News:
·Puff 'n' Stuff
Everything that's happening in Adelaide this fortnight.
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Puff 'n' Stuff Local duo Bird Lantern are bringing their live electronics to the Fringe with a series of gigs showcasing their free form expression. They'll be performing on Fri 7 and Sun 8 Mar at The Jade Monkey with assistance from mad genius Luke Toop, who will be creating live visuals in synchronisation with the music.
Macclesfield might not seem like the logical choice as a hub for good vibrations over the Fringe period, but then nobody thought Max Yasgur's farm was the most likely place for a world-changing festival, either. The Summer Of Love festival on Sat 15 Mar will spearhead the town's program, featuring a range of local and interstate artists performing a diverse range of music from middle eastern, Tibetan and ethereal dream pop to alternative blues reggae and rocked up classical thanks to Dandelion Wine, The Merrg, Akoustic Odyssey, The English Tourists and Wangyal Gangri. There also be plenty of enticing foods and the Havana Club Lounge will turn the town's historic Institute into a dub/ latin/ jazz-fusion club after dark while visual arts exhibits will also dot the town.
Crossover dance band Pendulum will return home in April with their full live band experience, starting in Adelaide on Tues 15 April at The Shores Complex...The Getaway Plan hit Fowler's Live on Sun 16 Mar as part of their 'Other Voices, Other Rooms' tour.
Even in the future things don't always go to plan, and so it is with regret that the organisers of the Future Music Festival have announced that DJ Yoda and Robbie Rivera (who mixed half of the festival's official double disc) have had to pull out of this year's festival. Instead, anyone coming to The Garden Of Unearthly Delights on Mon 10 Mar will have to find something they like out of The Chemical Brothers, Sven Vath, Kid Koala, The Shapeshifters, Eddie Halliwell, Who Made Who, or one of the many other acts playing.
At the other end of the spectrum, Puff can think of a few people who have been living in the past for a while, but sometimes that's not such a bad spot to be. Especially when there are announcements like this one coming their way - Go West will be touring with support from Pseudo Echo (the original line-up)and Wa Wa Nee's Paul Gray. If these names mean nothing to you, fear not, for the Europop and new romantic stars shall make everything clear at their show on Thurs 29 May at The Gov.
Perth outfit Sugar Army are living in the most isolated capital city in the world, and they've been eyeing our fine city for some time now. After a propaganda campaign started with the dangerously catchy And Now You're Old Enough I Think That You Should Know, they're ready to invade after they collect a bit more information at the launch of their cunningly titled EP 'Where Do You Hide Your Toys' at Rocket Bar on Fri 7 Mar as they attempt to gain more information, and then they'll bring the artillery when they support Little Birdy at Jive on Sun 16 Mar.
Dreamy Swedish crooner Jens Lekman's only been out of the country for a few months since his last tour, but he's so excited about buying a house in Melbourne that he's bringing his whole band out for a few shows, including one at Rocket Bar on Thurs 6 Mar.
They've been recording for over 30 years, and despite a legacy including Rosanna and Africa, at least one of dB's writers is getting very excited about the prospect of Toto coming to tour. Apart from anything else, Leland Skar is just about the coolest looking bass player in the history of music, recorded or otherwise, but if you want to see what else the band has to offer, you'd best head to Thebarton Theatre on Sat 8 Mar.
Madball are hardcore - of this there can be no doubt. But when their support acts for the upcoming show at Fowler's Live on Sun 9 Mar, Death Before Dishonor, were informed of the alternate spelling their name could have in Australia, they informed a shocked Puff that they'd accept death before dishonor or dishonour. And when a band sets a precedent like that, anything could happen at the show. Literally, anything
Taking on the title Norways' founders of black metal is a big call, but if Mayhem are willing to risk the wrath of their black metalling countrymen, Puff isn't going to doubt their word. So when the ever-changing foursome said they'd be rejoined by vocalist Attila Csihar (who joined after the suicide of prescient vocalist Dead but left soon after) for an all-ages show at Fowler's Live on Sat 23 May, Puff believed them once again. And then, just because the world should know, Puff decided to print the other band member's names. Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Blasphemer. Oh, how they must have been teased at school.
10-piece Latin outfit San Lazaro have been kicking around for a while now, but somehow they've never got around to putting a national tour together. As part of their 'getting straight for 08' resolutions, they've decided to rectify this and they'll be bringing the party with South American, Afro Cuban and Caribbean folkloric rhythms fused with funk, rock, reggae and hip-hop on Anzac Day, Fri 25 April, at the Adelaide Festival Centre's Piano Bar with DJ Chico.
