Capital Eyes- 2011 Mixtape

Rather than doing a top 10 this year (mainly because I haven't been paying that much attention to what's been going on), I have made a "mixtape" - actually just a playlist, but it's getting there...

It basically reflects what I've been listening to and the bands I've gone to see. I am planning next year to make a mix each month.

You can download the file here.

Here is the tracklisting. You probably wouldn't call this groundbreaking, or featuring "rare tracks", but a lot of it I haven't listened to regularly this year.

Hoodlum Shouts- Guns Germs Steel

My friend Luke plays in this band, they are really good- definitely one of the best Australian rock bands to come out in quite some time. This will be on their full length album which comes out next year. When he first told me he'd joined a band that sounded "kinda like Midnight Oil" I was definitely interested. Their sound can definitely be described as "Australian".

Miles Away- Anywhere

I went and saw Miles Away this year, it was the first time I had seen them in a fair while, the first since they released Endless Roads, a good album to listen to when travelling a long way from home.

Fires of Waco- Change With The Tide

I got to see Fires of Waco twice this year. Once at the same show with Miles Away, and then I saw them on their home turf, at Fat Louie's in Brisbane in a free show. Their album, Old Ghosts Never Sleep is brilliant.

The Gaslight Anthem- Even Cowgirls Get The Blues

I had a ticket to go and see The Gaslight Anthem but I couldn't make it. This is probably the first time that this has happened to me, and aside from regretting the waste of money, I also regret not seeing them even more now, as I have listened to them a whole lot this year.

Grinderman- Bellringer Blues

It sounds like Grinderman may have bitten the dust this year, so that's a band I will never get to see. I love the story in this song.

The National- England

Our friend Sofia reckons that I look a lot like the singer from The National. I'm not so sure on that, but I like this song.

I Exist- Black Unicorn

It is really amazing to see how far these guys have come in just a couple of years. Relentless touring and releasing plenty of music will always help out. I also did an interview in BMA with them.

Kvelertak- Blodtørst

This is a band that got talked up a lot last year. I didn't really get interested in them until it got announced they were going to play the Soundwave Revolution- which didn't quite make it anyway. I like their sound, it's fun.

Break Even- Hells Gates

So far from home- that's where I've spent a lot of this year. Break Even played in Canberra just a couple of days after they put this song out, and almost the whole crowd knew the words. That was pretty impressive.

A Death In The Family- This Letters Proof

From the album Small Town Stories, I started listening to that album a lot more this year, particularly when visiting small towns.

Ringworm- Leviathon

From the split with Mindsnare. Long talked about, but I guess a lot of people didn't believe it would ever come out.

Frenzal Rhomb- Knuckleheads

Frenzal Rhomb, that staple of Australian punk, they've been around for nearly 20 years now. While it's not quite up there with their earlier works, it's a fun listen.

Parkway Drive- Carrion

It's hard to comprehend the popularity of Parkway Drive overseas, without seeing it first hand. Hearing a room full of people chant for CARRION- CARRION was impressive to see. I hope to see them in South America again next year.

Propagandhi- Dear Coach's Corner

I saw Propagandhi in Hobart and Canberra this year. They were both pretty cool shows.

Audrey Hepburn- Moon River

This one is a bit of a change of pace. This was the entrance song for Francisca at both of our wedding ceremonies.

Machine Head- Who We Are

I was a bit underwhelmed with Machine Head's latest effort. It was great to see them within the first few days of arriving in Santiago (with Sepultura). How about the encore of Davidian into Halo. Pretty good.

We're into a new year.

The first day of 2011 it sounds like I've turned into a super keen fitness fiend. One of my resolutions was to exercise every day. However, we kicked things off well today.

Francisca and I walked up Mt Majura, then swam some laps at Dickson Pool. Just to complete the day, we kicked a soccerball around once it got a bit cooler in the evening.

I honestly couldn't tell you a top 10 of albums that came out in 2010, the quality just wasn't there, or I wasn't looking for it.

I did like

The Amity Affliction- Youngbloods

The Gaslight Anthem- American Slang

I Exist- I: A Turn For The Worse

Alexisonfire- Dogs Blood (EP)

How about a top 10 shows that I attended for the year...that will be easier to complete.

1. Polar Bear Club, Break Even, The Gifthorse @ Rosies, Brisbane

2. Polar Bear Club, Break Even, The Gifthorse @ The Fort, Brisbane

3. The Ghost Inside, Break Even @ Underworld, London (UK)

4. Machine Head, Hatebreed @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide

5. 4 Dead, Hoodlum Shouts, Boonhorse @ Bar 32, Canberra

6. Ruiner, Hopeless, I Exist @ Bar 32, Canberra

6. Alexisonfire, Comeback Kid, Anti Flag @ The Forum, Sydney

7. Alexisonfire, Break Even @ UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney or The Palace, Melbourne

8. Dangers, Graf Orlock, 4 Dead, Vera @ Bar 32 Canberra

9. Slowburn last show @ The Jam Factory, Canberra

10. Elysian, Ignite The Ibex @ The Basement, Canberra

2010 was a great year personally, easily the best ever. 2011 will definitely be an adventure, a big year ahead. I should have a new issue of Capital Eyes in the next few days, with interview from Elysian and Yoko Oh No.

Another boring day in Canberra?

Yesterday was not one. Even though I had to work until 3 in the afternoon, on a Sunday, I still got to go to two different shows and see a bunch of great bands.

