The Polyphonic Spree go Carnivale!

Words: Clare Kempnich
Pictures: Kate Scantleton

Attending The Polyphonic Spree’s performance at the Powerhouse last Friday night was, for me, much like achieving a life long goal. After missing their performance at Splendour in the Grass in 2008, (and having to listen to endless recounts of their fantastic set), I vowed that I wouldn’t miss them a second time around. I approached their gig, (part of the venue’s Carnivale hosted by Southern Comfort) with only the highest of expectations and, as hoped, they didn’t fail to deliver.

The orchestral-like band, throughout their history have consisted of 13 -27 members (I believe I counted 18 for this set) including in their ranks, amongst others; a flautist, cellist and a trombonist. The cumulative enthusiasm that The Polyphonic Spree displayed during their almost two hour-long performance was something that is not always experienced when viewing live music; they seemed to be enjoying playing to the crowd as much as the crowd enjoyed singing along to them. And enjoy it we did: chanting away to the old classics like Hold Me Now and Light and Day/Reach For the Sun.

At this point of the set I wasn’t sure it could get much better: the band were lively and frontman Tim DeLaughter was charismatic and charming as they started to perform some of their newer songs. From album to album, The Polyphonic Spree’s music retains a feel-good, “choral symphonic rock” quality (as described by DeLaughter), although perhaps a more mature range of sounds and lyrics is evident on the The Fragile Army album when comparing to Together We’re Heavy; but there was no doubt that both styles were well-received by the audience.

Perhaps my favourite part of the set were the cover-versions that the band performed. A spectacular version of Guns N’ Roses Live and Let Die was first up and it amazed me how they managed to perform such a rough, rock song in true Polyphonic Spree style. The band complemented the song perfectly and, for me, this was the highlight of the gig.

Audience participation, thankfully, was entirely appreciated by the band. Singing, dancing and chanting were not only encouraged, but proved integral to the bands’ encore. After a performance of Section 32: The Championship, DeLaughter left the audience repeating the mantra-like lines ‘all in good time/raise your voice’ whilst the band disappeared off stage for a good ten minutes. upon the return, the band were decked in their infamous white robes, a costume which has rendered certain fans to label the band a ‘cult’ (which DeLaughter flatly denies). Their encore was simply beautiful, including an amazing rendition of Nirvana’s Lithium and Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.

After their performance had come to an end, I was left speechless. Not only had their set met my expectations, but exceeded them completely. It is not often that a band of The Polyphonic Spree’s calibre perform with such intimacy; the band members wanted to be there, and as a fan, I appreciated this more than ever. DeLaughter even spent time after the gig chatting to front-row fans; something which I can honestly say I haven’t seen before from a headlining act.

The set wasn’t just an ordinary example of live music; it was a truly outstanding performance and something that I won’t forget for a long time.

Clutch and the Fumes rock the Zoo

Ok Go bring bells and whistles to the Hifi

Words: Dave Callaghan
Pictures: Kate Scantleton

Wednesday Feb 17

Going into this gig I was sceptical to say the least. I am of the school of thought that any band who puts so much effort into developing their Youtube, Myspace and Facebook websites must inevitably lack substance and musicality. To be perfectly honest, Ok Go always seemed to be nothing more than a gimmick band cashing in on the internet social interaction craze. To say I was surprised is as much as an understatement as saying Chuck Norris’s acting is just ‘bad’.

These guys really now how to work a crowd, and they have the musical skills to boot. Their songs, albeit poppy and catchy, predictably containing that magical ‘hook’ that all DJ’s strive for, were driving and well thought-out; their live performance leaving a long, strong finish in the back-palate, like a fine wine.

The stage show was impressive and provided enough bells and whistles to astound even the strongest of critics. No literally, they played an entire song with bells – very cool.

My favourite of the on-stage gimmicks was the small cameras attached to the microphones of the three front men and a cymbal stand of the drummer to be projected on the large screen at the back of the stage throughout the set. Personally, I have never seen this done before and although a simple concept, I found it really effective.

