Red Light District...

Note: This Blog was not posted on Sunday, but in fact Monday at 12.20pm.



Review of Little Red Light at the Alley and Jeremy’s:



Ok, so I reviewed the LRL gig at The Alley Bar on the 18th of May…but as there were some technical issues (i.e. the inability to hear Jono’s backing vocals until halfway through the set) and some stolen cymbals (?), I thought that holding off the review process until the next gig might be better for both parties involved.



Venue: Jeremy’s House Party and Birthday Celebrations

When: Friday 1st June

I finish work, catch two trains and walk up quite possibly the largest hill in Newmarket following the sounds of club music juxtaposed against suburbia. I arrive, crack open a G&T, greet/meet the birthday boy, say hi to the few people that I actually know and head downstairs to a laser and smoke filled room. The DJs finishing up and I’m sitting on a couch squished between Luke (aka La-Shondra Jones), Erin (Dave’s - the bassist and vocalist’s - girlfriend) and Hannah. The guys start to sound check and the room slowly fills. Boys in tight jeans and dirty cons, followed by girls in sundresses and tights, are lured to the amp-ed twang of strings and the steady drum beat like moths to a flame.


As I look around the room from my vantage point I realise just how important having the right ‘look’ is in the realm of Indie. After reading Ryan Hibbett’s article “What Is Indie Rock?”, I found that I too could begin to pick those “faking it”. In analysing the website soyouwanna.com, particularly www.soyouwanna.com/site/minis/mini/indierockmini/indierockmini1.html, Hibbett claimed that, “…the goal, as presented, is not to ‘be’ an Indie rock expert, but to “fake it”, with the site positioning viewers to wash your hair less, dress in something that could be found in a thrift store but that actually cost a lot of money and to lose a car that ‘nice’. These ideas and sites directly contrast with the level of authenticity that true Indie musicians strive towards. Hibbett also notes that Indie music is about independence from the mainstream, stating that “the very name ‘indie’ denotes a more concerted effort to separate the ‘good’ from the ‘popular’ – to be not just an ‘alternative to’, but ‘independent of’” (58).


Another academic in the field of music, and important in scene and locality, is Sara Cohen. In her article, “Identity, Place and the ‘Liverpool Sound’”, she reasons that by linking particular artists with particular places, this identifies them with their roots and thus presents them as real people embodying artistic integrity and honesty rather than stars representing an unreal world of glamour and marketing strategies. This pretty much sums up the boys from Little Red Light, as Brisbane is such an important part of who they are and what their band represents.


I’ve heard them play many times over the last year so I don’t have to pay too much attention to the lyrics, yet I’m still surprised when Jono introduces a cowbell halfway through ‘Confetti’ and when the boys break out some surf sounds in the middle of ‘The Operator’. As usual ‘Meet Me In The Corner’ goes down well…with people unconsciously bopping throughout the room, drinks in hand and smiles plastered on faces - a rarity amongst this predominantly indie crowd.


A friend of the band (Alex) adds vocals and bass - whether he remembers or not is questionable - to ‘Monologues..’ and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Drunken shout-outs from La Shondra Jones are considered normal, even the obscure but stereotypical stand-out “I want to have your babies, Jono” doesn’t raise any eyebrows. No one sets out to maliciously judge those invading this space with altered appearances, choices in sexuality and religious beliefs different to their own, but it does happen.


The band will later go on to jam with friends, such as Alex and Dan, until the wee hours of the morning when the police will come to close the party down. All in all, the party provided an awesome atmosphere embracing varying stereotypes and subcultures; French exchange students, musicians, indie uni kids, those not yet out of high school, people you haven’t seen since Primary School so many, many years ago - collective friends from all walks of life. As I get into the cab home at 2.30am the scene re-enters my head of me watching the band and fellow fans, and new friends to the band, as the music washes over them, each taking something different away from the night. In reflection of the whole it was a good night out, both ethnographically and socially speaking. And I can’t wait to do it all again after this rotten exam block is over.

The Alley Gig Set List On A Beer Coaster

Set from Friday night:

New Country Song
Off The Ground
Confetti
The Operator
Meet Me In The Corner
Monologues of Winston Jr.

