Pick for this week is the LP launch by the Avant Gardeners at the Jade on Saturday.

[youtube BPDtPvM9Dt4]

MAY

• 27th – Jamie Hutchings, Cheer Advisory Council at the Metro.
• 27th  – Jet Boys, God God Dammit Dammit, Strawberry Fist Cake, Pink Flamingos, DJ Sex Pest at Tuxedo Cat.
• 28th – Avant Gardeners LP launch with  Mondo Phase Band, Tom Smith, Les Goolies and Swimsuit at the Jade Monkey.

JUNE

• 2nd & 4th 3rd & 5th – The Wagons at the Wheatsheaf
• 4th – Ghoul & Collarbones at Format.
• 18th – Tumbleweed at Fowler’s Live.

JULY

• 1st Van Dyke Parks and Kinky Friedman at the Gov.
• 24th Warpaint at Jive.

On the Stereo

• Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope to the Sky 2cd (Young God)
• Jandek – The Myth of Blue Icicles cd (Corwood)
• Nico – The Marble Index cd (Rhino)
• The Sea Thieves – They Will Run cd
• Frank Lowe & Rashied Ali – Duo Exchange cd (Knitting Factory)
• Schackleton – Fabric 55 cd (Fabric)
• Sugar Minott – Sugar Minott at Studio One 2LP (Soul Jazz)
• Talking Heads – Remain In Light cd (Sire)
• Fugazi – Red Medicine cd (Dischord)
• Eat Skull – Wild and Inside cd (Siltbreeze)

Pick for this weekend is the Sea Thieves cd launch at the Jade Monkey, and don’t forget that the Avant Gardeners are launching a cd there the following week.

MAY

• 16th – Gary Numan and Severed Heads at HQ.
• 21st – The Sea Thieves cd launch at the Jade Monkey.
• 26th – The Dandy Warhols at HQ.
• 27th – Jamie Hutchings, Cheer Advisory Council at the Metro.
• 27th  – Jet Boys, God God Dammit Dammit, Strawberry Fist Cake, Pink Flamingos, DJ Sex Pest at Tuxedo Cat.
• 28th – Avant Gardeners and Mondo Phase Band at the Jade Monkey.

JUNE

• 2nd & 4th 3rd & 5th – The Wagons at the Wheatsheaf
• 4th – Ghoul & Collarbones at Format.
• 18th – Tumbleweed at Fowler’s Live.

JULY

• 1st Van Dyke Parks and Kinky Friedman at the Gov.

On the Stereo

• Cheer Advisory Council – Distance cd
• Ainslie Wills – Somebody for Everyone cdep
• Bill Callahan – Apocalypse cd (Drag City)
• Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and the Cairo Gang – Wonder Show of the World cd (Spunk / Drag City)
• Sleater-Kinney – One Beat cd (Spunk / Kill Rock Stars)
• Naked On the Vague – Twelve Dark Noons EP (Sacred Bones)
• Royal Trux – Twin Infinitives 2LP (Drag City)
• God God Dammit Dammit – The Very First Day of the Sunshine cd
• Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Quintet – Flutter cd (Tzadik)
• The Focus Group – Sketches and Spells cd (Ghost Box)

A number of the first gigs I ever went to involved Tumbleweed so I’m happy to see that their reunion continues with a national tour including a show at Fowler’s Live. In fact it will be exactly 18 years to the day since the first time I saw them.

Here’s a video from even earlier than that,

[youtube 19TX-fEZRkU]

For this weekend don’t forget the long awaited cd launch by Cheer Advisory Council, also possibly the last chance to see them in their current form.

[youtube dFaYayoI14A]

APRIL

• 30th – Cheer Advisory Council album launch at Jive with support from Steering By Stars, Danvers and Ghost Knife.

MAY

• 4th – Herbie Hancock at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 6th – Yellow Fever at the Metro.
• 7th – Ghost Notes at the Metro.
• 8th – Ghost Notes at the Grace Emily.
• 9th – Murs and 9th Wonder at HQ.
• 11th – Kyuss Lives at Fowlers.
• 13th – Johnny McIntyre cd launch at TPI association (318 South Tce).
• 14th – Avant Gardeners and The Big Band at the Metro.
• 16th – Gary Numan and Severed Heads at HQ.
• 21st – The Sea Thieves cd launch at the Jade Monkey.
• 26th – The Dandy Warhols at HQ.
• 28th – Avant Gardeners and Mondo Phase Band at the Jade Monkey.

