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cool perth nights

Cool Perth Nights

Click on the seemingly innocent hot air balooning women at the bottom to enjoy the Dirty projectors while reading this weeks mailout.. (the girls singing backup in the track Finches' Song at Oceanic Park could well be these hot air balooners!)

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Live Reviews with Lyndon Blue

 

THE AMBASSADOR FROM EVERYWHERE 19 @ HYDE PARK HOTEL, SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21

Bearded British journalist Walter Bagehot once postulated that “an ambassador is not simply an agent; he is also a spectacle.” He was writing about the role of the House Of Lords and other boring flapdoodle at the time, but I think the quote rings true for Meupe’s Ambassador From Everywhere series, conceived in early 2008 and taking its name from a Sunburned Hand of The Man lyric. Though the acts featured have hailed both from local frontiers and far-flung provinces, they’ve never been gestural tokens of something abundant and absent so much as absorbing spectacles in and of themselves.

This was, and always is true of Craig McElhinney who opened the series’ 19th installment on Saturday night – with one guitar and a plethora of gadgets, every McElhinney set is its own lush, gleaming, expanding and crumbling universe seen in poetic microcosm. I’ve written about Craig recently and it’ll appear I’ve a total man-crush going if I rhapsodize too much more (shh); suffice it to say, this set was no qualitative anomaly in his continuing trajectory towards the zenith of atmospheric, eerie and mesmerizing aural soundscapes.

Benedict ‘Longest Legs in Rock’ Moleta emerges from a different embassy altogether, wherein musical trimmings recede into a pastel theatre backdrop and words take the spotlight. Though the band’s smooth instrumental mesh of Hammond organ, electric and acoustic guitars, bass and deft diplomatic drumming is ultra-pleasant, it’s also nondescript and horticultural; more substantive are Moleta’s lyrical meanderings, diverting vignettes of West Australian life, cleverly spun narratives revealed in bit-sized chunks so as to gradually reveal redolent imagery stretched over breezy, sun-soaked folk-pop pastures.

Flying the Melbournian flag, headlining act Jon Michell unassumingly wandered into view with a guitar, a bunch of pedals and a cute little keyboard. A key member of quality groups like Mum Smokes and The Ancients, one could rightly expect excellent things from a solo Michell set; alas, it was one of those performances which alluded to potential greatness rather than fully realizing it. Michell’s patently a very talented individual, a deft guitarist and sensitive songsmith, but didn’t seem wholly comfortable steering his vessel alone. A week earlier I saw Pikelet who exemplified the potential inventive wonderlands and musical autarky one person with a few instruments and loop pedals can create. Here, Michell demonstrated how perilous this path can be; often amounting only to quotidian loop arrangements laced with technical difficulties. To his credit, Michell ultimately fashioned these ingredients into an enjoyable set, kept afloat by keen melodic sensibilities and an endearing demeanour, perhaps most successful in the stripped-back rendering of Ancients’ tune ‘The Endless Hall’ and several straightforward but sumptuous numbers delivered in drum machine-and-organ configuration, sweet and crumbly as scotch finger biscuits.

Last to cast their ambassadorial shadow across the Hydey’s biologically fearsome carpet were celestial quartet Astral Travel, who I’ve long held to be one of Perth’s most reliably excellent ensembles. Admittedly they haven’t played a heap in the last year, so they don’t get many opportunities to suck. It’s encouraging to see them increasing their gigging frequency a whit, as well as debuting a cluster of new songs; and while tonight wasn’t Astral Travel at their most invigorating or immersive, it still shone with all their hallmarks: an overt aversion to bullshit and fickle musical trends, buzzwhirl sinewy post-punk arrangements, the musical maturity not to shun pop hooks, and Amber’s stellar and distinctive vocal - plus for the first time that I’ve seen, the (somewhat superfluous) addition of keys. The relative scarcity of Astral Travel shows is in some ways a blessing. Every performance is a precious pearl in the proverbial oyster-haul of Perth music.

And Meupe have got musical pearl-diving down to a fine art. An ‘ambassador from everywhere’ subverts the parochial interests of your average consul and instead celebrates the totality of things, the universal bonds, the common targets of aural delight and superlative vibes. An agent, a spectacle, a generally kickass affair.

