The rumours are true. The kids are taking over. We spent so much
energy encouraging them to read so that they wouldn't end up haggard
and hungover like ourselves, but then they realised that they knew
more and they could play better guitar. Operator Please and Van She
- both promising young bands who have released EPs to critical acclaim
and built up solid fanbases not only around Australia but overseas
as well - have put together debut records separately and are now coming
together on a vibrant double headlining tour that will show Australia
just why they're the future.
This will be Operator Please's first national tour since they unleashed
the infuriatingly catchy 'Just A Song About Ping Pong'. They'll be
in good form, around recording the record they've been assaulting
the UK on the NME Freshers tour with The Go! Team (if there was ever
an argument for Ritilin distribution this would have to be it), following
which they'll be heading around the mother country as part of MTV2's
Gonzo Tour, playing with industry darlings Bloc Party, We Are Scientists
and Babyshambles. Their previous Australian tours were alongside Kaiser
Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys. How many synonyms can you come up with
for hip?
The new Operator Please album is lovingly entitled 'Yes Yes Vindictive'
and will be released through EMI on November 10. The band are already
nominated for two ARIA awards (Best Breakthrough Artist and Best Pop
Release) for 'Just A Song About Ping Pong' (which incidentally hit
number 12 on the ARIA chart here and number 1 on the UK MTV chart).
They may take home an ARIA before they take home a High School Certificate.
Operator Please formed at Elenora High in 2005 during chess club.
What did I tell you, the nerdy kids are set to take it all. The band
consists of Amandah Wilkinson, Sarah Gardiner, Ashley McConnell and
cousins Taylor Henderson and Tim Commander.
Van She have been around a little longer, and have cut their teeth
touring the country with acts like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and our own local
heroes Faker. Their intense live shows caught the eyes of any cooler
and they'd be frozen label Modular, known for not only having their
fingers on the pulse but pumping the beat themselves. Aside from a
touring force to be reckoned with, Van She have shown themselves to
be more than adept in the studio, providing requested remixes for
acts such as The Klaxons, Feist and The Bravery in their time.
After testing the waters with various producers they settled on Jim
Abbiss (who can show his kids albums from DJ Shadow, Massive Attack,
Arctic Monkeys and Ladytron to name a few). They recorded in London's
Konk Studios and refrained from picking up accents (however did learn
the value of a decent scarf). Their first single, 'Cat & The Eye',
should be on the radio shortly, and the as yet untitled album will
be out on Modular early next year.
Opening the shows are achingly fresh Canberra outfit Soft Tigers,
who consistently defy categorisation with so much energy they may
soon not even be able to be called musicians. In fact, members Bucky
Toller, Neil Harvey and Pal Gupta prefer to think of themselves as
filmmakers, directors and editors. Their debut album, 'Gospel Ambitions',
was recorded in a weatherboard home on the south coast and thrown
together with as much regard for musicianship as a nudist has for
a polo sweater. They've toured live, almost begrudgingly, with acts
such as MSTRKRFT, Young And Restless and Architecture in Helsinki.
'Gospel Ambitions', in the meantime, is out now through Shiny Records.
Tour dates:
October 30 - Annandale Hotel (Sydney)
November 2 - Corner Hotel (Melbourne)
November 3 - Adelaide Uni Bar (Adelaide)
November 4 - Amplifier Bar (Perth)
November 7 - The Zoo (Brisbane)
November 8 - Southport RSL (Gold Coast)
Tickets for all shows are on sale now.
'Yes Yes Vindictive' is out now.
