My big week of concerts fell apart early, with Marilyn Manson cancelling all photo passes. As a result, I never made it out to Eaton Hills for the concert. However, the Soundwave day itself was amazing. I managed to shoot 17 bands and see 3 more.
I also took what may be one of my favourite pictures I've ever taken.
That's the lead singer of Thursday, in one of the last shows they'll ever play. Ever. If you want to see my photo album from the Brisbane Soundwave, click here.
I'm about to jump a plane for Sydney to photo two sideshows, then back to Brisbane for a plethora of other shows this week.
Normally when a gig gets announced, I think of a few people to tell and tell them in conversation. But yesterday morning, about 8 am, I went into a mad texting overdrive to people who went into a mad texting overdrive and so on and so forth.
All for this:
Yes. Radiohead. They are making their long awaited and oft-rumoured tour to Australia. I doubt they'll play that song, which is one of my favourites.
For those that don't know, Radiohead has a policy of selling their own tickets. So within seconds of being announced, I was lucky enough to hold (virtually) the ticket (reciept). However, that sold out almost instantaneously as other people learnt of their policy.
Anyone that missed out, prepare to crash Ticketek's website on Thursday at 9 am. That's when it goes on sale
Hello readers, apart from today's flurry of updates, February has been rather slack for me. And I apologise. But with work trips up north, multiple La Dispute shows and many birthdays (including mine) it's been hard (and kind of very nice) to not be near a computer.
I'm going to be absent most of the rest of the month, because I will be photographing a lot of the Soundwave festivities for Alt Music Hub, so keep an eye out for my photos there. And if you see me at Soundwave and I don't like flustered and tired running between the gajillion stages seeing as many bands as possible, make sure to say hi! I'll take your photo.
This is the plan for the next few weeks though:
Tomorrow: La Dispute, Between the Walls
Feb 24: Marilyn Manson/Coal Chamber, Eaton Hills Hotel
Feb 25: Soundwave, RNA Showgrounds
Feb 26: Sleep/edit photos
Feb 27: Death Cab for Cutie, Tivoli (no photos unfortunately, just being my music nerd self) Feb 28: Dillinger Escape Plan/System of a Down, Sydney
Feb 29: Letlive/Enter Shikari, Sydney
Mar 1: Smith St Band/Bomb the Music Industry, Between the Walls
Mar 3: Bonnie Prince Billy, GoMA
Mar 4: UFC in Sydney, Queensland Reds at Suncorp
Mar 6: Manchester Orchestra, HiFi
It's a busy few weeks, 2 trips to Sydney in there and even a work trip back up north to squeeze in as well probably. And lots and lots of bands and sports. I'll try to update the blog when I can, but for all my photos when they happen, check the Alt Music Hub Facebook, my Tumblr or my Twitter.
As long term readers probably know by now, I don't really listen to Triple J much anymore, except for my weekly Doctor Karl, and sometimes Short Fast Loud and Full Metal Racket.
And now, there's a new host of Full Metal Racket, their weekly metal show. It's this guy:
Yep, Lochlan Watt. Local lead singer of Nuclear Summer and Iron Hide. Two of my favourite heavy Brisbane bands that I've photographed many times over the last year or so. Congratulations dude. I've read many of your interviews in zines over the years (especially Death Before Dishonour). I think you'll have me listening to the radio a heck of a lot more!
I'm calling it right now. This show will be the hardcore gig of the year 2012. Two great New York old school hardcore bands supported by one of my favourite old-school Australian hardcore bands.
Sick of It All:
Agnostic Front:
Toe to Toe:
The last few Sick of It All tours have been opening for other bands, generally with crowds I don't really want to be in or venues way too big for just seeing Sick of It All. But finally.. finally! We get them headlining.
In my end of lists for 2010, this legend of men made my list twice. Number 5 for gig of the year, number 4 for album of the year. And it's not hard to see why.
His voice is just golden. It's like Tom Waits and Nick Cave together, but there's something unique about it... It's Mark effin Lanegan.
