News:
· Puff 'n' Stuff
Everything that's happening in Adelaide this fortnight.
· Industry
The latest from the music industry.
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Theatre news.
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Dance and electronica news.
· Metal
Updates from the wide world of metal.
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Puff 'n' Stuff.
Puff's heart is as light and fluffy as a freshly-baked meringue as we skip adorably to Valentine's Day, the most-lovingest date on the Calendar of Romance! Yes, Puff's already replacing the mailbox at Puff Manor with a shipping crate with a slot drilled in it to cope with the inevitable annual influx of anonymous mash notes, marriage proposals and pornographically vulgar cartoons. For those unfamiliar with the roots of the festival, you have to go back about five million years to the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth under the rule of the time-traveling astrowarrior Steve "Saint" Valentine, who based his own personal calendar around February 14th - or, as he knew it, Happy Good Luck Spider Day. The original plan was to give poisonous spiders to the dinosaurs that had earned his special favour, but the tradition died after its first observance - as did Steve, who was bitten by the first spider he found and then devoured by the dinosaur he inexpertly attempted to give it to. The holiday wasn't celebrated again until 1987 when spider enthusiasts entered into an unholy alliance with greeting card manufacturers to create what they originally called "Christmas", then "Special Monkey Day", and then finally "May 12th", which they then renamed Valentine's Day to prevent confusion with the May 12th that we celebrate every Halloween. Puff's not sure why it became a celebration of love rather than the lower primates, but perhaps it's better not to explore the motivations of our predecessors and their apparent predilection for monkey-lovin'. Next issue: Puff explores the hazy, mystical roots of Australia Day.
Whoa! How did Wildeloo creep up on us so sneakily? Yes, Cummins
bursts into rock'n'roll life as the Eyre Peninsula gets ready
to be comprehensively rocked by Grinspoon, Butterfingers, Ash
Grunwald, Foreshore, Kasavett, The Cants, The Hot Lies, Wolf
& Cub and more. There's camping on site, food is available at
the oval and basically you're going to kick yourself if you're
not there representin' on Sat 18 Feb. Here are the Grinners,
perhaps mistakenly waiting for their train to Cummins. Someone
should probably tell them...
Those old Adelaide bands keep creeping out from behind the skirting board: legendary almost-all-female punk monsters Toxic Shock are doing a one-off reunion gig (after, as they put it, "four years and four kids") at the Squatters Arms on Sat 11 Feb, with Fear & Loathing and the Billion Dollar Bums in support.
And yet even as the 'Shock turn it on again, The Rest are switching
out the lights. After 18 months of joy, tears and the occasional
impenetrable poem-cum-press release they've decided to say farewell
via three shows at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Thurs 2 March, Fri
3 March and Sat 4 March.
Valentines Day will never be more love-filled than this year, when the Crown & Anchor hold The Big Valentine Luv-In with a slew of Adelaide's musical types getting their doe-iest eyes on to do three love songs apiece. Guillame and DJ Nazz will be officiating over a lineup that includes Leigh StarDust, Soursob Bob, Spindickle, Home For The Def, Andrew P Street, Courtney Rodd, Jonathon Crouch, Jon Von Bowman, Cookie Baker, Tom Barnes, King Daddy, The Ramonettes. That's Tues 14 Feb, in case you're not already filled with the romance of the season.
Fuse On Stage is happening from Tues 28 Feb to Thurs 2 March
as part of the Fringe, so if you've ever wanted to know how
best to make a career in this business we call show you'd best
log on to www.fusefestival.com for all the seminar, showcase
and speaker details
Those energetic Canadian types Comeback Kid are making with the hardcore rock at Fowler's Live on Sun 19 Feb, accompanied by Her Nightmare.
Stuff from Puff: Brace yourself, lovers of quirky indie-rock:
Grandaddy have split. The quintet made the decision whilst putting
the final touches on their forthcoming final album 'Just Like
The Fambly Cat', due in May. Puff's greatly saddened - and perhaps
even a little hurt - but admits to getting suspicious when last
year's mini-album 'The Secret Diary Of Todd Zilla' was a Lytle
solo record in all but name... meanwhile UK trio Test
Icicles (featuring Adelaide's-own Sam Mehran, late of Paradise
Burning) have denied that they're planning to split after fulfilling
their UK touring commitments... And if you
were planning to get along to see operatic popsters Amici Forever,
be advised that founding baritone Geoff Sewell is bailing after
this tour to "concentrate on the health of his daughter," who
Puff assumes also breaks out in a rash every time someone tries
to make opera hip for the masses... More reunion news
as the original lineup of Candlebox have announced they're reforming
for a mid-year US tour ... And while the
Smashing Pumpkins are not playing the Coachella festival as
suggested last issue, word is that the reunion is a definite
goer: late-period bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur confirmed that
Billy Corgan and drummer Billy Chamberlin have been working
on new material, although there's still no word on whether Auf
Der Maur, original bassist D'Arcy Wretzky or co-founding guitarist
James Iha will be on board... UK popstresses All Saints
have also inexplicably gotten back together and will release
an album this year through their new deal with Parlophone...
