New Music in Western Australia

Ambassador From Everywhere II

2008-08-13T10:59:00.002+08:00

The tireless Traianos at Muepe has done it again, with another excellent gig last Sunday night at the Velvet Lounge. Unfortunately, because I had to do the program that night, I missed the main event, which was the duo ii, from Melbourne. Sam, from the Ambient Zone, tells me they were awesome. I did get to see the contributions from Matt Roesner and Greg Taw (Ghost of 29 Megacycles) playing together in what I am told is a regular new collaboration, and Adam Trainer. Matt and Greg work well together, processing acoustic sounds generated from guitar and percussion. Adam Trainer's set seemed to suffer a bit from lack of balance. I was not sure what effect he was trying to achieve, at times, using acoustic guitar, voice, and various effects.

Since the Velvet Lounge is right across the road from RTR, I'm going to check out the feasibility of doing live crosses to these Sunday night gigs. This is for purely selfish motives, because then I won't have to miss out on the main act when I'm doing the program! The only thing that marred the evening was the rather noisy crowd. It is really distracting, even when it is quite a loud gig, to have people trying to out-shout the music. Folks, if you just want to party, go to the Scotto next door, and let people hear the music.

Also had a quick chat with Dave Miller, of Pivot fame, who did a DJ set on the night. Good to see his outfit is doing so well in the UK. I missed Pivot's gig at the Bakery the night before, but, again, Sam from the Ambient Zone said it was great.

Liquid Architecture

2008-07-27T11:31:00.002+08:00

A large and a appreciative audience witnessed an evening of first-class electronica last night at the Hellenic Club, in Club Zho 81, organised by Tura New Music. The evening was part of the national Liquid Architecture festival. This is the first time a Perth event has been an official part of the festival, although festival artists have appeared in Perth during past years. Let's hope it's not the last time.

The four acts on the bill were from France, Victoria and Western Australia. Nat, from Victoria was the standout performance for me, with his rich but subtle soundscapes spanning multiple timbres and frequencies. Cédric Peyronnet, aka Toy Bizarre, is from France. His laptop dark ambience was very slick and competently done, but kind of lacked an edge. I'm not sure we have to bring someone all the way from France to do that sort of thing. Jacques Sodell, from Bendigo whose work has been featured on Difficult Listening a few times, is a specialist in jagged, glitchy sounds, sometimes at the very edge of audibility, other times totally in your face. The evening was rounded out with a duo of Cat Hope and Chris Cobilis - the first time I have seen these two performing together. Cat's infrasonics were awesome as usual, while Chris, at the top end, experimented with the effect of moving furniture on sounds pick-ups. I was so looking forward to seeing, and hearing, the whole shebang crash to the floor!

Had a chat with Jacques Sodell afterwards. Until recently, he hosted a show similar to Difficult Listening on 3CCC FM, in central Victoria. I thought I was a veteran, but his show ran for 23 years! He told me an all-too-familiar tale of woe about the station being hijacked by footballers and request shows, and the specialist music presenters being increasingly marginalised. I said there was very little likelihood of that happening to RTR FM, and he replied that until only a couple of years ago, he thought the same was true of his station. More reason to support the RTR FM Radiothon this year, folks!

More unfortunate news is that Tura has cancelled the rest of its events this year to concentrate on regional arts projects. There will only be one more Tura concert in Perth for the rest of this year, despite the fact that the organisation recently landed a juicy sponsorship deal with a petroleum company. It's a real pity, because Club Zho has become a very valuable listening experience, giving opportunities for both audiences and new performers. Luckily, some other organisations have begun taking up the slack (see Meupe announcement below). We need a regular new music gig in Perth, so anyone who puts in the effort will have my support.

The Ambassador From Everywhere 2

2008-07-24T10:35:00.002+08:00

Here's an interesting gig being put on by the folks at Meupe:

ii (MELB)

ii is the preserve of Alex Nosek and Jon Tjhia, collaborators of over seven years and three bands. Having established themselves with their experimental guitar tactics and largely improvised, dismantled pop, ii's current methodology adds modular synth processing, rudimentary electronics, computer manipulation and field recording to create full, tactile sound worlds.

Joining ii will be very special guest Dave Miller of Pivot (Warp), M. Rösner (Apestaarje, room40), Adam Trainer, At Waugh With Gieles and Meupe's own Traianos Pakioufakis (DJ set). Just like aesoteric old times at the Velvet Lounge in Mt Lawley.

Sunday August 10
Velvet Lounge, Mt Lawley
6pm / $10

+ Dave Miller (Pivot/Warp [DJ set])
+ M. Rösner (Apestaarje, room40)
+ At Waugh With Gieles (Farmer Frontier / Meupe)
+ Traianos Pakioufakis (Meupe / DJ)
+ Adam Trainer

Should be able to get to this one since it's in my neck of the woods. I'll be able to go straight across the road to RTR and talk about it on air.

