THE MESSTHETICS

The last time drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally were in a band together, they were the rhythmic architects for Fugazi, an organization whose decade and a half of disciplined progressivism provided a necessary bridge between the zenith of late-punk expression and everything alternative in rock that followed. In 2016, the two were enlisted by guitarist Anthony Pirog in a conspiracy to subvert and reimagine the power trio, bringing fully into the 21st Century a form that may have reached near perfection with Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys on the very first day of the 1970s.

“The freewheeling musical interplay of the band often sounded like improvisation, but ultra-quick changes and rhythmic variations attested to the fact that this incredibly complex sonic tapestry was both scripted and obsessively rehearsed.” – Riff Magazine 2019

This will be the first visit to our shores for the Fugazi rhythm section since that band’s final Australian tour of 2003 while for jazz-trained guitarist Pirog it will be his first. The tour follows the release of the trios eponymous debut album (Dischord) in March 2018 and new album Anthropocosmic Nest due in September.

Sunday 27th October Hobart, The Altar. On-sale Wednesday 21st August https://feelpresents.oztix.com.au/

THE MARK OF CAIN


The Mark Of Cain return to the stage this October performing their debut album Battlesick in its entirety. 

Originally released in 1989 via indie Adelaide label Dominator Battlesick sounded like no Australian album before it or since. Tracks like Wake Up, Dead Man’s Mail, The Setback, Call in Anger and the title track addressed the fear of dreams, the threat of death, anger over disappointment and personal setbacks; not exactly the subject matter of an era when Kylie Minogue was queen and Ratcat were primed to become the pinnacle of the underground. It did not chart and in Australia it was barely heard outside of Adelaide however, it’s resonance did find an audience even if that audience had to come from places farer rather than near. 

“Like I heard the song Wake Up and I was like ‘whooah’, I woke up! And then I heard the song Battlesick and it was all over for me, that’s just an amazing song. For me, just as a songwriter, that’s the song for which you wish you wrote the lyrics. Like ‘damn man, he wrote Battlesick, that fucker. Let me write that. I mean the imagery in the song is amazing and Deadman’s Mail, that’s just incredible” – Henry Rollins

“It was the height of my fixation on Vietnam and the idea of the countless unknown heroes who walk among us” – John Scott (TMOC)

The precision three piece which features brothers John & Kim Scott (on guitar and bass respectively) plus drummer Eli Green (a touring member of The Mark Of Cain since 2014) will also a perform a second set or extended ‘encore’ of classics from right across their five studio albums strong career. The 2019 tour marks the first national tour by The Mark Of Cain band since 2015.

“With no frills and an attitude of absolutely zero bullshit, The Mark Of Cain mercilessly pummelled the audience into submission with a wall of sound so dense it was truly hard to believe it was emanating from a three-piece band.” – Scenestar 2015

Completing the touring line-up and making their Australian debut will be Washington DC three piece The Messthetics featuring Brendan Canty and Joe Lally (both ex-Fugazi) alongside guitarist Anthony Pirog. This will be the first visit to our shores for the Fugazi rhythm section since that band’s final Australian tour of 1997 while for jazz-trained guitarist Pirog, it will be his first. The tour follows the release of the trios eponymous debut album (Dischord) in March 2018

“The freewheeling musical interplay of the band often sounded like improvisation, but ultra-quick changes and rhythmic variations attested to the fact that this incredibly complex sonic tapestry was both scripted and obsessively rehearsed.” – Riff Magazine 2019

Together The Mark Of Cain and The Messthetics makes for the hard rock thinking mans most essential live event of the coming months – or ever!

ED KUEPPER


NEW AND OLD DREAMS (UNEDITED / UNHINGED)

In addition to his just announced shows with The Aints! Ed Kuepper will also take to the road for a series of regional dates as he starts preparing material for a new solo album.

“I’m hitting the road again this September debuting a swag of new material which will hopefully see light of day on my planned next solo album ”Electricity, the High Priest of all Security” plus pulling apart some familiar and some not so familiar tunes from my past catalogue to see what makes it all tick… I’m looking forward to it. Hope to see you there.”

Former ARIA award winner, Saint, Laughing Clown and owner of some fifty + albums bearing his name Kuepper will take in first time appearances at Red Hill and Old Bar as well the less frequented Castlemaine, Bellingen, Katoomba and more.

Tickets for all shows on-sale now.

THE AINTS!

The Aints! comprise Ed Kuepper, Peter Oxley, Paul Larsen Loughhead, Alister Spence & Eamon Dilworth. 

