Jessica Conway

Howling Bells

HOWLING OUT LOUD

Despite it being a leisurely 9.45am when my phone rang, it was close to midnight for HOWLING BELLS frontwoman Juanita Stein. The quartet had just finished another gig on tour with Elbow, this time in Amsterdam. Despite the hour, Stein didn’t sound remotely fatigued by the rigorous touring schedule, nor the impending drive to Paris – oh the glitzy, globe-trotting lifestyle of touring artists. “You know what, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds,” she responds, a tone of disenchantment coupled with a smile in her voice.

So, how is Amsterdam, I probe. “Fun!” she exclaims. “I think that’s the most important word… We’ve had the most time off here, and I guess if you’re gonna have time off then Amsterdam is the place to do it!” she giggles, keeping the tales of deviance and debauchery to herself.

The London-based Aussie band are returning home, proudly toting The Loudest Engine, their new album recorded in Las Vegas. It was produced by The Killers’ Mark Stoermer and penned while travelling around the United States on tour with Coldplay – their tour bus inspiring the album’s namesake. “The album was about looking back, gaining perspective and summarising the whole experience,” she says. “We found ourselves in some really dirty and gritty parts of America and you meet some… umm,” she trails off, “fruity characters. Yeah, we’ll leave it at that.” Stein thoughtfully concludes, after mentioning a flowing track, Sioux, written about a wandering homeless man they met in Nashville.

The Loudest Engine permeates ‘70s-esque pop with psychedelic indie rock flavours, twangy and gritty guitars, subtle percussion and Stein’s ethereal vocals rounding out the album. Many a Hitchcock film was watched in the production process, adding to the theatrically brooding undertones. Male vocals add a nice element to a few of the tracks, changing the dynamic and keeping the compilation engaging. The album has a continuity in its sound which will translate well on stage; audiences are set to be enchanted by the lyrical stories and smouldering tracks.

Their first single, Into The Sky, was born out of a challenge. “I wrote it about my…” she pauses, searching for the right word, “…loved one, I guess you could say. He challenged me because I was complaining either he was always going away, or I was always going away – so he set me a challenge, to filter all my sadness and frustrations into a song. He said ‘when I land in the next country in so many hours, I want you to have written a song’. And so I wrote that song and played it to him over the phone when he landed.”

Our time comes to an end all too quickly, and I leave the lovely Stein to head for the land of snails, frogs legs and “lots of red wine”.

Howling Bells will play a show at The ANU Bar on Thursday December 8. Tickets cost $24 + bf and are available through Ticketek.

The Getaway Plan

GETAWAY GET BACK TOGETHER

“The break up wasn’t nasty, we just weren’t talking anymore,” THE GETAWAY PLAN’s frontman Matthew Wright recounts, proving silence isn’t always golden. The Melburnian alternative rock band experienced a meteoric rise to fame fresh out of school, with their debut single Where the City Meets The Sea climbing to #6 on the ARIA Aussie Singles Chart. “The touring schedule was too much for us, we were too young. We were afraid of burning out, so we decided to pull the pin,” Matt explains.

After a couple of years apart and experimenting with other bands, The Getaway Plan officially reformed last year. “We realised we were ready to take this on again, and do it right.” Matt’s re-entered the realm of back to back interviews, as The Getaway Plan enjoys a warm welcome back from fans and critics alike.

Before my inner alternative-pop-rock fan gets my hopes up for a lasting reunion offering more alternative anthems and future melodic vocal rollercoasters, I had to know why Matt figured they’d stick this time. “We’ve all matured so much,” he says. “We’ve readied ourselves for the lifestyle that we weren’t ready for before. The dynamics are so much better between us as a group. We’ve realised how lucky we were to have what we had.

“It was tiring and it’s really hard out there... I had to start looking after my own equipment. We didn’t have guitar techs or tour managers like we usually do with Getaway,” Matt says of his post break up reality check.

The band headed to Toronto to knuckle down and create the new album, Requiem, 12 hours a day, six days a week for three months, all the while living together. “Living with the guys was incredible, it helped us rekindle a friendship that we lost when we broke up,” Matt recounts. “People would think we’d get sick of each other,” he laughs, “but we couldn’t get enough, hey!”

