The Push Beat All Ages Column

With Ashan Munesinghe

School holiday time has just passed and I’m pretty sure I’m reverting back a few years to when I was a teen. Firstly, I’m getting unhealthily hooked on episodes of Skins – everyone I know seems to be a Freddie, Effie, Cookie, Panda, Jay-Jay or one of the other life size characters created by the British TV phenomenon. Me? I’m a Freddie. Skating around aimlessly, chasing life itself – it’s fun.

Secondly, probably more appropriately, it could be that childhood heroes, Brand New, had finally released new album Daisy (released 22nd September and unfortunately leaked way earlier) – and with no surprise it was really listenable from start to finish without any song, whether it be Daisy, Noro or Bed standing out that much. It’s a kind of theatrical kitsch in melody and that works for me. Something about the front cover, and the vulnerability and depth of the photo also just entrances me… it’s weird… really weird. AFI’s Crashlove I didn’t get so much.

In news, Aaron Barnett and Dave Anderson from past band The Getaway Plan have joined as the rhythm section in Saskia, a band led by Australian Idol contestant Amanda Grafanakis, it’s pretty lively stuff at www.myspace.com/saskiaband. The band will tour America and Europe in May next year as a part of the Australian Showcase World Tour.

Secrecy in music seems to be over, at least for now, favourite American hardcorers Blessthefall are streaming all songs from upcoming album Witness at www.myspace.com/blessthefall and Thomas Erak from sleeping giants The Fall of Troy walked Alt press through every single song off In The Unlikely Event at http://www.altpress.com/features/txtthefalloftroy (it may have become lost in the archives). Read the descriptions for Panic Attack, People And Their Lives and Nobody’s Perfect and get a laugh =).

For an honest rendition of someone’s life in tweets that doesn’t come in a million updates, Lisa Mitchell’s twitter at www.twitter.com/lisahmitchell is pretty swell. With tweets along the lines of “Has anyone lost a pretty black elephant with broken-off feet and half a trunk? I found her in the petrol station.” Such is my mental state at the moment I had to actually check out the twitpic to work out that she was talking about a toy.

Young Aussies I Explode Like, who will support 30H!3 at The Hifi later this month, have some rad new merch up on their Myspace site at http://www.myspace.com/iexplodelike.

Finally, I’m sure you’ve heard but I might as well remind you, it has been the week of Festival line-up announcements. The Big Day Out have announced their first list of bands, headed by Muse, The Temper Trap and The Horrors and Pyramid Rock has added second line-up announcements, headed by Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues, British India and Red Riders.

For the record, I’m not a fan of the way Hayley looks on the latest AP Cover, she’s way hotter than that, don’t know how many of her twitter followers would agree with me.

FACE THE MUSIC 09 Push Songs Applicants Wanted

Are you an aspiring songwriter keen to refine and improve your songwriting technique?

Would you like the opportunity to have a free one-on-one song tutorial with renowned Melbourne songwriter Charles Jenkins?

As a special addition to FACE THE MUSIC 09, October 31 at the Arts Centre, Charles Jenkins (Push Songs Director and operator) is offering three lucky attendees the opportunity to have their songs work-shopped, refined and improved in a one-on-one consultation.

Push Songs is an initiative for enthusiastic and emerging songwriters to receive expert songwriting mentoring, artist support and to extend the participant's songwriting potential. Made possible through an Arts Victoria grant and generous support from APRA and The Push, this program seeks to pass on the skills and experiences of established songwriters and to produce and refine the ideas of the next generation of writers.

Charles Jenkins is a Melbourne based songwriter, musician and performer with more than 20 years experience in the Australian Music Industry. Starting out with the rockabilly/punk outfit The Mad Turks from Istanbul through to power-pop band Ice-cream Hands, Charles is now forging a successful solo career and receiving critical acclaim for his three solo albums.

FACE THE MUSIC 09 is a one-day intensive musician’s conference, proudly presented by The Push. The aim of the day is to provide the Victorian music industry and developing musicians with a forum to discuss and elaborate on topics most pertinent to musicians such as touring, grant writing, artist development, record labels, technical production and developing a fan base.