 

 


 

Steady Eye with Tahlia Palmer

Of all the assignments I’ve been given to write about for this mailout, this week’s is definitely the weirdest. I don’t know where my Editor heard the rumour, but he’s asked me to try and figure out “if Russians really did eat children in the early 1920’s.” I’ve certainly not heard anything about this before so I was very intrigued to find out.

If you’re squeamish and don’t like the idea of this topic, it’s probably best if you stop reading now.
 

The time in question was towards the end of the Russian Civil War. There was brutal fighting for approximately three years, which wiped out grain stores, then inconvenient droughts affected the crop harvests, and suddenly all of Russia found itself in the midst of a country-wide famine. Prisoners were starving, soldiers were starving, peasants were starving, so they did what any animal does when it’s struggling to survive: eat what it can. At first, this meant that the last of the livestock was killed and eaten. Then it was the pets. And when the cats and dogs began to run out, and the naïve birds weren’t a substancial enough dinner, it is said that people began to eat their dying peers.
 

One can easily imagine themselves resorting to these actions in a situation such as this. If you run out of food, and all you’ve got left is your neighbours, you’re going to eat your neighbours. Maybe at first it will be the dead neighbours, but you could easily move on to killing the live ones especially for the meat… According to some sources, gangs of children would roam the streets, picking off people who walked alone, and fried them up in alleys and parks. Adults would hunt down lone street urchins and feed their meat to their families. Those kids could have been eating their playmates.
 

Then again, the social stigma attached to cannibalism makes it very easy to vilify a group of people by claiming that they eat each other. The word alone conjures up images of vicious savages devouring each other in front of a fire, in a frenzy of spear throwing and face-paint. Russia has never been well favoured by democratic countries, and it makes sense that a rumour like this could planted into the back of our heads at a convenient time in history in the hopes of encouraging consistent distrust in the commies in future generations. “Oh honey, did you know that the Russian’s ate CHILDREN during their civil war? SO barbaric!”, and thus the seeds are planted: Russia=barbarism.
 

But, I’m not implying that I believe it to be a lie. As I’ve already said, I can see myself doing exactly the same thing. But this is a bit stupid on my part, because it’s mostly down to the fact that pig is my favourite meat and I’ve heard humans taste a bit like pig, and if there are no more pigs to eat… well, you know. I really like ham, and I’m really into survival.
 

But apparently this desperate practice is still alive and well, especially in Russia. Not the eating of children specifically, but cannibalism in general. The Russian homeless seem pretty fucking brutal, because it is not entirely uncommon for them to kill a fellow bum and eat their flesh. According to one article, a Russian police officer said that they “find corpses every month with body parts missing”. Again, I have to point out that anyone would do the same thing. You’re both starving. There’s nothing but snow for miles. Other people won’t give you food or money because they’re hungry and poor too. And then one day, this other bum starts looking at you funny. Starts looking at your thighs with a cold, calculating stare. Your realise neither of your have eaten for a week. He’s got a knife. You’ve got a knife. But he falls asleep first. Snow can definitely preserve all the good bits for a while. And why not sell the pig looking pieces to a kebab shop for some extra cash? Yeah, that has actually happened.
 

So yes, it is very possible that impoverished Russians ate children in the early 1920’s, as well as all the other ages of people. And it’s very possible it still happens now, possibly more than any other country. But it’s also possible I believe this because every badass villain in the movies has a vaguely Russian accent. So who knows?


Special Events

Jack Ladder AND the Scare @ Mojos Bar

Friday November 27, is a double header of Melbourne AND Sydney cool cool. Melbourne’s the Scare will straddle the room with their indie swagger and Jack Ladder – mister big lips – outta Sydney wil be doing what Mick Jagger did in his youth – he’ll be owning it. Local garage psychedelic pop act Blackmilk are to open. Entry is $15 on the door from 8pm. Presales available thru www.heatseeker.com.au

 

Majorminor

ALL DAY AND ALL OF THE NIGHT

Saturday, November 28 at Mojos Bar the inaugrual Majorminor Festival shall be held! Running from midday the art rock indie rock festival of established and emerging artists includes bands, DJs, projectionists and BBQ during the day and night. Bands playing are Pond, French Rockets, Injured Ninja, Jimmy Stewart, Chatesy LaRouge, Carbuncle, Turn, the Silents, Rabbit Island, Pex and Craig McElhinney. DJs include Gemma Pike, Traianos, Andrew Sinclaire and Tamya Desouza-Mealy . Paul Kaminski will be projecting walls with exclusive visuals. Tickets for this show will only be available on the day at the door. Entry is $12 from 1pm show runs till 1am!