Formed in 2017 The Aints! original brief was to recreate the sound and energy of The Saints, the band co-founded by Kuepper in 1973, as they celebrated 40 years since the release of that band’s groundbreaking debut (I’m) Stranded in 1977. With such talent at play though, it wasn’t long before this inspired five piece created material of their own. An album The Church of Simultaneous Existence, comprised entirely of Kuepper originals written in the period 1969-1978, was was released internationally to much fanfare and was a hit with fans and critics alike.

“…it’s like manna from heaven to anyone who’s worn smooth The Saints three Harvest albums” **** Mojo

“It blisters. It belts. Man its so damned good.” – 8/10 Classic Rock

“For songs that range from almost 40-50 years old, they sound timeless.” – Baltimore Out Loud

5-6-7-8-9 (the name taking it’s cue from The Saints’ 1977 4-track ep release 1-2-3-4) is the next release from The Aints! A 5-track mini-LP comprising alternate versions of album tracks Goodnight Ladies (single edit) and Country Song in G (acoustic) plus reworked versions of tracks from Kuepper’s 50 albums strong catalogue including Memories Are Made Of This (The Saints, 1978) Laughing Clowns (Laughing Clowns, 1980) and Hang Jean Lee (Ed Kuepper & The Kowalski Collective, 2007).

Lead track Goodnight Ladies (I Hear A Sound Without), with it’s glam-stomp and bubblegum-brass, is the oldest track Kuepper has ever committed to disc with its origins acting back to 1969 when Ed was still a schoolboy, continuing it’s development up to 1973 and finally reaching completion in 2017.

Laughing Clowns meanwhile, was the final song Ed ever wrote for the original Saints; presented to singer Chris Bailey back in 1978 but passed over leading to the band calling it quits that year. Kuepper would then appropriate ‘Laughing Clowns’ as a band name and a new sound for his immediate post-Saints outfit, but it is presented here closer to it’s original form.

To celebrate the imminent release of 5-6-7-8-9 The Aints! will hit the road for shows both city and regional. For select shows The Aints! will perform two sets will others will feature Kuepper under the non de plume Colonel Kramer appearing in duo mode with The Aints! brass arranger Eamon Dilworth and his One Man Brass Ensemble.

Tickets for all shows on-sale Wednesday April 10th.

5-6-7-8-9 will be released Friday June 14th on CD, digital and vinyl via ABC Music.

DIRTY THREE

For the first time in their celebrated three decade career, Melbourne instrumentalists the Dirty Three will perform their self-titled 1994 debut album in its glorious entirety, at a very special one-off show in the epic Concert Hall.

Exploding onto the local scene in the early 1990s, violin player and multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, guitarist Mick Turner, and drummer Jim White established a reputation for their fiercely original, shapeshifting arrangements that mixed cacophonous feedback, soaring melodies and unusual instrumentation, captured in their seminal Dirty Three record with tracks like the propulsive opener “Indian Love Song” and yearning, pastoral “Kim’s Dirt”.

Join Dirty Three for one of their notoriously combustible live shows. Experience White’s spectacular drumming, Turner’s perfectly modulated guitar, and Ellis’s virtuoso violin freak-outs, often accompanied by the latter’s surreal stage banter and strange tales.

STOP PRESS: Warren Ellis will be ‘In Conversation’ with Double J‘s Zan Rowe June 15th at Hobart Town Hall. Details to the right.

J MASCIS

Its J Mascis live, what more do you need to know? 

The frontman for Dinosaur Jr has just released Elastic Days, his fourth solo studio album and third for legendary indie label Subpop. Its his first solo release since Tied To A Star in 2014.

“[Elastic Days is] an indie rock fundamentalists tour of how it’s done. “It” being defined as writing the best folksy, electric and acoustic guitar tinged songs this side of rock music.” – Alternative Nation

Mascis played all the instruments on the album which also features guest appearances from Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession) and Mark Mulcahy (Miracle Legion) and Zoe Randell of Aussies Luluc.

The video for the albums title track, the title track, features the tragic comedy of cabaret comedian Dina Martina. Says J of the video “I’ve been a big Dina Martina fan for a long time. I’ve seen her perform many times over the years. I’m glad that I got her to do this video before she becomes an untouchable superstar. I am amazed at how the video came out, I’m so psyched.”

On tour Mascis plays an acoustic guitar plugged into an amp with his usual main boggling array of pedals and effects. Its still loud.

“… big alternative hits like a stripped back ‘Get Me’ proved favourites, with Mascis’ liberal use of effect pedals and looping providing a deceptive full-band sound at times.” – Scenestar Sydney review.

J Mascis tours Australia this March playing Adelaide Festival, The Farmer & The Owl Festival, Brunswick Music Festival and a whole bunch off headline dates. 

It’s J Mascis live. What more do you need to know?