News:
· Puff 'n' Stuff
Everything that's happenin in Adelaide this fortnight.
· Industry
The latest from the music industry.
· Puffio
Theatre news.
· Dance
Dance and electronica news.
· Metal
Updates from the wide world of metal.
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Puff 'n' Stuff.
Because Puff is a stickler for convention, let's begin this issue's rollercoaster ride of Puffery with a round-up of some imminent CD launches; for example, that of Tim Solly, which is happening on Sat 9 July at Jive with support from John Woods.
Those mad celtic types The Borderers are launching their 'Grace'
CD (album number seven, no less!) at the Governor Hindmarsh
on Fri 17 June, with Brian Gilbertson and Dwight Adams doing
their respective things in support.
The Gear aren't really locals since they're living in Melbourne, but they're fronted by former Adelaide lad Jet O'Rourke and will be making their SA debut to launch their self-titled CD-EP on Sun 19 May, along with Sydney singer/songwriter Wons Freely.
The News have almost finished work on their new CD, and you
can ask them all about when you pop over to the Enigma Bar to
see them support Faker and Bit By Bats on Sat 18 June.
Last issue Puff made the incorrect claim that Canvas were launching
their new CD shortly. Well, it wasn't that incorrect: the venue
was right, the date was right, and even the band was right...
it's just that Canvas have adopted the new name of The Huckleberry
Swedes, and that's the name under which their 'Hair Trigger'
CD-EP will be launched at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Sun 19 June,
with support from The Rest and Sam Willoughby. It kicks off
at 4pm, so be early.
The Enigma Bar will play host to the launch of the 'Underearthed
3' compilation on Fri 17 June, with Raven Black Night, One Step
Beyond, Imminent Psychosis, and Obsidian Aspect bringing an
appropriate level of rock to the proceedings.
Folkie Jim Lesses is launching his 'American Dreams' album at the SA Folk Centre on Fri 24 June.
Sumi are making a triumphant return having finished work on
their forthcoming CD-EP; mark your diaries now for their all-ages
launch at the Enigma Bar on Fri 15 July, with Matt & Rachel
(late of Edison), Tiltmeter and Short Term Gain.
That creative powerhouse Ben DeHoedt is launching not one, not
one and a half but two CDs before moving overseas indefinitely.
The first is himself as Delorean, covering deHoedt's work with
The American Public, the second is a collection of his work
as The Tender Jealousies. Both CDs will be set free at the Grace
Emily on Thurs 14 July.
The Ramonettes are delighted to be providing a little ten minute
pre-film set at the premiere of 'End Of The Century', the acclaimed
documentary on the Ramones, at the Nova on Thurs 16 June, but
if you'd sooner see an entire set you'd be well advised to dive
into the Exeter the following night (well, it's conveniently
across the road) on Fri 17 June, where they'll be playing with
Patriarchal Death Machine.
The ever-enchanting Ms Sarah Blasko returns to Adelaide for
two - count 'em! - shows at Fowlers Live on Thurs 14 July and
Fri 15 July, accompanied by 78 Saab.
The final ever Ease Up Mother Brown night is a-happening at
Fad Bar & Gallery on Sat 25 June, with DJs Narelle, Amy and
Jemma, kicking their quirky mix of everything from indie to
downbeat electro one last time.
The Wheatsheaf Hotel are giving something to the airwaves via The Wheaty Radio Sessions, which start on Radio Adelaide. As the name suggests, they're ten weeks worth of sessions recorded live at the Wheatsheaf, kicking off with the Ruby Frost String Quartet on Sat 18 June and Quartito Azul on Sat 25 June, with future weeks showcasing the likes of The Dolls, Linus, Zephyr Quartet, The Pecadillos, The Audreys and many more. Tune into Radio Adelaide every Saturday at 4.30pm and hear what you missed!
OK, let's get this straight: Adelaide audiences turn out in
droves - droves, mind - to see all these tours. Sold out gigs
all over. We keep this up for the best part of two years. You'd
think that then maybe, just maybe, we might actually get some
international tours down here. Sounds reasonable, right? Hence,
the only explanation that Puff can come up with is that Athlete,
Micah P Hinson, Bloc Party, Billy Corgan, Willy Mason, The Futureheads
and Queens Of The Stone Age (who are even being supported nationally
by Adelaide's own Wolf & Cub, for god's sake!) have it in for
Adelaide specifically, and South Australia in general. Right?
