City Hub 24 April 2014

Inside:

Councillor speaks out against workplace sexism Page 3 Will second airport bring racket or relief?

Page 8 Eat & drink Page 12 What’s On guide Page 14

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April 24, 2014

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INKS & OILS Les Rice, where tattoos meet the art world

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opinion

Why council meetings are always the lowest point of my week

BY MELISSA BROOKS I have been a councillor since September 2012, when I was elected to represent the community of Marrickville. At council meetings I face verbal abuse week after week.

Last week we were discussing a fairly contentious land use issue with a long history. During the course of the debate, a fellow female councillor was monstered at length by a Liberal councillor – the provocation seemingly some comments I had made.

Despite my protestations, he was allowed to continue his off-topic, insulting rant. When it came time for her to give a right of reply, a Labor councillor tried to prevent her from even having the right to respond.

This isn’t particularly remarkable – I find it hard to recall a meeting where I haven’t been heckled, interrupted or shouted at by a colleague. Without exception it is a man. I would say, although it’s hard to be sure, that female councillors bear the disproportionate brunt of this behaviour. It’s become a sad fact of my life that council meetings are without question the lowest point of my week.

And to be clear, I’m no shrinking violet. But nothing in my life so far could have prepared me for the grind of a weekly meeting where I’m subjected to a torrent of aggression by men nearly twice my age. It’s no wonder then that the most common feedback I get from residents who attend council meetings is not anything to do with the variety of issues that bring them to such a meeting, but on the way some councillors treat others. They are usually shocked by what we put up with, week in, week out.

I’m sure the last thing people want to hear are politicians complaining about other politicians. But I also believe that what I and other councillors endure at meetings every week is precisely what sees decision making restricted to a small pool of people. Their attitude is that people like me, who have no appetite for this kind of aggression, should harden up or shove off.

At the last local government election, every single incumbent woman councillor on Marrickville Council retired. Around the state, barely a quarter of all councillors are women – and the most common age of councillors is 50 to 59. The next most common age group is 60 to 69 years old. Most councils fail even worse on any other diversity measure such as ethnicity.

I’m 25 years old. I ran for council because I know that young people and young families are often those most touched by council decisions in day to day life, but are incredibly poorly represented in decision making about local communities.

While my experience on council has confirmed for me that young women’s voices need to be heard at a local level, I find it very hard now to encourage other young women to consider contributing to their communities in this way. I certainly find it hard, less than halfway through my term, to stomach the idea of re-nominating myself.

If we want decision making to be more inclusive and to incorporate the views of a group wider than just the usual suspects, then some really deep cultural change is required.

No shrinking violet: Marrickville councillor Melissa Brooks

Ripping off solar producers

BY PAUL GREGOIRE Michael Mobbs looks forward to receiving his electricity bill. And why not? His most recent statement shows Origin Energy owes him $165.19 for three months of power.

Mr Mobbs, who owns Sustainable House in Chippendale, is receiving 60 cents per kilowatt hour (cents/kWh) for the solar power he exports into the grid from his network of panels. But City Hub found that many other household producers are getting as little as 10 per cent of that amount.

Mr Mobbs is receiving the 60 cents/kWh feed-in-tax as part of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme that was introduced by the Rees government in June 2009. The scheme was subsequently closed to new applicants by the O’Farrell government in April 2011.

“So everybody’s getting ripped off now because they’re not getting paid what their energy is worth. Even if you are getting 10 cents, all you are getting is the value of your solar to the retailer,” said Mark Byrne, energy market advocate for the Total Environment Centre.

Mr Byrne explained that although the price of solar panelling has dropped by 80 per cent over the past few years, it’s still not financially viable for households to produce solar energy to be exported into the grid.

“IPART [the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal] has said they should be paid about 8 to 10 cents per kilowatt hour but it’s not mandated so some of the companies are paying 6 cents and some of them are paying nothing,” he said.

NSW Greens MP John Kaye said while solar energy is becoming the most cost-

effective form of household energy, the Solar Bonus Scheme was unsustainable.

“The original Solar Bonus Scheme kick started a boom that created more than 5,000 jobs,” he said.

“Falling costs of solar panels…made the original 60 cents/kWh bonus unnecessarily lucrative to attract new entrants. The scheme went into an unsustainable and expensive boom.”

Mr Kaye points out that closing the Solar Bonus Scheme caused businesses to go bankrupt and people to lose their jobs, effectively “driving the solar industry from boom to crash”. “[But] the scheme left a lasting legacy of more than 300,000 roof-top systems in place in NSW and the need for...polluting fossil-fuel power stations avoided,” he said.

Clean Energy Council policy manager Darren Gladman said home owners need to think about using smaller systems that produce energy just for their homes now that the energy rates have fallen.

Household solar panelling. Photo: supplied

‘We remember them every day’: Rwanda 20 years on

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and Conflict Studies at Sydney University, said the Belgian colonial administration reinforced the cultural divide between the two main ethnic groups; the Hutus and the Tutsis.

“They basically instilled the idea that the other ethnic group was the cause of discrimination. The Tutsis were elevated and seen as superior whereas the Hutus are seen as inferior and that is reflected in the administration of the colony,” she said.

“There always was a difference between these two groups but it was not one that led to violence against the other. They lived together with different roles but they didn’t have a violent enmity.”

In the early nineties a peace agreement was being implemented between exiled Tutsis and the Hutu government. In April 1994, an extremist subset of the Hutu government plotted the genocide, utilising propaganda to incite the rest of the population.

Photo: Dr Wendy Lambourne

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BY Paul Gregoire This month marks the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. An estimated one million people were killed in one hundred days, the magnitude of the brutality leaving the international community in disbelief.

Lambert Ndakaza is a 40-year-old from Butera in southern Rwanda, who lost both his parents and three brothers during the genocide. He came to Australia three years after the tragedy in 1997.

“It is important to remember that people who lost their lives were humans like all of us and it is important to remember that their lives have to be remembered,” he said.

“That’s what we do every year and this year is no exception. Yes it happens to be the 20th anniversary but for us we have to remember them every day.”

An Australian family offered Mr Ndakaza a sponsorship to come to Australia and he now lives in Newcastle.

“I can tell you my life back in Rwanda was not a miserable life in no way, shape or form. I had a happy life,” he said.

“I didn’t come from a very wealthy family but I came from a very comfortable family that had everything we needed. I would never trade what I had before for what I have today.”

Dr Wendy Lambourne, deputy director of the Centre for Peace

One million people were killed in a hundred days, many of them children

“It is very important to not brand the entire Hutu group as the enemy in this case. A lot of the Hutus in government who were not supporting the genocide were the ones who got killed first,” Dr Lambourne said.

“It was a genocide against the Tutsi but there were also Hutus who were killed.”

There are around 80 to 100 Rwandans living in NSW today, mostly in the Sydney metropolitan area. Olivier Kameya, chairperson of the Rwandan Community of NSW, said that the majority of them came to Australia after the genocide.

“People are keen to get on with their lives. It’s encouraging to see that people once they are given a second chance they just take it with both hands and get to work,” he said.

“The reason we need to remember is it brings to life the memory of those people twenty years ago. It’s a way of honouring them. The second thing is to show that despite what happens to you in life there is always hope.”

Twenty years on, the situation in Rwanda has improved, with a developing infrastructure and an emerging middle class, Mr Kameya said.

“There’s some government programs that have helped people to reconcile, although it’s a personal journey, but it has helped in some instances people to embrace and get on with living alongside each other.”

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Raue survives board vote decision to leak part of an internal document to student newspaper Honi Soit. An injunction against the motion for dismissal was subsequently overturned by the Supreme Court.

The leaked documents implied that NSW Police had been instructed by university staff to enter the campus during protracted industrial action in 2013, leading to the arrest of several students. The

Photo: Chris Peken

BY Oscar Coleman The activist vicepresident of the University of Sydney Union (USU), Tom Raue, will remain in his current position following the failure of a dismissal motion against him.

Six of the 11 directors voted for his removal, falling short of the twothirds majority required to expel Mr Raue from the board. The motion followed Mr Raue’s

Happy to be back on board: Tom Raue

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documents appeared to contradict the university’s official position to not “influence or guide police operations” against student protestors.

Mr Raue’s attempts to remain on the board were bolstered by a grassroots “Stand With Raue” student group, which collected 645 signatures in support of the vice-president. It also received public support from Greens senator Lee Rhiannon and MLC David Shoebridge.

Laura Webster, a coordinator of the group, was critical of the student union and its leaders.

“The USU executive attempts to remove Tom from [the] board proves they will keep university management happy at the expense of student welfare.”

“The ‘Stand with Raue’ movement proves that student democracy does not end at the ballot box and hopefully the candidates running for board this year all run on platforms of transparency and student welfare above everything else.”

The special meeting of the board included

a fiery question and answer session in which Patrick Massarani, an undergraduate fellow of the University Senate, criticised the USU for wasting students’ money on legal funds.

Speaking only on his own behalf, he suggested that USU President Hannah Morris be investigated and possibly censured for withholding information regarding the re-appointment of two Senate-appointed board directors. Both were likely to have voted to remove Mr Raue, had other board members not discovered that their terms had expired, rendering them ineligible to participate.

The total cost of legal action has not yet been disclosed by the union but is expected to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Ms Webster urges the USU to “make this figure available ASAP considering it was student money spent”.

The failure of the dismissal motion means that no board director has been ejected since 2011, when two directors were removed following a University Senate investigation into misconduct during the 2010 election.

New name, no love

BY TRIANA O’KEEFE As part of a recent change in direction, the Darlinghurst Business Partnership has reclaimed its original name.

The DBP, previously known as the 2010 Business Partnership, told City Hub the change in name would serve as a reminder of where they had come from and the history behind the group.

Its president, Stephan Gyory, adopted the role this year and hopes to achieve a more focused goal for the organisation.

“My main goal is to bring the partnership back to a grassroots style of membership,” Mr Gyory said.

East Sydney itself covers a large area with many suburbs sharing the 2010 postcode. By focusing the partnership on Darlinghurst alone, Gyory aims to deliver a more directed service to the community.

“The patch was far too big for us,” he explains. “The ultimate end game is to see similar groups emerge throughout the 2010 postcode and eventually form an alliance to better promote East Sydney.”

Mr Gyory describes East Sydney as forgotten about in tourism campaigns.

“Sydney is marketed by its iconic features.

The bridge, the Opera House and its beaches,” he said. “But, you can only climb the Harbour Bridge so many times.”

The average length of a tourist’s stay in Sydney has dropped to three days from five, and Mr Gyory blames this on the way in which Sydney is promoted.

