The Push

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2010-02-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 10 February 2010
With Vanja Bezbradica

Vanja here, your new Beat columnist and all ages guru! To start off with a quick introduction: I am a final year journalism student and currently part of the The Push FReeZACentral mentoring program for 2010; a festival tragic and think that Matt Bellamy is my hero. I look forward to being your one stop shop for everything all ages! Thanks to outgoing all ages columnist Ash Munsinghe who has enlightened us on the awesome world of hardcore and other heavy treats for the last 5 months!

With the summer festival season slowly wrapping up I was starting to get a little depressed about the lack of outdoor music festivals to get me through the winter season. You can only imagine my happiness when I saw the line up for Groovin’ The Moo. The folks over in Bendigo have pulled off a killer line up and best of all it’s for festival heads of all ages! That’s right kids pencil May 1 into your diaries, put your studies on hold, get your winter coats ready and head straight for the paddocks as headliners Vampire Weekend, Tegan & Sara, Grinspoon, Silverchair and Empire of The Sun cure our winter blues! For all the details head to www.groovinthemoo.com.au.

Meanwhile for all of you love birds Valentine’s Day is on Sunday! I on the other hand will be kicking it in the sunshine at Festival Sunday, the final day of the St Kilda Festival. The Push, FReeZA and the Cities of Port Phillip, Stonnington, Kingston and Bayside are holding a fully supervised all-ages drug/alcohol/smoke-free music stage at the festival. Come and get crazy with rock/ambient favourites City Escape, hardcore six piece Sienna Skies, rockers The Kalaharies and Triumphs of Oriana, dance outfit The Electric Stranger and four young sisters of rock lotah. The show kicks off at 12.00pm.

Great news for House Vs Hurricane fans! The local heavy favourites announced an U18 show at the Corner Hotel on April 9 as part of their Perspectives album tour. Their much anticipated debut studio album will be released on March 5. Get your tickets asap at www.cornerhotel.com.

I know most of us are guilty of bobbing along to Taylor Swift on our i-Pods. I am proud to admit that I have had my fair share of Swifty sing-a-longs. The country phenomenon brings her Fearless tour to Rod Laver tonight.

On the other side of town, fresh from winning the first Grammy of their career for best hard rock performance for War Machine, high voltage rockers AC/DC long awaited return to Melbourne is finally here with three epic shows at Etihad Stadium. I have my mosh ticket for the Thursday night show and I’m ready for some serious rock and roll!

Until next week - I am off to practice my best Angus Young impersonation.

PS. Don’t forget to grab your Push Over tickets! They are being snapped up faster than ever. This week, MzRizk and DJ n.Cision join the list of awesome Aussie hip hop acts to perform at the festival.

All Ages Timetable Frenzy

Saturday 7 February – Saturday 13 February
Live & Local, St Kilda Festival, Free, for set times go to: www.stkildafestival.com.au, AA

Wednesday 10 February – Thursday 11 February
Taylor Swift, Rod Laver Arena, 7.30pm $99.00, Ticketek: 132 849, AA

Thursday 11 February – Saturday 15 Monday February
AC/DC, Etihad Stadium, 6.00pm, $99.00-$149.00, Ticketmaster: 136 100, AA

Sunday 14 February
The Push Stage w/ City Escape, Sienna Skies, The Kalaharis, Triumphs of Oriana, The Electric Stranger, lotah, St Kilda Festival, 12.00pm-4.45pm, Free, for set times go to: www.stkildafestival.com.au

Mista Savona + Prince Alla, Footscray Community Arts Centre, $5.00 (adults) kids free, 3.00pm-5.30pm, www.footscrayarts.com, AA

Dreams Of Leaving, Missing Link Records Instore, 1.00pm, free, AA

Tuesday 16 February
The Motown Event w/ The Four Tops, The Temptations, Mary Wilson of The Supremes + more, Rod Laver Arena, 8.00pm, $185, Ticketek: 132 849, AA

For more like this, head to www.thepush.com.au.

Please submit your listings via whatson@thepush.com.au by 10am Wednesdays.

triple j UNEARTHED BAND ANNOUNCED FOR PUSH OVER FESTIVAL

2010-02-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

triple j and The Push are pleased to announce the winning band in the Push Over Unearthed band competition.

Melbourne indie rock duo Big Scary, will join over 30 of the best Aussie indie, hardcore and hip hop acts playing at Push Over, on Sunday 7 March at The Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne.

The pair are playing a number of dates launching their new EP, At The Mercy of the Elements in Sydney and Melbourne in the lead up to the all ages live music festival.

The band was hand-picked by the good music folk at triple j and Unearthed from a slew of Victorian bands who uploaded their music onto the Unearthed site.

Head to http://triplejunearthed.com/bigscary to hear and read more about them!

For more info head to www.thepush.com.au / www.myspace.com/thepushinc, call (03) 9380 1277 or email push@thepush.com.au

Want A Market Stall @ Push Over?

2010-01-31T21:37:00.000-08:00

Expressions of interest are open for market stall holders for Push Over, all ages live music festival, Sunday 7 March, 2010 at The Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne!

Push Over brings together young music lovers from around Victoria, and will feature over 30 of the best current crop of Aussie indie, hardcore, heavy and hip hop bands!

To host a market or food/beverage stall, download an application via www.thepush.com.au/html/whatsnew.

For further questions please contact Sarah at The Push via push@thepush.com.au or phone on (03) 9380 1277.

Applications close 5pm Friday 19 February.

triple j UNEARTHED PUSH OVER COMPETITION

2010-01-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

If you want to be part of the Push Over 2010 Festival, here's your chance!

triple j Unearthed and The Push are offering one lucky band from Melbourne the awesome opportunity to not only attend the 2010 Push Over Festival, but also play!

The winning band will play alongside over 30 of the best Aussie punk, hardcore, indie and hip hop acts including, new addition Coby Grant, plus already announced, 50 Lions, Carpathian, Dash & Will, Horrorshow, Kisschasy, The Mission In Motion, The Sundance Kids, Urthboy, Yacht Club DJs, Yves Klein Blue and many more!

