New York's loudest band - A Place To Bury Strangers - will be playing Transit Bar this Monday night. Photo: Supplied
Lofty ambitions
Adelaide hip-hop titans Hilltop Hoods - who were in town for Summernats just last fortnight - have again teamed up with APRA/AMCOS to give emerging musicians a leg-up via a grant. The 2013 Hilltop Hoods Initiative is open to all hip-hop and soul musicians who haven't released an album professionally and aims to help the recipient with the costs of releasing an album, including mastering, artwork, marketing and manufacturing. As well as that $10,000 helping hand, the winner will also receive legal advice from David Vodicka and Media Arts Lawyers and a haul of Shure mics to deck out the home studio. Judges include Def Wish Cast and Dialectrix manager Ran-Dee and local lad Hau of Koolism and Triple J hip-hop show fame. To apply, see apra-amcos.com.au. Applications close on February 26.
Laugh it up
After deciding that Canberra had languished for too long without its own comedy festival, a group of committed locals, centred around Comedy ACT, set to work on righting this wrong. The result is this year's inaugural Canberra Comedy Festival, which will be held from March 19 to 23, with an opening night gala on March 19th and shows spread across the ANU Arts Centre, Civic Pub and the Ainslie Football Club for the following week. Beloved Brit comedian Stephen K. Amos will make his first trip to town as part of the festival, while the first announcement also includes Aussie expat Steve Hughes, musical trio Tripod, Akmal Saleh, Celia Pacquola, Luke Heggie, Matt Okine, Mel Buttle,Mathew Kenneally and a host of local comics. For a full rundown of shows and to buy tickets, see canberracomedyfestival.com.au.
New York's finest
As mentioned last week, A Place to Bury Strangers - known to some as New York's loudest band - will be playing Transit Bar this Monday, doing its level best to ensure punters enjoy anything but a quiet, sleepy start to the week. Led by guitarist Oliver Ackermann, who started out as the band's drummer and remains its only original member, the three-piece now features Dion Lunadon of New Zealand garage band the D4 and, after a brief fill-in stint from Allan Bickle of Baroness, Robi Gonzalez on drums. The group has played at festivals including All Tomorrow's Parties, Coachella and Primavera, as well as a string of high-profile support slots for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, MGMT, Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Expect ear-shredding guitar workouts in the vein of the Mary Chain, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, with visual accompaniment that involves a nine-projector set-up, and support from Pearls. Doors open at 8pm and tickets are $35 from moshtix.com.au.
Modern updates
Edinburgh six-piece Modhan are kicking off their first - and completely self-organised - tour of Australia at the Illawarra Folk Festival today, before trekking across the country on a trail of festivals, winery and house concerts and plain ol' pub gigs. The band will bring their swag of tunes, fusing traditional Scottish folk with rogue elements, jazz, rock and funk, to The Front Wednesday night. Doors open at 7.30pm and entry is $15 or $10 concession.
Eyes on the prize
Local hard-rockers Eyes to the Sky are launching their debut disc at Transit Bar this Saturday night. The EP was recorded in Sydney with former Cog and current Floating Me drummer Lucius Borich manning the console, before being shipped off to Los Angeles for mastering by Cog, Sepultura and Halford masterer Maor Appelbaum. All of which, of course, promises a fittingly huge-sounding finished product. New South Wales bands Delinquent and Distance 301 are roadtripping in for the great unveiling. Doors open at 8pm and entry is $10.
The captain's log
After an absolutely riotous Monday night gig last year, which has the rickety old Phoenix full to bursting, Bob Log III is making a return to the bar this Saturday night. Over the years, the US-born bluesman has become a well-loved cult figure, emphatically endorsed by Tom Waits and frequently turning up as the mystery act at Victoria's Meredith Music Festival. From his mic'ed up motorcycle helmet and human cannonball suit, to his light-lined guitar case, Bob's a consummate, old-style showman, playing a raucous, one-man-band take on the blues, armed with only a guitar and a drum at each foot. The faint-hearted needn't worry about his famously off-colour lyrics, as chances are you won't be able to decipher them in the din. Tickets are $15 on the door, with Crash the Curb supporting.
An Oasis
As the mercury soars, the National Gallery's Sculpture Bar is flinging open its doors for summer. Nestled in the Sculpture Garden at the NGA, it offers a cool retreat from the scorching sun, soundtracked by a roster of local DJs. So, to take a line from Robert Pollard, the club is open - from 5pm this Friday afternoon, and every Friday after that until the end of March.
Know of something happening in the Canberra scene? Shoot us the details at flywordonthestreet@gmail.com
Peter Krbavac is a Canberra music writer, musician and radio presenter with 2XX
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