Sources:

Cohen, Sara, (1994), ‘Identity, place and the “Liverpool Sound”’, in Stokes, Martin (ed), Ethnicity, Identity and Music: The Musical Construction of Place, Berg, Oxford, p. 117 - 134.

Hibbett, R, (2005), ‘What is Indie Rock?’, Popular Music and Society, 28.1, p.55-77.


Note again that this blog was actually posted on Monday 4th June at 12.20pm, but as the site is based in the US, it came up with a Sunday date and time.

Just Because

Kings of Leon Album Review: Because Of The Times

So they release their debut album ‘Youth and Young Manhood’ and Kings of Leon are instantly pigeonholed as Southern Indie-rock boys - the world has them sussed. Then ‘Aha Shake Heartbreak’ follows and no one knows what to think - a post-fame hangover if you will. A couple of listens through later and you’re hooked…again. KOL’s latest release, ‘Because of the Times’ shows that the Followill’s adaptability and earnest experimentation is paying off. The album feels bigger, vibrant soundscapes and hooks that keep you coming back for more. They manipulate a sense of mystery through contemporary topics - including one that is continuous across all albums; women - and layering, in order to create a fuller and richer sound. The atmosphere they engineer is constantly changing, from the haunting ‘Knocked Up’ to the brooding and Pixie-esque basslines of ‘Charmer’, the menacing ‘My Party’ to the yearning ‘True Love Way’, the utterly ambitious ‘Arizona’ to the anthemic ‘On Call’. Their bonds have tightened, their family ties stronger than ever before producing a confidence that will send these Indie boys to heights unimaginable. Nathan Followill, the eldest sibling and drummer, comments on the pressure to produce albums after such increased initial success, saying that,

You can’t get caught up in that whole ‘You have your whole life to make your first record, you have three months to make your second, and your third is gonna make or break you’.

Due to their sincerity and courageous vision, this KOL album certainly won’t break them and is quite possibly their best yet.

Review of V Festival: Oh My Golly

Although the event occurred two whole months ago, it’s taken me that long to realise just how important to my studies on scenes and locality and just how much information the V festival provided. Held on the Gold Coast at Avica Resort on the 1st of April and at Centennial Park in Sydney on the 31st of March, this festival left no audiophile disappointed.

As the virgin Virgin Festival in Australia - the festival is part of an international expansion of V festival by owner and entrepreneur Richard Branson - it proved to be a highly successful and popular day. With a line-up of artists including Jarvis Cocker, Beck, Groove Armada, Phoenix, The Pet Shop Boys, Gnarls Barkley, New Young Pony Club, and the band that I went to see, the newly reformed Pixies, there proved to be something for everyone.

How can so many varying artists work so effectively within the one venue I don’t know, but what I do know is that it worked. I discovered talent in bands as varied as Nouvelle Vague - who expertly covered Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart” - and Groove Armada - where I danced the night away in a sea of boozy boys and drunken girls. I flitted between the stages before securing a prime position three people back and dead centre for the main event. The Pixies. Although the only interaction between the band came in the closing of the set, where they bid each other goodnight, “G’dnight Charles…” “G’night Kim…” etc., the preceding 90 minute set was pure indie-rock bliss, with the crowd raising their voices for every obscure song. Although slightly aged since they first formed some twenty odd years ago, this only enforced the age old saying ‘that with age comes…experience’. It started to rain about halfway through the set, a set containing lyrical content relating to the abstracts of mutilation, debasement, lost minds and gouged eyes in settings both surreal and biblical, but this didn‘t stop anyone. Frank Black screamed while Kim Deal grinned manically and everyone shouted for more. Their first Australian show ever was a success, with the band who famously inspired Nirvana - and wrote the 90s rock rulebook - ruling supreme over the currently popular Emo trends. The Pixies - as ever - delivered unadorned note-perfect versions of their albums. And it killed….before I passed out.

The Pixies - Live at V Fest

As far as the facilities were concerned, there was an abundance of toilets, which meant minimal lines and quick relief. The drinks system on the other hand was a total farce in that you had to line to get tickets and then line again to actually get the drinks. I swear I was in line for about 45 minutes which meant I missed most of Phoenix, however I did get to see Beck and New Young Pony Club so all was good. Whether positive or negative, the lack of security was noticeable everywhere except the beer tents. The merch tent was well set up with cash and card options and there was a fairly good array of food to choose from. All in all a good day/night out and I can’t wait for V Fest ‘08, in the meantime there’s always Splendour to look forward to!

