Brisbane Is Big With The Sound

Next week over three days (September 7-9) Brisbane becomes a convergence point for all important Australian musical media. When I say important, Im not referring to The X Factor either. The biggest music conference in the Southern Hemisphere, BIGSOUND draws top national and international industry talent, forming a vibrant collection of musicians, buyers and industry experts to create an environment of new music discovery.

The three-day BIGSOUND conference program is already gaining a substantial reputation around the world for its cutting edge topics and down to earth approach in tackling issues in what is one of the world’s most rapidly changing industries. This year's speakers include Creation Records creator Alan McGee, Pavement guitarist Spiral Stairs, Aussie music entrepreneurial wunderkind Michael Chugg, Lachlan Goold (AKA uberproducer Magoo), triplej stalwart Richard Kingsmill, plus a gamut of the industry's movers and shakers from home and abroad, all with varying degrees of valid things to say about everything. Yep, everything. You name it, they are mumbling about it. Timetable of events here...

2011 marks the third year since BIGSOUND launched its expanded showcase program concept, BIGSOUND Live, to the public. The new look BIGSOUND Live program allows the public access to live and original music in a huge variety of Fortitude Valley clubs and venues across two nights (September 7-8), with 80 of the "best" emerging acts appear for one of the most exciting industry festivals and showcases in the Southern Hemisphere. TO be fair, its got some amazing acts - alongside bands already mentioned here at SM (The Laurels, DZ Deathrays, Bleeding Knees Club, Guineafowl, The Mercy Beat) there are the likes of Ben Salter, Belles Will Ring, Eagle & the Worm, Velociraptor, Intercooler (making a much-anticipated comeback!), Jonathan Boulet (of excellent Sydney act Parades), Mike Noga, Little Scout, Mosman Alder, SEALS, Stonefield, The Vasco Era...pant...and that's just the tip of this sonic iceberg!

You can get tickets here for either the Wednesday or Thursday night, or a two night pass.

Mercilessly Yakking Up And Down The Coast

Brisbane's The Mercy Beat are about to embark on their biggest tour to date, showcasing their roaring rock all along the East Coast. Their debut album How To Shampoo A Yak is an accomplished affair and perfectly encapsulates the strength that infuses these ballsy tracks. Its their maiden voyage, kickstarting in Melbourne tomorrow night, so get along to one of the following shows and support a great up and coming act.

The Mercy Beat - Eagle Throws Goat Off Cliff
The Mercy Beat -Arouzin Yispouse

Mercy Beating A Shampooed Yak

A few weeks ago I went along to the Step Inn here in Brisbane to watch Front End Loader. As always they were impressive - really got off on the new track 'Decisions Decisions Decisions' - but was equally enamoured with the support acts, one of which was locals The Mercy Beat. They didnt really appear to fit in on this bill - their modus operandi is aggressive stoner rock stylings that straddles both Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age - if Josh Homme took over the creative duties whilst John Garcia still ruled the mic, so to speak. That's a lofty summation of their sound, but they pulled off an electric show, really balls out rock with enough meat hanging off the bones to choke the vegans of this world.

The Mercy Beat arent new to the scene though, having released debut album How To Shampoo A Yak last year after playing incessantly all over the shop. They supported The Bronx, Trash Talk and H2O earlier this year, and with these touchstones the ferocious engine room that propels and pummels in equal measures will only rise in strength and (hopefully) arrogance. This is the type of sound that deserves to be flaunted with a recklessly flailed fist, raising a smile to your face even as they successfully pulp it to bits.

The Mercy Beat are off on a national tour later this month, playing in Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Woolongong, and (R)Adelaide, and then doing a few coast shows as well - get out and see what they are dishing out.

Latest tracks by The Mercy Beat