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Time Out Pub Awards 2017

Bank’s Hotel

Sydney, AU

May 24, 2017

Founded at the end of the swinging sixties in Londontown, Time Out eventually became the global player it is known for today by giving recommendations about what to see, eat and visit in more than one hundred cities worldwide with a transition from printed to a fully digital medium.

The time had come again to raise a glass to the best in the pub business of Sydneytown with the annual Time Out Pub Awards.

Held at Newtown’s iconic late-night hotel at the tipping point of King Street, Bank’s hotel, Yenda beers, bottles of Hills Cider Company’s fruity emissions and other vessels filled with James Estate Wines were raised to toast to the city’s best local haunts, best “counter” meals and more as the 2017 Pub of the Year was crowned.

Hosted by Ben Jenkins, known from Story Club and The Checkout on the ABC, the shindig was serenaded by tunes courtesy of FBI DJ Johanna Roberts. Pub grub in form of Bank’s canapés, i.e. mini burgers, BBQ chicken skewers, white fish crevice and corn fritters proffered all while those pubs and publicans that provide the thirsty masses with much needed mid-week ales and a second lounge room were celebrated.

While the Time Out Pub Awards Awards have been gradually getting bigger affairs, they are nonetheless enjoyable and well organised with hundreds of industry people mingling with punters for an evening of shenanigans sustained by drinks and light fare, culimating in a snappy awards ceremony.

The nominees have been chosen by Time Out’s independent critics who have reviewed pubs across Sydney, with nominations in seven categories:

Pub of the Year winner for 2017 was Paddington’s Unicorn Hotel – chosen for embracing both the deeply Australian elements of the local pub while showing love for Australia’s new era winemakers.

The Erko scored the award for Best Pub Food for not only nailing the staples but adding a bit of extra panache to the plate with their house-smoked meats.

It was the first time the Publican of the Year award went to a female publican, i.e. Amanda Verrati from the Public House Petersham, while the Pub Revival Award went to East Village Hotel with its rooftop bar in Darlinghurst.

Best Entertainment Award went to the Imperial Hotel, known to an international audience for having served as the setting for a drag performances in 1994 classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

The Family-Friendly Award was given to the Newport and the Carrington Hotel in Surry Hills won the Dog-Friendly Award.

Best Beer List Award went to the CBD craft beer clubhouse Beer DeLuxe.

People’s Choice: Pub went to Harts Pub and People’s Choice: Regional Pub went to Lord Anson out in Orange.

Finally, Time Out’s Legend Award found a home Surry Hills’ old faithful the Cricketers Arms Hotel.

The evening was testament to Sydney’s thriving pub scene and the awards allowed for everyone to celebrate the venues that have become

second homes to most, where folks go to indulge in what are some of Australia’s favourite past times - watching footy, seeing bands, meeting friends, and eating one’s body weight in chips and aioli. 

Guests also took home photos from fotobox and a brand new copy of the 2017 Time Out Sydney Bar Guide, hot off the presses.

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Photos by KAVV

Devin Townsend Project

Enmore Theater

Sydney, AU

May 22, 2017

If you are familiar with Devin Townsend’s incarnation as the frontman of the musically more aggressive Strapping Young Lad with their mélange of death, thrash and black metal, Devin Townsend Project marks a turning point and a step or two away from screaming to a more blended nuanced, atmospheric and introspective effort.

Devin Townsend has been a staple within the realms of heavy music and is a consummate performer and affable showman, who has been broadening horizons and pioneering progressive metal over decades. Having proven himself as a gifted composer over and over again, Devin Townsend has mastered the art of playing with musical tension and tonight’s incarnation was testament to his abilities at orchestrating a show full of variety that seamlessly transitioned from heavier, tense and quiet to lighter moments and back, which was soaked up by the adoring and willing crowd.

Yes, there are bombastic elements galore and it feels a bit indulgent at times, but that is part of the DNA of progressive music.

The set consisted of a well-matched mix covering the highlights of DTP’s catalogue and was carried by Devin’s charisma and banter, which informed the rapport with the audience and added an additional layer of entertainment.

The musician in the ranks of DTP delivered a tight performance, flawlessly laying down the tapestry of dense hard rock and ambient elements, all fundamentally rooted in metal, that served as the foundation for Townsend’s versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming / growling via singing to falsetto excursions into what can be perceived as borderline operatic territory as well as his mastery of the six strings, which runs the gamut from tapping, sweep-picked arpeggios, poly- and powerchords to fingerpicking.

A feast for the eyes of the musicians in attendance.

Devin Townsend seemed like a chap who is genuinely happy and at ease with what he is doing, which radiated and resulted in an engaging performance that had the audience either joining in for choruses or moving during the heavier sections.

