Getting To Know... Modern Error

Modern Error (pictured here with Aloe Blacc), recently won the nationwide Guinness Live Thursdays competition, and jetted off to Dublin for to perform at the Arthur's Day celebrations. Here, they tell us a bit about themselves:

Modern Error are a high octane five-piece hailing from Western Sydney, full of flailing limbs, soaring harmonies, slightly messed-up characters and a jilted view on creating pop rock.

We take inspiration from an unspecified amount of avenues. From the darkest of ambient and mathematical extreme metal bands to Top 40's R'n'B and dancehall dubstep. Everyday antics are the defiant influence upon lyrical content with stories being stripped from any and every possibility.

Winning the Guinness Live Thursdays Competition was the kick in the arse we desperately needed! Being told that in 4 days time we would be flying out to Ireland was the most terrifying, mind-racing, heart-pumping shock that we had experienced in a long time. With so many other bands competing it was amazing that we had come out on top and definitely an opportunity we were going to take advantage of.

Going to Ireland for the Arthur's Day celebrations was kind of intimidating for a few of us, challenging for others, but exciting for all. It was Dave's (lead vocals) first trip overseas and he was by far the most excited. I mean, not only was it his first flight overseas, but he was getting to do it for his music. We couldn't really ask for more. Except for a few more days over there!

It might surprise people to learn that although we all seem like clean cut pretty boys playing pop rock, all of us in past bands have done something completely different. Dave was in an alternative rock outfit shredding on guitar and singing, Max (bass/back up vocals) was a throat destroying screamer in multiple metal bands, Phil (Rhythm guitar/back up vocals) was in skate punk bands and then did some solo acoustic pretty things, Elijah (lead guitar/back up vocals) just gave people eargasms being lead guitarist in multiple outfits, and Dane (Drums) held his own in a metal Starwars band, a progressive metal/rock outfit as well as a few other projects.

In the future Modern Error will make a name for themselves by either A) continuing to wow crowds with their energetic shows chock-a-block with catchy-as-a-cold tunes, ooooorrr B) wind up like so many childhood movie stars, addicted to substances, sleeping with hookers on their way to an early grave... your pick (please pick A).

Follow Modern Error on Facebook.

Interview by Bobby Townsend

Modern Error win the Guinness Live Thursdays Grand Final and head to Ireland!

Last week, Modern Error from Blacktown overcame three other bands - Iron Bar Hotel, from Sydney, Buddha in a Chocolate Box, from Hamilton and Palatial Digs from Perth - to win the Guinness Live Thursdays Grand Final.

Over 200 music fans supped the black stuff at the event at the Gaelic Theatre in Sydney as judges elected the five-piece to be the band that should head to Dublin for the upcoming Arthur’s Day celebrations, where they will play alongside the Scissor Sisters, Stereophonics, Paloma Faith and Calvin Harris.

In our opinion, the panel made the correct decision. While the Blacktown band's performance was a little high on the histrionics (we could have done without the guitarist striding to the middle of the stage and delivering his solo with one foot on the monitor while the lead singer was on his knees and the bassist was head-banging open-mouthed, if we're being honest), in terms of tunes, these guys were the best. Now, having frantically ordered their passports they'll be taking their melodic heavy pop-rock with nu-metal and emo edges across the world.
 
In case you haven't been paying attention, Arthur’s Day is a globally celebrated event honouring the life and legacy of Arthur Guinness – The man who introduced Guinness to the world when he signed the lease on the St. James’ Gate Brewery in 1759. 47 other countries will also be holding high-profile music events and celebrations to honour the remarkable life and legacy of Arthur Guinness.

As you can see by the below reaction to the judges' decision (which, from what our sources tell is, was not taken lightly at all and was a very close-run thing), the Modern Error boys are pretty happy to be heading to Ireland. We don't mind admitting we're kinda jealous.

Guinness Live Thursdays, semi-final details announced

Guinness have just announced that 25 groups of musicians from all four corners of Australia have been selected from over 100 entries to make the semi finals, in the Guinness Live Thursdays nationwide search to find Australia’s best quality live music.

During the past five weeks over 100 bands have entered and over 5,000 votes were cast by fans supporting their favourites. This next phase of the competition is crucial, with an amazing prize on offer whereby the overall winning band will travel to Ireland to represent Australia at the global Arthur’s Day celebrations in Dublin.

The semi-final events will be held in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide on Thursday 1st September and Thursday 8th September. All events will be open to the general public who will be able to vote for their favourite band on the night, whilst enjoying live music and of course a pint of the black stuff.

