. The best I can come up with is:
Tecoma was pleasant,
Entropic was disappointingly mediocre, Hermitude perked my interest briefly with some dnb beats, before sinking back into rubbish hip hop reggae beats. Which really hurts, because I used to admire Hermitude. Not feeling their new direction. And Mr. Savona just plays a kind of dancehall vibe that I just never got into, so we left early as the clouds gathered.
24/10/08 @ Sandringham
Heidi Elva + Lucy Hall + Eva Popov
First girl singer Eva Popov turned up with a few friends early on. Paced around looking for a soundguy. Maybe she should have just waited to play a bit later, but she did seem a bit nervous playing to just her few friends and me. Nice, cute little performance, could have done with even more, definitely deserved a bigger crowd than she got tonight.
Next girl singer Lucy Hall has quite a healthy following. Filled the room up with sitting punters. On guitar and occasional ukulele. Bit stronger voice. Not that much more special than Eva Popov overall though. hmmm. My old complaint again, it's very easy for a girl and a guitar to sound pretty, but hard for any of them to really stand out. The playful tunes on the Ukulele helps a bit in this aspect, as does the above average voice.
Heidi, tonight, replaces Caddie the cello player with a 3 and a half piece choir. The packed (sitting) crowd for Lucy has thinned out a bit, despite Lucy's personal commendation. At one stage an audience member got up to do a little dance. Tonight's headline at the Sando is undeniably exceptionally quiet, so with the lower level having djs spinning some house music, it sadly loses its magic a bit.
26/10/08 @ Spiegeltent
Abby Dobson
Been meaning to catch Abby for ages. But she doesn't typically play the venues I frequent. Been meaning to check out The Spiegeltent for a while too, shame the first time I finally rock up it is a hot and stuffy Australian afternoon, a poorly ventilated wooden demountable on the Opera House forecourt.
This evening Abby on the acoustic, plus a guy on electric and another on cello. I'm surprised there were quite a few small children in the audience. Pleasantly surprised, good to see them going out young.
Abby was as cute and charming as you'd imagine her to be, though keeping the banter very brief. Songs all from the recent solo record, save for two new ones and two Leonardo's Bride tunes, the obligatory "even when I'm sleeping" and the Abby penned "begging bowl". "Even when I'm sleeping" an extra treat this evening with a slightly disheveled looking Dean Manning climbing on stage to play guitar for the best piece of pop he ever penned.
Abby's voice was the smooth, warm honey that you heard and fell in love with on record.
1/11/08 @ Spiegeltent
Camille O'Sullivan
French Camille may have had more success in record sales, but Irish Camille has been playing to packed houses and ecstatic reviews here more often. Plus I first heard Irish Camille from a brilliant live record.
What is cabaret about? I don't really know. Everyone seated, slightly scared that the sassy singer, femme fatale, will approach them and do something silly and embarrassing. A recipe for fun if ever there was one. Songs of love, lust, anguish, and other heightened passions, sung by a spectacular voice and alluring, playful character. Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and of course Jacques Brel.
2/11/08 @ Annandale
the Jezabels + Ouch My Face + the Spirits+ Sideways Hitchhiker + Go Roll Your Bones
First time I'd ever seen the Annandale in this two stage configuration, one front one behind. Five bands all jammed into an early start, early finish Sunday. Nice idea, I hope it takes off.
First act the Go Roll Your Bones sounded impressive. Partly because I always cut the first act more slack, and after cruising in the car listening to Radio National, anything amplified sounds impressive. The Go Roll Your Bones deserve much better than such back handed compliments and it was a shame they played to such a small crowd. At the very least they were better than Sideways Hitchhiker.
Sideways Hitchhiker was a band that today was only represented by they frontman on guitar. So it maybe unfair to judge them by this performance, but I will anyway. Lacklustre.
The Spirits sound pretty good. I didn't exactly fall in love with them but they did a passable job, didn't make a fool of themselves, didn't irritate. This kind of faint praise may well be what the band hates the most, but I do mean it in a genuinely good way. They show promise, they could still improve. I don't hate them.
Ouch My Face rocked, to a near uncomfortable degree. In comparison, they effectively thrashed it. Frontgirl's screamo vocals leaving the audience awe-struck. Holy crap, is this for real? What a little dynamo! Comparison with Young & Restless are apt. Not the kind of music I'd listen to much at home, but they run the headliner close for most impressive set of the night.
Been following this band around a bit now, the Jezabels. Represented by guitar, keys, drums and vocals, still to release their first piece of recorded music, they already have a set full of quality tunes that really wins my heart over. Hayley's rock siren vocals I could listen to for hours.
6/11/08 @ Oxford Art Factory
Qua + Mountains In The Sky + Ohana
Ohana didn't sound as impressive tonight, up on raised stage, losing the immediate intimacy of the up close performance the last time I caught them. Doesn't translate so well to this venue, to this billing and to my current state of mind. Punters generally seem more bemused than impressed with this shouty racket.
After a strange little spoken/rap piece that made no sense to me, Qua was on stage, represented by computers, electronic drum pads and live drum kit, on and off. I've been meaning to but never got around to really checking out the Qua sound, even though I love their name so much in Scrabble. I play for the words, not for the points. As they played out their palette of mildly kooky leftfield electronics, the keys, drummer and new extra keys girl of Mountains In The Sky slowly stepped in to play along with Qua, then finally taking over proceedings about 15 minutes in. The rest of night progress thus, with the two bands switching and melding into each other in an extended, slightly sloppy indistinct jam fest. I think I'd have preferred separate sets, this all felt a bit too self indulgent for them. It did ring with an echo of truth when a band member quipped it looked like they were having much more fun on stage than the punters were watching this big inter-band love-in. Well, for those of use that didn't jump on stage half naked anyway. I considered myself a fan of Mountains In The Sky, I liked the psychedelic pop soundscapes, but now it has darkened a bit, clouds of same-same post-rock noodling looms over their sound. I like their old stuff better than their new stuff.
7/11/08 @ aboard Lady Wakehurst
Concord Dawn + Budspells
Been a bit iffy over this one. Excited and confused as to what exactly a boat rave entails.
When we got there we wandered up and down the wharf, not having paid attention to where they said the boat would be landing. Was in half a mind to start making alternative plans for the night. But the Lady Wakehurt did come and aboard we went. A single dancefloor area, a bar area downstairs, and up stairs, well, just more space for youse to chill the fuck out, I guess. The punter numbers were just about right, got a big enough party happening without it ever being cramp.
Not so happy with the organisation. Promoters had promised they'd be making multiple stops through out the night, but that didn't materialise. Maybe I've just grown to be a boring old fart, but with everyone aboard already, I would have bumped the line up earlier, the support djs played for too long. I came mainly for Budspells, but by the time they brought on their reggae infused beats, I was already a bit worn out from bouncing to the prior dnb set. Forget even about what Concord Dawn was up to. I was very thankful there were plenty of seats for my tired old bones on the level up top. This really put my limited stamina into sharp focus. I'm getting too old for this shit.
[3:40 PM]
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