I hadn’t heard anything from Kid Koala for some time but I’ve just found out that he’ll be here in Adelaide in a couple of weeks. He’s been a fairly regular visitor here and many of you may have seen him before (in which case you’ll probably already be keen to go again). Very skillful turntablist who knows how to put on an entertaining show.

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Also heading back to Adelaide is the legendary Damo Suzuki, former singer for the great German band Can. As is his usual way of working he’ll be fronting a band made up of some local musicians.

Update: here is the info on the Damo Suzuki gig from Token Gesture:

Last here in 2007, Kenji ‘Damo’ Suzuki (Cologne, Germany), legendary sound traveler and instant composer, will return to Adelaide for another dose of high-energy exploratory new music. The enigmatic Damo was once the vocalist for the historically significant German underground band CAN, his otherworldly vocal experiments establishing him as one of the most unique musical voices of all time. Nowadays Damo travels the world making spontaneous sounds with talented local musicians, or ‘sound carriers’, some of whom are professional artists in their own right, such as Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (The Mars Volta) and Makoto Kawabata (Acid Mothers Temple). Damo remembers fondly the old days of 60s and 70s experimental rock however it is playing in “the now”, as he puts it, which excites him most. Damo’s ever-evolving Network is always unpredictable, challenging, joyous, and entertaining; the fusion of sounds is like no other.

Token Gesture Presents the Damo Suzuki Network (featuring Like Leaves and members of Skeletons) at the Edinburgh Castle on Friday February 13, supported by Billy Bishop Goes to War. Doors 9:30pm, $15 entry.

Also, well done to the organisers of the Big Day Out yesterday for having a set up appropriate for the weather, with all except the main stages under cover. Highlights for me were Neil Young and Died Pretty (especially when they finished with the epic Mirror Blues ). Also enjoyed Eddy Current Suppression Ring, TV on the Radio and No Through Road.

On the topic of Died Pretty just found a fantastic 2cd reissue of their debut album Free Dirt packaged with all their earlier singles (previously compiled as album Pre Deity), plus the Stoneage Cinderella single, demos and live tracks. There is a nice booklet too.

JANUARY

• 31st Hit the Jackpot and Useless Children at the Metro.

FEBRUARY

• 5th Inappropriate Tough Guy Behaviour at the Big Star Basement, 7pm.
• 7th Laneway Festival. Stereolab, Daedelus, Fourtet, Pivot and many more. Lineup here.
• 10th Primal Scream at HQ.
• 12th Kid Koala at Electric Light.
• 13th Damo Suzuki at the Ed Castle
• 17th Chick Corea and John McLaughlin at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
• 18th Klumpes Ahmad, Austin Benjamin Trio, Panoptique Electrical at EMU Space, Schultz building, Adelide Uni. Klumpes Ahmad is the duo of former Triosk & Pivot member Adrian Klumpes with Shoeb Ahmad. Austin Benjamin Trio are from Canberra, and Panoptique ELectrical is Jason Sweeney of Pretty Boy Crossover.
• 19th Clue to Kalo at Rocket Bar.
• 20th and 21st Dave Graney and the Lurid Yellow Mist at the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

MARCH

• 6-8th Womadelaide.
• 21st Blackeyed Susans at the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

On the Stereo

• Neil Young – Rust Never Sleeps cd (Reprise)
• Neil Young – Tonight’s the Night cd (Reprise)
• Neil Young – Everybody Knows This is Nowhere cd (Reprise)
• Died Pretty – Free Dirt 2cd (Aztec)
• Died Pretty – Lost cd (Blue Mosque)
• Underground Lovers – Leaves Me Blind cd (Guernica)
• Underground Lovers – Dream It Down cd (Polydor)
• Various – Soundboy’s Gravestone Gets Desecrated By Vandals 2cd (Skull Disco)
• Benga – Diary of an Afro Warrior cd (Tempa)
• The Perceptionists – Black Dialogue cd (Def Jux)

Before posting about the bands on Day 2, first some photos I took earlier in the day

Bourke St Stage

View from our hotel window

Amphitheatre and Village Square

The Adelaide BDO is on this Friday, here’s my guide as to what I think is worth seeing. Feel free to offer suggestions if I miss anything.