If you are interested in participating in Push Songs at FACE THE MUSIC 09, please head to thepush.com.au and fill in an application form. Get in quick! Applications close 5pm Friday 16 October.

Event Details:
FACE THE MUSIC 09 – The Musician’s Conference
Saturday 31 October, 2009, 11am - 5pm @ the Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Featuring: Paul Dempsey, Drew Goddard (Karnivool), Charles Jenkins, Jen Cloher, Mushroom, Triple J, Shock, Rubber, Illusive, Obese, Boomtown, Premier, Soundwave, Handsome, Forrester Savell and more
Tix Limited - Bookings: theartscentre.com.au, 1300 182 183, the Arts Centre Box Office - $20 inc bf
Stay tuned to thepush.com.au, email push@thepush.com.au or call 03) 9380 1277 for updates and more info!

MEDIA ENQUIRIES, IMAGES & INTERVIEWS:
Laura Miller/ Communications Manager/ The Push :
03 9380 1277 / 0418 700 316 / laura@thepush.com.au

FACE THE MUSIC Regional Scholarships Announced!

Thanks to the State Government’s Victoria Rocks initiative FACE THE MUSIC is offering 6 regional scholarships including 3 indigenous, artists and/or artist managers, a maximum of $300 each to assist with accommodation and travel costs to attend the event.

The Victoria Rocks Regional Scholarships Program in partnership with FACE THE MUSIC will allow regionally based young emerging musicians and those hoping to secure employment behind the scenes in the music industry with the opportunity to access quality and informative education and career development opportunities from some of the State’s most high profile and established professionals.

Established and emerging musicians and music industry workers of any age are encouraged to apply for the Victoria Rocks FACE THE MUSIC 09 Scholarships.

To apply or for more information and application guidelines, head to www.thepush.com.au, email push@thepush.com.au or phone 03 9380 1277. Applications are due by 5pm Friday 9 October.

FACE THE MUSIC 09 - 1st Round Speakers Announced!

Melbourne’s only music industry conference, FACE THE MUSIC – The Musician’s Conference, Saturday 31 October at the Arts Centre is proud to announce its first round of speakers.

• Local heavyweights, Jaddan Commerford (Destroy All Lines, Boomtown Records, Staple Group), Ben Rynderman (Obese Records), and Bonnie Dalton (Minnow & Co, Manager Little Red) will be sharing their advice on setting up an indie label and developing audiences.

• Steph Hughes (Triple J Home & Hosed) and Jaymz Clements (Beat Magazine) will be bestowing first rate information on music publicity.

• Kirsty Rivers (APRA), Jonathan Williamson (Victoria Rocks) and Nick O’Byrne (AIR/JB Seed) will offer valuable knowledge on grant-writing.

• Rebecca Laubi (Arts Law Centre of Australia) will be providing great advice on contracts and your legal obligations.

• Pat Delves (Premier Artists), Dane Hunnerup (Contemporary Music Services Tasmania), Tracy Redhead (VROOM) and Sally Laver (Pan Studios) impart hot touring tips.

• Jen Cloher (Jen Cloher & The Endless Sea) and her team of personnel including Nicole Jones (Teclo) and Rob Scott (Sandcastle Records) will be using her new album Hidden Hands as a case study for promoting and marketing an indie release.

• Paul Luczak (White Sky Accountants), David Peacock (Shock Records), Mike Rogers (Rubber Records), and Nicole BZ (Association of Artist Managers) will be exploring building blocks and business models for DIY and indie artists.

• Additionally, musicians will also have the opportunity to seek song-writing advice from musician Charles Jenkins, while budding production engineers and musicians will learn about home recording and the changing role of the producer from Sibylla Stephen (The Little Stevies), Jimi Maroudas, Forrester Savell and David Carr.

Stay tuned to www.thepush.com.au for program updates!

The Push Beat All Ages Column

With Ashan Munesinghe

Never stop dreaming, even if you’ve been disillusioned by something, or someone. For instance, if you’re disillusioned because you’re driving in your car, immersing yourself in Saosin’s latest album, and some raging loser in his lowered ute cuts you off and the moments totally gone, even then, don’t stop.

