Local Brisbane Music extravaganza

Every few weeks I harp on about this, but goddamn Brisbane has some of the best local music around. So much good stuff is happening lately that I just have to share it with you all.

Snitch

I stole this picture from Jess. Sorry, but it was the only one I could find of the month's poster. I'm normally not a fan of any Destroy All Lines clubs. They have good bands ocassionally, but the crowd of scenesters isn't my favourite at all. They just kind of annoy me. But this month I'm going to have to make an exception with so much good music coming up at Snitch, their Thursday nightclub.

This Thursday, the 3rd of November, old Brisbane punk rockers The Gifthorse will be playing an acoustic set, while two of my favourite (and not to mention great) bands Fires of Waco and Quiet Steps will be playing full sets.

Then come 24th of November, my friend's band Castles Sunk Below the Sea will be playing their post-rock/emo stylings alongside Jud Campbell (former singer of the Disables doing acoustic), Fires of Waco and Perth's hardcore giants Break Even. It is two great Thursday night gigs of great Brisbane bands. Get on it.

Quiet Steps
Speaking of Quiet Steps, they will be playing the last ever show at Sun Distortion Studios. Come New Years Eve, they will be playing a show with Nuclear Summer as well as the awesome Italian screamo band Raein.  I may have squee-ed out loud when I heard of this show.

Lofly records
Also on this Thursday night (but at the Zoo) the local record lable Lofly will be putting on a showcase of their local acts. Included on this will be Mr. Maps (who's new music video you can see me in) and Re:Enactment.  It's $10 for great indie and post-rock.

Some more news

These three slipped under my radar while I was updating a few minutes ago.

No Years
I always find New Years Eve to be the worst day of the year. There's so much anticipation for a huge party that'll be memorable, but it generally ends badly and in disappointment. From all reports, most people's are like that. So instead of being predictable with bars/parties/fireworks, why not go out and see some killer live music? That's the theory behind No Years at the Powerhouse anyway, which brings a kick-ass indie festival to New Years Eve. The first announcement this year has The Dum Dum Girls, as well as Australian acts Ball Park Music, Charlie Mayfair and Last Dinosaurs. There's more to be announced. December 31 at the Powerhouse, spread over 2 stages.

Track and Field

Track and Field is an occasional indie music night-club. It's been a while, but it's time for another incarnation, this time at the Arena. Featuring Bleeding Knees Club, Deep Sea Arcade (launching their new single all the way from Sydney) and Velociraptor, it'll be a good night of Australian indie. And drinks. Don't the two go hand in hand. The Arena, November 25.

After the Fall
I mentioned a while back that the awesome New Jersey melodic hardcore (not the Australian rock band) After the Fall are coming on a tour with Melbourne band Anchors. Well they've just named their local opening bands and it is shaping up to be a huge night, with Friends with the Enemy and Milestones opening. I'll be there early at the Jubilee come November 17.

The almost monthly "oh crap I ran out of time to blog so here's the big update" post

See the title. I've been bad lately, I know. But here's everything I've had written down to share with you lately.

The Blanks
Ever watch Scrubs? I hope so, it's one of my all time favoure shows (pre season-5). You probably know Ted, the lawyer with horrible flop sweat. You may also know his acapella band that appears sporadically throughout the show.

Well, they are a real band. Called the Blanks. And they will be playing the Old Museum on March 12. 18+. I'm not even kidding. I'll be fanboy-ing there.

Chali 2na

He has one of the best voices in rap. It's so unique. If you hear it, you'll know him from Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli.  He's done a bit of solo work lately and it's pretty good. He'll be coming down for a show at the HiFi on December 10. 18+.

The Casualties

These old-school punk rockers were supposed to do their first ever Australian tour (in decades of being a band) a few months back, but it got cancelled. Now it's going to be November 13 at the HiFi. 18+. UP THE PUNX.

The Damned

Speaking of old-school punk, the Damned are coming to Australia as part of their 35th anniversary tour. These gothic punk-rockers were one of the very first punk bands (see my history I did a while back) , so it's amazing to see them still going strong. January 19, the HiFi. 18+. Not that many people under the age of 18 will even know who the heck they are.

Bright Eyes

So many of my female friends just swoon at the mention of Bright Eyes, aka Conor Oberst.  He's coming out for Harvest Festival in a few weeks time, but they've announced a sideshow. Which is weird, given Brisbane's history of not having sideshows for any music festival ever. November 17, the HiFi.