Bastards.
All the more reason to celebrate those who do actually come to our fair capital city, like Caribou (or the Artist Formerly Known As Manitoba or, somewhat more prosaically, Dan Snaith) who'll be bringing his twitchy take on electronica to Fowlers Live on Wed 20 July.
Meanwhile, Jack White - him of The White Stripes, you may have
heard of them - has apparently gotten married in South America
to girlfriend Karen Elson (who appears in the Blue Orchid
video, incidentally) on Wed 1 June. A statement from the band
explains that the couple married in the Brazilian city of Manaus
and that manager Ian Mantone was the best man while bandmate
Meg White was Maid Of Honour. So far, so adorable: however,
the bit at the end of the statement that claims "This was the
first marriage for both newlyweds" has Puff and other movers
and shakers in The Biz all confused: hadn't we all decided that
Jack and Meg were a divorced couple, rather than brother and
sister? Well, yes. For one thing, the folks at mtv.com are refusing
to accept the news as being anything other than a delicious
publicity stunt, citing the Detroit Free Press' discovery of
a 1996 marriage certificate for John Anthony Gillis (aka Jack)
and Megan Martha White (Meg) with accompanying divorce papers
from 2000. So, they figure, this could well be another exciting
fib. In any case, Puff's putting the question to you, the valued
reader: what should we decide the relationship between Jack
and Meg is? Meg's the dentist and Jack's her hygienist? Jack's
the hitman and Meg's the other hitman sent to kill him? Meg's
the ventriloquist and Jack's the dummy? Check out the competition
in Prize Frenzy(tm) this issue and let's decide this once and
for all.
An era ends with the news that BANG! is wrapping up its regular Saturday night club at Fowlers Live with one last hurrah on Sat 18 June. However, DJ Ian Bell isn't letting the grass grow under his feet: he's holding a special BANG! event to raise money for breast cancer research, roping in a bunch of local musical types to cover their favourite Kylie songs: the likes of Home For The Def, Louise Messenger, Andrew P Street, Matthew & His Magic Accordion and more will be doing their respective do with Ian on the decks on Thurs 23 June.
Stuff from Puff: As predicted by everyone in the whole world,
Live 8 is going ahead on Sat 2 July to raise funds and awareness
for poverty and hunger worldwide - coinciding, as it does, with
the G8 world leader's conference in Edinburgh. Unlike Live Aid,
which was simultaneously held in two locations, Live 8 will
be happening in five: the UK event will be in Hyde Park with
the confirmed lineup already including the likes of U2, The
Killers, The Cure, Muse, Madonna, Elton John, Coldplay, Snoop
Dogg, REM, Scissor Sisters and Paul McCartney (and almost certainly
a reunited Spice Girls), while the US event in Philadelphia
boasts Will Smith, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, the
Kaiser Chiefs, Maroon Five, Puff Daddy and Stevie Wonder. Rome's
lineup includes Faith Hill, Duran Duran, Laura Pausini and Tim
McGraw, Berlin's concert will feature Lauren Hill, A-ha, Crosby,
Stills & Nash, Brian Wilson and Die Toten Hosen, and Paris boasts
Jamiroquai, Placebo, Youssou N'Dour, Johnny Halliday and Craig
David. Radiohead, however, have turned down the offer of a spot
despite their support of the cause: guitarist Jonny Greenwood
recently became a father and the band have decided not to interrupt
his time off. Damon Albarn, meanwhile, has dissed the event
(and presumably precluded any Blur/Gorillaz involvement), claiming
there's not enough black artists involved in Live 8 and it shows
very little understanding of the culture, diversity and politics
of Africa... Speaking of The Cure - who you just read about
and went "The Cure? Live 8? Really?" - word is that they've
recently dispensed with the services of guitarist Perry Bamonte
and keyboardist Roger O'Donnell. Given the band's legendary
reputation for lineup changes it should come as no surprise,
although this line up (with bassist Simon Gallup and drummer
Jason Cooper, along with founder Robert Smith) lasted an unprecedented
ten years. Apparently Smith sacked the pair with the explanation
that he wished to refashion The Cure as a trio, and rumours
are circulating that his renewed friendship with former Siouxsie
& the Banshees bassist Steve Severin (with whom he made the
'Blue Sunshine' album under the moniker The Glove) might see
Severin guesting on their UK dates... Saliva are also changing
their lineup - or not, depending on when you check their web
site. On Sun 29 May guitarist Chris D'abaldo announced he was
leaving "for obvious reasons, as the band is not a unit anymore"
and "I have been given no other choice in the matter." However,
by Wed 1 June the message had been amended to "there was a bit
of an issue we're working through and we're looking forward
to recording a new album later this year". So there you go...