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Photos by KAVV

Living Colour

Metro Theatre

Sydney, AU

May 13, 2017

Living Colour is the embodiment of creatively fusioning, funk, jazz, hip hop, country, exploratative, and alternative rock with lyrics ranging from the personal to the political, in some of the latter cases attacking Eurocentrism and racism in America.

Having risen to fame at the end of the 1980ies culminating in winning two Grammy Awards, they managed with their musical prowess to hone a unique, experimental and eclectic blend with hooky mass appeal while maintaining their integrity, critical respect and being heralded a musician’s band. No mean feat.

Witnessing Living Colour unfold on stage is a sight to behold: From the second the driving rhythm section comprised of Doug Wimbish and Will Calhoun hit their intro, an instant vibe is transmitted that is only amplified by Vernon Reid on guitar with his crunching riffs / solo combination and with Corey Glover an extroverted singer, whose striking, versatile use of his organ and broad range serves as another instrument.

For a lack of better terms, Living Colour grooves and rocks with effortless ease and has the sold out crowd instantly in the palm of their hand.

The two-hour performance is testament to Living Colour having swayed and influenced generations of similarly innovative bands. No matter what style is served up with individual songs, each member proves their talent adapting to the needs of each individual song.

An impressive band that has lost none of its relevance and lived up to its legend.

While they delivered a nod to James Brown, it was obvious that they are godfathers of their own lane in their own right – a lane that has become a source of inspiration for bands of a myriad of genres.

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Photos by KAVV

Nashville Pussy

Bald Faced Stag Hotel

Sydney, AU

May 12, 2017

Nashville Pussy.

What a band.

Having emerged out of the ashes of the great Nine Pound Hammer, who already incorporated blue collar motifs and themes running the gamut from drug abuse to violence that later on became trademarks for Nashville Pussy – an homage in monicker form to Ted Nugent, they are sleaze rock royalty and perfection at that.

No matter what the inventive label du jour you want to attached to Nashville Pussy’s sound, e.g. cowpunk / biker boogie, etc., sonically they are essentially a condensed and well calibrated mix of Southern rock, classic hard rock and punk, bare of any gimmicky ornaments.

Aethetically and stage demeanor-wise, they look like they have been casted by an expert crew of rock’n roll illumniati – a combo hard to beat.

Last time I saw them was eleven years ago at the Annandale Hotel, one of the more legendary Sydney venues before it turned into a more gentrified version that is still going, not too far from tonight’s venue, which has established itself as the perfect spot to see acts of the hardr rocking kind, and it was great to see that despite some lineup changes, time seems have gone by leaving the DNA of the band intact.

Tickling man’s most primal desires, the band around husband-wife duo Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter Sys effortlessly pulled out all of the stops in a blistering pace through a high octance set spiked with all the classics of their oeuvre.

With their show coming close to what it must have been like to see AC/DC with Bon Scott in the 1970s, it is needless to say that they received a very warm welcome by the audience, who frenetically celebrated their emissions.

If you have not yet had the chance, make sure to get into the way of the well-oiled hard rocking machine – they do not make them like this anymore.

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Photos by KAVV

Meatstock Festival 2017

Olympic Park

Sydney

May 6-7, 2017

Vegans and vegetarians avert your eyes:

Meatstock 2017’s two-day meat filled extravaganza at the Sydney Showgrounds featured bands, barbecues, beards, butchers, bourbon, barbers, beer and much more.

Unique to the festival were the Cutthroat Barber Wars, which took place against a back drop of live bands and competitions such as the ‘Barbeque, Butcher and Barber Wars’, as well as demonstrations and workshops. There was plenty to see, do, taste buy and eat. The event selling out far in advance is evident to the growing allure of OG BBQ.

With the recently published Hot Sauces feature on Scene Point Blank, our main interest was on the fiery condiments, which had quite a few exhibitors:

Culley’s - 

named after owner and founder Chris Cullen, revolves around his weak spot for all things hot and fiery which eventually catapulted him after his stint as a chef to the head of his own hot sauces empire, sourcing his chilies from New Zealand.

Culley’s mantra is “flavour not fire”, which his product range reflects, having been inspired by both his passion for quality and by his travels to over 25 countries, incorporating exotic flavour combinations.

One of Culley’s standout products is the Carolina Reaper Venom, which was produced exclusively for Culley’s by Smokin’ Ed Currie – Founder, President, Mad Scientist & Chef of Puckerbutt Pepper Company:

A cold pressed extraction giving you the hots.