JUNE

• 2nd & 4th – The Wagons at the Wheatsheaf
• 18th – Tumbleweed at Fowler’s Live.

JULY

• 1st Van Dyke Parks and Kinky Friedman at the Gov.

On the Stereo

• Vex’d – Bombardment of Saturn DL (Planet Mu)
• Shackleton – Fabric 55 cd (Fabric)
• Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Live in New York 2LP (Honest Jon’s)
• Jackson and His Computer Band – Smash cd (Warp)
• Jonny Trunk – Animation and Interpretation 7″ (Ghost Box Study Series)
• Hintermass – The Open Song Book 7″ (Ghost Box Study Series)
• Bushman’s Revenge – You Lost Me At Hello LP (Rune Grammofon)
• Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I cd (Southern Lord)
• Yellow Swans – Deterioration cd (Modern Radio)
• Doom – Born Like This cd (Lex)

I somehow managed to not notice an upcoming gig that looks interesting, from the Heathen Skulls website:

Heathen Skulls are proud to announce that legendary doom metal bassist and avant-garde punk Joe Preston will be bringing his revered one man band THRONES to Australian shores for the first time this April. After his departure from both the Melvins and Earth in the early 90’s, Joe went onto to mastermind the idea of touring as a solo artist in a one-man band, the results being THRONES! A Portland based sludge doom industrial project that’s recorded countless releases for the likes of Southern Lord, Conspiracy Records and Kill Rock Stars, not to mention shared stages and the road with every well respected artist with in the experimental, drone and doom metal genre.

During this time Joe has also recorded and toured as an active member with the likes of Sunn O)), High on Fire and Harvey Milk.

As an added bonus, Joe will be touring with the legendary Los Angeles based experimental noise artist John Wiese. John toured here as a member of Sunn O)) in 2005, not to mention touring with them around the world, he’s also collaborated with the likes of Wolf Eyes, Evan Parker, Merzbow, Smegma, Kevin Drumm and Cattle Decapitation. John also has his own project called Sissy Spacec.

It’s this Friday at the Ed Castle.

Great news this week, Adelaide legends Grong Grong are playing a gig at the Metro soon, it’s on Saturday April 2nd. I saw them at the Metro on election night last year and it was absolutely amazing, really looking forward to seeing them again.

Here’s footage of them supporting the Dead Kennedys at Thebby Theatre in 1983!

[youtube xzapSPSQKmg]

A bit sooner is Ed Kuepper at the Gov tomorrow. I always recommend seeing Ed, but in particular it’s of interest to see him team up with Mark Dawson again, should be fantastic. Seeing these two play together regularly in the mid 90’s helped make me into the live music fan I am today!

[youtube QI_d674q5yU]

[youtube hzIwfa67oSY]

MARCH

• 20th Ed Kuepper and Mark Dawson at the Gov.
• 26th DOOM at the Gov.
• 27th DJ Wolfpanther plays an all Warp Records set at the Metro.
• 27th The Sea Thieves play at the Wheatsheaf.
• 31st The Hard-ons at Enigma.

APRIL

• 2nd Grong Grong play at the Metro.
• 4-7th – Paul Kelly‘s A-Z shows at the Space Theatre.
• 8th – Collarbones, Steering By Stars, Panoptique Electrical at the Metro.
• 15th – Eat Skull, Slug Guts, Hit the Jackpot, Terrible Truths, Dud Pills at Format.
• 28th – Rites Wild EP launch at Format
• 30th – Cheer Advisory Council album launch at Jive.

MAY

• 4th – Herbie Hancock at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 9th – Murs and 9th Wonder at HQ.
• 11th – Kyuss Lives at Fowlers.
• 16th – Gary Numan and Severed Heads at HQ.

JULY

• 1st Van Dyke Parks and Kinky Friedman at the Gov.

