Florence & The Machine at Sydney Entertainment Centre

Celeste Macdonald braved the rain to check out Florence & The Machine's huge show in Sydney last week:

On Thursday night, Florence & The Machine returned to Sydney on the Ceremonials tour. Needless to say, it was amazing. In such a large space as the Entertainment Centre, I always question whether any act can command the entire audience's attention for the length of the show. And then the hyperbolic silhouette of Florence Welch appears from behind a mysterious orange curtain to an audience of thousands of screaming teenage girls. If all you had to go on was the high-pitched screaming alone, you would've thought you were at a One Direction concert.

Wearing a silken cape, silver beaded shoulder-piece and velvet cut-out tights, coupled with her flaming red hair, as she steps out from behind the curtain singing the opening lyrics to Only If For A Night, Florence Welch looks like some kind of Norse Goddess of War.

Playing a nice mix of new and old, Florence & The Machine are skilled in giving the crowd exactly what they want. Playing all the hits with the same energy as if they were just released, reading through fan letters (which involved actually spotting one eager fan from an audience of thousands and personally thanking them for their gift of gin) and encouraging the crowd to join in at every step is probably what makes their live shows so appealing to the masses.

Mid way through, Florence urges as many audience members as possible to climb on to each others' shoulders. As one by one they hop up, Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) fittingly begins. Several times during the show, the theme of the Ceremonials Tour emerges. Florence politely asks the crowd to "Please be upstanding for the hymn." It gives the show a formal and orchestral quality and showcases Florence's brilliant vocal talent – leaving this reviewer wishing I was one of the lucky attendees of their Friday night show at the Sydney Opera House.

Review by Celeste Macdonald. iPhone pic by Bobby Townsend

Steve Smyth interview

Celeste Macdonald talks to Steve Smyth about his new album, his influences and his collaboration with Howling Bells' Juanita Stein:

Originally from the south coast of Sydney and based in London, Steve Smyth has returned home to the country he describes as the "endless summer." Smyth's passion for the country he was born and raised in is evident when he speaks of the way in which the Australian landscape has influenced his music. "This country doesn't do anything lighthearted in a lot of ways. Its weather, its landscapes that I've seen across here, from the dessert to the oceans and floods to the fires. It's very fierce."

Smyth was born with a case of wanderlust. As a child, his parents would tether him to a tree on family picnics to keep him from disappearing. He explains, "I get itchy feet, I love to travel, change is the only constant. I would just keep running against that rope. For some reason I just came out kicking and wandering. I'm still trying to find out what's round the next corner; I feel that kind of fire in me."

It's the fire inherent in Smyth that impacts on his songwriting and had an insurmountable effect on his first solo album, Release. It's a cohesive album, drawing on a wide range of musical styles and genres. He is reluctant to classify the album, stating that the outcome of a song comes down to when it's created. "You have to give a song what it wants, not what you want. It's shortsighted to aim for a particular genre. It has its own little formations and it begs for different instruments and arrangements."

Smyth once played with a band featuring men much older than him, men who he credits for teaching him much of what he knows about music. Realising that he couldn't expect them to travel long distances to play gigs for next to nothing, he began playing as a solo artist. "I went out solo and it made me work harder for the songs and for what I was trying to put across. I don't feel as though I'm letting people down at the moment, so I'm keeping it solo and seeing what the future brings up."

Along with Australia and his upbringing, Smyth is equally influenced by the musicians he was introduced to as a teenager. He mentions Howlin' Wolf and Leadbelly among others. It's impossible to avoid comparisons with artists like Tom Waits, especially evident in songs like Barbituate Cowboy and His Dark Horses. Smyth refers to his voice as a muscle that you exercise, with versatility as a key, saying he uses his voice as if it were an instrument, just like a guitar or a mandolin. "I found that you can really get across a lot more emotion and feeling and story of the song by going into different aspects of your vocal range."