To be in the running, bands need to upload their tracks onto the Unearthed website by Sunday 7 February, or if they have tracks on the site already, are automatically eligible.

The winning band will also receive a $250 performance fee and a prime timeslot at the festival!

For terms and conditions, head to the triple j Unearthed website http://www.triplejunearthed.com. Competition goes live January 13.

Push Over 2010 is proudly presented by The Push, triple j, jmag and Fasterlouder and supported by MySpace Music, FReeZA, FReeZACentral, Victoria Rocks, Victorian State Government, Plakkit, Speaker TV, Mistake Clothing, Oz HipHop.com, Take This Pic, Afends, This Is It, Kill Your Stereo, Bombshellzine and Broken Glass Online.

Event Details:
Push Over Festival
Sunday 7 March, 2010 ,12midday – 8pm
@ The Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Melbourne, Victoria

Featuring:
50 Lions, 8 Bit Love, Anon Speak, Arrowfield, Ayera, B Wiv Deece, Barking Sparrows, Bidla, Break Even, Built on Secrets, Carpathian, City Escape, Coby Grant, Dash & Will, Heroes for Hire, Horrorshow, I Explode Like, In Trenches, Kisschasy, Lovers Grave, Masketta Fall, Regular John, Sheer Abandon, The Cactus Channel, The Creep Team, The Houses, The Mission In Motion, The Sundance Kids, Urthboy, Vixia, Wherewolves, Yacht Club DJs, Young Heretics, Yung Philly, Yves Klein Blue, plus MC, DJ & Breakin’ Battles

Tickets:
$30+ bf on sale now from www.moshtix.com.au, www.oztix.com.au, Ticketek 132 849
$40 at door if not sold out
Push Over is an All Ages, Fully supervised, Drug, Alcohol & Smoke-Free Event
Markets, MySpace Music Artist Signing Area, Food Court (including Vegetarian) & more

For more info head to www.thepush.com.au / www.myspace.com/thepushinc, call (03) 9380 1277 or email push@thepush.com.au

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-12-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 16 December 2009
With Ashan Munesinghe

For some unknown reason, my life turns weird during the festive season. The tunes that would usually run through my house, such as Bring Me The Horizon and Every Time I Die, morph into songs filled with love melody and sweet dispositions, namely, Taylor Swift and Band of Horses. Episodes of True Blood and Death Note that can be heard radiating from the television screen normally become episodes of SpongeBob and Peter Pan… as little cousins run all over the house. My life becomes, well, mellow.

Luckily enough, there’s nothing mellow about the awesome news I have for you this week though regarding everything all ages.

Sixteen new additions to Push Over have been announced and amongst them the awesome hardcore nature of Carpathian, In Trenches and Regular John who have all had stunning releases this year. They’re also joined by nine FReeZA Push Start regional final winners from around the state, including, 8 Bit Love, Arrowfield, Ayera, Barking Sparrows, Masketta Fall, Sheer Abandon, The Cactus Channel, The Houses and Vixia, who will be fighting it out to be crowned competition winner for 2010! The day will also see the Push It! hip hop arena, presented by Oz Hip Hop, with the ‘Push Underground’ Showcase featuring tasters from Anon Speak, B Wiv Deece, Bidla and The Creep Team, plus MCs, DJs and three-on-three Breakin’ Battles hosted by Yung Philly. You can still sign up for the battles, via www.thepush.com.au/html/pushitbattlesregister2010, but there are only a few spots left. Prizes include cash, Oz Hip Hop advertising and clothing/accessories from This Is It. If you want a chance of winning a $300 Afends prize pack full of Afends clothes and accessories, head to Moshtix or Oztix before January 31 and buy tickets to Push Over!

The Lab competition has just ended and Sydney band Danimals have won an almost life-changing opportunity to pack up their guitars, drums and synths to travel to New York and work with the Mark Ronson. Additionally they get to hang out with Santigold, Nick Hodgson of the Kaiser Chiefs, Sean Lennon, John Taylor of Duran Duran and members of the Dap-Kings. Head to www.myspace.com/jontidanimals to hear some of their stuff and a sincere song called Hornet’s Nest.

Keeping on the indie theme, I’ve discovered a Melbourne band that I’m really quite fond of at the moment, Wilfred Jackal! Their MySpace (www.myspace.com/wilfredjackal) indicates a lot of mischief and antics! They’re kind of the Stealing O’Neal of the indie scene, by that I mean, a band of tight-knit lifelong friends coming together to create music. Anywhere You Wanna Go and What Is (And Will Never Be) are their two sweetest tracks.

Former Child Stars have released a funky messed up version of their marquee song Safe In Silence, it’s called the Peacock’s Remix and it’ll mess with your head… kind of in a good way though.

Just a last note on the Myspace Mixtape stuff that’s still going on… head to www.myspace.com/ and follow the links to win the chance to impose your taste of music onto innocent watchers of Channel V. Seriously, if you like hardcore, get to it now cause as up to now it’s all been indie!

The rumours are true, I am being dragged off to see Short Stack by two of my little cousins, and it’s their Christmas present. Someone needs to look after them and protect them from the rowdy crowd of scene-sters that will no doubt fill the dance-floor.

Catch you guys and gals later, sweet dispositions, hippy style peace and love, as always, and forever. Merry Xmas!

All Ages Christmas Season Frenzy

Friday 18 December
Coast FM & Fridge Entertainment FReeZA present Hardwired Festival, featuring: Little Birdy, Urthboy, Trial Kennedy, Jackson McLaren + local supports, Warnambool Stadium, 6:00pm, Price: $20 + $1 bf pre-sold from Capricorn Leading Edge and Kulcha Shift, or $25 at the door (if not sold out) AA
Short Stack, Festival Hall, 7.30pm, Price $65.00, Ticketmaster: 136100 AA

Saturday 19 December
Kodak Walk in the Park, Featuring: Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, Kisschasy, Dallas Crane + more, Albert Park Golf Course, 10.00am, Price: $72.95 (adult 15+) $179.00 (family), Ticketmaster: 136 100, AA
Mitchell Shire Council + Mitchell FReeZA, Pool Party, Kilmore Leisure Centre, White Street, Kilmore, 3.00pm-7.00pm, Price: $2.00, AA

A New Music Industry Peak Body For Victoria?

