News:
·Puff 'n' Stuff
Everything that's happening in Adelaide this fortnight.
·Puffio
All of the latest arts news
·Industry
The latest from the music industry.
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Dance and electronica news.
·Metal
Updates from the wide world of metal.
·7 Things To Do
7 Things To Do In Adelaide This Fortnight
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Puff 'n' Stuff The 'Coopers Alive' SA Live Music Showcase is a new initiative that has just been launched with the aim of encouraging local artists to actively participate in planning, promoting and evaluating their live performances. For bands, that means a chance to learn a bit more about their craft and how to promote it, but for the good people of Adelaide it translates to a bonanza of fabulous local music over one jam-packed weekend. On Fri 25 July, the Jade Monkey will host a mix of ambient, electronic, experimental and post-rock sounds with Lumonics, BrotherSister and Mr Wednesday, whilst Jive will be pumping out the catchy indie rock offerings from Former Child Stars, Mad Shapes and The Shiny Brights. Then on Sat 26 July The Crown & Sceptre hosts the live hip-hop of A Devil Amongst The Tailors, Social Change and Shadows and there will be a selection of laid-back folk, pop, blues and roots tunes from the Huckleberry Swedes, The Fiddle Chicks and Cookie Baker at the Wheatsheaf Hotel.
Currently preparing to head into the studio, Melbourne's Littlestar return to Adelaide this week for one show only. Featuring that ever-amusing raconteur Ben Timmis (also of Silver Night Drive), the band will bring its dynamic atmospheric rock to the Grace Emily on Sat 28 June for a free show supported by Paul Vallen.
 One of the biggest hardcore bands in the world today, Blacklisted are a mighty force, and anyone wanting to attend their all ages show at The Underground on Fri 4 July with 50 Lions, Bad Blood and Can't Relate better be prepared for a violent and ferocious spectacle.
Speaking of Can't Relate, the local hardcore band have been fielding offers from several record companies, and with a deal now done they're preparing to release a 7' later in the year. Before that, they'll also be playing at The Worldsend on Fri 1 Aug with Meatlocker, Cut Sick, Snakerun and Sledgehammer.
Truth Inc records have been pretty busy of late, and they're making sure that everyone knows it with a massive all ages CD launch at Fowler's Live on Sat 5 July. Closed Casket will launch their debut EP 'Thy Word Thy Blood' before local kings of the metal scene Double Dragon unleash their 'Devastator' album, with support from fellow stalwarts (and label founders) Truth Corroded, Skintilla, Union Buries Its Own and Fragmenta.
While Puff was busy thinking about their very pleasant show at Jive not so very long ago, Sydney indie poppers The Holidays have been making plenty of friends, and as a result they'll be spending plenty of time in Adelaide over the coming months. After helping Wolf & Cub launch their new single at The Ed Castle on Sat 5 July, they'll be competing with Little Red for the audience's hearts when the two play together on Fri 29 Aug at Jive.
As if the night wasn't already busy enough, Perth rockers Kill Teen Angst will also be playing a show at The Electric Light Hotel headlined be everyone's favourite off-beat indie pop group, No Through Road, and also supported by Mona Lisa Overdrive.
It's many years since 'The Mothdust Prophecies' foretold that a quartet of certified rock ninjas would return for a reunion show after a hiatus of several years and enjoy it enough to re-reunite. What those prophecies didn't predict was that the second reunion show for Mothdust would definitely be the last ever, as the members scatter to all corners of the earth not long after their show at the Crown & Anchor on Sat 28 June.
 No Sleep Till Christmas is Magic Dirt's vow, and with a new album to promote, Geelong's greatest musical export have lined up a rather extensive tour to take the rawk right into December. How extensive, you ask? Well, they're giving the citizens of Coober Pedy something to cheer about when they play at The Opal Inn on Fri 5 Sep, and Puff happens to think that's a damn impressive effort, especially when you consider that they'll be coming down to Adelaide the very next day to play at The Gov before taking their time to get to Mt Gambier Hotel on the following Fri 12 Sep.
