Kirin J Callinan - new video and tour news

We first chanced upon Kirin J Callinan in 2006 as as the guitarist of Mercy Arms. He was clearly a very talented musician and soon became a good friend. We turned up unannounced one time at his apartment to find him shirtless and wearing a spectacular pair of high-waisted, tight, purple corduroy pants. When we asked him why he was dressed so utterly brilliantly, he kinda looked puzzled, shrugged and said that he was just cleaning the kitchen. It was at this moment that we knew this was a fellow who did things differently from the norm.

And so it proved to be. Since Mercy Arms split, Callinan has freed himself from the shackles that confined him during that time and has gone on to become one of the most inventive, brave and exciting artists around, as his new single and video clip (above) illustrates.

A synesthetic joyride to the frontline, W II W (Way to War) is the first single from Kirin's forthcoming debut solo album and launches with this amazing, gif-laden video clip from acclaimed film director Kris Moyes. All napalm, machine guns and loneliness, choppers and tracer bullets, W II W (and its accompanying b-side, Thighs) will be digitally released worldwide on 19 June and on 7" vinyl on 31 July.

Kirin will be playing a few Australian dates in June. You'd be an idiot to miss him:

Thursday 21 June Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Supported by DCM + Nite Fields + Kangaroo Skull
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au

Friday 22 June Goodgod Small Club, Sydney
Supported by DCM + Forces + Kangaroo Skull
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au

Thursday 28 June The Tote, Melbourne
Supported by DCM + Machine + Kangaroo Skull + Forces DJs
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au


* NEW SHOW JUST ANNOUNCED* 
Friday 29 June The Exeter Beer Garden, Adelaide (solo show)
Supported by Lochie Wilson (Steering By Stars)
Free entry

Mercy Arms interview

MERCY ARMS GUITARIST KIRIN J. CALLINAN TALKS TO ROB TOWNSEND ABOUT STARTING AGAIN FROM SCRATCH

“It felt like if you played in a band and were half-decent, you’d get wined and dined and you’d sign a record deal.”

Two years ago, Mercy Arms were the words on everyone’s lips. The buzz surrounding the young four-piece was absolutely massive. There was a seemingly unfaltering momentum about the band and, when a major record deal was signed, everything pointed towards them being The Next Big Thing. It was all too easy. “That’s really what it seemed like,” guitarist Kirin J. Callinan (above)admits. “You’re playing showcases to the biggest labels in the world and getting flown around and it’s like, ‘It’s all happening. Well done. Pat on the back.’ I don’t want to sound too naïve, but that’s how it was… Then the shit hit the fan.”

Like so many recent victims of cash-strapped record companies desperately throwing acts overboard in a bid to stay afloat, Mercy Arms found themselves having to negotiate their way out of the newly-signed contract. However, rather than this false start leading to their implosion, they simply got back up, dusted themselves down and came back with a galvanised spirit. Sidestepping the hype that had once propelled them, earlier this year the Sydneysiders released their debut album independently to critical acclaim and have since set about taking it on the road. “It’s back to reality now,” the intelligent and articulate Callinan tells me from the back of his tour bus in London. “We’re paying for everything ourselves, we’re doing things on the cheap and it feels better this way.” Their recent travels have taken them to the UK, LA and New York. “Over here we’re starting from scratch. You walk down the street and no-one knows you.” He stops himself and chuckles at his last sentence. “That’s not to say I walk down the street at home and I’m The Beatles.”While Mercy Arms’ ambition is such that they intend to continue giving plenty of attention to succeeding overseas, their time away from home has left them excited about an imminent return to Sydney for a performance at Homebake and a headline gig at The Gaelic Theatre. “At our opening show at [London’s] Scala, supporting Ladyhawke, there were four people there when we played the opening song. That makes you appreciate the fans back home and how well people have taken to us.”

While they have plenty more runs on the ladder to climb, their time overseas has certainly been a success. Indeed, the band has just finished a UK tour in support of Cut Copy, performing tracks from Mercy Arms, their epic, eponymous debut album to sold-out venues. Following the rollercoaster ride of the last couple of years, the spring is clearly back in Mercy Arms’ step, and the way Callinan already talks about getting into the studio to record a new album suggests the band is excited about the journey that lies ahead. “The first record, while I’m very proud of it, was a learning experience. It is a record of green and brown, and we want to make the next one blue and red. Bolder and more defined.”With bolder intentions come different recording methods, and Callinan explains the way in which they plan to put together their follow-up record early next year. “Going into the studio [to record Mercy Arms], we already had the songs from the rehearsal room and from playing live. When we recorded them, it was just a matter of pulling away the layers. On our next album, rather than working the songs in the rehearsal space and recording them as they are, we want to get a bit more adventurous; maybe go into a studio and record the songs and rearrange them, pull them apart, deconstruct them and put them back together again. Get them down and then work out how to play them live after that. That’s very exciting for me.”