“Visitors will only come back to cities they form relationships with,” he said.

“East Sydney has the personality to do that but we are left out of the campaigns and given no love.”

The DBP hopes to provide business owners with an avenue for conversation about their community and its direction.

“It is so good to see people who have never spoken before just get together. take a breath and share ideas,” Mr Gyory said. “It is where some of our best ideas are hatched.”

Mr Gyory spoke of an “excellent relationship” with the local council. But when the City of Sydney was approached for a comment on this story, a spokesperson was unaware that Mr Gyory had taken over the presidency.

“Our involvement extends to an annual grant,” the spokesperson confirmed.

In December 2013, the council awarded the organisation $37,500 plus $5,500 for banner pole hire. >> New York Times loves Sydney, p6

Artwork in the Foley Street laneway, Darlinghurst

Caution urged on Domain development A harbour viewing platform near Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and a new ferry wharf and train station would also be added. It is estimated the proposed changes will cost in excess of $130 million.

The proposal would constitute the first significant major change to the historic land in its 198-year history. In addition, the public space in the Domain forms part of a limited area of parkland in innercity Sydney where most residents live in apartments.

Photo: Chris Peken

BY Hannah Paine Plans to develop the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Domain have divided local residents. Some warn the changes will privatise and sanitise precious open space.

The proposal, announced two weeks ago, will see a significant amount of public parkland developed over 25 years. The plans include leasing land adjacent to the Domain car park for a 5-star hotel and erecting a permanent sound shell for concerts in the Domain.

Helen Crossing and Paul Wagner - 2011 Residents’ Association

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While City of Sydney councillor John Mant is in favour of creating more amenities in public space to encourage greater usage, he objects to any plans that commercialise parkland.

“There is a big difference between having a cup of coffee in a park café and having one in a five star hotel,” Cr Mant said.

“Governments should not be trying to create a stream of income from land for which they are only trustees. Public space should not be privatised.”

Recent years have seen parts of both the Botanical Gardens and Domain increasingly closed off for private functions. In the financial period of 2012-13 there were more than 2000 such closures.

Woolloomooloo resident Carl Knipp believes the plan will ensure better usage of the area for the public.

“I am not opposed to the plan as long as it is properly managed,” he said.

“It will open up the space. A lot of the time there are fences up because there are private events on, and during the week it’s practically deserted.”

Graeme Curtis, convener of Greening Woolloomooloo, a local organisation committed to creating public gardens and preserving green space, agreed.

“I’m generally in favour of it. It will remain public space. It’s just changing the use of it,” he said.

“The hotel plans seem to be subtle, and they don’t seem to be encroaching on too much space and people’s views.”

But Helen Crossing, convener of the 2011 Residents’ Association, is unhappy with the plans. Ms Crossing has lived in Potts Point for six years and believes the development will have serious health effects for those that live locally.

“People walk through the Domain for work,” she said.

“Keeping that parkland is really key for a lot of them to get some exercise.”

Ms Crossing is concerned that further development would encroach on exercise areas.

“Getting rid of the green space in the Domain would be encouraging people to be unfit. The public have a right to places to play sport and getting something green to look at.”

She also expects the proposal to “sanitise” the area.

“It will commercialise it to a point that it loses its charm.

“To be fair to the whole of Sydney that space needs to be preserved, we need to preserve that very small piece of parkland in a large city for the health of the people.”

The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust encourage residents to provide feedback on the master plan at www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au until May 31. The City of Sydney will release an official response to residents’ concerns in coming weeks.

news in brief Success for Facebook fundraiser An art auction by a Potts Point-based artist has raised $10,000 for asylum seekers.

Bids from the artwork displayed on Facebook came from across Australia, with funds raised benefiting asylum seeker centres in Newtown and Sydney and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne.

The artist, Shayne Chester, said he was overwhelmed by the public reception.

“This auction has also been something that art can do in response to the horrors of this country’s treatment of asylum seekers,” he said.

Money raised will go towards much needed food and toiletries.

Mitchell Library plans revised Plans to renovate the Mitchell Reading Room at the State Library have been revised in response to an outcry from scholars and authors.

A petition by literary figures including Linda Jaivin and David Malouf attracted more than

10,000 signatures against the proposed refurbishment.

The revised plans will return book and card catalogues to the space and allow the use of special collection items in the reading room.

Researchers will also be able to continue to use the space, which will be expanded by a glass wall at the back of the room.

Praise from up high The venerable Sunday New York Times has lauded Sydney’s cultural scene in its travel section.

The article, by Australian expat Tony Perrottet, praised art galleries such as Roslyn Oxley9 and the burgeoning arts precinct of Chippendale.

“I was reminded just how original and imaginative Sydney’s inner life could be,” the writer says.

A spokesperson for the City of Sydney said the council invests more than $34 million a year in culture and creativity.

The City’s cultural policy, about to be released, will set priorities for the future, the spokesperson said.

OBITUARY by Darcy Byrne This week we say goodbye to the most famous Balmain boy of all.

As a working class kid growing up in Balmain in the ‘80s, the name Neville Wran meant many things to me.

For local people, especially those whose families had been there for generations, Wran personified all that was good and proud about the history and culture of our suburb.

For a community that only a decade before had been considered slum dwellers, the example set by one of their own rising to the highest office in the state was a powerful one.

Long after his political career had concluded, Wran remained a part of everyday conversation in his boyhood home. His famous catchcry, “Balmain boys don’t cry“, can still be heard on any Friday night in the pubs of our neighbourhood.

Wran’s story is in many ways the story of Australian progress. He was a poor kid who through

Neville Wran, 1926 - 2014

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education and ingenuity became successively a Queens Counsel, a politician and a premier. He didn’t just espouse egalitarianism, he lived and breathed it.

Even as a busy premier, he made time for regular fish and chip lunches with his family. He was guided by a political and social philosophy that insists you always keep in touch with your community, its concerns and its opinions, including those of your family and friends.

He never forgot where he came from and he always looked after his own.

In our current time of crisis, the Labor Party could do worse than to look back and learn from Wran’s legacy.

He was popular, at times astronomically so, but he didn’t see popularity as an end in itself. Wran earned a reputation as someone who was in touch with what people wanted, but he did not sit back and bask in the fleeting glory of the polls.

Politics is about leadership. Wran, like Gough Whitlam and Tom Uren -before him, proposed and explained new policies and ideas to the point where they became popular.

He was prepared to take risks; his homosexual law reform being the most obvious example.

Wran understood that the success of Labor governments depends on marrying the concerns of progressive middle class citizens with an unceasing commitment to improving the lives of working people.

He believed in expanding civil rights and protecting rainforests while advancing the economic conditions and the dignity of people struggling to get by.

Better yet, he got things done. Darling Harbour and the Sydney Football Stadium and the Eastern Suburbs rail line are all monuments to his know-how.

In an era in which politics can seem small-minded and uninspiring, the memory of Neville Wran should remind us that something grander is possible.

Balmain has lost a local hero and the Labor Party has lost a legend. I hope we see his like again.

Darcy Byrne is the mayor of Leichhardt and a Labor pre-selection candidate for the seat of Balmain

Will second airport bring racket or relief?

BY Jonathan mimo Local Greens politicians have warned that a second airport at Badgerys Creek could counter-intuitively lead to increased aircraft noise in the inner west.

Marrickville councillor Max Phillips said a Western Sydney airport could leave Kingsford Smith open to receiving more of the heavy jumbos that produce the most noise, like 747s and A380s.

“There is a real danger that a second airport could actually mean more aircraft noise for the inner west, with smaller, quieter planes directed to a second airport leaving extra slots open for larger, more noisy aircraft,” Cr Phillips said.

Under its present contract, Sydney Airport is given the first opportunity to develop and operate the second airport. If it refuses, the federal government can commence negotiations with another operator. It is expected that Badgerys Creek would be an international airport with a runway capable of receiving international jumbo jets.

Opposition transport spokesperson Anthony Albanese, whose electorate of Grayndler covers major flight

paths, said the second airport is in our economic interest.

“The benefit is pretty simple.

Without a second airport, the airport in the east will continue to grow, you will have less noise sharing, more employment opportunities and this is all outlined in the joint study,” he said.

Mr Albanese rubbished the Greens’ position, which calls for the Mascot airport to be closed and moved.

“It is an absurd proposition – their whole proposition on the airport is bizarre,” he said. “[The Greens] want Kingsford Smith shut and they oppose every site for an airport - they campaigned against Badgerys Creek and opposed every other site suggested.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure

and Regional Development said airlines are acquiring modern, quieter planes and will continue to do so before Badgerys Creek is operational.

Mr Albanese also condemned the Abbott government for its “extraordinary” failure to commit funding for public transport infrastructure supporting the airport.

“There needs to be a rail line, it is essential and it should be funded by the federal and state budget,” he said.

“When I was [transport] minister I committed more to public transport than any other governments combined before federation. A rail line is an important component…it will have benefits for infrastructure developments in general.”

A department spokesperson said the federal government’s policy is that state governments are responsible for investing in urban rail.

Photo: Flickr

Vale Neville Wran

Max Phillips: second airport could leave Mascot open to more super-jumbos

By MICHAEL KOZIOL It was a stroke of rare serendipity. Walking along an Ultimo street, Verity Firth is telling me of the warm reception she has received from the community as she contests Labor’s community pre-selection for the electorate of Balmain. Non-Labor members have been switched-on and interested in what she has to say. And then, as if staged by Firth herself (she stresses several times that it wasn’t), a middleaged man unlocking his front door stops us to wish her well and promises his support.

Firth is seeking to regain the seat she narrowly lost to the Greens’ Jamie Parker in 2011. We meet the day after former premier Barry O’Farrell resigned in dramatic fashion over misleading testimony he gave at an ICAC hearing. Firth doesn’t see Labor’s return to government as easy or imminent but she does believe the corruption inquiries will change the way politics is played in this state, flushing out not just bribery but the predominance of backroom handshakes and influence-peddling.

“I think those days are well and truly numbered,” she says. “ICAC has been very important for political culture in NSW.” Firth’s rival in the pre-selection contest is the ambitious mayor of Leichhardt, Darcy Byrne. Some argue Labor needs fresh faces, untainted by the activities of Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald, and that returning the former member for Balmain would indicate that the party hasn’t moved on.

But Firth says that as a prominent voice of the party’s Left faction, she was unaware and indeed locked out of the shady underbelly of the Right’s machinations.

“I’m actually so angry with them, because they have destroyed the work of a lot of good people,” she says.

