| THIS
MONTHS NEWS << |
|
| Rics Bar Forum |
| SEPTEMBER 2008 |
Don't forget that we've got tasty $4 tapas MONDAY TO FRIDAY at the bar (S n P Squid, Baby back ribs, Risotto balls and Bruschetta), ask the bar staff for more details.
Coq Up is still upstairs every Friday and Saturday, from 7pm.
Check out the cocktail list here
Anyone looking for work can send a resume to fatrics@bigpond.com. We're chasing sound engineers, kitchenhands, cooks, chefs, baristas, glassies and bar staff. Don't forget that you need to have a RSA for any bar and barista work. |
 |
 |
Z RAYS | SATURDAY 06/09/08
Hailing from the 'Nuggets' school of lo-fi rock'n'roll filthdom, the Z-Rays are a juvenile, organ grinding, fuzz-drenched combo out of Brisbane's suburbia. Self-described as the 'loudest band in town', the lads enjoy making a god-awful racket almost as much as they enjoy referring to themselves in third person.
Despite only existing for three months, the Rayz have already squeezed in a tour of Melbourne (where they continued to claim the 'loudest band in town' mantle) and shows with the Redsunband, Made for Chickens By Robots, Gentle Ben and Dynamo.
They were also described by Rave Magazine as 'cacophonous', which may be the most inadvertent compliment of the season.
www.myspace.com/thezrays |
|
 |
TELEPROMPTER | MONDAY 08/09/08
Teleprompter hail from Brisbane and have been making music together since 2006. The bands formation as a 3 piece saw the quick addition of a fourth member. The Result? An enigmatic, no-holds-barred sound that is a departure from any single classification.
Influenced by groups such as Bloc Party, The Cure, and At the Drive in, the band meld elements of indie/alternative and post punk to provide a diverse, yet highly entertaining result. Fresh out from their recent session at Alchemix studios, and armed with a much sought-after 5 track EP, Teleprompter are intent upon producing and refining their own unique sound, forged in the brick box that serves as their rehearsal room.
Supported by The Clues |
|
 |
FICKLE BEASTS | THURSDAY 18/09/08
One electric guitar. One amplifier. Between three and five effects pedals. One kick drum, one snare, one hi-hat. Sometimes a crash cymbal. One tambourine. Two drum sticks (although a spare stick or two is always handy). If there's a PA available, that may come in handy too.
These are all of the elements that Fickle Beasts require to bring their neck-snappingly energetic discordant noise-pop to your ears, creating a sound that lies somewhere between the sugar-fueled spazz-pop of Deerhoof and the dreamy soundscapes of My Bloody Valentine (or in other words, they sound kind of like Sonic Youth but with only one guitar and without Kim Gordon).
Starting out with sporadic shows at the end of 2006 / 2007, in the last 9 months the Beasts have stepped up the regularity of their performances, and in the process have become a reliable source of strangely catchy noise, sharing the stage with acts ranging from Girl Talk (USA), Pikelet and Ned Collette through to local favourites Mary Trembles, Turnpike, Del Toro and No Anchor.
A six-track EP is in the works for a late 2008 / early 2009 release (you know how these damn bands are with schedules). September 18th sees the Beasts whom are Fickle teaming up with The Rational Academy and Monster Monster.
With major lineup changes occuring in The Rational Academy camp over the coming months, this show will be unique: built around Academy mainstay Benjamin Thompson, the show will feature solo renditions of Academy standards, along with guest appearances from band members both past, present and future (and some guests who will most likely never play with the band again!). It's sure to be a unique set.
Monster Monster wowed audience members recently at the launches for two showcases of Brisbane talent, the first of which was the launch for the Stranded Brisbane Music compilation at The Zoo (on which he appears, along with The Rational Academy), followed the very next night by the launch of The Lifted Brow Zine at The Troubadour. With his dual turntables and laptop, Monster Monster creates a seamless blend of hip-hop, atmospherics and indie rock.
www.myspace.com/ficklebeasts
www.myspace.com/therationalacademy
www.myspace.com/musicmonstermonster
|
|
 |
NEW ESTATE | SATURDAY 20/09/08
In December 2003 (only 9 months after their first gig) New Estate – who first rehearsed as Mia Schoen, Larry G and Marc Regueiro-Mckelvie - launched their debut album, 'Considering...' . Released in both Australia and the United States, it's combination of noise and catchy pop/rock found wide-spread appeal, however lost it's legs due to their former bass player, Mindy, leaving the band a few weeks after. Enter Brad Cosier who was in attendance at Mindy's final gig. Brad introduced an entirely new sound to what's now seen as the classic band line up, including funk, soul and classic rock at its best. He wrote songs as well!
