VICE presents: Kirin J Callinan

Overview

Notwithstanding his relative busyness as a performer—most recently as a guitarist in the live and recorded performances of Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders—some in Sydney are yet to behold Kirin J. Callinan's particular elan as a soloist. Those so uninitiated should know that Callinan's theatrical repertoire is as much a part of his stage show as his provocative sonic exploring: sometimes he pussyfoots and creeps around the stage, while at other times he violently gyrates on his knees, hammering-out percussive blasts and ghostly descants from his guitar and effect pedals. Almost invariably, Callinan performs shirtless, or in his epicene, pseudo-Victorian garb, while his vocal transmissions intermittently surprise with a range of strikingly expressive and fugitive sounds—with barks and grunts, whoops and growls.

Amid the ritualism, however, the softer side of Callinan's baritone offers some insight into the musical pantheon on which he draws. Occasionally, in a familiar note and a broad syllable, Callinan defers to the whole of the 80s Aus-rock scene, and specifically to the likes of Robert Forster (this is literally the case with his cover of the Go-Betweens' 'Apology Accepted', which appears on his 2010 release, She). Less often, Callinan's presiding croon can, perhaps surprisingly, come out like a yodel-prone version of, say, Scott Walker or Frank Sinatra, albeit that Callinan's is an always unhinged and maniacal replication of 'The Voice'.

In affirming their pledge to "throw at least one big bash per month until the year ends", VICE has called upon the enigmatic Callinan to give himself over to their cause for March. So on the first night of the month, at FBi Social, Callinan will perform, with support from purveyors of primitive garage rock and self-described 'shit-poppers',  The Gooch Palms, as well as lively post-punkers, Ghastly Spats. And as if such a formidable and unusually well-rounded line up were not enough, entry on the night is totally free.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PEh5gL2mWes