I really didn't know much about him in 2010, just a few songs from his collaborations with Isobel Campbell and Queens of the Stone Age. But I just stood there, rooted to the spot, swooning over the beautiful vocals, accompanied by only an acoustic guitar.
2012 sees him come out with his full band. Playing the Tivoli, April 21. 18+
When bands cancel tours, I get sad. Especially bands I really want to see. But everything about the Murder by Death cancellation actually makes me happy (except for having to wait longer to see them again).
Why?
It's the night of Soundwave. I am photographing that festival and sideshows before/after. I'm going to be dead that night
Carly's going to be in town and staying with me that night! Choosing between an overseas friend or a band? That's tough
It was at Woodland. I don't like that venue. Now it is no longer at Woodland.
I get to see them now!
It was originally February 25 at Woodland. Now it's May 26 at the Jubilee Hotel. A much better venue. And it only appears to be clashing with Florence + the Machine, a clash that's easy to choose. (Hint: not Florence).
So I'm putting them in a big blog post all together. Most of it's heavy, but I'll start with the quiet one:
Ben Kweller
No idea how this slipped by me, but Ben Kweller is touring here. In less than 3 weeks. I've seen him 2 times now and he's always enjoyable, especially with his band in tow.
March 4, The HiFi (18+)
August Burns Red
When I was young and impressionable (and worshipped I Killed the Prom Queen) I loved the genre "metalcore". And one of the few bands that I still occasionally listen tois August Burns Red. Not sure why, but I think it may because the vocals are understandable and more hardcore punk style.
April 18, the HiFi (18+)
Supported by Blessthefall and Northlane, who are both "buzz" bands that I know nothing about at all. Not one thing. I should probably be a good music blogger and research it one day.
Amon Amarth
Hands up who doesn't like some fantasy themed viking metal? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? That's right. It's fucking awesome. The music isn't always the best metal you've heard, but the show more than makes up for it.
They're also Swedish, which is home to the best bands ever. Including Abba.
April 13, the HiFi (18+)
Anchor
While on the subject of Sweden, suss out Anchor. They're Swedish hardcore, singing English. Which in my mind, is the best kind of hardcore.
Feb 29, YAC, Byron Bay (all-ages)
Mar 1, Basement 243 (18+)
Mar 2, Between the Walls (all-ages)
Mar 3, Miami Shark Bar, Gold Coast (18+)
Mar 4, Buderim CWA Hall, Sunshine Coast (all-ages)
Evanescence\Blaqk Audio
One of my best friends was in love with Evanescence. Whenever I'd pass out on his couch it would be to him looping one of their albums (and I'd wake up to the same songs). He also made his own giant posters of Amy Lee and put them up all over. Heck, he even had their song played at his funeral.
The female-fronted nu-metal band obviously now holds a very special place in my heart. Even if I wasn't a big fan of theirs to start with. I was surprised to hear they were touring, as I had not heard anything from them for about 5 years!
Announced as their supports is Blaqk Audio. I know a lot of people that are more excited by this than Evanescence. In fact, these people are just going for the opening act. Who is Blaqk Audio? Well, it's an electronic act fronted by Davey Havok, the lead singer of AFI. Scene girls everywhere will be weeping for him before Evanescence even gets anywhere near the stage.
March 26, Convention Centre (all-ages)
Dead to Me/Cobra Skulls
I love how each year we tend to get a double-header punk tour, both Fat Wreck Chords bands. This year the tradition continues with Dead to Me and Cobra Skulls. These twopunk bands will be playing a Brisbane show with some great local punk including Army of Champions and Headaches.
April 8, Basement 243 (18+)
Adam Ant
A lot of the fans of the other bands on this page will not know this last gig at all, but people like me rooted in the 80's will recognize the drum sticks at the start of this song:
Apparently Adam dropped the ants and became an actor but now he's reformed with a different band, writing new musicand touring big shows in the UK! And here.
As a country, isolation is a great thing, especially when you produce as many kick-ass bands that we do, that also like to tour. A lot. So you should go to these shows with me.