The album is “a lot more real than our last record” says Matt. “Instead of searching for the best takes, we were searching for the most interesting and looking for energy and performance, rather than perfection,” he explains.

Their latest film clip for The Reckoning is intense. Inspired by a movie scene, it depicts the murder of a child by his peers. “We never set out for it to be offensive,” Matt says of recent publicity. “We were more just like ‘let’s just do what we fucking want and if something turns wild then let’s just let it slide this time around’.”

While The Getaway Plan have stuck to their successful formula of old, they have added depth by using a number of orchestral elements, with strings and wind instruments layering the tracks. Two choirs feature, adding to the emotion and effect of The Getaway Plan’s thematic, and often dramatic, songs. Their revamped, fleshed out sound is both expansive and captivating.

Catch The Getaway Plan, supported by Break Even and Gatherer, live at the University of Canberra Refectory on Sunday November 27. Tickets are $37 + bf and can be purchased by clicking here.

The Vasco Era

“Didn’t I see you at Werribee mental facility?” 15 minutes into my interview with THE VASCO ERA drummer, Michael Fitzgerald, he stopped midsentence as he was approached by a lady on the street trying to figure out where she knew him from. Michael, very politely, pleaded ignorance to being institutionalised, and the woman went on her way.

What happened to a vague “you look kind of familiar”?

Well, I can vouch for Michael, he didn’t seem insane – not even an ounce of angsty, tortured, penniless indie/rock artist vibe. 

Regardless, a slightly loony air may be working for them with their latest single Child Bearing Hips getting heaps of air time on triple j. Interestingly, the song’s namesake originates from lead singer Sid’s body shape. “Sid’s been told for years by me and other friends he has ‘child bearing hips’ and that’s where the line came from.” There is a touch of wider social commentary at play too; “You go to a party sometimes where people try and make themselves look really intelligent, and try and pay you out because you aren’t dressed using the right gear; I guess we’re making a comment on that as well.”

Unusual for a band, the trio all live distances apart, but it’s no biggie because, “We don’t rehearse anyway,” Michael explains. “I don’t know if you’ve ever seen us before, but we’re not one of those flash professional bands.”

I have seen them before, you may recall them from GTM a couple of years back, and they certainly have a stage presence. In fact they’re so engaging live, their new self-titled album aims to recreate that very energy. “It really is just us playing,” he says fondly. The emotions definitely come through, with the vibe fitting the array of track atmospheres perfectly.

“You always learn something off the people you watch,” Michael notes, and as the band has crossed paths with Wolfmother, The Hold Steady and The Black Keys as well as playing many festivals including Southbound, The Great Escape and Falls, they’ve picked up some serious skills.

Their encounter with The Violent Femmes was a lesson in professionalism, but not where the band wants to end up. “It was strange with The Violent Femmes, it was at a time when there were all these disputes going on between them about songwriting credits. They weren’t friends…it was a really awkward situation.” However Michael recalls how they pulled it together on stage. “They were still amazing,” he remembers. “We got to get on stage with them too – it really was inspiring to see how they came together.”

Good news dear reader, the boys are headed this way, co-headlining with another top Aussie band Papa vs Pretty. Canberrans have the privilege of being this tour’s cherry-popping first stop, complete with naked mud wrestling, drummers hanging from the ceiling and a bearded lady to draw you from your TV sets on a Wednesday night*.

Still thinking about the psych facility question, I asked Michael if what he was wearing was some indicator; black jeans, a tee-shirt and a “blue suit jacket thing”. Hmph. He did say he was growing his hair out and working on a beard. Perhaps it’s just in an awkward growth phase?

*This may have been fabricated at the talent’s request, and may or may not eventuate.

The Vasco Era will be playing the ANU Bar with Papa vs Pretty on Wednesday October 26. Tickets are a grand total of $21.90, through Ticketek.

Pnau

Despite experiencing London’s typical gloomy drizzle, PNAU’s Peter Mayes was very chirpy and pleasantly chatty – even when facing back to back interviews, a mere two hours sleep and no break in sight for the supremely talented Aussie.

