The Month of Mune

What is Mune you may ask? Well let me educate you dear friends... Mune is a word that is used to describe the period of time that is May to June. Mune 2012 has plenty of awesome events install but for now I am just going to touch on three of them ( ensure you add to your google calendar )

Hussel Hussel

Where: Mojo's Bar Fremantle

When: Friday the 11th of May

Price: $10.00

Why: There are plenty of reason that you should come down to Hussel Hussel every month but this month is a little more significant as the act I manage The Stoops will be performing with Ol Wright & Delirious, The Empty Cup, Wisdom 2th and one of Sydney's premier hip hop DJ's, DJ Ology who is rumored to have a special guest performance by one of my favorite emcee's in the country right now. Honest to God. This is going to be an epic night and one not to miss out on.

Link:http://www.facebook.com/events/130757753724786/

Syrup - Midnight til Daylight

Where: Laneway off Irwin Street. Closest to the corner of Irwin and Murray. It’s just a 3 minute walk east from Ambar.

When: Friday the 18^th of May

Price: $10.00

Why: Syrup is the first monthly UK Bass and future beat club, allowing those with moonlit intentions to party properly until the early hours. It will congregate and showcase those of Perth with a strong passion for future bass music, in a way never seen before in our city. With support from some of the leading and best Bass music crews, Syrup will bring forth true laneway clubbing to the late-night masses of our city. DJ’s performing include KIT POP ✛ BEN M ✛ BOY PRINCE ✛ MR STARKS ✛ CLUNK ✛ DIRK CHOPS

Link:http://www.facebook.com/events/348800165161699

Women In Music Panel

Where: The Bakery

When: Friday June the 1st 12.45PM - 2PM

Price: $55.00 for an all day pass to the WAM Conference $45.00 for WAm Members

Why: This is my baby. After coming back from Fuse earlier in the year, I pitched the idea to Alexis at WAM for a Women In Music panel to be part of the WAMi Conference for 2012. The panel suggestion was accepted and this what we came up with. “ The Australian music industry is a fruitful collective of hard-working, passionate and dedicated women that contribution is to the business on a global level. We are record label executives, artist managers, songwriters, musicians, composers, recording engineers, publicists, music publishers, online and traditional marketers and more. Join us in a discussion on awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts.”

Panelists

Bruna Chiovitti (Festival Officer, City of Fremantle) Moderator

Millie Millgate (Sounds Australia)

Kristy Brown (Sub Continental Dub)

Rosalind Appleby (Author of 'Women of Note')

Catherine Haridy (Catherine Haridy Management)

Bourby Webster (North Street Music)

Link:http://www.wam.asn.au/Events/WAMiFestival

Spotted. Supafest 2012. Perth

My bad. I totally forgot to add one of the personal highlights to my last post on Supafest 2012. Off William Street and down a little ally that also backs on to a large parking lot that more often that not doubles as a flip and trick ground for some of Perth's well known skaters you will stumble across G.F.T.E.D. Guns For Toys Earnest Design is an Apparel, Art and Events shopfront that homes two young designers. On any given day the boys will be painting, creating or constructing something magical and more often that not hip-hop related. It's always great to see people you believe in being productive, continually aspiring to reach their goals and succeed. That's why I wanted to share with you this cool cat wearing a GFTED holster that I met in the crowd at Supafest.

Drop in and check out their awesome store at 7/189 William Street, Northbridge or their threads are online at http://www.gfted.com/

Supafest 2012 Perth

What happens when you design a line up of some of the Biggest names in the world of the RnB music scene and bring them to the most isolated city in the world? Absolutely nothing. Not one things happens.

Ha ha only joking !! On Sunday the 22^nd of April Perth, Western Australia hosted the final leg of Supafest 2012 Tour which included chart topping rappers T-Pain and Lupe Fiasco, Hip-Hop pioneers Naughty By Nature and Ice Cube and sensational vocalists Kelly Rowland and Trey Songz. Top Billing and Grammy nominated bad boy Chris Brown also blessed the crowd with his presence. It seemed the tour had bashed the young kid round abit or maybe it was the after dark time slot with a mix of intoxication on both his behalf and my own that left me confused with his closing performance of the day.

