The Grates and The Panics toheadline inaugural Pauhausfestival

Tue 3rd Apr, 2007 in Local News

Secret Service and Brisbane Powerhouse are thrilled to bring you PAUHAUS: a festival of contemporary music on Saturday 9 June!

Celebrating the re-opening of the refurbished building across the Queen’s Birthday weekend, Pauhaus – a spin on the term Bauhaus used to describe a rich period of art and architecture in Europe throughout the 1920s – will take over Brisbane Powerhouse encompassing all performance areas and featuring some of Australia’s best indie, rock, guitar, acoustic and electronic artists and bands.

Curated by Paul Piticco (Dew Process Recordings/Splendour in the Grass), PAUHAUS plans to help put the Powerhouse back on Brisbane’s live music radar.

Says Piticco, “since my very first Powderfinger photoshoot 15 years ago at what was once a derelict, junkie-inhabited shell, I’ve always been inspired by the Powerhouse – it’s visually spectacular and the space instills a real feeling of grandeur. Since the original refurbishment in 2000, I’ve looked for a reason to put on a multi-stage show that utilizes the entire facility – and now is the moment!”

Performing at the inaugural Pauhaus festival is:

The Grates – Headlining the Turbine Hall – PAUHAUS’ main stage – is Brisbane’s favourite trio. Having lost none of their moxy in the absence from Australian stages in the last 6 months, the band are back to debut a bunch of new songs before they abscond to write album #2!

The Panics blend of perfect, dreamy, fragile pop is underpinned with poignant lyrics and great guitar. Hailing from Australia’s west coast, The Panics will soon be heading into the studio to lay down their third LP.

Hot on the heels of the release of their debut album (out April 21), Expatriate will bring their fuzzed-out atmospheric, killer pop-rock tunes to the Turbine Hall – a perfect accompaniment to the rough-hewn but stylish space.

Headlining the sensational Powerhouse Theatre is Sydney’s pop-rock guitar quartet Red Riders – as fasterlouder.com.au say, “if you haven’t seen this band live you’re doing yourself a great disservice.”

Rolling Stone Magazine puts it best when describing Dappled Cities Fly: “Fun exuberant indie-pop, that’s weird enough to be interesting and familiar enough to be indelibly catchy”.

Joining Red Riders and Dappled Cities Fly on the Powerhouse Theatre stage is Aussie – œfemcee’ Macromantics and rock outfit Bit By Bats. These are two of the most exciting Aussie live acts around and we snagged them!

A dedicated acoustic stage, Visy Theatre will host burgeoning and brilliant new acts Whitley and Wons Phreely. Describing his own sound as that “of an Australian folk musician who’s watched way too many Wes Anderson films”, Whitley’s story is just unfolding – and it’s certainly worth listening to. Wons Phreely has been described as one of Australia’s most exciting new song-writers – don’t miss one of his first Brisbane shows!

Like many bands before them, Operator Please rose to prominence through a battle of the bands competition. Unlike many bands before them, they have managed to keep the punter’s attention with sharp, fast and catchy tunes – catch them in the Turbine Hall.

Grunge is back and it’s louder than ever thanks to Violent Soho Opening the Turbine Hall, and with influences like The Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, Bikini Kill and Sonic Youth, this will be a party for those still hanging on to their flannos (and those that were too young to be there the first time!)

Judging by the rapturous crowds at Yves Klein Blue’s recent shows, you’ll want to get to Pauhaus early to catch the MTV Kickstart comp winners! See them kick off proceedings in the Powerhouse Theatre.

The final space in Brisbane Powerhouse to be Pauhaus’d is the Spark Bar, with the Purple Snakers DJs, featuring PhDJ. These cool Sydney cats will are renowned for enticing non-stop dance riots with their mish mash of awesome tunes. Expect Belinda Carlisle mixed into The Strokes, Daft Punk mashed over The Refused and The White Stripes doing it with The Ronettes!

Pauhaus is an all-ages event, but is in a licensed venue. If you wish to drink, please bring ID.

Tickets for PAUHAUS are $49.50 +bf and go on sale on Monday 16 April.
Phone: 07 3358 8600
Web: www.brisbanepowerhouse.org
In Person: Brisbane Powerhouse Powertix box office (at the venue)

Check out www.pauhausfestival.com and www.myspace.com/pauhausfestival for more info and to sign up to the mailing list. Pauhaus is supported by Time Off, Triple J and fasterlouder.com.au