What Is Music Festival: 50/50 Documentation

19 December 2009

Iwaki Auditorium
ABC Southbank Centre, Southbank Blvd, Melbourne

50/50
Fifty artists in fifty minutes

This performance is now available to stream from the ABC Classic FM website (Real Player or Windows Media). 50/50 featured involvement from all three members of the Sabbatical team, as well as a range of artists from the label.

The rules of 50/50 are thus: 50 bands playing in 50 minutes. One minute per group, no breaks.

Think of the 50/50 project as a living, breathing mixtape, with everything from experimental to jazz to noise to metal to minimalist improv to rock to pop to hiphop to spoken diatribes. Something for everyone, and if you don't like a band then there's less than 60 seconds left until the next one! An event that won't likely be seen ever again, you won't want to miss this speedy sonic degustation.

Participating artists:
Carolyn Connors, Breathing Shrine, DJ 2, Francis Plagne Band, Clare Cooper, Curse ov Dialect, Robin Fox, Tim O'Dwyer Trio, pig&machine, Candlesnuffer+Son, Fabio Umberto, Jon Rose, Shit to the Spirit, Mim Kyhr, Brad Smith, Dead Ants Rainbow, Poletopra, Maya Victoria, Erick Mitsak, Nomex, Sex On Toast, Robert Piotrowicz+Lloyd Honeybrook, DJ Arsecrack, Anna Zaradny, hercel, Rank Sinatra, Charles Ives Singers, Greg Kingston and Robbie Avenaim, Julian Culpan, Bum Creek, Wasted Truth, Occult Blood, Hotel Wrecking City Traders, The Bat Device, Ivens, Mark Lossier, Grytviken (Dav Byrne and Matt "Skitz" Sanders), Scratchplate, elise&jem, Steve Law+Scott Hamilton, Mechanical Performers, Adam Simmons, Vijay Thillaimuthu, Absoluten Calfeutrail, DJ3, Golden Fur Trio.

Final Sabbatical Presents 21.01.10

Thursday 21 January 2010 Sabbatical presents our final ever regular monthly night at the Old Bar (74-76 Johnston Street Fitzroy). To mark this occasion we have assembled a lineup perfectly suited to a balmy evening of beer swilling and shit talk. Opening is MV (Maya Victoria) a London - Melbourne transplant and recent collaborator with local scum clan Occult Blood. Low end / low life tape junk. Melbourne improvisation advocate and percussion legend Sean Baxter follows with his extensive arsenal of metallic junk and other percussive detritus. Ethic Cleansing is a new collaboration between two of Melbourne’s genuinely nasty sonic entities: Screwtape and Ebola Disco. This debut death industrial-inspired live outing promises to be an ideal accompaniment to the copious consumption of alcohol and an indulgence in black humour. Closing the night will be the almighty violent Melbourne grind trio Agents of Abhorrence. These gentlemen are true masters of concision and batter - a perfect end to our tenure at the Old Bar. Cheers. 8:30pm / SIX BUCKS

Sabbatical presents: The What Is Music? Festival

Sabbatical is proud to be presenting one of the Melbourne events at this year's What Is Music? Festival. This Monday, 14 December we will be presenting a showcase of some of the label's finest talents as well as a special once off collaboration between Japanese noisemakers Shayne Bowden (from the group hercel) and our very own, Rob Mayson (Grey Daturas, Breathing Shrine, Bone Sheriff).

The complete line-up is:

Shayne Bowden (Japan) & Rob Mayson - a trans-national aural sparing match
Dead Boomers with Lloyd Honeybrook - the wall of noise just got bigger
Green Beret - an incredible combination of talent in a rare live outing
Aux Assembly - one the last shows of this fine duo before an international relocation

As well as these performances we will be screening new film works from Christina Tester (Gold Tango) and Eli Partridge (Heil Spirits).

This show will start a little earlier than usual, with the first act kicking off at 8pm. Cost is $10 at the door.

This will be our last show for the year, so come down and have a drink, take in the sights and sounds and celebrate what has been a great year for Sabbatical.

Sabbatical presents: The Emergency

Beats. Noise. Beats. Noise. It's hard to choose so we've put together four of our favourites to create a delicious and diverse night out.

The Emergency - first-time percussion set and a new album about to drop on eXO
Nomex - one NZ's finest aural export (read: brutal)
Super Star - space loops to infinity
Anon - one of the best things about Sydney

Six dollars entry, doors at 8.30pm.