Some punters may have been mistaken they weren’t actually in Australia with the majority of the demographic audience filling the festival being New Zealand or African. It was actually a pleasant surprise that our city can be so multicultural and music is bringing mixed races together in a non-discriminative, safe and non violent environment.

Naughty By Nature was definitely the highlight of the day for me. Their set delivered all the hip –hop music elements of a banging early 90’s house party with complementing patriotic shout outs of “Where my Aussie at ” whilst performing in front of a massive Aussie By Nature backdrop.

Never could I ever imagine a day where I would be saying this out aloud and/or publishing it but Kelly Rowland in the fucking lady. Her delivery was fierce but passionate, professional and soulful. With her set comprised of a mix of her solo releases with collaboration tracks and a stack of Destiny’s Child back catalogue.  Now I am defiantly not saying I am about to log into my itunes a download everything she has ever laid a vocal down on but if you ever get chance check her set out, do it. I will also say if it was a multi-staged festival I would have not given her the time of day so maybe that is a lesson in itself… Note To Evie: Don’t be so harsh on commercial music.

Easter Adventure

We achieved all the goals we had set out, not that we set our standards very high but we accomplished what we were in Victoria to do ! Go to the footy. Get drunk. See some live music. Dance. Eat pie face ( note: there are no Pie Face stores in Perth) And somehow get back to Perth by Sunday so I could see my Muma who was visiting from up-north. I had the privilege of meeting the inspiring and super fun Chloe from Sefton Jane and catching Joelictics set at The Espy. Boy, that guy has charisma oozing from every vessel in his body. It a pity I can't say the same bout the venue. Ha ha it reminded me of what the old Hyde was like until they revamped it. It smelt the same too !

It was quite fitting to watch Wu Tang Clan from Glastonbury 2011 on my flight back to Perth, how far has flight television come... I like the little things in life. Like jumping on the plane and the is hip-hop in my face. Maybe I turn insignifcant events into signs to often in my life. Positivity is magical and my imagination in unlimited. I am looking forward to the future. The people I surround myself by, I am looking forward to being apart of both their journey to come and my own too. 

My Week Of Loss

On Tuesday's one of my favourite people in the world left Perth for the big smoke of Sydney. I honestly can't blame him. I long hard to also be residing on the East Coast. I haven't know Harry long, maybe a few months but his love and caring nature for every one around him is pure and honest. I have never met anyone, anyone at all that will come and support you at your gig no questions asked. No how much is it or who is playing queries. No I have other plans or how do we get there questions. With Harry it seemed if it was good enough for you to be going, he would be there by your side. We need more people like that supporting our art and music scene. To Sydney.. Show him what you got but I plead with you to share him across all genres. Good luck Harry, you are honestly one in a billion.

Last year my dear friend Josh brought me 2 beautiful hermit crabs for studying so hard throughout the semester ( I was being a little bit of a hermit myself believe it or not) I named them Crab Stick and Crab Cake, they were the light of my life. They were also the stars of many drunken betting races at my old house, the start of many imaginative early morning conversations but mostly importantly they were my babies. I used to bath them with Mini Me from Austin Powers with fresh salt water from the beach. Sam Josh and I would choose weekly movies they could watch, well not watch just you know hang out with famous peeps, they were down with heaps of celebs. They died last Thursday. It has been a very dramatic process but with the support of my close friends and family I think I can get through this. I just thought you should know.

Sucks hard when you loose people. Or pets. Any advice or tips ?