Puff's had a tendency to get all excited about festival line-ups lately, but there is no disputing that the Great Escape first announcement is one of the juiciest to come to this news columns attention in some time. Taking place in Sydney's Newington Armory over the weekend of October 4-5, it will include performances from The Pogues, Black Francis, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, Yeasayer, Joan As Policewoman, Ladytron, New Pornographers, Little Red, The Redsunband, Paul Kelly, C.W. Stoneking and plenty of others. And that's just the first announcement, people.
The second announcement of Splendour In The Grass has also come through, and as Puff predicted, the likes of the New Young Pony Club and Tokyo Police Club will be making appearances, as well as The Polyphonic Spree, Albert Hammond Jr, Clare Bowditch, Lyrics Born, The Drones and Robert Forster, who will perform, fittingly enough, on the G.W. McLennan stage.
Those hirsute hustlers known as The Beards are currently searching for recruits to join them as part of the first ever Australian team for the World Beard & Moustache Championships in Alaska next year. Of course, they don't want to tip off any of the other competitiors to their plans, so they've come up with the ingenious scheme of touring as a folk rock band to promote their new single If Your Dad Hasn't Got A Beard, You've Got Two Mums while they conduct their search. If you'd like to be considered for their team (to be called The Australian Bushrangers), you'd be well advised to have a word to them after their show at Jive Bar on Sat 5 July with Chris Finnen and The Fish Bowl Boys.
Anyone heading to HQ last Friday would have been rather disappointed by the lack of Apocalypsic automatons, but while The Presets were forced to cancel that show after Julian Hamilton fell ill, they have rescheduled for Tues 29 July and all previously purchased tickets will be valid for the sold out show.
Though we're currently caught in the clutches of Winter, all things must pass and soon enough it shall once again be Spring, and time for the second Adelaide visit from Parklife. Sat 27 Sep is the date to write down in your diary, because that's when you can make an appointment with Peaches, Soulwax, Dizzee Rascal, Martin Solveig, Diplo, Blackalicious, Van She and Grafton Primary, among many others. Not appearing in Adelaide, though they will be at all other shows, are Goldfrapp. Though Puff has been promised that there will be an additional performer, as yet unannounced, who will play exclusive at the Adelaide festival, this news column can't pretend to hide its disappointment.
 With a new Offspring album just out and a headlining tour from fellow Socal rockers Unwritten Law supported by San Fransiscans Sprung Monkey at HQ on Fri 22 Aug, there's no shortage of diversions for fans of aging Californian punks, and it keeps on coming with news that Ignite are also visiting us soon. Bringing the mix of hardcore, punk and rock that has kept them going for a decade and a half so far, they'll be playing at Enigma Bar on Fri 18 July.
Before they make it here for Parklife, though, Sydney electronic rock trio Grafton Primary are coming to Rocket on Fri 27 June, and while Former Child Stars have had to pull out of the support slot, E.L.F will still be there on the night, as well as local dance noise rockers The Touch.
While Adelaide bands complain about the tyranny of distance, and the problems getting heard around Australia, Alice Springs based roots/ reggae four-piece Zenith ASP could justifiably tell them to stop whingeing. Despite being at a distinct geographical disadvantage, they're heading out on the road to promote their self-titled first LP, hitting The Jade Monkey on Thurs 3 July with Temple Tigers and The Ed Castle with She Said You on Fri 4 July.
Appropriately named duo The Mess Hall serve up enough bluesy rock for several platoons, even if the banner they hoisted at their last appearance in Adelaide, supporting the Foo Fighters, did look very home made. With a headlining show next time around, though, you can expect them to pull out all stops to make sure it rocks like a very rocky thing. They'll be playing at Enigma Bar on Fri 8 Aug with support from locals Lady Strangelove and Mona Lisa Overdrive while Brisbane Lads Violent Soho, who've scored the support slot in other states, look puzzled as to why they're not coming to Adelaide.