Another Culley’s emission that tickled our fancy was Culley’s Smoked Salt, using Organic salt from mines in Redmond USA containing no less than 50 trace mineral elements and add roasted Garlic, Shallots, a hint of Chili and deliciously toasted Mustard and Coriander Seeds, it is the ideal adage.

Established in Bronte, Australia, Handsome Devils Co. is dedicated to making products that represent the things they love in life.

Handsome Devils Co. was founded by five childhood friends who grew up together in Canberra, Australia and developed a love for fine hot sauce while traveling the Americas.  Arriving home in Australia, they were just never satisfied by the products available in the stores.  Handsome Devils Co. then decided to cook up their own.

According to the main protagonists, Handsome Devils Co. hot sauce is all about the flavours, the highest quality ingredients, and a nice hot kick that wont burn your face off.  No added sugars, preservatives, colours. “No nasties, no compromises.” Is their mantra. 

Handsome Devils Co.’s Verde is mild, tangy, herby and verdant. Blending crisp green tomatoes with a bunch of herbs and spices to create a little green devil of a sauce. Ingredients include green tomatoes, vinegar, water, onion, lime juice, coriander, garlic, tamarind, allspice, salt and chlorophyll.

After having collaborated with You Am I for a band specific hot sauce, further collaborations with Young Henry brewery, who are known for their band and music related collaborations, are in the works.

Crowley’s Hot Sauces flagship Habanero based Hot Sauce delivers a heat that satisfies and it’s the spot.

Designed to deliver the flavour of the Habanero it is likened to a heat experience that takes you to the edge of the mountain, holds you over the edge, and pulls you back at the last minute. Mexican and Asian, Rices and Noodles love this one.

Reformed ex-vegetarian Sydney's Chrissy Flanagan 

labels herself proudly as the “sausage queen”. Sass – check! Pinup style model qualities – tick! Outgoing, winning personality – yup!  References to pop cultures and band names galore – check!

Under the name of Chrissy’s Cuts, she proffered a range of artisan sausages.

Her speciality is that her snags are devoid of any nasties: The sausages are made from only free range, prime cuts of meat.

Another outstanding exhibitor with long lines waiting to sample its goods was Rangers BBQ, of which we had a chat with Pit Boss Janson Cheong. His passion for Texas BBQ was ignited during a holiday to Texas in 2012 our passion for Texas BBQ - something he and his partner Christina, who have over 25 years experience in the hospitality industry, fell in love with but couldn't find in Sydney. Established in 2013, Rangers Texas BBQ Catering became Sydney's first mobile trailer pit caterer with a focus on great meat cooked low and slow using a traditional woodfire BBQ. Their smoker is custom made by hand, by world-renowned pit builder Ritch Robin and his team at Gator Pit (as featured on the Discovery Channel), then imported from Houston Texas. Add real wood, some freshly sourced meat and you got a first-class BBQ going with Rangers BBQ serving Texas Style Beef Brisket (grain fed and smoked with a traditional Texas Style rub for up to 12 hours), Pulled Pork, Chicken wings (Rangers BBQ style - marinated in their secret BBQ sauce before smoking), "Jumbo" Beef Short Ribs, Pork Ribs (smoked with rub and basted with Rangers BBQ sauce to make them moist), Pulled Pork Burger (with homemade coleslaw, Rangers BBQ sauce served on a fresh bun), Beef Brisket Burger (smoked Texas style beef brisket slices, homemade coleslaw & Rangers BBQ sauce served on a fresh bun).

Sustenance in liquid form was provided by Erina’s Six String Brewery, an example of the passion that drives the craft beer industry in Australia. This brewery, set up by longtime friends Chris Benson and Adam Klasterka on the New South Wales Central Coast, is a lesson in following your dream no matter what gets in your way as they navigated their way through three years of struggle spanning four different sites, battles with planning permission, bureaucracy, council by-laws and even public opposition from figures in the community. Before they were able to roll up their brewery doors in early 2013 to the public for the first time.  Taking a trip through the Six String range is a natural progression for the palate via the Coastie Lager, Golden Ale, Pale Ale and the flagship (very) Dark Red IPA. This core range is supplemented by a vastly more adventurous set of limited releases ranging from ESB to marzen, saison to chai porter and the strong Anniversary Ale.

Your humble narrator liked their Lager, which uses Summer hops designed to give aroma of melon and lemon myrtle while a touch of dry hopping with the same variety gives a slightly sweet finish that complements a breadiness from the malt. At 5 percent ABV and a mere 12 IBUs of bitterness, it's pretty easy to imagine what this beer is like and the sweet spot it can hit as you pull up to the bar having spent the day in the sun at Meatstock 2017 - an inclusive, carefully curated festival that shows that has established itself firmly on the foodie trail.

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Photos by @ka.vv