On the Stereo

• Darren Hanlon – Fingertips and Mountaintops 2cd (Candle)
• Darren Hanlon – Early Days cd (Candle)
• Bitch Prefect – Marilyn Munroe / Holiday in America 7″ (RIP Society)
• Sonic Youth su Tim Barnes – Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui cd (SYR)
• Joe McPhee and John Snyder – Pieces of Light cd (Atavastic Unheard Music Series)
• Sun Ra – The Magic City cd (Evidence)
• Tagaq – Auk/Blood cd (Jericho Beach Music)
• Omar Souleyman – Dabke 2020 cd (Sublime Frequencies)
• Natalie Natiembé – Karma cd (Sakifo)
• The Necks – Aether cd (Fish of Milk)

This weekend is WOMAD, the weather forecast looks perfect for it. My picks are

• Joanna Newsom on Sunday night. Absolutely my top gig of last year was seeing her in Melbourne, it’s great that she’s finally visiting Adelaide.
• Omar Souleyman – hearing good things about his interstate shows. Plays tomorrow night only.
• The Necks on Sunday and Monday nights. I see the Necks whenever I can but I’ve missed their last couple of Adelaide shows (I think last time they clashed with Womad, and the time before I was heading back from ATP where I’d just seen them play), so I’m very keen to catch both sets.

Should be lots of other great stuff as well.

[youtube 3XMJl-HCO7A]

[youtube -YikHhPE5cM]

[youtube P0uCGDCNKno]

In the following week there’s another couple of big shows, on Wednesday it’s Belle & Sebastian at Her Majesty’s, with my DJ set at the Metro beforehand.

Next Sunday Ed Kuepper & Mark Dawson play at the Gov. Always keen to see Ed, but also very excited to see those two team up again after a break of more than 10 years. Quite a few of the first gigs I ever went to were Ed & Mark.

June will be a good time to visit Melbourne with the Melbourne International Jazz Festival being held later than usual (which suits me rather well). They’ve got a fantastic lineup including Charlamagne Palestine & Tony Conrad, The Sun Ra Arkestra, Sonny Rollins and Faust. I’ve never been able to go it before due to timing, really looking forward to it this time. In particular Overground looks absolutely amazing.

MARCH

• 11-14th WOMADelaide, includes Joanna Newsom, Omar Souleyman, The Necks, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Horace Andy, Os Mutantes, Don Letts, lots more.
• 16th Belle and Sebastian at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Before (and maybe after) the show DJ Wolfpanther plays indie pop at the Metro.
• 20th Ed Kuepper at the Gov.
• 26th DOOM at the Gov.
• 27th DJ Wolfpanther plays an all Warp Records set at the Metro.

APRIL

• 4-7th – Paul Kelly‘s A-Z shows at the Space Theatre.
• 8th – Collarbones, Steering By Stars, Panoptique Electrical at the Metro.
• 15th – Eat Skull, Slug Guts at Format.
• 28th – Rites Wild EP launch at Format
• 30th – Cheer Advisory Council album launch at Jive.

MAY

• 4th – Herbie Hancock at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 11th – Kyuss Lives at Fowlers.
• 16th – Gary Numan and Severed Heads at HQ.

JULY

• 1st Van Dyke Parks and Kinky Friedman at the Gov.

On the Stereo

• Dave Burrell – Momentum cd (High Two)
• John Coltrane – Live in Seattle 2cd (Impulse)
• Albert Ayler – Nuits de la Fondation Maeght 1970 cd (Water)
• Volcano the Bear – Classic Erasmus Fusion 2cd (Beta-lactam Ring)
• Swans – Public Castration is a Good Idea cd (Thirsty Ear)
• The Focus Group – We Are All Pan’s People cd (Ghost Box)
• Moon Wiring Club – A Spare Tabby at the Cat’s Wedding LP (Gecophonic)
• Moon Wiring Club – A Spare Tabby at the Cat’s Wedding cd (Gecophonic)
• Emeralds – Does It Look Like I’m Here cd (Editions Mego)
• Belle & Sebastian – Lazy Line Painter Jane EP (Jeepster)

MARCH

• 5th – Collarbones are supporting Guineafowl at the Ed Castle.
• 6th – Wavves at Rocket Bar.
• 9th – Darren Hanlon at Jive.
• 11-14th WOMADelaide, includes Joanna Newsom, Omar Souleyman, The Necks, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Horace Andy, Don Letts, lots more. Recently added – Os Mutantes.
• 16th Belle and Sebastian at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Before (and maybe after) the show DJ Wolfpanther plays indie pop at the Metro.
• 20th Ed Kuepper at the Gov.
• 26th DOOM at the Gov.
• 27th DJ Wolfpanther plays an all Warp Records set at the Metro.

