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Nick GunnFeatures
Next Phase, New Wave, or Still Rock ‘n’ Roll?Nouvelle Vague combines periods and geography in its album of covers. [1 January 1995] Boy Genius: An Interview with KwaméThe one-time boy genius is still going strong. ReviewsSplendour in the Grass Festival: 25-26 July 2009 - Byron Bay, AustrailiaWhile part of the allure is undeniably the location, Byron Bay being one of the most beautiful & culturally intriguing places in Australia, Splendour also presents a thoughtful and satisfying blend of acts, from the hysterically trendy to the endearingly retro. [10 September 2009] La Dispute + To the North: 11 July 2009 - SydneyIt seems to me that the harder the style of music the more warm and welcoming the attitude of the band. [13 August 2009] Ghostface Killah + DOME: 24 June 2009 - SydneyIt was clear that the Wu-Tang connection was what had lured most of the audience to this show. [4 August 2009] Okkervil River: 8 May 2009 - Sydney, AustraliaOne thing that Okkervil River did exceptionally well was fall apart. [15 June 2009] Future Music FestivalWhat exactly is futuristic about a music festival featuring several acts that were stalwarts of the ‘90s? [15 April 2009] Soundwave Festival 2009There was no need for me to have been afraid; as it turns out metal crowds are the most welcoming and nurturing you could hope to find surrounding any scene. [26 March 2009] José González + LulucFrom the opening note it was clear that José González was giving his all, as his guitar strings screeched, tripping over themselves to produce the notes he demanded of them. [24 February 2009] Fantômas + Serj TankianIt couldn’t have been more perfect, a match made in metal hell. Could it? [17 February 2009] Enter The Dragon with live score by Karsh Kale + MIDIval PunditzKarsh Kale and MIDIval Punditz have achieved quite a coup in managing to rebuild the soundtrack to such an iconic film without trampling on its memory, but rather enhancing and complementing it. [12 February 2009] Fuck Buttons + Dead Meadow + AfrirampoBy the end of their set I felt as though I’d spent the entire hour with my head stuck between an industrial sander and a jet engine. [5 February 2009] Adam Green + Straight ArrowsAdam Green ripped the pink leather jacket from his torso, tore it into strips and hurled them into the crowd, who grasped for it as though it were a piece of the true cross. [13 January 2009] The Rocky Horror ShowMuch as the entrance of Tim Curry in his outrageous tranny outfit defines the film version, the roof lifted off the theatre when iOTA emerged in full space-bitch garb as Frank. [5 May 2008] Iron & WineIt turns out Iron & Wine can rock out with the best of them: the force of it almost knocked me out. [21 April 2008] BeirutThere is a sense of fin de siècle in the music of Beirut, as though it is prophesying the death of an era in which American music for the most part shunned external influences. [15 April 2008] InterpolThere has been something of a demographic shift in Interpol’s audience since they last visited Sydney. Whereas 2005 saw the prevalence of post-Goth black lace and even blacker eyeliner, 2008 witnessed the long-awaited reappearance of -- dare I say it? -- grunge. [6 March 2008] Arcade Fire + SpoonAn army of roadies buzzed about the stage, assembling a clavichord here, a glockenspiel there, plus several mic stands with loudspeakers perched at the tops. Whatever we were about to see, it was obvious that it was going to be big. [31 January 2008] Spank RockEveryone in attendance had come prepared to bang on until the party juice had been drunk to the bottom of the jar. [21 January 2008] Crystal CastlesIt has been terribly fashionable for the better part of the last decade to dismiss rave culture as an ecstasy-induced fluoro nightmare that died a sad and lonely death. [11 January 2008] The Cure [2007 Rewind]PopMatters' Nick Gunn joins a mere 150 others for a semi-secret set that sees the Cure stretch their soundcheck into an intimate, hour-long experience. [2 January 2008] The CurePopMatters' Nick Gunn joins a mere 150 others for a semi-secret set that sees the Cure stretch their soundcheck into an intimate, hour-long experience. [5 September 2007] The Horrors + The Mercy ArmsI have seen the rise of the undead Mod-Goth, and it's face is a face of Horrors. [24 August 2007] Guns N’ RosesIt’s been a long, painful process that has taken more than a decade to complete, but I can finally admit it: I was a Guns N’ Roses fan. [3 July 2007] FEST FLASHBACK: Splendour in the Grass 2006 feat. Sonic Youth, Mos Def, and Yeah Yeah YeahsIs any show worth an 18 (or even 38) hour trip? With acts like Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Scissor Sisters, and Brian Wilson on the bill, PopMatters' Nick Gunn was willing to go see for himself... [7 June 2007] V Festival feat. Pixies, Beck, Nouvelle Vague, Gnarls Barkley, Jarvis Cocker, and PhoenixPopMatters' Nick Gunn takes on the crowds and craziness, to find out what happens when Virgin's V Festival pops up down under. [20 April 2007] PixiesThe world needs another positive Pixies review about as much as it needs a new airborne super-virus, so what say we focus on sentiment instead of sound? [16 April 2007] Love Is AllSludge, Syrup, and atonement for Abba. [28 March 2007] The World Famous Crackers?Calling this an interactive fireworks display is simply not adequate. It's more like an evening-long apocalypse. [9 February 2007] M. Ward + Holly ThrosbyI went to the show reluctantly, expecting to see "serious" girls staring meaningfully into the singer’s eyes. Heck, they might even shed a few tears... [24 January 2007] Mad Racket Feat. Jamie Lidell + Mad Racket DJsYep, you read right. This party went down in a bowling alley. And not the youth-oriented, ten-pin kind of bowling, either... [19 January 2007] The Dresden Dolls + The Red PaintingsThe Dresden Dolls are the kind of act that cosmetics companies dream of -- one that set rivers of hair dye and mascara flowing. [15 September 2006] Casiotone for the Painfully Alone + Clue to KaloAfter living through the great '90s electronica boom, hearing the Casiotone is like coming home after a long time away. [12 September 2006] BIG DAY OUT featuring the White Stripes, the Stooges, the Mars Volta, Franz Ferdinand, and WolfmotheOur intrepid Aussie braves the summer heat (and the Mt Everest of festival queues) to bring you the Big word from down-under. [10 February 2006] Ray LaMontagneI spent the entire show trying to make paper aeroplanes with my companion's phone number on them to fly LaMontagne's beard. There's a good reason why... [14 November 2005] Architecture in Helsinki'Most punk bands break guitars, we break woodblocks.' And how!! [30 August 2005] Cat Power + TheredsunbandThe line we're sold is 'fragile artiste struggling against overwhelming stage-fright,' but I suspect alcohol and a keen sense of drama might also factor in. [25 May 2005] The Polyphonic SpreeIf going to church was this life affirming I'd be in the front pew every week. [8 February 2005] Field Day 2005: 2ManyDJs + De La Soul + Plump DJs + Many MoreYoung, beautiful, drug-fuelled people ring in the day after yesterday. [19 January 2005] Devendra BanhartA tremolo-touting troubadour bears his Psychedelic Squid and other weapons of the willfully obtuse. [7 December 2004] The Von Bondies + The CopsThough pre-performance moshing is dismissible to hype, Yosemite Sam remains inexplicable. [9 November 2004] Splendour in the Grass 2006We drove for 18 hours, but others came from Melbourne (38 hours round trip) and Western Australia (unspeakably far away) to pay their respects to the gods of rock. [1 January 1995] |
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