With 4 songwriters in the band with extremely varied influences, a spanner was thrown in the works of the ironically conservative "indie" scene and New Estate dropped off the local radar. For a good 3 years New Estate composed, recorded and performed like ghosts on speed, gigging at least once week in Melbourne alone (as well as the odd flirt with Sydney and Brisbane) and releasing home recorded singles and Eps to the delight of those who knew better. It was a time of gross under-documentation and lack of recognition, yet massive personal and musical growth for all involved – the band, friends and fans.
Fast forwarding to 2007, New Estate re-emerged with 'Is It Real' – an album that made a bold, albeit nervous introduction as the band they're supposed to be. Recorded by Simon Grounds, it perfectly captured a band that was volatile, unsure of their future, however seemingly unable of going down without a fight.
Also recorded by Simon Grounds, their new album, 'Out Of The Ground' packs the punches and serves as a statement of intent for all they aspire to be – a band not afraid of the dirt but more than capable of digging themselves out before anyone's noticed.
www.myspace.com/newestate |
|
 |
MR MAPS | SATURDAY 25/09/08
Mr. Maps is a post-rock band from Brisbane, Australia. They formed in early 2008, and started jamming out a bunch compositions which Chris Perren had written as an Honours thesis submission at QUT Music the previous year.
Armed with this handful of complex yet beautiful instrumental material, and the drive to write a whole lot more, Mr. Maps made their entrance to the Brisbane live scene. A few well received shows later and Mr. Maps are on their way to chiseling their name onto Australia's slate of exciting bands.
Mr. Maps' palette spans from delicate to brutal, and mixes traditional instruments with live sampling and electronics. They've been likened to 65daysofstatic, toe, and Mono, but have already carved out a unique signature sound.
www.myspace.com/mistermaps |
|
 |
BEN ELY'S RADIO 5 | SATURDAY 27/09/08
Ben Ely trips into the futureworld, inspired by a radio show 100 years ahead of our time... with his new solo album Transcending Reality. Garage rock with a twist of the future. Ben Ely returns from the zone with new project Ben Ely's Radio 5.
A garage crazed transmission from the future worlds... emerging after his first broadcast at the Gallery of Modern Art's Warhol Uplate in March. In between bouts of Regurgitator Ben recorded this solo album at his Studio Wow! in Sydney and Jonboyrock joined the melee to mix. Ben stands to attention, kickstarts the stand, revs the mic as Stephen Bourke and Marihuzkha Larenas shuffle their wares to the beat on a twin six string psych attack.
Cheap, nasty and freaking dynamic!!!
www.myspace.com/benelysradio5 |
|
 |
NO ANCHOR | SATURDAY 04/10/08
Ian and Alex were born. Years later, they met in Brisbane City. Later still they formed a band. To date they've done very little with their band. What they have done with their spare time and spare change is to record and release a record and soon they will tour. But you could also accurately say that one day they will break up, that seems inevitable.
Also inevitable is the fact that Alex and Ian will die at some point in the future. Sorry. BUT...before they break up (&/or die), they absolutely intend to spend many years making beautiful, graceful, face obliterating music and exhibiting this music via a lengthy succession of recordings and live shows. This is the mandate of Alex and Ian. Help them to help you, to love or hate their band - that's all they ask.
www.myspace.com/noanchorband |
|
 |
DAVID McCORMACK | THURSDAY 09/10/08
During the late 80's David McCormack woke up to find himself playing with now legendary art-rock outfit Whos Gerald. It was a heady start for a young man from Kenmore in the western suburbs of Brisbane. By its very extreme nature, Whos Gerald imploded after only one album and a few locally released singles.
David quickly picked up the pieces and together with Paul Medew formed Custard. Somehow, Custard scored a major label record deal and released a bunch of albums, toured the world and made a bunch of cheap videos.
By 1999, Custard had run its course and David, in his infinite wisdom, decided the best thing to do was to release an album of electronic noodlings called The Matterhorn. The single Machines Are Our Friends surprised many by being almost listen-able. From here, it was obvious to all and sundry that a band of humans was required, so David assembled The Polaroids, initially consisting of Shane Melder on skins, Dylan McCormack on bass and Cameron Bruce on keyboards. Later they were joined by legendary gay short film maker Andrew Lancaster on guitar.