Supafest

There's been lots of announcements, cancellations, back-pedalling and rumour-milling surrounding an Ice Cube Australian tour over the last few months. I've posted nothing about it, but it seems that he's finally coming down, but as part of next year's Supafest. He'll be touring alongside Lupe Fiasco, Diddy, Kelly Rowland and more to be announced. Not normally my scene, but Lupe Fiasco, Ice Cube and Diddy together may be too good to pass up. April 14, RNA Showgrounds.

The Red Paintings

A former Brisbane band, I saw these art-rockers a few times before they relocated to the USA. Known for mixing together their orchestral indie sounds with live art , they put on an amazing and involving live show. At the least you'll get someone painting on stage to the music, at the best... well you don't know what to expect. The first time I saw them they covered Nick Cave's the Mercy Seat, in one of the most haunting and beautiful ways. Now when I listen to this music video, I still get shivers.

Their homecoming is January 7 at the HiFi. 18+.

Howling Bells

Another former Australian band that relocated overseas (this time to England) is the Howling Bells. I've loved their music for a while, which is like a moody-folky female-fronted slightly noisey indie. They even throw in a bit of country every now and then. They're coming back to support their new album which sees them play Alhambra on December 16. 18+.

Soundwave 2012, take 2

Well, Soundwave festival has been quite busy in my blogging downtime of the last fornight. First off, Hole pulled out after a massive Twitter tiff between her and Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah. There's way too much back and forth for me to go into much detail, but basically she's a cow and a primadonna and he is... well.. I can't read her Tweets, they are just not English as far as I can tell. And now her Twitter seems to be gone.

Apart from that there was a 2nd lineup announced.

Bad Religion
Strung Out
Staind
Wednesday 13
Unearth
The Pretty Reckless
Cathedral
Shadows Fall
Tonight Alive
Motionless In White
Break Even
Heaven Shall Burn
Your Demise
A Rocket To The Moon
The Ready Set
The Menzingers
Dream On, Dreamer
Kittie
Dredg
Attack! Attack!
The Smoking Hearts
The Summer Set

It's a bit more punk related, and even some Australian acts (which is a rarity at Soundwave). But the big surprise there is Staind and Kittie. I can't believe how much of the 90s is coming out for this festival. It's amazing.

And for you metal fans, this festival will be the last shows that Cathedral will ever play. EVER. THE END. FINITO.

Also Melbourne has already sold out, and Brisbane is towards the end of its ticket allocation. So if you want to go on February 25 at the RNA Showground, you'd best hurry up and get your tickets. I picked mine up from the post office yesterday!

One sentence album reviews (#18)

It's really built up lately, what with a 2 week blog absence and the push to review as many albums before the end of the year. But here we go:

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde (2011): Maybe it's the name, but I get a very country feel to this lo-fi rock 4.1/5

Social Jet Lag - The Monster Inside (2011): Generic modern post-hardcore, but with a female that can actually sing. She should do pop instead 2/5

Starfucker - Reptilians (2011): Hipster indie-dance. At times I think Flaming Lips, Of Montreal or Avalanches. The whole time I think "YES!" 5/5

Tennis - Cape Dory (2011): an album seemingly transported from the pop music of a hot 1960s summer 3.9/5

Whirl - Distressor (2010): The Jesus and Mary Chain, if they wrote good music after the 90s. 4/5

White Lies - Ritual (2011): Editors get drunk at New Order concert, hooks up with Interpol; 9 months later their baby sounds like this 3.8/5

Autre Ne Veut - ST (2010): It's a modern Prince album basically, with the same level of annoyance 2.3/5

Tim Blood & The Gutpanthers - Summer Of Our Discontent (2011): lofi pop punk, with a sound that makes me think of a non-folk Defiance Ohio 3.4/5

The Cab - Symphony Soldier (2011): If I was a teenage girl that likes soft contemporary rock, this would make me swoon. Too bad I'm male. 2/5

Nekromantix  - What Happens In Hell, Stays In Hell (2011): Songs about ghosts and devils... Never would have guessed that in psychobilly 2.5/5

Kimbra - Vows (2011): A beautiful funky and jazzy album of soul from a talented kiwi female singer 4.2/5