As always, Sabbatical items will be available to purchase on the night.

091107 Documentation

Scratchplate


Mitchell Brennan & Lachlan Gale


James Rushford & Joe Talia


Abela/Baxter/Grabowsky Trio


Lucas Abela


Paul Grabowsky

Sabbatical presents: Abela/Baxter/Grabowsky

Sabbatical presents another 'evening of excellence'. Globe-trotting glass abuser Lucas Abela is making a brief stop-off in Melbourne for a collaboration with percussionist Sean Baxter and feted pianist and composer Paul Grabowsky. The set brings the three disparate musicians together for a one-time meeting of their musical minds.

Rounding out the night will be performances from the incredible James Rushford & Joe Talia, the dream-like tones of Scratchplate and the interwoven duo of Mitchell Brennan & Lachlan Gale.

Seven dollars gets you in. Show starts at 8.30pm, sharp.

Documentation: 22 October 2009

Eko Eko Azarak


Matthew Brown


Galactagogue


Bonnie Mercer

Sabbatical presents: Bonnie Mercer

Coming up this month at our regular Old Bar show is a stellar line-up of individual artists.

Bonnie Mercer - Grey Daturas powerhouse freed from the shackles of a band
Galactagogue - solo outing for the incredible Mark Skelton
Matthew Brown - synth warrior extraordinaire
Eko Eko Azarak - sounds like the opening to the best Goblin song you've never heard

22 October 2009
8.30pm

The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

Six dollars entry

Reviews for PIVIXKI and James Rushford & Joe Talia

A couple of new reviews have surfaced recently for our last two releases.

Firstly, PIVIXKI's explosive self-title debut gets a rave write-up from Bob Baker Fish in Cyclic Defrost:

"fascinating, frenetic, and really something unique. The duo fuses together effortlessly, constantly moving, not afraid to startle and get a little musical alongside their naughty beds of atonal discordance." - Bob Baker Fish, Cyclic Defrost

Read the full interview here.

Secondly, James Rushford & Joe Talia's stunning release, Palisades, gets some love from Foxy Digitalis:

"This is a solid release, but I feel the last track makes this essential. 8/10" - Andrew Murdock Livingston, Foxy Digitalis

Read the full review here.

Tour tapes now available online

Absoluten Calfeutail and Dead Boomers have returned from an east coast tour and still have some copies of the cassettes made especially for that trip.

The cassettes are also available in the following stores in Australia:

Missing Link - Melbourne
Round & Round - Brunswick
Sunshine & Grease - Melbourne
Repressed Records - Newtown
Rockinghorse Records - Brisbane
The Outpost - Fortitude Valley
Vox Cyclops - Newcastle

Neckhold rule

Absoluten Calfeutrail/Dead Boomers east coast tour

Late September/early October Leith Thomas and Mark Groves will be heading up the coast for a number of shows as Absoluten Calfeutrail/Dead Boomers.

Details confirmed so far are below. If anyone is interested in hosting a show in or around Sydney or Canberra on Friday 24 September, or Newcastle on Friday 2 October email us here. We don't require a PA, just a power point.

We will have the Sabbatical catalogue with us for purchase at all dates, along with a couple of tour items: Dead Boomers Sharon Stone/Michael Douglas 2xCassette Box (C20 + C10) and Absoluten Calfeutrail Braybrook C20.

Thursday 24 September

Sandringham Hotel
, 387 King Street, Newtown

Sydney NSW

8pm / $10

w/
Go Genre Everything
, Crab Smasher, 
Sticky Angels and 
Yellow Fever

Saturday 26 September

Repressed Records
, 356 King Street, Newtown

Sydney NSW

5.30pm / Free
w/
Jon Hunter

Sunday 27 September

Disembraining Machine at The Tidy
, 29a Logan Road, Woolloongabba

Brisbane QLD

7pm / Entry TBC

w/
Gilles Aubrey (France), 
Lost Domain and 
Neckhold

Tuesday 29 September

Audio Pollen at The Book Nook
, Suite 10, 173 Boundary Street, West End

Brisbane QLD

Time / Lineup TBC

Thursday 1 October

The Arcadian

Carrington Street entrance of the Starcourt Arcade

Lismore NSW

Time / Entry TBC

w/
Prof. Blix and 
Film Spirits (films by Heil Spirits)

Saturday 3 October

Croatian Club, 
Albert Street, Wickham

Newcastle NSW

1pm / Entry TBC

w/
Heil Spirits, 
None Music, 
Alzheimer Blanks, 
Mitchell Brennan/Lachlan Gale and 
Philippa O'shea

Facebook event link here - tell your friends.