2009-12-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

At present, there is no active peak body representing the Victorian music industry. Most other Australian states and territories have an established organisation that provides significant benefit to their local music makers and businesses.

Key music support agencies Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN), APRA, Arts Victoria, The Push and AIR have formed a partnership to confer with the Victorian music community on this issue. They need your help!

If we are to have a new Victorian body, what would this look like? What would its activities be and how could it add value to the music sector?

Music makers and businesses across diverse music genres and activities are now being consulted to identify needs and issues.

A shared view is emerging that supports a new body able to provide industry development and effective advocacy on issues, such as those surrounding the impact of Liquor Licensing on small live music venues.

People participating across the wider music industry are invited to provide their views via an online survey, available now at www.musicvictoria.com.au.

Interested parties are also able to make a written submission to the Music Victoria Project Steering Committee, up to Friday 18 December 2009, by email: info@musicvictoria.com.au, or by mail: PO Box 220, Brunswick 3056.

Any feedback is valued and will support decision making about a new body to be made in early 2010. All interested contributors will be able to become involved.

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-12-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 9 December 2009
With Ashan Munesinghe

When I interviewed Mickles from Sienna Skies earlier this year, I almost straight away realised he was talented by the way he spoke about his band and music. Though, it’s fair to say, I may not have known exactly how much respect I should’ve shown the guy – I may just have interviewed someone pretty special. To be even fairer, he comes across as the kind of guy that doesn’t even realise what kind of gift he has, or that his band has created together.

My point (which I’m getting to slowly), is that Truest of Colours is an amazing debut release… simply put, forgetting that it’s the first release from a young upcoming Aussie band… it’s one of the albums of the year.

The debut is reminiscent of a mixture of House vs Hurricane and City Escape in a hyped up cat-in-a-blender style of screamo and post hardcore tunes that could take Sienna Skies to America, following the likes of House vs Hurricane. All it needs is JJ from Deez Nutz doing vocals in one or two of the songs, and it gets a 100.

Heartquake! we all knew was an amazing track. It’s post-hardcore at its most typical, Sea of Smiles brings the fun and wild crowd element, and To All Aspiring captures the old Sienna Skies. It’s almost flawless.

You can catch them at The Evelyn on Saturday at The Red Shore gig (further details in the gig guide) and tickets are available from moshtix.com.au.

In other news, House vs. Hurricane as promised have their tour diary of Baltimore up on myspace.com/housevshurricane - stay tuned on that for further entries. Atlanta Takes State (myspace.com/atlantatakesstate), is a band heading to high places that and some cool new merch is up on their MySpace.

Head to Chelsea Smile’s Myspace at myspace.com/chelseasmileau to read their updates and write a review of their tunes and you can win a copy of their debut EP An Awakening to the Misguided if you do.

I know that some of you guys will be travelling to other parts of Australia for Christmas season to spend it with extended family, and so if any of you are travelling to Sydney, the Where the Wild Things Are Tour will be on in January featuring bands The Bride (myspace.com/thebrideband) and In Hearts Awake (myspace.com/inheartsawake).

Infinitely amazing artist and songwriter Beck has teamed up with a youngster called Charlotte Gainsbourg have an awesome new indie-strange-cause-it-needs-to-be video clip http://www.myspace.com/charlottegainsbourg is where you can find it. She’s touted to be the next big thing, too.

Also don’t forget that it’s MySpace Mixtape time. Put a few cool songs together and head to myspace.com/channelv to showcase your style on Channel V.

It’s December, Christmas is coming, and the music season is about to explode like… something.

Catch you guys and gals later, hippy style peace and love, as always, and forever. Killer gig guide this week!

All Ages Christmas Season Frenzy

Thursday 10 December
Santa Fun Run, Palms Lawn, Albert Park Lake Aquatic Drive
5:00pm, varietysantafunrun.com.au/VIC/RunDetails.aspx, AA

Thursday 10 December
New Music Concert 2009, featuring young composers studying at the School of Music, Monash University Music Auditorium, Building 68 Clayton Campus, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Tickets $10

Friday 11 December
City of Port Phillip + City of Port Phillip FReeZA Collective, South Port Youth Festival, Featuring: October Power, Skate Park, Bungee Trampolines, Free BBQ, Kool Skools Bands, Garden City Reserve, Port Melbourne, 3.30pm-8.00pm, Free, AA

Friday 11 December
Northern District Community Health Service + Cohuna & Kerang FReeZA Committee, End of Year Dance Party, w/ Sonnix Entertainment, Cohuna Memorial Hall, Cnr Market & King George Street, 7.30pm-11.00pm, $5.00, AA

Friday 11 December
City of Greater Dandenong Youth Committee + Events Committee, Shout Outs South East, Featuring: Killah Queenz, Phinesse, Timomatic, Child’s Play, Baby Steps + much more, Springvale Town Hall, 397-405, Springvale Road, 7.00pm-11.00pm, $5.00, Nick Karlas (03) 9793 2155, AA

Saturday 12 December
Hume City Council + Sunbury FReeZA, The Big Nite Out, Featuring: Sweet Kicks, Check Your Smile, Break The Skies, DJ Brad, DJ O, Sunbury Youth Centre, 51-53 Evans Street, Sunbury, 5.00pm-10.00pm, $5.00 (pre-sale) $10.00 (door), Contact: Nyssa Bradsworth (03) 9744 2602, U18

