Monique Suna

Los Amigos Invisibles

Katie Noonan

Jeff Lang

Where does JEFF LANG fit? This is the question that baffles me as I sit in musical amazement, tentatively YouTube-stalking my would-be interviewee. Lang is too folksy to be country, too country to be blues and he plucks away at his many guitars in ways that fascinate and hypnotise. Experimental he is, conventional he is not and, having already released a bevy of albums, nor is he a beginner. "I grew up in Melbourne and have been a musician for 26 years. I have played with the resonator, bottleneck, regular, acoustic..." says Lang about his wide collection of guitars.

It is no wonder that the guitarist and singer/songwriter has built such respect among his fellow musicians. He is surprisingly self-effacing, even philosophical about life as a musical genius and his gradual rise in fame and fortune. "Your music, it's not going to be for everyone. Ultimately it's about expression and speaking with a powerful voice... wallpaper style. As soon as it becomes about the lifestyle you may as well stay home and sing to the wall. People, they choose to come and listen to you. Transcend the moment. You want to just experience that moment. It moves beyond a form of language, yet helps you to speak and communicate. I don't think of it as a career, the music transports you until you are not thinking about rent or the fight with you girlfriend. Music needs to provide transcendence, entertainment. It is a worthy goal. Mainstream artists are there to be seen. That is more to do with fashion than music. It's important to have a career that isn't based around being the hip new thing because fame is really difficult to maintain. The people I respect have been around for a long time. Known by some but not a household name," explains Lang.

It is very much appropriate that the title of Jeff Lang's new album, Chimeradour, suggests the life of a travelling troubadour. "I follow a path that keeps me inspired, don't wanna be bored," laughs Lang. "I am somewhat a romantic drifter, living in a van, gig to gig. I drive some poor old van; only just made it to some of those places." As he speaks, Lang paints vivid pictures in your mind. His soothing voice takes you away, and all you want is for him to continue with his beautiful words. He is never more poetic then when talking about lyrics. "Inspiration comes from the mysterious outside of you. Follow the blind inspiration buried deep in the subconscious, falling out of your head like dream. Not everything you do is going to work. It's like turning on a tap and running it until it's clean."

The fabulously versatile melodies of Jeff Lang shall be gracing Canberra's humble Street Theatre on Saturday November 14 in the hope of the successful launch of his enigmatically named Chimeradour. Tickets through www.thestreet.org.au.

Potential Falcon

There is a marked difference between the two artistes this here journalist was instructed to represent. One was a seasoned musician, complete with over 20 years worth of stories and insight, the other is a fresh-faced Simon Connolly, guitarist and singer for Melbourne-based five-some, POTENTIAL FALCON. Curiously it would be Connolly who is the more cynical of the two as he talks of his sad disillusionment in relation to both lyrics and life in general. "Love and heartbreak is a very country thing which is pretty much what the whole record is about. We are afraid of people hating our 'feeling' music because it's not very cool to be personal. People like it when you hint at things," says Connolly softly. Yet he does seem to appreciate how important sincerity is in the musical world. "Honest and heartfelt music is an outlet. I learn about myself from listening to my songs."

Most of the band originally hailed from Canberra, with Connolly himself spending most of his teenage years in Campbell. Fellow Falconer Hugo Temby (piano/Rhodes/bass/guitar/vocals) actually still bases himself in Canberra and refuses to move to Melbourne. When asked how often Temby flies down for gigs and band meetings Connolly laughs, "he plays an amazing piano and it's worth having around. He can't be with the band always but we consult him over the lyrics, he's a bit of a control freak but we love him." The other three members who make up Potential Falcon are Huw Murdoch (guitar), Donovan Martin (drums/vocals/general comic relief) and Joseph Foley (bass/vocals). Each one is an important piece of the Falcon puzzle. They describe themselves as being a quirky mix of "indie-cum-country rock" and if you like Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Neil Young and Sonic Youth, you may just find a place in your heart for Potential Falcon.