PIVIXKI European tour dates

Next month Anthony Pateras, Max Kohane and Robin Fox are leaving our fair shores for a month-long tour of Europe. The massive line-up will include the blistering piano grind of PIVIXKI, the electro-acoustic violence of the Pateras/Fox duo, and the Robin Fox laser show. Rounding out this mega-bill is European native Antoine Chessex. Catch it if you can.

1 October - Cable - Nantes, France
2 October – IGNM – Basel, Switzerland
3 October – Soundhund – Chur, Switzerland
4 October - L’Usine – Geneve, Switzerland
6 October - Le 102 – Grenoble, France
7 October - Les Trinitaires – Metz, France
8 October - Instants Chavires (*benefit gig*) – Paris, France
9 October - Confort Moderne – Poitiers, France
10 October - La Malterie – Lille, France
11 October – Netzwerk – Aalst, Belgium
12 October – DNK – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
13 October – Worm – Rotterdam, The Netherlands
15 October – KNTM – Kopenhagen, Denmark
16 October – Bla – Oslo, Norway

PIVIXKI's debut self-titled release is available now through Sabbatical.

Call out for What Is Music? Festival 50/50 project

As part of this year's What Is Music? Festival the organisers are attempting a pretty huge undertaking. It's called 50/50 and will be a live performance of 50 acts in 50 minutes. They're pulling together acts from across genres are have put the call out.

Read on for the all the info:

Whatismusic festival is presenting a very special large scale event for the 2009 festival - the project is called 50/50. 50 bands in 50 minutes, all set up simultaneously in a single room. Ambitious - yes, crazy - well...yes as well. At the moment we're looking for keen young (and old) go-getters who would like to be a part of the event - if you have gear and a minute's worth of creativity, or even pure derivative hilarity, then we'd like to hear from you!

The event will be taking place at the ABC's Iwaki Auditorium Southbank on the 19th of December, and will be recorded and broadcast by Radio National an hour following the gig. A project of such absurd and amusing magnitude has never been attempted on Australian shores, and should prove to be an amazing experience for anyone involved.

If you would like to be on the bill, send through a short description of who you are, what you do, and preferably a link to a short soundclip of your work to lloydhoneybrook@gmail.com and we will endeavour to get back to you ASAP with some more details about locking your group in for the project.

Looking very much forward to hearing from you all, and making some ludicrous large-scale history!

Now stocked at Round & Round

Sabbatical's catalogue is now stocked at the excellent Round & Round on Sydney Road in Brunswick. If you haven't been to this delightful little record store then you should. It's just a short ride on the No. 19 tram from the city and has a tidy lounge room feel to it. Neat record racks cover the walls, while a few bookshelves contain a modest yet interesting collection of secondhand reading material. Titles are painstakingly divided in sub-genres that wil keep you contained in the Tardis-like shop for longer than you expect.

Sabbatical presents: Heil Spirits

Earlier this year, on tour as a guest member of Aktion Unit, the standout was undoubtedly Heil Spirits, the one-man audio storm of Eli Partridge (formerly of hardcore act The Stockholm Syndrome). Based in Lismore, northern NSW and the power behind the CD-R label Glacial Avatar, Partridge creates shuddering, visceral aural nightmares that deliver a punch straight to the solar plexus.



As such, it is with great anticipation that Sabbatical presents Heil Spirits this month at the Old Bar:

17 September 2009
The Old Bar - 74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

Heil Spirits - turbulent waves of sound
James Rushford & Joe Talia - labyrinthine aural pieces from this incredible duo
Anekantavada - abrasions form new Melbourne resident Mitchell Brennan (Brassskulls)
Laral - despondent sounds for the low-spirited

Doors at 8.30pm, six dollars gets you in.



While down south Heil Spirits will be doing a bunch of shows across Melbourne. Click the flier for details.

PIVIXKI reviews

The first reviews of PIVIXKI's debut release are coming in. First up we've got a live review from the launch at the Empress.



We've also got some great reviews on both Mess + Noise and the always awesome Lexicon Devil blog.