The gorgeously delicate Stay Young features the gentle vocals of Howling Bells' Juanita Stein, a collaboration Smyth recalls happened in the studio late into the night when, "everyone was over-tired and cracking up." The result is definitely one of the standout tracks of the album. He also recently supported Howling Bells on their tour. "It was wonderful having her Juanita up every night, singing the song as it is on the record," he says of Stein, who he refers to as a wonderful friend. Howling Bells, he says, are an amazing band.

Steve Smyth has a number of dates lined up over summer and is excited about the release of his album in late January. He feels privileged for the experiences and opportunities which he believes have "flowed into the album." He adds, "It feels nice to let it go now. I'm hoping it'll get out to a few people and they'll appreciate the songs."

Check out Steve Smyth's Australian and European tour dates here.

Interview by Celeste Macdonald. 

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Celeste Macdonald

Having split her year between the UK, The States, Europe and Australia, Celeste Macdonald is well-placed to give her opinion on what's been the best of 2011. Check back on New Year's Day for the overall winners of best album, song, film and gig, as voted for by you:

Top 10 albums

1. El Camino – THE BLACK KEYS
2. Making Mirrors – GOTYE
3. Prisoner – THE JEZABELS
4. To The Horses – LANIE LANE
5. Come On Board – JEFFREY LEWIS
6. Bad As Me – TOM WAITS
7. Let England Shake – PJ HARVEY
8. Bon Iver – BON IVER
9. Rain On A Humming Wire – THE PANICS
10. I Want That You Are Always Happy – THE MIDDLE EAST

Top 10 songs

1. Video Games – LANA DEL REY




2. Lay It Down – THE RUBENS
3. Run Right Back – THE BLACK KEYS
4. What Do I Do – LANIE LANE
5. Somebody That I Used To Know (featuring Kimbra) – GOTYE
6. Golden Revolver – SAN CISCO
7. I Follow Rivers – LYKKE LI
8. Brother – MATT CORBY
9. Second Chance – PETER, BJORN AND JOHN
10. Tongue Tied – GROUPLOVE

Top 5 Gigs

1. JEFFREY LEWIS - Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, Brighton
2. DARK HORSES - Concorde2, Brighton
3. THREE TRAPPED TIGERS - Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, Brighton
4. PURITY RING - The Green Door Store, Brighton
5. CARL BARAT - The Prince Albert, Brighton

Highlight of the year
Having the privilege of spending nearly nine months of 2011 traveling around Europe and the United States, I stumbled upon maybe the greatest place on earth, Budapest. Added to its greatness, I had the pleasure of being there with Bobbysix himself.

2011 in words
Fantastically amazing year for music, incredibly disappointing year for Hollywood.

Prediction for 2012
After 2011 came out with the highest number of Hollywood sequels ever, (yes, EVER) Hollywood decides to stop making sequels and instead take a chance on original, independent and thought-provoking cinema...fingers crossed.

Celeste Macdonald - Contributor

Celeste likes to travel to world. She knows her stuff about music, movies and TV. She is deadly with a pool cue.

Set Sail and Holland at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

SET SAIL
HOLLAND
Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, 15/12/11

On Thursday night, indie pop Sydney-siders Set Sail headlined the Chasing Summer tour at Oxford Art Factory. Despite Sydney's depressing, unseasonably shit weather, inside, the feel of summer flowed freely. If you closed your eyes you could almost taste the salt in the air and feel the sand between your toes.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that part of Set Sail's appeal is the fact that there's something on offer for every teenage girl's tastes. Set Sail are an undeniably handsome band. Each member sports a vastly different look but somehow they mesh together perfectly onstage to make beautiful, happy music. Commendations to the wonderfully enthusiastic violinist who played with so much passion that several times he snapped the bow chords and eventually, snapped the entire bow in half. As if it had happened hundreds of times before, without hesitation he simply began to play the instrument like a guitar with his fingers.

At one point, the band invited the single members of the crowd to pair up and dance on-stage. Set Sail are certainly a group that know how to engage an audience. They managed to make the night overwhelmingly fun and had everyone in the room singing, dancing, smiling and clapping, even with a remarkably upbeat rendition of the Verve's Bittersweet Symphony.

Usually I hate encores. They are a cliché. They make me incredibly angry. But when three band members remove their shirts for the encore, I can make an exception and applaud along with everyone else in the room.