Saturday 12 December
A Summertime Christmas, Featuring: Melbourne Chamber Choir, Melbourne Women's Choir, Da Capo Singers and the Berwick Youth Choir, Methodist Ladies' College Music Auditorium, 207 Barkers Rd, Kew, 8.00pm, Bookings: 0408 141 972, AA

Saturday 12 December
The Push and Fiasco Productions present, The Red Shore
w/ Nazarite Vow, Sienna Skies, I Explode Like, Feed Her To The Sharks, My Own Enemy, The Evelyn, 351 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, 1.00pm, Price: $17.00 (pre-sale) $22.00 (door), Moshtix: 1300 438 849, U18

Saturday 12 December
Keith Urban, w/ Bob Evans, Rod Laver Arena, 7.30pm, Price: $89.00-$119.00, Ticketek: 132 849, AA

Saturday 12 December
Walk Against Warming, State Library, Swanston Street, Melbourne12pm
waw.org.au, AA

Sunday 13 December
Rise and Fall, w/ Carpathian, Blkout, The Hollow, The Castle, Dandenong
2.00pm, $27.75, Oztix: 1300 762 545, AA

Monday 14 December
Greenday, Rod Laver Arena, $101 + bf, Ticketek: 132 849

Tuesday 15 December
Lamb Of God, Festival Hall, 7.30pm, $76.60, Ticketmaster: 136100, AA

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-12-03T16:07:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 2 December 2009
With Ashan Munesinghe

Discovered a really cool young Aussie band a few days ago called The Dream, The Chase. Head to their MySpace to find some beautifully delay-driven tracks (myspace.com/thedreamthechase).

If you’re a fan of ambient-driven bands like Secret & Whisper or metal bands check out new local band The Ascension. They bring together ex-members from The Bright Star Alliance, minus the screaming. Find the, add them, favourite them and whatever else he wants you to do with them via myspace.com/wearetheascension.

New local gigs announced this week include Shout Outs South East, hip hop extravaganza featuring Killah Queenz, Phinesse, Timomatic, Child’s Play, Baby Steps and more at the Springvale Town Hall on December 11, plus the following night at the Sunbury Youth Centre, The Big Nite Out, showcases the fine talents of Sweet Kicks, Check Your Smile, Break The Skies, DJ Brad and DJ O.

Looking into the new year, recent international announcements include Paramore, hitting Festival Hall on February 23, and AFI, hitting the same venue the following night.

Additionally, Alexisonfire have also just announced a Soundwave Sidewave show with Comeback Kid and Anti Flag. Definitely a show for the old hardcorers! Rx Bandits, Glassjaw and Motion City Soundtrack will support Sunny Day Real Estate in another Sidewave, and similarly, that show will be something of the old emo, the way it was, and the way it needs to be again. Both sets of tickets go on sale on December 9 at 9am sharp. Tickets will probably get snapped up within a week of on sale, so I wouldn’t wait on anything if you really want to be there.

The all ages house party crew, I Oh You, are back this weekend for another edition with live bands Neon Love, Comic Sans and some quick fix DJs (including members from Young & Restless). You will have to email secrethouseparty@hotmail.com for the secret, (not so secret), location.

Speaking of Neon Love, a friend asked me if I wanted to listen to them a few days ago. Being the post-hardcore/emo/screamo kid that I am, I blew it off at first, then had a quick listen to Skin and was blown away. Keep Us In the Dark is their debut album and the influences seem to come from everywhere. It’s amazing!

If you’re like me, it’s time to get back to watching the addictive first few episodes of True Blood, and eagerly await the Sienna Skies debut release to drop! Catch you guys and gals later, peace and love, as always, and forever.

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Thursday 3 December
Shire of Campaspe & Teknique present Get Your Dance On, featuring Teknique DJs, at Fontera Centre, Echuca, 10am-12pm, Free, AA
Thursday 3 December
Hilltop Hoods at Festival Hall, 7.45pm, $48, Ticketmaster: 136 100, AA
Saturday 5 December
Hindmarsh Youth Music & Cultural Events present the final FReeZA Push Start Battle Of The Bands Regional Final for the year with Barking Sparrows and RockNHorse, at Nhill Community Centre, Nhill, AA

Saturday 5 December
I Oh You Secret House Party featuring Neon Love, Comic Sans and Quick Fix DJs, Richmond, $10, AA

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-12-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 25 November 2009
With Ashan Munesinghe

So I was trolling around some of the top social networking and music sites a few days ago and found out that Brand New had posted a concert near me. Needless to say I was overjoyed, and needless to say I got straight onto borrowing my mum’s credit card. Also, needless to say that my Christmas list was made so much easier for nearly all of my best friends… it will be Brand New’s last trip to Australia and quite possibly Jesse Lacey’s last trip to Australia. That dude has loved this country like no other American artist, with the possible exception of Geoff from Thursday who is married to a lovely Australian girl. Further details at fightoffyourdemons.com (note: further details are about Brand New, not Geoff’s marriage). Check out the Brand New Australian tour blog via myspace.com/brandnew.

Congratulations to the new FReeZA Push Start Regional Final winners announced, 8 Bit Love (Northern Country), Sheer Abandon (Eastern Metropolitan), Arrowfield (Gippsland) and Ayera (Hume). The Regional Finals will finish up on December 5 at the Nhill Community Centre in the Mallee Wimmera region, in the state’s far west, and the Grand Final will be staged at Push Over Festival 2010, at the Abbotsford Convent on March 7.

The Push is seeking enthusiastic young alternative music lovers from around Victoria who would like to help promote the Push Over festival. Street teamers will be required to distribute posters and flyers in their local areas, at their school and to their friends. Teamers will receive heaps of great rewards like free tickets to Push Over, free CDs, meet and greets with the Push Over bands and other great merchandise. Please email push@thepush.com.au or call (03) 9380 1277 ASAP to register your interest before December 7.

The soundtrack to Where The Wild Things Are is amazing! I got it from the states a week ago. You can hear a taster at myspace.com/wherethewildthingsare. It’s by a band, formed just for the soundtrack, called Karen O (Yeah - Yeah Yeah Yeah’s) and the kids.

