This Thing – multi launch @ Phoenix Public in Pictures

‘This Thing’ launched a bunch of artist releases at the Phoenix Public House to a pumped up crowd of excited punters. A night of cool beats by a diverse group of producers floggin their wares and ripping up the house with five live sets. I caught four and they were very good.

Naps – http://whothehell.net/zVU

Crumbs – http://whothehell.net/X8l

Wooshie – http://whothehell.net/0at

Andras Fox – http://whothehell.net/66a

More pictures after the jump. … Continue Reading

Damn Terran – ‘Rebels’ Tour in Pictures

RüFüS – at the Phoenix Public Bar – Photos

RüFüS put on one hellava show at the Phoenix Public Bar. I posted the video for their single ‘This Summer’ last week and got along to see how they do live. Very well it turns out and the charisma of the boys on stage was not lost on the gushing, mostly female, audience. The obvious comparison falls with the Presets but I think these guys lean a little more towards Miami Horror on stage. Either way they are super fun, so be sure to catch em when you can.

New ep out now! Details on their band page here – http://whothehell.net/X0u

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MY DISCO – Australia Asia Tour – Photos

MY DISCO played a couple of shows, as part of their Australia Asia tour, at The Toff in Town on the weekend. They were in fine form and it was a real treat to hear stuff from ‘Little Joy’ with a mix of old tracks and possibly one new track too. Someone might confirm that? So yeah it was quite an intense experience with the usual ear bleeding levels but with a twist of near darkness but for a few lazers and blistering strobe screaming through constant fog machines pumping right in our faces and my camera. I would almost get a clear shot then puff, fog to the face. The impact of all this was actually a total sensory distortion – you couldn’t really see, all you could smell was the foggy mist and we were submerged in deep pulsing MY DISCO throb. It was pretty good. More pictures after the jump.

MY DISCO page here – http://whothehell.net/zrr

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The Neighbourhood Youth – ‘Stone’ Single Launch

The Neighbourhood Youth launched their new single ‘Stone’ last night at the Workers Club in Fitzroy. It was bloody packed. But not with the usual motley crew of hip waifs sitting on half a beer. This was an enthusiastic crowd there to support this Melbourne four-piece and they were well into it. The single is probably more radio friendly than the rest of their set which sounded not unlike a Blueline Medic gig. Strong vocals thunder over a slightly heavier indie rock sound. Check out their band page here – http://whothehell.net/lYT

The Neighbourhood Youth – ‘Stone’

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more pics after the jump … Continue Reading

Golden Plains Sixxx at The Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre – in pictures.

Golden Plains Sixxx took place over the weekend at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre in Victoria. It’s the relaxed festival that hosts a mixed bag of artists on one stage over a long weekend. It has become a real highlight for me not just because it winds up the summer music season but because it is a really bloody good festival. From kind and very beautiful people to incredibly diverse and talented artists, good food and great camping areas to plenty of amenities and fantastic staff, Golden Plains has it figured out. I covered a bunch of the oz bands and a few internationals including ‘Bon Iver’ who surely was amazing. Sign on to the mailing list and be sure to get in the ballot for next year here – http://whothehell.net/xyD

Full set of pictures after the jump … Continue Reading

Mildlife – ‘Arriving Soon’ single launch at the Grace Darling

Mildlife launched their new single ‘Arriving Soon’ at the Grace Darling in Collingwood on Saturday night. It was the first time I had actually got down to the grace band room and it was kinda overwhelmingly packed and hot. Mildlife played a well considered set to a group of mesmerized and very attractive youths. Saturdays in Collingwood probably always look like this these days and the band lapped it up. I was quite into the sound and really like the way Mildlife mix subtle electronica and instrumental melody. ‘Arriving Soon’ is a dreamy tune that winds through layers of sweet grooves and features dramatic pop vocals that fit their presence onstage. It’s romantic stuff that moves with a heavy bass line or gets more disco with the up numbers but the straight forward band structure is still driven by the live drums. This is a band that has a heart not unlike cut copy and the slacker appeal of washed out, I hope they see the same success.

Arriving Soon by Mildlife

You can keep up with the band here – http://whothehell.net/QBl and check out more pics after the jump … Continue Reading

‘Wintercoats’ support slot at The Toff

Matt posted details of the last Wintercoats ep here.

I caught his excellent support slot for Julianna Barwick at The Toff in Melbourne.

Check the Wintercoats bandcamp page here.

Interview w/ Husky Gawenda

Following on from Mel T’s interview with Geoffrey O’ Connor. I spoke to Husky Gawenda of Husky, another Australian band set to play the Laneway Festival circuit this summer. Husky have had a lot of love on the site for their singles and live shows. In October they released their debut record ‘Forever So’ and have been touring the country playing to sold out crowds and very happy fans.

I started by asking about the release of ‘Forever So’.

We finished the record last year so we were sitting on it for a little while. We’d spent a lot of time and energy and love on the record so waiting to release it was a bit hard in a way cause we really wanted to get it out there and have people hear it. So to finally put it out and start to get feedback in all sorts of different ways – on Facebook and twitter and all the ways you get feedback these days – it’s been quite amazing. The fact that there are people out there connecting with it and enjoying it is an amazing feeling.

and having that direct connection with fans?

Yeah, its a beautiful thing because in the past the only feedback you get other then meeting people at shows, which is a great way to get feedback but other then that the only feedback you get is from critics. That’s all good but it’s a different sort of feedback I think. So to be able to just read people responses to the album on our Facebook wall is great. It’s a great way to gauge how people are feeling about it.

How has playing shows and the time since writing the record changed the way you feel about the record ‘Forever So’?

It’s interesting, I don’t listen to the record. I don’t think that much about the actual record. Obviously we’ve been playing and touring a lot so the record has become a live creature. It’s a thing we do live, we’ve had to work on translating the recordings to a live setting and we’ve had a great opportunity to do that this year because we’ve had so many support tours and now we’ve had our own tour. I’m still feeling really good about the songs, I still feel that most of the time I can connect with them while I’m playing them. Sometimes they mean something different to me while I play them to perhaps what they meant when I wrote them but there is nothing wrong with that, that’s the nature of songs and any sort of art. I’m really enjoying playing the songs and seeing how people respond and connect with them – it’s great fun.

The arrangements on the record are quite unique, have you had trouble translating that to a live set – you have a lot of scope to play around with? … Continue Reading

Boy and Bear Touring ARIA Album of the year ‘Moonfire’ at The Palace

Boy and Bear continue the tour right through to the BDO in 2012. Dates here http://whothehell.net/JUH more pictures after the jump

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