Thus far, David has released two albums with The Polaroids, 2003s Candy and 2004s The Truth About Love. There is a DVD called "Save Dave" you can get as well. David recently released "Cassingle", a 6-track CD celebrating the mundane things in life; feeling lonely in a shopping aisle, giving someone a pash next to a wheelie bin, meeting a man who repairs pinball machines.
www.myspace.com/davidmccormack |
|
 |
MR RASCAL | SATURDAY 18/10/08
Mr Rascal was formed in late 2006 when Christian Duell decided to take a handful of songs written in a treehouse out into the big bad world. Around each corner over the last two years, (whether through chance encounters or new musical friendships), a wind of change has blown Mr Rascal into something much more than a solo project.
Beginning with a couple of demos at dear friend Chester Wiltshire's house an idea was hatched to quickly record an EP. Somehow Mr Rascal became a fully-fledged band and busily started demoing songs for the EP which then became known as 'the mini-album'. As a band Mr Rascal hit the studio in August 2007 convinced that there were enough good songs to record a whole album. The possibilities of studio recording lead to spontaneous appearances by strangers and friends of friends appearing in the form of pedal steel guitar, bagpipes, trombone, banjo, spoons, melodica, violin and opera singing. The album was then preluded by the release, to much critical acclaim, of the debut single 'Let it Roll'.
With a recorded album done and dusted Mr Rascal have finally unveiled 'A Pocketful of Smoke' to the world, celebrating in style with a sell-out launch event at one of Brisbane's finest venues, The Cremorne Theatre. A most ambitious undertaking, the launch event brought together an honourable band of Brisbane's most talented musicians including the core Mr Rascal live band (of guitar, bass, drums, keys and vocals) and a number of special guests (a brass section, strings, and opera singers).
Despite the sense of ambition inherent in the launch event and indeed the making of the album, the debut Mr Rascal album 'A Pocketful of Smoke' is not merely an experiment in local collaboration. The album features 10 very genuine and personal stories; some playful, others painful, weaved together by underlying themes of loss and generational change. The sonic possibility of each song is fleshed out in intricate yet subtle arrangements of instruments and production.
www.myspace.com/misterrascal |
|
 |
WINTERPARK | SATURDAY 22/11/08
Informed by years of playing in DIY punk bands, producing electronic music, writing music for independent films, and teaching kids to play rock music, Matt Ridgway, delved into a new collaborative studio project with Perth singer Jordy Hewitt in 2005. The result was Winterpark, a mix of emotive indie-pop-tronics and lush sonic ambience.
"****[4 Stars] a wonderful blend of eclectic influences" Rolling Stone
"…this is very much an album of the imagination, to warm the heart" Time Off
"A delightful debut album offering from Winterpark" 3D World
"…intimate and gorgeous moments on this album…" In The Mix
Throughout 2006 and 2007, The Winterpark live act evolved to become a sonic mashup of broken and glitchy beats juxtaposed by lush harmonies and indie guitar styling, With Jordy on Vocals and Keyboards, and Matt on live laptop loops and visuals, vocals and guitar.
Winter 2007 saw Winterpark's music being used in the release of a Japanese feature film called 'Academy', and a NYC short film called 'Centre of the Universe'.
Spring 2007 took Winterpark onto the world stage, with a tour that saw the band take their show to New York, London, Berlin, Prague, Paris, Tokyo, Helsinki and Reykjavik at Iceland's Airwaves festival. The band also shot a clip for one of their soon to be released singles 'Wall Kids', which has already been played on radio as part of Triple J Unearthed.
Supported by Rational Academy
www.myspace.com/winterpark |
|
 |
SUPER FUN HAPPY BAND | SATURDAY 22/11/08
SFHB! are three 19 year old guys from Melbourne, Australia.
In December 2007, the group won a nation wide competition run by youth radio station Triple J. The prize was a spot on the line up of the 07' Falls Festival held in Lorne, Victoria. Around this time they also acquired significant rotation on the radio station. SFHB! Shared the bill with bands such as Kings of Leon, New Young Pony Club, Groove Armarda, Midnight Juggernauts, The Cops, Operator Please, Cut off your Hands, Lior and Gotye.
After such a whirlwind end to the year, SFHB! took the first few weeks of 2008 as a break from live shows. They did however, continue to write new material; crafting tight beats, mad synth lines and awesome melodies in the basement of Tim's Parent's house. They turned the front room of their suburban apartment into a practice studio and only left for sushi, spud bar and cigarettes.
In the first few days of August, they went into the studio with Neil Thomason (My Disco, Love of Diagrams ) to record a single and a B side.
www.myspace.com/sfhbmusic |
|
|