Noise, Etc. Live #2 with Gutter Parties, Transcription Of Organ Music, Oceans

The second Noise, Etc. Live show in what should be the start of a few more monthly/bi-monthly gigs. But for now, the difficult "follow-up" album effort features the talents of...

Gutter Parties
Transcription Of Organ Music
Oceans

Noise, Etc. Live #2 is on Wednesday 11th January from 8:30pm, the last Wednesday before those MONA FOMA bastards chew yr brain off. $5 entry. Facebook event page right over here.

It's the answer to all your problems. Three quality acts, yet all completely different. That's the beauty of the Hobart music "scene". Diversity. Regardless of personal taste, you're bound to adoringly love at least one of these bands. Or maybe two! You'll love all three, even, if you’re a total legend. You’re a total legend, right? Anyway, you know what they say, variety is the spice of all the top MasterChef finalists. Variety. Sprinkle it all over your body. It's Noise, Etc. Live #2.

GUTTER PARTIES will set you into a tropical trance (not the malaria kind), before whipping you straight out and onto the dancefloor with some killer-python pop melodies. Equatorial grooves make way for snaking synth lines. Psychedelic instances with innumerable ethnic influences that you’d probably just call me racist if I tried to pinpoint any. See him before he saunters off to blow minds at Camp A Low Hum in New Zealand.

The irreplaceable TRANSCRIPTION OF ORGAN MUSIC is a thing of honest beauty. I don’t really know anyone who thinks even slightly ill of this music, and for a good reason. Damon Bird crafts humbling, nature-filled folk songs that are outstandingly good; etcetera. A voice from heaven. Close your eyes and just listen for forty five minutes.

And just to scare off anyone interested in traditionally structured ‘music’, the night’ll open with experimental luminary OCEANS. Often noisy, but sometimes equally subtle, Oceans is the art-fag-noise-art guise of local dickwaver Jordy Marson (Paint Your Golden Face, Naked). I can’t tell you what it’ll sound like because its different each time, but expect something ‘challenging’. The front bar’s just over there, y’know. As a good friend once said, “it made my head want to explode”.

The Brisbane Hotel
Wednesday 11th January
$5 entry
8:30 start

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Noise, Etc. Live is the extension of a small-time blog dedicated to presenting and promoting underground Hobart music. Because words and videos can only do so much, actually hosting live music shows is the obvious next step in supporting niche local music. Noise, Etc. Live aims to push the unseen talent of Hobart and surrounds; those artists who don't share their wares as often as they should, or any totally new and untested musical ventures.

VIDEOS: Hey Mook @ the Grand Poobah

Just two short videos of Hey Mook performing at the Grand Poobah last Saturday, in support of Sand Pebbles from Melbourne. Didn't take any video of Sand Pebbles because they were a wee bit shit and the bass player told totally boring self-indulgent stories between songs.

I'm sure I'll have another post on Hey Mook when I buy a CD, I'm so behind on these guys. Great band.

Hobart mirror talk: A response to Brian Ritchie

In a recent Q&A with MONA FOMA curator Brian Ritchie over on The Thousands, published on the 17th of October, the topic of the perception of Hobart arose. In this discussion, 'events like MONA FOMA' are held up as the shining light which will help Hobart avoid the stereotype of being little more than a cultural ghetto. Therein, Brian Ritchie makes a few claims about Hobart that I'd like to disagree with. Here’s the final question and answer from that piece (read the full thing here), copied wholesale for some necessary context:

Do you think that events like MONA FOMA are changing the wider mentality of people in Hobart?

Tasmania has an endemic inferiority complex, which I think is being dispelled because of the stuff that we are doing. We're also not by any means the only thing happening. There are great places here. There are a lot of excellent art galleries and music, and a few night clubs with original music. I think it's maybe changing the attitude of the Hobartians. They are actually really proud of Tasmania, but kind of afraid to say so. People ask me: "Why did you move to Tasmania?" and I say, "Well, you know why. It's beautiful, the food is great, the people are really friendly." Maybe there's a certain amount of affirmation going on as a result of the museum being open and a result of people like me and other foreigners and mainlanders coming down and saying: "Wow, this place is great!" It's also giving some of the young people a reason to hang around. Tasmania uses the young population at a greater rate. I've talked to booking agents about this; you can book acts for really young people, and for older people, but you can't for 25-40 year olds because they've all left. There's a whole, like, lost generation in Tasmania. I think that maybe having a little bit of critical mass on the creative side of things is providing different possibilities for young people. Maybe they can stay here and even have an art practice here. It's not a pre-requisite for them to think that they have to leave. We've actually had some people moving here because of what's going on. It's changing.