Mukaizake CD Launch on the horizon!

December 11 Mukaizake launch their album Unknown Knows* thru Hidden Shoal Recordings

Suporting on the night are the Preytells and Hang On Christopher Street

*This album has no other references to Donald Rumsfeld! : )

 

Gig Listing

Little Creatures Loft

Friday week, November 27, while at the Little Creatures Loft enjoying all the little things that make the venue such a big success catch 6s and 7s, The Autumn Isles and Tracey Read. This music on this night is blissed out guitar pop in the vein of the Shins and Neil Young from these emerging local Perth acts. Entry to this show is $8 from 8pm.

Felicity Groom and the Black Black Smoke

Felicity Groom and the Black Black Smoke play the Norfolk November 27. Come and see this startling, soothing, powerful and delicate, intricate and effortless band while they’re still playing small rooms! Supports include the most charismatic man in the universe Jimmy Stewart (Vic). Openers Split Seconds will charm you from 8pm. Entry is $10 from 8pm

 

Jamie Jones

Shape
Friday November 27

More info

My Majestic Star Album Launch

Hyde Park Hotel
Friday, 27 November

Injured Ninja, Shock Horror, Turn, My Majestic Star 
Hidden Shoal Recordings presents ‘I Haven’t Got It In Me’ album launch.

For all the info on this event click here

Shotguns and Makeup

 Hellenic Centre, Northbridge
Friday, 27 November

The Atlas Mountains CD Launch/Film Premiere - ‘Here Lies Augustine Morelli’ /Daryle Newman Art Exhibition.

Click here for details

Bloodstock II

 

The Hyde Park Hotel
Friday, 27 November

Featuing The Devil Rides Out, Chainsaw Hookers, Project Mayhem, The Floors, Black Buzzard, The Order Of The Black Werewolf, Scalphunter, The Creepers.

 

 

 

 

 

Perth City Surreal

Friday, 27 November
Last Chance Studio (456 william street Northbridge)

The long awaited Timothy Rollin solo show is here. Showcasing a series of drawings and installation paintings.

Extended Flash-back: Action Screen Series, Tatjana Seserko Exhibition

 Kurb Gallery
Saturday, 21 November till Friday, 27 November

 

Sleepwalking Through The Mekong

KULCHA
Friday, 27 November

KULCHA and RTRFM's Club Soundtrack film and DJ series continues with the stunning documentary Sleepwalking Through the Mekong . Sleepwalking Through the Mekong follows Los Angeles band Dengue Fever on their recent journey to Cambodia to perform 60s and 70s Cambodian rock 'n' roll in the country where it was created and very nearly destroyed . More than a rockumentary, the film serves up a portrait of modern Cambodia as the band tours through Phnom Penh and beyond, crossing a great cultural chasm with the same spirit of Cambodia's original rock pioneers. With RTRFM DJ Paul Lindsay spinning a mind-bending collection of old school gems, what could be a better way to round out a year of fantastic films?

The Ultimate 80's Prom

Victoria Hall-179 High Street 
Saturday, 28 November

More info here

Welcome to the Resistance

tiger tiger café
Monday, 23 November till Saturday, 28 November

pvi collective are seeking the services of a true revolutionary to join them in a guerrilla campaign on the streets of perth from nov 23 – nov 28th 2009.

If you want to know more click here to read on

Saved by the Bell Party

The Republic
Saturday, November 28

 

Summer Slaughter

Midvale Speed dome
Saturday, 28
November

Want more info? Click here.

