Festival Review: St Jerome's Laneway Festival

On February 8th, 2013, Adelaide Laneways were graced with the likes of The Rubens, Flume, The Japandroids, of Monsters and Men, Bat for Lashes, Chet Faker, Alpine, Alt-J  and many many more musicians, both local and international for the St Jerome's Laneway Festival. 

A smorgasbord of indie / folk/ rock acts assured that the event was a sell-out with many punters arriving before 5pm to enter the venue, suss out the situation and plan their attacks on how they would venture from stage to stage to see their favourite acts. (time of course would assure that this was not up to individuals but rather the incompetent security staff and systems put in place by event management.)

The Divine Fits - up close and personal

Nat and Brit - Awesome!
 Follow @natbrunoli on twitter.

But first; the music.  Whilst many were unfortunately unable to access stages to watch musicians play (we thought this is what the $120.00 was for?...) this music blogger, was more fortunately familiar with the venue and "laneways" and was one of the lucky ones.  Alpine were first on the agenda - drawing in a reasonably sized crowd it was clear from the get-go that many festival goers were those who listened to entire albums rather than the singles alone.  Dancing and singing along was madatory and the Alpine singers Phoebe Baker and Lou James were flawless - the bands live rendition of their biggest hit "Gasoline" was pure bliss to listen to. 

Next, we caught Yeasayer, Cloud Nothings, Chet Faker, The Rubens, Of Monsters and Men, Flume, Japandroids (AMAZING), A little bit of Alt-J, a little bit of Bat for Lashes and finished then night with the Divine Fits - Cudos to Miss Natalie (who often writes album reviews for RTM), who managed to sneak backstage to hang out with non-other than front man Britt Daniels.  

image: boudist.com

All artists were incredible, performing to a tee - This was the fourth time I had seen The Rubens (although at about 5'5" I use the word "seen" loosely) and the boys did it again, melting hearts or girls (and likely guys!) everywhere.

Unsure of what Flume would play and how he would perform, it quickly became evident that this young DJ has established his own sound signature as well as cult following.   His mellow beats and remixes are surprisingly refreshing in comparison to the dance music played on commercial stations, and it's for this reason it's a safe call to say that the best of Flume is yet to come.

Japandroids were my personal highlight and I think it was because this was an unplanned band to see - although in the lead up, many people had nothing but good things to say.  I was so impressed by the stage presence that the two (yes only TWO) band members gave off, and the racket of rock and roll noise they produced. 

the not so great wall of weslo.

Overall the music was fantastic and the line up did not disappoint.  The venue, security and management of the event however was poorly executed and even behaviour from SAPOL was misunderstood by the crowd, who by comparison to other music festivals were not that bad.  I witnessed one of the two arrests on the day which "required" 3 police officers and 2 security guards to aggressively pin down a young male who did not appear to be resisting in any way.  It was unclear why this arrest took place, including by fellow policemen who were clearly more flustered and panicky than general crowd members.  Further  embarrassment to the Adelaide festival is highlighted in today's Indaily, which reads:

"The locked gates meant the smaller stage inside Fowlers Live emptied out quickly and Brooklyn punk act The Men played to no more than 15 people on their first trip to Australia."

How the crowd control was conducted remains a questions for the authorities, however this was clearly a foreseeable problem considering the calibre of acts performing, in the highly condensed time table, in incredibly small locations.  An alternative to the City West Campus? Perhaps the Adelaide Show grounds.  Sure the "Laneway" concept is novel, however realistically this is people's safety we're talking about, and providing a product that is promised upon purchase of the ticket.  And the Showgrounds have plenty of "Laneway-esk" nooks and crannys more suitable for a 4000 people event.

Scathing reviews of the festival's management have flooded the internet with many vouching that next year they will be attending the festival in another state. 

The Divine Fits

I always say an event is what you choose to make it.  I enjoyed Laneway.  I had a good time with my friends listening to great music.  Money's worth? Perhaps not.  Unfortunately, I believe the Adelaide leg of this festival failed to deliver in many areas for both audience and artists, but I put this as a challenge to the event organisers and look forward to seeing how they will improve this 'boutique' festival in 2014.

Big Day Out 2013 - Back, Bigger and Better

Last year it was easy to rip into what some may call Australia's "first music festival", the Big Day Out.  From headlining acts pulling out weeks before scheduled concerts and stages being replaced by skate ramps, for many it appeared to be the beginning of the end of this much loved celebration of music. 