“I’ve never had a conversation with Eddie Obeid in my entire life. The only conversations I ever had with [corrupt former minister] Ian Macdonald while we were in government were big fights over his crazy plans to put Disneyland at Glebe Island and all these insane things.”

When Labor was defeated in 2011, Firth was the minister for education, which is clearly her passion. Since losing her seat, she has spent three years as chief executive of the Public Education Foundation, campaigning for better funding and providing scholarships to students and teachers. It was Christopher Pyne’s attack on the Gonski school funding model which prompted her to contest political office again.

“It was then that I really realised why it is that you need to be in government. You need governments that are going to fund the services that we need.”

Firth says she is confident of success in the community pre-selection and hopes to be welcomed back by her old constituency. She points out that in 2011, when ALP members with previously comfortable margins lost their seats, she came close to re-election.

“The reason was that the electorate differentiated me. They knew I had been fighting the good fight.”

Ensuring that young families have access to adequate schools and childcare are among the fights Firth intends to take up if she returns to parliament. Protecting open space is also one of her priorities, as well as expanding affordable housing and offering greater protection to people who are renting.

“Australia actually has very weak tenancy laws compared to overseas. We need to start thinking about the 40 per cent of people in the

inner city who are renters,” she says.

Such concerns are also relevant in Ultimo, which is now part of the Balmain division, following a redistribution. Firth says she loves the suburb, in which she previously lived, for its vibrancy and location, but she says its connection to the CBD could be improved.

“There’s a sense that - particularly with the Darling Harbour development - once again they just want to create a wall between Darling Harbour and Ultimo. And I think that there’s a lot more clever, interesting things we can do to seamlessly integrate Ultimo into the city.”

Ultimo residents can also vote in the community pre-selection. Postal votes must be returned by April 30, and polling booths will be open on May 3.

Photo: Chris Peken

On the trail with Verity Firth

Cartoon: Peter Berner

exclusive

“I had been fighting the good fight”: Verity Firth

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Mick Costa is not accused of any wrongdoing

By Nick possum I have to make clear, right at the start, that former Australian Water Holdings (AWH) chairman (and sometime Labor Council Secretary, NSW treasurer, transport minister and police minister) Michael ‘Mick’ Costa is not accused of any wrongdoing.

In fact, the picture painted in various balanced and responsible media accounts of the AWH affair is that he was a sort of corporate do-gooder who took over the chairmanship of the company after Arthur Sinodinos resigned, and he tried to put matters in order.

The circumstances under which Costa came to be chairman are curious. On April 14, 2011, Michael Costa’s Hunter Valley property was the subject of a violent home invasion. Costa had driven to an appointment leaving his wife and two children at the property. The masked assailant entered, tied up his wife, threatened her with rape, tied her up and then left in her car, taking with him 28 bottles of wine. Fortunately Mrs Costa freed herself and raised the alarm and the police attended promptly. It took them some weeks to arrest Mark Noel Sheehan, who was living rough in the bush not far from Chez Costa. Sheehan stood trial and got eight, though they say he’ll probably be out next year.

At any rate, as Mick Costa tells it, it was after the home invasion that his old ALP factional ally, Eddie ‘He Who

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Must Be’ Obeid, rang him to offer condolences on his family’s ordeal and later asked him if he wouldn’t mind being chairman of AWH. This involved something of a reconciliation because, according to Costa, there had been some “bad blood” between them around the time he (Costa), left office - but he says he isn’t a “hater” and decided to take the job.

On Eddie’s side, the fact that Costa, as state treasurer, had written letters which accused Sydney Water of not wanting competition and demanding that it enter mediation with AWH, might have played a part in the job offer. (There is no suggestion that Costa, as treasurer, was motivated by anything other than ideological commitment to competition.)

One has to wonder at Mick’s judgement of risk and character.

Mick and Eddie

By mid-2011, the Obeids were very much on the nose. After years of allegations and revelations about the family’s business deals and borrowings, Eddie Obeid, along with Joe Tripodi, Eric Roozendaal and other key NSW Right figures were widely viewed as the reason why Labor lost the election to the Coalition so spectacularly. Eddie had been a byword for shiftiness and political thuggery for years. His son Moses was before the Supreme Court over a small matter of selling City of Sydney’s smartpole design overseas without paying royalties.

In spite of all this Mick agreed to take the helm at AWH. Did he ask Eddie why he was so keen for him to take on this job? Did he have any suspicions as to whether the Obeid family had some personal

stake in the outcome? Did he ask Eddie if they did? Or did Mick just take it on because of an intellectual commitment to privatisation and market fundamentalism (and presumably because the salary would come in handy)? We must accept that this last was the case because Mick Costa is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Or maybe, as Conjoint Associate Professor of “competition policy” and “regulatory environments” at the University of Newcastle, a position to which he was appointed after he retired to the Hunter, Mick saw the job as a research project. He has, after all, the zeal of the convert in relation to privatisation and its glories, having made the journey all the way from orthodox Trotskyist to poster boy for market fundamentalism and even climate change denial.

Mick Costa actually took over the chairmanship from Sinodinos in November 2011, by which time the wheels were falling off the AWH scam. Dr Kerry ‘The Bitch’ Schott the decent, even heroic, bureaucrat heading up Sydney Water - had fought the AWH looters tooth and nail right from the get-go. Eventually, in 2012, Sydney Water fobbed off AWH with a small contract. The Big PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) continued to elude them.

By then board member and Liberal insider Nick Di Girolamo’s habit of charging everything from Grange Hermitage to donations to the

Liberal Party to the public purse had become an embarrassment to the whole operation and Barry O’Farrell still wasn’t coming across with the goods. Some new players, conned into throwing their own actual money into AWH, were starting to get very edgy. The Big PPP – the one that was going to make the Obeids and Sinodinos very rich indeed – was slipping out of reach.

This is the point at which Eddie asks Mick if he wouldn’t mind taking over as chairman and Mick comes in, cuts the salaries in half, goes through the books, and tries to clean up AWH’s act. When, in 2012, a firm of accountants employed by some potential investors to assess whether AWH was a viable proposition reported the company was “currently insolvent and living in an overhead world they can’t afford”, Mick strongly disputed this assessment (according to an article in The Australian).

Mick had became Eddie’s very last, doomed, chance of pulling off The Big PPP. No doubt he did this unwittingly.

Mick Costa is not accused of any wrongdoing.

By Georgia Fullerton Les Rice recalls climbing on a young Tom Waits circa 1970s, as he sat in his father’s Liverpool tattoo studio. “Jesus Christ, we had this fantastic series of photos of my brother and I climbing on this bloke, who was a young, mid-20s Tom Waits. He’d briefly escaped from his Australian tour and dad tattooed a gypsy head on one of his arms,” he says.

“When we compare who we’ve both tattooed, he wins. Tom Waits.

You can’t argue with that.”

Keeping it in the family, Rice began tattooing in 1993, learning the craft from his father - legendary tattoo artist Les Bowen. He worked for most of a decade at his father’s famous Second Skin Tattoo Studio. “My Dad was tattooing since the 1950s, I spent my childhood in tattoo shops. It definitely felt like a calling.”

Rice, who currently practices at his King Street LDF Tattoo studio, has an extensive list of accolades.

He has first place awards for tattoo portraiture at Australian national level, Best Large Tattoo and Best Design Sheet awards, amongst others.

In recent years, Rice has shifted his talents more to painting, graduating from the National Art School in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

He says: “You’re only as good as the last painting you make. I’m phasing out of tattooing, I’ve got

10 or 12 people who work for me and who have a lot of energy.

I’ve tattooed for 20 years and I don’t think I have a lot to say to it right now. That might change in the future, but with painting I feel like an infant in that there’s a lot for me to learn which excites me.

Painting fires me up now.”

In March 2007, Les won the Doug Moran Art Prize; he was also named a finalist for the Blake Prize of Religious Art and in 2008 was a finalist in the Archibald Prize.

The issue of tattoo culture still remains close to his heart, as does the continued popularisation of his craft. “There used to be more of a connection between selfaggrandising and traditional art, these days there are a few popular trends. People get all kinds of tattoos for all kinds of reasons.

To sit here and say that it’s selfexpression gives too much credit to some people who get flippant and boring, banal stuff because their mate got it done. On the other hand, to say that everybody just does the fashionable shit these days isn’t giving the people who really do think it through enough credit,” he says.

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council found that in 2012, 22 per cent of Australian men and 29 per cent of women aged 20 to 29 have at least one tattoo.

“Do it for the right reasons,

a tattoo is only ever as good as the reason for getting it done.

If somebody wanted to get a memorial for somebody who’s passed away recently, I can’t see you ever regretting that decision, but if you do something because you saw it on TV last week... actually I’m a hypocrite because sometimes that’s fun too!” he says.

“When you’re a tattoo collector like I am with hundreds on you they hide amongst themselves pretty well.”

Rice attributes reality series Miami Ink to the idea of tattoos becoming mainstream in society: “Those shows haven’t helped.

Cruising along in the ‘90s there was no stone left unturned by the television business, we thought that our industry wouldn’t be touched and now we’re completely a part of it.”

He believes opposition to his craft is healthy and necessary: “There will always be opposing views, if everybody feels positive about tattooing then they lose a bit of their power. Tattoos have this ability to say ‘Fuck you, I own this, I’d do this but you wouldn’t.’”

“I hate to sound like a miserable old man because a lot of young people in it are in it today for all the right reasons. They love tattooing in a different way, it’s just not the way I remember it.

You do get a lot of old blokes who will bitch about young kids who

Photo: Chris Peken

Ink is thicker than water

have ruined the business when there were generations before the old blokes who were saying the same thing about them,” Rice says.

When asked if he has a favourite tattoo, one in particular springs to

Rice’s mind: “My brother did a sleeve on my right arm - a picture of the Passion of the Christ having been crucified. It took 70 or 80 hours. The process of getting that one done, as well as the end result, makes that one my ‘go to guy’. It’s

the biggest and the best and the one that was sort of the most fun to have done.”

LDF Tattoo, 26 King St, Newtown, (02) 9550 6759; 443 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville, (02) 9559 7794, ldftattoo.com

11

EAT & DRINK

Jonkanoo Just when you’re bored out of your mind with modern Mexican and Korean spin-offs, an authentic take on Caribbean bursts onto the Sydney scene.