Sophie chats to LRL about locality and the Brisbane scene

I sat down with Jono Kirkham (drummer and percussion man) and Zachary Rush (lead guitarist) of Little Red Light to talk about the music industry, locality, “spyspace” and the Brisbane independent scene.

Zac - Dave - Jono

Soph: Thanks for doing this guys. You’ve really helped me out.
Zac: No problem Soph…but you totally owe me.
Soph: Great {sarcastic tone}. OK, let’s start by defining the genre of your band. What best describes your sound?
Zac: Rock/Funk/Alternative
Jono: Rock

Soph: Right, now as musicians do you feel isolated living in Brisbane?
Jono: Yes, but not entirely. There are not enough places to play in the Brissy scene and although we have been rated in the top 5 musical cities I can’t see how a band can get themselves out there without having to move to Melbourne or overseas.
Zac: Yes definitely there is nowhere to hide and there are only very few good venues.

Soph: So, many people claim that, in regard to Brisbane music, it’s not what you know (i.e. actual talent) but rather who you know. How true do you think this is? And, as an aside, how important is networking?
Jono: Myspace has helped us with getting gigs, so I guess networking is important but if your not talented, you won’t go anywhere cause people won’t want to hear you.
Zac: I agree, networking is very important in the Brisbane music scene because it's hard to get your stuff out there, so it is good to know people.

www.myspace.com/littleredlight

Soph: How easy is it to get studio time and is it expensive? How do you finance your band?
Zac: Studio time is not that hard to find around Brisbane although it can definitely prove to be expensive! The normal rate for a "middle class" studio is about $75 per hour. At the moment our band has a money jar in a secret place!!! Although we are planning to open a shared bank account very soon.
Jono: Yeah it is expensive but there are grants that are available which are quite handy – that’s if you get one.

Soph: Do you and your band want to get signed to a label (big four or independent) or are you satisfied with indie (in terms of independence) status?
Zac: Being independent can a be a good and a bad thing! I think we would like to get signed to a label but then not feel like we have to serve them all the time.
Jono: Yeah, a label would be amazing but I would be too afraid that they would tell us how to write our songs – and I would tell them to fuck off. Indie is good but you have to do so much work.

Soph: Is there a definable Brisbane sound?
Jono: Well, shitty indie Ric’s bands that sound like The Grate’s are getting pretty big here.
Zac: There are very few different sounds in Brisbane! Most of the music in Brisbane is solo artists with the same strummy songs you have heard a million times before, it really stands out to find some good original music in Brisbane.

Soph: Describe a typical day for you?
Jono: What do you mean, like music wise?
Soph: Yeah, but other things you do as well like part-time/full-time work, uni, etc.
Jono: Study at uni then one band rehearsal a week and play one or two shows on the weekend, either with Little Red Light or other projects.
Zac: I have a day job building hotel rooms! So obviously there is minimal money in the Brisbane music scene!

Soph: How has new media, such as P2P, MP3s, spyspace etc and general advancements in technology helped or hindered your band?
Jono: Helped! The more people that hear our stuff the better – internet and MP3 sharing has allowed us to expand our fan base a lot more cause people all over the world can hear our songs with the click of the button.
Zac: Yeah well it has definitely helped, especially "Myspace" where we get about 50% of our shows from bands in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. And it is also good just to have your music being shared with strangers around the world.

Soph: What are the Brisvegas labels like? Do people actually scout at gigs like in Sydney or Melbourne?
Zac: I think the labels here are lazy yet they don't realize that there is nothing going on in Brisbane. I imagine they would set up there own shows (small festivals) to continue their labels.
Jono: Not sure if people scout – there would be a few. If bands start getting rave gig reviews and heaps of people coming to their shows constantly – a record company would usually send a scout to see what the fuss is all about.

