Puff'n'Stuff

'Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la... you can forget about Christmas, the Easter Bunny or any other blasted symbolic fluffy toy, cause the season for being jolly is RIGHT NOW!! Have you seen how many bands are touring at the moment? Or heard how many bands are touring right now? Or even been told by a close friend whose word you can trust just how many bands are touring right now? You haven't? Well, let's get into it.

Probably not his real name: Sodom front-man Tom Angelripper is bringing his crew of turbo charged miscreants to Australia on their current album tour, promoting the album 'Sodom'. See, that's the kind of band this German outfit is... dedicated and determined. It's taken them until album number six before they arrived at a title which can be called - fairly and squarely, and without any hint of gilding the lily - eponymous. Bravo Sodom! Bravo your need to keep thumping the message home to the masses. Flailing and railing against the legion injustices of the world like it's 1987. Again. Sodom is the aforementioned Angelripper on vocals and bass, and guitarist Bernemann and drummer Bobby Schottkowski. Get down gentlemen, take a bow! See them at Fowlers Live on Mon 11 June.

Since Puff began this missive by extolling the virtues of bands whose collective age places them firmly in the 'wrinkly' category, things might as well continue in the same vein, eh? Which bring us all neatly to the fact that Dinosaur Jr will be performing at the Gov on Fri 13 July. More news as it comes to hand.

It's almost eighteen months since Anberlin last toured Australia, which means there will be a slew of fans waiting for their forthcoming show; one in which the band tour with the rather excellent Copeland and the equally tasty Angela's Dish. The date in question is just under a month away; Fri 8 June at Fowler's Live, and it's the first date of the tour. Wee-hheeee! US rockers Copeland will bring a bit of spice to the show; their album 'In Motion' will be released in time for the tour as a special edition CD.

Now this really is telling it like it is! Firstly, Double Wammy!! are back, performing at the Semaphore Workers Club on Sun 20 May, and they play between 5 and 8 pm. What's the story behind this announcement you may well wonder? Apparently the band took quite a bit of time off after chasing what they describe as a "futile record deal", and Puff presumes spent no little time reassessing their future together. It's a common enough story, so kudos to the guys for getting the band back together... there ain't nothing finer than Tristan Andrews swirling Hammond organ, stinging guitar and a stomping rhythm section are still the trademarks of a Double Wammy!! show. "Add to that the unique vocals of Brian Morrison and you've got a gig and half" they say!! They're right. When the offer of a season of gigs at the SWC was made, Double Wammy!! realized it was time to get back to having fun.

After a considerable absence from the local calendar the announcement has come through that The Riff Project makes a welcome return to the Northern Sound System at Elizabeth, on Sat 26 May. Doors are open at 6pm for this all ages event which is substance free, and well monitored. Entry - to see performances from six bands - is a measly $3; and the bands in question are 919, Rejusa, Red Baron, Reckless Haze, Sovereign Remedy, and Fallen Sunrise.

Local alternative rock three piece Snap To Zero have had a busy year so far. As have many, many other people, so that's not really news, is it? Frankly, Snappers, a better start to a press release was to be expected... They've been rockin' all over the lower parts of this great wide land, and now they're back in this state to blow the roof off a few selected gigs. Catch Snap To Zero, Dead Letter Circus (Qld), Vanden (Vic) as they play the Enigma Bar on Fri 18 May and at the Loxton Hotel on Sat 19 May. Here's Vanden, looking a little concerned at having to share the same Tarago, perhaps?

Skintilla will be headlining the first metal show at a new venue, The Magill Club, Uren St, Magill on Sat 26 May. That's up the top of Magill Road, east of the city. Also helping to launch this huge licensed all ages show will be, Day After Sadness, Officer Down, Taunt & Forget All This. Doors open from 7pm.

Here's weird. Puff can't work this one out at all, except to think people in Melbourne really do believe they're the centre of the universe. [A news flash for them: Sydney believes it too]. Anyway, it's Melbourne Comedy Festival time, so rather than make it good they've announced 'The Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow', a concept which sees a handful of comedians driving around Australia and performing at selected truckstops along the way. Can you believe how radical an idea this really is? No? Puff neither. So anyway, a bunch of people like Jeff Green(UK), Maeve Higgins (Ire), Russell Howard (UK), Josie Long (UK), Dave Callan, Justin Hamilton, Mickey D, Charlie Pickering, Sammy J and Tommy Dean get the trip to Wolf Creek. Neat.

Comedians. Can't get rid of 'em after the Fringe, can't leave 'em in the gutter when you're done with 'em. Rumour has it that two of Australia's funniest men, Wil Anderson and Lehmo are going to be in town this Fri 18 May and will be popping in to Rhino Room to do a spot for Rhino's regular Fri comedy show. Also on the night Rob Hunter, previous finalist in Triple J's Raw Comedy will be performing his much acclaimed Fringe show for those who missed it.

A little round-up of the good stuff for the end of May, going into June and beyond. Let's face it, there's a little bit of something for everyone coming up here... Intercooler hit the road for an East coast Australian tour starting off in Brisbane, and their special guests on the tour will be fellow Brisbane-ites and noise mongers Mary Trembles. They'll be at the Crown & Anchor Hotel on Thu 14th June... Belting around the country on their tour with special guests Comeback Kid are New York hardcore act Sick Of It All. Proudly, they say they've been flying the flag for hardcore for longer than just about anyone else, and made sure that people understand it's a way of life, not just a music movement or a marketing exercise. Anyway, the two bands, Sick Of It All and Comeback Kid punch the lights out at Fowlers Live on Wed 16 May... And here's a triple bill to have you salivating like a big old hungry dog in a butcher shop... Unearth, Mindsnare, and Walls Of Jericho have announced the July Australian tour which will see them here in Adelaide on Wed 25 July, playing at Fowlers for an All Ages gig. Sweet!!... ...and here's another one. Indie rock gurus Operator Please, who hail from Qld, play at the Enigma Bar on Sun 27 May... Cut Copy are on their 'Hearts On Fire' national tour, so that means they'll be at Fowlers Live on Thurs 24 May... and finally, for the moment, don't forget that Sparkadia and The Cops are on the touring trail at this very moment in a thrilling head-to-head confrontation which can never be repeated at Jive on Sat 16 June. Oh, that's Unearth.