Seated in a beautifully decorated pale blue and white weatherboard setting, decked out with eye-catching wooden string lights casting interesting shadows onto your repurposed wood table, you’ll admire photo memorabilia.You’ll eat small tings and bigga $ - mains less than $15

$$ - mains between $15-$22

DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS Rocafelas “If everyone’s going to evacuate and be scared of the area, I’m staying in,” declares Rocko Tozzi, son of Kings Cross hospitality royalty Antonello Tozzi. He and Nate Johnson are offering up a loosely 70s-themed Italian red-sauce diner where you can eat and drink inexpensively up to the city’s new witching hour of 3am.

Alex Lehours’ artwork pushes you at the Stolen Spiced Rum Dark & Stormy ($14); or there’s Mulo ($16) – vodka, ginger and Ramazzotti – that compliments tasty Meatballs ($14) in rich tomato sauce. Kick on with longnecks in paper bags against simple standout pizzas like Pollo ($16) with

By Jackie McMillan tings; indeed there are heaps of tings you will adore - except alcohol. Their liquor licence is coming... but I couldn’t contain my lust for coconut bread and ‘slaw accompanying their authentic Jerk Pork ($16/ half pound, $32/pound). This meant I found Oysters Natural with ‘Jamaican Gravy’ ($3.50/each) rather torturous, as their pickled vegetable ‘gravy’ is served in a Captain Morgan Rum bottle. Rum would’ve picked up my Mint and Lime Juice with Coconut Foam Float ($8) rather nicely. My fault for not being able to resist the opportunity to wrap my lips around Trini Carnival Doubles ($12) overflowing with curried chana, pepper and mango; this place being much cheaper than an airfare to Trinidad! Soused Mackerel ($16) served with ginger ale and sweet potato chips tastes quite fishy, suiting a good slather of Uncle Tyrone’s Caribbean sauces. Despite already including scotch bonnets, fried Escovitch Fish ($26) loves a splash of those tings too!

583 Crown Street, Surry Hills (0415) 922 240 jonkanoo.com.au Jamaican $$$ $$$ - mains between $22-$30

chicken, avocado and mozzarella, or light’n’bright Capelli D’Angelo ($16) with rocket, chilli and prosciutto.

1 Kellett Street, Potts Point (02) 9360 0260 rocafelas.com.au Italian, Pizza, Cocktails $-$$ The Carlisle Bar This bar wins my most sexy and clever cocktail title: Rye An’ Gosling ($18) made with rye whiskey, Goslings rum, ginger beer and freshly squeezed apple juice. If Sydney women weren’t drinking whiskey before, they are now. After your fling, retire to the workman’s bar – a ‘steerage class’ lounge suited to tapas snacking. Homemade Haloumi ($14) is out of this world, made with real milk (not powder) by an 86-yearold Greek woman.Tortilla Chips ($16) with guacamole go hand-in-mouth with a Skinny Bitch ($18) cocktail: because

$$$$ - mains over $30

excess in denial is the Kings Cross way.

Chef isn’t giving any secrets away about his Spicy Chicken ($16), but will talk you through Prawn and Calamari ($18).

2 Kellett St, Kings Cross (02) 9331 0058 thecarlislebar.com.au Bar, Bar Food, Cocktails $$ INNER WEST Le Pub Balmain Sydney’s obsession with miniaturisation continues with Le Petit Dog ($6), an excellent, crusty French bread ‘hotdog’ stuffed with lamb shoulder, lime labne, green chilli jam and coriander.The venue and clientele feel much changed from the old Monkey Bar days, with a decidedly French twist. Dishes like Pork Cheek ($16) with crisp pig’s ear, blackberry

JamVybz Restaurant & Café

By Alex Harmon I’ve seen jerk chicken creeping onto bar menus but until now I was yet to see an authentic Jamaican restaurant cruise into Sydney, that is until, with a South London-style Jamaican dining partner in tow, I set foot into this brightly coloured Glebe flagship. Initiate yourself with the Chef’s Sample and cauliflower ‘velvet’ are well matched by thematic tipples including Manoir De Kinkez Cidre Cornouailles ($16/375ml) or Eric Bordelet Calvados ($14). Lillet Blanc ($7) with lemon and soda sits nicely against beautiful Whole Lemon Sole ($20). It’s further improved by my dining companion’s béarnaise, accompanying his nicely cooked, grass-fed L’Entrecote ($26) scotch fillet and menu-nominated Kronenbourg 1664 ($6.50/330ml) beer.

255 Darling Street, Balmain (02) 9555 5711 lepubbalmain.com.au Pub Bistro, Modern French $$ Toxteth Hotel “I am a chef and cannot keep calm,” is printed on a thematic union jack affixed to the glass box kitchen.

However the men inside it are deadly silent, despite the crowds attending

Platter ($18.99), a selection of codfish fritters, jerk chicken wings and jerk prawn kebabs for two. With homemade ‘slaw and pineapple to sweeten the deal, it appeals to the most seasoned (and unseasoned) of Caribbean eaters. Co-owner Jackie says we must try the “reggae dancehall favourite” Curried Goat ($19), which is deliciously tender, served with rice and peas. ‘South London’ decides it’s the best she’s had since leaving her hometown. Of course we cannot neglect Jerk Chicken ($17.99), cooked over wood-fire and coated with tasty jerk marinade. This isn’t your trendy bar snack, this is bona fide, falling-off-the-bone, goodness. Coconut Curried Shrimp ($22) is possibly their most lacklustre dish, but it’s mild and easy to eat. Sweet Potato Pudding ($8.50) is a warm and deliciously sweet dessert that’ll have you feeling the good vibes - driven home by the Bob Marley posters and tunes. Despite the tackiness in the air, what is coming out of the kitchen here is the real deal.

72 Glebe Point Road, Glebe (02) 9571 1158 jamvybzrestaurant.com.au Jamaican $-$$

for generously portioned ten-buck offerings from the Monday/Tuesday Dinner Menu. I dabble with lightly battered Jalapeno Poppers ($12) with cream cheese and smoky bacon, and panko-crumbed Brie ($13) before moving onto sliders.Twenty bucks buys you four, and conveniently there are four choices: ‘Zucchini’, ‘Crab’, ‘Buttermilk Chicken’ and ‘Beef’.The latter scrubs up best, but my meal highlight was Fried Whole Baby Snapper ($24) with sweet and sour apple sauce; leading me to dub chef: Sydney’s battered and fried pub king.

345 Glebe Point Road, Glebe (02) 9660 2370 toxtethhotel.com.au Pub Bistro $-$$ Quarrymans Hotel The steampunk update of this Pyrmont stalwart includes a boilerplate bar and repurposed materials, from

cracked leather stools to a railway signboard listing two dozen on-tap Aussie brews. Enjoy an easy-drinking Grainfed Brewing Co. Sneaky One ($5.50/reg) or Nail Brewing’s fabulous Rick Disnick ($6.50/reg) strawberry wheat beer, sitting amongst limewashed walls, softly distressed window frames, hipster aprons and Edison light bulbs. First floor dining,The Drunken Fish, offers up tasty small plates like Confit Chicken Wings ($14) on blackened corn, or Berkshire Pork Belly ($14) with cider-stewed apples, pear, blue cheese, and raspberry vinegar pearls followed by well-cooked Pan-Fried Snapper ($28) on kipflers, chorizo, corn and pickled jalapenos.

214-216 Harris Street, Pyrmont (02) 9660 0560 quarrymanshotel.com.au Pub Bistro $$$

EAT & DRINK

Chefs Gallery The duck pancake is dead – long live the shredded Peking Duck Roti Wrap ($16.90/6 pieces)! It was my highlight of Chefs Gallery’s revised menu, which centres upon Chapas – Chinese style tapas. Before you wince, recall the Chinese have been sharing small dishes – dim sum – all the way back to the Han Dynasty; and reduced portions means sampling more dishes! Begin your adventure with a black vinegarbased Seaweed Salad ($6.90) or the Cucumber Salad ROCKS & CBD Café Del Mar Restaurant Manager Jessica Mead wafts over in a bright Camilla kaftan.

Her welcoming smile suits this little slice of Ibiza, pitched to become the crowning jewel of Darling Harbour.

The tiled Mediterranean kitchen produces arguably the best food I’ve had in the area, with the blue and white colour scheme continuing into roughly hewn fabric awnings, shading the balcony overlooking Cockle Bay. It screams sundowners from draught Peroni ($9) to El Jalisco ($19) featuring Don Julio Reposado, chilli, chorizo and Laphroaig. Dining as a twosome, I skipped over shared mains for snacks like Crispy Cased Berkshire Pig Jowls ($24); vibrant Snapper Tartare ($24) accentuated by Yarra

The front bar of Newtown’s Botany View Hotel felt a bit like a scene from Cheers. For the locals, it’s clearly a place where everybody knows your name. Drink specials abound: from ten-buck Aperol Spritzes “all day every day”, to twelvebuck jugs of mainstream beers, or a bottled

The Hill Eatery Breakfast here is a stimulating experience, with plant life draping the walls, brown leather sofas, and repurposed wood benches.

When it comes to the food, it’s all about honesty, with a farm-to-table philosophy. Although tempted by breakfast cocktails, some joggers guilt me into Green Juice ($6.50) with apple, mint, cucumber and citrus.You feel healthier just looking at it. Muffins, like Date, Banana and Chocolate ($4.50), are baked fresh daily. Mexican Baked Eggs ($18.50) start the day off in

($6.90/10 pieces). Both dishes lightly feature chilli oil, whetting your appetite for upcoming Chinese dude food – like tasty Macanese Style Pork Fillet and Floss Mini Burgers ($15.90/3 pieces). Though pared back, their beautifully photographed picture menu is still extensive, so consider finding seven friends and unleashing your inner noodle star at a Hands On Noodles and Chapas Feast ($69/head). It’s only offered to one table a night because it includes the Master Noodle Chef attending your table personally.

With the rest of the restaurant watching enviously, you’ll attempt to master the art of stretching, piping (and eating) three types of noodles including toothsome knife-sliced sorghum, and beautiful handstretched Squid Ink Noodles ($20.90) wok-tossed with mussels, calamari and buttery garlic sauce.

Ease any embarrassment by burying your face in a barnyard of Piggy Buns and Totoro Marshmallow Rabbits ($19.90).

Shop 12, Ground Floor Regent Place, 501 George Street, Sydney (02) 9267 8877 chefsgallery.com Chinese $$-$$$

Valley caviar; and pretty Blackmore’s Wagyu Bresaola ($28).