And finally, The Killers are reportedly planning their own 'Thriller':
a mini-movie (or hyper-long film clip) to fill time time between
albums one and two. It'll feature Midnight Show and Jenny
Was A Friend Of Mine (both from last year's 'Hot Fuss')
and the hitherto unreleased Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf.
The band are currently meeting with directors and plan to release
the clip/film/hideous example of hubris around the end of the
year
As Michael Jackson's jury deliberates and Phil Spector watches a parade of previous girlfriends tell the jury in his murder trial that he also pulled guns on 'em, it's easy to forget that other celebrities are also being dragged before the courts. Bobby Brown, for example, who's been so busy sorting out his new reality TV show 'Being Bobby Brown' that he's not only forgotten to pay child support for his two children with ex-partner Kim Ward, but also failed to show up in court to answer the charges. He's facing a possible three months behind bars, assuming he turns up to serve the time... Meanwhile, that Queens Of The Stone Age-fronting chap Josh Homme has scored himself 36 months probation, community service, anger management classes and a drug/alcohol rehabilitation program after pleading no contest to charges of assault on the Dwarves' singer Blag Dahlia last November. He'll also be footing Dahlia's medical and legal bills, and is also required to stay 100 yards away from Blag at all times...
Fancy seeing Diplomat? Sure you do, since it'll be your last
chance for a good long while (although, since there's a rocking
new CD pretty much ready to be released, Puff hopes it won't
be too long...), and they'll be making with the noise at the
Jade Monkey on Fri 17 June with Pharaohs and My Sister The Cop.
Kaleidoscope have rejigged their lineup again, expanding back to quartet status with the addition of bassist Brett Taylor (allowing Kylie Cowling to move to guitar-slinging frontperson status). The new look 'Scope debut at the Goodwood Park Hotel on Fri 17 June, with Ms Cowling and Sean Kemp doing support sets.
House Of Bugs are also changing their lineup, and possibly their
name, but in the meantime they're playing at the Governor Hindmarsh's
front bar 'Local Anesthetic' session in three-piece mode on
Thurs 23 June, along with Raging Transistor.
The Re-mains haven't been through Adelaide in yonks, but that's all set to change when they unleash the urban country rock'n'roll of their brand new 'Field Conditions' on the Wheatsheaf on Thurs 23 June.
Gelbison are also swinging by for a bit of a sing at Jive on
Fri 24 June, along with No Through Road.
Sky City's new Loco Bar opened with great fanfare on Mon 6 June and is already becoming the bar de jour for Adelaide's elite, with in-house DJs Troy J Been and Jaypee laying down soulful grooves and funky nu-jazz each Thursday, DJ Dave Collins getting one in that end-of-week vibe on Fridays, Juddo, Ezee G and Quest on Friday and Saturday nights and Ben James and Ezee G getting laid back and soulful on Sundays. So far, so fine: but Sky City is also adding a new edge for the savvy drinker, where the price of their beers, wines and spirits will fluctuate depending on demand, as measured by the stock exchange-style board; the more demand drops for a certain brand or beverage, the more the price drops; enabling the savvy tippler to enjoy cheap drinks (well, until demand increases anyway). Now that's an investment strategy Puff can get behind... Here's Our Editor and Publisher glamming it up at the opening night.
It's been ten years of Jebediah and the band are doing a victory
lap of the country in celebration: catch them at the Adelaide
UniBar on Sat 25 June with Neon and Red Jezebel; and save some
of that cake for Puff, you greedy rock kids...
Oh come on: all this and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival? You can't tell me that it's not more than ample reason to...
Get Out Of The House!
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