Don’t forget the all ages show by Cardinia Shire Council and Electric Productions, featuring I Explode Like, California Rise, Summer of Betrayal, My Own Enemy, A Fate Worse Than Death and Beyond Redemption on December 18 (a week from Christmas). The show will start at 6.30pm at the Pakenham Town Hall and will only be $8 at the door.

Catch you guys and gals till next time, love and peace as always… don’t all turn into werewolves now…

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Friday 27 November
The Acacia Strain, The Red Shore, State Of East London and Beneath The Rising Tide, at TLC, 265 Canterbury Road, Bayswater, 6.30 - 10pm, $27 + bf, from Fist2Face Ringwood Fist2Face.com.au, AA

City of Casey & Spectrum Entertainment present Live n Loud featuring Behind Crimson Eyes, The Rose Line, Hereafter, My Own Enemy and As Ember Burns, at Cranbourne Public Hall, High Street, Cranbourne, 6 - 11pm, $12 - $15, AA

Wyndham City Council Youth Services & Infinite Entertainment present Youth Fest featuring Elliots llama, A Sadistic Nightmare, Passport for Amy, K3 and more, at Youth Resource Centre, 86 Derrimut Road, Hoppers Crossing, 4.30 -1 0pm, Free, AA

Shire of Campaspe & Teknique present Dance Party with DJ Strat, at Rushworth Town Hall, 6 - 10pm, $5, AA

Friday 27 November – Sunday 29 November
Queenscliff Music Festival featuring The Original Wailers, Tim Finn, Little Birdy, Marcia Hines, Bertie Blackman and many more, $166.85 - $437.40, Moshtix: 1300 438 849, qmf.net.au, AA

Saturday 28 November

Baw Baw Shire Council & FReeZA present Supanova, Free City, Dig, Joseph & Mairead, The Cool Change and Pludo, at Warragul Exhibition Hall, Howitt Street, Warragul, 2 - 6pm, $5, U18

Korumburra Buskers Festival, South Gippsland Tourist Railway, korumburrabuskersfest.com, AA

Sunday 29 November

World Supremacy Battlegrounds Urban Dance Battle, at the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, 3pm, $55 - $110, For tickets, go to what’s on at theartscentre.com.au

For more like this, head to thepush.com.au. Please submit your listings via whatson@thepush.com.au by 10am Wednesdays.

The Push and Fiasco Productions present.. The Red Shore

2009-11-25T21:31:00.000-08:00

After supporting Bring Me The Horizon and Cancer Bats earlier this year, and following the release of their debut album The Lost Versus, The Red Shore bring their shredding brutality to The Evelyn’s stage for two shows, Friday 11 (18+) and Saturday 12 (U18) December, supported by The Push and Fiasco Productions.

The Red Shore has given birth to some of the most iconic songs on the Australian metal and hardcore landscape of late, including Sink or Swim, Pulling Teeth and Misery Hymm - influencing many other younger bands in the process.

Adelaide’s answer to the technical brutality of The Red Shore, Nazarite Vow, will support alongside Sydney’s young all ages hardcore-stars Sienna Skies, Melbourne’s hot new kids I Explode Like and promising core-kids Feed Her To The Sharks. Additionally, the unmistakably groovy tunes of Electrik Dynamite have a spot on the over 18s show, while local FReeZA champions My Own Enemy will cover the unders.

The Push & Fiasco Productions present

The Red Shore, Nazarite Vow, Electrik Dynamite, Sienna Skies, I Explode Like, Feed Her To The Sharks - Friday 11 December (18+) - Doors 8pm

The Red Shore, Nazarite Vow, Sienna Skies, I Explode Like, Feed Her to The Sharks, My Own Enemy - Saturday 12 December (U18) - Doors 1pm

Tickets $17 presale from www.moshtix.com.au or $22 at the door if not sold out
@ The Evelyn, 351 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Head to www.thepush.com.au\ for more info!

JOIN THE PUSH OVER STREET TEAM

2009-11-22T17:48:00.001-08:00

Want to join the The Push promotions and marketing team? The Push is seeking enthusiastic young alternative music lovers from around Victoria who would like to help promote our all ages live music festival Push Over, Sunday 7 March, 2010 at the Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne. Street teamers will be required to distribute posters and flyers in their local areas, at their school and to their friends. Teamers will receive heaps of great rewards like free tickets to Push Over, free CDs, meet and greets with the Push Over bands and other great merchandise. Please email push@thepush.com.au or call (03) 9380 1277 ASAP to register your interest before December 7.

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-11-19T16:43:00.000-08:00

With Ashan Munesinghe

The amazing Vixia, barely out of school, blew the roof off at the FReeZA Push Start Southern Metropolitan Regional Final at the Brighton Town Hall last weekend. Vixia drew the crowd in and set the night on fire with stunningly ambient renditions of old pop songs. Their costumes - duck-tape and all, were also something to behold!

Astral Flight, first to take the stage, brought an army of support and won the door prize. The Lost Boys, who followed, shook the floor with a blend of hip hop and metal like no other. Isles did the same, but in a more melodic way, while California Rise wooed the punters with piercings, tattoos and heavy rock melodies. The guitarist from Call it Conspiracy had a blast on stage, his band mates soon followed suit, and the place went off. Lost Pacific, who played last, won maximum merit for their friendliness and interactivity, but there could only be one winner. Vixia took first place and will join The Houses, Masketta Fall, The Cactus Channel and five other finalists (to be announced) at the FReeZA Push Start Final at Push Over Festival, March 7 at the Abbotsford Convent. Just announced, the festival, will feature 30 bands for 30 bucks, including 50 Lions, Lovers Grave, Kisschasy, I Explode Like and many more. Hip hop acts, MCs, DJs and breakers are invited to register for battles throughout the day via thepush.com.au. Tickets for Push Over are available now through Moshtix, Oztix and Ticketek.