First of all, it looks like we’re set to start the first heat wave of the summer tomorrow, with temperatures 35 or above for at least a week, so it’ll be well set in by Friday. I’ve got through a full Womad weekend during a heat wave last year, so I figure I can get through the BDO as well, though the BDO is likely to be more crowded and have less shade.

If anyone is enthusiatic enough, despite the heat, to get there by 11:30 you can see an early set from local favourites No Through Road.

Then at 12:45 there are Melbourne hip-hop group TZU, I’ve never seen them but they’ve been associated with other groups I like such as Curse ov Dialect and Music vs Physics, so I’d be interested in checking them out.

At 1:45 there’s highly rated Melbourne band Eddy Current Suppression Ring. I’ve been hearing very good things about them for a while now and have been waiting for a chance to see them live.

At 3:30 there’s the first big o/s act for me, TV on the Radio. I’ve not got as excited about them as many others have, but I’m interested enough to see what they’re like, lets see if they turn me into a fan.

Unfortunately TVotR clash with locals Hit the Jackpot , but you can also catch them the following night at the Metro.

At 5:30 there is Died Pretty, one of the great bands from the Australian underground rock scene in the 80’s. I saw them play a couple of Don’t Look Back shows last year and I’m very keen to see them again.

I’m sure the Boiler Room will be living up to it’s name, at 6:45 I’ll head in to see Holy Ghost! Their name caught my eye because it makes me think of Albert Ayler (not that I expect them to sound like him!), they’re on the DFA label, so perhaps something not too different to LCD Soundsystem (but that’s just a guess). I may stay around afterwards for Hot Chip as well.

At 8:30 I’ll head out to the main stage (for the first time!) for Neil Young. Reviews of his shows in Aus so far have been excellent. It’s a shame he clashes with Fantomas though, but chances to see Neil Young aren’t so common so it’s an easy choice for me.

After a brief reunion taking in ATP Mt Buller (I’ll get around to reviewing the rest of it soon), ATP Sydney and a show at GOMA in Brisbane, the best band in the world ever are going to play more shows. So far shows at the Basement in Sydney have been announced on May 2 and 3. Rumour has it that they’ll also play the Melbourne Jazz Festival around this time. Please, please, please, please, please play in Adelaide as well. While I would happily travel to see them (in both Sydney & Melbourne) unfortunately it’s not possible for me to get away from work, so I’m probably going to have to rely on Adelaide being on the itinerary. Hopefully Les Millar will put in a good word for his home town.
And if you think that I’m dwelling a bit too much on the past (ie late 70’s / early 80’s) then I’ll add that I’m also eagerly awaiting Ed Kuepper’s new album after hearing that he previewed some new tracks from it on his short East Coast tour with Alister Spence last year. His last one, Jean Lee & The Yellow Dog was my favourite of 2007.

Update: The Sydney dates are now on their myspace page and on the Feel Presents site. Here’s the blurb from both:

LAUGHING CLOWNS – THE REUNION
CONTINUES

… the reformed Laughing Clowns turn in an enrapturing
performance of their jazz-affected post-punk and conclude with the towering
saxophone melody and festival highlight of Eternally Yours. – LAST -FM
review of ATP, Mt.Buller

Following stand out performances at the
inaugural ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES FESTIVAL, Feel Presents are proud to
announce two Sydney club shows for the legendary LAUGHING CLOWNS: May 2nd
& 3rd at The Basement.

In their initial incarnation, LAUGHING
CLOWNS existed from 1979 – 1984 and released some of the most brilliantly
executed post-punk, post-modern, post-anything music ever produced in
Australia. Featuring the prodigious talents of one-time Saint, Ed Kuepper and
drumming genius Jeffrey Wegener, this reunited version of the LAUGHING
CLOWNS also features former Clowns, Louise Elliot (on saxophone) and stand
up bassist Les ‘Biff’ Millar alongside recent Ed Kuepper sideman, Alister
Spence.

Forty Five minute sets at All Tomorrow’s Parties were just a
teaser for what the Clowns promise this May.

Don’t miss the reunion they
thought would never happen – LAUGHING CLOWNS – live in May.

May
2nd & 3rd: Sydney, The Basement
Tickets on sale January 23rd from
feelpresents.oztix.com.au or www.thebasement.com.au ..
or via phone: 92512797