Puff'n'Stuff

All the upcoming New Year's Eve parties and Christmas celebrations aside, there's lots coming up on the local front gig-wise if you've had enough of the embarrassing rellies and need to get out of the house. And while it may be a little quiet in Adelaide for the next month or so when it comes to international tours, there'll still be plenty of stuff to go and check out at your local pubs and venues, starting with Melbournites The Lazy Sons, who have announced they're heading our way for the first time ever to spread a little rockin' festive cheer! Having played with the likes of Tim Rogers And The Temperance Union, Dallas Crane, 67 Special, The Exploders and The Pictures, these guys have carved a name for themselves out of solid rock in the eastern states - Puff's been converted and now it's your turn...Think The Kings Of Leon versus The Sex Pistols in a mod rock riot then get your butt over for two massive shows at the Crown And Anchor on Thurs 21 December to see the 'Sons with Stryder and Former Child Stars, and on Fri 22 December at the Electric Light Hotel with The Green Circles and Swayback.

And there's plenty more local action as Angelik get ready to promote their show at the Glenelg Jetty Hotel on Sat 23 December along with The Dead Popes Of The Vatican and Red Rascal. Puff is told that this gig is set to be Angelik's last one for at least a little while as the band are preparing for their upcoming EP launch which will take place sometime in February so stay tuned for more info!

Getting ready to play some of their new material are the lads from Morals Of A Minor who, having played around the country over the last few weeks, are heading over to the Rocket Bar on Fri 22 December with local rockers Booster and on Thurs 28 December at the Electric Light Hotel with City Riots.

Meanwhile, one of Adelaide's hardest-working band, Special Patrol, are also back in town to do a Christmas gig at the Electric Light Hotel on Sat 23 December. The guys are then hitting the road once again to support the UK's Bees through New South Wales and Victoria, as well as for their own shows and festivals all over the coast through the new year. You can also catch Bakewell Street, The Torrens and Breakerfall on the night, so get along if you can!

Otherwise known for remixing for the likes of Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, Seelenluft, Franz Ferdinand and Goldfrapp, Ewan Pearson has been making records almost ten years now. Oh, and his production credits extend to The Rapture's new album 'Pieces Of The People We Love' while his programming credits include two tracks from Gwen Stefani's debut album 'Love, Angel, Music, Baby' - not bad! But Pearson is also a busy DJ who has been a regular at festivals in Ibiza, Paris and Berlin and now he's on his way down under to chuck us a New Year's party that we'll never forget! So be at the Rocket Bar on Sun 31 December and witness the slick stylings of Pearson.

Also used to a life behind the scenes is one Danny Widdicombe, who's better known for his guitar skills when playing for Bernard Fanning and Andrew Morris. These days Widdicombe is stepping out into the spotlight with the release of his solo album, 'The Transplant Tapes' which deals with his bone-marrow transplant and ten-year battle with leukaemia. Heavy stuff indeed, so get down to Widdicombe's album launch at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Thurs 4 January - which will also feature a set by good mate Emily Davis - for a truly inspirational night.

After a surge of touring across the eastern states over the last year, locals The Backseat Romeos are ready to unleash their rock furies on the unsuspecting public with the release of their EP/demo 'Phoney See, Phoney Do' during a big weekend on Thurs 4 January and Fri 5 January with The Iron Sheiks and The Onyas. If that's not enough, the guys will celebrate the release of their EP with fellow locals The Meatbeaters and Melbourne's Uncut White Noise on Sat 6 December at the Electric Light Hotel, so you ain't really got an excuse not to catch the boys at least once, have you now?

After only a couple of brief visits to our fine city in 2006, Puff is told that Even are hittin' the Western Highway and getting their arses over here for what should be a couple of memorable nights on Fri 5 January at the Producers Bar and on Sun 7 January at the Grace Emily Hotel. In further news, Puff hears that the Even guys have all but completed studio album numero five, which is looking to be an April '07 release.

Although she recently visited our shores as part of her other band, The New Pornographers, Neko Case, it seems, just can't get enough of us Aussies - having recently released her two-years-in-the-making album 'Fox Confessor Brings The Flood', she's heading back for a solo show on Thurs 25 January at the Governor Hindmarsh.

Fans of Tool and math/art-metal in general are probably salivating as Puff announces that prog-rock kings Isis are heading back our way once again too! Having released their new album 'In The Absence Of Truth' - described as a living, breathing panorama of soaring melodies - the guys are coming to Australia for a five-date national tour with Seattle's These Arms Are Snakes and Melbourne's Laura. Check them out next year at Fowler's Live on Wed 7 February.

The girl never rests! To kick off the new year, Macromantics is announcing a headlining tour for February 2007. With her debut album 'Moments In Movement' getting widespread critical acclaim, Miss Macro hasn't had a moment not moving all year and 2007 is certainly looking to be no different. You've probably caught her at Homebake or Meredith, and now you'll get a chance to see her all over again when she plays with DJ Amy and special guests on Sat 17 February at favourite haunt, the Rocket Bar.

The singer/songwriter/guitarist of The Posies and Big Star, Jon Auer, will be hauling his guitar across the country for a number of shows that will make this his fourth trip to Australia, though his first as a solo performer. Supporting Auer on his Aussie run will be the other Imbruglia sister - Laura - so check them both out on Sat 17 February at Jive.

Fans of singer/songwriters ear your hearts out! Easily two of Australia's best songwriters, Holly Throsby and Dan Kelly, are joining forces in January and February for a national tour. Puff hears that while both were nominated at this year's ARIAs, though neither won a trophy, somewhere amidst the drunken festivities of the night they decided to plan a tour together...To catch Throsby and Kelly together for the first time head along to Jive on Fri 23 February for an unmissable night.