Ash, meanwhile, have parted ways with guitarist
Charlotte Hatherley after nine years: she'll be concentrating
on her solo career, they'll be going back to their original
trio format... That Dinosaur Jr reunion seems to be working
out: sure, they couldn't be arsed coming to Adelaide, but apparently
the trio have been working on new material in J Mascis' home
studio... While Weezer take time off so egghead
frontman Rivers Cuomo can finish his la-di-dah book learnin'
degree at Harvard, guitarist Brian Bell and drummer Patrick
Wilson will be acting in 'Factory Girl', the biopic about Andy
Warhol associate Edie Sedgwick. More specifically, they'll be
playing half of the Velvet Underground as (respectively) Lou
Reed and John Cale... Belle & Sebastian - whose new album
'The Life Pursuit' is out this very second - are being anthologized
in comic (sorry, "graphic novel") form in the US: a selection
of artists are turning a bunch of B&S songs into pretty drawings
for a publication entitled 'Put The Book Back On The Shelf'...
Ministry are set to tour the US in May on
their hilariously-named 'MasterBaTour" (geddit, 14 year olds?
Puff's sides have split from the mirth and merriment!) in support
of the forthcoming 'Rio Grande Blood': Al Jourgensen's naturally
fronting, with an all-star band consisting of drummer Joey Jordison
(Slipknot), bassist Paul Raven (Killing Joke), and guitarists
Tommy Victor (Prong) and Mike Scaccia (Rigor Mortis)... The
dream is over for Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear:
they've just filed for divorce after 11 years of marriage...
And in breaking news as Puff was putting
the finishing touches to this issue's Stuff is that cycling
legend Lance Armstrong and rock person Sheryl Crow have apparently
split up. Expect a whole lot of pro-car songs on the next album,
then... Johnny Marr's been a busy lad: not only has he
a new record from his band The Healers coming out shortly, but
he reunited with former Smiths bandmate Andy Rourke for an apparently
blistering rendition of How Soon Is Now at January's
Manchester Vs Cancer show. What's more, he's been working with
Lisa Germano and Modest Mouse on their upcoming releases, as
well as legendary French chanteuse Jane Birkin. Now that's what
we like to see from our indie heroes. Marr's in good company
too: the Jane Birkin album also features collaborations from
Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Rufus Wainwright, Kate Bush, Tom
Waits and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, with production duties
by Peaches' offsider Gonzales... And the
ongoing race between Michael Jackson and Courtney Love to see
who can notch up the greatest number of lawsuits continues:
Jackson's pulled ahead as his lawyers try to dodge the issue
of how he was able to take his children with him to live in
Bahrain when there's custody hearing pending from his ex-wife
Debbie Rowe, while Love failed to get a civil suit for assault
dismissed (she'd previously pleaded guilty to assaulting LA
musician Kirstin King in April 2004 and paid up $2,700, King
says that ain't enough). Oh, these competitive famous types!
Settle down, Courtney and Michael: Puff thinks you're both winners!
With Ryan Paterson having recently left Mere Theory, it seems
like a volatile time in Adelaide's thriving hardcore scene.
You doubt Puff's word? Why, we received an official release
from I Killed The Prom Queen announcing the departure of lead
singer Crafter: and, in keeping with the relentless honesty
of their music, the band aren't about to pretend that it's a
perfectly amicable split. "As with any relationship only the
people involved ever know the true story and we feel in all
fairness to Crafter it is primarily our business and no-one
else's as to why the relationship disintegrated," it explains.
"However, also in fairness to our fans we would like to offer
some explanation. It was with regret that the four of us came
to the decision to part ways with Crafter but after months of
deliberation we decided that it was in the best interest of
IKTPQ as our on going relationship with him was becoming untenable...
We have some vocalists in mind and assure you that no shows
or tours will be cancelled." No word from the Crafter camp as
to what his plans are from here - but drop us a line when you
have news, sir.
Since the Career Girls split to the four winds and with The
Zero Kelvins on apparently terminal hiatus, a frustrated Andrew
P Street thought to himself "nuts to this band thing!" To that
end he's dusted off his guitar and will be embarking on his
picking-up-where-he-left-off range of solo shows, starting at
the Crown & Anchor's Valentines Day love-in on Tues 14 Feb,
the Grace Emily on Wed 15 Feb, the Prince Albert Hotel on Fri
17 Feb and finishing at the Crown & Anchor on Sun 19 Feb (with
old pals Brillig and Guillame). And if that wasn't enough, he's
also joined instrumental improv masters Badger (replacing the
departing Todd Hutchinson, also late of Career Girls - how incestuous
is this town?) who can be experienced in all their instrumental
glory at the Exeter Hotel on Rundle Street every Monday evening.
