Wednesday

Mist and Sea with Humansixbillion @ The Toff in Town, 8pm, $10/$8



Another week of the Mist and Sea residency of course means another support. Tonight the inclusion on the bill is Humansixbillion who, as mentioned a couple of weeks ago, has crafted the soundtrack for the new Aussie comedy Burke and Wills. They're a quirky folk group offering layers of verbose, intricate but rough edged pop songs. Download an EP from them online.

And, tonight is also of interest because it’s at the the most topical live music in town, The Toff. There’s been a massive whingefest over on M+N recently about all things Toff. While, there’s no doubt a night at the Toff is a more expensive night out if you’re a drinker, and that the place is a bit pretentious, IMHO the positives far outweigh the negatives. Not only is the sound system sweet, but you can see the band from anywhere in the bar and there’s always a spare table and chairs for the quieter gigs. I think its opulence also adds some extra variety to the Melbourne scene amidst the plethora of grittier venues like Pony, The Tote and Old Bar. Here to stay, I hope.



Thursday

The Ned Collette Band @ Edinburgh Castle, 8pm, two sets

Tonight, Ned and band begin their first stint at their Thursday residency at the Edinburgh Castle. Here, for every Thursday in September (for free!) they will be refining their live show before their new record, Future Suture, is released through Dot Dash later this month.

If you want to preview something off this record head to the myspace to hear new single The Country With A Smile. As you would expect, now Ned is with band, the new song sounds less like home studio recording than his previous efforts and is much stronger rhythmically. It still features Ned's throaty vocals at the forefront, but for this track at least, he is backed with a sleek and sparkly synth!

We’re not planning to branch out into culinary reviews at ATR but from personal experience I can also say they do some great meals at the Edinburgh too so having a counter meal is also definitely worth considering if you're heading along to this gig.



Andrew McCubbin and the Hope Addicts album launch with Black Pony Express + Nathan Hollywood @ NSC, 8:30pm, $12

Andy McCubbin and his supergroup are launching their third album, Blue, a really good record full of deep, dark alt-country; summoning up real painful emotions just the way it's supposed to. From the Nick Cave-esque title track to, even, an obscure David Bowie cover, they wander through some desperate, dangerous territory filled with longing and unease. And notably supporting is the ever-wonderful Black Pony Express, a band who stalk similar themes with gusto - their album, Love in a Cold Place, was one of my favourites of last year. If that's what you feel like on a Thursday night then you've got to get down to Northcote and wallow in these exquisite depths.



Friday

East Timor Youth Fundraiser feat. Magic Dirt + Young and Restless + Cockfight Shootout + A Death in the Family + A Friend of Mine @ Collingwood Town Hall, all ages, 5pm

This is third all ages benefit gig for East Timor' s youth to be hosted at the Fitzroy Town Hall in recent months.

While Magic Dirt are the headliners for this gig, I'm sure many will be getting along to see Young and Restless. Karima Udomo, the petite and stylish frontwoman of Young and Restless has got a great ability to capture an audience’s attention from the pure power of her performance. Their music's not my thing, but Udomo certaintly can hold an audience's gaze as she screams her way through her fierce and angry chick routine.



Clinkerfield album preview with The Idle Hoes + The Orbweavers + Crystal Thomas @ The Tote, 8:30pm, $12, free CD to first 200 payers

We've talked up Clinkers round here before. The constantly mutating group play a really solid brand of blues-country-folk-rock, behind the one constant - Jimmy C. A frontman par excellence, you know the set's heating up when Jimmy strips down to his bluey and moves from drawling whisky-soaked confidences to belting hoarse rock screams. These guys really are the kings of Melbourne's alt-country scene, and as this is their last gig for a few months, get down to see them this week. Supports, The Orbweavers especially, are no slouches either.