Firstly, I feel this response is quite condescending. The idea that the Hobart arts scene can only appreciate itself or realise how good it might be after the validation of outsiders is a little offensive. That only through the affirmation of 'foreigners' and 'mainlanders' taking an interest in our city's culture, we can then ourselves know its worth a dime? I don't buy it.

I've probably blown his comment way out of proportion, but I think its an interesting issue nonetheless.
 
Ritchie refers to Hobart as having an “endemic inferiority complex”, but I don't think that's a fair judgement of Hobart's self-perception. Hobart is small. We're a city of 215,000 people, and we don't have the critical mass to support a glut of music venues or a huge arts scene. Hobart is small. Is it an inferiority complex if we accept that we're small or 'inferior'? In terms of critical mass, infrastructure, diversity of arts community etc, we are – purely in quantitative terms – inferior. We are small. A little isolated, even. But... so what? I see Hobart as more a city of realists than one with an endemic inferiority complex. People create art for themselves and for anyone who gives a damn, and hey – sometimes those people who give a damn live in Melbourne or Chicago. 
 
I don't think Everett True's stamp of approval on Hobart group Naked made much of a difference in the band's profile or perception in their home town. People already appreciated the band and if anything, this tiny little piece of blog buzz just made those same people turn their heads, nod and say “yeah, we know”, and then go on with their lives. If you're invested in it, its exciting when it happens; any kind of recognition is welcome and makes you feel good about your band/the local scene. I'd debate that it's more “hey, other people like what we [Hobart] is producing, that is nice and makes me feel good”; rather than “hey, other people like what we're doing in Hobart, I didn't realise we were good!”

Bad Luck Charms - I Need to Get Out by Noise, Etc.

Side-stepping for a second, one thing I don't understand is this quote from Ritchie, in which he talks about these bastions of great local culture as a reason to live in Hobart:
 

There are a lot of excellent art galleries and music, and a few night clubs with original music. I think it's maybe changing the attitude of the Hobartians. They are actually really proud of Tasmania, but kind of afraid to say so.

Who is honestly afraid to say they're proud of Tasmania? Tasmania is positioned as an underdog for many reasons – it's size, mostly – but I don't have any explicit memories of any Hobart artists who would be embarrassed of their home city. I'm fucking proud of Hobart and that's why I started this dumb blog, so people both in- and out-side of the local arts community could read about and listen to Hobart music. I'm curious who these people are and why they're afraid to be proud of Tasmania.

The Hobart scene is notorious for falling into, at times, little more than an incestuous circle jerk. Circle jerks are fun, mind you, but they are also exclusive cliquey things that reject outside (i.e., the mainland) influence. We already realise we have something great going on here and maybe that's what Ritchie wanted to express. Hobart can be indignantly alone in a kind of fuck-you-'mainland'-I-can-do-this-on-my-own way; the isolate State proving it can make it on its own terms. Its what happened in the past few years when many reviews from Melbourne and Sydney outlets would cite 'isolation' as a thematic constant in many Hobart music releases. “How dare they! We can fly across Bass Strait whenever we want! We have the internet!” we'd beckon in a kind of self-assured unison. While isolation is, I think, a reoccurring element in Hobart music circa late 2000s (Ivy St., hey), the local scene didn't want to be boxed in this way. You can't tell us what we are; we aren't small! It was a shrug at outsider labelling, whether misinformed or not. This attitude is kind of in opposition to the one Ritchie discusses; and while I could just be viewing everything from my seat in the alternative music arena (the outsiders of the outsiders) rather than just a general 'Hobartian' stance (the outsiders), I don't think its completely off.

In my short experience, Hobart arts isn't as concerned with outside validation as much as Ritchie implies. As far as I can tell, while reaching for a wider, national audience is something many artists and musicians desire (and sometimes achieve), Hobart is not tied up in some bizarre notion of “we're only valuable if someone outside our city tells us so.” That's backwards.

I don't think I can speak on behalf of anyone in the arts / music community because, for the most part, I act as little more than an observer, a promoter, a documenter. I'm just a youthful little shit with an internet connection and an(other fucking) opinion to throw into the wind, but I think its a discussion worth igniting again. What do you honestly think about yourself, Hobart?