APRA award winning blues and roots artist Ash Grunwald (above), has been the ambassador for Guinness Live Thursdays from the start of the campaign. He said, “I knew that we wouldn’t have any problems discovering quality live music acts in Australia – it is great that Guinness wants to support emerging artists, we have a lot of untapped talent here. But having listened to some fantastic entries, it was really tough to make the decision to narrow the bands down to just 25. This will be a close contest, and I can’t wait to see who makes the final four.”

Fans can also vote for their favourite bands on the Guinness Australia Facebook page. However, even if your favourite band wasn’t originally selected, you can still help get them to the final, as the five bands with the highest votes will be given a Wildcard pass to the semi final stage. The 30 semi finalists from across Australia will then be shortlisted to just four bands who will then progress to the National Final, which will be held in Sydney on 15th September at The Gaelic Theatre. The overall winning band will feature in the Arthur’s Day global celebration on Thursday 22nd September in Dublin alongside internationally renowned acts including the Scissor Sisters, Stereophonics, Paloma Faith and Calvin Harris.

Arthur’s Day is a globally celebrated event honouring the date Arthur Guinness signed the lease on the St. James’ Gate Brewery (in 1759) and introduced the drink to the world. 47 other countries will also be holding high-profile music events and celebrations to honour the remarkable life and legacy of Arthur Guinness.

GUINNESS LIVE THURSDAYS – THE SEMI FINALS EVENT LISTINGS
Thursday 1st September
NSW - Iron Bar Hotel vs Tortured Willow – at PJ O’Brien’s King Street, Sydney
NSW - Luke Dickens Band vs a wildcard finalist tbc – at PJ Gallagher’s Parramatta
QLD - Fairchild Republic vs Paddy McHugh and The Goldminers – at Mick O’Malleys Irish Pub in Brisbane
VIC - My Lasting Reply vs The Modern Age – at Elephant & Wheelbarrow in St Kilda

Thursday 8th September
NSW - Modern Error vs Claire – at PJ Gallagher’s Parramatta
NSW - The Jefferson vs The Acid Monkeys – at PJ O’Brien’s King Street, Sydney
QLD - Punxie & The Poison Pen vs Arcade Made – at Mick O’Malleys Irish Pub in Brisbane
QLD - MC Kitch vs a wildcard finalist tbc - at Gilhooleys in Brisbane
VIC - Between The Wars vs a wildcard finalist tbc - at PJ O’Brien’s in Southbank
WA - Palatial Digs vs The Brow Horn Orchestra – at Rosie O’Grady’s in Perth
WA - The Augustines vs a wildcard finalist tbc - at JB O’Riley’s in Perth
SA - Hawks of Alba vs a wildcard finalist tbc - at PJ O’Brien’s in Adelaide.

ALREADY BATTLED (25th August)
QLD – Founds vs The Penguin Kings – at Byron Beach Hotel
QLD - The Great Shame vs Sharon Friel and The Blue Steel Band - at Mick O’Malleys Irish Pub in Brisbane
VIC – Hotel on Mayfair vs Buddah in a Chocolate Box – at Pugg Mahone’s in Carlton

Guinness launch Live Thursdays

With Arthur’s Day around the corner, Guinness last night launched an eight-week nationwide campaign, entitled Guinness Live Thursdays, to celebrate craftsmanship in music and with the aim of finding Australia’s next up-and-coming band.

It's a competition totally worth entering too, as the winning band will score an all-expenses-paid trip to Dublin to perform alongside some top live acts - and Stereophonics - at the Arthur’s Day celebrations on Thursday 22nd September. Arthur’s Day, incidentally, honours the date in 1759 that good old Arthur Guinness signed the lease on the St. James’ Gate Brewery and introduced the black stuff to the world

Anyway, after playing an intimate live acoustic performance at yesterday's launch, ambassador for Guinness Live Thursdays and APRA award winning blues and roots artist, Ash Grunwald, told us, "I am so excited to be part of something that helps untapped quality talent get noticed by the Australian music industry. We have a lot to offer here."

WANNA GET YOUR BAND INVOLVED?
From today, aspiring bands from Australia can upload their MP3 tracks on the Guinness Australia Facebook page to enter the competition. The entries will be shortlisted to 30 bands who will play in 15 regional judged heats across Australia. The four finalists will then progress to the Guinness Live Thursdays National Final, due to be held in Sydney on 15th September. The lucky winners will then whizz around the globe to take part in the third annual Arthur’s Day global celebration - alongside the Scissor Sisters, Stereophonics, Paloma Faith and Calvin Harris and more - on Thursday 22nd September, in Dublin.

So get uploading today - and you could find yourself on stage on the other side of the planet in a few weeks!