1929Indian at The Toff in Melbourne

Ebe Cassidy checked out a very mysterious gig from 1929Indian:

Having arrived at the Toff on a chilly Wednesday night knowing very little about 1929Indian, I left the gig knowing very little more. Mystery was the word of the night. Support Poco la Pax played a set so early I couldn’t say for certain if anyone managed to catch it, they then proceeded to disappear. We arrived to a very nearly empty room, the disco lights twinkling softly over the quiet, tiny audience when gradually bits and pieces 80’s inspired electro pop group 1929Indian began to materialise onstage until all five members were ready to play a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, six song set.

What recorded comes across as a jaunty, synth-driven sound with really fun nods to 80’s legends like The Cure, live was a somewhat more melancholy experience. Perhaps lacking enthusiasm due to the modest size of the audience - or could it have been the unfamiliar Melbourne chill, 1929Indian's lacklustre set conveyed less about their musical ability and more their desire to be somewhere else (notable exception: a cheerfully smiling keyboardist).

What 1929Indian may have - on this particular night - lacked in eagerness to perform, they certainly made up for in looking the part, all came dressed to impress in dangerously tight denim and a fitting air of dankness. It wasn’t solid moodiness though, Women In Cages, the lead single, proved to be an enjoyable moment, hinting at what the band can do when they… lighten up a bit?

Review by Ebe Cassidy

Wavves at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, London

Golden Lady hit London's East End to check out Wavves:

Raucous, loud, sweaty and punky. Wavves are everything you want in a modern day Californian punk rock band.

Friendlier than Fugazi, darker than their musical ancestors, Minor Threat, yet poppier than Jay Reatard, with whom they share former members, they are a fun, clever, scuzzy band who prove throughout the night to be full of healthy contradictions.

A messy start to what continues to feel like a pretty messy show is, nonetheless, engaging and enthralling, largely due to the raw performance of band members and those smart, hooky power punk songs recalling threads of early Nirvana.

Founder and singer of the band, Nathan Williams punches through each track with apparent pride that forgoes any of the nonchalance he assumes between songs. Laughing at his own jokes and complaining about broken strings and bad sound doesn't quite suit the atmosphere, nor the bands reputation. But this doesn't seem to bother the mostly ‘young dude’ crowd who are waiting patiently for the next moment of fuzzed out guitar wattage and noise-inducing disharmony, which preempts nearly every track in the set.

Things are definitely more engaging when the band are playing, pouncing and swallowing up the sonic space with their potent melodies.

Opener King of the Beach remains one of the highlights of the show - a perfect combination of surf, pop-punk and melodic glory. Other tracks Take on the World and Green Eyes are standouts, the latter, with its unaffected lyrics (“My own friends hate me/But I don't give a shit”) and vocal waverings, once again channelling Kurt Cobain. Super Soaker reminds me of Best Coast, or perhaps it’s the other way around, who’s to know?

There are songs in between that tumble into the next without much consideration, my attention wafts in and out, occasionally focusing on a stupendously drunk girl who seems intent on body surfing into a mostly well-behaved crowd. But then the band hit with one of those perfect skuzzed out moments and all is forgiven.

Bruises and all, Wavves are undoubtedly an exciting buzz of a band, reaching for something more than just post teenage tantrums and vague ambition.

Review by Golden Lady. See her own blog here. 

Photo borrowed with a loving kiss from our friends over at Rip It Up.

Expatriate interview

Carol Bowditch caught up with from Expatriate after the band's lonnnng period of playing and writing in Europe. We haven’t really heard from the four-piece since their 2007 release, In the Midst of This, so Damian (the chap just to the right of lead-singer Ben's cheek in the above picture) explains what they had been up to.

Tell us what you've been doing for the last few years?
At the end of 2008 we flew over to Germany to release In the Midst of This. We had an English management company and they got us a Warner Brother record deal in Germany, so we went over there and, just as we were about to sign it, the first economic crisis happened. We ended up going with one of Europe’s biggest independent labels called PIAS. We spent a-year-and-a-half touring that album, doing all of the main festivals, like Rock in the Park, all these massive festivals, from Turkey to Greece, Helsinki… We also did about 50 shows with Placebo throughout Europe, so by the end of it we were well and truly sick of the songs. It’s not a good move to put out a record, and a-year-and-a-half after you have done it in Australia, do it over again in Germany. It was a bit like Groundhog Day.

So, we’ve just done our second record that has been sitting on the shelf for about a year, but that’s finally being released. I would like a third album [or] another EP released within October or November. Cause we have so much newer, fresher material.

