Year: 2012

Festival News: The crowds sell out a sunny Sydney Laneway Festival.

Yesterday the sun came out in Sydney, without a cloud in sight, and the revellers came out in force, selling out the 2012 Laneway Festival in the mid afternoon. Bands M83 (pictured above), Feist, The Drums, Cults and Active Child received among the largest crowds (and singalongs thanks to their triple j hits) of the…

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the ARTS review: what’s happening in the world of arts & film – issue 004

Welcome to another edition of the AU review’s ARTS review, where we present the latest news from the world of Art and Film. In This Issue: Places & Spaces presents the music of Hitchcock, See the best of Dave Carter’s animated shorts, Seasons of Change welcomes Autumn exhibition, Amsterdam gets ready for worlds largest dance…

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Live Review: Austra + Kool Thing – Northcote Social Club (02.02.12)

Berlin based duo Kool Thing performed one of the best sets of live music that I’ve seen so far this year. As soon as the house lights went down, the droning electronics kicked in and Jon Dark and Julie Chance began to move trance like to the beats, it was obvious that we were about…

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the AU interview: Vintage Trouble (California)

We caught up with Vintage Trouble after their Sydney Festival performances to chat about how to party, birthdays, new material and much more! So you’re in Australia for the first time as a band. Have you been here previously? We’ve been here, done the whole backpacking from Cairns to Byron Bay. Have you been to…

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the AU interview at Big Day Out: Stonefield (Melbourne)

We catch up with Melbourne rockers Stonefield backstage at the Big Day Out in Sydney to talk about playing Glastonbury, BDO, being sisters (and young sisters at that), plus we get a hint as to what to expect in 2012… CREDITS: Camera: Yaya Stempler Interviewer: Claire Knight Editor: Larry Heath

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the AU [audio] interview at Peats Ridge: Oliver Tank (Sydney)

In our final Peats Ridge Interview from the New Years 2011 event, we caught up with Sydney based electronic artist Oliver Tank, to chat about the year past and the year ahead…

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the AU interview at Big Day Out: Faker (Sydney)

We catch up with Sydney’s Faker backstage at the Big Day Out to talk about the festival itself and find out what led them to put their latest record online for free at the end of last year… CREDITS: Interview and Edit: Larry Heath Camera: Yaya Stempler

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the AU interview: Patrick Hallahan of My Morning Jacket (Kentucky)

We caught up with the drummer of My Morning Jacket to talk to them about touring, recording, the muppets and much more! How are you going, Patrick? Yeah, I’m doing alright! Are you home at the moment? Yeah, I am. I’m in Kentucky. How is the weather there at the moment? It’s suppose to be…

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the AU interview: Kina Grannis (Los Angeles)

We caught up with Kina Grannis to talk about touring, some new material, and much more! How are you going there Kina? I’m doing really well! Where about’s an I speaking to you from? I’m in Dublin right now. Have you been to Dublin before? This is the second time actually. I played here last…

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Our 10 Most Anticipated Album Releases of 2012 (Australia/NZ Edition)

If you were wondering why our previous installment of ‘Most Anticipated Album Releases of 2012’ didn’t feature any local acts… there was a reason for that. We have debated, deliberated and pulled many strands of hair in wishing that more could be included in the list. However, the following native heroes made the cut… in…

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Eating with the AU: Bruno's – Downstairs At Hunky Dory (Sydney)

Last night media were treated to an epic 15 course degustation at Sydney’s newest restaurant hot spot, Bruno’s, downstairs at Hunky Dory on Oxford St. The restaurant first opened a year or so ago, though last night was the celebration of the restaurant’s relaunch with Chef Daniele Trimarchi (Icebergs / Fratelli Paradiso) in command. Our…

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Live Review: Cage The Elephant + Loon Lake – Northcote Social Club (31.01.12)

Big props to locals Loon Lake who took on the massive crowd of revellers with all the bravado of a headlining act and managed to keep them engaged and dancing for the duration of their set. There are so many guitar bands floating around at the moment that I personally find it difficult to distinguish…

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the AU interview at Peats Ridge: Toucan (Sydney)

We caught up with upcoming band Toucan at Peats Ridge Festival to talk about the festival, their EP Brave New World, and much more! How is it going? Did you guys just wake up? Nah, we didn’t just wake up. We just went to check out sound bands. To be honest none of us have…

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Single Stream: The Mark Of Cain – Barkhammer (2011)

In December, The Mark of Cain returned with their anticipated single “Barkhammer”. It’s first single from their forthcoming LP Songs Of The Third and Fifth (due in store early 2012 via Feel Presents / FUSE) and is available on iTunes now. You can enjoy the track below and then listen to what our contributors have…

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the AU interview at Big Day Out: King Cannons (Melbourne)

Backstage at Big Day Out in Sydney, Larry Heath catches up with Luke and Rob from Melbourne outfit King Cannons. CREDITS: http://www.kingcannons.com/ Camera: Yaya Stempler Editors: Shasha Gong and Larry Heath Interviewer: Larry Heath

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New Music Video: Feist "The Bad In Each Other"

In town for Laneway Festival and a few sideshows, Feist has returned to our screens with a music video for the wonderful track “The Bad In Each Other”. Shot in Mexico, it’s a great watch. Enjoy! Remaining Australian Tour Dates: 02-01 Melbourne, Australia – Palais Theatre 02-04 Melbourne, Australia – Laneway Festival 02-05 Sydney, Australia…