As anyone who heads to The Gaelic Theatre will discover, Mercy Arms is made up of big personalities; most notably guitarist Callinan and frontman Thom Moore (above). Always strikingly-attired, the guitarist stalks the stage, filling the room with imposing guitar noise while Moore belts out classically-structured melodies with a soaring vocal. The fact that Callinan is the Yin to Moore’s Yang leads me to ask whether having two such strong characters in the group ever causes clashes. “Often,” Callinan laughs. “Obviously there are difficulties, but it is also where a lot of our strengths lie. It’s not just me and Thom either; it’s all of our personalities. We spend a lot of time trying to, you know, keep things civilised, but I think a lot of the positives come when we’re at each other’s throats. That’s when the most exciting music is made.”

Mercy Arms - Kept Low video clip

Sydney’s hip young four-piece Mercy Arms released their debut EP last month:When I first arrived in Sydney in 2006, the words on everyone’s lips were Mercy Arms. After hibernating for a spell, they have since played support slots with the likes of The Pixies, Editors and The Horrors. I have reviewed them on a number of occasions and always liked what I’ve seen. With lead-singer Thom’s soaring vocal talent and ability to pen epic pop melodies, this quartet could go far.

Here is their new video clip:

The Jack Awards 2007

The Jack Awards, Australia’s celebration of indie achievement, took place last night at Sydney’s Luna Park.Because the event is still in its infancy, the most noticeable thing about it is its inability to pull the really big names just yet, but it would be unfair to criticise it too harshly for this, as everything needs time to grow. Similarly, the lack of paying punters and the glitches with regard to accommodating those who did turn up can be put down to the fact that this is the first year the event has been open to Joe Public. However, penning people in and not allowing them to go to the toilet is the very opposite of the fan-friendly environment that would encourage anyone to come back next year. It perhaps wasn’t quite like “going to a gig in Nazi Germany,” as one fellow quipped, but it is certainly something that needs looking into next time.

The awards themselves followed the same format as any award ceremony. While the calibre of presenters and performers wasn’t as strong as the MTV Awards, there was a much nicer atmosphere at this event. Because the Sydney scene is so incestuous, everyone in the room was linked by one or two degrees of separation, giving the occasion a pleasing level of familiarity and friendliness. There was none of the falseness and the pouting of the MTV awards; this was just a bunch of skinny-jeaned indie kids enjoying the free booze and watching their mates perform or win awards.

Rockers Airbourne (above) opened the night with a typically histrionic show. I really don’t see the appeal of this band. Are they supposed to be tongue in cheek or serious? If they are being ironic then they’ve missed the boat more than once (Spinal Tap did it in the 80s and The Darkness have already done it this decade). And, if they are serious, well, then they’re just not very good.Mercy Arms and Howling Bells (above) performed, while You Am I invited a big old rock dinosaur to sing for them. I have no idea who he was, but he minced his way around the stage like Dave Gahan’s dad; posing like he was the hottest cat in the room. He wasn’t. He was an old man dressed inappropriately.

With regard to the awards, Angus and Julia Stone and Children Collide were unlucky to miss out to Red Riders in the Best Live Newcomer category, but congratulations must go to The Gaelic Club for winning the Best Live Venue. It is a great place, run by wonderful people, and I was over the moon that they won.

As the ceremony drew to a close, I came to the realisation that I would rather eat my own faeces than watch the “all-star” jam, so I hit the after-party. Booze flowed over two venues until the next morning, and it was delightful to be in the company of so many decent people. Following my recent jaded cynicism, this social gathering reaffirmed my faith in the music industry. There are some great people in the Sydney scene.

And so, at 5am, I shuffled my tired frame to bed in the knowledge that the Jack Awards is an event that is moving in the right direction. And, at just over an hour in length, is joyfully succinct. Other ceremonies could learn from that if nothing else.

Future Is Now 2, The Gaelic Club

I got a last minute call-up to review the second Future Is Now night just around the corner from my house. Seeing as how two of my favourite bands were on the bill, I was delighted to:MERCY ARMS
SPARKADIA
BRIDEZILLA
THE HOLIDAYS
LOVER
20/04/07
The Gaelic Theatre, Surry Hills

Following the success of the previous Future Is Now night, it returned for a welcome sequel and once again attracted a plethora of excited youngsters, as well as a guest-list as long as your arm of industry folk keen to discover the next big thing.