Criticism encouraged.

alexanderbennetts@gmail.com

On the radio - Return To Oz

Starting 7pm this Wednesday, I'll be hosting Return To Oz, the weekly Australian music program on Edge Radio 99.3 FM in Hobart. The music profile will be similar to what I feature here, but from all over Australia (and maybe even New Zealand). New, underground pop/rock/experimental/electronic music from around the traps. Each week there'll be a featured album, label, band, city, blog, whatever; I'll try not to make it so rote or predictable.

Expectedly - and relevant to this blog - I'll be playing a couple Tasmanian songs each week, in the least. New recordings, retrospective tracks, whatever fits. I'll still only play what I find interesting or enjoyable, but if you want to send yr CDs in, station info is available here, or as below:

Edge Radio, Music Department, Private Bag 44, Hobart 7001.
Make sure you include a bio and contact details, all the usual stuff really.
Mark it ATT: name of presenter or program.

I'll probably maintain playlists/show information on a page here, along with on the Edge Program hub etcetera. Social network information below...

Here's a Facebook page you can admire and all that: www.facebook.com/returntooz

Join the conversation / request tracks on my personal Twitter: @NoiseEtc

& bookmark the digital stream for future use, hey: www.edgeradio.org.au/listen-popup.php

Return To Oz on Edge Radio 99.3, Wednesdays 7-8. Feel free to listen in.

Interview: Wormwood Grashopper Records

Wormwood Grasshopper Records is the baby of Hobart musician Ben Mason (Drunk Elk / Que / The Breeze). So far, it has proven itself to be a small boutique label releasing underground pop music from Tasmania and beyond. That kind of pop music that gets called 'demented' in PR, with an apparent heavy influence from New Zealand pop. Wormwood Grasshopper looks to be focusing on recordings of both the past and present, with previously unreleased material from defunct Hobart bands like Que, Wendy In The Mountains And The Caves With The Salves and Hammering The Cramps either already released or in the works.

I recently briefly spoke to Ben Mason about his new label, and where he plans to take it:

What have you released so far on Wormwood Grasshopper?
So far it's been predominantly the Drunk Elk LP [Under Neon Lights] and Mad Nanna 7", although I did put a Wormwood Grasshopper logo on a few CDRs for Julian Teakle's music stall a while back (The Que's Fern Tree Recordings and Drunk Elk's "Pieces Of People...").


What are the future plans for Wormwood Grasshopper?
Just around the corner would be the Hammering The Cramps LP, which has been in the works for some time now and it looks like it's nearly there. I can't wait to release this one. They were an incredible Hobart band that, I think, are totally underrated.  There's vibes of Roky Erickson, Xpressway bands and - the best song in the world - Brian Eno's 'Here Come The Warm Jets'. After that would be some tapes from Wendy In The Mountains And The Caves With The Slaves (first one was sent off to be duplicated today!). I wouldn't mind doing another Drunk Elk 7" soon, and hopefully we'll get our act together and record a Breeze EP. There's also a couple of projects I'm toying with that aren't Hobart bands, but I need to figure those out a little more still.


Hammering the Cramps - Jesse's Vampires by Wormwood grasshopper

Beautiful punk - Bears, SDS, Treehouse (VIDEOS)

Three totally different punk bands played on the top of the reservoir tanks at the Domain in Hobart last Sunday; almost in celebration of the free Hobart punk compilation that launched last week (it was actually a triple tape launch, but you know, horses). Best gig location or best gig location?

All video by Chris Valentine.

Bears

Social Death Squad

Treehouse

Sound Summit 2011 - VIDEOS

A few weeks ago I went to Newcastle for a few days as part of This Is Not Art / National Young Writer's Festival. If you want to know how the Writing festival went, go and read the numerous blogs other cool people posted or just ask me. I found some time while wearing my Writer's wig to head across to Sound Summit festival on the other side of town and I filmed a few of the bands. Now separate from the rest of the This Is Not Art festival umbrella, Sound Summit has grown into its own dedicated entity. Sound Summit 2011 is a little bigger than last year, but its distance from the rest of the long-weekend Newcastle art community (among other reasons) meant the attendance was a little underwhelming. I only made it tow three gigs and no panels/other events, mind you. The venues were all well-organised and within walking distance of each other, etc, etc.

Here's some footage of Australian bands. I saw and filmed a few other bands but most of that footage sucks even worse. Guerre was beautiful and Kitchen's Floor were awesome (if a little detached from the audience) and Iowa's Wet Hair lived up to my expectations. For what its worth I adore this Fabulous Diamonds song below.