PIVIXKI launch photos and video

Robbie Avenaim & Lloyd Honeybrook



Blarke Bayer



Shit to the Spirit



PIVIXKI - Anthony Pateras



PIVIXKI - Max Kohane



PIVIXKI's debut release is available from www.sbbtcl.com.

Sabbatical presents: Dead Boomers

This August, Sabbatical presents:

Dead Boomers
Sean Baxter & Rod Cooper
Golden Fur

Thursday, 20 August 2009

The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

As always, six dollars gets you in.

Sabbatical presents: PIVIXKI

It is with much pride that Sabbatical presents the launch of PIVIXKI's highly anticipated debut release. The fourteenth release in the Sabbatical series, the self-titled work will be launched at the Empress Hotel on Saturday, 15 August.

PIVIXKI
Blarke Bayer
Robbie Avenaim/Lloyd Honeybrook
Shit to the Spirit

The Empress Hotel, 714 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy

Show starts at 8.30pm sharp, six dollars gets you entry





About PIVIXKI:

PIVIXKI is a world-first melding of physical pianistic acrobatics and blitzing grind drumming, courtesy of musical chameleon Anthony Pateras (Tzadik, Editions Mego) and Max Kohane (punk/grind royalty from Agents of Abhorence, Cut Sick, George W Bush and Far Left Limit). From spacious doomscapes to blasting textures, this disc presents a unique take on the jump-cut duo format, exploding with ear-wrenching intensity and classy performances. Recorded at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s studios in Melbourne by master Melbourne avant-engineer Chris Lawson, and mixed by Chicago legend Casey Rice, this is a must for those who love their music fun, confronting and slightly insane.


PIVIXKI's self-titled release is available from the Sabbatical web store.

Stutter this week

Ahead of their headline slot at this week's Sabbatical show, Canberra's Spartak are performing in improv duos at Stutter. Sabbatical's own Leith Thomas will perform with Spartak's Shoeb Ahmad.

From the folks at Stutter:

his Wednesday the 22nd of July @ Stutter...

• SHOEB AHMAD (ACT) / LEITH THOMAS

• EVAN DORRIAN (ACT) / CANDLESNUFFER

• BIDDY CONNOR

• MATT EARLE (NSW)

• dj PART TIMER between the acts!

@ Horse Bazaar
397 Little Lonsdale Street
Melbourne

8:30pm start.
$10 (full) + $5 (conc)

Click here for Stutter Myspazz

Sabbatical presents: Spartak

Canberra's own Spartak return south for the second time in as many months. Sabbatical is presenting the final show on their Lost Signal EP launch tour. The group will be fighting fit from shows across Australia, as well as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

On this occasion Spartak will also perform seperately, in duos with two icons of Melbourne improvisation. Shoeb Ahmad will take on Dave Brown's mighty Candlesnuffer in a wave of guitars, while drummer Evan Dorrian partners with the esteemed Adam Simmons. Opening the night will be the kraut-jams of Snawklor, in full swing with the extended 'big band' line-up.

As always, it's happening at the Old Bar (74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy), doors at 8.30pm, first group on at 9pm.

Spartak (ACT)
Candlesnuffer vs Shoeb Ahmad
Adam Simmons & Evan Dorrian
Snawklor

Copies of Spartak's Lost Signal wil be available on the night, along with the Sabbatical catalogue. Or, if you can't wait, pick a copy via the hellosQuare website.

Vital Weekly review 'Palisades'

The European-based review staple, Vital Weekly, has reviewed Sabbatical's latest release, Palisades, from James Rushford & Joe Talia.

JAMES RUSHFORD & JOE TALIA - PALISADES
(CDR by Sabbatical Records)

From downunder, Melbourne to be precise are James Rushford and Joe Talia. Together they play prepared viola (Rushford) and spring tank, beatsink, cymbals, woodblock, floor tom (Talia). That I would have never guessed. The four pieces here are highly drone based and work extensively in the field of overtones. Lengthy sustaining music of long held tones, and with a strict minimum of changing the menu of sounds. Only in the third track things are stretched apart and we can note the scraping of viola. The fourth piece (all untitled) sees them exploring this further with sounds that swirl loosely in a mass of natural reverb. The music below sounds like it has been made with sine waves, but I guess it isn't. Highly refined music this is. No doubt created through improvisation, but then I guess this is not their first result in doing so. I think after hefty experimentation they came to these results. An excellent release at that. Great music at work here. (FdW)

Sign up to Vital Weekly here.

