King Dude

Vanguard

Sydney, Australia

April 13, 2019

Having emerged as what appealed to an appreciative underground audience as a neofolky, luciferian lone-troubadour, TJ Cowgill, the man behind the moniker of King Dude has evolved to become an entity that still wears its DNA on its sleeve yet has carefully calibrated a shift towards appealing to a wider audience.

Given the often constrictive confines of underground music, it is something that I welcome with open arms and it would have been great to see the man again accompanied by a full band as part of the upcoming Dark Mofo Festival, but him in the purest form backed by only one constituent got the job done tonight.

2019 sees King Dude holding court in a gloomy folk incarnation that is accentuated by heavier post-punk elements, whose dynamics help to elevate the yarns that Cowgill spins as he lets the audience partake in him meandering through shadowy realms and heavily drawing on hedonist motifs and religious imagery.

It might be my own interpretation of King Dude, but what makes it more appealing to me than his often lacklustre peers is that his tongue seems to be firmly buried in cheek.  Along with the fact that a facet of self-conscious humour reverberates through his oeuvre without a care if it falls on fertile ground with the recipients of his emissions, it adds a refreshing layer of idiosyncrasy.

A fulminant evening paying homage to everything gloomy, haunting and dark yet infused with a gritty alt-country-rockishness and other Americana that result in a refreshing groovy vibe and catchiness that made the performance enjoyable for more reasons than mere aesthetics.

In layman’s terms, this is the perfect soundtrack for a sleazy strip club and tonight’s performance was testament to the fact that the Armageddon Gigolo has a lot more to offer than the stereotypes of the genre he originally emerged from would have you think.

You do want to experience King Dude.

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Photos by @k.a.vv

Water of Life - Tin Shed Distlling

I have sung the praises about Tin Shed Distillery and their product of formidable artisan whiskies before.

Given the meticulous attention not merely when it comes to the ingredients of their limited batches, i.e. the sourcing of locally produced grain and peat along with Mallee stumps to smoke it, and their integrity when it comes to the avoidance of additives, it is not further wondrous that their rich emissions are highly sought after.

Stating that Iniquity produces flavourful drops is an understatement par excellence. Having redefined “hands-on micro distiller” by having started their distillery from scratch has resulted in Tin Shed being decorated with a myriad of accolades in a range of World’s Best categories.

Batches of Iniquity usually sell out within days – and it is not too hard to grasp why: Their batch #14 hits the nostrils with a gentle and perfectly calibrated melange of honey, notes of wood and toffee and prepares the palate, which will be tickled by what the nose promised. Warm and rich, heavy on the plums and other stone fruits and the character of the sherry barrels playing a dominant role.

The finish is something that I have grown to look forward to as Iniquity has yet to underwhelm in that department: Oaky with nuances of fruits on the sour side, bitter bits with mellow sweet fruity flavours rest on the foundation of full-bodied red wine that make this another complex and interesting exercise in master distilling.

Now, while Iniquity’s whisky plays in a league of its own, in this case the book can be judged by its cover: The attention to details extends to the bottle and packaging design.

Artisanal in nature, Batch #14 came in a beautifully constructed, sleek black box with silver printing and black foiling adorning the outside and the bottle features a hand-made wax seal, below which silver branding has been screen-printed direct to the bottle. The fact that a batch specific paper label on the front is used, should not further surprise.

In essence, a feast for the eyes that is good and simple yet sophisticated at the same time, not unlike the whisky it houses.

Iniquity whiskies come with a label, which contain a code that upon scanning with your smart phone, take you to their HQ, where head distiller Ian Schmidt sheds light on the overall approach, distilling process, barrels used and tasting notes of the respective expression you have purchased.

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Photos by T

Water of Life

Never Never Distilling Co. / Caffe Bartolo collaboration

Never Never Distilling Co. has been on my radar for quite some time.

Upon finally experiencing the emissions of the distillery that was founded by three blokes with a blatant disregard for any obstacles that might be thrown their way, I can attest that the fearless spirit they produce lives up to its premise.

Channelling their alchemy within the confines of a small brewing facility, their juniper forward hooch is based on partially steeped ways of treating the main ingredient that capture both the bright and the earthy qualities of the world’s smallest conifer, which rests on a carefully curated bouquet of botanicals complimenting the character of the juniper, e.g. the citrussy Australian coriander, pepper berry for a more rounded savoury experience and a hint of cinnamon to give it some warmth. Clocking in at 43% ABV, the clean profile is accentuated with a big of a punch that will find itself in good company no matter if it is the heart piece of a negroni or a martini.

With the myriad of gin distilleries popping up like mushrooms and crowding the market with trying to compete in terms of innovation and modern interpretations, Never Never deliberately takes a step back and honours traditional ideas and methods by adding more juniper to their gin than any other gin on the market, which results in a big, viscous spirit with a strong, balanced flavour, rich mouthfeel and a lengthy finish which is accentuated by a simple lemon to work its magic.