Vampire Weekend were one of the first
confirmed acts of 2013's lined up

But prayers were answered, complaining blogs were read and Ken West, one of the key organisers of the BDO promised that in 2013 the original music festival would be back to its former glory.  Early leaked line ups had social media commentators skeptical at first but it wasn't long until acts including major names The Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend and The Red Hot Chili Peppers were confirmed as headliners for 2013s tour. 

Whilst Sydney experience it's hottest day ever on record for the Big Day Out at a whopping 46.5 degree peak, this reviewer hit the Adelaide Show Grounds for the first time in a few years, to see if the Adelaide BDO could compare to the big guns along the east coast.

The Friday before the Australia Day long weekend certainly set the tone for the festival with festival goers either partying hard or taking the opportunity to relax and soak up the sun and some tunes.  With the main stages offering well known acts throughout the day, many found a nice patch of grass early and settled in for the afternoon. 

Grinspoon were one of the first acts on the orange stage and with patriotism and nostalgia in full flight, Phil and the guys had the crowds moving in no time to their rock and rolls melodies - as with many bands, showcasing some of their new work - as well as having crowds belt out the classics together, flawlessly playing "chemical heart" and "no reason" amongst many.  As regulars of the Big Day Out it must be handed to Grinspoon - the energy was high and despite being one of the earlier acts in the day, this translated to the crowd.  Once Grinspoon were done festival goers wanted more.

Of course, the fantastic thing about music festivals like the Big Day Out is the number of stages showcasing both local and international talents.  One can simply stroll up to a stage and immediately be educated in indie rock, dubstep or dance, hip hop, reggae or blues.  But whilst the genres vary, the musicianship always remain quality.  Friends of the RTM Full Tote Odds featured on the Red Stage, whilst international Comedian/Up-and-coming Hip Hop act Childish Gambino took his flavour to the Converse Essential Stage, playing with a live band featuring one bad ass violinist.  Not bad at all Childish, not bad at all. 

Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
 took no prisoners

Band of Horses were the smooth cats of the day on the main stages, entertaining the substantially smaller crowd that hung around for their set.  Regardless to this they were not disheartened interacting with the audience and taking the opportunity to showcase their talents across their broad range of bluesy instruments.  The crowds we however present for Vampire Weekend and they certainly got the crowd moving.  It seemed even those who weren't familiar with Vampire Weekend (yes - there were some who had emerged from their rocks) couldn't resist the urge to run around in circles during songs like A-Punk and their breakthrough hit Cousins.

Mainstage antics continued with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs bringing down the house - Karen O's insane voice proving that their is room or real rock chicks in this day and age.  The dirty gritty deep pitch Karen creates works perfectly with the instruments in the band contributing to the overall finesse of the band.  Only days after their new album cover art caused a stir online, the band showed no signs of moving backward and reminded everyone why they were headliners for the 2013 Big Day Out.

Crowds gathered together for The Killers, who were set to perform immediately before The Red Hot Chili Peppers.  While the girls were swooning over Brandon Flowers and his pearly whites, The Killers showcased every song they were known for and did so effortlessly.  With fireworks and confetti guns, festival performances don't get much more spectacular than this.  As someone who remembers when The Killers first emerged, there was something quite satisfying about seeing them perform as band that had truly mastered their craft.  

Finally, the Red Hot Chili Peppers hit the stage and if The Killers had mastered their craft, the RHCP had created a whole new level for their own.  Seeing the Chili Peppers was a personal treat; Chad Smith has been an idol of mine from a very young age, which was emphasized by how old all the members of the band looked.  Looks aside the RHCPs smashed our their set, with riffs, grooves and solos in between to demonstrate what years of playing music can lead, inspire and allow you to create.  The sing alongs were a plenty - anyone who has heard Triple J's live recording of Under the Bridge will know that almost all Australians know (almost) all the lyrics to this and almost all other Chili Pepper songs.

The Big Day Out was exactly that, and I forgive you, event organizers for last years almost disaster.  The festival seemed to have been reminded of its roots and what real musicianship and talent is.  However whether this is a one off or a promise that will be maintained is only something time can tell.  In the meantime we have a whole year of festivals coming our way so stay tuned for all you're festival updates right here on Ran Type Music.

Gig Review: The Black Keys

The Black Keys

El Camino Tour

Adelaide Entertainment Center

Tuesday, October 30

Since 'Lonely Boy' went viral across the globe, The Black Keys have become this year's face of Rock and Roll.

It was refreshing to see the Adelaide Entertainment Centre stripped down for such a popular music act; it was nothing but the crowd and Dan and Patrick - more commonly known of course as The Black Keys.  Much similar to Mumford and Sons, the set was simple lighting; an indication of where music is at the moment and how you can tell the difference between a concert and performance. 