Without even mentioning the laser pointers and the streamer confetti, this show certainly had enough to keep people interested. Bands that favour style over substance are frowned upon by this writer, but Ok Go showed that both were high on the agenda; most enjoyable. This is definitely one show to write home about.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I am kidding with respect to the Chuck Norris reference. He is a great actor and I pity the fools that dare say his name in vein.

Love Shared with Mama Kin

Words and Photos: Kate Scantleton

Friday February 12, 2010

It isn’t often that we see bands that truly seem as though the music runs through their veins. Mama Kin and her band proved to be one of these lucky few tonight, allowing us to participate in the cleansing ritual of her set. The hot and steamy Zoo was the best place for this ritual to take place; the modesty and welcoming nature of the venue sincerely complimented the sounds and love that was being shared amongst performers and audience.

Mama Kin and her band are such a modest, courteous and joyous trio – it was abundantly clear that they love what they’re doing and the buzz of making success out of art is really making them happy. And the crowd reflected this, loving every moment of the set.

If you haven’t heard of Mama Kin yet, her music is soulful; a mixture of slow and fast jazzy-blues, each song with a sweet underlying story and moral. Her voice is heavenly and meaningful – it comes from hard times and experiences that have led her to being the artist she is today. Accompanied by some delightfully precious melodies on keys and funky drum beats, the trio are certainly a force to be reckoned with.

The music itself is complex, yet made for easy listening. Busting out with the well-circulated single Tore My Heart Out and a number of very danceable bluesy tunes, the set was full of ups and downs including sing-a-longs, a Capella tunes and much dancing both on and off-stage, so there was plenty to keep everyone on their toes.

Currently touring, the band have already sold out their Sydney show and are spreading their love all the way down the east coast, stopping off at the Gold Coast and Mullumbimby on their way back north. With mentionable track records of wonderous sets (tonight inclusive!) such as Woodford Folk Festival earlier in the year, Mama Kin is definitely on the way up in the blues, roots and folk scene in Oz. You can check out the band’s tour dates and blog here.

Wolfman makes his mark

Inspired by the classic Universal Pictures film that launched the legacy of horror, The Wolfman reclaims the myth of a man whose curse transforms him into something less than human. Lawrence Talbot is lured back to his family estate after the disappearance of his brother. Reunited in crisis with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother…but discovers an even more horrifying destiny for himself. Starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Benecio del Toro, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving, The Wolfman is in Cinemas February 11. www.wolfman.com.au

We’re proud to be giving away tickets to the premiere at The Regent on Wednesday 10th February – to score yourself tickets for you and a mate, tell us who you would most like to see turn into a werewolf. Send your answer to sarah@newsunlimited.com.au Competition closes 5pm Tuesday February 9.

Laura Marling graces The Zoo

The View behave themselves at the Hi Fi

Movies: Up in the Air

Director Jason Reitman is interested in the idea of likeable male protagonists who are cheerfully committed to their amoral jobs. In Up in the Air, our amoral protagonist is Ryan Bingham, played (of course) by George Clooney, who spends his life on aeroplanes and in hotels, touching down briefly in anonymous offices to fire poor saps whose spineless bosses don’t want to get their hands dirty.

It’s a life Bingham loves so much he rhapsodises at motivational talks about living with an “empty backpack” – without the tiresome anchors of work and family. His only goals are accumulating loyalty points as he travels and the occasional fling – a role which Alex (Vera Farmiga) is happy to play.

Up in the Air, as you would expect, is contemporary, thoughtful, and cleverly written. It’s a movie with a lot on its mind: how do we exist in a society that is so atomised and casual, where our main loyalty is to brands and jobs but not to people, where we struggle so often to make connections with those around us?

At one point in the film, Bingham confidently asserts “I’m surrounded by people”, and it is this line that is at the heart of the film – whether we trivialise them, uphold them or ignore them, our relations with others are what give our lives meaning. The recently unemployed, portrayed in some cases by the actual victims of the US’s still rising tide of joblessness, reiterate a common theme that family is what is motivating them to do better, to realise their dreams.

But as the film makes clear, loved ones can fail us too. Other characters besides Ryan pay considerably more attention to their relationships, with mixed results; we see shaky and failed home lives despite the best of intentions. The characters’ lives are indeed up in the air, but we never really grasp something that helpfully resolves the uncertainty.

