GIRL TALK at the PALACE THEATRE JAN 31st 2012

After an exhaustingly hot festival day and then a couple of long days at work, I was not looking forward to getting dressed up for another night of partying. But within moments of Girl Talk pressing play on his first mix, my toes were tapping, my hips were shaking and my jaw had dropped all the way to the floor. It is hard to find words to describe a Girl Talk show that really does justice to the experience. You really have to see, hear, and feel it for yourself.

When it comes to mash-up DJs, Girl Talk (known to his mother as Gregg Gillis) is definitely one of the absolute best. It would be easy for him to simply stand up behind his laptop, nodding his head and clicking his mouse, but this guy bounces around the stage like an freakin' energizer bunny. He seriously did not stop for the entire time he was up there. At one point he actually got up on the desk to dance around for a bit. In addition to these antics, he had some of the party-goers up on stage dancing around with him, confetti cannons showering the crowd, toilet paper guns, masses of balloons, a pyrotechnics show, and a massive screen with ever-changing images projected on it.

Girl Talk expertly mixes songs across six decades dipping into many genres including rock, pop, hip hop and dance. It was interesting to see that the most enthusiastic crowd response came from the big rock songs and not the indie dance or hip hop tracks. It felt like every person in the venue sang along to Nirvana, Bon Jovi, Weezer, and even Rick Springfield. And, this may be the only time I've heard an Adele song and not felt instantly depressed (especially since it was mixed with Metallica.)

The energy at a gig like this is incredibly infectious. I challenge anyone to go along to a Girl Talk show and not get into it. This is the dance party for people that don't like dance music.

Some links:
Girl Talk on Facebook
Girl Talk on Myspace
Girl Talk music on Illegal Art

And a couple of videos:

Play Your Part pt. 1
Oh No

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MARIACHI el BRONX at BILLBOARD JAN 30th 2012

Having first encountered Mariachi el Bronx in the sweltering hot box that was the Hot Produce tent at the Big Day Out the day before, I was thrilled to finally get my opportunity to see these guys in a show of their own. I've played the first album more times than I can count and the latest one is already heading down the same path. Musically the band is incredibly tight, the melody is up-beat and cheerful, the lyrics are genuine and honest, and the band members are endearing as hell.

Frontman and singer, Matt Caughthran seems like he is made for this kind of music - I find it hard to believe that these guys were a punk band first. Caughthran chats candidly with the audience throughout the show. He discusses what the songs are about, why he loves playing music, why he likes visiting our town in particular, and how much he appreciates the fans. On this particular night, he tells how the entire show represents our erotic journey with him, arousing the crowd with anecdotes of how each of the songs represent various sexual positions. It takes everything the band has keep a (reasonably) straight face.

A show like this certainly does leave you feeling pretty damn great. And, they have promised that they will be returning to Australia later in the year once the new Bronx record is complete to tour as The Bronx, with support from themselves as Mariachi el Bronx. You can be sure to find me front-row-centre singing along to every song at the top of my lungs, with at least seventy percent of the lyrics totally wrong. See you there.

Interesting links:

Mariachi el Bronx website

The Bronx on Facebook

The Bronx on Twitter

Videos worth checking out:
Cell Mates
Holy
48 Roses at Austin City Limits

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BIG DAY OUT at FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE JAN 29th 2012

When I wake up to an extremely humid, thirty-five degree day, the last thing I want to do is head to a festival with thousands of other sweaty punters so I can sit in the sun, withering away. But, we do it for the music - and, because sometimes sharing that disgusting environment with a heap of strangers is just what music in the summertime is all about. Plus, there is nothing quite like a cold cider to help with the dehydration woes.

We arrived just as OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) took the stage in the Boiler Room and although I hadn't heard much of their music previously, I was instantly taken by their commanding presence on stage, particularly that of Tyler the Creator who took the mic for the majority of the time. These guys intended to offend, what with their crude language, racy themes and aggressive heckling of the crowd, but I think that this is the bulk of their appeal. Their beats were a tad boring for me, however I, as I am sure was the case with a large proportion of the people crammed in the tent, was curious to see what all the fuss was about.

Our next stop was the Hot Produce tent (which I will fondly refer to as The Sauna from now on) for local rock-ska-punk outfit, King Cannons. They put on a great show with lots of energy and a host of catchy tunes which I'll continue to hum for weeks to come. I did, however, much prefer their upbeat rocking numbers over their slow reggae tunes.

We dropped in for a couple of songs of Royksopp, Das Racist and Faker in each of their tents respectively, with mildly pleasant feelings toward all, and then made our way back to The Sauna to get a good spot for Mariachi el Bronx. What was already too stuffy to be considered remotely comfortable, seemed to have risen an extra ten degrees in temperature and an extra ten percent in humidity. In saying that, the band put a a great show! I looked forward to seeing them the following night in a much more comfortable environment.

We laid lazily in the grass while Soundgarden played a set that reeked of nostalgia and a time that once was... Their performance wasn't exciting or mind-blowning to me at all, but I am happy to be able to say that I know what their live show looks and feels like.

And then there was Kanye: the man that said that the worst thing about being him was that he would never get to see himself perform. But boy did he put on a crazy-spectacular show. Right from the beginning with the orchestral opening number complete with comtemporary ballet dancers and a song sung from the top of a cherry-picker in the middle of the crowd. I have to admit that he was thoroughly enjoyable to watch and the crowd sure did dig him. There was a lot of dancing going on.

Although the event organizers probably don't agree with me, I thought that the best thing about this particular Big Day Out was the extreme lack of people there. For the first time at a festival that I have been to, there were no queues at the food stalls, toilets or drink tents. It was a good day. See you next year, Big Day Out!

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RUE de FLEURUS

153 Gertrude St,
Fitzroy VIC 3065

Popped into this bar on my way home from the city the other day. I was drawn in by the sign promising $5 pints and the sweet beckoning vocals of Sam Cooke on the stereo. It was a welcoming environment. Hard-wood floors, an enticingly varied menu that changes from week to week, a classicly furnished indoor dining room and a outdoor seating area perfect for enjoying a cool beer or cider while watching the Gertrude Street traffic go by.

There is a piano in the corner that anyone is welcome to have a go at. But, on this Saturday afternoon a DJ was mixing some tunes. He moved seamlessly from Sam Cooke to Doves to a housed-up Fleetwood Mac remix as the night progressed. And, I hear that on other evenings they host film nights and exhibitions.

Park your bike outside for a casual drink with friends or plan a big night of cocktails and dancing. Rue de Fleurus is a wonderful place to eat, drink and be merry.

Rue de Fleurus on Facebook

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