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Best Gigs For The Week
#1 Celebrating 40 years of living and 20 years of spinning records – Saturday May 19. Jason Rouse and friends at Zuri Bar & Dining.
#2 R&B rubs shoulders with hardstyle and electro for a new night – Friday May 18. Bamboo Fridays Grand Opening Super Event at Electric Playground and Magic City.
#3 A fox behind the decks, in the studio and with the beats – Friday May 18. Provocateur presents Juliet Fox at Zuri Bar & Dining.
#4 A wonderland in music comes to Brisbane with the launch of Rekordlig’s new flavour of cider – Mango Raspberry – Friday May 18. Oh Hello Fashion with Faith & Lola and DJane Alison Wonderland.
#5 Catch Baby Gee freshly relocated to Sydney – Saturday 19 May. Electric Playground presents Baby Gee, Karma and Tooshoes.
Love and kisses, Lady Lex.
Out and about
WHAM!
George Michael has announced his next world tour, and will be making a stop in Brisbane. This tour will feature an orchestra and will no doubt arouse fans with its bold symphonies complementing Michael’s iconic voice. The upcoming concert series will feature material mostly from the albums ‘Songs From The Last Century’ and ‘Patience’, though it’s expected that many other hits will be re-worked to encompass an orchestral style. The aptly titled ‘Symphonica Tour’ will touch down at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre Nov 27.
OBAMA SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE
The most powerful man in the world, Barack Obama, has announced his support for gay marriage. This is a historic moment, not only for the LGBT community but also for the world, as he becomes the first US President to pledge his support. In a recent American television interview he stated: “I’ve been going through an evolution on this issue, I’ve always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally.” This has again raised the issue locally, with New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key announcing he is “not opposed”. This has contributed to mounting pressure for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to follow suit with Mr Obama’s support.
DRACULA GOES PINK
The Gold Coast’s iconic theatre restaurant, Dracula’s, will be staging an all-gay show for one night only. The event is the first time the show will be performed for an all-gay audience that will partly benefit local youth group, QSPACE. Dracula’s has promised the show will be “very camp” and will outrageously upset the masses with their well-known costumes and array of talented performances. With part of the proceeds donated to help provide LGBT services and suicide prevention, the show takes place at Dracula’s on July 29.
RUN TO PARADISE
ARIA winners Sneaky Sound System and rock icons Hoodoo Gurus will headline the 2012 Surfers Paradise Festival. The event, presented by Centro Surfers Paradise, stretches across four action-packed weeks from June 20 to July 15, and will also feature bands like Wolf & Cub, Oceanics, Bleeding Knees Club and more. Visit surfersparadise.com for more info.
PROJECT PIGEON
Having just finished off 12 headline dates down the east coast, the boys from Pigeon are leaving their bags packed and heading back out on the road, supporting GC collective Tijuana Cartel on their ‘Offer Yourself’ tour. Pigeon’s energetic live show will open for the hometown heroes at Currumbin RSL’s Soundlounge on Friday May 18.
THE GREEN ALBUM
The GC’s inaugural Green Week & Wildlife Expo gets underway from June 2-10 and celebrates all the great environmental and conservation activities that go on here. For a full rundown of the celebrations (and to find out how you can contribute) visit goldcoastgreenweek.com
OCEANS APART
Just weeks after their ‘Bright People’ EP hit the official iTunes store, the GC’s own Oceanics have made waves in America (we’ll see ourselves out). They’ve been featured on MTV, Virgin Music Live and AOL.com; visit facebook.com/Oceanics.music for your next chance to see them before their heads swell up real big.
BABY, I LIKE IT RAW
Raw Natural Born Artists is a worldwide, independent arts organisation looking to foster metaphorical circuses of creativity all over the world. Not run-down circuses with old clowns and mistreated animals, either — we’re talking Cirque du Soleil shit. If you’re an indie filmmaker, fashion designer, musical performer or visual artist within the first ten years of your career, visit RAWartists.org to get involved in Brisbane’s next RAW showcase.
OH DEER
The Red Deer Music Festival returns to Mt Samson on Saturday September 1, headlined by Brisbane gods Regurgitator (now in their 19th year, somewhat unbelievably) and folk angel Clare Bowditch. The boutique, BYO event will also feature Evil Eddie, Darky Roots, Pigeon, Charlie Mayfair, The Lyrical, The Oceanics, Asa Broomhall, Miss Elm, The Dashounds, J & The G Beats, Blake Thompson, Little Buffalo, Hawkmoon, Brother Fox, The Bright Side, Hailey Calvert, Jackson Dunn and Open Channel Flow.
