The Chats
Enmore Theatre
15 September 2022
Sydney, Australia

It must have been in 2017 that I first came across The Chats via their hit viral video “Smoko”, which instantaneously not merely won them over a myriad of fans, but also exposed ocker vernacular and their trademark depiction of annoying mundane occurrences to a worldwide audience.

With their recently released album Get Fucked, The Chats have fine-tuned their idiosyncratic melange of agitated, crass, fast punk rock and deliberate absurd posturing, which not only seems to be inspired by but subverts street punk and classic 70s pub rock in equal measure, resulting in their own brand of endearing shed rock that anyone remotely into joyous garage punk would find difficult not to fall in love with.

In a live environment, The Chats incarnate not unlike they do on their charming recordings: 
Stripped down to a trio, vocalist Eamon Sandwith is the focal point as the band conjures an intense surge of a tight set, spiked with back-to-back bangers and given their well-oiled improved tightness of their rapid-fire delivery, they never run danger of outstaying their welcome.

A furious, life-affirming and cathartic evening with middle fingers firmly erected and community spirit intact. The only thing that leaves a bit to be desired is banter and audience engagements, which sure will organically evolve with time.

You want to make sure to make an effort to get to experience The Chats within the confines of smaller venues as long as you can, as frenetically celebrated tours in Europe and the US along with celebrity endorsements and a support slot for the upcoming Guns ‘N Roses tour on terra australis indicate where the journey is headed.

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photo by T

Water of Life - Fleurieu Distillery

South of South Australia’s state capital of Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula covers quite a bit of diverse territory ranging from the tempestuous weathers of the Southern Ocean to the windswept clifftops of the cape and to top it all off, it is home to one of the more interesting distilleries on terra australis.

Capitalising on the spicy sea-air aromas and having accumulated both a wide array of accolades (inter-)nationally and praise from aficionados, Fleurieu Distillery has been on my radar for the longest time, and I have been looking forward to experiencing first-hand what they have to offer.

Only having started to release their expressions in 2017, I was astonished as to how owners Gareth and Angela Andrews have perfectioned their approach to channelling their alchemy in the creation of quality drops.

My first exposure to Fleurieu was continuous release aptly named after a wandering storm bird, i.e., Albatross, which is an example par excellence for marrying the maritime context of the peninsula with maple and warm vanilla oak overtones, nutty flavours and sweet caramel. The nose is informed by Biscoff Spread and yeasted dough, while the lingering finish rounds things out with cereal and sweet, tangy sultana flavours. 

Paying homage to French explorer Nicholas Baudin and signifying a temporary rest point in Fleurieu’s distilling journey before launching into a new campaign, Bivouac is a vatting of second fill Tawny barrels along with Apera and PX casks, resulting in a delightful whisky with a combination of the best French and American oak barrels have to offer.  

Bright copper in appearance, the nostrils are tickled by citrus scents and stovetop potpourri, which seamlessly transitions to the palate where caramel meets the richness of butter, counterpointed by a salty piquancy. The elongated finish brings it all together and leaves one lusting for another dram.

As the telling name suggests, Never A Dull Moment is a lively expression that derives its characteristics from the quintessence that Sherry casks from the Jerez region of Spain imbue.

Clocking in at 47.6% ABV, Never A Dull Moment proves to be a borderline ideal postprandial dessert dram with a flavour profile dominated by coconut, vanilla and toasted marshmallows with hints of fresh milk, all of which dance closely against a backdrop of salty, dark chocolate notes. 

Delicious.

Let’s step things up a notch and move to Lost Paraguayos, which is Fleurieu Distillery’s cask strength expression, again based on a combination of Apera cask with just a dash of PX cask thrown in for good measure.

With 59.2% ABV, the rich copper coloured Lost Paraguayos expression packs quite a punch both in the alcohol as well as the flavour departments. 

With a nose dominated by dried fruits, dark chocolate and a melange of spices, an avalanche of vanilla is framed by oaky malt notes on the top of the mouth. A sheer endless finish brings it all together with an elegant mouthfeel that most cask strength expressions lack.