You played with Placebo around Europe, who would you want to do a tour with in the future?
It depends really, whoever I’m listening to at the time. I really like bands like m83, lots of different stuff really, like The Weeknd and Drake. I have been listening to William Basinski, who does all of this experimental stuff. He’s a bit like Steve Reich, makes this like a sonic landscape, droney, multimedia thing, it’s really different.

How is Hyper/Hearts different from your last few releases like Lovers le Strange and In the Midst of This?
It’s much more over produced. We spent a lot of time in the studio. We tried to make a different record to In the Midst of This, which was very rock, in a way, with lots of guitars. We tried to add a lot more keyboards. It’s a lot more developed and refined in terms of production and stuff.

What is your favourite track on the album?
I would say Dangerous Stranger; it’s just really dark and fucked up, like an early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club sound. A good mix of guitars and synths, I like that. Also, Do You Remember is a good singalong.

Tell me about the two new videos that have recently been released on your blog. Do you enjoy making videos for your songs?
I love making videos, we do them ourselves. Dave our bass player does them and is quite good at it. It’s such a hard thing though, like making music, when it comes together and it works, it’s amazing. I love making video clips and I film, I love that medium. If you can marry those two together, that’s awesome. I don’t think you need a massive budget, it’s all about the idea I guess.

How are you finding playing in Australia after so long?
Brisbane was awesome. It was like an indie rock DJ night. Our record label is up there too. It was an eventful occasion.

I think in a way, people have moved on, like Triple J… After coming back after three years, like, Robbie Buck, who was our biggest advocate and supporter of us, is over at the 702 station, Ha Ha… Nothing wrong with that obviously, it just appears that we haven’t got the same support that we once got.

After talking to Damian, I went along to see the boys play at Sydney's Spectrum. I was reminded of all the festival gigs that I had seen them play years ago as a 16-year-old fangirl of the band. They played a mix of old faves like Play a Part and The Spaces Between, as well as a sample of new material, like aforementioned Do you Remember, along with few other newbies off Hyper/Hearts. They dedicated their song Crazy from In The Midst of This, to all the friends and family that had turned up on the night.


Interview by Carol Bowditch. Hyper / Hearts is out now. 

Blur to debut new material live on Twitter!

For the first time, Blur will debut new material live on Twitter when they perform two new songs via a worldwide live video stream Monday 2nd July at 6.15pm UK time (for our Aussie readers, that's Tuesday 3rd July at 3.13am AEST. God knows what that time is in the US. Sorry, you'll have to do the math).

Filmed and streamed completely live from a secret UK location, the two new songs - which the band have never publicly performed - are Under The Westway and The Puritan. Damon Albarn said “I wrote these songs for Hyde Park and I’m really excited about getting out there and playing them for people.”

Go to @blurofficial at 6:15pm UK time on Monday to hear the first track and an exclusive band interview, followed by the second track an hour later.

Also, there is a swanky collector's item on its way! 21 years since the release of their debut album Leisure in 1991, Blur’s body of work has been personally compiled by the band and gathered together in one pretty fuckin awesome box. All seven studio albums are collected with over 5½ hours of unreleased material including 65 (65!) previously unreleased tracks and more than twice as many rarities, three DVDs, a collector’s edition book featuring rare and unseen photos and a new and exclusive interview with the band, and a special limited edition Seymour 7-inch vinyl. The box will also include a digital download code for the albums and all bonus material. Got all that? Because there will be a written test on all this at the end, you know.

Highlights of the box include early versions of tracks recorded for Leisure, bare bones early demos of the classic singles For Tomorrow and Beetlebum, previously unheard songs Saturday Morning and Hope You Find Your Suburbs and never released sessions with Bill Laswell and the legendary session with XTC’s Andy Partridge. There are heaps of other rarities too, but we're getting tired of all this typing, so head here for all the deets.

Ned Collette + Wirewalker at FBi Social, Sydney

Having recently chatted to Ned Collette about his new album, Carol Bowditch braved the cold to check out his live show in Sydney, which was to promote the new album, Ned Collette + Wirewalker - 2

Nursing a chilli coma, the relaxed vibe of the loosely packed crowd was a welcoming environment for my ill self. It was the sort of gig where you could lounge on couches or park yourself cross-legged on the floor while sipping on something warming.

The support act, the Russian born, Berlin expat, Mary Ocher, took to the stage wearing a sparkly bra and sporting a messy peroxide blonde do. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the solo songstress from her eccentric appearance and her strange exclamation in her thick accent that the lights were "SO cool, they make me feel like I’m in a horror film.”