Label Launch

2008-07-20T09:18:00.004+08:00

Last Thursday night's gig at the Bakery was a chance to see some performers I have not seen in a long while, including Steve Matzkov, with his drifting, swirling guitar drones, and Stina Thomas, with her delicate exquisite keyboard miniatures, including works for a pedal harmonium. Dominic Perisonotto eat your heart out! Chris Cobilis never ceases to surprise - he's brought vocals to centre stage in his solo act, moving away from soundscapes towards songs.
The purpose of the evening was the launch of Predrag Delibasich's vinyl album, "Bassta! Pex/Gutter Guitar", and a three-way split CD of Pex, Stina and Chris, both out on the new Heartless Robot label. All the 100 unique covers of Predrag's album were on display, and many sold on the night. The exhibition has been taken down now, but there may be a few copies left. If you want to own this LP, drop Predrag a line at predrag@iinet.net.au. CD is also available from the Heartless Robot site. Check out the restream from last week's Difficult Listening to hear some of it.

Boring?

2008-07-16T11:38:00.004+08:00

There is an interesting exchange at http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/story/0,,2289751,00.html#article_continue
rehearsing the age-old classical vs. contemporary argument. The original article is mainly a bit of sour grapes from a guy by the name of Joe Queenan, but he has a few valid points. For example, I agree that you are on a hiding to nothing if you try to include contemporary works on a program of classical works. You run the risk of alienating both audiences. Queenan is right in saying that most concert audiences are profoundly conservative, but Tom Service, in reply, argues that even the most hard-edged contemporary music has a dedicated and growing audience.
You can't please all the people all the time. Last year at the Totally Huge Festival, there was a concert featuring works by John Adams and a new trumpet concerto by Western Australian composer James Ledger. In the fine print at the bottom of the catalogue entry were the words "Also on the program are Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No.2 and Janacek’s Sinfonietta". Exactly the same concert was advertised on ABC radio as being headlined by the Beethoven and Janacek, and the radio ads did not even mention the contemporary works. It was not until I looked back at the catalogue that I even realised it was the same concert. I went along and enjoyed the John Adams and the trumpet conerto, but did not stay for the Beethoven and Janacek. I wondered whether people who came for the Beethoven and Janacek were pissed off about having to sit through the contemporary part of the program first.
There's not much more I would say on this topic that has not been canvassed on the Guardian link above. Have a look for yourself.

Bassta! Pex

2008-07-09T19:40:00.002+08:00

Noise terrorist Bassta! Pex aka Predrag Delibasich, late of the bass guitar quartet Abe Sade, will be a special guest on this week's Difficult Listening, talking about his new vinyl release, and playing live in the studio. I'm really looking forward to this one - should be one noisy night. Here's his press release about his new release:

GUTTER GUITAR/BASSTA! PEX split vinyl LP

Heartless Robot Production 001

The newly created Perth record label Heartles Robot Production is proud to present its first release – a split vinyl LP with Gutter Guitar and Bassta! Pex. Behind these two intriguing monickers is one person – Predrag Delibasich, known to most people on Perth music scene as Pex.

Pex has been playing in bands since 2001, first with Sokkol, then Soviet Valves, both of whom were deep in punk waters. In 2006 he joined local indie rockers Airport City Shuffle for just a few months. At the same time he started another two bands: Bamodi and Abe Sada (with whom he toured Japan in 2007).

In late 2005 he started doing solo bass shows as Bassta! Pex. He performed very diverse sets conisting of anything from punk to folk to noise tunes, at places equally diverse from Amplifier Bar to Regal Theatre.

In September 2007 while mucking at home with his guitar and small practice amp, Pex discovered if he pushes that small red button on the amplifier it produces the most beautiful feedback noise. He recorded such noise and Gutter Guitar was born! The song was titled “Butterfly Maiden” and Pex put it on his myspace page right away.

A couple of months later he received an offer from a new local label Heartless Robot Production for releasing his solo works on vinyl LP. After meeting with the label guys it was decided to press 100 vinyl LPs and to ask 100 local, interstate and overseas people to design one individual cover each.

The vinyl is logically split on two sides – one with guitar, the other with bass. For this album Pex has used his instruments, looping pedals, overdrive and wah-wah. The music is sometimes abstract, sometimes ambiental, and sometimes even melodic. All compositions are by Pex, except two which use motifs from a couple of songs by leading Serbian soundtrack composer Zoran Simjanovic, as well as traditional Serbian 'fatal' folk song “Imam jednu zelju” (“I've got a Wish”).

The LP is being launched on Thursday 17^th July at the Bakery, along with Gutter Guitar/Stina/Chris Cobilis 3-way split CD, also on Heartless Robot Production. All 100 covers will be exhibited prior to the launch at the Blackbox Gallery from 7pm.

Pex (as Gutter Guitar) will embark on tour of Japan and Europe from August until November this year.