So far, so good.

I am glad that I saved the following two expressions for the end and simultaneously sad because they are gone now:

Country to Coast #3 is a collaboration between the much fabled about Black Gate Distillery and Fleurieu. If you remotely follow this series, it would not have gone unnoticed that I love peat and smoke, especially of the Islay variety.

What we have here took me by surprise as I am not usually taken as much by Australian distilleries dabbling with peat: With new make components sourced from each distillery, each of which have enjoyed maturation in second fill Apera casks, this blend is truly exceptional. 

Aromas of peat smoke reel me in, backed by stone fruity and vanilla scents, to then unleash a wonderfully multilayered complex flavour profile comprised in equal parts of the very best peat and  Apera barrel characters have to offer, counterpointed by an incredibly balanced finished that manages to integrate briny coastal iodine in a way that is reminiscent of what I love about Laphroaig 10. 

What a stunner.

The Lewis Carroll poetry / John Lennon referencing I am the Walrus expression signifies the newest peated Fleurieu whisky.  

Again, second fill Apera Casks serve as the foundation for subtle peat nuances that are artfully enveloped in sweet malty overtones. 

Given the quality of Fleurieu Distillery’s portfolio and how effortlessly they seem to hit the high notes of the claviature of flavour nuances, this is one to watch out for, especially given the limited nature of their bottlings.

Sydney Contemporary 2022
Carriageworks
Sydney, Australia
08-10 September 2022

In the realm kärchering the grime of daily life off our souls, one of the highlights each year is Australasia’s Premier Art Fair and festival for the senses that is Sydney Contemporary where within the confines of multi-arts precinct Carriageworks, one is presented with the chance to see and buy works from close to five hundred aboriginal, local and international artists all in one spot. 

Having evolved to become a veritable celebration of the art community, including talks, performances and massive installations, both well established as well as young galleries get the chance to not only showcase their work to serious art collectors and institutional curators. In addition, Sydney Contemporary offers a chance to thousands of members of the public to experience artworks in all their glory in the third dimension across a myriad of media from paintings, photography to sculptures.

Framed by talks about debating points and hyped phenomena prevalent  in the day and age of mass digital consumption like e.g. the buzz around NFTs and an engaging, interactive program, Sydney Contemporary caters to the hands-on tangible end of the spectrum by having a dedicated section focussing on showcasing paper based art centred around drawings, watercolour, limited-edition prints, artists books and zines. 

Needless to say, the presentations are contextualised by hands-on workshops e.g. pertaining to Century Japanese woodblock techniques, letterpress printing and a series of workshops by live and experimental printmaking performance collectives.

A feast for the eyes are Sydney Contemporary’s large scale installations that are featured under the moniker Amplify, e.g. a fur forest greeting visitors adjacent to the entrance, a paper mâché representation of the moon’s surface or photographic series being projected on the exterior façade of Carriageworks. Performance art by artistes Rakini Devi, Salote Tawale and WeiZen Ho and an exquisitely curated array of beautiful pop-up bars proffering curated sustenance round out an experience that offers surprises in every nook and cranny of the largest and most significant contemporary multi-arts centre of its kind in Australia, i.e. Carriageworks. 

The 2022 incarnation has once proved that Sydney Contemporary ( https://sydneycontemporary.com.au ) is one of the most influential and enjoyable fairs in Oceania and positioned Sydney as an international hub for the arts.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer

Akasha Roundup

If you follow this series, our appreciation of the Akasha Brewing Company should not come as a surprise, given their love for hopped out, accessible American varieties. 

Akasha’s rebranding two years ago further accentuated their approach by incorporating their loves for hops even into the visual aspects of their logo and, much to my delight, the launch of Akasha Projects, which serves as a launch pad to release experimental, limited releases for connoisseurs and hop forward beer aficionados.

Needless to say, there is always a sense of excitement when new Akasha Projects drop, let alone when the name alone suggests a classic release like the IIPA homage to the West Coast and Dr Dre, i.e. The Chronic.