Opening for Set Sail were Brisbane four-piece, Holland. Not much for small talk and playing to an audience that started out more concerned with their position in line at the bar, Holland were left to win over the room with nothing but their talent. Which they did. One of the things that sets them apart from your average generic indie-folk band is that frontman Jarryd Klapper can actually sing. Amazingly. When he hit each high note, he managed to bring near silence to the room.

It was an all-round perfect summer night, a brief reprieve from the reality of the freezing wind and spitting rain on Oxford Street that no doubt made everyone in the room yearn for the summer that us Sydney-siders have so far been robbed of.

Review by Celeste Macdonald

Holland interview

Celeste Macdonald talks to Holland's Jarryd Klapper about the Australian band's EP, playing live and how his Mum is his biggest fan:

A clichéd phrase that I profusely hate is 'down to earth'. Usually strictly reserved for desperate personal ads, I'm going to use it just this once because it fits so well. It's a quality I notice immediately when speaking to Holland's frontman, vocalist and guitarist, Jarryd Klapper. When I apologise for being flustered and sheepishly explain the phone troubles that have caused this, Klapper offers to bring one of his spares to Holland's upcoming Sydney show with Set Sail. It's a warmth that's typical of bands hailing from Brisbane (and dare I say lacking in certain Sydney/Melbourne groups) and such genuineness transpires beautifully into Holland's music, from their delicate lyrics to their live recordings - two of which, For You and Interlude, are featured on Holland's newly released EP, No Control.

When I ask what the response to the No Control EP has been like, Klapper is at first hesitant and finally responds, "My mum loves it, she's stoked on it, she tries to give it to everyone." I mention how much we're loving the exclusive live video of Interlude at Bobbysix, which causes him to laugh. "I hope you're not just saying that to make me feel better. We weren't even sure if we were gonna put it on the EP." Klapper describes the track as "a bit of a throwaway," which the band arranged just a few hours before it was recorded. I reiterate how much we like it, to which he responds, "It's not actually that good if you listen to it. I've listened to it a few times and it sounds worse every time I hear it." He is of course, entirely wrong. There's something about the unpolished quality of Holland's live recordings – a certain brutal honesty about the live medium that creates the perfect synergy with the very nature of the band and what they're trying to achieve. Klapper manages to agree with me on the unpolished comment, mentioning modestly that it only took about two or three takes to get it right. If you've already checked the video out, you'll know that's a pretty damn amazing effort, more so when you consider that it's shot in a single take. "I'd rather have a bunch of flaws."

It's no wonder then that Klapper considers Holland primarily a live performance band. "We love playing live, it's why we do the whole thing." It's a statement that you'd probably hear from 99.9 percent of bands but in the case of this quartet, you get the feeling it's actually true. "Going to the studio is a bit of fun," he adds. And as for his favourite Holland gig, it's a slightly unusual venue: Sydney's Old Manly Boatshed. The singer mentions that they've always played well there. Again, with his usual brand of modesty, he is careful to add that the gigs he has played there have been his favourites in terms of sound. He laughs, there were, "never many people there."

I'm intrigued to know, being a Brisbane boy, Klapper's opinions regarding the sometimes 'cliquey' Sydney and Melbourne scenes. He admits to feeling the geographical distance but insists the band will remain in Brisbane for now, crediting the "better quality of life," that the sunshine state's capital has to offer as the main reason. But like many Australian bands, Holland haven't ruled out an eventual move to London. As for now? Expect plenty more live shows. "Playing to crowds," Klapper confirms when we talk of the short-term future. He pauses, then corrects himself. "Groups," he laughs. "Groups are smaller than crowds."

Take our word for it, it won't be long before Holland are playing to some seriously big crowds.

You can be part of the group/crowd at the following venues:

Thursday 15 December - Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Friday 16 December - The Loft, Gold Coast
Saturday 17 December - Sol Bar, Maroochydoore
Sunday 18 December - Old Museum, Brisbane

Interview by Celeste Macdonald

Playgroup Festival

A while a go, we here at Bobbysix.com told you to get your ass to the second annual Playgroup Festival. If you chose to ignore our sage advice, quite frankly, you're a fool. Envisage a smaller, stranger, more child friendly Secret Garden Party with a fantastical and beautifully manifested theme: 'Woodland Animals.'