Now, while Never Never Distillery’s gin expressions by themselves might be a thing of beauty, proffering them in form of curated cocktails within the context of what is the sophisticated and inviting Crown Street's all-day authentic Italian diner Caffe Bartolo, not only adds another dimension but with the collaboration seeing the restaurant collaborate by matching the liquid emissions with a four-course food betrothal courtesy of Bartolo's head chef Teofilo Nobrega (known from Fratelli Paradiso) and the gin based drinks being given an additional edge via the creative input of Grazia di Franco, it elevated all aspects to the next level:

A Snap(per) Chat (Triple Juniper gin with tomato and carrot juice) was married to a citrus-cured snapper and pickled celery heart in a Bloody Mary sauce – a holy matrimony that was topped by Bartolo's Martini (Never Never’s Southern Strength Gin, vermouth and Sicilian wine) paired with pepperoncino-stuffed swordfish involtini.

The four courses culminated with a dessert that was started with the Bitter Freak (Juniper Freak Gin, vermouth, coffee and amaro) and an elongated finish that tickled the taste buds with an amaro and juniper berry-infused fried custard topped with fior di latte gelato and burnt oranges.

I have been to quite a few drink and food pairings and while most of the time it is an enjoyable affair, this one stood out not just because of the high-quality ingredients the total of which was something bigger than the mere adding of the individual constituents would suggest. It was the hospitality that added the “je ne sais quoi” factor with all operators seamlessly and expertly going about their business with both dedication and an omnipresent smile that reverberated on to the audience.

The attention to detail with which Caffe Bartolo is outfitted, e.g. the carefully curated photos that adorn the walls, the geschmaecklerische and quirky drink utensils ready for usage on the delicate marble bar, dark wood venetian blinds and floral wallpaper covering the bathroom walls, results in a magnetic pull that anyone with a sense of taste and appreciation for fine details would find hard to resist.

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Photos by @k.a.vv

Water of Life

Tiger Snake & Limeburners/Pirate Life collab 

I hear you – the flags of everything Bourbon and Sour Mash are in most people’s minds thoroughly planted on terrain in the South of the new world.

Terra australis has not only emerged on the world map of quality spirits but continues to consistently create drops that push the envelope, which boosts demand beyond of what most of the small distilleries can supply.

Limeburners based out of Albany is one of the hoocheries that I have yet to taste an expression from that does not leave me smacking my lips. Needless to say that I was excited when I became aware of the fact that the entity behind Limeburners, i.e. The Great Southern Distilling Company, have tried their hand in creating a Sour Mash whisky that is based on the traditional Tennessee approach, i.e.  barley, rye and corn being the base components, the Tiger Snake Sour Mash Whiskey is another standout in a line-up that has hardly any weaknesses.

In the most smooth and subtle way aromas of vanilla, malty and nutty nuances hit the nose once the cork is popped and a sweetness unfolds on the palate that is not intrusive but informed by high notes of honey, caramel  and oats.

The elegant finish that whispers insistently “Pour me another dram” is creamy in nature and is a microcosm in itself in which toffee and vanilla play prominent roles. I have yet to experience the full range of Limeburners’ expressions, however, this one has instantly catapulted itself to the forefront of my favourites.

Given the quality of the excellent whiskies coming from Limeburners paired with my weak spot for Boilermakers, the announcement of the Pirate Life / Limeburners Whisky Barrel Aged Stout 2018 collaboration got me mildly excited.

With beer and whisky both sharing a DNA of malt and water, the coming about then starts to come to a crossroad. What is interesting about the Pirate Life / Limeburners collaboration is that both find together again creating a total that is much more than the mere sum of its components.

Truth be told, I am usually not big on Stouts or dark beers and was a tad sceptical about how this one would turn out as I immensely enjoy both Pirate Life’s IPAs and Limeburners’ whiskies.

Pirate Life / Limeburners Whisky Barrel Aged Stout 2018 is a complex and sublime exercise in somehow marrying a heavy and decadent Stout that has surprisingly sweet notes with the best parts a Limeburners barrel has to offer, i.e. dominant vanilla notes, piney flavours, chocolate and honey.

Not unlike a delightful whisky, this one is one to hit the pause button for, kick back, let it warm in your glass and let it unfold its surprising highs.

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First image by T, second provided

Philip Anselmo and the Illegals

Factory Theatre

Sydney, Australia

March 30, 2019

Phil Anselmo has quite a back catalogue and since his days with Pantera has proven his front man qualities over and over again with exquisite acts and the crème de la crème of what the NOLA scene and generally the South of the United States has to offer.

Phil H. Anselmo & The Illegals is yet another incarnation comprised of (ex-)members of some of the best of the never not incestuous Louisiana scene. So far for the commonalities.

On record I found their emissions a bit amiss as it seemed to lack structure with its irregular rhythms and leaning heavily towards grind territory, including ultra-low death metal growls courtesy of Anselmo and him at times employing a range of screaming styles within the confines of individual songs.

In a live environment it proved to be a different experience as the band manifests itself in a powerful dissonant onslaught of manic chaos worlds apart from what went down under the umbrella of Down or Superjoint.

A well-calibrated melange of death, thrash, and grind was unleashed with the sold-out crowd being willingly pummelled by a set that culminated in an enthusiastically received Pantera medley in honour of his fallen brothers.

Anselmo was in fine form, vocal delivery wise on top of his game and I doubt that anyone who remotely likes his former incarnations would be disappointed by him holding court with the Illegals - a band that is difficult to top in terms of intensity and pithiness, despite this endeavour being informed by a far simpler and more aggressive approach that his other bands and a focus on the foundation of unbridled anger in its purest form.