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Live Review: Active Child + Caitlin Park + Oliver Tank – Oxford Art Factory (29.01.12)

As Big Day Out and its many official sideshows wrapped up in Sydney (there are still a few more special appearances to be made… such as Das Racist at the Rdio launch on Saturday), it’s now time to officially welcome the sideshows of the 2012 Laneway Festival, with Active Child ringing in the period with…

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Live Review: Battles + Witch Hats + Other Places – The Forum (28.01.12)

There was a thing at this gig that became curiously weird; Battles, a mainly instrumental band using new styles of music composition were playing in a venue with old concrete walls. Walking into particular areas of The Forum and then smelling an odour of dampness was peculiar for a place that looked hugely grandiose from…

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Live Review: Carus Thompson – Norfolk Basement Lounge (27.01.2012)

A lot can happen in nine years. For folk troubadour Carus Thompson, plenty has changed in the nine years since the recording of the first Acoustic at the Norfolk album. In that time he has gotten married, become a father, put out three acclaimed records, and played countless shows across two continents. Now, nine years…

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Sydney Festival Live Review: Vintage Trouble – The Famous Spiegeltent (28.01.12)

As I entered the Spiegeltent, LA based outfit Vintage Trouble had already begun chanting “Welcome To Our Party” to the enthusiastic crowd. Indeed, they brought the party to Sydney at an early 7pm show – always an impressive feat – with the crowd on their feet and dancing from start to finish. The band –…

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the AU interview at Big Day Out: Abbe May (Perth)

Claire Knight catches up with Perth artist Abbe May backstage at the 2012 Sydney Big Day Out, to chat about her 2011 release Design Desire, being featured in Entourage, what 2012 will bring and more. CREDITS: Camera: Yaya Stempler Interviewer: Claire Knight Editor: Larry Heath

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the ARTS review: what’s happening in the world of arts & film – issue 003

Welcome to issue 3 of the AU review’s ARTS review, our weekly peek into the world of Art and Film. In this issue The Persian International Film Festival to arrive in Sydney, Gaynor Tension brings her Broadway style to Mardi Gras, Sydney to debate the F-Word with Germain Greer, Australian Dance Theatre premiers Proximity for…

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Live Review: Kasabian + The Vaccines – Festival Hall (28.01.12)

Being a pretentious wank, I’m used to attending gigs in tiny rooms with a handful of other conceited punters who spent half their night looking disinterested while composing a smarmy Facebook status update on their smart phones to show the rest of the world how cool they are. So it was a grand experience to…

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the AU interview at Big Day Out: Bluejuice (Sydney)

the AU review’s Claire Knight catches up with Jake Stone and Stavros Yiannoukas of Bluejuice to backstage at Big Day Out in Sydney to discuss the infamous clip for “Act Yr Age”, performing at the festival and much more… CREDITS: Camera: Yaya Stempler Editors: Shasha Gong and Larry Heath Interviewer: Claire Knight

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the AU interview at Big Day Out: Calling All Cars (Melbourne)

Shortly after their lead singer, Haydn, was knocked out in the crowd at the 2012 Sydney Big Day Out, Larry Heath caught up with the two other members of Calling All Cars – Adam and James – to talk about the incident, their latest record Dancing with a Dead Man, performing with the Foo Fighters…

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Live Review: Kitty, Daisy & Lewis – Metro Theatre (24.01.12)

There are some genres that will never die. They are the genres that paved the way for “Rock and Roll” as we know it today: Blues, Swing, Rockabilly, Jazz, Country and so on… and the reason we know it will never die is because not only do bands like Kitty, Daisy and Lewis – siblings…

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Tour Announcements: Cobra Starship, The Bride, A Rocket To The Moon, Attack! Attack!, The Necks, Step-Panther, Audrey Auld and Buckley Ward!

We have a pile of new live show announcements for you on this Friday, and we kick things off with three hotly anticipated Soundwave sideshows… for more details about these shows, head to the Soundwave Official Website. Cobra Starship + Forever The Sickest Kids + These Kids Wear Crowns -+ Kill Hannah MONDAY 27TH FEBRUARY…

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News: Big Day Out thrills a massive Australia Day Crowd in Sydney

If it wasn’t for the surprising amount of attention Big Day Out has received for not selling out as in previous years, you wouldn’t have known that the Sydney Big Day Out wasn’t a sell out. Lines were still long (but reasonable), stages were still packed, more people arrived before noon than we had seen…

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Live Review: Foxx on Fire + Jimmy Hawk & The Endless Party – RAOB GAB Buffalo Club (21.01.12)

There were only a handful of punters present to witness Jimmy Hawk & The Endless Party warming the stage, which was probably for the best as the disappointing work from the sound desk made their set much worse then it otherwise would have been. The band opened with “A Fever” and the sound mix that…

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The AU interview: Rodrigo Sanchez from Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Mexico) talks Area 52

We sit down with Mexican guitar maestro Rodrigo Sanchez, one half of the acclaimed duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela to discuss the story behind their latest record Area 52, a potential Australian tour and what it’s like working with acclaimed soundtrack composers. Hi, how are you? Good thank you Simon, and you? Good thanks, now before…

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