Newcastle trio Lover opened the evening and, while they aren’t offering anything particularly new, their catchy tunes were certainly performed with infectious energy. Similarly, local boys The Holidays played jaunty guitar pop which was hardly ground-breaking, but their set, which grew in quality with each song, was fun to watch, especially for the record company representatives in the room. Retro-sounding tunes played by handsome young lads? Very marketable.

Next up were a band that industry bigwigs were more than a little keen to cast an eye over. Having reviewed alt-folk teenagers Bridezilla a number of times, it has become apparent to me that they rarely fall short of magnificence. Debuting two powerful new songs, their standout performance reasserted my belief that these four girls and one guy are destined for greatness. This is a band whose music is so refreshing and interesting that I could watch them every day of the week, and that is just about the biggest compliment a music reviewer can possibly give.

Since I last saw Sparkadia, they have expanded from a trio to a quartet, with the inclusion of Josephine Ayling on keys and guitar adding depth to their already lush sound. They were certainly a decent choice of warm-up act for tonight’s headliners, with their ambitious, sweeping pop tunes filling the room nicely enough.

On a night of quality music performed by talented young things, Mercy Arms were well placed to bring proceedings to a close with their epic tracks. Despite a few technical problems, their set was typically exciting and full of grandeur. Kirin stalked the stage, throwing his guitar around, while Thom’s vocal soared beautifully over their classically-structured songs to create the most wonderful cacophony in a set which included new material, as well as old favourites like Caroline. The quartet was joined onstage by Bridezilla vocalist Holiday for their final three songs, including the absolutely massive set-closer Firing Line. It was a fittingly impressive end to the second Future Is Now, which is proving itself to be the premium all-ages event in the city.

V Festival 2007, Sydney

Does Sydney really need so many festivals? Well, probably not, but with a plethora of international talent on offer at V, punters were happy enough to stump up the cash for yet another day in a field. However, here’s a tip for festival organisers, if you want a reviewer to review the bands you are putting on display, it might be worth making sure they get in on time. I stood in a queue with of host of other Very Important People after the music had started, while stewards tried to organise a wristband to verify that I was over 18. Ironically when the wristbands arrived, my companion, who wasn’t over 18, was happily handed one with no ID check. It’s good to see the system works. Anyway, once through the gates with freedom to responsibly drink alcohol, I took in Sydney’s own Mercy Arms (below), who got proceedings off to a bracing start, with Thom’s vocals soaring over their classically-structured epics, which, as always, were played with honesty and conviction. Judging by this showing, they might just steal your heart this year. Meanwhile, Melbourne’s The Temper Trap embellished their excellent live show by adding a string section which gave nice depth to their fast-paced, invigorating guitar tunes. And yes music fans, that was indeed Bridezilla’s supercool Daisy on violin.While LA’s Softlightes made the most of the beautiful sunshine to woo the crowd with their dreamy, melodic, experimental pop, local kids The Ghosts put in another sterling performance which illustrated exactly why their star continues to ascend at pace. Gabby’s vocal has never sounded so good. This is a band that improves with every performance.

