Newtown based Metal/Post-hardcore/Progressive band Arteries have just dropped their much anticipated debut track, Memento. Listen to it twice, not only is it epic, it is also abrasive and catchy as hell! If you like what you hear, you can catch them at their first ever show at the Annandale Hotel on the 25th of November for what will be, no doubt, a raucous and memorable evening.
There is something invigorating about attending a show at The Annandale, the sticky floor, the overgrown outdoor area, mixed with the aroma of sweat, Thai food and beer… it makes you feel as though there are still live venues in Sydney that have a hope in hell of remaining the icons they have been for decades. On Friday night, The Annandale was taken hostage by Hira Hira, Between the Devil and the Deep, To the North and the enigmatic five piece from Grand Rapids, Michigan, La Dispute.
Hailing from a water-logged Brisbane, To the North played a raw and energetic set, sure to have forged a new lot of followers. Touring with La Dispute in 2009 and again this year, the bands’ comfort on stage and their energy was what drew the focus of the crowd, nodding along to tracks from their recently released full length album, Lustre. To the North seamlessly provided the perfect segway for the ambitious and excited headliners, La Dispute. …go on, keep reading
Cinnamon Girl and I interviewed our all time faves Deftones yesterday afternoon backstage of the UNSW Roundhouse. Saying that we were bricking it for days in advance would be the understatement of the century.
When your childhood idols turn out however to be not only genuinely awesome and down to earth guys, but actually interested in your questions and conversation, I cannot begin to explain the relief and downright joy that pumped through our veins. On a natural high all afternoon, as i’m sure you can understand, beers and tequila up at the Doncaster were in order. With grins reminiscent of our great city’s famous bridge, we headed back to the venue a few hours later to be smashed by this 23 track set that can be described as nothing short of mind blowing. It was possibly the greatest night of my life. Exhausted.
Birthmark
Engine No. 9
One Weak
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
My Own Summer (Shove It)
Lhabia
Around the Fur
Digital Bath
Hexagram
Minerva
Bloody Cape
Diamond Eyes
CMD/CTRL
Royal
Sextape
Rocket Skates
You’ve Seen The Butcher
Beauty School
Hole in the Earth
Kimdracula
Change (In the House of Flies)
Passenger
Encore:
7 Words
Interview to follow, we have a LOT of transcribing to do….
We are suckers for a good documentary and when we discovered VBS.TV a while ago, we didn’t even want to go for toilet breaks anymore (even though you can pause, and they are often split into 5 minute mini documentaries). VBS.TV (Vice Broadcasting System) is part of the Vice media conglomerate, which also includes Vice magazine, a record label and a venue; its ‘no bullshit, what you get is what you see’ approach is one that we personally love. It isn’t censored, and usually brings something to your attention that you don’t know all that much about, for example circumcision rituals in Uganda.
The best thing about VBS is that it is that they don’t pretend to be unbiased, they just report it as they see and experience it firsthand and if they have sponsors for the particular series or documentary, they don’t try to slip in subliminal product placement, they’ll tell you straight up.* It’s a much better kind of journalism than the news pretends to be, it’s raw, it doesn’t aim to be objective and it brings to your attention some pretty cool shit.
In case this weird and unpredictable weather sticks around for the next few weeks (which I hope doesn’t – but just in case), we thought we’d share a little of our love for VBS with you to make your festive season a little more bearable. Consider this our Christmas present to you. We’re pretty sure you’ll thank us.
On a terribly wet and miserable Friday night, one couldn’t be blamed for feeling the urge to stay at home on the couch rather than make the journey out towards UNSWs Roundhouse, the setting for the rainy evenings proceedings. As we walked into the 2,200 person capacity venue circa 8.00pm it appeared as though we were not the only ones that had felt that way. I know it was early, but in all my gig going years I had never seen the Roundhouse so deserted as we walked in to be welcomed by a couple of people sitting cross legged on the middle of the dancefloor, and Zeahorse, the first band on a strong but diverse all Australian bill playing as though they were headlining.
If there is one band that manage to re-invent their sound with every album they release , I’ll be damned if it isn’t Brand New. Daisy, the fourth album from the Long Island five-piece, was met with plenty of anticipation before its release. Daisy had big shoes to fill, with a back-catalouge that already holds three masterpieces, The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, Deja Entendu and Your Favourite Weapon, the question on everyone’s lips was, can they do it again? Hell yes.
If fans were expecting a slow introduction, resembling the first tracks on both The Devil and God and Deja Entendu, they will be severely disoriented when they press play on the first track, Vices. You are met with an old 1940s sounding female vocalist, resembling the style of Judy Garland (yes, Judy Garland). After almost a minute and a half of trying to figure out if you have indeed purchased the right CD, you are slapped with gritty guitars and the screech that vocalist Jesse Lacey has perfected. It is by far the heaviest song I have ever heard from the band. And that isn’t a bad thing, as usual, they pull it off with impeccable elegance. …more