APRIL

• 4-7th – Paul Kelly‘s A-Z shows at the Space Theatre.
• 15th – Eat Skull, Slug Guts at Format.
• 28th – Rites Wild EP launch at Format
• 30th – Cheer Advisory Council album launch at Jive.

MAY

• 4th – Herbie Hancock at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 11th – Kyuss Lives at Fowlers.
• 16th – Gary Numan and Severed Heads at HQ.

JULY

• 1st Van Dyke Parks and Kinky Friedman at the Gov.

On the Stereo

• Wildbirds & Peacedrums – Rivers 2cdep (Leaf)
• The Sounds of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz and Malam from Thailand 1964-1975 cd (Soundway)
• Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – Zombie cd (Knitting Factory)
• Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Quintet – Live in Lisbon cd (Clean Feed)
• The Engines – s/t cd (Okkadisk)
• William Parker Organ Quartet – Uncle Joe’s Spirit House cd (Centering)
• Alps – Alps of New South Wails LP (Past Futures)
• Bitch Prefect – Marylin Munroe/Holiday in America 7″ (R.I.P. Society)
• Like Leaves – s/t cd
• Ainslie Wills – Somebody for Everyone cdep

oops, forgot a couple of things tonight.

At Format the festival continues with the Format Festival of Song #2 “Sunday Picnic” featuring two Melbourne acts, Aluka and Soursop. From Five Thousand:

Cancel high tea with your BFFs and defer dinner with your Grandma this Sunday so you can attend the Format Festival of Song Vol 2: Sunday Picnic. There’s nothing sweeter than three-piece acapaella girl group Aluka and folky-lady Soursop (who is anything but), both out of Melbourne. Think vintage dresses, posies of flowers, adorable hairstyles, fairy lights, wistful looks and earnest melodies. You’ll come out feeling like you OD’d on fairy floss. Begins at the family-friendly time of 5pm. BYO teacups and macarons.

That’s in about half an hour so go soon.

Later on (about 9 I think), Lenin Simos is playing at the Exeter. The last time I saw him there (after the opening of the Tour Down Under) it was excellent.

Quick update with the latest on various festival related gigs, mostly the Format festival (see full program here) which opened last night with an excellent gig.

Also there is a bit of Fringe related stuff happening, with the two new venues from last year, Shimmering West & Arcade Lane happening again. Like last year it’s not too easy to find out much about what’s happening at them though which is a shame – it meant there were some shows (e.g. Curse Ov Dialect at SW, Busdriver at AL) with terribly poor turnouts because nobody knew about them.

Also I’ll mention a couple of things I’ve got coming up. I’ll have my regular Sunday arvo DJ set at the Metro on Feb 27th. Haven’t quite decided but leaning towards a bit of a world music theme with Womad coming up soon. Then in March I’m doing a special Indie Pop set in the Metro front bar before and after the Belle & Sebastian gig next door at Her Majesty’s Theatre. More details closer to the event.

Coming up really soon, for reasons I don’t entirely understand, I’ll be a guest at An Evening with Home for the Def at the Format Festival this Tuesday.

FEBRUARY

• 15th an evening with Home for the Def at Format.
• 17th Bare Grillz, Alps of New South Wales, Terrible Truths at the Metro.
• 18th Bare Grillz, Alps of New South Wales, Fukn Tutts, Sarah Chadwick at Format.
• 23rd Like Leaves at Shimmering West
• 24th Cheer Advisory Council at the Format Festival.
• 25th Super Wild Horses, Deep Feelings, High Priest at Format.
• 25th God God Dammit Dammit at Shimmering West
• 26th – Like Leaves, Collarbones, Per Purpose, Church of Hysteria at Format.
• 26th – Monarch, Unearthly Trance, Eagle Twin at Fowlers.

MARCH

• 5th- Soundwave with Gang of Four, The Melvins and lots more.
• 6th – Wavves at Rocket Bar.
• 9th – Darren Hanlon at Jive.
• 11-14th WOMADelaide, includes Joanna Newsom, Omar Souleyman, The Necks, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Horace Andy, Don Letts, lots more. Recently added – Os Mutantes.
• 16th Belle and Sebastian at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 20th Ed Kuepper at the Gov.
• 26th DOOM at the Gov.