By the time Melbourne’s Muscles had made an energetic surprise appearance, the crowd had noticeably swelled in anticipation of the arrival of Phoenix. “Good evening, my friends,” said frontman Thomas, even though it was only 3.15pm. Still, we happily forgave the much-loved Frenchmen for their slightly incorrect use of English, as they played neat, tight indietronica so charming that the world seemed a much nicer place by the end of their set.
Another French act, Nouvelle Vague, offered some kitsch, instantly disposable bossa nova covers of classic indie songs, including The Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen In Love?, while elsewhere rock dinosaurs New York Dolls churned their way through an ugly set. Meanwhile, those who sought fun danced along to English quintet New Young Pony Club (above), who had the crowd practically turning cartwheels with their funky favourite, Ice Cream.
“It’s getting a bit chilly in’t it? I hope you’ve brought a cardigan,” said Jarvis Cocker in his familiar northern English drawl. An astonishing 29 years after he formed Pulp as a geeky teenager, the songwriter brought his legendary dance moves to V just as the sun was setting, and performed a collection of solo material which sounded as fresh and important as ever. Between songs, the bespectacled crooner threw confectionary treats into the crowd and chatted with such humour and affability that one would have been forgiven for thinking each and every audience member was a close friend of his. For many people, including me, Cocker (below) represents pure genius, and why anybody chose to be anywhere other than watching his wondrously beguiling performance is a mystery. Following Cocker’s majestic show, Beck really didn’t live up to expectations. He played his hits, his band members had a dance-off and the ingenious live puppet display was a clever touch, but there seemed to be a piece of the jigsaw missing. Mr Hansen was clearly lacking his usual spark, and was apparently suffering from the remnants of a bout of flu. While an off-colour Beck is still more entertaining than many fully-fit artists, the great man is capable of far, far more spectacular performances than this. After all, when the best thing about your gig is a puppet show, you know you’re not at the top of your game.
With queues for the bars and the toilets stretching as far as the eye could see, people who wanted to either expell or intake liquid were frantically checking their watches, as it was soon to be time for the arrival of two really big-hitters from overseas, who, due to the capriciousness of festival timetables, annoyingly performed pretty-much simultaneously. Purveyors of intelligent synth-pop, Pet Shop Boys (below) played hit after hit to a joyous crowd. Sartorially stunning, and with great visuals and dancers, the English duo can really put on a show. It’s also easy to forget just how many classic tunes they’ve penned, and, as the opening bars of each song rang out, the crowd yelped in utter delight. Amongst others, we were treated to Rent, Suburbia and Always On My Mind. Camper than Christmas and infinitely more fun, Pet Shop Boys’ magnificent performance was unquestionably the most enjoyable of the day. Quite simply, those who missed it, missed out.
People who tore themselves away from the Pet Shop Boys experience to finally see Pixies literally role into town might have initially felt slightly disappointed. Sure, they played absolutely faultlessly, but with a serious lack of interaction with the crowd, one sensed they were simply going through the motions. However, all it took was to hear one of their seminal songs to remember just why they are so well-loved. After all, how can anyone stand in the middle of a field with thousands of likeminded fellows singing the “oooh” parts to Where Is My Mind? and not have the best time ever?

After hollering along with abandon to Gigantic, Sydney waved farewell to the American legends, probably for good, and a jubilant crowd shuffled home in the knowledge that they’d just been entertained by one of the most influential bands of all time. So memorable was the overall experience that it no longer seemed to matter whether Pixies had come here to fulfil their desire to play to Australian audiences or merely to milk the cash cow dry.

So, does the city really need another festival? Well, any event that has the clout to offer such an impressive line-up is surely a welcome addition. More of the same next year please.

Review by Rob Townsend

Am I the new Daniel Boud/Cybele Malinowski? Er...no.

Some of you will remember that I used to take the occasional photo back in the day? Well, recently, I had this photo of Thom from Mercy Arms printed in an Australian magazine. I don't think the photographers on the Sydney scene have too much to worry about to be honest, but I don't think it is a bad shot considering it was taken on my trusty/crappy point-and-shoot camera.

Bridezilla, Ghostwood and Mercy Arms live review

MERCY ARMS
THE GHOSTS
BRIDEZILLA
Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross, 28/10/06

If ever a gig was destined to make a reviewer feel old and talentless, it was this one, boasting, as it did, three of the hottest local acts around right now, all of which are made of up frighteningly young, cool and talented individuals.

Purveyors of kooky alternative/folk noise, Bridezilla hit the stage early and displayed a sass and confidence that belied their tender years. During their short set, the collection of teenage girls (and boy drummer) offered a beguiled audience violin and saxophone solos, robot dancing, and, most importantly, some killer tunes. In the wonderfully named and (literally) too-cool-for-school vocalist Holiday, they have a real star in the making. It is easy to imagine her being the subject of many a swoon amongst the floppy-fringed teenage indie fraternity, as she sashayed her way around the stage, belting out a vocal that fell somewhere between Bjork and Regina Spektor.


Fittingly, on this Halloween-themed night, it was The Ghosts [now Ghostwood] that really stole the show. From the second they stepped onto the stage in suitably ghoulish attire, they tore into galloping indie that grabbed the audience by the throat and dragged it bleeding and awestruck through an exhilarating set that will certainly ensure we will be hearing a lot more from these four young lads in the future. Judging by the way the throng of sweaty masses were practically bouncing off the walls to their infectious tunes, that is a very welcome prospect indeed.There isn’t much to say about Mercy Arms that hasn’t already been said. Having ripped their way through the local scene, these are guys that know they’re good, and they took to the stage with the kind of swagger that only a band that have had record companies tripping over themselves and that have just supported The Strokes can. It’s fairly obvious to see why they have caused such a stir, as they bashed out a polished wall of ethereal noise that gave a nod to eighties bands such as Joy Division.

It’s just possible that this evening may just go down in history as one of those times where people will say: “I was there the night when Bridezilla, The Ghosts and Mercy Arms played at Candy’s.” After all, on tonight’s showing, every one of these obscenely young and exciting acts has the potential to go on and fill venues far, far bigger than this.