DZ Deathrays
This two piece from Brisbane channel DFA 1979. No doubts about it. Just two guys making some noisy-ass garage rock with excellent hooks that get your toes tapping. I was lucky enough to see them on their first Australian show in over a year at Fucked Up last year. These guys have blown up incredibly in the few years since I first saw them (as the DZ). They're touring for the new album, which you can get with your concert ticket in a cheap package that includes a t-shirt.
Touring with them are another Brisbane garage rock band, but on the other end of the stage-size spectrum. Velociraptor are a 12 piece (on a good day when everyone turns up) garage rock noise juggernaut.
April 12 - Elsewhere, Gold Coast
April 13 - The Zoo
April 14 - Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
As far as I can tell, all shows are 18+. And loud.
The Go Set
The Go Set are a celtic punk band from down south, who I saw play a punkfest a few years ago. Featuring all of the essentials of the genre: tin whistle, bagpipes, tartan. They also make some very good punk music to go along with it.
April 12 - Surfers Beer Garden, Gold Coast
April 13 - Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra
April 14 - Prince of Wales Hotel
Given the type of venue, they are probably all 18+.
Jamie Hay/Jen Buxton
Do you like yourpunk to be acoustic with excellent sing alongs you can do with one arm around a friend and one holding your beer in the sky? Then get along to this song. It's so folk-punk acoustic that Frank Turner wrote a song about Jen.
The Australian festival scene is apparently saturated. Yeah, we've been told that a lot this past 12 months, with only 1 festival in Brisbane selling out (and it's this weekend!). But there's some festivals that don't even touch the major cities, but instead embrace different markets in more regional areas. The biggest (probably anyway) is Groovin' the Moo, which is not a festival I mention here often. And that's because it's Queensland leg is in Townsville. It's NSW leg is in Maitland. Either one will see me having to travel a day or more to get there.
But the beauty of this festival is that Brisbane actually gets sideshows! YES! Lots of them too.
First off the rank is a band with one of my favourite albums: Kaiser Chiefs. Their debut album Employment is just a ripsnorter of a Brit-pop-rock album full of synth and happy indie dance tunes.
Although their latest albums haven't had the same impact on me, they are still a great band to see live.
Kaiser Chiefs - HiFi, May 8
On the same night is the poster boy of the current surf-punk movement: Wavves. Although not really my thing, there's a lot of people I know that are going to put in some bad Hawaiian shirts and go along to this.
Wavves - The Zoo, May 8
Playing the next day at the Zoo is a man who parties hard. And does the weather some times:
Andrew W.K. - The Zoo, May 9
Also on the same night there'll be a British band playing their jangly guitar indie. They have a song called Lego.Is that the reason I listened to them originally? You damn well know it.
The Maccabees - HiFi, May 9
The very last sideshow is actually over two nights, one all-ages and the other 18+. And it kind of hurts me, as he was once in a hardcore band that put out when of my all time favourite albums. It was called Watch Out! Nothing against his solo music, he has an amazing voice and is an incredible musician. It just makes me a little sad. That being said, he does throw a few Alexisonfire songs in occasionally.
City and Colour - The Tivoli, May 8 (18+), May 9 (all-ages)
Based on the the majority of my posts, you can probably tell that I'm not the biggest listener to electronic music. It's not that I don't listen to some, I just don't get into it as much as a lot of other people I know. And when I try to, it just becomes so overwhelming with the different styles and genres and noises they make.
That being said, I know what I like when I hear it. And when something is free, I'll be more willing to give it a chance for the first time (and probably like it even more).
So today's Free Music Friday is a man from Sydney who's debut EP is slowly taking the world over (at least the UK and USA). His name is Oliver Tank.
He's bucking the wub-wub trend of popular dubstep music these days (at least I perceive it's the popular/dominant electronic style of music right now) and exploring more quiet, ambient areas. His EP is aptly named Dreams. The music on it is the kind of trip-hop sounding, relaxed, dreamy music which you can just shut your eyes to and let yourself float away.
Have a quick listen to it, and if you like it and have nothing planned tonight, do yourself a favour. Head on to the Bridge Club on Elizabeth St in the CBD and for $10 you can let yourself be washed over with gorgeous tunes.