Rooftop Terrace, Cockle Bay Wharf, 35 Wheat Road, Sydney (02) 9267 6700 cafedelmar.com.au Cocktails, Bar, Modern European $$$$ Heritage Belgian Beer Café This beautiful beer café, housed in a restored 1914 St Patrick’s Girls’ School hall, is sympathetically integrated with Harry Seidler’s neighbouring Cove Apartments. Start your Belgian beer adventure with silky Stella Artois ($9/330ml) poured in a nine-step ritual that ensures a creamy mousse. “Belgian beers are all about cleanliness,” Manager Gonzalo Burgos explains. My favourites were Leffe Blonde ($9/250ml) with a distinctive clove note that suited Abbey Cheese Croquettes ($15) with pear jam; and Duval ($13.50/330ml) with Duck

Botany View Hotel

EASTERN SUBURBS

By Jackie McMillan

Rillettes ($18), sharp pickles and rye bread.The house speciality is Moule Kilo Pots ($30). I take my mussels Roquefort with Chardonnay, cream and spinach, alongside Peche Lambic ($13/330ml) fruit beer.

135 Harrington Street,The Rocks (02) 9241 1775 heritagebarandrestaurant.com.au Pub Bistro, Belgian $$$$ Gowings Bar & Grill Despite the glamour, I found this restaurant surprisingly approachable, and frequented by a diverse range of people. A casually dressed woman, relaxing with a novel and classic Prawn Cocktail ($18) for companionship, proves my point. Entertained by the lively sounds of the upstairs function space, you’re unlikely to feel lonely if you pop in for flavoursome Hot Spanner Crab Cakes ($19) or

selection of craftier options. We opt for a quirky foursome of Absolut Vodka ($25/4) mixes, let down by Absolut Vanilionaire being made without the full set of ingredients. As an everyday local, it’s nice to see specials like the Whopper and Schooner ($18) offering up a post-work burger and beverage every Monday to Wednesday evening after five. When it comes to the rest of the menu put out by Darley Street Bistro, the regulars are divided; with one telling me: “it’s a bit over-rated, they put too many things on the plate,” while others swear by it. Finding Goat Curry Lumbini Style ($22) had already sold out, I settled for Greek Style Chicken Breast ($23) with skordalia, feta, oregano, tangy mash and a well-dressed tomato and cucumber salad. It was beaten by Beef Fillet ($31), bacon and thyme hash-brown, eschallot puree, wilted garlic spinach, truffle brisket croquette and an over-reduced jus.

Okay, so it’s not perfect, but you don’t have to do the washing up…

597 King Street, Newtown (02) 9519 4501 botanyviewhotel.com Pub Bistro $$$

good stead (if you can finish it)!

Love Eggs ($16.50) gets it right with field mushrooms, fanned avocado, ricotta and poached eggs on sourdough. It’s also a bar of an evening, with a strong local following.

39-53 Campbell Parade Bondi (02) 9130 2200 thehilleatery.com. au Café, Breakfast, Bar $-$$ The Unicorn Sprinkling some intrigue into the Paddo pub scene, find yourself a nook this could almost be a small bar. Head downstairs to Easy Tiger, a nightclub that brings ‘70’s American Hustle to the Eastern Suburbs. Cocktails – Negroni

($16) or a Fancy Pants ($16) with amaretto, citrus and apricot - pay homage to this time.You know it’s not ordinary pub food when you can get Activated Almonds ($5) with your beer.Yes, the menu’s on the healthy side, from Grilled Haloumi ($12), olives and capers to Quinoa Salad ($13) with pumpkin, beetroot, Binnorie Dairy feta and optional Chicken ($17).They’re heartier than they sound, but you can still manage some Spicy Pork Tacos ($12).

106 Oxford Street, Paddington (02) 9360 7994 theunicornhotel. com Pub Bistro, Cocktails $-$$

Woodland Kitchen and Bar You met him at Pony Dining, but now Chef Damian Heads is riding his own horse. Taking over the Neutral Bay Pony outpost, he’s created his own remarkably unpretentious bistro, despite the fancy Matthew Darwon fit-out featuring five kilometres of wood! Actually Darwon’s simple organic shapes and materials suit Damien’s cooking style, which – while reminiscent of home cooking – takes it to a perfectly handled Darling Downs Black Angus Rib Eye ($48/350g) with condiments on the side.Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna ($18) is marvellously simple, whilst a pair of Whole Roasted Quails ($38) prove indulgent. Sides are necessary, and so is dessert – the perfectly pink pleasure of a layered verrine of Berry Mousse ($15).

Level 1, 49 Market Street, Sydney (02) 8262 0062 qtsydney.com.au Modern Australian $$$$

GREATER SYDNEY Wagyu House A circus tent of lighting alerts you to this Korean mecca of meat. Pull your vehicle directly into the centre of the restaurant; get met by a smiling waiter and directed into ‘The Butcher’. Greeted by an extensive,

level you couldn’t achieve without the intense heat of a woodfire grill utilising slow-burning charcoal and iron bark timber. Grilled Haloumi with Smoked Tomato Relish ($15.50) illustrates my point admirably, presented simply but delivering a unique smoky aroma. It even outshines his Grass Fed Dry Aged Sirloin on the Bone ($38/350g). On the floor, the personable and warm Laura Simmons knows her way around his menu, matching a pretty Seared Scallop Salad ($22) to my Blood Orange Margarita ($15). The focus upon everyday dining continues into a Lamb Backstrap ($34) presented on smoky eggplant with quinoa, tomato and herb salad; plus sides that include Mash ($6) that’s ninety percent potato (practically a restaurant miracle)! Crunchy Steamed Greens with Almond Butter ($8) will set off your steak, and if you throw in a jammy Woodstock Octogenarian Grenache ($46/bottle) you might start wishing you were a Louvre apartment complex local.

2/19-25 Grosvenor Street, Neutral Bay (02) 9904 3400 woodlandkitchen.com.au Modern Australian,Wine $$$-$$$$

white-plate selection, ranging from mixed to marinated meats, vegetables and seafood, we eventually lean towards marination. Selecting Chilli Seafood Sticks ($10/3), Angus Short Rib ($25) and Pork Belly Chilli ($20.64/259g) with Baek Se Joo ($22/300ml) mellow Korean ginger and ginseng rice wine, we cross the carpark to a table brimming with banchan. These small vegetable sides – from kimchi to ultra-sweet carrot and potato hunks – go well with our self-barbequed charcoaled selections.

Joyous but very messy…

668-670 Parramatta Road, Croydon (02) 9797 9999 Korean $$ Belmore Lebanese Bakery Burwood Road offers up a multicultural melange of cuisines including at least five international

bakeries. Owner of Belmore Lebanese Bakery, Eddie Zanbaka tells me: “I am the oldest and probably the most established”. The rhythm of Eddie’s life flows around the feast days and celebrations that bind his local community together. During my brunch a steady stream of regulars pop by for Holy Bread (Qurban) ($5/5). Baked at high temperature in his store centrepiece - a remarkable round artisan brick oven – Meat Pizza (Manoush) ($3.50) with lamb, onions, pepper and spice, is crisp and delicious. For lunch on the run try fluffy Za’atar ($3) cooked with oregano and sumac, wrapped around vibrant tomatoes and olives.

339 Burwood Rd, Belmore (02) 9759 2490 Lebanese, Bakery, Pizza $

FOOD NEWS Dips sure have come a long way since my Mother used to greet guests with a jar of corn relish stirred through a carton of sour cream. Fresh Fodder, coming out of Orange in Central NSW, recently sent me a hamper, convinced it’d change my mind about Taramosalata [RRP $4.50/200g].Their innovative Smokey Roe Taramosalata actually did, using a gentle hint of smoke to tease my palate into really enjoying this traditional Greek red caviar dip. Blue Cheese with Pistachio was another favourite from their intensely flavoured range, which do just as well being incorporated as a sandwich spread, or (if you’re against bread and crackers) rolled up with pickles and crudités in ham. Skordalia worked best cooked with seafood or chicken, though my partner was most enamoured with Kalamata and Fetta eaten straight from the tub as an ordinary dip.You can pick your own favourite at Leichhardt Fresh, and get recipe ideas straight from the Fresh Fodder website. www.freshfodder.com.au

BAR FLY

By Rebecca Varidel

THE BARBER SHOP Ready for gin o’clock? The Barber Shop is a gin joint with an extensive international craft list and vintage gin collection, and barbering services (which apparently were the place for all-male hangouts from the 1880s to 1940s). And when I’m after a gin in ye olde Sydney-town there isn’t another place I’d rather be. Sure there are cocktails - mostly based on gin - but when the gins are this good, with so much variety, and there are quality

mixers like Fever-Tree or Capi, that’s where I’m heading: Gin and Tonic. There’s also an impressive list of whiskies (Irish, blended, single malt, bourbon, rye and Canadian) plus other spirits, beer, cider and wine; but why would you when you are in the venue of a gin-loving Englishman? The Bar Fly recommended nip – The Botanists, Islay Scotland ($13).

89 York Street, Sydney (02) 9299 9699 thisisthebarbershop.com

13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT His Mother’s Voice

Photo: Aston Campbell

Enduring piano lessons as a child is pretty standard in western society, but in Shanghai of ’66 when the Communist Party reigned, one defiant mother had to teach her son to play in secret. Justin Fleming’s play, His Mother’s Voice, details the true story of a mother-son relationship from the birth of China’s cultural revolution, to the eve of the Tiananmen Square protest. The story demonstrates the love of two people from different worlds: a mother’s love that drives her to sacrifice; and a young man’s love for his country.

Director and co-founder of bAKEHOUSE Theatre, Suzanne Millar, was drawn to this story that is at times poetic, humorous and dramatic

The Silence Came

Have you ever wondered how your favourite films, television shows, or novels would turn out, if only you could call the shots? If so, then you could find the theatre piece you’ve been waiting for in The Silence Came.

Described as an immersive theatre piece set in “a distorted modern society, divided by class and polluted by the seven deadly sins,” it takes place throughout several rooms in a 165-yearold Darlinghurst terrace house. The audience dictates the direction the action onstage will take for each and every performance.

As creator, writer and director Duncan Maurice assures, with roughly eight hours worth of script for any given direction, the story may depend on the mood of each unique audience, “you couldn’t possibly see it all [and] it will be

and believes it is more relevant today than ever before.

“With Australia building its relationship with China, it’s important to be aware of miscommunication, of things unsaid,” she explains. “Justin has taken a big idea – the relationship between China and Australia – and gently examined it through the prism of a family.

“At its heart, it tells the story of someone who has come from a difficult life in a brutal place, who asks Australia to give him refuge; to give him a future.” (AE) Apr 30-May 17, atyp Studio 1, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, $20-30 (02) 9270 2400, bakehousetheatrecompany.com.au

quite unique every night.” Maurice sees the idea of immersive theatre as “more in tune with the way that contemporary audiences consume culture, art, entertainment and information,” and believes that “those traditional boundaries of sitting, watching and waiting are being tested and pushed”.