Love of Diagrams Nowhere Forever album launch at the Burlesque lounge and Mojos Bar

Sunday, November 29, Love of Diagrams Nowhere Forever album launch Tour visits Mojos Bar. The Album we were waiting for from Melbourne's great white hope Nowhere Forever presents LOD at their most raw AND accessible. Catch Love of Diagrams with Perth’s own super indie rock act Umpire plus smRts & Golden Staph .. a new band with members of Astral Travel, Jaws, Wales and Penetrating Stairs! Entry to this show is $20 from 6pm. Presales for this show are $16+BF available thru http://www.moshtix.com.au/Search.aspx?v=788

Saturday night, Nov 28 catch Love of Diagrams at The Burlesque Lounge, 267 William St Northbridge
w/ Astral Traval, Wind Waker, Frozen Ocean & Erasers from 8pm. Tickets for this one are available via this link!

 

Jimmy Stewart (Melb)

Jimmy Stewart, thee most miserable little bastard and riotous ringleader of Melbourne's wildest pirate convict rock'n'roll machine Clinkerfield, returns to WA in late November for five shows. After spending the better part of this year touring the USA, scoring a solo residency at a Russian vodka/gypsy bar in New York, starring as a mute/singing bellhop in a sell-out two week season of Nicola Gunn's show "My Friend Schadenfreude" at La Mama Theatre in Melbourne, and escaping to a self-enforced solitary confinement in his rural farmhouse retreat, Jimmy's finally out and about and roaming 'round the traps again. Jimmy visited the West seven times in twelve months as a soloist or with Clinkerfield up until October 2008 when a really big bender ruined everything for a few months. But now, with new songs, old songs, and an even more unquenchable thirst, he heads out again to a bar near you...

Click here for dates and venue details!

The Ghost Hotel plus special guests play at a Lawn Bowls Club!!!

The Sportsman, located at ECU Bowls Club (Cnr Stancliffe Street & Central Ave, Mt. Lawley)
Sunday, 29 November

With Luke Dux & Downtown Dave,The Sea of Tunes and DJ Petrosex.

The Laneway Market! Freo's first Artist & Designer Market

Tum Tum Tree Lane Freo 130 High St. Freo
Sunday, 29 November

From Vintage Clothing & Hand-crafted Toys to Art and Hand-made Jewellery this is sure to be a great place to start your Christmas shopping, pick up a bargain or simply soak up the sunshine and listen to the live Gypsy band while taking in the multitude of talent on offer!

AWESOME Festival

Western Australia Museum and Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Perth
Friday 22-29th November

Follow this link for access to the Festival Program

Wide Open Mic Night at Mojos Bar

Monday, November 30, performing at Mojo's for the Wide open mic will be a bunch of ambitious cats who will simply rock up on the night. This night is hosted by Justin Walshe – 0408 755 233. Justin and the crew that run the night love all kinds of performances. So whether you’re the new George, Julian Clarey, Elton John or Chopper Reid your act is eagerly awaited! Here’s your or somebody you know(s) opportunity to perform live just call Justin. These nights kick off at 8PM with about four acts each hour till 12. Entry is free.

Perth Jazz Society @ the Charles Hotel

SHAMEEM TAHERI-LEE QUINTET

Monday 30 November 2009 @ 8:00pm

Admission: Members $10 Student members $5 Non-members $15

SHAMEEM Taheri Lee is an exciting, up-and-coming jazz vocalist and composer, with a fresh and invigorating style. When Shameem sings, she seems to speak directly to the hearts of her audience, while her strong instrumental background very much informs her phrasing and improvisation.
Earlier this year, Shameem was chosen as one of the finalists for the prestigious James Morrison Jazz Vocal Scholarship. Shameem is currently finishing her studies in jazz composition at WAAPA. Shameem has performed numerous times at Perth's various jazz clubs Perth Jazz Society, the Ellington Jazz Club, the Jazz Club of WA and Jazz Fremantle. She has also performed at many popular music and entertainment venues all around Perth, including the Perth Concert Hall and the Subiaco Arts Centre. She currently holds a weekly residency at The Publican Bar and Restaurant in Victoria Park.

Shameem's quintet will feature Carl Mackey (saxophone), Russell Homes (piano), Paul Pooley (bass) and Chris Tarr (drums). They will be performing an eclectic smorgasbord of standards, originals and arrangements of familiar tunes. Come prepared for vibrant colours and shades, infectious grooves and a splash of scrumptious swing!

 

 

Nugget plus special guests play Mojos Bar!