Now that I have a car, I can just pop on over to things, that's exactly what I did yesterday afternoon. Fifteen minutes after leaving work, I was there. I chatted outside for a while, Ivens were playing inside, I didn't get to catch any of their set, they were just finishing off when I came in.

First band I saw was Encircling Sea, I was really impressed with them. A lot of crazy effects, I don't even know what you call that kind of style, but they were really good. It was the first time I'd been to the basement at Morgan's place. A pretty small room, but plenty of people can fit inside. Most people watched the band, nodding their heads along to the beat. This band I really liked actually, I didn't really know what to expect from them, and to say the least I was very impressed.

A Secret Death were up next. It's a long while since they've played in Canberra (late 08 at a guess) and it kind of looked like they hadn't practiced since. Their set was still brilliant, they even chucked in a couple of old ones for good measure. "This songs called Lion of Progression".

Dun dun dun dun du du dun DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN etc

Incredible band. Even though no one seemed that into it, and between songs they debated which songs to play, every song was actually quite close to the sound of the recordings.

4 Dead were last at this show, and I think Morgan may have hesitations about inviting his own band back to play in his house. 4 Dead's set was pretty wild, lights broken, playing in the dark ala Hard Luck launch at Sound Underground. Jon actually went further back, saying last time he went to a show in the dark, he broke his arm and was out for six months. This was the Deadstare reunion show at Hornsby PCYC. Funnily enough, the drummer from Deadstare is now in 4 Dead.

So anyway, people flying everywhere, things getting smashed, there was a little girl who seemed to be moshing harder than anyone else, beer spitting, general chaos. It was what we've all come to expect from a 4 Dead set really. I was trying to stay out of the action, but it seemed unavoidable, I ended up going crashing over some guitar cases, more than once.

After the show I gave Dave and Bel a lift home. We talked old times about some of the venues that have been and gone, there sure are a lot.

After this I drove into the city and went to The Phoenix, where Hoodlum Shouts were playing with Will Wagner and the Smith Street band. Being a Smith St band, of course they are from Melbourne.

I was really impressed by this show. For a start it was free, but surprisingly there wasn't a great turnout. A solid turnout I guess you could call it. Will Wagner and his merry men play some sort of folk punk/rock mix. They are a good band, I had never heard of them before, but I enjoyed their set. Hoodlum Shouts, I have seen them a few times now, and there one of the best straight out rock bands I've seen in a long while. I really enjoy their sound.

On the way home I gave Pete K a lift home, we did some more reminiscing as well as a bit more talk about the future. I am going to be stepping in a bit more in the near future, having a bit more to do with the path of "the scene". Let's see how that goes.

Anyway, it was an awesome day, I'm sure all the people who say there's nothing to do in Canberra had a pleasant afternoon at home.

Guess who's back

4 Dead return to the action at Bar 32 last night. Photo by JHat

So it's been a while since the last time 4 Dead played. The last show they played was supporting the French doom band Monarch. The fact that Monarch have toured again between 4 Dead experiences means it's been a really long time. I don't think I'd seen them since their show with Ruiner, which was back at the end of 2008. To say the least, I was reasonably excited.

I arrived just shortly before Boonhorse began. At Bar 32, to go to the bathroom, you basically need to walk through where the band is playing, so I got in before things started off. Boonhorse struck their first chords while I was in there, it seemed as if the room started to shake. I had to navigate my way around the band to get back out. I don't really know much about this band, I think this was the first time I've ever seen them, but from my vantage point at the back, I could actually barely see the band at all. The place was absolutely packed. It is just a small bar, but it was completely full, with very little space to walk around.

Next up were Hoodlum Shouts, probably the complete opposite from 4 Dead. I think this was one of the most brilliant aspects of the show, it wasn't just a bunch of hardcore bands, it was a very mixed bill. I was a bit closer to the front this time, they played a good set. Plenty of people were down the front. Hoodlum Shouts are one of the best rock bands to come through Canberra in a long, long time. The last time I saw them I said they were somewhere between At The Drive In and Redgum, I'm going to stick with that one.

So 4 Dead were about to start, I was looking around, so many familiar faces. I think this was the best part of the show. Seeing the band 5 or 6 years ago, the crowd wouldn't really have been that different, however the band has had a multitude of lineup changes in more recent times.

The traditional beginning of a wall of feedback came from Shane's guitar, Jon came out and told everybody it was nice to be back, "let's get silly" he said. Then he went to scream into the microphone, it wasn't turned on. That was a bit of a false start, but things were underway soon after, then things got wild.

The set was mainly new stuff, but every so often, the band would drop in an older track, and those times, the crowd went even wilder. One thing that was also noticeable was that down the front, it was boys only. Everyone has their own wild 4 Dead story, I think there were plenty of people standing well back.

The new songs seem to have a bit more flat out rock influence, there was some sections that made me think of Motorhead. Even though they had never heard this songs, people were going crazy for every song. Bodies were flying everywhere, people were getting smashed in the face, but everyone seemed to wear a stupid grin on their face. I had the same grin, it was so great to see the might 4 Dead back in action.

I woke up this morning, it felt as if I had been beaten by a gang of thieves. I couldn't feel better, 4 Dead are back in action. By the way, I did an interview with Jon, it will be in the next issue of Capital Eyes (no. 8), it should be out by the time they play with Graf Orlock and Dangers at Bar 32. Thankfully it's not going to be a couple of years waiting for the next show, just a couple of weeks.