LIVE WIRE – Sydney Live Music Guide Thursday 3rd

The Basement finds Australian folk heart-throb Lior on its intimate stage on Thursday the 3^rd, where he continues his Lior by Request tour. Those looking to join in this year’s Mardi Gras celebrations can do so at the Mardi Gras Beach Party on Friday the 4^th at The Swiss Grand Hotel on Bondi Beach – sure to be loose. Local jazz chanteuse Briana Cowlinshaw is at Sydney’s premier jazz venue, 505 in Surry Hills with her latin-inspired quintet. Friday also opens up big a weekend of good Australian hip hop, with Melbourne’s Illy taking the stage at Oxford Art Factory in Paddington, with producer extraordinare M-Phazes in support. Novocastrians can enjoy Ozi Batla at their local Cambrige Hotel, before he brings the An Evening with Ozi Batla show to Tone in Surry Hills the following night, Saturday 5^th. Also on Saturday, U.S.A.’s Larry Tee and Anil Chawla headline a big night of DJs at Chinese Laundry in Darling Harbour below The Slipp Inn. Sydney’s Horrorshow are at The Basment on Sunday 6^th – an unlikely venue, but one that will make for a killer intimate set from this super-talented duo. There they are joined by friends Spit Syndicate and Joyride. L.A. pop-surf hipsters Best Coast are in town to support Os Mutantes, but have wrangled a headline show of their own at Oxford Art Factory on Monday 7^th. Irish rockabilly soul singer and striking lass Imelda May is at The Basement in Circular Quay with Newcastle cabaret group Mojo Juju in support. Stadium juggernauts Kings of Leon are back in the country for their Come Around Sundown tour, in which Sydney-siders can enjoy one of two Acer Arena shows on Tuesday 8^th or Thursday 10^th. On Wednesday 9^th, U.K. broken beat producers Mount Kimbie are at the increasingly popular Goodgod Small Club on Liverpool St in the CBD – they follow this show up with a second at Oxford Art Factory the following night –  either could be a real gem. Californian surf indie act Wavves are at University of Sydney’s Manning Bar on Wednesday – sure to be a fun night of head shaking and well placed hand claps. Local Afrocolombian party starters Watussi are at Oxford Arts Factory on Friday 11^th, where they launch their new E.P. 1000% Handsome and subsequent east coast tour. There they are joined by The Strides, Killaqueenz’s MC Kween G and Declan Kelly who make up the impressive bill. Friday also finds Brasilian psychedelic rock legends Os Mutantes visiting Enmore Theatre, with Best Coast in support. Sure to be an interesting show by the band that inspired Beck, Kurt Cobain and Talking Heads amongst many others. On a much smaller scale, local soul Casanova Ray Mann is performing at Melt with his Ray Mann Three for one last time as he prepares to head overseas indefinitely. This year’s Future Music Festival at Randwick Racecourse is going to be a good one, with the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Dizzee Rascal, MGMT and Mark Ronson topping the excellent line up.