It's possible this information is now open to be announced, or maybe it's a deadly serious breach of embargo, in which case Puff will be occupying a cell with David Hicks by the time the next edition comes around. In any case: you might well be reading it here first. This years inductees for the ARIA Hall of Fame are to be... [drum rollllllllllllll ! ! !] Hoodoo Gurus, Marcia Hines & Frank Ifield. Yeah, ya gotta be old and maybe a bit spotty to get inducted into the Hall Of Fame, and if you think about it for more than, errrr, three seconds, you'll see that this year's nominees span the 1980s, the 1970s and the 1960s, in reverse order. Neat trick, huh? Here's Marcia, showing her appreciation, and a nice fur coat.

Local band Wishlist have been in touch and made it crystal clear that they now wish to be known by another name. They are now officially "Enola's Secret", and it's not just a name change, it's a total new band with new members and style. Furthermore, Enola's Secret suggest that if you haven't checked their new songs, then you should head to www.myspace.com/enolassecret .

It's a pretty big occasion and therefore one which is more than worthy of note. Congratulations all! What better way to celebrate The Wheatsheaf Hotel's 4th Birthday than with an assortment of accordions and guitars? Saddle up for 3 of our mellow, melodic and interwoven favourites with The John Baker Duo, The Yearlings and The Joans. So that'll be Sat 26 May from 8pm, with free entry for all.

One for the "boo yah sucks" file - whilst Wolf & Cub have been chosen as special guests on the Kaiser Chiefs Australian Tour there is no Adelaide date penned in, so you got no chance of seeing the boys doing good. Well, little chance, anyway. So the story goes, after hearing the latest Wolf & Cub single This Mess on BBC Radio in London the Kaiser Chiefs have personally asked the band to join the as their support act. If you need to see the boys before they head off on that there tour you should get along to Adelaide University UniBar this Sat 19 May.

Pink. Puff kinda lost count at some point, but the pinkster seems to have hit some kind of magical number, she's playing over 35 stadium shows in this country, in a run spanning two full months for the 'I'm Not Dead' Tour. Is that some kinda record? In the event she's back and playing the Ent Centre on Wed 30 May. Great live photo by Rodney Magazinovic in the last issue of dB Magazine too, wasn't it?

From Melbourne, The Resignators play ska. They play it in the morning. They play it in the evening. They play ska all through the day, and they play ska all through the night. They really do love their ska, but sadly, sent no word as to whether they love green eggs and ham as much as they love their ska. They'll be appearing on Fri 18 May all ages at Underground.

Gossipy stuff: Crafter is a man who gets around a bit. Having whipped off to the East to join Carpathian and thus leaving his old mates I Killed The Prom Queen in a bit of a pickle, he upped sticks and headed off overseas to sing for Bury The Dead. Now, after an apprenticeship of two months (or thereabouts) he's apparently back, having left BTD and come home 'cause he misses Adelaide. That's the story that's going around.

Who are The Johnwoods? The Johnwoods, they'll have you know, are a collection of busy little types who have been playing a string of national supports with artists like Ash Grunwald, Rob Sawyer, and others. Well now The Johnwoods are back and they're putting on an all star spectacular at the Wheatie on Fri 25 May. Special guest Mal Webb (Vic) will be along to freak out unsuspecting punters with his vocal gymnastics and it's possible that their set, special guests and all, will be recorded.

Beasts Of Bourbon have announced Children Collide will be joining them on their national tour to celebrate the release of the new album 'Little Animals'. The venue is the Gov on Fri 15 June... Bjorn Again - The Abba Experience perform in the Skycity Casino Marble Hall on Sat 19 May... Carclew's Off the Couch presents its 'Hard, Heavy, Loud' gig on Fri 18 May at Fowler's Live with doors open from 7.30 for this all ages free gig. Here's the list of nascent heroes who will perform on the night: Late Night Heroes, The Fak, Asphyxia, and Subduction... Zombie Ghost Train play with special guests The Wrath on Fri 1 June at Lizard Lounge... and finally, Something With Numbers play the 'Goodbye Mickey Finn' Tour, which is just a huge collection of dates, and will see them in Adelaide on Fri 22 June, playing at Fowler's Live.

This is Tracer. They're one of the bands playing at Krankfest Adelaide, which aims to bring the best of the local live scene to the forefront. Taking place at HQ, Krankfest promises the hottest young talent will be taking to the stage. That'll be Sun 20 May from 3pm for an event which it is hoped is the first instalment in what will hopefully become a regular feature for the local scene , helping to shine light on those unrecognised talents playing in and around the traps. The featured bands for the first Krankfest are: Under The Vet, The Fak, Desert Eagle, Tracer and The Lost Show, teamed up with some of the coolest Rock DJ's around.

Raven Black Night play with Melbourne's Gospel Of The Horns at the Lizard Lounge on Fri 18 May. Both bands are due to tour Europe in July, and straight thereafter Gospel... go to America and Raven Black Night play the head bangers open air in Hamburg Germany with metal legands Candlemass and Sinner and many more. Raven Black Night are also playing a farewell show on Fri 8 June with Queenslanders Devonera,Deafing Silence and Mythyca. Now

Get Out Of The House!!!!