I Exlope Like will also join California Rise, Summer of Betrayal, My Own Enemy, A Fate Worse Than Death and Beyond Redemption at Pakenham Town Hall on December 18.

My Own Enemy will join Nazarite Vow, Sienna Skies, I Explode Like and Feed Her to The Sharks in supporting The Red Shore as they bring their shredding brutality to The Evelyn’s stage for an under 18’s show December 12, tickets from moshtix.com.au.

After shows in South East Asia and the United States, Parkway Drive are back home with their Sick Summer Tour, hitting Melbourne in February with Confession and Word Up. Confession also play The Evelyn this weekend!

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Friday 20 November
Pearl Jam, Ben Harper & Relentless7 and Liam Finn, Etihad Stadium

Hilltop Hoods, Schweppes Centre, Bendigo, 8pm

Gippsland FReeZA Push Start Regional Final featuring Arrowfield, Shock Therapy and The Thieving Gypsies, Traralgon Town Hall, Traralgon

Saturday 21 November
Hume FReeZA Push Start Regional Final featuring Avera, Elisa Card, Executor, Samson, Smoking Aces and Temporal Logic, Alexandra Secondary School Hall, Alexandra

The Funkoars, Mind Over Matter, Coptic Soldier and Phat Chance, YMCA, Wangaratta, 7.15pm

Sunday 22 November
Confession, Evelyn Hotel, 2pm

Please submit your listings via whatson@thepush.com.au by 10am Wednesdays.

DJ, MC & BREAKIN' BATTLES AT PUSH OVER - REGISTER HERE

2009-11-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

MCs, DJs and breakers have the opportunity to be part of The Push’s signature all ages live music festival Push Over, Sunday 7 March, 2010, at The Abbotsford Convent.

The Push It! hip hop arena will feature headline artists Urthboy (Elefant Traks/The Herd) and Horrorshow plus the freshest underground Melbourne hip hop acts, MC battles, DJ battles and three-on-three breakin' battles throughout the day.

Sign up for battles and showcases via www.thepush.com.au by Friday 4 December, 2009.

For more info head to www.thepush.com.au, call (03) 9380 1277 or push@thepush.com.au.

2009-11-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

The Push’s signature all ages live music festival Push Over returns to The Abbotsford Convent on Sunday 7 March, 2010. As always, Push Over will feature over 30 acts across four stages, and some of the best current crop or upcoming “next big things” on the Australian indie rock, hardcore and hip hop scene! Now in its 18th year, Push Over provides one of the hottest and freshest summer line ups on offer - as voted by young people from around the state!

Live acts (in alphabetical order) for the 2010 event include: 50 Lions, Break Even, Built on Secrets, City Escape, Dash & Will, Heroes for Hire, Horrorshow, I Explode Like, Kisschasy, Lovers Grave, The Mission In Motion, The Sundance Kids, Urthboy, Wherewolves, Yacht Club DJs, Young Heretics and Yves Klein Blue; plus nine FReeZA Push Start battle of the bands Regional Final Winners, and multiple MCs, DJs and break-dancers battling it out in the Push It hip hop arena.

Keeping the event way more affordable and accessible than other music festivals thanks to the generosity of the bands, the ticket price will remain at just $30 presale ($40 on the door, if not sold out). Tickets go on sale Monday 16 November from www.moshtix.com.au, www.oztix.com.au & Ticketek 132 849! Tickets for the 2009 festival sold out so don’t miss out and get in early.

Push Over is proudly supported by The Push, triple j, FReeZA, FReeZACentral and Victoria Rocks.

Event Details:
The Push & triple j present
Push Over Festival
Sunday 7 March, 2010
12midday – 8pm @ The Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Melbourne, Victoria
Tickets $30 + bf presale from www.moshtix.com.au, www.oztix.com.au & Ticketek 132 849 or $40 at door if not sold out. On sale Monday 16 November 2009.
Push Over is an All Ages, Fully supervised, Drug, Alcohol and Smoke-Free Event
For more info head to www.thepush.com.au, call (03) 9380 1277 or email push@thepush.com.au

The Push Beat All Ages column

2009-10-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

With Ashan Munesinghe

Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Livejournal, Playstation Network and last but not least, my favourite, the From First to Last band Forum… It’s a tough world when you have to keep track of seven billion things at a time and I’ve decided that I can’t be fussed anymore. Problem is I have a lot of e-friends on all of these forums who would house me if I was to go to the States and snowboard… Ah, life and its fickle dilemmas.

Now to some all ages news, post my sooky rant. After the release of Chasing Hamburg, indie-corers Polar Bear Club are heading to Australia for a serious tour in early 2010, and will play an all ages show at The Castle on January the 31. Polar Bear Club are one of those awkward bands that everyone at some stage in their life will feel could be their favourite band ever. It’s a special kind of music that’s rivetingly multi-genre, but it’s also a kind of music that never stops moving, and it won’t stop you moving. Check them out at myspace.com/polarbearclub.

Locally, Midnight Juggernauts have a funky weird new clip and FasterLouder were first onto it, but if you haven’t seen it yet, check out fasterlouder.com.au/videos/20956/Midnight-Juggernauts--This-New-Technology.htm where you can.

Furthermore, Young Aussie rockers This Town, A Forest are doing good things in the rocky side of the all ages scene, and they seem to be a really sweet bunch of guys too, catch them at myspace.com/thistownaforest.

Also, for the 18 to 25s wanting to work in the music industry, applications for the FReeZA Central Mentoring program close November 11. If you didn’t attend one of the workshops in August, FACE THE MUSIC 09 will be your last chance to be eligible. Head to thepush.com.au and follow the links, or freezacentral.vic.gov.au for details.

Finally, want to volunteer at Soundwave? Sign up to be a volunteer at either your local show or several of the shows via soundwavefestival.com. Would probably be the best thing you do for the whole of next year, so don’t waste your time! They’re basically just looking for kids with some kind of festival experience and a really good attitude to life - you, in other words.