The vocals in her short tracks were aggressive, with unidentifiable lyrics yelped between staccato screams and whimpers. Ocher’s solo set was brave, although it was a little hard to fully enjoy and appreciate with my intestines burning.

A crowd emerged after Ocher’s set, ready and waiting for Ned Collette + Wirewalker to take over. Ned, looking schmick in an all-white ensemble started the set with one of my favourite tracks off the new album, Il Futuro Fantastico. It was a strong start, with pulsating keyboard samples, monotonous pacing vocals and gangly Spanish guitar.  The dreamy The Decision was heavy with keyboard chords and organic percussion sounds, with Ned’s reminiscent lyrics layered over the top. The only instrumental on the album, For Roberto, another standout track, was executed well live. The Spanish-infused tune blends these awkward, broken melody progressions on the synth, with acoustic chords and dextrous fingerpicking. Midway through the song there was an interlude and where Ned took time to sip his wine as eerie synth sounds filled the room. The band finished off with Long You Lie, with the tropical intro, and multiple vocals singing in harmony through the chorus.

The varied sounds of the set proved that Ned and his Wirewalkers could seamlessly blend genres and borrow from different countries’ music. The Spanish-tinged set had something distinctly organic and Australian about it, and with the members having come from their base in Berlin to play, it was a truly international affair.

Review and live picture by Carol Bowditch 

The Jezabels at The Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

When Bobbysix.com first chanced upon The Jezabels a few years ago, in tiny Sydney venues supporting The Wahas and Bridezilla, we always thought they were pretty good. We never dreamed though that, in 2012, they would be headlining the mammoth Hordern Pavilion. In fairness, neither did they.

If, during their seminal hometown gig, the band seemed a little distant, it wasn't down to a rock n roll persona or through being aloof but rather because they were completely overwhelmed by their surroundings. "This point in the set is when we are supposed to say something," singer Hayley Mary told the crowd. "But we're too fucking nervous."

Her nerves were unnecessary. She is a natural born frontwoman. With a vocal that is incredibly powerful and that transcends into Kate Bush territory on occasions, she is the focus of the entire crowd's attention and the rest of the band kinda fade into the background in comparison to her sparkling presence (remember the term Sleeperblokes?). That's not to take anything away from their compositions. These guys know how to craft a song that retains indie credentials while being fit for plenty of radio exposure. Set opener Endless Summer is a fine example of this, with its prominent guitar and massive vocal burst on the chorus.

Obviously, with the band not used to performing in such huge surroundings, they found it a little hard to command the entire, cavernous room, but they certainly connected with the keenest fans at the front of the venue, who blared back lyrics and clapped along as if their lives depended on it.

A success of a homecoming was rounded off with a well-earned two-song encore. Excitingly, this is a band that is clearly continuing to grow in stature. Pretty soon, they'll be eating these sized rooms for breakfast.

Review and shitty iPhone pic by Bobby Townsend.

Jack Colwell & The Owls at Goodgod Small Club, Sydney

There are two surefire ways of getting a good review. The first is to hand your reviewer, upon arrival at the venue, a personalised, signed hand-drawn picture of a unicorn. The second is for your gig to be really bloody excellent. Jack Colwell had both of these bases covered at Goodgod on Thursday night.

Having been classically-trained at Sydney's prestigious Conservatorium of Music, composer turned alternative pop-star Colwell launched his debut album on a horrible, cold, rainy night that signposted the start of the Australian winter. Despite the bitter conditions though, a healthy turnout witnessed Colwell and his band of talented Owls (not actual owls, unfortunately) deliver songs from this new record, Picture Window.

A fascinating frontman, Colwell dissects being flamboyant and gothic and is often a confrontational figure. If you can imagine Patrick Wolf having a fight with Nick Cave (go on, it's awesome), then you're in the right territory. Plus, this cat realllly knows his way around a keyboard. In a local live scene where, often, sloppy musicianship is all too readily accepted, it is refreshing to witness somebody who can play so well. His piano is like an extension of himself.

The show was equally intimate, powerful and intense and was tied together with the singer's distinctive vocal and his dark, "chamber folk" melodies. Whether dazzling on the piano or crawling through the audience bashing the shit out of a tambourine, Colwell was a mesmerising presence throughout and is unquestionably somebody worth keeping a very close eye on.

Words and photo by Bobby Townsend. Keep up to date with Jack Colwell on Facebook.

Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Raveonettes at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

Carol Bowditch was at the sold-out Raveonettes and Brian Jonestown Massacre show in Sydney: 

Having already sold out the Metro, this massive double headliner played a follow-up show to fans at OAF. The Raveonettes got the ball rolling. After starting with slower, acoustic ballads that helped ease themselves and the crowd into the set, as things progressed the songs became more daring and frenzied. Within the heavier tracks, however, the harmonic shared vocals were often lost and indistinguishable, hidden under dense layers of guitar fuzz that washed over the crowd. 