Having only formed in December of 2006, Potential Falcon have already celebrated the April 2007 release of the fantastically named Hank Williams' Grave. "It was a lazy title stolen from one of our songs - the new one has a lot more focus. Hank Williams' Grave was trying for the sake of trying," admits Connolly. You may be wondering about what is this 'new one' that he refers to. It is actually in reference to the exciting October 2009 release of their (proper) debut album Wings on Fire, another name borrowed from an album song. Having toured the coast of Australia numerous times they will finally take their potential overseas early next year. "We are getting ready New Zealand," enthuses Connolly.

Catch the delightful Potential Falcon as they make use of the Transit Bar as a launching pad for the much awaited Wings of Fire. They shall be accompanied by Voss and Hoodlum Shouts. 8pm on Thursday November 12. Be there, I shall.

Childen Collide

It is on a lazy Monday afternoon that I answer the call that connects me to CHILDREN COLLIDE's modest drummer Ryan Caesar. This is how I came to be briefly acquainted with a harassed and fraying operator. "Can we set the time back? Wait, everything's ready! You have 15 minutes, please hold." It is with promising beginnings that I launch into the interview. "I'm still in bed," yawns Caesar. "I've been talking to journalists all day."

Although Caesar has doubtlessly had the same tired questions asked for much of the morning, he is perfectly kind, charming and patient when reacting to my own hasty enquiries about his relationship with his musical colleagues. "I met Johnny and Heath in Lismore," he explains. "I was working at a bar and they were drinking with friends - romance blossomed." Caesar, who is the newest member of the trio, is making reference to his fellow collaborators, bassist Heath Crawley and lead vocalist Johnny Mackay. So why is poor Ryan Caesar suddenly finding himself flooded with adoring journalists, battling away for his attention? Do you even need to ask? Well in case you do...

Children Collide are an overachieving rock band from Melbourne who plan on taking their fabulous selves to Australia's biggest uni campus music festival, Stonefest. This majestic event will be occurring this all hallows' eve (Saturday October 31) and will coincidently mark the anniversary of Children Collide's first gig five years previous. When talking about the first gig Caesar is surprisingly wordy. "It was at an open bar on Halloween." Despite spending their beginnings at "strip joints" and the dark, nefarious clubs of Melbourne's underbelly, the potential exuding from the talented trio resulted in their impressive 2005 EP launch of We Three, Brave & True. Their second EP, Glass Mountain Liars, was equally impressive and those devoted fans that have never strayed were treated to the bragging benefits of remaining faithful to an 'unknown.'

Incidentally, only last year Children Collide finally released their debut, The Long Now. This was an A-grade achievement and when musing over his involvement Caesar is charmingly forthright. "The Long Now is named after a clock in London that ticks over every hundred years... or something like that," he laughs. "Actually our first album we did in the middle of Hollywood over two months. We were in the same studio as the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. We got to stay in the same mansion Charlie Chaplin used to live in! It was very exciting!" Caesar's voice becomes brighter and relaxed and it makes one wonder if there isn't some magic in having others truly appreciate something you helped create.

Finally, the clock ticking away, Caesar answers my last question. "I don't know if I will dress up for Stonefest. I usually look like a vampire. We'll see... Come, it should be really good."

Catch Children Collide as part of the stellar Stonefest lineup on Saturday October 31. Tickets through Ticketek.

Circus Oz

Former Canberra local Jeremy Davies has yearned for the moment when Circus Oz would once again grace the humble city he once called home. "Canberra is the light at the end of the tunnel, it is the close of our tour and we are all looking forward to performing there at last [...] you don't realise how original Canberra people are until you move out. Canberra is a circus place." He states his exuberance in much the same sentiment as Dorothy surely felt upon first arriving in Oz, "It will be nice to come to a place that loves freaks and left wing nuts!" 

