Puff'n'Stuff

The Fringe is finally here and the Garden Of Unearthly Delights at Rundle Park is currently featuring performances and wickedly indulgent good times until Sat 31 March, featuring fabulously freaky new sideshows, the Big Wheel and free music on the steps of the Bosco Theatre. The coming weeks will certainly be something to remember with performances from the likes of Project X (The Raw Dance Company), Van Trolley Quartet, The Basics and Flat On Your Bacharach - and that's just the beginning! Grab a copy of the Garden Of Unearthly Delights program or visit www.gardenofunearthlydelights.com.au for more info on upcoming musical acts.

The Beards have beards, like beards and only play songs about beards...so, if you have a beard, like beards or are thinking of growing a beard some time, come along to the Prince Albert Hotel on Sat 10 March and check out The Beards with a support slot from The Torrens. Entry is free so you have no excuse. And on Fri 9 March the Jade Monkey will be showcasing some of Adelaide's best unsigned talent from the likes Firo-B, Rob McDade as well as Andrew Washington's Monkeybar - doors open at 9 pm for a 9:15 pm start, so don't be late.

After forming in 2005 and releasing their debut EP 'Haunted City Sounds' the following year, locals Her Latest Flame have certainly been busy, having taken part in some major events and festivals like Taste Of Chaos '06, St Kilda Festival '07 and the recently Big Day Out which saw them playing alongside some of the world's biggest bands such as My Chemical Romance and The Killers. Currently the boys are getting ready for their first headlining show for the year which is happening at Fowler's Live on Sat 10 March before they hit the studio for their follow-up release mid-year and start getting ready for an extensive tour around the country.

Carclew's Off The Couch is bringing back the music once again this month with six gigs over two venues and masses of music to get the Adelaide punters fired up. Get yourself amped for some great live hip-hop tunes this time around at Fowler's Live on Fri 16 March when Isolated Minds, Nascent, Subsketch And The Antidote and DJ Juice make an appearance at this free, all ages event.

Hey, remember Diplomat? Together they used to rule Adelaide, before one of them left to rule the Gold Coast and another left to rule Melbourne, that is. But they're all converging in once place which will be the Crown And Anchor on Fri 16 March, joined by Before The Aftermath and Meanwell College. So go on, go and rekindle those rock memories - it'll be your last opportunity for quite a while...

Little Ice Age will also be keeping busy in the coming weeks, with an upcoming show at the Prince Albert Hotel on Fri 16 March with supports yet to be announced, as well as on Fri 13 April at the Wheatsheaf Hotel with Running With Horses (which Puff is told could be a possible CD launch!), followed by Sat 29 April at the Fad Bar with Forgettable Winter. Meanwhile, you can catch Munchkin performing a special show at the Jade Monkey on Sat 17 March with electro-rockers The Black Doves and Sojourn - doors open at 9 pm, entry is free and don't forget to pick up a copy of Munchkin's new single Sometime After Midnight for just $10 on the night.

In some more local news, Mr Wednesday bass player Luke Johnson has recently returned from an extended trip overseas, so make sure you come along and make him feel at home again when the band play their first live show of the year at the Crown And Anchor on Sun 18 March. You can also catch Radiant City, who will be over from Melbourne to launch their latest EP, as well as locals Santiam alongside Mr Wednesday - be there!

Six-piece funk'n'roots band NEO have a simple plan, really: hit the road and work your mojo. So expect nothing but unbridled, theatrical-musical madness when these guys advance upon Adelaide for not one, not two, not three, but four shows over the Fringe Festival period. The Funk Bus tour follows the release of NEO's latest EP 'Bus Blues' so catch them performing at the World Police And Fire Games on Thurs 22 March, the Crown And Sceptre on Fri 23 March, Adelaide Festival Center on Sun 25 March and the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Tue 27 March.

Some changes on The Lemonheads front this month: yes, Mr Dando and co. are still coming to Adelaide, with the only difference being that the Governor Hindmarsh gig will no longer take place on Tue 3 April as previously advised but on Wed 4 April instead. Mark it in your diaries people because you can't afford to miss this one!

Fans of hardcore, punk and rock - rejoice! After four studio releases, Bodyjar have announced the release of a live CD 'Is It Alive', as well as an east coast tour with special guests Trial Kennedy. Their last, self-titled release back in 2005 topped the Triple J Net-50 chart and took them to Japan for a series of sold-out shows as well as festivals back home, so catch them at the Enigma Bar on Fri 23 and Sat 24 March.

Having successfully covered almost every genre you can think of and producing a musical legacy that is comparable to no other within the Aussie music scene, The Offcuts have decided to strip it all back for their full-length debut to do what they do best...'What Happened Don't Lie', the long awaited Offcuts album is finally here and, with the single Stand Back already rocking across the nation on Triple J, the guys are announcing their national album tour throughout March which will see them at the Jade Monkey on Mon 30 March.