Pnau’s fourth album Soft Universe is out now, complete with Sir Elton John’s (metaphorical) stamp of approval. The duo met with one of the world’s most incredible musical minds regularly for guidance. “The great thing with [Elton] is he doesn’t try and push you in one direction or another. If he thinks something’s not working he’ll tell you in the same way as if he thinks it is,” Peter recounts. “He’s a pretty priceless perspective to have.”

Pnau’s latest LP is more of a traditional pop album, with carefully structured songs. Some orchestrated ballad-type numbers feature, thrown in amongst the synth-laden serotonin-releasing tracks that stay true to Pnau’s musical reputation.

It’s no secret Nick Littlemore was in an emotionally dark place post-breakup while writing this album. Once your ears drift past the melody filled, toe-tapping tunes you find some serious, heavy lyrics with a painful undertone. “I think both of us have always really liked the juxtaposition of darker lyrics and brighter music,” Peter says of the conflicting emotions between melody and words. “If you have a whole bunch of darker, emotional lyrics and then you write darker, emotional music it’s almost too indulgent. No one really gets anything out of that. But if you have something that’s darker, or more negative, and turn that into a positive then it seems like a more noble cause.”

The duo are set to grace Canberra’s crowds at Foreshore 2011, sporting a fresh performance; “Expect a very intense musical experience. It’s a whole lot of fun, but really something to remember. It won’t be like the last time we played… it’ll be more of a live band with a lot more people on stage.”

Peter and Nick are physically continents apart, with Nick based in New York and Peter staying closer to their London studios. It’s not an issue as Peter explains “regardless of where you’re actually living you’re never really there that much… we’re always all over the world anyway. We very often live in very different locations, but with Skype and everything you always seem to keep in touch”.

Although the two are infamous for their side projects (Empire of the Sun, anyone?), with Nick currently working on a Cirque Du Soleil album, Peter says those tracks probably won’t feature at Canberra’s biggest summer dance festival. “It’s definitely not boogie music,” he laughs, before adding, “We do like to do a bit of everything and have a lot of things on the go at one time.” They sure do, and their next performance is guaranteed to be worth experiencing.

Pnau will be making bodies move at Foreshore festival, on Saturday November 26. Tickets are still available through foreshorefestival.com.au for $119.95 + BF.

Philadelphia Grand Jury

Simon “Berkfinger” Berckelman of PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY lives the muso lifestyle, but with remarkable restraint and moderation. The night before our chat he admits “getting crazy drunk and doing silly things” around Sydney city streets, yet I found a remarkably coherent and conversational man on the other end of the phone line.

He concedes, however, that this does not apply to many members of the industry. “I would say that at least half of the music industry right now is full of alcoholics who can’t actually make anything of themselves, but want to be a part of the process.”

The fuzzy-faced Philly Jays do not fit these criteria, taking their music seriously and letting it develop organically, spontaneously and fluidly. They record instruments and vocals wherever and whenever the mood strikes; be it on the road, in a mate’s bedroom, rocking out on a drum kit in their kitchen or sneaking into Big Jesus Burger after hours (renowned Sydney recording studio where Simon worked). This level of control is a must as they refuse to “have to rely on any other motherfuckers to get money off them [to make an album].”

Their ability to record as they please is clearly working well as they have just come off one helluva tour of the UK and USA. Simon reckons they “went to every friggin’ town and met every crazy person” in the UK, but the States sounded like the real experience. Simon recalls “we played lots of really bizarre parties and took all of our clothes off, kicked everything over and broke a lot of stuff,” true punk rock style.

And be prepared Canberran folk, they are set to bring these onstage antics here, to our placidly perceived capital – well, we hope. Ya see, these boys have had some trouble playing in our neck of the woods previously; first attempt gig was cancelled, second Simon got swine flu, third their drummer missed his plane and the gig, but fourth time lucky they ended up taking their gig to the street and jamming with the crowd.

The guys draw inspiration for their “smart punk” from classic punk and old boys of rock and roll “who really fucked with what a performance was.” Simon doesn’t know if they will unleash on the pavement again but states “we never know what’s going to happen, but we know something has to.”