The duo remained effortlessly cool as they played songs back-to-back with little interaction with the audience. There was one moment however, where singer Sharin (pictured below), broke her restrained demeanour, flashing a cheeky smile to the punters. From this break of poise, you could tell that she could see that the crowd were obviously digging what was being created on stage. A climatic performance of Aly Walk With Me closed their show. The chainsaw-like guitar feedback was interspersed with seductive vocals, and a delicate chime noise sounded intermittently between the aggressive sounds created by Sharin as she mashed her palm against the fret board. It was just perfect. 

Brain Jonestown Massacre (pictured top and below) then took over to a heaving venue. The San Fran eight-piece, led by the notoriously surly Anton Newcombe, played a marathon two-hour set, playing a mix of old and new material. The crowd, sardined within the space, outstretched their limbs to catch the lights from the stage and make shapes to the shoegazey, blues infused sounds. They danced as the band churned out hits like the psychedelic rollercoaster of That Girl Suicide and the hypnotic Super-Sonic. Positioned far side-stage, Newcombe was constantly being upstaged by percussionist, the “tambourine man” Joel Gion, who exerted charisma and showmanship throughout the show to the delight of the crowd. His cocky stage presence really added to the rock n roll image of the band that we had coveted in the documentary Dig!. A surprising inclusion to the set was (David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six that had the crowd droning along to the down tempo rework. Anemone, usually sung by a female vocalist, worked fine with Anton's lead and was still delightfully fluid and full of attitude.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s set was long, obviously, due to the twenty or so album releases that they have under their belt.  There were times where the similar sounding tracks became tiresome, but I guess my expectations that they would play their 90’s releases like Take it From The Man, or Strung Out in Heaven in their entirety was never going to happen. The band took heavily from this year’s release Aufheben, which from lack of familiarly, didn’t resonate as strongly with me as the old favourites that they played. 

Overall, the two bands played the new material that they were here to tour well, both displaying the fine musicianship that they are known for. I’ll definitely need to take the time to give both new releases a proper listen. 

Review by Carol Bowditch. Photos by Carol Bowditch and Bobby Townsend.

ma. gallery's third birthday party at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

From humble beginnings in 2009, ma. gallery has grown to become a widely recognised “travelling circus”, showcasing over 300 creative types in Sydney, Melbourne & Tokyo. To celebrate its third birthday, there was a massive shindig at Sydney's Oxford Art Factory.

Amid art murals by Sydney-based international exhibiting artists Jumbo, Esjay, Bennett, John Hynd & Jaxie Yael, a bunch of bands, DJs, a load of booze and some live tattoos artists ensured that the festivities went off with a bang. Especially noteworthy were exceptional sets from La Mancha Negra (pictured above), Mother & Son (pictured, below) and Kill City Creeps. Meanwhile, Glitter Canyon (pictured, bottom) headlined the night with a histrionic set which saw them wrestle with individual crowd members and climb the rafters.

A fittingly fun and interesting party to celebrate three fantastic years of ma. gallery. Here's to many more.

Words and pictures by Bobby Townsend. See more photos on Facebook.

Boy and Bear at The State Theatre, Sydney

Sophie Metcalfe reviewed and photographed Boy and Bear's gig in Sydney last week:

It has been a while since I’ve been to an all-ages gig. I think we can all agree that the all-ages plaque is usually an instant repellent for anyone who’s post teen. An environment involving small greasy things with underdeveloped limbs prodding our sides and screaming ‘I love you’ toward the stage. But, if there’s anybody thinking of enduring such a crowd – then The State Theatre is the place to be.
No wait - Boy and Bear at The State Theatre is the place to be.

It was great to be in an atmosphere where the excitement started from the opening song of the first act. Tin Sparrow began with their chai scented folk like a welcoming hug. Following this was Jungle Giants and although I usually switch off when any Vampire Weekendesque indie-rock comes my way – I actually caught myself bopping along somewhat pleased! By the time Boy and Bear came on, the excitable young things, the palatial setting and the man walking around selling candy and ice cream had seduced me. So no matter what went down I had already given this night a thumbs-up.

Opening with Rabbit Song – the boys quickly reminded us why we were all there. Grabbing our attention with flawless harmonies and a fluid light display, Boy and Bear had captured the attention of everyone in their hot little hands. One thing to be said in particular is that they have a great onstage presence. Engaging in banter that isn’t flawlessly witty, but rather a relaxed and goober-esque interchange between mates, it made you feel like you were in their garage drinking their dads' Coopers and just having your usual Sunday night session. They have a knack however, of going straight from having this grand old chinwag to slipping into a beautifully executed, intimate minor melody.