The Black Keys - AEC (source: AdelaideNow)

Opening their set with the track that all fans of the hit HBO series "Tru Blood" would love, "Howlin' for you," The Black Keys set the tone  early on.  Dirty, grungy, sexy rock had Adelaide howling for The Black Keys.  After playing a few songs with accompaniments, Dan and Patrick took to the stage -  just the two of them, -  taking the audience back in time, playing a number of old songs, before bringing back the band to play out their most recent hits 'Lonely Boy' and 'Gold on the Ceiling.'

The level of energy in the room was inescapable and whilst The Black Keys had a "lets-get-on-with-it" attitude to the concert, it wasn't insulting by any means; the crowd couldn't agree more - they were there to hear the music!  Although admittedly at times the instrumentals seemed to be arguing over tempo, this was always quickly adjusted, and the music was so good no one really gave a shit anyway.   It's safe to say any errors that were made that may have not gone unnoticed, where immediately forgotten when the worlds biggest discoball dropped for the boys' encore.  (Just search #discoball and #theblackkeys on instragram to see.)

There's something raw about The Black Keys music and seeing them perform live on stage amplified how exactly how cool they are.  The Black Keys may have cracked the mainstream music market but they are by no means a mainstream band, making it clear they are sticking by their roots and that they understand their what their fans love.

To find out more about The Black Keys you can look them up on facebook, twitter or visit their website for gig dates - www.theblackkeys.com

The end.

Gig Review: Hey Geronimo

Hey Geronimo

Saturday October 6th

Jive, Adelaide

While outside the streets were teaming with the living dead, last Saturday Nat and I headed to Jive to see one of the band's I have been dying to see since first getting their hit "Why don't we do something?" in my head - Hey Geronimo.

Back in June, Hey Geronimo were the first band to Q and A with RTM and I'd asked the guys exactly what people should expect from one of their live shows.

"You can expect us to put on a high-energy, fun show. We're still learning our craft, but we want everybody to have a good time. Have a few drinks and bring your dancing shoes!"

Well, we certainly did bring our dancing shoes and we were not disappointed.  The band and their support acts, (including a super-cute Adelaide outfit called "Hurricanes," who were performing their first ever gig, - kudos guys!) definitely deserved a larger audience, but this didn't phase Hey Geronimo at all - or if it did you couldn't tell.  Opening with Carbon Affair, Hey Geronimo performed as if they were playing to a full house, each member more full of beans than the next.  

Highlights included a surprise cover of the Talking Heads classic, "Burning Down the House,"  giving Tom Jones and The Cardigans a run for their money - this performance was funky as, and the guys nailed it.  After the show when asked separately, the fellas from Hey Geronimo all said the same thing - that they'd had fun; and this was so evident when watching the band perform on stage.  The onstage chemistry between each of the members let's you know that these guys are going to be around for a while and their EP (available now) is only a small taste of the great great things to come from this Brisbane act.  The chemistry was not just displayed in the on stage interaction but also musically with powerful harmonies both vocally and instrumentally - Hey Geronimo are certainly talented musicians.  

While the band head to QLD for their last two shows, which I strongly encourage you to get along too if you can, - I for one can not wait to see these guys at a festival in 2013 or on their next tour.  

Nat with Ross from Hey Geronimo

Ran with Andrew from Hey Geronimo

You can follow Ran, Nat and Hey Geronimo on twitter, or find them on Facebook

QandA with ... EGO

The best part about seeing your favourite DJ live is hearing for yourself their take on mixes and their interpretation of songs and beats - there's nothing like live exposure to these audio magicians who bless our ears with their skills and talent.  But why should the entertainment stop at one sense?

Ego takes this challenge head on, creating visual - audio treats for music and pop-culture lovers alike.  Having worked and performed as one half of the duo ' Nice and Ego, ' Ego is now working on his craft solo.  With a  video mixtape scheduled to drop very soon, EGO talks influences, methods and the crazy amount of time that goes into preparing for a live show.



RTM: What is the first thing you want people to know about DJ Ego?

E: That I'm not just a DJ, I perform with video too, some people call it AV DJing, some call it video DJing. But i basically play videos and music at the same time.

RTM: What can people expect at one of your live shows?

E: A good time. Plus something really different to anything they've seen before, I splice movie samples, film clips, youtube memes and other visuals together with party tunes - it's

RTM: You've just wrapped up doing live shows as one half of Nice and Ego -including a visual audio spot at Splendour in a the Grass in July - how has it been?  Are you exhausted?*

E: Yeah touring was rad, every show was a blast but yeah Splendour was off the map, that's the first time I've played a stage like that, it was a total trip and the response was awesome. But yeah I've been knackered, though I've just taken a month off performing and been in the studio putting together a video mixtape and some fresh content for the solo shows so feeling refreshed and ready to hit it again.