Whether you love his solo stuff or you hate it, you know you'll just end up checking out Millencolin's frontman Nikola Sarcevic either way when he heads down to Oz with his second effort, 'Roll Roll And Flee'. This is Sarcevic's first time down under as a solo artist (and yes, it's at this point that Puff tells you Millencolin is still a band and, no, they're not splitting up), so let's all make him feel welcome when he plays at the Enigma Bar on Sat 3 March.

Stalwart Boston beerpunk crew The Dropkick Murphys, are also returning to Australia this March to bring us their rowdy sing-along street-punk anthems and then spike them with bits and pieces of traditional Irish folk music. Check them out at HQ on Sun 25 March.

Some more big news on the local front - this just in: Adelaide's own Bit By Bats are getting ready for a tour in support of their debut album 'Go, Go, Go!', which will be out sometime in March. The guys will set on an extensive national tour soon after the album's release which will see them back home on Sat 21 April at the Enigma Bar. Puff is told that the BBB boys will also be touring Canada in March of next year so come along and show your support.

Bring on the scorching sounds, cool crowds and excitement of the Adelaide Fringe this coming March! Future Entertainment, The Adelaide Fringe 2007 and The Garden Of Unearthly Delights are turning up the lights and volume for one of the biggest electronic music festivals we're going to see next year. House, progressive, indie/electro, trance, ambient, minimal, breaks, drum'n'bass, techno - it'll all be there and you can check out the likes of Carl Cox, Ferry Corsten, Felix Da Housecat, Nick Warren, X-Press 2, LTJ Bukem And MC Conrad, Tom Noby, Fedde Le Grand, Josh Wink, Princess Superstar, Chris Lake, Sander Van Doorn, Jochaim Garraud, Serge Santiago, Sebastien Leger, JDS, Ali B, Midnight Juggernauts, TV Rock, Riot In Belgium, Bang Gang DJs, John Course, Dirty South, Goodwill and more! Come on March...

Splendid news for those of you who are currently holding a Big Day Out ticket in your hot, sweaty little hand...The third round of touring and local additions to the BDO 2007 has just been announced! You'll be happy to know that among those who will be making an appearance on the day are The Vines, Snowman, reggae master Luciano, The Sick Puppies, Digital Primate and Mark Murphy, while on the local side of things Morals Of A Minor, The Tony Font Show, The Audreys, Clue To Kalo, The Levitators, Straight To Video, Her Latest Flame, Move To Strike, Funkoars, Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!, Double Dragon, Poly And The Statics and Systembot have now been added to the line-up too.

But there's even better news for fans of Perth quartet Snowman who won't have to wait till the Big Day Out in February to check out their favourite weirdos - the guys are taking their magnificent live shows on the road to all the major capital cities which will see them in Adelaide on Thurs 11 January at Jive alongside The Temper Trap.

Not-so-good-news this fortnight comes from The Audreys' camp - Puff has heard that the ARIA and dBra Award winners have dismissed their long-time manager Alistair Cranney just as things have been really picking up for the band. The alt-country quartet recently released their debut 'Between Last Night And Us' which saw them take home an ARIA for Best Blues And Roots Album, with singles Oh Honey, You And Steve McQueen and Don't Change getting regular air play throughout Australia. The band's debut was also released in Canada last June, which saw the band touring both Canada and Europe before a national tour back home. Currently, Taasha Coats and her four bandmates are getting ready for a string of shows which will include Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival, the Victorian and Tasmanian Falls Festivals and Sydney's Feel Good Festival throughout December and January.

Puff wants to give you a quick heads up for a comp that should keep you busy over the next few weeks - dB Mag have joined forces with Carclew Youth Arts and the Big Day Out and if you think you have what it takes to have a go at writing for the wonderful publication that is dB Magazine then here's your chance to become a live music reviewer thanks to Carclew Youth Arts and dB Mag who are offering you this rare opportunity. Carclew's Off The Couch is about to begin a series of six gigs at Jive and Fowler's Live, featuring showcases by fresh local artists once a month from December to May 2007. For your chance to get your reviews published in dB Magazine all you have to do is be at one or more of the free gigs and check out the talent, then write up your 400-word review to be submitted to dB's Music Editor. There will also be a free workshop at Carclew to pass on tips of the trade for wanna-be music writers so to register your interest in taking part, contact Georgina James at Carclew Youth Arts at gjames@carclew.org.au or on 8267 5111 for more info.

A couple of New Year's Eve parties Puff reckons are worth a mention will be happening at the Rhino Room and Jive in the coming weeks. The 'Rhino will feature an awesome line-up of live acts and DJs, all set in the maze of multiple dance-floors, bars and chill-out areas with Rhino Room in full party mode over two levels! The live tip will feature Le Swiss, Style High Club and Nick (Magma) on percussoin along with a huge list of DJs including Sid And Tony (Morals Of A Minor), Madcap, Shep, Dr Wah Wah, Simon Booth, Mikey (Artax Mission), Dymes, Nixon, Sanji and many more. While the Rhino will be catering for all tastes from funk, hip-hop and breaks to house and rock, Jive is kicking off the new year in true revolutionary style! If you're not at the Rhino Room make sure you're at Jive's Revolution New Year's Eve Party which will feature tunes from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, The Beatles, The Smiths, Muse and more - plus entry is only a measly $5 so, really, there's no excuse...

And would you believe it, dear reader, that's it for another year! That's right, it's over and out for Puff over the next few weeks as the Xmas season moves in and the New Year's parties kick off. So raise a toast with Puff, Adelaide - to a year that saw us rocking out to the likes of U2 and Pearl Jam, cheering on locals The Hilltop Hoods all the way to the ARIAs and generally keepin' it real. Now wave bye-bye to 2006 and give it up for 2007...

Get Out Of The House!