Bomb the Music Industry! - Vacation (2011): The album starts nothing like a BTMI! album, but luckily the quirky ska comes back at the end 3.3/5

311 - Universal Pulse (2011): A 311 album in 2011 just sounds dated and so forced. Nothing even remotely funky about their current sound 2/5

Regurgitator - Superhappyfuntimesfriends (2011): As disjointed and random as any 'gurge album, but doesn't have a noticeable hit song on it 3.4/5

Staind - ST (2011): Less nu-metal than they used to be, but the song Wannabe makes me laugh so hard I can't take this album seriously 1.6/5

Frenzal Rhomb - Smoko At The Pet Food Factory (2011): Tyical Frenzal: fast songs with very non-PC yet hilarious subject matter 3.8/5

Puddle of Mudd - Re(Disc)overed (2011): This cover album takes everything I love about the original songs and destroys them forever 0.3/5

The Drums - Portamento (2011) & Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams (2011): surf rock albums almost identical, minus the female singer of Dum Dum Girls 3.3/5
(I had those 2 albums queued up back to back and I didn't notice when the album changed. They are so similar, except Dum Dum Girls is louder)

La Dispute - Wildlife (2011): an emotional trip with some of the best lyrics I have heard recently, each song is a story 4.7/5
(it took me ages to listen to the album, as seemingly each song is about dealing with death. Hits close to home. But unlike their last album, I don't think I heard the word "darling" once. In Wildlife the repeated word seems to be "cancer")

Mates of State - Mountaintops (2011): I listened to this 10 times without forming an opinion; which means it is still perfect lofi pop 3.8/5

Bury Your Dead - Mosh N' Roll (2011): In my world, this album is how I imagine all good straight edge hardcore to sound. 3.8/5

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - ST (2011): At times he gets close, but Craig Owens' new band just can't sound as good as Chiodos 2.3/5

Thrice - Major/Minor (2011): The post-hardcore sound is almost fully gone, but it has been replaced with some amazing rock song writing 4.6/5

Trivium - In Waves (2011): Enough heavier thrash for old fans & melodic metal for newer fans. Summary of their career really... 3.2/5

The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love (2011): They've lost the dance-punk edge and this album just sounds like modern elevator music 2/5

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You (2011): A watered-down version of their past (needs Frusciante!) that would be suited for AM radio 2.4/5

I Break Horses - Hearts (2011): This Swedish male/female synth-pop duo stands out from the pack because of their My Bloody Valentine influence 4/5

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (2011): They've lost a bit of the dreamy hipster sound and now almost sound alt-country. My Weakness! 4.3/5

Primus - Green Naugahyde (2011): The first new album from Primus in 12 years sounds as if it is from the Brown Album years. Funky and quirky 4.3/5

Ladytron - Gravity the Seducer (2011): Very quiet ambient synth music, like every Ladytron album. Just no stand out songs on this one 3.4/5

Eskimo Joe - Ghosts of the Past (2011): A very brooding mainstream-rock album, I can imagine the radio loving it. It just sounds cliche to me 3/5

Owen - Ghost Town (2011): Absolutely beautiful folk/indie/acoustic album, with just subtle touches of his noodly emo past showing 4.5/5

Skyway - Finders Keepers (2011): Imagine New Found Glory circa 2000, but Australian. That is this album. 3.6/5

Eminem

It's been what, 12 years, and I still know all of the words to this song:

For those of you that have been frozen in ice like a prehistoric caveman for the past decade or so, the white guy in there is Eminem. One of the most popular rappers to ever emerge. And he's white. Oh so white. And more than controversial.

He is booked for a 2 date tour to Melbourne and Sydney soon, which sold out rapidly and tickets are being scalped for 3 to 4 times their going rate.

And then out of nowhere, he announced a Brisbane show. Suncorp Stadium. December 5. This will sell out ridiculously fast, so make sure you get on it quick.

EDIT: Apparently he changed his mind and he's now playing Sydney again, instead of Brisbane. Of course.

Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles are a male-female electronic duo that dabble in lo-fi. You can't get any more cliche in this day and age than that, can you? But this Canadian duo has something that makes them stand out from the crowd. I'm not sure what it is, but I think it's the fact that they like pushing the boundaries on a lot of their songs and experimenting with sounds and noise. Lots of noise at times.