To add to their allure, their present drummer is the one and only Susie Dreamboat/Patten, of I Heart Hiroshima fame, adding a new dynamic with their “easy musical connection” bolstering their latest tracks. Simon notes “people love her ‘cause she is a girl, and she is little but she’s tough.”

Alongside their engaging, exciting and energetic stage show there is their re-released album, Hope is for the Hopeless. Amped up with bonus tracks and a DVD of a Brissie house party performance, it is a must for any fan, follower or music aficionado.

Catch Philadelphia Grand Jury with supports Howl and Bearhug live at the ANU Bar on Friday November 26. Tickets are $20.85 (+bf) via Ticketek.

After The Fall

Central coast rockers AFTER THE FALL have been around the block a few times, but according to frontman Ben Windsor they have no inclination to stop “chuckin’ laps of Australia.” Sure, the band have hit speed bumps along the way; being dropped from one record label, suffering financial strife and their latest album being “denied” by triple j, all the while still working regular nine to five day jobs. Regardless of these trials, they’re back on the road and ready to get your blood racing!

Their last tour with Calling All Cars revived the band’s fervour of energetic live performances, a vibe reflected in their current album. In Exile is a little different from their first two accomplishments “because the space between the second and third album was so long, we’d changed. We’re different people now,” Windsor explains. “We wanted to push ourselves to do something different, which is what we did.”

Though there is some computer tweaking, their sound has not morphed into the increasingly suffocating synth-pop/rock/indie genre. “I want to experiment, but you can kind of get stuck up your own arse, and really lose what the song originally had.”

After being dropped by their old label, In Exile became a labour of love, completed in bits and pieces whenever they had a dime to spare. Roadrunner Records, home to Korn and Slipknot, saved the financially troubled band, much to the band’s surprise. “I was like ‘what the hell does Roadrunner want to do with us? They have all these metal bands, and we completely don’t fit with the label.’ But apparently they want to expand, so we were like ‘hell yeah!’”

For Windsor there appears an interesting, although somewhat heartbreaking pattern when it comes to album production. “It seems like before every album we make I’ll break up with my girlfriend, or my girlfriend will break up with me,” he says with a tone of lament. “I write about me and what I’m feeling. I guess I’m kind of selfish in a way.”

The boys have played some big festivals, most recently Texas’ South by Southwest, and have supported some big acts like AFI, Dashboard Confessional and 28 Days. Windsor’s favourite, without hesitation, was Midnight Oil. “I got to meet Peter Garrett! He gave me the full politician handshake, it was quite weird. We all lined up in a line – we didn’t mean to! But it just ended up like that. He walked along shaking all our hands,” he laughs. “But to see them live was amazing. It made me think ‘ooh, that’s how you do it – that’s how you play live.’”

There was one more thing Windsor wanted readers to know. “Umm, we’ve got a new album out. It’s in stores now, and it’s really, really good. Well worth a purchase or a download even.” Love a bit of shameless self promotion.

Catch After The Fall when they play with Gyroscope at the ANU Bar on Saturday June 19. Tickets through Ticketek.

Mink Engine - Mink Engine [Interscope]

Mink Engine’s latest electro pop release, Acres Of Diamonds, is set to make inroads into the overcrowded genre of electro pop. The ‘80sesque sound, laden with synths and drum machines, achieves the duo’s goal of creating a hyper technicolour beast rampaging through my mind, if I concentrate enough. Askii (Adam Milburn) and Touch Me Tiger (Holly-Anne Buck) let their tweaked speech liven up most of the tracks while in others the generally mild bass and electronic tidbits do their work. However, their simple and catchy lyrics serve the purpose of breaking up the tracks and keep things interesting. Through their sugary and floaty lyrics they seek to communicate an (unexpected) variety of moral messages regarding the futility of fame, the dangers of over indulgence and arrogance and the mind-controlling society we live in.  And they do this using a host of fun characters; Dick Chicken, Cakehead, Dr Daikon and Mutant Apples. The Melbourne based duo’s decidedly arty background reverberates through their album, film clips and website. TMT is responsible for the group’s computer generated surrealist-pop-art-collage with hints of ‘80s video game graphics with a smattering of Warhol that make for a truly individual visual display. This visual element is a massive component in all their work, apparently coming into full effect in live shows. I reckon the Engine’s tracks will not be long from dance floors and will ride neatly alongside MGMT, The Presets and Midnight Juggernauts.