VALE DONALD ‘DUCK’ DUNN
Bassist Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn (of Booker T & The MGs fame) has died in Tokyo aged 70. As well as playing on many of Stax Records’ greatest releases, Dunn later played with Neil Young and Eric Clapton, and appeared as himself in ‘The Blues Brothers’. The MGs were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in ‘92; Dunn himself received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2007.
LEAVE TOM ALONE
The Gaslight Anthem have spoken out in support of transgender Against Me! frontman Tom Gabel, who has announced his decision to begin living as a woman. “How about you leave the guy alone,” the band blogged. “How about you let another human being make a decision about their lives without your snide prejudices and bigotry? This is one of the hardest decisions a person could make... it’s not your life. It’s not your family. It’s not your band, it’s theirs.”
PARTY PRINCE
If you weren’t born into royalty and fear you’ve missed your calling as a King or Queen, don’t fret, because there’s an easier passage into monarchy than killing your uncle. Just ensure you’re the most royally dressed person partying at The Rumpus Room on the Queens Birthday Sunday (June 10) with DJ Diago, Paul Master, Alex Roche, DJ Brazen and Mr Gaunt, and before the night’s out you may just find yourself with a crown on your head, ordering people to bow before you. Good luck, old chap.
DALLAS DREAMING
The latest Kiwi to make waves across the Tasman is Auckland rapper David Dallas. His latest release, ‘The Rose Tint’, spreads the wisdom of introspective reflection mixed with a handful of rosy optimism. It’s scored NZ Music Award nominations for Album of the Year, Best Urban/ Hip Hop Album and Best Male Solo Artist; The Zoo does Dallas on Sun June 10.
THE AMAZING RAE
As the former head of the iconic Grand Central Records, and one half of the prolific production duo Rae & Christian, it’s fair to say that Mark Rae is kind of a massive deal. Bask in the UK great’s heavenly aura at Coniston Lane on Saturday June 9 with Noodles, Noel Boogie, Danny Cool, Keiron C and Paprika.
RECORD TIME
Alloneword will officially be declared a 'dubstep' free zone for Vinyl Only on June 3 (and the first Sunday of every month after that). There's to be absolutely no laptops, digital interfaces or USB drives brought into the building (and yes, security will be checking). Organic music with soul will ring out from the open turntables, records will be scratched, and a great day for all retrosexuals is ensured with residents DJ Sheep, DJ Damage, Prop Greg, $crillahands, Lexicon, Elektloose, Matty Fresh, Bruce Highway and Blunted Stylus.
WAY TOO COLD
Better nail down your pronunciation of ‘Xyloto’ — Coldplay are heading this way. The world’s biggest band will play four massive stadium shows as part of their first proper Aussie tour since 2009, including an epic stand at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday November 21 with The Temper Trap and The Pierces. Visa cardholders can buy tickets this Thursday May 17; everybody else needs to hit up Ticketek on Friday May 25.
YOUNG MODULAR
Modular are flying two of their brightest young things — Tom Vek and Kindness — out from the UK to premiere their live shows to Australian audiences, joining Sydney upstart Jonathan Boulet. But you already knew that. What’s new? Das Moth (Cutters), Mitzi and Tim Fuchs will join the terrible trio at The Bowler Bar on Friday May 25.
FULL CIRCLE
What a year for 360. He’s selling out shows, announcing second shows (and selling them out, too), smashing festivals, garnering an ungodly amount of YouTube views and even recording new material with Professor Green in the UK. At press time, tickets are still available for his second show at The Hi-Fi on Monday June 11 with Hermitude, Bam Bam, and Gossling, but let’s see how long that lasts. 360.oztix.com.au
DO THE MUTEMATH
You know how paying rent totally sucks, but is an unfortunate necessity of living your adult life? Well, what if it wasn’t? American rockers Mutemath are offering to pay your rent for two months. Like the band on Facebook, answer their trivia questions in the fastest time, and win two months free rent up to the value of $2000 (or hire a smart guy to answer the trivia questions for you, and then make off to Mexico with the winnings).