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SIXTEEN Exhibition @ Somedays Gallery

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FEATURING:

Jackson Eaton
Pedro Ramos
Luke Byrne
Ward Roberts
Oliver Bryce Yates
Sam Ash
Sam Stephenson
Brett Chan
Leon Batchelor
Gene Eaton
Tony Mckey
Ross Jenkinson
Sam Chiplin
Joe Coleman
Ryan Kenny
Jacinda Fermanis

Opening on the 9th of June at the Somedays Gallery in Sydney, SIXTEEN showcases a selection of independent works from sixteen of the freshest Australian photographers.

Instead of the generic method of using examples of the artist’s work to promote the exhibition, promo fliers for Sixteen feature the faces of the exhibitors themselves.

I’ve had a look at a few websites of some of the exhibiting photographers, and this show is looking very promising.

Make sure you check it out if you’re in Sydney!


The Left Coast Festival

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The unique Left Coast festival is launching tomorrow night at Sedition barbershop in Darlinghurst Sydney. It’s a 50 day festival celebrating cross disclipinary arts in the city, created by artist Robyn Wilson who runs the Views Of Courage website. Everyone interested in attending the launch party is encouraged to wear Red.

Views of Courage & Sedition present

LEFT COAST FESTIVAL
LAUNCH OFFICIAL. RED IS.
+
ROSE VICKERS
‘FLOHAWK’
OPENING RECEPTION
+
The NOISE play live

Wednesday 12 May
6 – 8pm

Sedition | Barber shop, record store & gallery
275 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst
Sydney Australia

The official spiel:

One of the most significantly unique and culturally vital spaces in Sydney will host the latest in a series of cultural happenings spanning the last 10 years.

Finding itself in a realm reminiscent of the Dada and Fluxus movements of the 1920s and 60s, Sedition sits outside of the bounds of system and market defined allowances for agile cultural exploration and creative practice.

Countless, internationally renowned experimental music acts have played at this barber shop buzz-hub, including Mani Neumeier [Acid Mothers Guru Guru], Chris Abrahams [The Necks], Lars Graugaard [composer, Denmark], Jon Rose [composer, Australia], Louis Burdett [drummer, Australia] and Jim Denley [composer, Australia]. The Difficult Music Festival in January 2010, held during the Sydney Festival, featured 138 experimental and classical musicians and sound artists, both local and international.

And the next evolution is born.
Left Coast Festival gains life.

The program will see a cataclysm of visual works, installation, new media and video works, hybrid experimental music/dance performances, classical improvising musicians, public discussion of tendentious sub-cultural and mainstream issues. A live pain vs pleasure synthesis conveyed through a tattoo/sound art performance.

These, amongst many other experiences, will be offered, with spots on the schedule kept free to allow spontaneous performances and presentations my creative Sydney figures as well as those visiting for the Sydney Biennale.
__

Check out the program

Cat Rapes Bat – ‘Grease and Sugar’

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Cat Rapes Bat – ‘Grease and Sugar’ (mp3)

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DZ and Howl have thrown party rock back into the zeitgeist and I, for one, am thankful. I’m also of the firm belief that city-dwellers don’t know how to party anywhere near as hard as country bumpkins, so it’s only fitting that my new favourite party-rockers are from a place well outside the reach of reliable public transit.

Cat Rapes Bat are a three-piece from a little town on the Capricorn Coast called Yeppoon (ya mum’s poon!) and frankly, a breath of fresh air from a scene more used to metal bands of dubious quality.

Sure, they wear their influences on their sleeve, but this sort of music isn’t about innovation as much as it is about good times.

www.myspace.com/catrapesbat

Matt Van Schie – ‘Journey’ (Memory Tapes Remix)

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Matt Van Schie – ‘Journey’ (Memory Tapes Remix) (mp3)

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Matt Van Schie is the bass player in Sydney electro outfit Van She, who were pretty ubiquitous in Australia a couple of years ago. And just in case the ‘Van S(c)h(i)e’ name wasn’t floating about the electro world enough, the dude also has a solo EP called Balmy Nights. Make of that what you will.

I don’t think his main band really delivered on the promise of their early hype and decent live shows, but then I don’t own any fluero thus demarcating me outside of their target demographic. Either way, New Jersey resident and ‘chillwave’ bro Memory Tapes (aka Memory Cassette aka Weird Tapes aka Dayve Hawk) has leant his deft touch to lead single ‘Journey,’ after having earlier this year remixed Midnight Juggernauts’ ‘This New Technology.’ Apparently the dude likes his Aussie electro.

www.myspace.com/mattvanschiemusic

Pikelet – ‘Weakest Link’

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Pikelet – ‘Weakest Link’ (mp3)

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Depsite released over a month ago, it’s taken me this long to post about Pikelet largely because I’ve struggles to pick a track worth highlighting above the others. Stem is one of the strongest local releases this year, mixing bedroom pop with more experimental idiosyncrasies and the odd middle-eastern diversion.

‘Weakest Link’ has probably best endured many a-listen. Although I definitely appreciate the less direct tracks on the album and think they greatly contribute to its overall effectiveness, it’s this pop tune, appearing in the album’s final third, that is always stuck in my head.

Evelyn Morris catchy harmonies muse on the subject inadequacy above little more than a driving 8-note bass line. Simple structure, cute lyrics and an irresistible vocal hook – ‘Weakest Link’ is a top tune pulled from a top album that I recommend you check out if you’ve not already.

www.myspace.com/ovalyn