Set halfway between Brighton and London in England's oldest deer park, Eridge Park, two miles south of Tunbridge Wells, Playgroup 2011 offered three days of freedom, relaxation and madness. With Big Lemon buses going back and forth from Brighton and London, Playgroup also earned points in the green department. The quiet, idyllic, green English countryside setting allowed festival-goers to fully immerse themselves in the theme of the event. And while most embraced the theme with immaculately crafted costumes and brilliant makeup, others chose to ignore it altogether. In addition to the stylish army of woodland animals, there were those who dressed as frogs, aliens, lizards, leopards; pretty much any brightly coloured creature you could imagine, all of which added to the strange...err...beauty of the festival.

The real joy of Playgroup was that there was something in it for everyone. And we mean absolutely everyone. The folks at Harvest Brighton taught listeners about growing and eating local produce, while Hannah the Mer-made shared her love of the magical sea creatures to an enamoured crowd. Two comfy cushion-filled cinema tents offering classics like Groundhog Day allowed for a temporary escape from the madness of the festival, while the alcohol-free relaxation tent also allowed for rest and recuperation. The wonderful people at SuckMyRock.com offered a fantasy forest photo stage, where professional photographers documented the brilliant array of badgers, owls, foxes and other woodland animals. Videopia offered one of the festival's most experimental and involving attractions in the form of a mobile movie studio that casts and films festival goers in mini tributes to Hollywood classics.

The children's tent offered a variety of engaging activities for tots including face painting, magic shows, drawing classes, interactive science workshops and boardgames. The poker and blackjack tent, Apokerlypse Now, which deserves a mention for its name alone, ran well into each night as serious punters and jokers alike came together to flirt with lady luck.

Between all the attractions and working out how to smuggle as much moonshine in as possible, it's sometimes easy to forget that a festival starts with the music. Best described by the Playgroup people themselves, the line up offered a 'tapas menu of the best music you've possibly never heard of.' Saturday night 7-piece Quantic y su Combo Barbaro set the pace with their fresh brand of Cuban and Latin beats that got the crowd dancing on perhaps the liveliest night of the festival. 

With such an eclectic mix of genres, it was sometimes hard to fit it all in. Hiding away from the rain in the Burrow, possibly the world's most comfortable festival tent, decked out in lush cushions, couches and carpets, punters saw, among others, Rory Mulligan and the Imaginary Band, whose Tom Waits-esque cover of the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army left them hanging on even after the rain died.

Skinny Lister's familiar brand of classic folk, fusing more imaginary words than Ned Flanders with typical folk classics had the crowd jiving away in the gorgeous Sunday afternoon sun. In contrast to the familiarity,The Correspondents played to the Sunday sunset to a crowd that didn't know what to expect when lead singer, Mr Bruce first arrived on stage, decked out in a futuristic black and white ensemble and a cracking pair of reading glasses. But when their remix of I Wanna Be Like You from Disney's The Jungle Book (yes, you know the one) began, the crowd was ecstatic. Mr Bruce's crowdsurfing antics were embraced as he simultaneously screamed along to the band's unique brand of vintage swing and jazz and perfectly contrasted modern drum 'n' bass.

Immediately following were Tel Aviv 9-piece The Apples, the last main stage act of the festival, who washed over the festival with their unique fusing of North American jazz, funk and hip-hop traditions with North African and Middle Eastern tribal styles. Within minutes of the end of their set, the sky erupted with the heaviest downpour of the entire weekend, literally marking a sad end to the festival. Punters frantically rushed to the Watering Hole, eager to continue their escape from reality, only to be told, much to everyone's dismay, that the bar shut at 10pm.

No doubt Playgroup Festival will continue to delight festival lovers in years to come with more explorations of themes, artistic expression and family friendly fun...we only hope it stays as intimate and magical as Playgroup 2011.

