The SoundLounge

The SoundLounge and Bleach* Co-presents …

The Break

Three parts Oils, one part Femmes make THE BREAK

It’s been a long time between drinks for Midnight Oil fans. The only gigs in the last eight years have been at the Wave Aid and Sound Relief charity concerts. These exhilarating performances prompted a strong desire in drummer Rob Hirst and guitarists Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie to start making music together in a new form. With that we introduce you to THE BREAK.

In what might at first seem an unlikely union, the three founding members of Midnight Oil are joined by Brian Ritchie bass player of US band Violent Femmes. The Oils of course have their roots in the surf pubs of Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The Femmes on the other hand hail from Milwaukee Wisconsin. What is not so well known however is that the two bands have shared a history, a friendship and even a tour manager for over a decade, having met when they both played the inaugural ‘Earth Day’ concert at Columbia’s ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’.

When Ritchie recently moved to Hobart Tasmania the stars were aligned and the four got together for a jam in Jim Moginie’s studio. Kicking off with an old Link Wray track ‘Rumble’ (made famous in the movie Pulp Fiction) the sound that emerged took on an energy of its own and the new band was born.

THE BREAK bring a sheer raw vitality and phenomenal force to the surf rock genre. Their powerhouse sound does of course have that unmistakable whiff of Oil but unlike anything the band has done before. THE BREAK explore new horizons and obscure influences whilst tipping the occasional nod to 60’s legends such as Ennio Morricone, Joe Meek, Link Wray and Dick Dale as well as the psychedelic musical meanderings of San Francisco’s Mermen with whom Ritchie has played on numerous occasions.

Although surf music has very traditional boundaries, to quote Brian Ritchie

“We’re not following those parameters. We understood it was a surf theme, but no music is fun if you are too much of a purist about it, or if you set too many constraints. You have to have some freedom.”

The Windy Hills

The internationally renowned, The Windy Hills brings to Bleach* a new surf film experience with live music by The Windy Hills.

Songs from the Ether features projections from two new surf film projects, Andrew Kidman’s Lost in the Ether and Patrick Trefz’s Idiosyncrasies. The Windy Hills will accompany these films with tracks from their eerie yet euphoric new record, Friend from Another Star.

Songs from the Ether promises to be another groundbreaking night in music, film and reverence for the sea. - Duration 100mins

“Last Hope is the most unique live music film experience I’ve ever seen, I had tears in my eyes.” Michael Machemer, co-founder, New York Surf film festival.“Friend From Another Star is indisputably as cosmic as the title suggests. Subtle in its discourse for much of the 41 odd minutes, Kidman and band draw upon their proclivity for constructing a cinematic score charmingly well” Bandcamp