Tuesday, December 1, Nugget play Mojos Bar! Hand Stands for Ants, Blackjack and Savvy. Entry is $5 from, 8pm 
 

The Fremantle Blues and Roots Club

Wednesday, December 2, the Fremantle Blues and Roots Club is at it again delivering some of the best blues and roots music Fremantle has to offer. This week catch Ken Williford solo and his last show with the Davs before returning to the states. Also playing are Nick Charles and Freo’s blues, and reggaerock supergroup the Davs. Entry is $10 entry $5 for members from 8pm.

 

 

Going Solo

Wednesday, Dec 3, at the Moon the artists playing the Going Solo night will be James Teague, Minky G and Brett Pitman. This week the artists will go on at 8pm. Entry to restaurants is always free!!

TCB Opening Party

4/513 Hay St frontage on Rowland St
Friday, 4 December

Click here if you want to know more!

Pharoahe Monk

Villa Nightclub
Friday December 4 

Check out the Facebook event

Relative Issue 3 Launch

Ezra Pound
Saturday
5th December

To celebrate the depth of creative talent within our community, Relative host regular events that provide a forum for those with an open and creative mindset to congregate, celebrate, inebriate, and for the lucky ones amongst us procreate.

Come down and celebrate the launch of the Third Issue of Relative Magazine. The {MOVE} DJs will be spinning their finest, and the magazine will be available upon entry.

Local street artists will also be creating a large format piece live on the night. Doors open at 6pm, entry $10 at the door.

*Please note that there is a limited capacity so get down there early to avoid the line!

Alda's Gallery and Project Space

Aldas (Wolf Lane Perth)
Saturday, 5 December

Alda’s next installment will present exciting new work by local artist David Turley in a solo show entitled Sympathy an the Sea in the upstairs gallery, and in the window project space Clare Peake and Tanya Schultz present their first collaborative project entitled Ping Pong.

Check out this event on Facebook

Airport City Shuffle's Album Launch

459 Fitzgerald Street
Saturday, 5 December

Airport City Shuffle are launching a new album at Bar 459. Entry is $8 or $10 with the CD, Bar 459 is the side bar at the Rosemount Hotel on the corner of Fitzgerald and Angove St, North Perth.

The Moon Sundays

Sunday week, December 6, the One Trick Pony crew present Taco Leg and Triangle who feature Dave Egan from Carbuncle and Amber Fresh from Rabbit Island. Entry is always free to the moon!

The Ghost of 29 Megacycles CD Launch

Velvet Lounge
Sunday, 6 December

After a slew of well received hand made CD-R's, The Ghost of 29 Megacycles launch their debut album “Love via Paper Planes”(Sound and Fury Records), featuring 6 tracks of shoegaze guitar, organ and processed vocals recorded in M.Rosner's living room at Myalup Beach.

Support from Anonymeye (Brisbane) and Mystic Eyes.

Posted's Adam Trainer spinning tunes between the bands and live projections by Paul Kaminski.

Refract

Spectrum Project Space
Friday, 20 November till Sunday, 06 December

'refract' is an exhibition of installation and print media by Perth artists Andrea Wood, Eileen Whitehead and Naomi Hunter and is the culmination of the Edith Cowan University, School of Communication and Contemporary Art, Honours research program for 2009.

Acoustic Cafe

Acoustic Cafe is hitting its straps every second Tuesday of the month at Mojo's Bar in North Fremantle. Poach a few local bands and ask them to do their set as acoustically as possible for the cruisy listening pleasure of an appreciative crowd. Brilliant!

And next month's lineup, for Tuesday December 8, is truly a thing of beauty. It features catchy country-pop five-piece The Ghost Hotel, the specially rebadged The Justin Walshe & The Machines (who knows what they were thinking?), a party band trapped in an acoustic duo (The Belle Ends) and the jaw-dropping voice of one Polly Medlen.

$5 entry, 8pm-midnight.

Little Creatures Loft

Friday week, December 11, while at the Little Creatures Loft enjoying all the little things that make the venue such a big success catch super pop sensible act the Morning Night plus  the 20's american folk influenced Div Craft and the Big old bears and Ruby Boots who'll open up the show. Entry to this show is $8 from 8pm.