Review by Celeste Macdonald. Here are a few more photos...

 

 

 

 

The Bobby Six Guide to Prague

In the first of a new series here at Bobbysix.com, Celeste Macdonald does her best to avoid the puking Brits as she takes us around Prague:

If, like this tourist-hating traveller, when you think of Prague, you think of drunk Englishmen on stag weekends in matching footballs shirts and hoards of Japanese shutterbugs blocking your path at every angle, well, you're partially right.

Upon first glance, the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square appear as an overcrowded tourist trap, filled with restaurants, tacky tourist shops and vacuous crowds staring at the Orloj Clock, an admittedly beautiful ancient astronomical timepiece. Push past the masses towards the Charles Bridge, passing an array of portrait artists and buskers and follow the steady flow of tourists up the hill to the Prague Castle, the world's largest ancient castle. Ideally, attempt this journey in the late afternoon, the crowds have dispersed slightly and you can appreciate the spectacular view as the sun sets.

While the main attractions of Prague are a must for visitors, those who are looking for an untouched paradise will be wholeheartedly disappointed. However, take the time to scratch below the city's touristy exterior and you will find a host of chic bars and pubs, leading examples of art nouveau architecture and modernist sculpture.

Take for example the Czech Republic's heralded sculptor, David Černý, whose controversial, provocative modern treasures are hidden throughout the city. You can easily spend a day absorbing Černý's sculptures, notably, his cherub-esque faceless babies can be seen climbing the Zizkov Tower, which serves as a stark reminder of Prague's Communist history.

A great way to spend the day is by taking a trip to the Kampa Modern Art Museum, where you will see a variety of modern sculptures against the picturesque setting of the Vltava River. It's also a chance to see Černý's famous faceless babies up close (below). Wind down with a picnic lunch in the park outside. Finish the afternoon with a stroll through the Jewish Quarter, an ancient area which plays hosts to cafes, bars, galleries and shops and is also the birthplace of Frank Kafka. The Jewish Museum and Old Cemetery are well worth a visit for an understanding of the rich Jewish history of the Czech Republic.

Daring to wander further than the town centre is a must if you want to discover the real Prague. Additionally, you will find that beer prices are usually less than half of those in and around the town centre. A must see venue for mingling with locals in an uber-cool setting is the Cross Club, a chic, arty bar with a welcoming, laid-back vibe. Such an atmosphere extends to many of the bars in Prague and is perhaps a result of the Czech Republic's decriminalisation of drug possession.

Nearby, in the suburb of Žižkov you will also find Bukowski's Bar, named in honour of Charles Bukowski, the famed American poet. The crowd is a mix of locals and expats alike.

One thing you will inevitably notice about Prague is that it only requires a short amount of time before you feel as though you have seen everything. All the main tourist attractions can easily be visited in one long weekend. This rule doesn't apply where the awesome Clown and Bard is concerned. This quirky little hostel with its own bar, just outside the town centre, draws backpackers in with the promise of cheap accommodation in a friendly atmosphere. Foolishly, most book a two-night stay and vanish into the cloud of smoke, emerging several days later, dazed and confused, with new friends and an impossible-to-avoid appreciation for foosball. To quote Joe, the bearded barman: "It's dangerous having a bar in your living room."

One important warning: as hard as you try to avoid the Old Town Square, you will inevitably find yourself inadvertently stumbling through one of its various entrances, the intense smell of grilling meat subconsciously dragging you in. Don't let it disillusion you, away from it there is an entirely authentic side of Prague waiting to be found.

You can access Prague by air with Easyjet or by bus with Eurolines. 

Words by Celeste Macdonald. Pictures by Celeste Macdonald and Rob Townsend.

For more travel guides, including the best of Budapest, follow Bobbysix.com at facebook.

Gregory Alan Isakov at The Prince Albert, Brighton

GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV
The Prince Albert, Brighton, 10th June 2011

There's always something magical about a small gig in small room; the kind of intimate show where getting up for a sneaky beer or a bathroom break would be completely crass. When the musician is Gregory Alan Isakov (right in the above picture) and the room is the Prince Albert in Brighton, you can pretty much guarantee that this will be one such captivating occasion.