Us vs Them feat. Witch Hats + Children Collide + Pets With Pets @ Roxanne, 9pm, $10

Us vs Them just keep on getting the top-notch lineups. This'll be a rollicking, dirty night. The openers seem a little out of place, with their Casio keys, but I'm sure they'll get into the spirit. And then there's the brutally rocking Children Collide. Watch in awe as the drummer breaks large pieces of his kit; squeal at the bass player prowling like a well-coiffed animal; marvel at the dirty grunge guitar, straight outta Seattle. And most of all, move your hips.

And then be ready, coz Witch Hats are a whole nother thing. Their EP was one of the best releases of last year and their new album is set to be the same of this. It's a hard sound to describe; I mean, yeah, there's the Birthday Party influence I guess, but I'm not that familiar with those guys. Let's just say that Witch Hats are bluesy and rocky and swampy and, most of all, completely unhinged. Just wait for the line "I'll have a kick with yer kids if they're not too buggered" and try not to shiver - even if you ain't got no kids. Fun for the whole family. Except the kids, obviously.



Saturday

My Disco + Love of Diagrams + ninetynine + The Stabs @ Trades Hall, all ages, 8pm, $15

Grinding jerky industrial art-rockers My Disco are one of the best live acts in this country right now. Musically, they are dynamic, confrontational, nihilistic and painfully intense. Texturally they can be quite repetitive also, but their brief sets mean they never approach the boundaries of tedium. Brevity equals maximum impact. It is also a joy to watch a band reach perfect syncrhonicity. No missed notes. No weak links. Tonight is a great chance for underagers to see what live music is all about.

Of course its also a chance for us overagers to see them before they're heading to the States to record their next album. Their only other gigs before they leave are supporting Battles, which if you're unfortunate not to get a ticket, are sold out.

Excellent supports for this gig too.



Cut Off Your Hands with teenagersintokyo + World's End Press + Spun Rivals @ The Tote, 8:30pm, $10

Buzzy and shrill new wave Kiwi guitar poppers Cut Off Your Hands impressed all with their fun and energetic performance at the Laneway Festival back in February. After releasing one EP as The Shaky Hands, they were forced into a name change, where they have since been signed by Levity (a label owned by Levi Jeans) and subsequently released an EP, which got a huge wrap by Mathieson over at Mess and Noise.

Tonight their fashionable indie sounds are on at The Tote, supported by another group of new wave revivalists who also have been talked up by M+N, teenagersintokyo. It's an interesting choice of venue for these two groups. Before i don't think there would have ever been a mass exodus from The Tote heading to Click Click.

Completing the supports tonight are two local groups. World's End Press are up the experimental end of the new wave revival. They have a new single out, Cause and Effect. Brtipop tinged garage rockers, Spun Rivals, are another young band who will be releasing material in the coming months.



The Inches single launch with Plastic Palace Alice + Kamikaze Trio @ NSC, 8:30pm, $10

Travel back to the late 70s with the glitter, glam and power chords of The Inches. Can't say I would get along to this gig based on what I've heard of the headlining act. But, some great supports with the emerging grandeur from Plastic Palace Alice, and pulsating sonic fuzz of Kamikaze Trio.



Sunday

Touch Typist + The Psuche Ensemble + Shiver Like Timber (QLD) + Patinka Cha Cha @ Irene's Warehouse, 5 Pitt St, Brunswick, 6pm - 10pm, free



To recover from your long, long weekend, and to take your mind off APEC, you've got to have a look at this, the most interesting gig of the week. Touch Typist is really the headline here; a young man named Huggins who writes some cracking indie-pop tunes and then twists them a little sideways, just enough to keep it moving; quite similar to Mist and Sea in some ways, but less dreamy. The others are less obvious, but keep to the low-key folky bent vibe, judging from the little I've heard of them. There will, at some stage in the evening, be a harp on stage, which is fun and important. A quiet, simple way to close the weekend.

NOTE: Venue change from Shingles, which apparently no longer exists, to Irene's Warehouse. Lineup no change. Prognosis still ace.