Soph: Define the Brisbane live scene for me. Are there any venues/spaces/scenes that stand out?
Zac: I think the best venue in Brisbane for local bands is definitely THE GLOBE THEATRE because it's such a huge space and it feels very inviting. Other good venues include THE TROUBADOR, RICS and THE JUDITH WRIGHT CENTRE.
Jono: Troubador and Globe have great sound and is great for local bands to play – the Zoo is the biggest place for local – underground bands. The Tivoli is for the bigger bands and Brisbane Entertainment Centre is for massive bands.

At The Globe

Soph: Any interesting stories relating to a gig gone bad or some funny anecdote (bearing in mind the total irrelevance of this question)?
Zac: Hmmmmmmm.....I think the funniest thing to me is when we had a show a Toowoomba (funny already) and we were an hour late and burning down the highway and then getting a speeding ticket! So we get to the gig and no one is there at all!!!! So it comes time to play and there is a total of 6 people in the room!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! So we get paid and then rent a room in this shitty pub hotel where we continue to get very drunk and go running round Toowoomba on the freezing cold yelling naughty things at traffic! HA!
Jono: An old guy kept buying me shots of whisky because he liked our music – he then kept playing air guitar and bashing into everyone who was watching. It was sooo funny.

Soph: How good are venues for booking varying bands or bands in general?
Jono: Most venues are very stand-offish as they probably get a lot of lame bands asking for shows. If you are confident and know what you’re doing and how to run a show – too easy.
Zac: A lot of the time we don't set up our show's we usually get an E-mail or a phone call making the offer.

Soph: How very proactive of you. Any particular local places popular with your band?
Jono: The Globe – The Troubador – The Alley.
Zac: Hmmmm. Rics, or maybe The Alley.
Soph: Really? Is that so you guys can come and visit me?*
Zac: HAHAHAHA!!!
* The interviewer works at the shity bowling alley next door

Soph: How reliant are you on having a solid support base in friends and family? i.e. helping with transport, carrying your shit around, putting up with you?
Jono: Nobody helps drummers with their gear so on the odd occasion they help. Not to reliant in that sense. But support of our friends who come to watch us play, yes we rely on that heavily. Zac: hmmmmm. well I’m the only one in ma band that doesn't drive YET! So I rely on the guys for that! Other than that I think we are very independent and help each other.

Soph: How much faith do you have in the music industry as a whole, bearing in mind the analogy that signing to a major is much like doing a deal with the devil?
Jono: It’s a very hard business and you have to know your rights and I think it’s a must to read through every contract before you sign it.
Zac: It really depends on what you want to do with your life. If you want to make it big, do local shows, independency, or have a day job. I think there are some record labels that very well may be from the "devil" but there must be some good ones out there!!!

Soph: How do you market your band? For example, the CD is set to be virtually distinct within the next half decade, how will you go about releasing your music, if still together, when this time comes?
Jono: Releasing it online would be an option – but I think CDs will always sell no matter what. Nothing beats buying a brand new CD and getting to read the booklet.
Soph: I completely agree, I love that brand new CD feel.
Zac: The way we are going to release our EP is going to be fully independent so we've had to work hard to make the money to make it! It is a very large commitment, so we'll hold a show as the “EP release” and have one or two bands support us.

Soph: How did you get started in the music industry?
Jono: Playing guitar and then seeing live bands and seeing how much people on stage loved it. I wanted to do it.
Zac: I started to learn about the music industry since I was a kid due to both my parents and my step father all being full time musicians. I really started learning about it in my first band called "Cindy and The Croquet Players" when I was about 13yrs old venturing into all sorts of pubs and clubs doing shows! (with a supervisor) hahaha

Soph: How important is street press in enhancing your band’s reputation as musicians, or in general?
Jono: In terms of the local scene knowing who u r is very important. Nobody will come and see u if they don’t know who u r. and if people don’t come to your shows, then venues won’t book you. Street press is very important.
Zac: How important is street press in enhancing you band’s/your own reputation as a musician, or in general? It’s definitely an essential in the Brisbane music scene! magazines like Rave, Timeoff, Scene, Tsunami etc.

Soph: You guys played at the Make Poverty History gig in Brisbane last year, an awesome cause,

Hypothetically speaking, would you turn down an extremely well paid gig, that would positively increase your exposure, if it supported an idea or belief that you were ethically or morally against?
Jono: I would play at it and on stage say how much I was against the gig and that everybody should leave. I would win both ways as I would be taking their money and publicize negative things about them.
Zac: Hmmmm. tough call i don't think we would do an immoral show just because it paid well! I would say no!