 After playing with just about every touring act that came our way earlier in the year, Leader Cheetah have kept themselves busy in the studio recording their debut album but they're about to emerge to play a show with Wagons, who make their last visit to Adelaide for the year on Fri 25 July at Electric Light Hotel.
The JD Set's been taking a few bands at a time around Australia for a few years now, but Adelaide has not hitherto featured on the itinerary. Now that's set to change because with Canberra 8-piece hip-hop/ funk fusers Casual Projects, Melbourne trio Borne and the ever energetic Calling All Cars on the bill this time around, it's a good a time as any to introduce the shows at Fowler's Live on Thurs 24 July.
The Getaway Plan play at The Gov with Goodnight Nurse and Closure In Moscow on Sat 28 June... Melbourne's Mammal have just finished recording their debut album, and are ready to launch the first single at Jive on Sat 28 June with Soft White Machine and Sydonia... Carpathian will play a licensed all ages show at Fowler's Live on Fri 8 Aug.
The support for the Strung Out and No Use For A Name shows has been confirmed and the winner (accompanied by the sound of a drum roll) is The Brews, who will take the opening slot at Live On Light Square on Wed 2 July.
 The Shiny Brights are off to New York at the invitation of the folks at CMJ, and because there's no way they're going to pass up an opportunity like that, now they've got to figure out how they'll afford the trip. What they've come up with is a special fundrasing gig at Jive on Fri 11 July with Jupiter Lead and Mona Lisa Overdrive, As well as entyr to the show, $30 will get you a pre-release copy of their EP, a ticket to that launch on Sat 30 Aug and, hopefully, a warm fuzzy feeling at having helped an up and coming local band.
Since the release of the third album, 'Eternal Holiday', things haven't exactly gone smoothly for Rocket Science. There's been Roman's coma and Paul's broken leg for starters, but the garage rockers haven't given up and with a new album on the way, they're strapping the organ on the back of a ute and driving to Adelaide for a show at Jive on Thurs 28 Aug.
From garage rock to garage pop, British India are also back in the game with a new album, and they'll be bragging about just how gosh darn good they think it is at The Gov on Fri 1 Aug.
90's Adelaide indie favourites The Artisans have reformed and the band's eclectic mix of dark alt-country guitar music will have its first airing in 12 years at the Grace Emily on Thurs 10 July and once again to mark the start of SALA week at the Jade Monkey on Sat 2 Aug in celebration of lead singer (and ceramicist and Mambo artist) Gerry Wedd's participation in that festival.
Rob Scott is rebuilding Big Smoke as a blues/ funk/ soul outfit, starting as a three or four-piece to get the sound right and then adding soloists and colour as he sees fit. By September, the band will have a Monday night residency at The Exeter, but before then they will be playing at the Prince Albert Hotel on Thurs 26 June.
Independent Melbourne band Noise Kartel will be coming over to play two shows in support of their newly released EP, playing at Producer's Bar on Fri 27 June with Illicit Eve and The Killgirls and at Rhino Room on Sat 28 June with Double Handed.
With both volumes of 'The Alchemy Index' impressing the pants off plenty of heavy music lovers (just check out the reviews in this very magazine), there's a lot of excitement in the air about Thrice's upcoming tour, which will see the prog metallers bringing all the elements to HQ on Monday 1 Sep.
Melbourne 3-piece Children Collide don't mind the odd spot of philosophy and social comment, but they're not known for holding back onstage, either, so it should be an interesting time for all and sundry when they play at Jive on Sat 26 July, and the fact that they're joined by Spod can only make it more so.
Shihad and Gyroscope join forces with Sugar Army to make a three-headed rock monster as formidable as any seen in a long time, and together will tear into HQ on Sun 7 Sep.
Locals folk and roots band Goldstein have a new album drawn from their suburban songbook, and the four-piece will be launching 'Out To Sea' at the Daniel O'Connell Hotel on Sun 29 June.
Get Out Of The House!
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