RTM: How did you first get into doing Visual Audio projects?

E: Mr Nice introduced me to it, I've been DJing for years but I'm also a video producer so it was a perfect fit. We ran a couple of AV nights here in Melbourne for a while which were consistently awesome parties so we decided to take the show on the road.

Check out more of Ego's track on Soundcloud

RTM: Audio Visual DJing seems very much like the "chicken and the egg" conundrum; i.e. which comes first - ideas for the videos or ideas for the music?

E: Yeah totally, basically I get my ideas any way they come - if its a song that conjures up a solid visual then I go hunting for that visual sample, or if its a movie or other that I want to sample then I try and find a song that fits with the sample. But its most often music first, video second. Sometimes the connections are quite literal, sometimes they're contextual, sometimes it's just the vibe. But I make an effort now of sitting on an idea for a bit before barrelling into it, often a lot of good ideas don't really work on the dancefloor, so I stand back and assess how it might work into my whole DJ set.

RTM: How long does it take to prepare for a live show?

E: Forever. Seriously. Every song needs to have a visual treatment, sometimes that can take a few hours to whip up but more often it takes me weeks of digging for the right sample and playing around with ideas before then editing it together. There are bits of my set which are only say 2 minutes long but it took me seriously two to three weeks of work to put together. It's kind of dumb.

EGO's video mix tape is just around the corner

RTM: When mixing, is there a certain method or formula you follow?

E: I have a lot of favourite mixes, tracks which just sit really well together so I always have them up my sleeve but just try and bounce to whatever the crowd are vibing, though like I say, when every track takes forever to make visuals for it's harder to be impromptu doing an AV show than it is doing just an audio set.

RTM: Dance, Electric, D&B and Dubsteb have been very popular in mainstream markets recently - which DJs stand out to you?

E: There is so much awesome music being made, it's almost impossible to keep up with who is doing what anymore, there are rad producers popping up from everywhere. I guess for me guys like Diplo and A-trak who have stood the test of time and continued to be at the cutting edge of music and continually redefine dance music easily top my list. I love DJs who add their own spin to things, it's one thing to play all those popular bass genres and play them well but its another thing to sound original.

RTM: What genres and/or artists do you draw inspiration from?

E: I get a lot of my inspiration from local, Australian, guys who are pushing the envelope, guys like Cutloose, Sampology and the Surecut Kids. I try and listen to everything though, be on top of all genres and styles, I listen to a lot of podcasts to find out what's getting played in clubs overseas, as well as local radio to stay up with what's getting played here.

RTM: This year Nice and Ego mixed up Triple J's Hottest 100 which the people loved and ended up being aired on Triple J - do you have any picks for who might make the Hottest 100 in 2013?

E: It's often tough to pick, a lot of the songs I'd like to make it don't and songs which are huge at the start of the year lose popularity by the time the poll comes around. I imagine Flume will be well placed, he's just blown up which is awesome. Major Lazer's Get Free has been a huge anthem too. Grimes, Alt-J, Frank Ocean hopefully, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, The Presets are home town heroes. It's funny, before doing that mashup we kind of mapped out what we thought would be in it to be ready to get busy on it once it got announced, and we were pretty far off with some of our predictions!

RTM: When can we catch next catch Ego?

E: Hopefully I'll be hitting the road again soon. Once I release my video mixtape I'll no doubt be ready to get the hell away from my studio and back out performing.

Check out Ego on Facebook  or connect on Twitter

www.watchyourego.com

Fall In: Chet Faker

Album Review: Chet Faker

This week's blog post is two firsts; a post by a guest blogger and an album review. Natalie Brunoli, journalism graduate of Bond University, passionate writer and music fan, put aside a little of her time review the recent album release from one of the (and her own) most anticipated acts of the upcoming music festival Splendour in the Grass - Chet Faker.

Chet Faker: Thinking in Textures

Chet Faker - Thinking in Textures

There’s a raw quality to this music, this album. Chet Faker tells his stories with a sound that pulls you in. It’s like intense, whispery sex. It’s punchy, it’s hot, it’s clever, and it’s more than a little bit exciting.

From the EP Thinking in Textures, the lead song I’m Into You, kick starts an album laden with smooth undertones, heavy melodies and beats that lick your skin. (I still can’t quite make out what he says to the girl mid-song, but it’s super sexy nonetheless.)

