LIVE WIRE – Sydney Live Music Guide August 2nd

This Thursday August 2nd British Art-rock quartet Django Django will be passing through Sydney to perform tracks from their self-titled debut. The album, which was released back in January, is a striking psychedelic mash of surf guitars, tribal drumming and dubbed out vocals and has been slated as a modern classic by many respectable music media magazines. You can get along and see what all the fuss is about at the Oxford Art Factory, although be quick as the first show is already a sellout. For a taste of the unusual, The Vanguard will be hosting a Zombie Week in honour of our brain-feasting friends and to celebrate you can experience live: Mojo Juju’s Voodoo Hoodoo. The quirky and mysterious gypsy rock and roll singer Mojo Juju will be leading audiences on a foray into the supernatural world of voodoo and conjuring the spirit of the world’s first shock rocker: Screaming Jay Hawkins. Supports on the night are Bones Jones & The Skeletones and Blackbear.

On Friday August 3rd local indie trio Shady Lane are celebrating the release of their newest sublime creation Built Guilt at Brighton Up Bar. The group creates surreal sonic pictures punctuated by jagged guitar riffs and off kilter drumming and they’re one of the bright spots in the Sydney live music landscape at the moment. They’ll be supported on the night by local live beat duo Fishing. Across town, hall of fame inductee Dragon will be releasing a new EP at the Basement. The group, which will be celebrating a whopping 40 years in the music business next year, are releasing a new EP which they’ve kept so tightly under wraps – they aren’t even revealing the title. They’ll be playing two sets on the night which will be a mixture of new stuff and classics such as April Sun In Cuba and Are You Old Enough.

On Saturday August 4th hip-hop producer, rapper and all round badass Jonwayne will be visiting Australia for the first time along with fellow LA beatmaker Mono/Poly, Germany’s Suff Daddy and MFP from Japan. All these producers are gaining reputations for being innovative and producing thinking man’s hip-hop and this night is shaping up to be one of the hip-hop events of the year. It’s on at the Oxford Art Factory.

Finally, on Wednesday August 8th one of Australia’s most proudly exported guitarists Tommy Emmanuel will be playing a show at the Enmore Theatre. With a career spanning five decades the man is a two-time nominated Grammy artist who has travelled the world over marvelling audiences and garnering admirers such as esteemed fingerpicking country guitarist Chet Atkins.