Like a lot of bands hipsters love, they'll be coming down in the new year for a southern music festival. Which means, of course, that we Brisban-ites get sideshows! January 4 at the Tivoli. Bring ear plugs, it could get very loud.

Mr Maps: A music video, and a cameo

A while back I mentioned that Nabs and I were at a filming for the new Mr Maps music video. Well, here it is. And you can even see me after 2 minutes making an idiot of myself. I also saw flashes of me, camera in hand, in the first few minutes. Just flashes though.

Airwaves: a late pass

I don't normally blog about albums individually, but I got my hands on one this week that has just blown my mind. The only problem is, it came out years ago. It's an odd collaboration between 2 Brisbane music collectives: Topology and Loops.

Together, with the archives of 100 years of radio transimissions, they've put together a 99 track album called Airwaves. This album features samples (in reverse chronological order) of some of the most important radio broadcasts in our history, put together with a jazz, and at times noodly post-rock, backing track. I sat at work today, enthralled by how it all worked together, at times the samples and the music were at complete opposites, but at times they worked magnificently together, especially the track Gough Whitlam: Well May We Say.

What makes this late pass even worse is that they performed it live less than a week ago at the Powerhouse. GAH! A chance to up my culture, history and general awesomeness and I just missed out.

There's something to be said for music that makes you sit back and really pay attention. Although I'm young, I still found myself listening to this and remembering where I was during some of these historical speeches (even though with me it was only the first few tracks that were relevant).

If you're willing to take a risk with something new and interesting in music, do yourself a favour, get this. And if you like what you hear, and have some management skills, Topology are looking for a new manager. This job popped up in my daily updates today, completely unrelated to the fact that I was listening to the band.

Future Music Festival

The summer of music festivals is all coming together nicely right now, with a second announcement today. This time Future Music Festival. I've never made it out to the Future Music Festival as it nearly always falls on the same day as Soundwave, which for my music tastes, is a better value for money. But this year it's the week after!

Here's the first announcement of the lineup and I've bolded the ones I want to see:

Swedish House Mafia
Fatboy Slim
Paul Van Dyke
Tinie Tempah
The Wombats
Chase and Status (live)
Skrillix
Jessie J
The Rapture
Aphex Twin (live)
Frank Ocean
Die Antwoord
Gareth Emery
LCD Soundsystem DJs (James Murphy and Pat Mahony)
Naked and Famous
Hercules and Love Affair
Sven Vath
Alex Metric
Azari and Ill
Jamie Jones
Holy Ghost!
Horse Meat Disco
The Juan MacLean
Benoit and Sergio
Stafford Brothers 

Much like Laneway, it's not a stellar cast, but between Fatboy Slim and Aphex Twin I could almost be talked into going.

March 3, Doomben Raceourse

Laneway 2012

Festival season rapidly approaches! Two announcements today, the first of which is next year's Laneway festival. I went last year for the first time ever, and had a reasonably good time, purely for Les Savy Fav. The rest of the bands were a bit similar sounding and the day was a bit of a let down due to the non-chalance of the predominantly "hip" audience.

Well this year is looking the same again... almost. Presenting, the Laneway lineup!

 

There's some good bands there, but the ones that really get me going are M83, Girls, Portugal the Man, the Drums and Yuck. M83, I saw at V-Fest a few years ago, Portugal the Man aren't playing Brisbane and the Drums seem to be touring here every 6 months or so now. So almost not worth it. But then, there's Yuck. This band sounds like a noisy reincarnation of the great 90's Brit-rock sound. This band is my front runner for album of the year. At the start of the year I was more than mildly obsessed with them. And M83 always put on a good show.

So yes, I am weighing up the advantages of going. We'll see how much the tickets are. January 28, in the usual RNA laneway area.

Soundwave 2012: for reals yo

I was close, but I got a few big ones wrong. Especially bummed at lack of Tea Party, Kyuss, Ministry... maybe the second announcement?

Here's the full lineup as of today:

Soundwave 2012

Warning: I'm pre-blogging this because I will be at work on a railway line in the middle of the Darling Downs when the announcement is made. So this is going purely off my information ascertained from many sources. $10 says I'm wrong. But here's the additions to Soundwave 2012, that I've yet to mention.