Fabulous Diamonds

Horse Macgyver


Superstar

Dead Farmers

Scattered Order

Bandcamp Wrap-up #2

A mix of free, pay-what-you-want and fixed price releases this time. They're all good, so have a listen to what grabs your fancy. Click through on the respective album art to see the full Bandcamp page with a nicer tracklisting.


Jordan Marson from Paint Your Golden Face / oceans, in his experimental indie pop guise. $5.

Moe Grizzly, noisy blues/rock trio. Really good. Fuzzy & Drones-eqsue. FREE.

Fantastic debut album from Naked. Lo-fi pop. Everett True wrote a few words about it. FREE.

A beautiful release from Transcription Of Organ Music. Pay what you want.

Ambient doom metal EP from M.0.1.0. on American label Sonoptik. $5.

Latest lounge-pop album from Anthony Rochester. Twee as anything. $5.

Slow, alternative-folk. 7-track debut album from bunny on digital and CD. $6 / $12.

Fan gushing on "Process Praise" by The Native Cats

Remember the Liverpool Street Bomb scare from last year? On that day I was walking through Elizabeth Street, earphones playing The Native Cats' Always On. There was this small moment where, approaching the corner of Liverpool, I was half-way through absent-mindedly singing 'Game Of Numbers' to myself. In particular, en route to Liverpool Street, I sung aloud: “have you ever seen an unexploded bomb before / how do you know / this isn't what it looks like?” I hope nobody heard me.

If you've followed this blog from its beginnings (and all its encompassing words and things and shit), or know me personally, then you've probably come to the conclusion that The Native Cats are one of my favourite bands. Call me a fan. The Native Cats is made up of two of my favourite Hobart artists, Julian Teakle (of Bad Luck Charms, The Frustrations) and Peter Escott (of... Peter Escott), but that isn't the reason they hold such an esteemed place in my mind/heart/ears. I don't think I even explored either the Frustrations or Peter Escott's solo guise until after discovering the Cats.

I think there is a definable reason for it, though. It's more than the hypnotic bass lines and propelling drum machine, or the lo-fi DS-10 squeals or whatever other musicals components. My admiration for the Cats can largely be attributed to front-man Peter Escott's lyrics and delivery. Escott's lyrics have always appeared as vague monuments; unsolved mysteries with these various clues hinting at something more. You can always feel the intention – in specific words and those sharp emphasises – but you can never unravel the full story. It's like there's venom pulsating below the surface, but the fangs are too short to reach whatever its reaching for. Probably for your throat. Ride the snake, baby.

The Native Cats - Dani Dani by Noise, Etc.

Process Praise is a step above the duo's debut. If Always On was the short-statured/high-reaching schizophrenic First child, then Process Praise is the moody art-school Second, dripping blood onto a canvas before hiding their wrists in a royal blue cotton jumper.

Some/most of the songs on Process Praise could be autobiographical, but you'd be darned to unpack it without all the little Escott-branded puzzle pieces, none of which you'll find in the package. Everything is so purposely cryptic. So obscured as to allow Escott to tell you his life stories, minus all the details, minus all the things that makes it his life story. It's what every private writer aspires to, isn't it? To give you the mood, the theme, the idea; without forfeiting a sense of safety? Interpretation can be more powerful than direct statement. Words guide, the music narrows the possible interpretations.

All throughout are scattered allusions to a past love; a terrible love. This is best seen in 'Dani Dani', a sequel of sorts to 7" single 'Catspaw'. On the knife's edge between brutal revenge and reserved spite, its the tale of a soured, oppressive romance. In parallel to these references to a past lover, this track could also been seen as a sketch of Escott's growth as both a person and a performer. At first he appears the sheepish victim of a tumultuous relationship, but the song traces his development into the confident, competent, vengeful character. Not a wrecking-ball of a man, but an intelligent and matured one. “No leathers,” Escott sings, “no colours / no tatts / no quiffs / just checked shirts and neat jeans / with worn knees / old time / 1993 / Australian suburban exoticness.”

The Liverpool Street bomb turned out to be a hoax. Unexploded because it never could explode. The Native Cats are always edging at something unexploded; poking an abstract mass of shrapnel. They're smart enough not to set it off. The Liverpool Street hoax turned out to be just a small orange and yellow box holding dud wiring and AA batteries, probably a cheap plastic nothing. Parts of Always On were this cheap Casiotone plastic – the extended indie-pop of “The Image Of Annie & Ivan” never did a whole lot for me. But Process Praise? There's a live, ticking bomb at its heart, thumping away in the drum patterns.