Bright golden in appearance, the nostrils are tickled upon approach by tropical yet sweet aromas with hints of melon scents mixed with pineapple and orange oil. The flavour profile of this little number is comprised of resinous piney, citrussy and delicate molasses informed notes, which dance against a backbone of solid bitterness and only the faintest touch of malt. 

Paying homage to Shakespeare’s star crossed lovers, Akasha’s Romeo & Juliet DIPA sees Akasha Projects marrying East and West Coast Styles and excelling at that: In flavour territories where opposing individual aspects could easily cancel each other out, this well-calibrated experimental brew allows for both bitter and tropical bits to shine. 

A slowly building bitterness and warming alcohol notes rest on a foundation of floral and tart sweetness, which is counterpointed by a wonderfully dank, spikey herbal piquancy.

Akasha’s Wooden Leg is a Triple IPA that has become an unrivalled classic in its realm of turning things to 11, not just with the 10.5% ABV but with the best the trio comprised of Centennial, Amarillo and Simcoe hops have to offer and set in scene by malty caramel and a mild bitterness.

Compared to the aforementioned variants, The Shape of Hops to Come is a relatively tame hazy IPA, with the melange of Citra, El Dorado and Azacca hops resulting in a fruit forward, tart lemon informed flavour profile.

Lupulin Fog is one of my favourites when it comes to riffing on the New England approach to IPAs: Focused on the fruitier spectrum of hops, overripe passionfruit, guava, papaya, mango and pineapple reign supreme and render bitter flavours secondary.

Delish.

Nowhereman

Given that I have yet so sample a craft beer from Western Australia that I have not enjoyed, I am always intrigued when a new brewery pops up on my radar, especially if the brewery in question has been around for five years yet I somehow did not manage to visit them during the last times I held court in Perth.

My first exposure to Nowhereman was not via their no doubt excellent core range but through a limited release that has been brewed with half a ton of fresh local blueberries and an adage of of oak chips. 

What sounds exotic pours visually interesting a strikingly purple hue topped with pink foam  and unveils a complex sweet taste with just a hint of acid and sour notes dancing on a solid backbone of oak, maple syrup and vanilla notes. Culminating in the driest of finishes,  reverberating peppery and slightly astringent notes leave one lusting for more.

Clocking in at an ABV of 7.6% ABV, it makes the perfect companion for a dram of a smoky Islay whisky.

Stepping things up a notch or three is the heavy hitter that goes by the telling name 
Mr Otter’s Barley Wine . 

Apparently I have missed two previous incarnations of this premium limited release that proves to be as expected rich, boozy and flavourful: Toffee, raisiny, nutty, toasty oak flavours with hints of biscuit are rounded out by a balanced fruitiness that leans heavy on the hops.

While boozier than most beer with a veritable 11% ABV, Mr Otter’s Barley Wine leans much heavier on malt flavours than hops and is a surprisingly smooth affair that goes down a treat during colder months.

Given the quality of what I have tasted so far from Nowhereman, I can only hope that they are planning to dabble in IIPAs.

The Formative Years - Antisect 

In terms of marrying early anarcho punk with metal elements, Antisect’s “In Darkness There Is No Choice” and especially their “Out from the Void” 7” changed what was perceived to be possible and palatable as early as 1983 and created a new sound that left an imprint on heavy music at large.

Lyrically centred around concepts of fairness in relations between individuals in society and equal access to wealth, opportunities, social privileges as well as advocating sentient animals having moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, Antisect was one of the more active bands of their time as they toured extensively with their fast, Motörhead inspired D-beat style of hardcore punk. 

Fronted by two ferocious and viciously attacking vocalists taking turns, their tuned down brand of fast cadenced hardcore punk proved to be a consistent wall of sound rather than a mere conglomerate of individual instrumental components.

Never resting on their laurels, once having perfectioned their style, Antisect started to riff on and experiment with it, playing with speed variations, choral interludes and compositions reminiscent of classical pieces along with echo drowned sermons.

Summa summarum, an essential band that created radical, mesmerising and idiosyncratically powerful hardcore punk with an unrivalled intensity, further accentuated by an underlying mood of horror and outrage.