The Stepfords are also bringing a double treat for their Adelaide fans when they head over for a set at Fowler's Live on Tue 3 April, followed by a support slot for Tony Joe White at the Grace Emily on Wed 4 April. The band were a badly-kept secret of Sydney's Surry Hills during the early '90s but in the short amount of time during which they built up a large following, they found themselves supporting the likes of Paul Kelly, The Cruel Sea and Weddings Parties Anything. Recently the band caught the eye of Tony Joe White's promoters who asked The Stepfords to guest one of the biggest tours for the band so far, so don't miss this one!

The Crown And Anchor is the place to be if you wanna witness one of Melbourne's favourite sons, who have been described as a band that truly scare grown men. With the recent release of The Nation Blue's third album, 'Protest Songs', the guys will be hitting the road for a national tour that will see them in Adelaide on Sat 7 April. Apparently, they really do "Piss raw steel", Puff's been told, so it's guaranteed to be interesting visually at least...

After a solid year which included the release of their debut album, 'Cancer', as well as plenty of sold-out shows across the nation, My Disco have announced a national tour (which will cover the major cities as well as many regional venues) over April and May. The Melbourne two-piece have been touring the world of late, earning themselves a reputation for flawless live shows, and are also getting ready to head back into the studio to record their next album. But in the meantime catch them at the Rocket Bar on Fri 13 April.


Bit By Bats are also hitting the road in a big way throughout March and April to celebrate the release of their upcoming debut album 'Go Go Go!'. The boys are kicking off their national tour in WA, which will see them in Adelaide on Sat 21 April at the Enigma Bar...But not before they jet over to Canada and the UK this week for a handful of shows! Having managed to release two EPs and tour constantly with the likes of The Grates, Bloc Party and Peaches over the last couple of years, keep an eye out for their new album later this month.

Having risen to the top of the Melbourne scene thanks to their amazing live shows and stunning songs, Horsell Common are currently getting ready for a national tour which will see them in Adelaide on Sat 28 April at Fowler's Live for an all ages show. The band is set to reach new heights this year as they burst into the spotlight thanks to an extensive touring schedule so come and check them out.

California's Secret Chiefs 3 are ready for a comeback after nine years! The brainchild of ex-Mr Bungle and Faith No More guitarist, Trey Spruance, this tour will see the three members of Mr Bungle on stage together for the first time since their break up! With tunes ranging from surf to neo-Pythagorean electro folk, don't miss this legendary performance at Fowler's Live on Fri 11 May.

Like a huge and utterly captivating car-accident-in-progress, Alexisonfire rose up out of the Southern Ontario underground in late 2001, hitting the ground with an immediate full head of steam, managing not only to wow the critics but display some seriously stellar musicianship live on stage. And now here's your chance to catch them live when they play at HQ on Fri 25 May alongside fellow Canadians Moneen (known best for their stop-start arrangements and songs that go on for miles) as well as New Zealand's Blindspott (who recently released their intensely heavy album, 'End The Silence').

One band that's definitely living up to its tag as the band to watch in 2007 is Something With Numbers who last year released their sophomore album 'Perfect Distraction', debuting at number 34 on the national ARIA charts. Puff hears that things have been going just splendidly for the boys ever since, with a sold-out national album tour, a main stage debut at the Homebake, Pyramid and Soundwave festivals, as well as the show-stopping performance at the Sydney leg of the Big Day Out (which saw eight security guards trying to stop the 6000 rabid fans from storming the stage!). And especially for frontman, Jake Grigg, things are only getting bigger and better with the announcement that he is to co-host Channel V's new program The Rock Bottom alongside VJ James Matheison. It can only be onwards and upwards for these guys from here on, so come and check them out at Fowler's Live on Fri 22 June and the Loxton Hotel on Sat 23 June during their upcoming Goodbye Mickey Finn tour.

Local hard rock trio, Booster have picked up the pace, receiving much sought-after airplay in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne lately. Playing shows all over Adelaide and regional South Australia, the guys have recently recruited a second guitar player from the UK who will officially hit the road with Booster during April. With debut single One Minute Man now out of stock, the good news for the fans of pub rock is that the band have completed recording their debut album which will be launched on Sat 23 June at the Enigma Bar with special guest supports. In the meantime, check them out on Sat 31 March at the Jetty Bar with good mates Before The Aftermath.

This week Puff leaves you with some comical relief in the form of the arrest of r'n'b superstar Kelis last week following an accusation that the singer disrupted an undercover police operation. After screaming racial profanities and rushing toward two female police officers posing as prostitutes on Miami Beach, Kelis was detained and charged with two counts of public disorder, though released on US$1,500 bail hours later. According to Billboard, the star more than once shouted at police officers and charged at them a couple of times before resisting arrest...Oh, those crazy celebrities, will they ever learn?

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