They glided through an impeccable set which was sprinkled with heckles from girls ranging from ‘marry me Dave’ to ‘I love you’ and there was even a sneaky ‘fuck me’. By the time the set got to Feeding Line, the girls were out of their seats and lining the walls of the theatre; everyone had fallen in love with
them all over again. There was an endearing little spiel about how they don’t like the idea of encores and then told us of their ‘mock-encore’, which involves pretending to leave the stage. Dave shoots one last heart melting glance to the audience, the girls scream a little more and then they play their ACTUAL last song.

Thank you Boy and Bear – for pulling a cynic out of her depths and giving her a truly fantastic, light-hearted night at the theatre.

Words and photographs by Sophie Metcalfe.

Wavves at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

Carol Bowditch checked out Wavves and Sures in Sydney last week: 

Local young guns, Sures, warmed the crowd and I couldn’t help feel like my 16-year-old self at a battle of the bands show at my high school. These kids have potential but just were going at it much like teenage sex, everything, all at once, with underwhelming results.

By 10pm, the faux stoner, Hawaiian-shirt-wearing crowd had packed out OAF and excitedly waited for Wavves to take over. The Cali boys opened with King of the Beach and everyone completely lost their shit. This track set a breakneck pace that was sustained for the rest of the show.

The set was heavy with material taken from their last two albums. They churned out songs from their 2011 release, Life Sux, including I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl, while selections from their standout previous album showed diversity, such as the more sombre Green Eyes. Meanwhile, slacker anthem Take on the World had the crowd throwing themselves about, stage-diving and roaring the chorus.

I was aware that the band had recently been playing a cover of Sonic Youth’s 100% as part of their set and once again it made an appearance. The addition of their rendition of the punk classic was better than expected and well executed in classic lo-fi Wavves style.

Wavves' surf-infused brand of garage punk was a fine way to spend a brisk Tuesday night and a more-than-welcome distraction to the working week for a boisterous Oxford Arts crowd. After the four-piece belted out the hits and made the requisite references to smoking weed, we all went home with ringing ears, content in the knowledge that the opening riff from King of the Beach would be stuck in our heads for days.

Review by Carol Bowditch. Shitty iPhone pic by Bobby Townsend.

The Great Escape Festival 2012

Bobbysix.com had a couple of roving reporters at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton last weekend. Here's their review: 

The Great Escape this year was fortunate to be gifted with some unexpectedly decent weather and this surely made everyone’s weekend a great deal more enjoyable, especially as, from the look of it, many people spent a lot of their time queuing. For any of the hyped bands at the festival this year, like Mystery Jets, Django Django, The Black Belles and Grimes, there was almost no chance of getting near the venue without being there enormously early and most people were stuck outside with a “one in, one out” door policy.

This was probably not the main experience for everyone as there was so much on offer and the best part of the festival was the opportunity to meander around Brighton’s bustling and sunny (this weekend) streets, browsing the many venues and stumbling across new acts. My favourite example was wandering into a half-empty Green Door Store on a whim to find IO Echo starting their set. I had never heard of them before yet I’m really excited by their music now. They have a new-wave influence with an electronic twist and the two guitarists have a loud, almost metal style beefing up the sound. The enigmatic singer (below) reminded me a lot of Siouxsie Sioux crossed with Florence Welch (in a good way) and her graceful movement was complemented by some cool Geisha projections behind them (briefly blocked by my head).

The Great Escape is an uplifting experience, especially for slightly jaded people like me who are concerned with the future (and present) of music. Simon Cowell’s slow assassination of the medium and the fear of illegal downloads seemed to be absent in Brighton this weekend, with hundreds of young and promising bands playing - and loving - music. You could see thirty bands and still feel like you had barely scratched the surface of what was on offer. It’s even more difficult to find your way to gigs you have planned to go to as you are more than likely to get distracted by something happening on the way, like Saturday night when we were sidetracked on the way to Michachu and The Shapes by a Rockabilly gathering at the Dorset.

We just managed to make to Micachu and The Shapes, who had packed The Haunt out, but luckily there was no queue outside and we saw one of the best sets of the weekend. There is always something so impressive about their almost DIY approach, with obscure percussion instruments, glitchy beats and rhythms and odd melodies that somehow all come together to make something far more approachable and enjoyable than my description would have you believe. It has also been a long time since I last saw them live and they have definitely matured as a band. They sounded amazing, playing newer material with more ambient and discordant moments suggesting the new album, expected at the end of July, is something to look forward to.