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Friday 30 October
This Town A Forest, Halloween Party, Epping Memorial Hall, corner High St and Hall St, Epping, 7pm, $10
FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands, 340 Camperwell Road, Camberwell, 7pm-10pm, $10

Friday 30 October
Central Goldfield Shire Youth Awards, Maryborough Highland Society, 35 High Street Maryborough
7pm-10pm, Free

Saturday 31 October
FACE THE MUSIC 09 - The Musician's Conference, the Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 10am, $20 inc bf from www.theartscentre.com.au, 1300 182 183, the Arts Centre Box Office

Sunday 1 November
Dash & Will, Girl vs Ghost, Tomaki Jets, Mayfly, Admit One, Seaford Community Hall, Station Street, Seaford, 7pm, $15.00

Sunday 1 November
Evermore, The Hi-Fi Bar, 12pm, $35+bf, U18

Sunday 1 November
Three Faces West, Hang The Jury, Executor, MayAprilMarchInAugust, Mcgavin, Lagana Skies, Raise Cain and Sky City at Headbanging Hoedown, Wesley Hall, 136 Maude Street, Shepparton, 6pm, $5

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-10-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 21 October 2009With Ashan Munesinghe

“Sienna is a reddish-brown colour… if you notice a haze over a city, it will be that colour. The way we see it and the way it (Sienna Skies) was created, (which Nick thought of), is us… trying to get out of that haze and repetitive normality of life and music… we keep trying to follow that in our music and in our lives.” Mickles, Sienna Skies

Mic Sankey, affectionately known as Mickles, guitarist of Sydney’s all ages giants Sienna Skies, chatted to me insightfully and candidly about his band’s plight and evolution from EP, Where Joy Exists Despair Beckons (2007), and a pop-punk past, to achieve a breakthrough future with upcoming debut album, Truest of Colours… but first, to other breaking news...

Greater Dandenong, Momentum and Muso Network are staging ambient post-hardcore heads House vs Hurricane’s epic last show at The Castle in Dandenong on Friday November 6, before they run off to Baltimore on November 10 to record their debut full length. Supporting at the gig is the ferocious City Escape, the badass Trophyknife and hot youngsters I Explode Like.

This weekend don’t forget the second of nine FReeZA Push Start, Battle Of The Bands Regional Finals, featuring some of the best upcoming and developing Victorian musical talent (details below). The Houses are the first Regional Final Winners, set to play Push Over Festival, Sunday 7 March 2010 (tix on sale 16 November).

Tell us the story of Sienna Skies and how you became a band?
We started off a pop-punk kind of Anberlin band. We did that till half-way through ‘07…that fell apart, (but) Nick (guitar) and I stuck with it and we knew a lot of guys from bands, so got Stevo (singer), Wadey (bass) and Matt… (who) was our merch dude…after the our EP was released we taught him how to play keys... Luke (drums) is the youngest.

What do you do in your spare time?
Most weekends we spend our time at shows whether it’s our shows or other band’s shows, we love our All You Can Eat feeds.

You’ve toured with The Red shore, Getaway and Amity, who has been your favourite to tour, gig and hang with?
Always lots of fun hanging out with the Amity boys and they’re helpful with anything - they definitely party, and Closure in Moscow - those boys are all really cool. We toured with them a bunch before they went to The States.

What’s the all ages hardcore and band scene like up in Sydney?
Up here, pretty much all we do is play to all ages crowds. Young kids…get into it more… they have more fun, (and)… you have more fun, cause you can vibe off them a bit more…the band have been going to shows since we were 14, it’s cool how the 14 year olds come to watch us like what we did.

If each member of the band transformed into an animal what would you reckon they’d be?
I’d probably be a grasshopper, cause I’m real lanky and skinny and always jumping around. Stevo would be the lion. Wadey would probably be some sort of bear. Nick would probably be a woodpecker or something – he’s just stupid (kidding). Matt would definitely be a sweet little puppy dog that sleeps a lot. Luke would be a gorilla.

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Wednesday 21 October
Noisegate featuring Mammal, The Stricklands, Arcade Bass, Plan The Escape, Londonberry Reserve, Cnr Vine/Creek St, Bendigo, 6pm, $7

Thursday 22 October
Music Is Everything (largest simultaneous music event in Australia), Federation Square, 11.30am, free

Friday 23 October
Corefest 2009 featuring Children Collide, (18+), Shadow of Doubt, RJ’s Disco, Theatre Royal, Camperdown, 6pm, $20

Saturday 24 October
FReeZA Push Start Battle Of The Bands Regional Final featuring Flounder, Harvest Of Humanity, Little Lady, Masketta Fall, Rosetta Stone, Sweet Kicks, The Boo Hoo Hoo’s, The Euro Masonic Hall, Sunshine
The Amity Affliction, Corner Hotel, 12.30pm, $17, U18

Face The Music 09

2009-10-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

APRA Song-Writing Master Class with Drew Goddard (Karnivool)

APRA is proud to provide six lucky song-writers heading to FACE THE MUSIC 09 with the chance to join a hands-on master class focusing on song-writing and arranging skills.

Drew Goddard of Australian band Karnivool will share his experience and the tools that he’s used to write award-winning critically and commercially acclaimed songs.

Drew is the founding member and lead guitarist for WA’s progressive rock band Karnivool. Their first full-length album Themata has sold 32,000 copies and was fundamentally Drew’s artistic and creative masterpiece. Their new album Sound Awake, written collaboratively, has now gone gold in Australia and sees the band breaking new territory on their rigorous live touring schedule.

Places are extremely limited and participants will be chosen based on their applications.

To apply for this master class at FACE THE MUSIC 09, please head to thepush.com.au and fill in an application form.

Get in quick! Applications close 9am Monday 26 October.

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-10-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

With Ashan Munesinghe

Remember all those times that your Mum said to you, “If that room isn’t clean by the time I step in there, I swear I will do it myself, and all your stuff is going in the damn trash?”

