Photo by Maria Boyadgis

Party Dozen is the sonic partnership between Jonathon Boulet & Kirsty Tickle. Having just released their debut LP, The Living Man, the local duo chat women in music, bleeding gums and musical influences on Dead Air.

A band comprising just a saxophonist and percussionist is unusual… and Party Dozen’s first ever jam was unique. Kirsty Tickle (saxophone) and Jonathan Boulet (percussion) were living in Berlin when they decided to start a project in which they’d swap instruments. Neither could play the other’s weapon of choice.

“It lasted for about one session…It was so bad, oh my god,” recalls Tickle. “It sounded really shit,” confirms Boulet.

Since abandoning the instrument sharing idea, the duo have crafted an improvisational set they describe as a “sonic assault.”

“I can play for hours normally, but 30 minutes of Party Dozen is excruciating,” says Tickle, referring to the wellbeing of her gums.

It’s worth it though, in more ways than one. Tickle says being in an instrumental band is liberating: “I feel like people don’t grab hold of gender, which is different from when you sing in a band in my personal experience.”

Listen to the full interview above – including the first spin of their new track ‘Sports Authority’.

WHO: Party Dozen

WHEN: Saturday July 1, 8:00pm

WHERE: 107 Projects, Redfern

HOW MUCH: $13.53, more info here