Up in The Air is like a late night philosophy conversation in the pub. It’s great fun, but you end up with some astute observations on the meaning of life that you can’t really work out what to do with.

The casting is pitch-perfect. George Clooney is as dry as always, and it’s great to see that as a young ambitious understudy Natalie (Anna Kendrick) receives credit and praise from the film on her own terms without having to knuckle under to the older male’s way of doing things, compared to the situation in say, State of Play. The next step will be to have a woman protagonist in Clooney’s role, without making it a “women’s movie”.

And Jason Bateman’s beard effectively hides the haplessness that we saw in Arrested Development to create Ryan Bingham’s disagreeable boss.

Whether you envy or despise Ryan Bingham, it’s clear that Up in the Air is one of those films that people will look back on as bringing out the spirit of our times. Go see it, and if you can find a “moral of the story”, be sure to let me know.

Up in the Air is in cinemas now.

Bells and Whistles @ the Zoo’s 17th birthday

Words and Pictures: Kate Scantleton

Friday December 11

The valley is hot, steamy and pumping with people and music. It’s the holiday season. Everyone is out, as there’s no time like the summertime to hit the dance floors, drink up and just be downright Aussie.

This was somewhat the case last night as the Howling Bells hit the stage with their signature sound of indie pop-rock in a swarming, exciting spectacle. The crowd was a-plenty, almost at capacity, although there was something in the air: they were all quiet and complacent in comparison to what one would expect at such a gig.

The eeriness didn’t bother the band all that much, who worked hard to build morale amongst the audience, which was effective and built to a crescendo encore performance.

Howling Bells have it all – the hot band members, their classic, unique sound, the cult following, and the international cred. Having moved to the UK from our grand land a number of years back to kick-start their musical careers, the band have achieved exactly what they wanted to, just jumping off the Coldplay and Snow Patrol tour buses for their own headlining tour.

Last night, they managed to smash out a great set, demonstrating all that has made their name grow so quickly. Mixing beautiful, fresh lyrics and melodies with Juanita’s delightful vocals and the awesome sounds from the guys in the band, every song was mind-blowingly wondrous. The addition of fantastic stage presence from the band including little fits of dancing, some entertaining banter and a short drumming session made sure to keep the quiet crowd interested. Set favourites include Nightingale and Cities Burning Down.

In addition, it was a night of birthday celebration, as the Zoo turned the ripe old age of 17, and drummer Glenn also celebrated his birthday on this night of nights in style whilst rocking out in the only way that would seem fit.

Skunkhour back in action after 8 years of silence

Words and Pictures: Kate Scantleton

Tuesday December 8

Skunkhour are a band that during their time and beyond have been severely under-rated, with such visionary sounds beyond their time. This was made apparent at the Tivoli tonight, watching the reformed band after an 8 year silence, and witnessing the ways in which this music has gone on to influence so many Australian and international bands nowadays.

The night was a slow start, with a low-impact DJ set starting the night off, leading into a “two-thirds of the Resin Dogs” set, which warmed the crowd up nicely, preparing them for the spectacle that was to follow.

Up next, the Skunkhour gents didn’t disappoint. Their mixture of euphoric bass-slapping funk, rap, pop and rock went down an absolute treat, and it was wonderful to see brothers Aya and Del Larkin together on stage once again. The relationship that these two amazing musicians share is something that is not often seen nowadays, feeding off one another’s movements and excitement. Crowd favourites were Back to Basics, Gold Radiation and Kick in the Door, although there were many others that were obviously well-loved by the eager audience.

The one disappointing aspect of the evening that really bothered me was the noticeable lack of audience presence. For such an extraordinary band that has been out of the business for a good 8 years, it was a little upsetting to see the Tivoli well short of capacity. Punters, I’m saddened by your lack of effort!!

It is great to see where the music of Skunkhour has led the Australian music industry, with Del being the first rapper to openly don an accent of his heritage. 20 years down the track from their beginning, it is refreshing to see this music again and hear hints of the likes of Hilltop Hoods whilst watching this.

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