Author results: Leith Thomas
What:
Scul Hazzards ‘Landlord' album launch and Pavement DJ set
Where:
Newtown Workers Club, 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
When:
Sat Mar 13, doors 8.30pm
How much:
$10 at the door, pre-sales here
Description:
Once there was a band form Brisbane. They came down to Melbourne from time to time. Pounding drum, driving bass, stinging guitar and vocals wrenched from the lungs of a burnt-out husk of a man. There are some fairly obvious reference points for Scul Hazzards, the ratbag trio of former Brisbane natives, currently residing in the UK.
Event: Bands & DJs
Stimulus: Chaos
What:
Maximum Arousal, The Lost Weekend and Room 40 present, Tim Hecker (Canada) and Jim Haynes (USA)
Where:
The Toff in Town, Lvl 2, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne
When:
TONIGHT! Thurs Mar 4, doors 8pm
How much:
$12 on the door
Description:
Sound art, I here you say? Boooooring. It's all dudes sitting motionless behind laptops checking their email, yeah? Screw the nineties' laptop rock vibe; Kid A made sure that scene died in the arse. So, who's this Tim Hecker character then? Really, he rode the highs of 1996's 'experimental' craze, through the alt world's doom obsession of 2005 to stand, unscathed, as the fêted lord of ambient drone.
Event: Bands
Stimulus: Easy Listening
Local doyen of all things obscure Pat O'Brien is the brains (and body) behind Sunshine & Grease - always ready with a tidbit of information about your favourite artist, the skinny on the best shows and the inside word on releases you didn't know you needed.
Originally housed in the CBD's Bus Gallery, this treasure chest of new and second-hand records, books and films has found an all together more fitting home in Clifton Hill.
What:
eXO Records NYE Party with Rat vs Possum, Love or Perish (USA), Diamond Sea and Teen Archer
Where:
East Brunswick Club, 280 Lygon St, East Brunswick
When:
Thur Dec 31, doors 8pm
How much:
$20 +BF from here
Description:
With all due deference to the wonderful New Year's Eve events listed here - the city sucks. I know, some people love being squashed inside sold-out clubs and waiting 50 minutes for a drink at the bar. If you don't the NYE entertainment answers lie outside the CBD. eXO Records are offering a solution.
Event: Bands
Stimulus: Escape
What:
Maximum Arousal presents: Mani Neumeier and Vampilla
Where:
The Toff in Town, 252 Swanston St, Melbourne
When:
Sun Jan 3, doors 8pm
How much:
$12 on the door
Description:
Krautrock legend Mani Neumeier returns to the Toff after bringing the trans-national Acid Mothers Guru Guru here earlier in the year. The drummer who's jammed with Eno and Cluster is going to do two sets - one solo and one with local identities. Joining Mani is the so-called '10-piece brutal orchestra' Vampilla, making their first trip to Australia to bring their epic noise show to our shores.
Event: Bands
Stimulus: Nuclear Disaster
What:
Last Superstupid shows for a while
Where:
Pony, the East Brunswick Club and Horse Bazaar
When:
Sat Dec 26, 8pm, Sun Dec 27, 8pm, Wed Dec 30, 8pm
How much:
Various costs, but it won't be much - they're good guys
Description:
Superstupid are the greatest Melbourne band ever. Period. The power rock trio of Neil Sweeny, Emil Sarlija and Oren Ambachi lay down the best riffs and shredding solos. You've never seen anything like it, and unless you catch one of these shows you won't for some time. Neil is leaving these shores for an undisclosed amount of time - though the inside tip is it will be a while.
Event: Bands
Stimulus: Farewells
What:
John Wiese at What Is Music?
Where:
East Brunswick Club, 280 Lygon St, East Brunswick
When:
TONIGHT! Thur Dec 17, doors 8pm
How much:
$15/10 at the door
Description:
Most people don't think of noise when contemplating the bouncy grooves of The Gossip. They did though, when they brought in ‘sound terrorist' John Wiese for a collaboration and tour. This guy's played with such a diverse range of musicians it's hard to pigeon-hole him - who else has worked with doom lords SunnO))) and jazz icon Evan Parker? He's here for the What Is Music? Festival and headlining a stellar line-up tonight at the East.
Event: Bands
Stimulus: Chaos
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