Van She Magic.

Well, haven't we had a huge week in music. The triple J's Hottest 100 of ALL TIME has been on the radio... Michael Jackson's funeral was on and in the sleepy little town of Brisvegas.. Van She played a gig.

Please see below.

Twas a rather chilly night in West End, but a warm welcome met us as we entered the Hi-Fi bar arena. The Hi-Fi is so effective because even the shortest people can see from most places around the room. The theatre like curtains opened to reveal Brisbane’s BMX. The vibrant 6 piece produced a few dance worthy tunes. It was a nice treat away from electro traditions to see a Saxophone being used. Their tones sparking similarities to New York’s Black Kids and The B52’s. The clear lens Ray Ban trend seems to be taking over the indie music scene with almost a quarter of the crowd clad in oversized black rimmed glasses. A lot of the people who wear them don’t even have eye problems. Members from support band Elke - also from Brisbane – were sporting those very glasses. Aside from their copycat fashions, their music was superb. They are clearly four boys with a heck load of passion for what they do. Some seriously super tunes emanating from their guitars, keys, and drums. It was about a half hour wait until the curtains would open again to reveal that Van She’s vocalist and bassist Matt Van Schie has dyed his hair brown. The rest of the bands were also there, playing their so called Vemixes. Unexpected surprises came as staple songs such as ‘Strangers’ and ‘Changes’ were altered so that choruses became synth infused instrumentals. Their eclectic visual display on the screen behind the stage fused sight and sound together producing a sensory overload. The band are getting better and better with each visit to Queensland. For lovers of electro, Van She are an essential experience that must be endured live for a proper education into their world.

Parlez Vous Francais?

It’s not every day that an Australian band will ask you to take off your shirt. But for the boys of Art vs Science, it’s as common place as a shop keeper asking for cheque, savings or credit. Their masterpiece ‘Parlez Vous Francais?’ has had people stripping all over the country. How could a song do this? Could it be that they just want to see everyone get their kit off? Or could it be that they are just downright crazy? So many questions left unanswered, so many tales untold. Well one thing is clear, in their musical experimentation these Sydney boys have been engaging in a battle for Australian’s eardrums. But before they take over your car radio, IPod, television and even your world, singer and synth player Dan Mac has a few insightful words to ensnare the senses, educate the underprivileged and well, give you a taste into the world of Art Vs Science.

‘Do you speak French? Do you speak French? If you speak French, take off your shirt.’ Roughly translated, that is what the Art Vs Science boys are saying in their latest single and according to Dan, a surprising amount of people can speak it. “We have a couple every now and then.” he laughs. “At one of the Groove in the Moo shows there was one guy front left going mad when we were playing that song and he had his shirt of waving it around and going ‘I’m French! I know what you’re saying!’

The lads will be embarking on a mammoth tour around the country to celebrate the release of their EP which will include Splendour and Parklife. “We just can’t wait to start playing again,” says Dan. “Splendour (in the Grass) will be the first gig we have playing in almost two months. I am itching to get out there.”

The band’s live shows are full of energy, bravado and each band member has their own special move to wow the audience. “Jim likes thrashing his hair about. Dan has a lot of funny faces but his signature thing is that he spits water in the air,” say Dan. Fans can expect to hear some brand new tunes from the trio as they take the stage. “We like to road test our songs in front of audiences before we record them so in the coming shows and this half of the year we will be slipping in new songs and seeing what the crowd thinks of them,” reveals Dan. The bands plan is to tour until the end of the year then record an album ready to hit shelves around March next year. “We will try to explore having a theme throughout the album. With an album you can have more ideas and more instrumental parts in between the bangers. It provides more depth than an EP does.”

So who would win in a fight between Art Vs Science? “I’m not really sure to be honest,” says Dan. “I think science could win but art could win too because it would use dirty tactics.” The name of the band was chosen almost by accident but the band are growing to love it. “As time goes on the name has more meaning when we are writing,” says Dan. “Music as an art form is cool but there are also scientific aspects to music in the way songs are structured, the way you enjoy them and how they affect you emotionally. Essentially there is a formula to what makes a band really good and a song really good.

If you look at all the best music that is around, especially pop music, all these hit songs have something in common and we try to use that in our own writing. But to be honest we just thought it was a cool sounding name. We only just started it on a whim and it was purely by chance that it worked out so well.”

By Vivienne Hill


Art vs Science are playing…

14th August, The Zoo, Brisbane
15th August, The J, Noosa
16th August at Neverland, Coolangatta

And Parklife Brisbane on the 26th September.