Diego Guerrero

WHAT: Flamenco, Bossa, Tango, Cuban Son
WHEN: Sat Jan 30
WHERE: The Playhouse

Some music pulls on your emotions like a doll by a puppeteer’s hand, and Diego Guerrero has a way with strings. The Spaniard, accompanied by a top notch Latin and jazz quintet, will create a canvas of musical contrast lifting flamenco’s mood with the vibrant and raw sounds of Cuban Rumba. Guerrero is supported by Brazilian singer Alda Rezende and Canberran quartet Los Jovenes Del Tango. The audience will be treated to what is promised to be an unforgettable tango by Canberran duo Gary and Yuko. Tickets are $45 and concessions and under 27s are $35.

Live Evil

Remember the ‘70s? When Smoke On The Water was new and peace and freedom were within reach? You do? Well, it is time to relive the decade with your life’s metal soundtrack. You missed that era? Then come and glimpse the atmosphere you missed. Canberra based tribute band Live Evil promise rousing anthems with extravagant drum and guitar solos that will have you bringing out all your air instruments. Playing hits from AC/DC to ZZ Top (with Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Dio, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow and Black Sabbath in between). Dust off your cut-off denim jacket, don some tight jeans and relive the past. Tickets are $15.

Cassette Kids

Sydney pop quartet CASSETTE KIDS are making serious inroads into being another Aussie success story. Their sound has been likened to artists such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Klaxons, Björk and Ladyhawke with a pop/indie/techno vibe that consistently pushes all the right buttons. The group is led by the chatty Katrina Noorbergen, known for unleashing siren-esque wails and leaving every audience in a sweat of some form.

Last November, with Sony's backing, the foursome quit their day jobs and cocooned themselves into a nine month writing and recording stint resulting in an "energetic record that doesn't let up," forecast to be a hot summer soundtrack. The Kids are audibly advancing, intentionally making tracks with clearer messages. "I have a tendency to say things in my own way and no one knows what the hell I am talking about," Kat laughed of her song writing abilities. "For me to actually sit down and come up with lyrics that were clear and that everyone could relate to was harder for me than to do something that was convoluted and poetic."

After she mentions that she has been in bands since age 16, I figure Kat has had to have gone through a few by now. With a sigh and a tone of lamentation akin to recounting tales of past love or adolescent misbehaviour she exhales "yeah... I did. I was always gigging and writing in lounge rooms. That was the whole basis of my social life in my teenage years. My best friends were the guys in my band." Starting with covers in the Blue Mountains before beginning writing she has only cracked Sydney with Cassette Kids "'cause [before Sydney] was you know big and scary and far away." Oh how things change!

Even with a solid musical history Kat is yet to have a proper singing lesson, which is surprising once you hear her vocal range, but she agrees the band have benefited from some guidance. "Technically I don't really know what I am doing, it is just a visceral response," Kat admits. "When Cassette Kids first started we were playing in a different key, so I was always right at the top of my range." Compare early track Acrobat to latest single Lying Around on their MySpace to hear what she means. When their producer said to drop it down a key, Kat recounts it "was just like heaven for me. I was just like 'wow, I am singing in places and it doesn't hurt anymore!'"

If you like the Kids' live performances then fret not, they are not set to be sucked into the great US or UK markets... not just yet, anyway. "It feels kinda weird to drop a brand new single and then just vanish. But it is definitely something we wanna do, that is where our sights are set," Kat says definitively. Even once they breach US shores they'll resist the celebrity security guards and armoured black trucks. "I hope we can always be the band that plays and then just hangs out with everyone in the crowd."

You can catch Cassette Kids at the Trackside Festival on Saturday November 21. Tickets can still be purchased through Landspeed Records, Ticketek, Moshtix and Oztix.