Palisades is available from Australian independent record stores or direct from us here.

Absoluten Calfeutrail at Tape Projects

Last weekend Absoluten Calfeutrail performed an amazing set at the wonderful Tape Projects space in Melbourne. Here's a photo and an audio sample from the proceedings.



Stream or download the brief audio clip here.

Sabbatical presents: Naked on the Vague

Sabbatical is proud to present a special early evening show for Sydney’s Naked on the Vague while they’re in Melbourne launching their new 7”. Sporting a newly expanding line-up the now four-piece will grace the Horse Bazaar stage with a cast Melbourne musical misfits. The vocal ferocity and assault of Kusum will be tempered with the intertwining voices of Gugg, while Eastern Grey open proceedings.

The last copies of Naked on the Vague’s almost sold out ‘Sad Sun’ EP will be available at the show.

First band on at 6pm sharp, six dollars entry.

Sabbatical presents: Isomer

Isomer is the moniker adopted by South Australian native David Tonkin for his one-man sound explorations. After quietly tinkering away in Adelaide for the last decade Tonkin has built up an international following for his dark and ambient soundscapes and earned the respect of artists such as the legendary Merzbow and Death In June.

An infrequent live performer, Isomer has supported such legends as Merzbow and Death In June. Sabbatical is proud to present this rare live opportunity in Melbourne.

Supports on the night come from new classical reconstruction trio Golden Fur, harsh noise unit Absoluten Calfeutrail, and the powerful collaboration of Anthony Pateras and Marco Fusinato’s Poletopra.

Six dollars entry, 9pm start

Sabbatical presents: Aux Assembly

This month's show sees the welcome return of one of Sabbatical's groups, Aux Assembly. Dimitra and Elise will bring their beautiful, haunting soundscapes to the Old Bar as headliners of a diverse night including Kristian Roberts (harsh solo noise), A. Wallace & Tom Hall (found sound experiments) and J.L. Dimmick (endless saxophone excursions).

Sabbatical presents:

Aux Assembly
Kristian Roberts
A. Wallace & Tom Hall
J.L. Dimmick

The Old Bar - 76-78 Johnston Street, 76-78 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

Doors at 8.30pm, first act on at 9pm.

$6

Dead Boomers at Pony

This long-weekend Dead Boomers perform as part of a line-up on Sunday night at Pony.

Sunday, 7 June 2009
Pony, 68 Lt Collins Street, Melbourne

Holy Boner
Pathetic Human
Dead Boomers
Pig & Machine

$8

Documentation: James Rushford & Joe Talia launch

Witness Girl


Fourth Impact


Anthea Caddy & Thembi Soddell


Jame Rushford & Joe Talia

Pushing play as performance

This Wednesday we have been asked to DJ between the acts at Stutter at Horse Bazaar. Come on down. Here are the details:

This Wednesday the 27th of May @ Stutter...

• DALE NASON / DALE GORFINKLE / DALE CHAPMAN - minimal vibraphonics, electronics and visual stimulation

• MICHAEL GRAEVE - multi turnable performance piece

• SPLITFOOT - duo - drums, guitar and vocals

• SABBATICAL crew dj'ing in between the sets!

@ Horse Bazaar
397 Little Lonsdale Street
Melbourne

8:30pm start
$10 (full) + $5 (conc)

Sabbatical presents: James Rushford & Joe Talia 'Palisades' launch

Thursday, 21 May Sabbatical presents the launch of our thirteenth series release, Palisades by Melbourne based duo James Rushford & Joe Talia (SBB013). This cavernous electroacoustic fabrication finds its heart in exploration of the unforeseen voices of their selected instrumentation and devices. These include prepared violas, autoharp, spring reverb tank, and various metal objects. The ensuing extended compositions incorporate elements of ethereal drone and instrumental concrète, with stasis as a recurring theme. James and Joe will be joined on this occasion by a series of duo performances from Thembi Soddell & Anthea Caddy, Forth Impact! and Witness Girl. Hosted by the Old Bar (74-76 Johnston Street Fitzroy Victoria), with doors opening at 8:30pm, action from 9pm, and six dollars in.

Palisades is released through Sabbatical on Monday, 18 May 2009 and will be available through the webstore on that day and in Australian independent record stores shortly thereafter.