The Kids will want to be getting along to the UniSA DisOrientation
party on Thurs 23 Feb: it features a mighty lineup of After
The Fall, Starky, The Camels, Unknown To Man, Last Minute-Ville
and DJs Ben James and Styx across three stages in the City East
campus. Higher education never sounded so rock!
Speaking of After The Fall, as we were, they've just scored
what has to be the nations' rockingest support slot: they'll
be opening for The Darkness, who've just announced a Thebarton
Theatre show for Sat 8 April!
Despite South Australia's fancy new "Brilliant" tourism motif,
there's still plenty of artistic types that "can't be arsed"
coming to Adelaide. Like Beth Orton, for example: she's coming
to Australia in April, but not this part of it. Goddamit.
Mr Josh Pyke is celebrating the fact that his relatively recent
tune Middle Of The Hill was still popular enough to take
out the #19 berth on the Triple J Hottest 100 by playing a show
at the Jade Monkey on Fri 17 Feb with Little Ice Age and Aviator
Lane.
The Frances Folk Gathering is happening for the seventh - count 'em! - time in the rustic surrounds of Frances, near Bordertown, from Fri 24 Feb to Sun 26 Feb. Entry is completely free and they encourage anyone who fancies it to bring their instruments up and join in the fun (and, what's more, there's $9,500 in prize money up for grabs). Check out all the details at www.francesfolkgathering.com.au right now.
Melbourne alt.country types Clinkerfield are so taken with their
new 'Take The View' CD that they're coming all the way over
to the Grace Emily to see what you reckon about it on Sat 18
Feb with Swayback and The Adult Bookstore.
Hey, the young people: you totally dig the hip-hop, right? Of course you do, which is why you and all your popular contemporaries will be at Earth on Fri 10 Feb for the Off Tha Street Aussie hip-hop showcase, with the likes of Art Of War and Funkoars making with the rap action.
The enormous Acquiescence: Not Dreaming, Creating show at the
Fringe has just gotten proportionally larger with the news that
The Levitators are headlining a lineup that contains several
metric shitloads of local talent, including Sumi, Foreshore,
Blow Up Betty, Mirrorline, The Borderland, Central Deli Band,
Mr Wednesday, Miracle Hat, Leigh StarDust, Amoeba, Nervous Gerbal,
Systembot and Craig Egan, which constitutes something like 18%
of the total lineup. Make sure that you have Sat 4 March marked
in your diary, with Viva on Light Square (the former Le Rox/Breakers/Le
Rox again) noted as the venue.
The ever-charming gent that we know as Carus is making his way back to Adelaide for a show at the Grace Emily on Tues 14 Feb with a swag full of his deliciously rootsy tunes, artfully articulated by his band The True Believers, and bolstered by Mr Nick Barker.
Enjoy some sweet tunes whilst supporting the excellent work
of Oxfam at the Grace Emily on Sun 12 Feb as Peter McIver, Leigh
StarDust and Little Ice Age make with the fundraising sounds.
And you can get the community to wake up earlier that day by heading out west to the ACTU's Your Rights At Work campaign's Community Wake Up Concert at the Wharfies Hall on Sun 12 Feb from 3pm. Puff salutes your vigour, comrades!
It's been a little while since The Devoted Few were in our neck
of the woods, but they've hooked up with similarly idiosyncratic
guitar-wrangling types Dappled Cities Fly to put on a fine night
of sweet melody at Jive o Fri 17 Feb, with Poly & The Statics
bringing the local love.
Well-loved children's entertainer Mr Peter Combe will be presumably
whipping out such time-tested classics as Mr Clickity Cane,
Toffee Apple, Newspaper Mama and, Puff sincerely
hopes, Exterminate! when he plays at Fad Bar & Gallery
on Thurs 9 Feb.
The good folks at the Reynella Enterprise & Youth Centre have
loaded their all-ages rock cannon with a goodly amount of southern
talent and are set to blast themselves some rock on Fri 17 Feb,
thanks to LT, Black Knight, Hair On Fire, Demeaning, Finding
Grace, Take-3, Destruction Overdrive, Big Mistake, The Threat
Of Popularity and The Kicks. It's drug and alcohol free, and
it kicks off at7pm.
Fresh from his starring role as, er, himself, 50 Cent hits the EntCent on Mon 20 Feb along with the rest of G-Unit, Lil Jon & the BME Click, Bliss 'n' Eno and Weapon X & Ken Hell. Word, readers.
Look, Puff's a busy person and doesn't have time for your shenanigans:
it's high time that you smartened yourself up and found yourself
some sort of activity that would require you to...
Get Out Of The House!
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