The Crookers

It has been over a year since Italian duo THE CROOKERS, of Day 'n' Night fame (as if you didn't already know!), tore up Canberran dance floors and things have not slowed since then; more killer tracks, an album (still) on the way, a very different video clip and their upcoming performance amongst a stellar lineup at this year's Foreshore Festival.

After a long day in the studio Bot picked up the phone at 1am Milan time and gave Canberra a buzz. Speaking to the heavily accented man, I may have discovered the 'secret sauce' that makes the Crookers such standouts; a continuous blend of surprise and unpredictability along with their flawless capability to hit all the right notes.

Speaking of unpredictability the boys are still plugging away on their next highly anticipated album, with the present release date set for early next year. My curiosity heightened as Bot told me "it is more of an album to listen to rather than an album to dance to." A Crookers album to listen to and not move to? Get out!

I must admit to having a bit of a 'WTF?!' reaction to their latest video clip for Put Your Hands On Me (with Kardinal Offishal). If you are yet to see it, here is an overview - after a back-story the clip climaxes in a lesbian make out scene between two senior citizens. Personally I don't have a problem with mature age experimentation, but it was not an obvious plot for a Crookers clip. "We receive a lot of scripts that all have sexy girls dancing or something like this. So after a couple of weeks of seeing stuff like this we decided to make something that you really did not expect... and that's it," explains Bot. Responses to the clip have gone to extremes. "I think some people hate it and think it is not a great video. But there are some people who love it and that's what we expect from a video clip." Bot did later add that Kardinal Offishal had nothing to do with the clip.

Though the Crookers are known for some of their big name remixes, they now shy away from that particular musical venture. "They ask you specific things to do so you don't really feel free... it's the reason why we don't do big remixes anymore because they really tell you what to do."

Surprise, unpredictability and unexpectedness seem to be the Crookers' theme and their music will be taking another turn soon. "It is not fun only to do one thing," Bot says. "I think next we may go back and do some club tracks. It is a cycle I think."

Well whichever way the wheel turns I will be sure to catch the boys at Foreshore '09 (oh, those butterflies you're already experiencing every time that eff word pops up is called extreme anticipation, just embrace it).

The Crookers are a part of the awesome Foreshore lineup, playing at Thoroughbred Park on Saturday November 28. Tickets are available through Ticketek, Moshtix and Landspeed Records.

Amber Lawrence

Ten days before I sat down with AMBER LAWRENCE I received her unreleased album in the mail. Her modern country CD, When It All Comes Down, is an upbeat number with thoughtful lyrics, set in the tone of a Taylor Swift and Kasey Chambers hybrid.

The interview was a rare face to face meeting, which is always a little daunting. To make it even more so, it was to be held at the uber-fancy Hyatt. I wandered around the lobby of the tea lounge trying to find my talent, eventually spying her on a couch; sipping on a fancy pot of tea with her notebook out and pen in hand. As I approached she looked up and greeted me with a warm smile. I felt myself relax a little. Perhaps this face to face interview thing would not be so terrifying after all. I plonked myself next to her on the couch and our conversation began easily.

Amber's first single off the album, Don't Do Lonely Well, was co-written with Clive Young who thought of the title and wanted a "nice soppy love song." Amber quickly put the kibosh on that idea, saying "no, no, I've got a better idea. We'll keep the title, but what about the crazy girlfriend?" It is now her upbeat, light-hearted recount of a few of her zanier nights separated from her partner, or her "stalker" song, as she calls it.

Her passion for country music was not one instilled in her from birth; instead it burgeoned when she picked up a Leanne Rimes album at the age of 19 while studying her accounting degree. Amber then eased into full time singing, slowly letting go of financial security. "I feel as if I am doing it all backwards," she says. "I went [from school] straight to uni and then straight to a job and worked really hard. Now I am a musician, living that kind of nomad life that some people do at 17."

When asked about the album's influences Amber stalls and looks away briefly. Her father died of leukaemia not even a year ago, directly inspiring two tracks on the album while having input on others. However, there is hardly a hint of Amber's personal turmoil in her bubbly tunes. "I don't want to make people sad with this album," she says. "That is not its job. I want people to enjoy it and feel good. If they want to listen closely to the lyrics and it hits hard then that is cool... [But] there are enough sad things; we don't need more sad songs."