Sydney 2012 - Part One

My Internship at Elefant Traks was an educational and rewarding experience. Spending time at the Elefant Traks manor with Tim, Dale, Richie and Owen reassured me that I want my future endeavors to be in Australian Music industry with a strong involvement in the hip-hop scene. Whilst I was at the headquarters I observed the working aspects of how an independent record label comes together and the day-to-day roles and tasks that need to be completed to do it successfully. We discussed management styles to copywriter quires; I assisted with touring research, backline bookings and artist career mapping and improvement. I realized that living in the most isolated city in the world does change things dramatically. The East Coast business dealings do differ to our sleepy little death toll town and I am not just talking about the 3 hours time difference.

Whilst I was in the SYD I attended the Music NSW “Making Music Your Business” seminar, which was held at an inspirational space The Rocks Pop-Up, Darlinghurst. Hugh Sanson from Moneypenny, an International entertainment financial services group gave excellent tips and advice for musicians and people starting out in the music industry. A point that I particularly liked is that we, musicians and music biz peeps, can claim tax on Foxtel! Kate Taylor spoke on the Sydney Hot Desks/ Hub program wish had me wishing that Perth’s rates for such initiatives were the same price as the East Coast. Nathan Farrell from NFEntertainment (management for Thundamentals and Laneous & The Family Yah’s ) touched on his experiences and involvement in the Australian music scene as a manager and concert promoter.

I tried to see as much live music as possible while I was in Sydney. This wasn’t too hard as Elefant Traks had five of their artist on the label touring around the country. I managed to catch yet again another set by my favourites Sietta at The Loft UTS. James and Caiti from Sietta have switched their set up by adding an acoustic segment to the mix. It gave an intimate insight to their music, that I had not witnessed before. After the gig we headed to The Hive bar with Sydney based emcee The Tongue. It was a funky little venue in Eskernville where the lovely Miss Josie Styles was on the decks and we enjoyed a few too many vodka cranberries. I also had the pleasure of meeting KillaQueez emcee Kween G who I have admired since she did the collaboration with South Rukkas Crew a few years ago. Quick Tip : South Rukkus Crew’s Mix Up Album is a must in any CD collection.

Friday - an evening that I will never forget and can’t wait to relive at The Rosemount on the 14^th of April when The Herd come to Perth with their 1000 Lives show. The energetic Thundamantals boys and fresh-faced Sky'High are the supports for the national tour which kicked off at The Manning at a sold out Sydney University.

Sky’High is an act I have been watching closely since she signed to Elefant Traks earlier in the year. It seemed an unlikely addition to the Elefant Traks label. I will be honest in saying I was slightly confused with the announcement but when you see this stella performer live you will see for yourself why a label would snatch her up. Her stage presence is powerful and honest. Her raps are raw but polished. This is defiantly a lady you want to watch. By the end of her set she left the crowd warmed up for an massive night of what the Australian Hip-Hop scene is. Supportive, diverse and entertaining.

I attended the show with two of my dearest friends Leigh and Sakr, who I had been staying with whilst I was in Sydney. This was to be their first hip-hop show ever. Thudamentals delivered a killa set which turned my friends into instant fans. With Taka taking the time to personally shake their hands at the end of the show converted these hip-hop virgins into born again Thundacats.

The Herd are a passionate and generous group of individuals, all quirky and hilarious in their own little way. Sharing stories and photos of their children and personal achievements in their world outside the familiarity, which is The Herd. These admiral musicians, chilling together, in the Green Room demonstrated love they have for one another, the music they produce and the live show they perform oh so well. Which brings us to their set.

The progressive hip-hop act have been making music together and touring our country as a renowned live performers for over ten years. Reinventing many of the crowd favourites, remixing originals with funky instrumentals and performing new tracks of their latest EP gave their loyal fan base what they desired.  I’m not going to tell you too much more about the set because you should really get along to their new live show and see it for yourself. But I will sat this this the latest design of Herd shirt’s and hoodies, available at the shows, are fucking great !!

Part Two of this delightful trip will be posted in the next few days as soon as I get through my assignments. Happy Easter Bunnies xxx