Maurice has been “very humbled” by ticket sales so far and this show is garnering major early interest from a Sydney arts crowd whom, Maurice is confident are “really ready for something alternative”.

Tickets are selling out quickly, so audiences keen for a night of fascinating “choose your own adventure” theatre, should snap them up soon. (SW) Until May 26, The Commons, 32 Burton St, Darlinghurst, $20, thesilencecame.com

Review

Strictly Ballroom: The Musical

14

Baz Luhrmann’s latest creation is bursting at the sequined seams of the Lyric Theatre.

Strictly Ballroom:The Musical has finally arrived.

In an explosion of colour and feathers, the classic tale about overcoming repression flamboyantly enthrals audiences as much as the 1992 film did (and still does).

Luhrmann’s holistic creative approach and boundless imagination means his hand is involved in every aspect of the production, from the design, to the direction and the music.

The notes feel like they were written for the stunning co-lead Phoebe Panaretos (Fran) who outshines all except the hilarious Heather Mitchell (Shirley Hastings).The talented Thomas Lacey (Scott Hastings) gives a solid performance

a&e

as the male lead but is sometimes underwhelming on a very busy stage beside Panaretos’ bright star.

The original and rousing Love Is A Leap Of Faith written by Sia Furler and Luhrmann is the hit song. It stirs the audience even more than the obligatory Love Is In The Air – the expected high kick of the production.

Catherine Martin’s costumes are yet another ‘win’ for the designer, referencing familiar elements from the film and successfully amplifying them for the stage.

Strictly Ballroom:The Musical is an entertaining, lively night at the theatre that will delightfully overload the senses. (LL) Until Jul 6, Lyric Theatre, Pirrama Rd, Sydney, $55-145, strictlyballroomthemusical.com

15 STAGE 16 SCENE 17 SOUNDS 18 SCREEN

Arts Editor: Leigh Livingstone Music Editor: Chelsea Deeley

For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au

Frank Woodley Fool’s Gold

Menidis agrees that the festival is growing in strength.

“We’ve gone from selling 13,000 tickets to now selling 120,000 tickets,” Menidis says proudly. “It’s going to be our largest festival ever with one or two special events to be announced later.” (AE) Apr 29-May 4,The Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville, $3240, sydneycomedyfest.com.au

Starting off from beginnings unknown, Guy Chappell and Gaz Harrison of Yacht Club DJs can boast some of the catchiest and well-crafted mix tapes in Australia. Just don’t ask Harrison when they began.

“I don’t think honestly we could tell you the answer because we don’t really know,” admits Harrison. “We were both in with different bands in Ballarat and one day he asked ‘Do you want to do this?’ and I was like ‘Yeah…’ but I don’t think that’s exactly how we started.”

From those hazy beginnings has stemmed an adventure that Harrison could never have predicted. He confesses that, “Guy had more aims than me. I was just along for the ride,”

but his eventual transition into hard work finally paid off.Yacht Club DJs have toured globally with Mumford & Sons as well as finally released their first original EP No. 1.

“We spent years bantering around this idea and we didn’t know what people would expect,” says Harrison.

“We realised it doesn’t matter what we write, as long as we’re happy and it felt right.“ “With the mix tapes we work independently from each other, so it definitely forced us to work together a lot more.” (CD) Apr 24, Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, $17+bf, moshtix.com.au

For the 10th Sydney Comedy Festival, Frank Woodley has called his set Fool’s Gold, which was intended to be a catch-all term so he can “run around like a noodle-nut”. However,Woodley admits it might turn into a one-hour rendition of “that Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey movie.”

“There are bits of physical standup and visual sequences,” he says.

“I could do an entire show with no improvisation, but I’ve never done that.There’s a great advantage to comedy in that you are in complete control of the choices that are made onstage and you can improvise on any degree.”

The love between the comedian and the festival itself seems to be mutual, with Woodley saying that he’s probably not alone. “I’ll go anywhere that people are going to come out for some live comedy and some laughs.

Sydney’s great for it, and the festival is gathering a lot of steam.”

Festival founder and director, Jorge

Yacht Club DJs

Contributors: Alexandra English, Alexis Talbot-Smith, Angela Stretch, Anita Senaratna, Anthony Bell, Catherine Knight, Cheryl Northey, Ciaran Tobin, Craig Coventry, Elise Cullen, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Jamie Apps, Leann Richards, Lena Zak, Lisa Ginnane, Luke Daykin, Lyndsay Kenwright, Marilyn Hetreles, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Melody Teh, Michael Muir, Michelle Porter, Nerida Lindsay, Rhys Gard, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Ruth Fogarty, Sean May, Sharon Ye, Shauna O’Carroll, Siri Williams

Time is a Traveller Mia!, Fiddler On The Roof, and The Boy From Oz. Time Is A Traveller is an intimate production that weaves the songs and stories of an Aussie country kid who forged a successful career in musical theatre.

Working in the original production of The Boy From Oz with Todd McKenney and Chrissy Amphlett was like a finishing school for Harris, and the songs of Peter Allen figured heavily in many talents quests from his early years – hence the name of this show.

(MMu) Apr 27 & May 4, Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point, $37.75, hayestheatre.com.au

Photo: Tony Lewis

David Harris’ parents had no connection with the theatre - his father worked in coal mines - but one of the greatest gifts they gave him was the freedom to make his own decisions. So, when architecture was abandoned for musical theatre, they were dismayed but let him follow his heart. Rather than choosing theatre, Harris feels it chose him.

The beginnings were humble: the Year 8 school musical saw young Harris cast as Superman but he was so skinny the lycra costume “dripped off” him.That’s well over 20 professional years ago now.Years that span productions that are theatre staples in this country: Miss Saigon,Wicked, Legally Blonde, Mamma

Eight Gigabytes Of Hardcore Pornography In the age of ‘too much information’ it was only a matter of time until someone skewered the often stark contrast between our public and private selves. Declan Greene’s play examines the “pervasive influence of readily available pornography on our cultural sexual imagination,” he says.Two, average, middleaged individuals, like the vast majority of us, find themselves a long way off from the fantasy figures they see online.

With each of these individuals looking to the online realm for a little something more out of life, Greene aims to examine the “conflict between a

digital pornographic fantasy and reality and how that vagueness bleeds into online dating.”

If you’ve ever fudged the facts on your OkCupid profile, or touched up photos before tagging yourself on Facebook, take note: Greene warns that, while you may not like the characters onstage, you will certainly recognise them.

“What the audience is getting,” he says, “is their...truthful, ugly, base, embarrassing sides... almost the opposite to what the internet does - project the self we want people to see.”

Acknowledging that there could be a fair amount of bleakness construed by

audiences from the subject matter, Greene sees it differently.

“It is a comedy,” he says, “and it is important to me that the play is funny. It’s important that we can laugh

at how bleak the world is sometimes.” (SW) May 2-Jun 14, SBW Stables, 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross, $32-49, (02) 9361 3817, griffintheatre.com.au

Dancing Naked In The Backyard

Photo: David Hooley

Sometimes neighbours can be more than just neighbours, they can be friends, family, a beautiful community. Though, what happens when that community is threatened?

Brave New Word Theatre Company explores the idea of community in suburbia through their deeply moving play Dancing Naked In The Backyard.

Luke Holmes, artistic director of the company, says the play is

an original work about everyday Australians.

“You get close with the people on your street, they become like family, and when threatened instead of shrugging their shoulders, they take it to heart and keep each other safe,” he says.

Inspired by a true story, the production follows thirtysomething couple Derwent and Cathy, and their neighbours, as they fight to save their neighbourhood and lifestyle when a development company threatens it.

“More than anything it is about exploring community, the idea of being set in your roots whether you’ve been living somewhere for fifty years or just five years,” he says.

The relatable characters, suburban setting, and underdog story, present a unique production that reflects Australian culture.

“It is nice to have a more quintessentially Australian play, there is something in the Australian culture that lends itself to close-knit groups of friends and family,” says Holmes. (SOC) Until Apr 26,Tap Gallery, 45 Burton St, Darlinghurst, $1520, bnwtheatre.com.au

Something To Be Done

Something To Be Done is “one man searching for inspiration in a world that’s deteriorating of its artistic roots,” explains creator and performer Gabriel McCarthy - and it’s all done with no words.

Growing up watching the works of great physical comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Rowan Atkinson, McCarthy embraces the challenge of physical theatre. “They were able to tell great, memorable stories without using their voice,” says McCarthy.

It was a risk though to stage a performance with no words.

“Physical theatre is so unheard of in THEATRE &

PERFORMANCE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HUMAN HEART Dino Dimitriadis’ adaptation of this play is a fast, electrifying and dark comedy about two playwrights as they explore what happens when they move from on script to off while writing their next play.

The play will be performed by Michael Cullen as ‘Him’ and

Cat Martin as ‘Her’. Dimitriadis describes the play as a “really interesting entry piece into the theatre which is incredibly human and raw, as it explores a whole range of emotions. It’s not your average night or conventional play and has many different layers to explore, even for veteran theatregoers”. (JA) Until May 3,TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, $22-27+bf, apocalypsetheatrecompany.com

PINOCCHIO There have been a plethora of adaptations, however, the new theatrical performance of Pinocchio by Adelaide’s Windmill Theatre breathes new life into the age-old story.The classic will be modernised through contemporary music, dance and design.

The play, which focuses on themes of reality, truth and eternal love, aims to educate and entertain children, as well as engage, encourage and entertain families as a whole.

Like many fairy-tales, the original

Australia, so untapped,” says McCarthy.

However, like the artist he portrays who’s searching for his purpose in an uninspired world, McCarthy was compelled to “bring about something

story of Pinocchio is at times quite dark and explores children’s fears – like being separated from their parents.

Artistic director Rosemary Myers describes going to the theatre as like a “mini family holiday” and encourages parents to take their kids to see one of their favourite childhood fables, to experience it like they’ve never seen it before.

(EC) Until May 4, Sydney Theatre Company,

new and break away from the everyday stuff you see in theatre.”

He adds: “You hear about so many renditions of Shakespeare.There are so many plays done to death.”

So, he hopes that audiences will be open to this new type of theatre. For McCarthy, a performance without words is perhaps the greatest form of communication.

