Supermarket
MusicSA Feature Artist 8 September - 29 September 2008
The beats of electronica and 'Audio Visual Immersion' act, Supermarket , are sweeping through September, with a slew of standout gigs, new tracks, compilation CDs and more.
Since Supermarket's return from their most recent North American tour in June, the duo have been extending and reworking their live audio-visual performances for a very intense week of shows ahead. Still abuzz after their largest-screen performance to date in August during SALA Festival, news about the licensing of one of their tracks to an international compilation CD and a runner-up flag in a cover song competition suggest the Supermarket trolley is on a roll!
The compilation, 'Sounds of Style Vol.2' on Sonic Vogue Records selected the track 'Urban Spice' with its spy-genre undertones and driving drum 'n' bass rhythm to sit on the double disc and digital download release. The music video for the song also screens this week at the Sydney Underground Film Festival, and will be broadcast on community TV in Melbourne (123 TV) in the coming months, courtesy of Tape Projects artist collective. The video, which features footage shot in Amsterdam, Buffalo (New York) and at Niagara Falls can also be seen on the group's Facebook page.
Never afraid to tackle popular culture head on, last week Supermarket also produced a cheeky dance version of the AC/DC classic 'Jailbreak' complete with robot voice and splashy 1980s production chops. It's no surprise to learn that the duo, who also craft video and project it at performances, have been recently remixing footage from dance films including Fame, Flashdance and Footloose for kicks.
'We have a torrid relationship with pop culture' admits Dan Monceaux, Supermarket's director, audio-performer and composer. 'We like to turn it back on itself, revelling in the lunacy of it all. Instead of a vocalist at our shows, we use audio-samples of a narrator from a documentary film called 'Consumers Want To Know' from the 60s who speaks between and over tracks like the God of our strange universe. We also throw in audio samples from a range of other places, and take the same approach to mixing video at performances.'
A late addition to Supermarket's fierce performance run is Rip It Up magazine's auspicious 1000th Issue Party at the Governor Hindmarsh on Thursday, September 11th . Performing visuals only, the night will be Supermarket's longest VJ set to date, clocking in at five hours. 'We'll have a VHS deck, a laptop and cameras on hand and we'll be mixing the likes of Flashdance grabs and monster movies with Rip It Up cover art, footage of the bands and audience live from the room. All this gets crunched on Em's laptop and projected, large-scale on stage. With music from City Riots , The Shiny Brights , The Transatlantics and DJ Alistair Cookie burning your ears, it's gonna be wild.
'Rounding out a frantic September, Supermarket play three more shows, including a live to air spot during Live Music Week on Wednesday September 10th at Radio Adelaide. The show will be simulcast on the station's website, and passers by at 10pm will be treated to the visuals projected in the station's entrance.
Next up is Spring Breakdown at the Crown & Sceptre on the 13th . Presented by Eclipse Touring and headlined by Melbourne's live d'n'b act K-Oscillate, the gig also features Track Team and several talented DJs from both cities. Supermarket also performs a free, all ages show alongside stalwart of the SA electronic music scene DJ Tr!p on September 24th in Big Star's basement. While DJ Tr!p belts out the 8-bit chiptunes, Supermarket will be running some big screen Atari gaming action.
If you're having trouble keeping up with Supermarket in September, and for details on all the action, check out their pages on musicsa.com.au and myspace and join their mailing list!