Soulful and sensual, you’re led on a journey of electro-funk born from acoustic heritages and a talent that is unmistakeable in the structural brilliance of every track.

And if ever a cover was done well, it’s No Diggity. Chet Faker takes the Blackstreet original, adds some class and blends it with nonchalance and effortless cool that makes you slide your nodding head into each slinky beat. Success.

Cigarettes and Chocolate gains some speed, gives you time to breathe (or take a cold shower) and lets you fall into the music. The track bursts with energy and meaningful peaks and troughs of fullness and smallness that complement each other.

A definite flavour runs riot through the album, but somehow each song manages to stand on its own, unique in every sense of the word.

If Thinking in Textures were a day, it would be the haziest Sunday afternoon you could imagine.

You find Chet Faker on Soundcloud, Twitter and Facebook.  If you'd like to connect with this blog post's author Natalie you can follow her on twitter, or check out her tumblr to for more of her thoughts.

Shut up and play the hits

Yesterday, Sunday June 3rd, as part of Vivid Live 2012, Australian fans were invited to view LCD Soundsystem's concert movie and ultimately farewell, "Shut up and play the hits."

James Murphy - LCD Soundsystem 

To most people LCD Soundsystem is an electro/indie/pop group that are behind hits such as Drunk Girls, Dance Yrself Clean, North American Scum and the haunting yet soulful New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me  Down.

In reality, LCD Soundsystem and James Murphy are ultimately interchangeable, with Murphy recording most of the instruments on the "bands" three albums, LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver and This is Happening.  

When performing live, Murphy fronts this 10 piece alternative / electro band producing, in his own words,  music that sounds like "records that you used to hate but are kind of cool now that you heard them again years later at your friend's house," ...amongst other things.

LCD Soundsystem - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney 2010

Between 2001-2011 and the three studio albums,  LCD won 3 Grammy awards proving that great music comes in quality - not necessarily quantity.

LCD Soundsystem brought their music to Australia in 2010, (supporting act: Hot Chip) only months before they were to part ways.  Energetic, inspiring and funky are a few words that could describe the atmosphere produced when Muphy took the stage with the band.  The experience of seeing LCD Soundsystem live was incredible.

In 2011 LCD Soundsystem performed their farewell concert, which took place at Madison Square Garden, New York.  The movie documentary follows James Murphy and the group in the days leading up show, where the band played for a spectacular 4 hours.

Some of us were lucky enough to get tickets to the movie screening yesterday at the Opera House...

...some of us were not. 

But no worry - It has been announced that there will be DVD release of "Shut Up and Play the Hits" so we can all follow Murphy in the days leading up to LCD Soundsystems final hoorah.

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Introductions

I have never been a particularly passionate writer, but I think that is because I have never been asked to write specifically about my passions...

My name is Ran and if there has been one consistency in my life it has been my love for music - and i know I'm not the only one.   I've always said if I could do anything with my life it would be to share music with others.

I've always been a music nerd, and love reading into the deeper meaning behind songs and musicians - not just lyrically, but in the sounds they're producing.  This last year I've taken a couple of steps away from my drumkit and piano, for a chance to play around with some little decks and equipment I purchased from the good people at JB Hi-Fi and Derringers Music.

More recently I took a riskier step and entered the 2012  Channel V Presenter Search.

chasing my dreams! (along with 5500 other people)

The boys from Dangerous!
Check out their music here

I made it through to the second round of auditions and had the fantastic opportunity to meet Billy Russell and interview the Adelaide punk/rock band Dangerous! and have a little chat about their recent trip to the US, where they recorded their debut album with Ulrich Wild (who has worked with such bands as Deftones and Slipknot.) 

Not bad, eh?

Despite not getting the gig, this was most certainly an invaluable experience - the top 20 are up now if you'd like to check them out. (insert plug for Adelaide girl Emily Whitham here.)

But I don't want this blog to be about me and my thoughts - I want to share the thoughts of those around me as well, so don't be suprised if we bump into each other at a gig or festival and I ask you what you reckon of the band on stage.  I will also be featuring guest bloggers who I just KNOW have some reviews they'd like to share.


 You can also tweet me your musical experiences or discoveries @rannonjohns.

And now - for a chance to share music through my eyes,  I will leave you with some footage I took from a gig few weeks ago. 

 Enjoy.

PS - Wondering where the background to this blog came from? That's Kate Nash performing at Glastonbury, and along side her is a young man named Jay who I went to kindy with back in the day. (rhyme unintentional)

I can't even begin to imagine how being on that stage must feel.

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