Promising young Aussies Dream on, Dreamer definitely won’t, no matter who cuts them off. Their profile is growing by the day, from one scene-kid’s ear to another. DOD will soon start recording at Electric Sun studios in Sydney. There’s a studio diary available on their MySpace www.myspace.com/dreamondreamerband.

Favourite Americans The Almost and Of Mice and Men have both jumped into the recording studio. The Almost, touring Soundwave in February, are to record their second album and Of Mice to launch their careers with an EP. Never could a more deserved band get on the cover of AP Magazine, September sees hardworking hardcore giants A Day to Remember share some limelight. Minus The Bear’s fourth full-length is due in coming weeks also.

Promising young band and Tripe J Unearthed High winners, Howl, have scored a gig supporting fellow punk/indie/ever changing band Amy Meredith at their all ages Sydney gigs in October. As for right now, the band are about to enter Hot House studios in St Kilda to record their debut EP.

Two amazing Aussie bands, Bluejuice and The Jezabels start their nationwide tour next month and will be in Melbourne for an all ages at the Corner Hotel on 30 October.

Also, do you want Short Stack to play at your house? If so, hit up their website at www.shortstack.com.au/, trick is though, you have to order their single Princess off the site.

Finally, Fringe is back. Sadly for some, it was never really out since about 2004… it starts today, get down to the corner of Queensberry and Errol streets for the Melbourne Fringe Festival and some cutting edge art in all of its forms.

PS, For the record, I’m on team Taylor Swift.

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Friday 25 September
Blessed By A Brokenheart, Morning Tide, Shadows Chasing Ghosts, The Castle, Dandenong, 6pm, $23.10, Moshtix: 1300 438 849
Songwriters In The Round, Vibe on Smith Café Bar, Fitzroy

Golden Plains Shire + Inya Face, Rokewood Grassroots Games w/ Temporary Tattoos, Jukebox, Slushies, Fairy Floss, Obstacle Course, Rokewood Recreation Reserve, 11.00am, Free

Saturday 26 September
Cha Cha Sam, Northcote Town Hall (189 High Street Northcote), 10:30am, Free

Tuesday 29 September
The Foundation + Minus18, Super Heroes, featuring DJ Mark Robbo, DJ Lady G, Ashley King, Drag School, The Vault, 156 Wellington Street, Collingwood, 4pm to 10pm, $18

Nexus Youth Centre + Horsham FReeZa Committee present The Showdown
w/ The Runaways, White Trash Candy, Beck & Jane, Horsham Showgrounds (in front of Grandstand - entry via Cnr of McPherson/McBrydie Street), 8pm-11pm, $10

Friday 2 October
Iwatchedherdie (Canada) + HereAfter, The Evelyn Hotel, 8pm

FACE THE MUSIC ANNOUNCED!

The Push is proud to announce that Melbourne’s new annual music industry conference FACE THE MUSIC returns for its second year - Saturday 31 October, 2009 at the Arts Centre.

FACE THE MUSIC 09 will provide musicians and music industry professionals with a range of career development and networking opportunities in a full day of interactive panel discussions, keynote presentations, one-on-one artist development interviews and practical workshops.

This non-profit event is made possible by the contribution of a host of music industry people, including high profile artists, booking agents, publishers, record label directors, music lawyers, publicists and artist managers who are generously sharing their time and experience.

Workshop sessions will explore issues including songwriting, self-management, audience development, publishing, touring, release management and recording.

“FACE THE MUSIC provides affordable music industry information, advice and insider knowledge to people of all ages,” says FACE THE MUSIC Project Manager Andrew Kitchen.

“FACE THE MUSIC provides essential tools and skills to musicians and industry workers to give them the edge. By attending and completing assessment sheets participants can also get free accreditation towards a nationally recognised Certificate 3 or 4 music industry qualification and access further free accredited training through NMIT,” he says.

FACE THE MUSIC 09 is supported by Victoria Rocks, the Arts Centre, APRA and AIR.