Lawrence English

2008-07-07T13:37:00.001+08:00

Meupe presents

The Ambassador From Everywhere 1

featuring Lawrence English

LAWRENCE ENGLISH (Touch, room40 / QLD)

Lawrence English is a media artist, composer and critic based in Brisbane, Australia. London’s Time Out referred to his output as "ambient twisted soundscapes and challenging sonic scree", and US sound journal Signal To Noise described English’s work as "extraordinarily gorgeous modern music concréte". He has performed worldwide solo and alongside the likes of Damo Suzuki, Steinbruchel, Janek Schaefer and KK Null.

English is also boss of the excellent room40 label, which has maintained a relentless and consistent release schedule featuring the likes of Tenniscoats, M. Rösner, Oren Ambarchi, Sebastien Roux, Ben Frost, Tim Hecker and Taylor Deupree amongst many others.

Sunday July 13

Mojo's Bar, Fremantle

6pm / $15

+ M. Rösner (Apestaarje, room40)

+ Chris Cobilis (Meupe)

+ Whalehammer

More details at meupe.net

2008-07-07T11:22:00.003+08:00

Schvendes

2008-07-06T10:47:00.000+08:00

Last night was the CD launch for Schvendes, at the Bakery. What's this got to do with new music, I hear you ask? I know three members of the group - lead singer and bassist Rachel Dease, guitarist Ant Gray and cellist Tristan Parr - through their involvement with the new music scene in Perth, going back a number of years.
Schvendes began life as the Schvendes Ensemble, a chamber group brought together by Rachel Dease - then making a name for herself as a composer - to perform her lovely, brooding chamber works at various gigs, including Club Zho and the Totally Huge New Music festival. Tristan Parr was a member of that original ensemble, which over the years morphed into the popular band that is now drawing the crowds. Over a year ago, I saw Rachel's graduation recital at the WAAPA music auditorium, which brought together some of her best chamber works for string quintet. Tristan played in that concert as well. Very different in a lot of ways from what Schvendes now serves up, but also familiar, in the way in which the music reflects Rachel's complex and sometimes troubling musical persona.
Tristan also played in the Cloud Chamber Orchestra, performing works by Lindsay Vickery (see the previous post), and for last night's gig, the band was supported by an electric string quartet, featuring some other members of the Cloud Chamber Orchestra.
Ant Grey has been a tireless worker in the new music scene for years, most recently engaging in the archiving project for Tura New Music. Watch this space for more about that. He had played in numerous bands, including the unfortunately now defunct King Wasabi. One of my most cherished memories is of an almost totally impromptu gig feating Ant on guitar, Tos Mahoney on flute and Rene Raulins on bass, at the first Wogarno outback gig in 2001. Tristan and Rachel were there too.
Last night's was a great gig, notwithstanding the grungy venue and the lousy sound system. Rachel Dease's stage presence was, as always, almost overpowering, drawing in the attention of the audience. The band's new material takes some startling new directions, and I can't wait to hear the new CD in its entirety. Sometimes the sound system made the string quartet into a chorus of screaming power tools, when it should have sounded a tad more lyrical, but there is no way of obscuring the consummate musicianship of this great Perth band.
An over-capacity crowd was highly appreciative, but I think the band was a little disappointed that no encore was demanded. Perhaps, by one in the morning, everybody was a little tired and ready to go home - the concrete floors of the Bakery are fairly unforgiving, and it had been a long night. I look forward to hearing the band in a more salubrious setting, but perhaps I'm just getting a little old for this sort of thing.
Schvendes were supported by the psychedelic revival band the Shipwrecks, who were promising, but perhaps a little over-enthusiastic with the feedback, and a couple of drum and guitar bands, the Slim Pickins and Sugar Army.

Tectonic

2008-07-05T12:05:00.000+08:00

The Scale Variable concert "Tectonic" on 21 June, at the Art Gallery of Western Australia featured the music of Lindsay Vickery. Raised and trained in Western Australia, but now resident in Singapore, Lindsay has established himself as one of Australia's most inventive and erudite composers. His music, alternating between seductive and confronting, accessible and obtuse, always rigorous intellectual foundation, often referring to other art forms, particularly literature.
The evening's program spanned Vickery's career from the mid 90s to the present. A characteristic of his work is that he is always revising and updating his compositions, and a single composition might exist in several different forms, for a variety of instrumental forces. Others rely on scores that are more like playing instructions, so that each performance is completely original. Therefore, even works that I have heard many times before retain a freshness and ability to surprise.
The stand-out work of the evening for me was the title work, "Tectonic", a seething and relentless cascade of sound, featuring instruments and groups of instruments jarring and moving against each other, reflecting, as the title suggests, movement beneath the surface. I look forward to getting hold of a recording of this to share with listeners.
Mingling with the guests after the show, Lindsay seemed genuinely pleased to see everyone there, including many people he has known for years from his time in Perth. I wonder whether he is just a little homesick, despite recently having become a proud father once again. Wherever Lindsay ends up, we'll keep on claiming him as our own.