Well it came back to haunt me…I spent most of Saturday looking for my lost Ataris’ ticket in a bunch of messy food wrappers, magazines and photos, half in tears.

Anyway, to combat any idea that this column might be turning very emo, here’s some metal news to “mix things up” a bit. Lamb of God, Devildriver and Shadowsfall are to head to Australia in a hectic calamity of metal. Lamb of God are iconic, Devildriver are a brutal, melodic, technically complex monster and Shadowsfall, from Masschusetts, are a truth telling, spleen splattering biting band. As far as all ages metal goes, it’s pretty epic news. Melbourne will see the threesome on Tuesday 15 December at Festival Hall and there’s no use crying over spilt milk so write it down to get ya tickets!

In other news, Sydney corers, Sienna Skies are about to drop an album later this year, their studio diaries on their Myspace at blogs.myspace.com/siennaskies brings you some insight into the fumblings and bumblings of the band in the studio. It’s pretty funny stuff.

In the coming weeks I will be trying and hopefully attaining some interviews to stick in this column so stay tuned boys and girls, also, if you want to become a part of setting up all ages music events in your area? Visit thepush.com.au for further details or contact your local FReeZA group, to find out which that is, freeza.vic.gov.au is where you should run to.

Piece out fella.

All Ages Weekend Timetable Frenzy

Thursday 15 October
Orbost SRC & East Gippsland Kulture Slams present Op Shop Formal FReeZa with DJ Tim Webb, Sing Star/Karoke, Photo Booth, Fashion Parade, Open Mike, Supper, Orbost Secondary College, 7pm, $5

Friday 16 October
David Gray, the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, 7.30pm, $98, Ticketmaster 136 100
Loddon Shire + Wedderburn FReeZa Group present Kool Skool Launch & GiGash After Party w/ Maddy Holtm DJ Gold, Cold Custard, Jarvis Holt, Dark Adaption, Jess Elder with Wedderburn Town Hall, 6pm, $10
Moreland Youth Services, YMCA, A.R.A.B & Push It! present Conjure (Hip Hop Show), Northcote Town Hall, 7.30pm, $5

Sunday 18 October
3OH!3 & I Explode Like, Hi-Fi Bar, 2pm, $39 + bf, U18 only
Mornington Peninsula Shire & iMPAKT presents Mornington Street Festival with Steph Milson, Mel & Hannah, Tomaki Jets, The Vials, Astral Flight, Ikarii, Elva Scandal, Call It Conspiracy, Mornington Main Street, 11am, Free

Monday 19 October - Friday 30 October
John Farnham, Palais Theatre, 7.30pm, $99 - $169

For more like this, head to thepush.com.au or and email your all ages news to whatson@thepush.com.au.

The Push Beat All Ages Column

2009-10-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-08T18:53:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-09-29T00:11:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

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

Our Backyard 2009 Calling MCs & Breakers!

2009-08-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

the Arts Centre and The Push present
Our Backyard 2009
Sunday 20 September, 2009
@ the Arts Centre, Hamer Hall, St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
11.30am - 4.00pm
FREE ENTRY

The ultimate hip hop extravaganza returns once again in the form of Our Backyard with DJs, MCs, breakers, hip hop dance crews and Sneaker Freaker madness. Get ready to rock steady for one massive line-up of battles, rhymes and beats.

Hosted by Yung Philly and Timomatic (Top 8 finalist from So You Think You Can Dance), Hamer Hall will be pumping and jumping to the sounds and rhythms of DJ Peril, DJ Perplex, Dig Deep vs City Beatz and live funk band Deep Street Soul.

And for something completely different, major artists such as Julez, Justice (Justice & Kaos), Little G, Mantra and 1/6 (Illzilla), MC Momo (Diafrix), MC Que (Illevel) and Urban Monk (Polo CLub) will come together the first time ever live on stage for an Our Backyard All-Star Hip Hop Jam.

Don’t miss the ultimate breakin’ and MC battles going head to head throughout the day as they strive for the naming rights of first prize. Plus Melbourne’s freshest dance crews DVP, Urban Force, Melbourne House Dancers, Melbourne Lockers and AAA Ghet-Go Crew will step it up to bust a groove.

Registrations for 4 on 4 Breakin' & MC Battles NOW OPEN at www.thepush.com.au! Registrations close Friday 4 September. Breakin' & MC Battle Qualifiying Rounds: 11.30am - 1pm. Breakin' & MC Battle Semis & Finals: 1pm - 4pm

Now in its fourth year at the Arts Centre, Our Backyard continues to grow in popularity. In 2009, hip hop again takes on Hamer Hall. Our Backyard has always showcased a variety of acts, keeping true to the 4 elements of hip hop - DJing, breakin', MC and graffiti. Last year saw a capacity crowd, mostly from the general public, keen to take advantage of this unique chance to experience an underground culture.

Our Backyard is the only event of its kind to showcase all aspects of hip hop in the one space and as having equal value. The line-up features both professional and community-based performers, who are the very best in their field. The foyers will host a swap-meet/market place, where you can create your own stencil art, grab a T-shirt, cap, or dress up your feet at Sneaker Freaker.

For More Information Contact The Push on (03) 9380 1277 or push_it@thepush.com.au.

Free Music Industry Workshops

2009-08-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

FReeZACentral and The Push will deliver free music industry career workshops to young people throughout Victoria in this month.

Experienced trainers will come together with established professionals from the industry such as Michael Crafter (Confession, I Killed the Prom Queen, Mistake Clothing), Andrew Kitchen (Antiskeptic, The Push), as well as representatives from Remote Control and BNM Records, Laneway and Soundwave Festivals, and ABC and Nova 100 to provide young people with an introduction to working in the music industry.

Workshop presenters will cover song-writing, performance, sound engineering, recording, technical production, event and tour management, music business, band management, media, communications, marketing and publicity.

Guest speakers will discuss what’s involved in these positions as well as career opportunities available in these sectors.

For more information or registration forms head to www.freezacentral.vic.gov.au, or call The Push on 03 9380 1277.