The Great Escape was far more civilised than spending four days in a field and offers more chance of escaping the rain, not to mention that bands always sound better indoors than at a festival where a lot of the sound escapes in the air. So be sure to check out next year's event and find some new bands and inspiration.

Review by Dom Erskine and Tanja Stocklin.

Friends at Scala, London

Bobbysix.com contributor Golden Lady checked out Friends' recent gig in London. Here are her thoughts:

Somewhere between Madonna’s Get into the Groove and Mariah Carey’s Touch My Body, lives a slightly demented lovechild of the two, named Friends. Still relatively unknown, however no less a buzzworthy band hailing from Brooklyn, New York.

They possess what looks and sounds to be a few decades' worth of hand-me-down hip-hop-meets-punkish musical references. If you've heard their breakout single I’m His Girl and watched the achingly cool film clip which accompanies, like me, you’ll have been pretty sure that this bunch were in possession of something devastatingly sassy.

Dreamy, cheeky, retro Hip Pop, worthy of crushing in a major way.

Last week I went to see them play live at Scala. A crowd of this measure and seeming anticipation could make even the least cynical punter overly cautious. Especially seeing as the band have not yet released an album.

New comers Aluna George, a duo hailing from London, were supporting. Despite only catching the last two tracks, I glimpsed enough of lead singer Aluna’s super cool vibe to know we’ll be hearing a helluva lot more from them.

Next stop, Brooklyn!

Five totally mismatched, mis-aged and mystifyingly various characters appear on stage. The more engaging of the bunch being the two gals: lead singer Samantha Urbani with her playful, goth get-up and flung gold cape and Lesley Hann on back up vox/bass/percussion.

As song one merges into song two and then three, it became increasingly obvious that none of the three other dudes in the band had any interest in engaging with each other, or indeed the crowd. While this can definitely work in some scenarios, such snobbery doesn't work when you are basically a basement party band.

There’s no denying at all that Samantha is incredibly engaging. If anything, she’s a sweetly geeky front girl, inelegantly clunking her way from one side of the stage to another, occasionally sharing some endearingly affectionate moments with crowd members. And whilst glued to her side of stage, moody bass player Lesley provided the youthful angst, necessary for balance's sake.

Stand outs included the dreamy Friend Crush and 90’s R&B throwback My Boo. However, like so many other hugely hyped-up bands, everyone is searching for a magical moment or two, a reason to support the hysteria, which didn’t totally surface.

Most of the other tracks came over like some high school, jokester band put together by Vice Magazine or maybe American Apparel. With the lack of connection between the band, on top of not being the greatest sound ever heard at Scala, one couldn't help but feel like they were playing the background in a B-grade John Hughes film which never quite made the light of day. After a few more shows and a handle on just how potent a band they could be, things may be different.

I look forward to seeing them again, after the buzz may have hushed a little and they’ve more of an arsenal of gigs to draw from, as opposed to a handful of hipster parties and the like.

Peace.

Review by Golden Lady. Check out her blog here.

Hatcham Social at The Great Escape, Brighton

Dom Erskine was at Brighton's Great Escape Festival for Bobbysix.com. Hatcham Social at the Green Door Store was one of his highlights:

It is an unusual feeling to see a band like this at three in the afternoon, especially on a day so unusually bright and warm, but that is what sums up the experience of The Great Escape. The sun shone in through the window into the normally dark and dungeon-like venue and the set started with a few songs from their 2009 debut, You Dig The Tunnel, I’ll Hide The Soil. They played through them with typical energy and attitude, possibly helped by the early start on a typical Brighton dirty weekend.

The set picked up with renditions of their new material. Taken from the recently released album About Girls, these new songs have a poppy, brighter feeling to them without losing any of the character for which the band are so well liked. Not to take anything away from the older material, but the new tracks sounded a better fit live, probably benefitting from my own sense of excitement at hearing them live for the first time. There was a more classic Rock n Roll sound to some the set. I Look Like a God When You Dance With Me (video above) was reminiscent of Roy Orbison (and a touch of the Pixies). This is a band whose hooks and choruses burrow into your sub-conscious, sticking with you long after your ears stop ringing.

The place was full and the atmosphere was friendly, with smiles on the faces of band and audience, even at the end of the set when, during NY Girl, a fusebox-related mishap left the band momentarily without vocals and bass. Tim Burgess said they have “the coolest drummer in the world.” This is true but the word "drummer" in that sentence could easily be replaced with any other band member.