APRIL

• 4-7th – Paul Kelly‘s A-Z shows at the Space Theatre.

MAY

• 11th – Kyuss Lives at Fowlers.

On the Stereo

• The Fall – The Unutterable 2cd (Gonzo)
• The Fall – Bend Sinister cd (Beggars Banquet)
• The Fall – I Am Kurious, Oranj cd (Beggars Banquet)
• The Fall – The Frenz Experiment cd (Beggars Banquet)
• The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace cd (Beggars Banquet)
• The Fall – Live at the Witch Trials 2cd (Castle)
• Smog – Wild Love cd (Drag City)
• Smog – Julius Ceasar cd (Drag City)
• Bill Callahan – Rough Travel for a Rare Thing 2LP (Sea Note)
• The Dead C – Future Artists cd (Ba Da Bing)

Tomorrow night Adelaide band Like Leaves launch their album with support from Lady Strangelove & Steering By Stars. I’ve been really looking forward to the Like Leaves album, but also I’ve been sick for most of the week so fingers crossed that I’ll be able to make it to the launch.

Here are some Like Leaves videos (look closely & you might see me in the first one)

[youtube dBKx409zUsE]

[youtube IsOi-tZX0B4]

[youtube mk4GST_FXFw]

JANUARY

• 14th – Like Leaves album launch at Jive with Lady Strangelove and Steering By Stars.
• 20th – Ben Revi (Cheer Advisory Council) at the Metro.
• 21st – Fkn Tutts, Shame Spiral, Old Mate at the Exeter.
• 23rd – I play an all Australian DJ set at the Metro.
• 23rd – Sea Thieves at the Wheatsheaf.
• 30th – The Holy Sea at the Wheatsheaf.

FEBRUARY

• 1st – Sufjan Stevens at the Festival Theatre.
• 4th – Big Day Out including Iggy & the Stooges, Primal Scream, Grinderman, MIA and LCD Soundsystem
• 5th – Satan’s Cheerleaders at the Metro.
• 9th – The Unthanks at the Gov.
• 11th – Laneway Festival with !!! (Chk Chk Chk) -THE ANTLERS – ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI  – BEACH HOUSE  – BEAR IN HEAVEN – BLONDE REDHEAD  – CLOUD CONTROL – CUT COPY  – DEERHUNTER  –  FOALS  –  GOTYE  –  THE HOLIDAYS – HOLY FUCK – JENNY & JOHNNY  –  LES SAVY FAV  – LOCAL NATIVES – MENOMENA – PVT –  RAT vs POSSUM – STORNOWAY – TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB – VIOLENT SOHO – WARPAINT  –  WORLD’S END PRESS – YEASAYER
• 12th Format Festival opening night with Woollen Kits, Absolute Boys, Terrible Truths, Fair Maiden.
• 25th Super Wild Horses at Format.
• 26th – Per Purpose, Bitch Prefect at Format.

MARCH

• 5th- Soundwave with Gang of Four, The Melvins and lots more.
• 6th – Wavves at Rocket Bar.
• 9th – Darren Hanlon at Jive.
• 11-14th WOMADelaide, includes Joanna Newsom, Omar Souleyman, The Necks, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Horace Andy, Don Letts, lots more.
• 16th Belle and Sebastian at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 20th Ed Kuepper at the Gov.
• 26th DOOM at the Gov.

APRIL

• 4-7th – Paul Kelly‘s A-Z shows at the Space Theatre.

MAY

• 11th – Kyuss Lives at Fowlers.

On the Stereo

• Moon Wiring Club – A Spare Tabby At the Cat’s Wedding LP (Gecophonic)
• Moon Wiring Club – A Spare Tabby At the Cat’s Wedding cd (Gecophonic)
• Moon Wiring Club – Shoes Off and Chairs Away cd (Gecophonic)
• Moon Wiring Club – Striped Paint for the Last Post cd (Gecophonic)
• The Gaslamp Killer – All Killer cd (B Music)
• Psych-Funk 101 cd (World Psychedelic Funk Classics)
• Espers – III cd (Drag City)
• The Fall – Your Future Our Clutter cd (Domino)
• The Fall – Imperial Wax Solvent cd (Sanctuary)
• The Fall – A Part of America Therein, 1981 cd (Castle)