I never have been a great country music fan, but this album has been on high rotation in my car and home - maybe I should give Leanne Rimes a shot after all?

Amber will play PJ O'Reilly's on Friday September 4 with friend Travis Collins. A spunky bloke with a similar sound, style and attitude to Amber. Yes, there will be duets. Tickets available through Songland Records.

Woo Hoo Revue

Melbourne's WOO HOO REVUE transports you to a different culture, chase, feast and festival, every track. Their sound is instrumental gypsy music, "played very fast and very crazy so it sounds big and beautiful," according to drummer, Ben Charnley. "A lot of tunes come from eastern Europe and from different gypsy and European cultures," he explains. "We are a very theatrical band." And from all reports a "theatrical band" may be a slight understatement - the stage is set to don wares from tutus to tuxedos and two toned shoes.

Ben explains the allure of this music is due to its old origins but its new place in the modern world; "people have been playing rock music for 50-60 years and it is the same for people playing jazz, but with gypsy music it can be a contradiction. Some of these tunes have been around for hundreds of years, but gypsy music has only filtered into western culture in the last 10. Because of that it is uncharted territory, it gives us a chance to take this kind of music and do something totally new with it."

Their music will take listeners on journeys to circuses and silent movies without ever uttering a word. Though words are far from necessary, "the music is so detailed; it is as if the melody is the lyrics" Ben notes.

Woo Hoo Revue use all of their musical capabilities, often combining original gypsy tracks and "arranging the shit out of it" to add their own material, so much so that it is usually unrecognisable from its original context. The members all have a gypsy history (and are slightly nomadic), though some have played with TZU and Gotye. Woo Hoo Revue now dominates all members' musical workings due to the consistently hectic touring and recording schedule. This is the fourth time that they have been in the ACT this year.

I have always wondered when songs have no lyrics, how do you come up with a name? Ben laughingly explains this one for me; "Sometimes there will be a funny little joke we have in the band, one track from the last album was called Last Drinks because it sounds pretty drunk and ragged, like the end of a night. Some are really poetic and some are stupid shit."

All six members of Woo Hoo Revue had experienced recording an album, which made their first and latest LP, Dear Animals, pretty easy to lay down. However, easy does not translate to swift. "We took our time so we could play these parts really convincingly and tightly with a sense of excitement," Ben says. "It is not like a grunge band where you can record it in two days - it took us three months to bring it together."

Woo Hoo Revue are going to be "smashing through gypsy tunes at a billion milers per hour" in what promises to be a glam and sweaty performance at The Merry Muse on Friday July 31. Friends Mr. Fibby will join them on stage. Tickets are available at the door.

Lamplight

How good is that feeling? Finishing exams and heading towards a solid break. I was quick to discover LAMPLIGHT's vocalist and keyboardist Kirsty was experiencing the same post-exam elation as I. However, before we hit our respective locals I asked her a few questions about the band, their upcoming tour and latest album.

Lamplight's sound is all bar impossible to put into words. Kirsty agrees. "It's a bit tricky, but a good description is symphonic indie rock." She then pauses and exclaims, "no, symphonic, indie, folk rock - that's the best way I'd describe it." Ever heard of a band like that? Me neither - and their sound really is that eclectic and highly distinctive.

In the media's attempt to give the reader a visual understanding of their sound, Lamplight is often compared to Augie March. However, this is a comparison that Kirsty does not wholeheartedly agree with. "Honestly I don't actually think we are that similar," she counters. "I think it is just an Australian sound that Augie March have and maybe we sort of touch on as well... But in terms of actual musical aesthetic and the sounds that we use, I think we are quite different."

The band have received only rave reviews for their live performances, scoring accolades from both Drum and Beat magazines. Their music is powerful, with tortured and mournful strings and melodies that lend themselves to most potent and moving performances. "Our music is so intense and dynamic," Kirsty explains. "We get really involved and that is engaging for people to watch, to see a band really engaged in their own music."

Kirsty and Mijo, the group's founders and poets, came upon their band title in independent spontaneous busts of artistic synergy. "One night we both said we'd come up with something, and both said 'What's yours?! What's yours?!' and mine was Lamplight Sun and his was Lamplight, so we figured we should go with that."