Conclusion: Sharp lyrical witticisms set to real minimalist/moodist electronic beauty. Treasure it. It sounds really good on vinyl.

---

The Native Cats are launching Process Praise at the Grand Poobah in Hobart this Friday September 9, and at Skinny Geans #11 in Launceston this Saturday September 10. Both shows are a dual LP launch with the fantastic Adelaide via NZ trio Batrider, who launch Piles Of Lies. Listen to the title track below.

Process Praise is available from Tommy Gun Records in Hobart, select record stores around Australia and direct from Ride The Snake.


Batrider - Piles of Lies by Mess+Noise
 

Videos: Peter Escott / Carl Higgs / Splash Mountain

A fortnight ago was the 'first' Noise Etc Live show. I was pretty nervous but excessively excited at the same time. I'd never organised a group of musicians to play at a venue before. Turns out its pretty easy, so I'll probably organise more in the future if I can find suitable performers to prod and pester. The vague idea of a Noise Etc Live series was to promote and feature musicians who might not play live as often as I'd hope. So, for August 17, I asked Peter Escott to debut his electronic experiments; Carl Higgs to make his once-a-year solo appearance (though, he did play a few days later as a duo with Charles Du Cane); and Splash Mountain to try and make a proper debut.

Most of the night went according to plan (Splash Mountain were still a little unprepared, but they did clear the 10-minute mark as I awkwardly claimed in promo), and the turnout was decent enough for a Wednesday night local show. It was fun and I fully plan on organising more every few months if I can find performers willing to participate. If anyone has any hidden solo/side/bedroom-projects that they want to present to little Hobart town, do get in touch.

Below are three videos from the night, click through at the bottom to watch a few more, including Peter cover Morrissey and Carl cover Chris Isaak. Covers.

Peter wrote this song on the night, about the night. The first minute or so didn't get filmed but I'll spoil it for you - it's about his work shirt that he didn't get the chance to change out of.

Carl's upbeat Italo Disco track. Fun, fun, fun.

Splash Mountain's first song of their 12 minute set.

Moe Grizzly & Drunk Elk in a house

Did everyone have a good past week? Hobart Music, right? Right!

Last Saturday afternoon, Moe Grizzly and Drunk Elk played a house show before the Broken Social Thylascene show that happened. Walking distance to both beers and the next show made it pretty ideal, it sounded decent and the house was full of good people/conversation. Moe Grizzly are sounding really good with the addition of Phoebe on trombone, it kind of highlights the melody a little more, particularly in older songs. Drunk Elk made a few mistakes at the end of a couple of songs - nerves - but they otherwise played a good set. They might have played a few newer songs, which sounded similar in vein to the songs they've been playing for the past year, maybe a touch heavier.

Drunk Elk

Moe Grizzly

Two more Elk videos and another Moe Grizzly song (with trombone) through the break. If anyone knows the names of these songs, feel free to leave a comment. I have a couple more Drunk Elk songs on tape if anyone is interested.

Videos from last week: No Action / Treehouse / Driftwood

Crappy videos from an all ages show last weekend with No Action, Bears, Treehouse and Driftwood at the Brisbane Hotel. My video of Bears stuffed up sorry.

Driftwood

These guys were alright, they're a young Rosny College band. The singer has a nice New Zealand-ish voice which gives them a bit of identity already (this was only their second show). The drummer shouldn't sing though; it doesn't compliment the lead vocals at all, nor contrast with it in any interesting way. More annoying than anything.

Treehouse

Treehouse played some new songs, this one is called "Drunk Elk". They've recorded this plus a bunch of others for an upcoming cassette/release which should be fun. Their set was mostly new songs - less lo-fi punkish and more like the song above. They still played "Party", though.

No Action

No Action are from Adelaide and they make emo music, I think? I don't know these genres very well. They went down pretty well with the small crowd and sold a few 7"s.

The Lucky Dips - Obsession / Assistance

Here's two tracks from Hobart power pop trio The Lucky Dips, who are launching their debut 7" this Saturday at the Grand Poobah. Brief, guitar-based Buzzcockian punk. "Obsession" is the A-side, while "Assistance" is their inclusion to the upcoming Community 2 compilation.

Obsession by The Lucky Dips

Assistance by The Lucky Dips


The Lucky Dips launch their 7" at the Grand Poobah tomorrow (Saturday 13th August), with support from Mess O' Reds and The Crunch. $5 entry, doors at 9:30pm, Facebook event here.