With the music industry so saturated with "indie” groups and palatable dub step starlets, it is hard for any band to make it - or just make a living - so Hatcham Social deserve admiration for even approaching music as they do. Their newest album being released through a pledge campaign shows a perseverance to make their own music, and do it their way.

I would urge you to check out their new record and go see them live. I did, and it was brilliant.

Review by Dom Erskine. Keep it Bobbysix as they'll be more reaction from The Great Escape in the next few days.

Oxford Art Factory's 2nd Hat Party - the photos.

Sydney's Oxford Art Factory hosted a hat-tastic party on Thursday night, with free entry, free booze and a bunch of awesome local bands doing their thing. There was only one rule. You had to wear a hat. Well, actually, even those that turned up sans headgear were still allowed to come and play.

There were brilliant sets from Veen, Dampvamp, Group (aka the James Manson Blues Band), Tales In Space, Bang! Bang! Rock 'n' Roll and The Jones Rival, while Skarlett Saramore played a kickass DJRUM SET in a glass cube (really).

Booze flowed and hats were doffed as party-goers danced their legs off to the sick sounds that were being delivered at pace by the bands and DJs. There would be some sore, yet well decorated, heads come the morning. Here are a few photos of the hattractive folks who made the party what it was. That's right, HATTRACTIVE. Boom.

Words and pictures by Bobby Townsend

Support the Annandale's Buy-A-Brick campaign

The members of Team Bobbysix spend their lives at gigs about the globe. We are never happier than when watching some up-and-comers giving it their all in an intimate venue. A few years back, we saw Editors in a pub in London with about 30 other people. Similarly, we watched The Jezabels in Sydney when no-one knew who the heck they were and more than once we've sat cross-legged on the floor in Brighton to see Kimya Dawson. Heck, just last week we boogied with Kitty Daisy & Lewis in the backroom of a boozer.

So we're always sad when we hear that music venues are in danger of closing. After the demise of The Hopetoun in Sydney, another of the city's venues is in trouble. The Annandale Hotel is a rock’n’roll icon in Sydney’s live music scene, yet is in need of upgrades, is crippled by debt and on the verge of closure.

To battle this, the owners are running a Buy-A-Brick Campaign. The Annandale team want to make loyal supporters feel they have a place at The Annandale in the future. By offering them different packages which include a ‘brick’ with a plaque mounted on it, with their personal inscription, they are forever connected. For the hotel owners, Matt & Dan Rule, it really is now or never. They know it is not just personal to them, it is personal to a lot of people. We don't want to see the hotel go down and a high rise block of apartments go up in its place.

Last week, EMI showed their support for the campaign. Over the years, current and past EMI artists that have played The Annandale include: Paul Dempsey, Something For Kate, Papa Vs Pretty, Faker, End Of Fashion, Operator Please, Grey Ghost, King Cannons, 360, Birds Of Tokyo, Airbourne, Bob Evans, Jet, The Sleepy Jackson, Oh Mercy, The Cat Empire, You Am I, amongst many others. So it made sense that the label would want to get involved.

For more information on Buy-A-Brick membership packages visit www.annandalehotel.com

Julia Stone launches new album with intimate preview shows

Here at Bobbysix, we love love love Julia Stone and her beautiful music, which is an intriguing combination of dark and light, melancholy and joy. Having won countless hearts when touring the world with her brother and with a critically-acclaimed solo album under her belt, she now announces her new record, By The Horns, with a series of intimate album preview shows around the world. She'll be performing in London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, LA and Sydney.

The album will be released in her homeland of Australia on May 25th, with the Sydney show at Cell Block Theatre (National Art School) in Darlinghurst on Wednesday June 13. Tickets are on-sale here on Monday March 19th at midday.

Julia is a beguiling live performer, so do yourself a favour and make your way to one of the following gigs:

Fri April 20 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – De Duif
Mon April 23 – Berlin, Germany – Rotor Salon
Tue April 24 – Paris, France – Café de La Danse
Thur April 26 –London, UK – Studio Private
Fri June 1 – Los Angeles, USA - Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Wed June 13 – Sydney, Australia – Cell Block Theatre

For full ticketing information visit: www.juliastonemusic.com

Georgia Fair perform on a tram

Last time we took public transport, the only entertainment on offer was a kid who was referred to by his mates as Feral Justin and spent his time swinging from the hand rails. Oh and a woman talking loudly on the phone about her abortion. This is true. Jeez, how we would have loved to have instead been serenaded by Georgia Fair, as these lucky tram-users were recently.