• Limp Bizkit
• Marilyn Manson
• Ministry
• The Offspring
• System of a Down
• Slipknot
• Kyuss
• Alice in Chains
• A Day To Remember
• Bush
• Chimaira
• Dragonforce
• Biohazard
• The Tea Party

Oh yes, Allan of the 90's/2000's is very excited for this festival. Oh so excited. Of course there's more I didn't mention and don't know about it.

February 25, RNA Showgrounds.

I'll update this when I get home and can check against the actual list.

Free Music Friday 31!

Last night the ever wonderful Kelly won tickets to see Japanese post-rock band Mono and was wonderful enough to bring me along. As good as Mono were, I was blown away by one of the local opening bands. They consisted of 2 bass guitars and a drummer.

I fucking love bass guitar. So much. Two bass guitars in a band? They have to be amazing. And they are. They are No Anchor.

I've heard a lot of buzz about these guys lately. But I've never had the chance to see them. Until I got lucky last night of course. Their two bass sound borders between crazy detuned sludge hardcore/metal, post-rock (their 5 minute feedback bridge last night an excellent example of this) and even a bit of drum and bass, with some parts giving me a DFA 1979 vibe. But all around, it's the kind of music I just like.

They have a few albums, but their latest one is free over at their Bandcamp. Get on it, and support a great local band.

And if you really dig it, get on over to Waiting Room in West End this week, where they are playing 7 days of shows. All at 8pm, all with different bands, all $5 and all BYO. Every night from October 15 to October 21st. My picks will be October 15 with local hardcore punks Dick Nasty, or October 21 with the USA Shoegaze band Happy New Year.

Southern Indie Music Festival Sideshows Coming North to Brisbane

Apologies. I promised myself I wouldn't do this ever again, but there's been so much news updates in the last 2 or 3 days and I have so little free time that the only way I'm going to get it out to you right now is in one of those "one-size-fits-all" blog update. Except this one size happens to be Shaq-size. So there's plenty of room for all of the news.

The following news items are in no way in an order of importance, more or less just which tab I have open in my browser closest to the blogger editing window.

The Kooks
The weird thing is, I saw this on a bus stop near my shopping mall days before the official press release. But yes, indie darlings the Kooks are coming to Australia for all the southern New Years festivals, which means we get sideshows up north! January 2nd at the Tivoli.

Beirut
Appearing at some of the same festivals will be the folky indie sounds of Beirut. We get them at a full gig, January 12 at the HiFi.

Deerhoof
Let's just presume every indie band playing in that fortnight is on one of these festivals. Deerhoof would be one of the ones I'm most excited for though. Their experimental indie style is quite an inspiration to many modern indie bands, and they are playing Woodland for like $24! It's on the 10th of January. I can guarantee it will be a sweatbox, but bloody hell, it'll be great.

Fleet Foxes
Is this folk-rock band playing a southern New Years festival?
Yep.
Are we getting a sideshow?
You bloody well know it.
January 11, the Tivoli.

J Mascis
The creative genius behind the legendary noise band Dinosaur Jr is also coming out for some festivals, but in his solo acoustic mode (which is still bloody good). He'll be playing sideshows at the Sound Lounge on the Gold Coast on January 7 and the Powerhouse on January 10. Given Woodland's late starts, you could probably do this before Deerhoof. I'm thinking of that plan anway...

Kings of Leon
Despite the rumours of their break-up, alcoholism, etc, they are coming down under to play their postponed tour from last year. This band really polarises me. Their first two albums, were amazing. I still love them to this day. They inspired me to relearn guitar when I had given up on it, and they blew me away on their first Australian tour oh so many years ago. Then they released a bunch of tripe. And continue to. But hey, if you like them now, they've added a new Queensland date on their tour, at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. It will be November 9, the day after their show at the Entertainment Centre.

Off!
Switching genres now, Off! are a band made up of former members of Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Rocket From the Crypt. I don't think you can get anymore punk credibility there. But they're bringing their old school style of skate-hardcore punk to Australia.

If you can't see the tour poster above, I'll tell you what's on it. We get two shows. Dec 4 at the Zoo for the 18+ and Dec 6 for an all-ages at Sun Distortion (this will be insane). I cannot wait.

Quiet Steps

I may almost be too late for this, but I got sidetracked with life/work/free tickets to Mono last night. I bang on and on about how good Brisbane bands are, and some of my favourites are playing tonight at Snitch at X and Y. Quiet Steps and Nuclear Summer to be exact. Rad dudes, good music, not too expensive drink prices.

