The first thing that needs to be said is this: Takedown Festival 2015 was really well-run. Organising an event that takes in over 40 bands across five stages, runs to schedule, and delivers a smooth, hassle-free and fun experience for punters is a serious ask – but the Takedown crew rose to the challenge and did an awesome job. Even the security were nice guys. Or maybe paid actors.
The second thing that needs to be said? Fuck Read more…
Deep in my iTunes library sits a humble two-track EP by a long-dead band called Strobe 45. That band, when it was around, was completely insane. It was common for their detractors to dismiss them as either being unable to play or sounding so bad that it made no difference – but the truth was, Strobe just didn’t give a fuck. That singular quality made them a quality band. Once you were accustomed to their raw-as-a-Dirty-Sanchez-episode noise, tiny sparks of genius made themselves permanently known, enabling you to listen to something most would deem unlistenable not just out of some misguided musical masochism but rather out of genuine, ecstatic appreciation. Read more…
Mention the word ‘Australia’, and your mind is likely to be flooded with all kinds of images – kangaroos, barbecues, soap operas, surfers, toned and tanned beachgoers, etc. But other sights and sounds are entirely unlikely to pass through your mind’s eye – scenes of death and grief, grey and rainy days, etc. It’s easy to forget that the blights of life can touch anyone, regardless of where they are in the world. And as for sounds, quotes from Crocodile Dundee and Neighbours are far more likely than dark and enthralling post-metal. Read more…