This incredibly stunning promo for the SyFy TV channel (formerly ye olde Sci Fi Channel) is soundtracked by Goldfrapp’s fantastical sparkling tune Happiness.

The promo is called House of Imagination and has a stellar crew:

• Director: Brett Foraker
• Director of Photography: Larry Fong (300, Watchmen)
• Post House: Moving Picture Company (HP, Narnia, X-Men, Bond)
• Main Guy: Banks Boutté
• Main Girl: Tamaryn Roy

We only have the Empire Chariot of the Sun for a short while longer, so we’re making the best use of it whilst we can! (ie the comp to win the chariot is closing soon – enter now!)

Late last year, two bright young strapping lads from the EMI Australia A&R  team (follow them on twitter @eyesandearsoz) drove the hulking beast of the Chariot down the East Coast of Australia. This is their story. (kudos to Kelly who followed the their trip and brought the boys beer!)

And more recently, we’ve been cruising around the city of Sydney in the Chariot…

As I sit in my office here in Sydney I am AGAIN saddened by the fact that another icon Australia music venue is closing its doors.

But this one holds even more sentimental value than most as the Tote, on the corner of Johnston and Wellington Streets in Collingwood, was not only my old local but a venue that gave me some of my first gigs when I started playing music, it was the venue that hosted the very last Best Of The Brat, I went to two very rock’n'roll wedding receptions at, we had one my best mate Marcus’s 21st there so our bands could play and I saw some of the best and formative gigs there, from the Powder Monkeys and The Hellacopters to The White Stripes, Andre Williams and JET.

This venue to me was as iconic as CBGBS and sadly like CBGBS, all amazing things must come to an end.

Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t tell me this isn’t the coolest thing you’ve ever seen… The so-Frenchy-so-chique electronic duo AIR have created some seriously special merch for their Love 2 album tour (so far just the US and Europe ).

One of them is this cut/fold/glue paper miniature of their real studio – complete with Persian rugs!

Whilst at Avatar Studios recording his upcoming album Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You, Lightspeed Champion (AKA Dev Hynes of the Test Icicles ) recorded live versions of several tracks  – which he’ll be be making available for you to download over the next four weeks.

In classic Lightspeed style the kickoff is an unexpected corker, a cover of Elvis’ Devil In Disguise – featuring the studio admin staff and whoever else wanted in – to celebrate Elvis’ 75th birthday. To get your live version of Devil In Disguise, click the download button on the widget below, but over the next four weeks the remaining tracks will all be available for download from Domino’s Soundcloud page.

He explained: ‘Due to a popular band having leftover studio time at New York’s historic Avatar Studios, I had the opportunity of going into Studio A to record some music, Obviously I decided an Elvis song would be best. I got my friends from the band Spacecamp down and together we recorded an “almost” live version of Devil In Disguise with the help of whoever was in the building that felt like singing… including the receptionist.

Dev has also made an accompanying video in LA:

Dear Moshcam,

Thankyou for providing the full 88 minute freakin’ awesome set from JET, live from the Metro Theatre on December 4 last year. I know what I’ll be rocking out to instead of watching the telly tonight.

Much love,

The In Sound.

Set list:

• Rip It Up
• Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is
• She’s a Genius (ft Craig Nicholls)
• Beat On Repeat
• Hey Kids
• Walk
• Get what You Need
• La Di Da
• Come Round Again
• King’s Horses
• Goodbye Hollywood
• Take It Or Leave It
• Black Hearts On Fire
• Are You Gonna Be My Girl
• Seventeen
• Cold Hard Bitch
• Start The Show
• Holiday
• Times Like This
• Get Me Outta Here

So, it’s been a little while since we unleashed the sheer muscular grunt of the Chariot of the Sun on the unsuspecting roads of Australia.

What has it been up to? Well apart from attracting the Federal Police and Irish backpackers (you think we’re joking…), the Empire of the Sun’s Chariot has appropriately enough been lounging on Bondi Beach and touring the Sydney sights.

Keep an eye out for it in Sydney whilst it’s still in our hands and not being polished in the garage of its soon-to-be-proud owner. For your chance to win the Sun Chariot, enter at www.sunchariot.com.au.

One word: disco. The show on January 5, 2010 should have come with a strobe-light epilepsy disclaimer.

Admittedly, it wasn’t what I expected from Moby at the famed (and very civilised daaarling) Sydney Opera House. But five minutes into his set, the softly-spoken and very grateful (thankyou-thankyou-thankyou-thankyou…) Richard Melville Hall brought out the strobe lights and had us jumping out of our seats, fists pumping the air. I’ve heard people claim this was one of the best gigs of their life, and frankly it comes as no surprise.