Seriously Sound System 2009

Hyde Park, Vincent St, North Perth
Sunday December 20 Midday – 10pm

RTRFM’s massive dance music event Seriously Sound System returns for 2009 and this year it will be bigger and better than ever. We have hand-crafted a wonderful day of beats and pieces for your dancing pleasure, from midday to 10pm on Sunday December 20, in the luscious and leafy surrounds of Hyde Park, North Perth.

On the line up you will find live action aplenty, courtesy of Soul-Hop behemoth The Typhoons, Afrobeat, Highlife and Afro-funk all-stars The Askari Afrobeat Orchestra, Paperchain beat genius Naik, National Campus Band State Winner The Brow Horn Orchestra, Community producer and MC Mathas and award winning electro duo The Transients.

Plus on the decks for Seriously Sound System 2009 will be the DJ skills of Friday Full Frequency legends Dan the Man and Rok Riley, Monday Full Frequency’s Micah and Ben Mac, Community psych-hop maestro Diger Rokwell, Wednesday Full Frequency’s drum ‘n bass heavyweight Sardi, Trainwreckers Declan and Dr Gonzo, Mama Cass from Soulsides and Pocket Disco dynamo Rex Monsoon.

And your MC for the day will be our Breakfast beat juggler and part time carnie Peter Michael Barr.

This year we have an early bird ticket special. If you buy your tickets at http://www.rtrfm.com.au/events before November 20, it’s only $10 for RTRFM subscribers, and $15 for general admission.

After November 20, tickets will be $15 for RTRFM subscribers and $20 for general admission. Subscriber tickets will be available online at http://www.rtrfm.com.au/events and at RTRFM, 642 Beaufort St Mt Lawley. General admission tickets will be on sale from Mills, 78 Records, Planet, from the station and on the RTRFM website. Admission will be more expensive on the door on the day if available.

This is a licensed 18+ event and ID will be required on the door. There is strictly no BYO but bring a blanket and a picnic if you so desire. We will have delicious food for purchase on the day if you are feeling peckish.

Seriously Sound System 2009, Sunday December 20 in Hyde Park, brought you by The Town of Vincent, XPress, DC Productions, Drum Media, Coopers and your home of the beauty and the beats RTRFM 92.1

Bohemian Shorts

Bohemia Outdoor Cinema, Princess May Park, Fremantle, Australia 
Wednesday, 16 September till Monday, 28 December

Facebook Event

Abbe May and the Rockin Pneumonia

Abbe May is playing at Mojos each Sunday in December. Doors will open at 5pm! These shows will be her last for a couple months while she records a new album in early 2010. Dec 6th catch Abbe w/ Jeff Strong, Div Craft and the Big old Bears. Dec 13th w/ Hayley Beth Love Affliction , Amber Fresh. December 20th w/ The Devil Rides Out, The Fags. Dec 27th w/ Kevin Smith and The Seven Storey Jumpers, Will Stoker and The Embers. Entry to these shows is $10 with tix only available at the door from 5pm!

Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School

Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School is held monthly at the Burlesque Lounge, on a Wednesday evening for a little mid-week fun!

Dr Sketchy's also runs Life Modelling Workshops for those interested in learning how to be a life model, as well as special events, so visit the Dr Sketchy website at www.drsketchyperth.com.au

BYO art supplies (eg: sketchpad, drawing materials, etc.) Basic art supplies are available for purchase at the door.

Follow this link to see the times and dates

Simone and Girlfunkle

Simone and Girlfunkle are taking some time off to record their debut EP! The next show for this vocal harmony super force is at the Norfolk with Brash and Sassy December 12. After that catch S&G at Little Creatures on Sunday, December 20, with Catherine Traicos and the Holy Sea. Simone and Girlfunkle have also been booked in to record for the City of Perth’s Sound Bank project more on this soon!

Click the image for this weeks soundtrack to the mailout.

Independent exhibitions and bands are welcome to submit events to andrew@coolperthnights.com

If you are representing a festival, launch, tour or venue please forward your budget and plans to wetpaint@coolperthnights.com

A word from the Editor

Despite the internet police saying we can't have the weekly unsubscribe quip, if you do unsubscribe to this mailout please understand that there's every chance this will be viewed by us as you saying ;

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