Reviews

Reviews
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Club Acoustica @ The Basement 25/11/03
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Rattle and Strum
Saturday, September 6, 2003
The Acoustic Music Renaissance in Sydney
Thursday, May 1, 2003
Music Hits A Sweet Note for Youth
Sunday, December 1, 2002
The Quiet Revolution
Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Club Acoustica Presents Singer/Songwriters
Friday, October 18, 2002
Classic Covers Will Never Gather Moss
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
CD Review 'Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1'
Wednesday, October 2, 2002
Tim Carter at Iguana Bar, Wednesday 25 September
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Featuring Next of Kin & Angus James
Monday, September 2, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 29 August
Monday, August 19, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 15 August
Monday, August 12, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 8 August
Monday, July 29, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 25 July
Wednesday, July 24, 2002
Yes, There is an Alternative to Triple J
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Club Acoustica at La Bar, Thursday 11 July
Saturday, June 22, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
Saturday, June 1, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1 (Underfoot Records)
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
CD Review 'Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1'
Sunday, April 28, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Wednesday 17 April
Friday, April 19, 2002
Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Volume I
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Club Acoustica CD Launch March 20, 2002
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Acoustic is No Antonym to Energetic
Tuesday, April 9, 2002
Drum Media CD Of The Week
Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Doors Are Opening For Music's Quiet Achievers
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Join the Club
Monday, March 18, 2002
Electricity be Damned - The Mellow Beauty of Club Acoustica Finally Moves From the Stage to the Stereo
Tuesday, March 5, 2002
Club Acoustica CD Launch at The Basement
Monday, February 4, 2002
Club Acoustica Presented in Association with the Sydney Fringe Festival, La Bar, Thursday 24th January
Friday, August 10, 2001
Live at the Wire-less
Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Club Acoustica at The Basement
Tuesday, June 12, 2001
Drum Media Live Review
Tuesday, June 12, 2001
Drum Media Article
Monday, June 11, 2001
The Noiseless Club
Monday, May 7, 2001
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Sunday August 22nd
Monday, April 9, 2001
Last Night a Violin Saved My Life
Monday, July 17, 2000
Bob Dylan Tribute Night at The Basement - 12th July 2000
Monday, May 29, 2000
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Sunday May 7th 2000
Monday, May 1, 2000
Not Quiet... Amped! Club Acoustica Flies High in the Face of All That is Loud and Distorted...
Tuesday, March 7, 2000
Club Acoustica at The Basement, Sunday March 27th 2000
Tuesday, February 1, 2000
Three's Into Acoustica Does Go
 
Monday, May 1, 2000
Not Quiet... Amped! Club Acoustica Flies High in the Face of All That is Loud and Distorted...
By Craig New

01-05-2000 Revolver

If someone had told me a few years ago that I would really enjoying sitting down listening to a beautiful voice over the glorious chords of an acoustic guitar, I would have probably headbutted them. "Not on your life!" I would yell with teenage angst. "Good music can only be derived from a Big Muff and Marshall Stack!" Nowadays I just lurve the sounds of the naked tune, the wonderful openness and sheer magnificence an acoustica performer can muster. What happened to me?

Martin Contempree also loves this feeling. So much so, in fact, that along with partners Michael and Deanne Hardwick, he founded the concept Club Acoustica - a regular night that showcases wonderful acoustic talent, both local and interstate, in the fabulously stylish surrounds of La Bar in Darlinghurst. "La Bar is definitely much more of a venue than a pub," explains Martin. "It's really nicely appointed and sonically very, very warm, there's a beautiful bar and really nice furniture and decor. So that lent itself to an atmospheric approach to acoustic musicians, and much less hassle with amplifiers, load-ins, soundchecks and the like."

Indeed, and you ain't going to get visits in the wee hours from your friendly police department telling you to shut up or ship out. This acoustic philosophy has been embraced by most bands, even the most energetic who are at first a bit afraid to become one with quietude. "Our strictest rule is no amplifiers", confirms Martin, "and we definitely try and discourage drum kits. It's either a very stripped down kit or alternative percussion. It's actually quite gratifying seeing some of the bands come in and sometimes they'll say 'are you sure we can't use the amplifier?' and we'll go 'no, it's Club Acoustica for a reason!' Once they actually get up there and hear themselves performing acoustically, which generally they wouldn't, it's quite good for them, and I think a lot of them enjoy doing that at least once, if not coming back and doing it again later on."

Now, you all may be thinking, that's nice, someone's put a bit of effort into producing a night. I could do that. But as Tim Shaw would say, wait, there's more! Martin and Michael also work hard at what was originally Michael's recording outlet for his own band, seeder - Underfoot Records. Underfoot started off as a backyard operation and is now essentially the backline of the whole Club Acoustica project. The idea is that as the Club Acoustica venue and Internet empire grows, they will be able to utilise the label to follow up on sales for all the artists and help inject some needed funds into the system. This will all come in handy seeing the interest in Club Acoustica is so huge that they are already organising expansion interstate and even as far afield as San Francisco. Locally, Club Acoustica has moved nights from Sundays at La Bar to Thursdays. This is a move Martin hopes will attract an even larger audience.

"Sunday night's traditionally, like Monday night, one of the hardest nights of the week", Martin contemplates. "I suppose it's a move that's been brought about by the increasing popularity and recognition of Club Acoustica, a move to a Thursday gives punters a much better opportunity to go."

But for those of you who just crave your Sunday night of caressing melodies, fear not - around once a month Club Acoustica also runs a show at The Basement - is there no stopping these guys? The Basement shows have been attracting upward of 200 people, which not only provides their artist base (in the realms of 200 performers itself) an opportunity to play in one of Sydney's most established venues, but also a much greater awareness of the weekly La Bar gigs.

Look at this, I've run out of room and I haven't even touched on the fact that Club Acoustica also organises interviews on the www.thebasement.com.au Internet radio station for their artists, has brought out a compilation CD entitled Club Acoustica Volume 1 and is looking at releasing an entire box set of Club Acoustica compilations very soon. These people are busy enough to fill an entire issue of Revolver, so the best thing you can do is go to their website: www.clubacoustica.com.au.

Club Acoustica happens every Thursday at La Bar in Darlinghurst...


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