Left wing is right. Circus Oz is renowned for their humanitarian efforts and have, for many years dealt with tolerance, diversity and general human kindness. Since June 2002, Circus Oz has raised nearly $250, 000 in donations, supporting refugees and asylum seekers. "There is a big pull to work together," says Davies. "We organise community workshops, outreach programs for indigenous folk. Every opportunity to jump aboard we take and sometimes incorporate it into our shows. Once I received feedback asking, 'What was with all the left wing crap?' but each show is different to the last."  

The acrobat and humanitarian says that his desire to perform sprung from long years as an unsatisfied student at Turner primary. "I wasn't very good at school," says Davies. "I acted up. One frustrated teacher actually yelled at me one day, 'why don't you spend your life as a clown?' and I thought why not? After that I started busking with my guitar, played at the street theatre, sang, tumbled, but it wasn't until I was 20 that I took it up seriously."

Since his awkward days as an up and coming performer, Davies has achieved much. He has toured puppetry to 42nd Street New York, been a member of Canberra's Warehouse Circus, and co-founded the circus company Kronic.  He can also be found running Melbourne's major independent circus training space at Blue Circus Studios.

Every Circus Oz year is different. Barely Contained has been described as "a manic comic cyclone of absurd acrobatics and non-stop action", with tumbling, duo juggle, chair balancing, teeterboard, hoop diving, group bike and amazing aerial rope performances. It promises to be a fantastic night out for all. Certainly for Jeremy Davies who may just to find there is no place like home.

Circus Oz: Barely Contained hits the Canberra Theatre stage from October 7 to 10. Performances at 1.30 and 7.30pm. Tix from $28-$55. Visit canberratheatrecentre.com.au or phone Canberra ticketing on 6275 2700.    

Catherine Traicos

Riddled with conjunctivitis and obviously still suffering somewhat from the crippling shyness that inflicted her as a child, Sydney singer songwriter CATHERINE TRAICOS takes the time out of her busy morning to converse with this budding journalist about love, lyrics and the October launch of her new album The Amazing.

Having two relatively awkward people trying to conduct an interview with each other can be an excruciating experience. However, after a few stilted starts and squirm-worthy silences, we both found that our shared anxiety was indeed creating common ground. "I'm a lot less shy than I used to be. I would get really bad stage fright and I forced myself into a thicker skin," reveals Traicos.

The Amazing definitely is an accurate way of describing Catherine Traicos, who didn't pick up a guitar until she was 20, ten years ago. "I knew how to play the piano, but no one else in my family was musical. I would wear headphones as not to disturb my parents. I didn't think I was worthy musically, but I couldn't not try," Traicos sighs as she looks back upon those uncomfortable early days. "My first songs were all about relationships. I settled on music because it was accessible and I wanted to express myself. My inspiration found me. I was in a destructive relationship, [but] Radiohead opened my eyes up to inner beauty. There is a lot of beauty in the world and I really appreciate it when people draw you to that beauty," she proclaims. "All my songs are inevitably about me, my experiences and emotions I have felt. Love drives people."

Far from being unworthy, Traicos has touched many a person with her own sweet and unique sound. "Your songs get caught in my head" and "Gone is my new theme song" (Gone being the star song of her debut) are just two of the many positive responses she has received from listeners. "It's nice when people respond to things," she laughs.

When asked to describe how The Amazing differs from the '08 release of Gone Traicos is silent for quite some time before answering. "I'm much more comfortable in the studio than last time; these songs were all written coherently relating to the same theme. Before, I was trying to be someone else. Now there's Nick and he's amazing."

Traicos refers to producer/engineer Nick Huggins who largely helped in the development of The Amazing through his connection to the Pocket Full of Stones studio in Richmond. Traicos also mentions how the two of them met. "I knew Nick's brother in Perth and a friend told me to go and watch Nick perform. I was, wow..." she trails off.

In her effort to promote The Amazing, Catherine Traicos will be landing in Canberra for the very first time. She will be playing at The Front on Saturday October 3. Support this glorious woman, she may become addictive.