If it's too late notice (and I don't blame you if it is) never fear, you can still catch Quiet Steps playing the afternoon of October 16 in the 4ZZZ car park in Bowen Hills.

As for Nuclear Summer, this may be the last chance you ever get to see them, as one of their members is off overseas. Which sucks, because they are about to release their debut album. So let's hope it's just a temporary thing. Here's a track off it though:

Endless Kickflips Forever (unmixed/unmastered) by Nuclear Summer

Abbe May

Although most of you know Abbe May for her new album cover where she's in a bra wearing a steer's skull (and looking pretty damn good at the same time... odd) she does excellent female led blues/in your face rock.

It's quite refreshing.

Normally whenever I hear of a female releasing an album under her own name, I just think it's going to be the normal singer-songwriter fare. Which is great, don't get me wrong, but it can take me a while to listen to it or even distinguish it from the rest. I wish I hadn't waited with Abbe May. Her rock and roll style is refreshing for a solo artists and her new album, Design Desire, is just bloody great.

You can catch her November 20 at the Tivoli

Here's another good song of her latest album:

Taurus Chorus - Abbe May by sgcmedia

Bon Iver

I was going to do a great big blog about Bon Iver and his shows in Brisbane in March, but the tickets went on sale the day it was announced, then sold out, then a new show was announced then that sold out. All within a few hours while I was at work. Crazy.

So unless you were quick, you won't be seeing Bon Iver at the Tivoli on March 15 or 16 next year.

Big Day Out first announcement: as it happened

For 2012's Big Day Out, the promoters took a leaf from the Soundwave festival school of promotion: they leaked the artists one at a time over Twitter. However, unlike Soundwave, they did it over 2 nights, instead of just whenever they hell the feel like it for months at a time. And now, here's the list, with my initial reactions as I sat at my computer:

But before we start, let us not forget what you will see a lot of during your day if you do decide to go: bad patriotism tattoos.

Why yes, that is the map of Australia. And yes, the interior is the Australian flag over a bunch of $100 bills. And yes, apparently Tasmania isn't part of Australia. (I took this picture during Matt and Kim this year. Couldn't stop laughing).

Anyway, the first announcement, with my reactions:

• Best Coast "huh.. first band announced, and I'll probably want to see them. This could be a good year... maybe..."
• Foster the People "Triple J listener's cliche band of the moment at the festival."
• Cage the Elephant "Yes, I'll see them. They're good and a lot of people won't see them! They'll be on a side stage outside of the crowds"
• The Getaway Plan "Christ I saw this band like 100 times in 2004-2008. Pass"
• Girl Talk "An artist that will get me to the boiler room this year!"
• Frenzal Rhomb "Already seen them twice in the last year, they must be desperate for money now!"
• OFWGKTA "Weren't they here a few months back? Probably still trying to cash in their short-lived earning potential. Don't want to see them though"
• The Jezabels "They are becoming one of those Australian bands that play every festival now!"
• Battles "YES! Highlight of a Big Day Out a few years ago... But are they as good without their old frontman now?"
• Architecture in Helsinki "They wrapped up a tour only a few days ago. Back on it already?!"
• Mariachi El Bronx "OH HELL YES. I hope that means the Bronx does a sideshow too!"
• Parkway Drive "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
• Boy And Bear "More Australian music content filler. Should not be as high up over some of these great overseas bands"
• Hilltop Hoods "well it's not a Big Day Out unless the Hilltop Hoods play... is it?"
• Royskopp "Was not expecting this... More of a V-Fest or Laneway band, but could be excellent late in the afternoon"
• The Living End "It's not an Australian music festival unless they play it"
• My Chemical Romance "They've never been the same since their first album. Glad I saw them in lots of small club shows when I was younger"
• Kasabian "ohhhhhhhhhhh yes. Excellent festival band"
• Soundgarden "wait.. Back up. WHAT?! They're back together? HECK YES"
• Kanye West "not a logical choice. He was too expensive for Splendour (yet still played it) and they didn't even get close to selling out. Just gives me a reason to leave early"

So will I go? At the start it was a definite no. Now it's a maybe. Soundgarden together again will probably be the one band that tips me over the edge into "fuck it, I'm going." But we'll wait for the second announcement.

January 22. Gold Coast Parklands