Isakov may still be relatively unknown in these parts, but the South African-born, Philadelphia-raised resident of Colorado took to the stage with four studio albums under his belt, the latest of which is the recently-released This Empty Northern Hemisphere. In contrast to light-hearted and humorous support act, Dusty Stray, the headliner opened his set deep and heavy - with no introduction - and managed to bring the room to complete silence within a few chords. Blessed with a smokey voice, charming smile and little more than a guitar, a harmonica and a back-up vocalist, it became immediately apparent that the beauty of Isakov's music lies in its simplicity.

Two songs in, Gregory uttered his first words: a shy apology, 'Sorry...I'm not a big talker.' The irony of an award-winning songwriter, whose lyrics are so deeply personal, being unable to express himself without hiding behind a song added even more resonance. His shy tenderness transpired into the delicacy of his whisky-infused lyrics, which, although deeply personal and bearing his innermost thoughts, managed to be highly evocative. Isakov performed with his eyes closed throughout, as though he was reliving the seminal moment of each song's creation. It was a privilege to witness.

Standout track from This Empty Northern Hemisphere - the beautifully arranged and deeply emotive Evelyn - brought the moment that especially moved everyone in the room. The kind of song that stays with you long after finishing, it was definitely the high-point of a spine-tingling performance.

Isakov ended his longer than usual performance by offering his sincere thanks to the audience for taking the chance on him, before hanging around to chat with fans. As admirers new and old gradually filtered into the Brighton night, they did so in the knowledge that they had shared something special with everyone else in the room. In a few years, they will surely have the satisfaction of smugly being able to inform their friends that they saw Gregory Alan Isakov before he was big.

This may have been the songwriter's first English tour, but we're betting, based on this unforgettable evening and his growing number of fans, that it won't be his last.

Words and pictures by Celeste Macdonald.

Scream 4

As a fan of horror movies, I absolutely loved Scream in 1996 and enjoyed Scream 2 a year later. Admittedly, I didn't see Scream 3, owing to my firm belief that sequels get exponentially worse as the number of films increase. So in watching Scream 4, my expectations were never particularly high. But despite my better judgement, part of me thought that there must be something keeping originals Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson returning for more after a ten year hiatus.

Scream 4 begins with Sidney's (Campbell) return to her hometown, Woodsboro to promote her self-help book based on her experiences. Her return inevitably provokes an appearance from the infamous Ghostface Killer and thus, the fun starts.

As the opening sequence begins, I desperately cling to the hope that after 15 years, Drew Barrymore's infamous performance can somehow be outdone. Unfortunately, the chosen formula appears to be 'more famous actresses and more gore,' which squarely misses the mark. Absence of personal attachment owing to limited character development leaves no room for the most important aspect of any decent horror film, suspense. Ultimately, I am left tiredly waiting, even hoping, for each beauty to die so the movie can truly begin.

Despite all this, as the film progresses, I find myself engrossed, thanks in part to the standout performances from Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts. Both are surprisingly convincing and engaging female leads, much welcomed after the myriad of one-dimensional blondes in the opening sequence.

On top of this, Kevin Williamson's writing is genuinely witty, and the constant and slightly over-the-top post-modern references to slasher-flick conventions are enjoyable for anyone with an appreciation of the genre. To quote character Charlie (Rory Culkin), "There are still rules, but the rules have changed. The unexpected is the new cliche." Through this assertion, the film manages to avoid predictability…or does it? Gale (Courteney Cox) sums it up perfectly in mild humour, "That's so meta." Add to this the numerous red herrings scattered throughout, Scream 4 manages to leave the viewer guessing until the end.

About the ending... without wishing to give to much away, Scream 4 was a witty, entertaining and gory addition to the Scream franchise unfortunately dragged to an entirely disappointing climax. Ultimately, I was left wanting to revisit the original 1996 film to remind myself what I love about a spine-tingling, cheesy slasher flick and thoroughly erase the memory of 111 minutes of proof that Hollywood doesn't know when something needs to die.

Review by Celeste Macdonald