“There’s no barrier when it comes to physical theatre.Through the body and movement, it translates to any language really,” says McCarthy. “I think it goes far beyond words that I could put into a play.” (MT) May 13-Jun 1, Upstairs Theatre,TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, $15-20, (02) 9361 0440, trybooking.com/ECTS

The Wharf, Pier 4 Hickson Rd, (02) 9250 1777, sydneytheatre.com.au PERPLEX A young couple arrive home from holiday to find that things are not quite as they left them.There are some weird pot plants; the electricity has been cutoff, the apartment smells terrible – and where are the friends they left housesitting? So opens Perplex, a lively piece of absurdist comedy from German writer Marcus Von Mayenberg (Fireface,The Ugly One).

“Essentially, the whole play is a riff

on philosophy, reality and what it means to be alive,” says director Sarah Giles, “and what better place to explore reality than in the theatre, which is the ultimate lie.” A comedy about philosophy, this is a play of freewheeling chaos with the ground continually shifting under the audience’s feet. It makes for engaging theatre. (GW) Until May 3, Sydney Theatre Company, The Wharf, Pier 4, Hickson Rd,Walsh Bay, $30-65, (02) 9250 1777, sydneytheatre.com.au

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Fair Isle

THE NAKED CITY

Snugly nestled in the hubbub of Parramatta Road, Leichhardt, is the Articulate Project Space, which is currently hosting the innovative project, Fair Isle.

The show is a revolving exhibition of works from 30 artists.

The first stage features, Bettina Bruder, Fiona Davies, Fiona Kemp, Rose Anne McGreevy, Alan Rose and Helen L. Sturgess.

Bruder’s Diagrammatic Entanglements, is a mass of cobweb strings which greets the viewer at the entrance. The labyrinth teases the eye with its playfully colourful fibres.

In contrast Fiona Davies’ Memorial/One Shift November 30, 2000, is deeply and personally emotional. A display of red buttons signifies the role blood played in the death of her father. It is a singular comment on the intersection of medicine and domesticity.

Other contributions are equally enticing and it is the diversity of this presentation which suggests that each iteration of Fair Isle will be a tantalising taste of creative talent. (LR) Until May 11, Articulate Project Space, 497 Parramatta Rd, Leichhardt, free, articulate497. blogspot.com.au

The shoot ‘em, suck ‘em, sugar frenzy pig out bag!

They were originally called ‘sample bags’, were made of good old-fashioned paper and believe it or not they were actually free! From the early 1900s onwards, the large Australian grocery and confectionary manufacturers would hand out thousands of these early show bags at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, full of miniature versions of their popular products.

Today the bags are plastic, full of sugary muck and cheap plastic toys and priced to make a huge hole in the average family budget, not to mention the kids’ teeth.

That is the cynical view and the public will no doubt walk away with millions of the suckers from the staggering 336 on offer. When you have already eaten a dagwood dog, a waffle dog and enough fairy floss to stuff a pillow, it only makes sense to leave the show with even more fat and sugar. Luckily the sturdy plastic bags are always on hand for the inevitable chunder on the long train trip home.

The bags are all approved beforehand by the RAS, at least in terms of so-called dangerous items and anything that might offend or be in bad taste for the kiddies especially. That doesn’t include plastic weaponry and there’s a veritable armoury of ninja knives, machine guns and AK-47s in bags such as the ‘Police Detective’ and ‘Special Forces’.

Oh yes, it’s a sad indictment of today’s society when the best we have to offer the next generation is the ‘Darrel Lea Pig Out Bag’ and a plastic sniper rifle, all luridly packaged in a non degradable plastic bag, destined only for landfill. Maybe it’s time for the showbag police to engage in a radical rethink and allow room for a series of bags that would carry some real philosophical clout -

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offensive maybe, but designed to make showgoers sit up and think.

In the interests of combatting childhood obesity, endemic corruption, social justice and promoting world peace, we offer the following suggestions: THE WHO WANTS TO BE A FAT BASTARD BAG: Contains an inflatable sumo suit and a mirror so kids can envisage what they’ll look like if they keep eating Twisties and Freddo Frogs.

THE WHO SHOT BAMBI BAG: No plastic shooters here as kiddies put together a cute 3D Disney-style jigsaw. Whoops, there is one piece missing and that’s the hole in Bambi’s head.

THE KIM JONG-UN BAG: Comes complete with a stamped, addressed, jiffy bag to Pyongyang and a personal note to Kim suggesting he put the bag over his head to hide that shocking haircut.

Preferably cutting off his oxygen supply in the process.

THE TONY ABBOTT FREE TRADE BAG: The packaging is great, but once inside the bag, there’s nothing of any real substance – in fact, it’s completely empty!

THE GEORGE BRANDIS BIGOT IN A BAG: Comes with a t-shirt inscribed “PEOPLE DO HAVE A RIGHT TO BE BIGOTS”, free membership to Aryan Nations and pics of your favourite shock jocks.

THE EDDIE OBEID/ARTHUR SINODINOS BAG: Sorry, we don’t seem to recall what’s in this one?

THE HIT LIST: Felucca are a hip jazz collective that strive for originality, spontaneity, groove and beauty in their music and this they will certainly be doing when they launch their debut album Pierrot for Jazzgroove Records at the Foundry in Ultimo on Saturday April 26. If you like your music with lots of edge, surprises and creativity, then this is a gig for you. www.jazzgroove.com

The Strictly Ballroom Exhibition Sparkles, spangles, feathers, glitter and bright colours are on display at the Powerhouse Museum’s Strictly Ballroom exhibition.

The show features over 40 costumes by Catherine Martin, original sketches, set photos and clips which chronicle the development of the story.

The Oscar-winning designer says her life is about researching social history and her creations reflect an era of extravagance in filmmaking and culture. Each piece demonstrates devotion to representation of an ethos, in this case the world of ballroom dancing.

The pastel hues, beautiful weaves and exquisite embroidery are monuments to an often ignored artistic skill.

Highlights include the gold jacket worn by Paul Mercurio in the famous dancing scene, the gowns that Martin wore during award season, and most intriguing her four Academy Awards and five Baftas.

This is a small peep hole into a widely influential and successful production team through the lens of one of Australia’s most popular movies. (LR) Until Nov 9, Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo, $12 (free with general admission), powerhousemuseum.com

Photo: Sotha Bourn

By Coffin Ed, Miss Death & Jay Katz

‘Diagrammatic Entanglements’, by Bettina Bruder

GAME MASTERS

It’s exciting walking into the Powerhouse Museum’s newest exhibit, Game Masters. As visitors step through, they are confronted with a hall lined with buzzing, blinking, whirring and colourful arcade games, all vying for attention. In that moment visitors are transported back in time, to the dawn of video gaming.

To enter is to become totally immersed in this fun and interactive world. Exploring not just the act of playing, but also the development of the industry and the creative minds behind the games’ design.

Director of the museum, Rose Hiscock says that the exhibition shows what happens when science and design combine to create amazing opportunities for creativity.

With fascinating sections devoted to exploring the motivations of designers, as well as multiplayer and large-scale 3D displays, the exhibition is sure to have everyone enthralled. (ATS) Until May 25, Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo, $15-59 (includes general admission), powerhousemuseum.com

Child of Eden

Russell Morris - Van Diemen’s Land Undoubtedly best known for his 1969 number one single The Real Thing – one of the greatest psychedelic pop songs ever recorded – Russell Morris defied all expectations in 2013 to score the highestselling album of his career. Sharkmouth is a blues album about Aussie characters of the 1920s and ’30s.

A follow-up to that platinum affair, this album continues the Australiana theme, covering characters such as Breaker Morant, Phar Lap, Les Darcy and Sydney’s ‘Mr Eternity’ Arthur Stace.

With special musical guests including Renee Geyer, Mark Lizotte, Rick Springfield and Rob Hirst, Van Diemen’s Land is another bluesy Aussie history lesson and if anything, stronger than its predecessor. (PH)

Steel Panther All You Can Eat Steel Panther are from another world and that world is the over-the-top hairspray-loving heavy metal era that was the ‘80s.Their new album All You Can Eat is more of what fans expect from the quartet, who headbanged their way onto the scene with 2009’s Feel The Steel.

With tracks like Gangbang At The Old Folks Home and The Burden Of Being Wonderful it’s clear that this album shouldn’t be taken too seriously.What listeners get is a spot-on tongue-in-cheek (and other places) reimagining of a nostalgic time in music.

In their own words: “I’m just a Maserati in a world of Kias.” (LL)

John Newman

John Newman laughs: “Sorry, it sounds really weird but my last interview started with me with my trousers round my ankles and my mates trying to throw water bottles at me.”

The 23-year-old from North Yorkshire is home and hanging with his friends for the first time in three months.

“That was the weirdest introduction to me ever - it’s pretty perfect though,” he says.

Newman is best known in Australia for his breakout single Love Me Again. Though, he is a complete creative force of nature; he produces, remixes, writes and even designs his own clothes.

The outlet almost doesn’t matter; it is the will to simply create and stand out from the pack that drives what he does.

“Everyone in the town [where I grew up] was DJing and I wanted to be different and learn production and intros and interludes, which led me on to make my own music.

There’s a thrill about it,” says Newman.

The singer has worked hard to be successful and be the best, even if he only made it look that way when he was younger.

LIVE WIRE Delta Riggs: Their tour is named Supersonic Casualties after their latest single, so it’s fair to expect some major post-show neck ache caused by head-nodding and awkward dance moves.

These spacey riff cadets will bring some of the sweet sounds from their anticipated album Dipz Zebazios, as well as some loved classics from their award-nominated album HEX.LOVER.KILLER.With support from Jenny Broke The Window, wallets will be delighted at no admission fee and the reasonably priced booze.

Thu, Apr 24th, Moonshine Bar, Manly.

“I was always a hard worker as a kid. The thing was I always found ways out of it,” he says.

“For example, I got a paper round and the man was like ‘You are the best at the job.You can do it in 20 mins when it took everyone else 45’, and it’s because I would throw all the newspapers in the river and sit and have a cigarette, then go home,” laughs Newman.

He has a fierce independence, drawn from personal experience and that is reflected in this music.

“I like to write lyrics about something that means something,” he says. “I went through a few experiences that made me learn that music could be an outlet, an expressionist thing that could really tell a story about what I needed to talk about.”

In the early days before becoming a household name Newman was forging his way through London’s music scene. It was then that Newman befriended Piers Agget of Rudimental fame - his distinctive voice can also be heard on Rudimental’s Not Giving In. Newman says it wasn’t a calculated collaboration though.

“People think we’ve become like the Pharrell and Daft Punk thing [or] all the other collaborations in the world, but it’s definitely not,” he says.