Edit: This was good. The Crunch were pretty boring but had lots of 30somethings dancing; Mess O' Reds played some really good songs; and The Lucky Dips played a good set with an added rhythm guitarist. Fun time. You can now buy their 7" at Tommy Gun Records for $10.

A certain vintage: Sea Scouts / Hammering The Cramps

Sea Scouts were a Tasmanian noise-rock band in the 90s. If you've every hung around Hobart music circles, you've probably heard their name referenced a few times, usually reverently. While the legend of the Sea Scouts does get played up a lot (Melbourne thirty-somethings seem to be particularly fond of the group), its not without reason. They're good. Here's 'War As A Weapon', a song they released on Zum Records when they toured America in 1999. You can even still buy that same 7" from the label directly - $3 US plus shipping. It comes with B-side 'Burn Down Your Local McDonalds'.

   Sea Scouts - Word as a Weapon by Noise, Etc.

 

-&-

Hammering The Cramps were a Hobart band circa 2006. Their unreleased debut recording will be released through Wormwood Grasshopper Records on vinyl next year, if all goes according to plan. It features musicians who went on to play in bands like Drunk Elk, Wendy In The Mountains, etc.

Bandcamp Wrap-up #1 - Free Hobart music

Because everyone loves free stuff.

I figure with Bandcamp being pretty popular with Hobart bands/musicians, it'd be nice to collect a bunch of this newly released digitalia and present it in a blog post every now and again. There is already a whole slew of Hobart releases on Bandcamp - it's pretty easy to track with their tagging system (just explore Hobart -> new releases) - so here is 10 local releases you can download for free. Click on the band name to get to their page and find more releases/information:

Moe Grizzly - Eye Sore / myblackson - Jam

Moe Grizzly are so fucking good.

I mean, they're better live, but whatever, isn't that always the case? Here's a great track found on last year's Clones And Clones: Hobart + Melbourne compilation. It's called 'Eye Sore'. It was probably meant for some completed-but-never-released album that's still sitting around in some Hobart house.

Edit: "Eyesore was recorded exclusively for the C&C comp - no other material exists from this session. The other, older, lying-around-a-house session is being worked on constantly and will see a release well before the end of 2011." More details in comment section below.

If you haven't heard Moe Grizzly before, think a fuzzier, less intelligible Drones. But really, just listen to the song already:

   Moe Grizzly - Eye Sore by Noise, Etc.


Being myblackson's 'final' show - which was one of their best ever, let the record be known - it feels fitting to feature something from them here. You can already listen to most of their back catalogue on Bandcamp (and download the majority of that for free), but here's a song from the limited single they released at their final gig on 22 July 2011. It's titled 'Jam', which is the same name as one of their old songs, but whatever. Punk.

They'll be back, just you watch 'em. And they'll play Pop Song, too.

In the meantime, while we all pretend they're dead forever - R.I.P. myblackson. You were good to us. Really, really good. To my favourite Tasmanian punk band: thank you.

   myblackson - Jam by Noise, Etc.

Noise, Etc. Live #1 with Peter Escott, Carl Higgs, Splash Mountain

I'm happy to present the inaugural Noise, Etc. Live show, featuring the talents of...

Peter Escott
Carl Higgs
Splash Mountain  

Noise, Etc. Live #1 is on Wednesday August 17th at the Brisbane Hotel from 8pm. $5 entry. Be there. Facebook event here. Poster, wanky bios and mission statement below:

"Underground pop hits from Hobart" mixtape via K Mason

Hobart-born musician Keith Mason (White Woods / K Mason) has put together a little mixtape of Hobart music, ranging from 1996 to ~2005. It features a few bands who have played live shows in the past few years (The Frustrations, Kind Winds, Rentboy), but otherwise is made up of many Consumer Productions associated bands such as The Gentlemen, hMAS, Avoidable Droid, End Show, Karaoke For My Shadow, et al.

Interview: Manchester Mourning

Hobart's Manchester Mourning are a young Courier New Wave four-piece who have been making their post-punk racket for a few years, releasing one EP (which you can download for pay-what-you-want) and a few limited CD-R singles. A year after finishing recording, they have finally gotten around to launching their debut album Immediacy, firstly at the Grand Poobah in Hobart this Friday night and then at Skinny Geans #8 in Launceston on this Saturday night.

I spoke to Steve Wright (keys, vocals) and Sam Upton (bass, vocals, synth) from the band about Immediacy, Rosny College 'rock culture', and their place in Hobart music scene. While you're reading, have a listen to Wedding Cake from Immediacy below:

Manchester Mourning - Wedding Cake by Noise, Etc.