Event Details:
Saturday 31 October, 2009
the Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
11am - 5pm
Tickets $20 inc bf from www.theartscentre.com.au, 1300 182 183 or the Arts Centre Box Office
TICKETS STRICTLY LIMITED!
On Sale Now
All-ages, drug, alcohol and smoke-free event
Stay tuned to www.thepush.com.au for program updates

The Push Beat Access All Ages Column

With Ashan Munesinghe

Twitter changed a lot of things for me, and dare I suggest other kids around me, my band mates certainly. I became known as the phantom… the one that “wasn’t there” anymore. My life’s purpose suddenly became to follow Hayley from Paramore’s account around all day, one of her 272,627 minions, ahem, followers. Today she ate a choc-chip cookie, was jetlagged and played live in Taratata… I don’t know where that is, either.

In other, more relevant, fan-based news, Aussie pop rockers Short Stack have launched their series of all ages shows, with Festival Hall to host the band’s pop-thrash-electro stylings on December 18. All songs performed will be from the trio’s debut Stack Is the New Black.

As part of their Still Standing Tour, Obese heavy-weights Hilltop Hoods have also announced a couple of all ages shows - Friday 20 November at Schweppes Centre, Bendigo and Thursday 3 December at Festival Hall.

Amity Affliction’s Stairway to Hell Tour with We Are The Ocean (UK) and Hopeless are set to hit The Corner Hotel on Saturday October 24 and The National Hotel Geelong on Sunday 25 October.

Ambient and amazing - Matthew Wright’s new project, The Young Heretics, alongside girlfriend Kitty Hart, officially took off with the ITunes Australia release of their debut EP, Dreamers. The four tracks form a dreamy, theatrical kind of raw, indie-like kitsch - similar to stuff from UK’s Bat for Lashes.

Punk rock band Sin City’s Myspace users have demanded that they add an all-ages launch for their new single God Damn. Shows are announced in the timetable.

Anyway, we’re all family at The Push, and we’d like to introduce you to our brand new All Ages column. Weekly, here, we will aim to tell you something about the all ages scene in Melbourne, point you toward some interesting gigs and arts events for all ages, and catch you up on more of Hayley Williams’ twitter life… if word limits permit, which they probably won’t. Visit us at www.thepush.asn.au/ we won’t bite... too hard.

Don’t forget your Soundwave tickets, and please don’t waste the money on things like rent and Telstra bills.

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Saturday 19 September:
Shire of Campaspe and Teknique present A Fallen Theory, A Legion Defiled, The Werewolf of Wysteria, Dial M For Murder, Kyabram Secondary College Hall, 4-10.00pm, $12

Greater Dandenong Council and Momentum present The Lost Boys, Lil’Flippah, MC Yezterday, Chakuen, DJ Dan D, DJ Kido, DJ Grump, DJ Tronic, Pretty Fam, Sudo Boys, The Castle, 6-10pm, $5 (U18)

Jubilee Festival present The Go Set & Jake Roeder, Apex Park, Wangaratta, 11.30- 4pm, Free

Banyule + F.I.A.B present Bias B, A-Diction, Pirate Mafia, Yando Street, Greensborough, 4-6pm, Free

Queenscliff Music Festival + FOOT-in-the-DOOR present Queenscliff Mini Fest with Whitley, leep Decade, Bambidi, Open Mic Session, Queenscliff Uniting Church, 5-9.30pm, $15

Sunday 20th September:
Alias & The Jams, Katt Beames, Martians Café, Deans Marsh, 2pm

Our Backyard presents DJ Perplex, DJ Peril, Digg Deep vs City Beatz, Julez, Justice, Little G, Mantra and 1/6, Mc Que, Momo, Urban Monk, Deep Street Soul, the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, 11:30am-4pm, Free

High Vibes Festival presents Various Artists, Various Venues, High St, Northcote, 12-10pm, Free

Beyonce and Flo Rida, Rod Laver Arena, 7.30pm, from $99

Thug and Marching Orders In-store, Missing Link, 3pm, Free