Soph: Any pre-gig rituals?
Jono: Stretch. Drink 2 beers. Group hug. Go for it.
Zac: Couple of beers and a band hug!

Soph: Ohh how cute! Man-hugging....So do you think that there's a local scene, and how important is locality?
Jono: Yes there is a local scene. It’s very important as it helps make you sound cooler when you’re on tour. “Yeahhhhhh I'm from Brisbane on tour – oh cool man wow”. Etc.
Zac: There is no local music exactly where I live, i.e. the suburbs, you have to go closer to the city, and the valley is definitely the hot spot! Although if you were in Melbourne you could find great local music in the suburbs!!!! WHAT A RIP OFF!!!

Thanks so much guys. I hope you didn't find this whole experience too traumatic. Jono, i'll be sure to be "Roadie Soph" and carry your drum gear at the next show. And Zac...i'm afraid it's you who owes me buddy.

Not another indie band...

...So they're everywhere!

Brisbane seems to have been inundated with indie bands lately. A thought that wakes me in the night in a cold sweat. For where will they all go and just how many will drift away from our fair city?

Although this blog is not a research blog - they're coming i swear - i was reminded tonight of a Mod party that i graced with my presence a few weeks back. The alcohol flowed and the music cranked, very casual with an unusual mix of subcultures all conforming to the Mod style for this one evening. I got chatting to a guy in a band, that i now can't recall the name of, about scenes and Brisbane and surprisingly this assignment. He, in all his wisdom, maintained that the idea of scene itself was cyclic in nature, "Scene: Necessity or Ineccessity." And i quite agree with him. You need to be involved in your desired scene to get a foot in the door, but the level of your commitment to the specific scene does not always guarantee the same level of success.

In summation, the party was good, to be in a indie band you must be prepared for knockback after knockback, and scenes continually vary as they cannot always be defined by the subcultures that frequent them.

Ok, so as the deadline for this blog posting task nears i figure i should actually start posting...

Introduction:
I am currently at work, Milton Tenpin Bowl - not "the alley" just the bowling part, listening to Shannon Knoll and chumbawumba - by force i swear to God! I have made three birthday announcements and listened to Happy Birthday way too many times to remember and its only 10.30pm. I've dealt with drunks, shitheads on various lanes and those who, simply put, can't hold their liquor and as a result shouldn't have come bowling tonight. I've pulled rank and sworn my head off (so very ladylike), and we've had a loser drop a bowling ball down a toilet, so i've been in the mens on my hands and knees - in a skirt - trying to reason why and if i should come back to work tomorrow at 8 am. AND PEOPLE JUST TRIED TO DO A RUNNER WITH THE DIRTY SMELLY 15 YEAR OLD BOWLING SHOES!!! I should probably try and get on topic...my essay topic.

I chose to do scene and the subculture of indie. It helps that many of my friends are in Brisbane bands of varying success (and talent), and if not in a band they support other local talent by turning up to shows, helping transport, being the only person cheering in a pub full of bikers, lugging amps etc etc etc

For all the crap that i deal with at work, tonight, talking to Andy on the door about the industries - both media and music, makes it partially worth it. Although a litttle tipsy, and with a few too many superman references, he effectively discussed how hard it is to get noticed in Brisbane. Using the Tall Poppy syndrome and the lack of label reps as reasons for both knock backs and success, he maintained that there was just as much talent in Brisbane as in Sydney and Melbourne, but a major lack of representation. As a result, and in his words, too many bands 'die prematurely' in Brisbane.

After analysing Sara Cohen's article on the 'Liverpool Sound', as part of my tute participation last week, the idea of a space or scene have a varied use was discussed - for example, the alley has gangster rapper wannabes one weekend, indie bands another and punks the next. So this space has a solid geographic identity - in that it can't move or be moved, but maintains a changing social identity.

So the point of this blog is basically that the lure and attraction of the music industry is never truly what it seems, a wolf in sheeps clothing if you will. And for those few bands who attract the attention they need there are too many more who fall by the wayside, burnt by the industry no matter how much they are adored by their fans.