A highlight of creating their new self-titled album was recording two of the tracks inside the Castlemaine Gaol in Victoria. Kirsty reckons their timing was right and they were lucky to be able to have a weekend in which to record Image House and Swallowing The Key, both haunting tracks that fit in with the gaol's dark atmosphere. "It is just a spooky place," recalls Kirsty. "There is this big wooden beam that goes across the ceiling where they used to hang people and there are confinement cells downstairs where Indiana, our violinist, actually did some of her recording. I used the piano that had been in the gaol as well."

Lamplight are also one of triple j's Unearthed artists and have most recently been album of the week. Keep an ear out for their latest track, A Sun That Will Not Rise, and await big things and another award winning performance when they next come to town.

Be sure to check Lamplight out when they perform on Sunday July 5 at the Folkus. For tickets call 62627265.

Block Party @ Trinity Bar, Dickson Saturday January 10

My feet itched and my ears tingled with anticipation the entire week prior to Lexington Music’s third annual Block Party. The line-up was awesome, the signature theme was as cool as ever and on top of this, I was a Block Party virgin. So with only a skerrick of an idea of what to expect, I donned my thongs, a summer dress, grabbed some sunscreen and headed to Dickson.

I followed the sound of Van Halen’s highly recognisable Jump and found myself in a once familiar car park which was now completely transformed. The open side of a semi trailer provided the most innovative stage I have ever seen, and the old tyres, smoking oil drums and junk completed the Block Party look. A clothesline strung across the car park filled with random clothes and shoes added even more feel and had me looking for my favourite black t-shirt and odd socks.

D’Opus and Roshambo played to a VIP and media dominated crowd but nonetheless the boys let it fly. Ro snuck pal Omar up on stage for an old track which brought in a different tone and merged beautifully with the boys’ flavour. And, needless to say, Million Dollar Bill is still one hell of a crowd pleaser.

After what had been an overcast morning, the rays came out in force for The Bamboos. While some scrambled for the shade and the complimentary sunscreen (like your ever pale and pasty reporter), others dared the sun to do its worst (like my later sore and pink friend). The Bamboos had a long instrumental intro before Kylie Audlist hit the stage and the feel of the day slipped into a funky, bluesy, jazz session. Kylie’s full-bodied and voluptuous voice engulfed the car park as the band stepped left to right in perfect funk unison. I sat back, relaxed and chilled with my Corona and lime. Nice and cruisy…

Good Buddha followed The Bamboos in style, unleashing their funky reggae with a hip-hop twist. Do Right initiated the set, which progressed into the vocals and kept me firmly attached to the front barricade.

After the day’s dose of funk and soul it was back into the dance/house vibe with Sampology and Thom Thum, who wowed the crowd with their jaw-dropping skills. Thom Thum is one hell of a beat boxer and the synergy between him and Sampology was palpable. Not only can Thom beat box like no one I’ve ever heard, but he can do so with a Kazoo up his nose! Sampology worked his MPC expertly and managed to throw together a track full of Jamie Oliver cooking samples and then proceeded to mimic Thom’s beat boxing with his MPC, only further proving both his and Thom’s talent.

P-Money got off to a slightly rough start with some technical difficulties but still kept the crowd pacified and eagerly awaiting his first track. He began somewhat predictably, though not ineffectively, with Scribe’s Not Many which quickly had the crowd bouncing and singing along. P-Money had great stage presence; he loved every beat, the smile only leaving his face when concentrating on the decks.
After witnessing Adam Freeland’s set, it became obvious why he was slated to perform at the after party. He is a solid electro, tech/house DJ and didn’t fit with the vibe of the day so far. Regardless, punters still gravitated to the semi and the lights looked awesome.

Block Party has yet again come to a close and, I am afraid to say, possibly for the last time. After three block rockin’ years and thousands raised for charity, stringent noise restrictions appear to have disabled Block Party. Goldfinger did, however, propose a similar event under a new name and in a new venue for following years, so don’t lose all hope - prepare to roll into another kickin’ block near you!

Sampology - Ample samples