They might be called The Persian Gardens, but the Festival's playground is hosting sounds from all over the world. As well as the tightest funk band in Australia, The Bamboos, Andean/salsa/hip-hop jammers Labjacd and dub rockers Sunshine Brothers all playing over the next few weeks, Batucada Sound Machine will be appear at The Gardens on Fri 7 Mar. Loosely translated as samba jam, these guys take batucada and add guitars, bass, keyboards, a slick horn section and one of the Pacific's finest MCs to make the sound machine that their name alludes to.
And while partying down is all well and good, partying for a good cause is all the better. The Sceptre certainly thinks there's not much that could top it, especially not on Sat 8 Mar, when they'll be holding their 'Making Change - a Fundraiser for Children's Hope In Action' event featuring an all-local hip hop line-up including Social Change, Common Cause, Locker & Mesha plus DJs J-Bdeps and Juice doing their bit for the kids.
Kisschasy are gearing up for their biggest tour so far, performing at larger venues than ever before, and calling in a few supports to help them out. At The Thebarton Theatre on Sat 31 May, they'll bring all-American bad girls of rock The Donnas along with The Getaway Plan for what they promise will be their longest live set ever.
The Northern Sound System doesn't like to be accused of false advertising, so they make sure to capitalize the first word of their ROCK Music Battle Of The Bands, just to make sure that everyone thinking of attending knows exactly what they're going to be in for. This Fri 7 Mar sees heat three of the Battle, and Incarnadine, Enmity, MPC and Ward 17 will be fighting it out for honours before the following week's Grand Final.
Tom Gabel began his career singing in unlikely venues like laundromats because nowhere else would have his blend of punk, rock and folk - no wonder he thought the world was against him. Fortunately things have changed since then, and when he leads Against Me! with fellow punkers Crime In Stereo to Adelaide, he won't be playing at the local suds emporium, instead gracing Fowler's Live on Thurs 1 May.
They've been described as an orchestra of guitar chords, beckoning drums and resonant bass tones, and according to Puff's reckoning, that's not too far off capturing the three-piece's sound, but there's more to Cog than unexpected adjectives. For a start, they'll be releasing their sophomore album in early April, but more importantly, Thurs 12 June sees them plough into The Gov for a licensed all ages show with Melbourne prog-rockers Sleep Parade, followed by an over 18s only show the very next night, and because they don't like to confuse their fans, they'll keep the upport act and venue the same.
Port Lincoln's been doing pretty well lately, exporting tuna, champion racehorses and bad haircuts to the rest of the nation, and the world, over the last seven years, as well as Ill Starred Captain. Now that they're based in Adelaide, though, they've knuckled down and are working on a second album, 'Black Swan Eye', which they hope to have out by the middle of the year. Before that, they told Puff that they'll be blending deep folk, garage punk, roots and psychedelic surf music at The Austral Hotel on Thurs 6 Mar.
Susie Keynes (Fruit), CJ Rhodes (Kubrick, Raucoustra) and Yanya Boston (Fruit, Emma Donovan Band) are teaming up for a Fringe show that they've called, naturally enough, Redhead. One girl, 2 guys and a crunchy, dynamic sound, they'll be playing at Fad on Thurs 6 Mar.
While some folk will be watching horses whipped round a circular track, those looking for a more human experience on Adelaide Cup Day are advised to consider Cat Power's show at The Gov on Mon 10 Mar. Playing with The Dirty Delta Blues (featuring the incomparable Jim White, as well as members of Delta 72 and Blues Explosion), it's a doubly dirty bill as Dirty Three guitarist Mick Turner has just been announced as the support act.
Celebrating its fifth birthday on the last day of the Fringe, Scorcher Fest is certainly not taking any half measures. Unless you call 57 bands over 4 stages and over 3000 tickets sold already a half measure. Taking over Flinders Uni on Sun 16 Mar, the bands playing at the event offer to span every genre you can think of. Puff suggested mellow acoustic, funk, ska, rock metal, pop, indy, roots and comedy, and every time, one of the acts said they had it covered. Nobody seemed quite sure what Tuvan throat singing is, but a few bands even offered to give that a go if asked extra nicely.
Sure, there's the little known secret of his first show in Adelaide that not a single payer turned up to, but Muscles' first official show here last year had Rocket Bar packed to capacity, and he enjoyed it so much that he's back again, on his strangely named 'The Lake Tour'. His management have advised those intending to see the show on Thurs 20 Mar at Fowler's Live to "remember to stretch, keep your fluids up, and dance like you've never danced before, as security has been instructed to escort from the premises ANY punters standing still for more than 5 minutes." You've been warned.
And Puffio ploughs on through the Fringe, Festival, next WOMAD, oh yeah the Cup, and then the... Oh cripes, just
Get Out Of The House!
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