We're partial to the Melbourne duo here at the B6. Heidi interviewed them and reviewed their album recently, so we recommend, if you live on Australia's East Coast, that you check out their upcoming tour. Oh, and ps, the chip shop you can see at the start of the video clip, Lord Of The Fries, is the absolute bomb.

Saturday 7 January - Club Sapphire, Merimbula NSW Tix from the venue / 02 6495 1306

Sunday 8 January - Bomaderry Hotel, Bomaderry NSW Tix www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545

Thursday 12 January - Westernport Hotel, San Remo VIC Tix www.moshtix.com.au / 1300 GET TIX

Friday 13 January - Torquay Hotel, Torquay VIC Tix www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545

Sunday 15 January - The Loft, Warrnambool VIC Tix www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545

Thursday 19 January - Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour NSW Tix www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545

Friday 20 January - Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta QLD Tix  www.oztix.com.au / 1300 762 545

Friday 27 January - Lizottes, Kincumber NSW Tix www.lizottes.com.au / 02 4368 2017

Saturday 28 January - Lizottes, Dee Why NSW Tix www.lizottes.com.au / 02 4368 2017

Sunday 29 January - Lizottes, Newcastle NSW Tix www.lizottes.com.au / 02 4368 2017

Rargo to play at MUM this Friday.

How great is it when awesome stuff comes together just perfectly? Like how tonight, Team Bobbysix treated ourselves to the BEST handmade noodles followed by gelato for dessert. What a combination.

Well, on Friday, two more of our fave things meet to create awesomeness that rivals a menu of noodles and ice cream. A band that certain members of Bobbysix.com hold dear to their hearts are playing at a venue that also means a lot to us. Rargo, meet World Bar.

That's right, the Sydney venue that various members of Bobbysix.com have DJed at for a couple of years plays host to a gig from Port Macquarie band Rargo as part of the ever excellent Friday night staple, MUM.

If you don't know who Rargo are, then pay attention. They are an innovative young four-piece fusing together an eclectic mix of reggae, funk, jazz and pop, and have been an ever-increasing presence on the Sydney live scene over the past few months. With bundles of energy in their stage demeanour, they are worth checking out on Friday for sure. Also at MUM this Friday you'll find the usual mix of DJs, teapots, good times and live performances from the The Shake Up and the fucking brilliantly named Royston Vasie.

Head to Rargo's facebook event page to find out how to get on the door list for cheap entry.

Kimya Dawson & Aesop Rock at Manning Bar, Sydney

KIMYA DAWSON & AESOP ROCK 

DONNY BENET 
Manning Bar 14/10/11

Playing to a sparsely populated room, Donny Benet belted out frankly ridiculous guitar and synth solos, in a set which could have been the soundtrack to an 80s straight-to-video thriller. It was a bit awesome in a tongue-firmly-in-cheek, Har Mar Superstar kind of way.

By the time Kimya Dawson and Aesop Rock had finished their opening song, Manning Bar had filled up, and the unlikely duo set about delivering tracks from their as-yet-unreleased collaborative album. The combination of Dawson's gentle thumb-strummed folk and Aesop Rock's rapid vernacular was interesting, unusual and, happily, worked excellently. After a couple of tunes, Rock left Dawson to it. Songs from Alphabutt provoked audience participation and stuff from her new record, Thunder Thighs, sounded particularly strong. Of course, she was charming and funny between songs – her mid-set daydream about starting a Phil Collins tribute band with Donny Benet was especially fun – but the best thing about Dawson is her honesty and her worldly philosophies. She talked of how she has been 13 years sober and how it's okay to lean on people if life is shitty, while Walk Like Thunder was an incredibly moving tale of life and death which saw Rock return to the stage. At ten-minutes in length, it was truly stunning in its raw emotion and certainly the highlight of the night.

Changing the tone and the tempo, Dawson made way for Aesop Rock who, together with MC Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz, had the room jumping with to some hectic hip-hop sounds. With Sonic seemingly intent on people putting their arms in the air all the time, Big Wiz dropped beats and scratched the hell out of the ones and twos as Rock belted through his lengthy back-catalogue. There were songs from Rock and Sonic's group, Hail Mary Mallon, such as the fun Breakdance Beach and The Poconos, while Catacomb Kids went down a storm. Dawson rejoined Rock on stage to close the show with a bit of rapping herself on Please Don't Tap On The Glass, Bats and None Shall Pass.

It was a rare joy to see two such different artists sharing a stage and creating an evening of such eclecticism. Equally intelligent, fun, emotive and entertaining, Kimya Dawson and Aesop Rock provide a weird and wonderful combination.

Review by Bobby Townsend. It first appeared in Sydney's Drum Media.