“Piers used to play keys in my band. I met him in a pub. I

Sydney Live Music Guide

Tricia Evy: This gorgeous Frenchie has been touring herself ragged and astounding all who cross paths with her in the jazz scene, and now it’s our turn to be caught under her spell. Singing in French, English, Creole and Portuguese, Evy will be injecting soul into the night with covers of legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and more, but with a twist of her Caribbean heritage.

Joined by Dan Barnett, this is her seventh trip to our nation but also her debut at Sydney’s jazz-excreting heartbeat.

Make her feel welcome.

Fri, Apr 25th, Foundry616, Ultimo.

Booker T. Jones & Valerie June: Bluesfest 2014 really did craft a doozy of a line-up this year, but this sideshow shouldn’t be passed up. A select few can boast a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award but Memphis man Booker T. Jones sure can.

A cool ten albums spread over fifty years in the music business, plus a host of allstar collaborations including the likes of Ray Charles and Barbra Streisand, Mr Jones is an absolute icon. Fellow Tennessee native Valerie June will join him, performing gems from her fantastic

album Pushin’ Against A Stone.

Sat, Apr 26th,The Factory Theatre, Marrickville.

Skid Row & Ugly Kid Joe: Another double whammy, these two bands will be flying the flag of rock loud and proud tonight. For over twenty years Skid Row have been headbanging and inciting mosh pits with their five studio albums and songs such as Youth Gone Wild and 18 and Life. Californian quintet Ugly Kid Joe will be re-appearing after 20 years of absence from Australian shores, presenting classics such as Everything About You and Cats In The Cradle for some damn good sing-alongs and crazy dancing.

moved in with him and became like brothers and we are still very good friends.”

That down-to-earth attitude will serve him well as this globetrotting star continues to rise.

After a stint at the famous Coachella Festival Newman will be on his way to Australia for a handful of east coast dates that includes performing at the Logies. (LL) May 1,The Hi-Fi, 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park, $60.5080.50, thehifi.com.au

Sun, Apr 27th, Hi-Fi, Sydney.

Entertainment Quarter.

The Jezabels: There’s always been something to love about the originality of this band, whether it is the no-nonsense persona of their frontwoman Hayley Mary or the stratospheric sound of their music and there’s no doubt their latest album The Brink will be a winner.With their hits Endless Summer and She’s So Hard still racing around the minds of fans, it’s a no-brainer that this band inside the white sails is quite literally the best combination in Aussie pop-rock history.

Mon, Apr 28th, Sydney Opera House.

Cults: Hailing from NYC,

this duo are set to be one of the shining beacons at this years Groovin’The Moo shenanigans. Backed by cheeky devil Lily Allen’s record label, Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion have released two albums in their four years of musical enterprise. The latter of the two, 2013’s Static gained high ratings and positive feedback from the major media mumble. Despite the pair’s romantic relationship disintegrating, their music couldn’t be better. (CD) Tues, Apr 29th, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

Indonesian Film Festival

The last weekend of April sees the Event Cinemas Sydney playing host to the 9th Annual Indonesian Film Festival (IFF). Dubbed as the “largest celebration of Indonesian screen culture held in Australia”, IFF showcases an eclectic range of arthouse cinema from Indonesia.

The festival aims to use cinema as a means to increase cultural awareness and appreciation of the Indonesian culture within Australia. This year’s festival includes many different activities including three feature movie screenings, a short film

competition, educational programs for years 8-12 students and a Q&A session with the director and main star of film The Jungle School.

“On the final day we also have the teacher whom The Jungle School is based on attending, so this will be a great opportunity for people to get to hear more about this story,” says Gladys Gadiella from IFF Australia. (JA) Apr 26-28, Event Cinemas, 505-525 George St, Sydney, $17, iffsydney.com

Only Lovers Left Alive The ubiquity of vampire films today might lead some to avoid this movie – a ‘vampire flick’ directed by indie film darling Jim Jarmusch. However, they’d be doing themselves a disservice.

Not since The Hunger has such a distinctive vampire tale been committed to celluloid. Like

Appealing to the market already created by The Hunger Games books and movies, Divergent is more simplistic and edgy, without all the bells and whistles. With similar themes of survival of the fittest and grappling with authority, Divergent is set in a postapocalyptic Chicago society and begins with a coming-ofage ceremony that determines which of five factions young

The Hunger, this is an amazinglooking film – all sexy gloom and cinematic as hell – but the narrative here is stronger and more compelling.

Essentially a drama/romance, the story revolves around reclusive rock star Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and the love of his

Canopy

people will fit into.

Main character Tris (Shailene Woodley) chooses the warrior faction called Dauntless and joins the training academy that teaches weapons and fighting.

Drawing on her inner strength she climbs through the ranks while harbouring a dangerous secret, outshining in a test that uses serum to induce a hallucination simulation state.

(MS) WWW

Canopy is an incredible war/ survival drama set during the Japanese occupation of Singapore in1942. When an Australian fighter pilot (Kahn Chittenden) is shot down in the jungle, he joins forces with a Singaporean/Chinese resistance fighter (Tzu-yi Mo).

Battling the odds they desperately fight for survival, aimlessly running through the mangroves evading Japanese soldiers. Language is a barrier, but they communicate nonverbally and an unexpected

life Eve (Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton). Their performances alone justify the ticket price, but strong supporting roles by John Hurt and Mia Wasikowska add enormous appeal.

Highly original and memorable, Only Lovers Left Alive is surely a future cult classic. (PH)) WWWW

friendship flourishes until the horror of war intervenes.

This low budget Australia/ Singapore co-production is suspenseful and engaging. It explores the psychologically terrifying effects of being isolated in foreign and fearful surroundings, where death is imminent.

Canopy is a fast-moving, edge of your seat drama in which few words are spoken. This effectively enhances the expressive performances of the small cast of two. (MM) WWW½

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Divergent ANY DAY NOW reclaims a not-so-distant past with lush cinematography and lovable charismatic characters.

Directed by Travis Fine, the film explores a trial in which a gay couple fight to legally save a child with a disability from his abusive biological mother.

Stars Garret Dillahunt, Alan Cumming and Isaac Leyva deliver tender performances that bring charm and dignity to these characters battling with the strains of marginalisation. (CK) WWW

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THE MUPPETS MOST WANTED The Muppets return to the big screen in their latest musical comedy.

Whilst on a global tour, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the rest of the gang inadvertently become involved in an evil mastermind’s crown jewel heist.

Ricky Gervais is hilarious as the dastardly manager who leads The Muppets into mayhem and celebrity cameos include Tony Bennett, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga.

Delightfully cheesy, this sequel remains faithful to the brand,

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the much anticipated sequel to the 2012 blockbuster. It delivers twice the thrills and mayhem, as super-villains Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan) attack Spider-Man. Andrew Garfield reprises his role as Peter Parker/SpiderMan, who continues to be torn between his mortal and superhero status, whilst his crime-fighting is being publicly scrutinised.

The truth behind the disappearance of Peter Parker’s with an abundance of vibrant and colourful cabaret sequences, catchy songs, endless gags and silly storylines. (MM) WWW NOAH Audiences expecting a conservative re-telling of the story of Noah will be disappointed with this reincarnation, as the story has been modernised.

The basic storyline remains the same, where “the creator” floods the world and Noah is instructed to take two of every animal species on board an ark.

Noah is a fantasy, strangely bordering on science fiction, as fallen angels resembling

parents is finally revealed and poignant scenes with Aunt May (Sally Field) offer relief from the explosive action sequences.

Storylines involving love interest Gwen (Emma Stone) may also shock some viewers.

The CGI which is becoming more exhilarating and ambitious as the comic book franchise continues, fuels the pumping adrenalin, delivering what can only be described as wondrous escapism at its best.

(MM) WWWW transformer robots covered in rocks aid Noah in constructing and watching over the ark.

This sadly detracts from the religious perspective.

Russell Crowe is intense and gritty as Noah, giving his best performance to date in this fanciful action blockbuster. (MM) WWW THE LEGO MOVIE Everything is awesome in ordinary Emmet’s (Chris Pratt) blocktastic LEGO world. He follows the rules and enjoys his over-priced coffee.

However, a chance encounter challenges Emmet to become extraordinary and join the

quest to save the world.

Animal Logic completed the painstaking animation for the The LEGO Movie at their Sydney studio. The process took more than two years to make the stop-motion feel seamless, and it is quite an achievement.

Unfortunately, the last quarter diverts from the entertaining simplicity by throwing in a moral to the story. It’s a nice one, but it feels forced.

The corny lines will get chuckles from the adults and the kids will love the action and amusing sound effects. (LL) WWW

THE RAID 2 Taking place two hours after the prequel ended, The Raid 2 quickly engrosses the audience with incredible actionpacked scenes and gory violence.

This sequel follows the journey of a rookie cop as he goes undercover into the criminal underworld. Writer/director Gareth Evans’ use of advanced cinematography encapsulates the frenetic choreography of each fight sequence. The violence is jaw-dropping. This film is for fans of bloody violence and ferocious fight scenes. (CT) WWWW

F R E E W I L L AST R OLO G Y

by Rob Brezsny

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): If for some inexplicable reason you are not simmering with new ideas about how you could drum up more money, I don’t know what to tell you -except that maybe your mother lied to you about exactly when you were born. The astrological omens are virtually unequivocal: If you are a true Aries, you are now being invited, teased, and even tugged to increase your cash flow and bolster your financial know-how. If you can’t ferret out at least one opportunity to get richer quicker, you might really be a Pisces or Taurus. And my name is Jay Z.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You remind me of a garden plot that has recently been plowed and rained on.

Now the sun is out. The air is warm. Your dirt is wet and fertile. The feeling is a bit unsettled because the stuff that was below ground got churned up to the top. Instead of a flat surface, you’ve got furrows. But the overall mood is expectant.

Blithe magic is in the air. Soon it will be time to grow new life. Oh, but just one thing is missing: The seeds have yet to be sewn.

That’s going to happen very soon. Right?

C

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Here’s an excerpt from “Celestial Music,” a poem by Louise Gluck: “I’m like the child who buries / her head in the

pillow / so as not to see, the child who tells herself / that light causes sadness.” One of your main assignments in the coming weeks, Gemini, is not to be like that child. It’s true that gazing at what the light reveals may shatter an illusion or two, but the illumination you will be blessed with will ultimately be more valuable than gold.

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): Would you like to forge new alliances and expand your web of connections and get more of the support you need to fulfill your dreams?

You are entering the Season of Networking, so now would indeed be an excellent time to gather clues on how best to accomplish all that good stuff. To get you started in your quest, here’s advice from Dale Carnegie: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Does Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt run faster than any person alive? As far as we know, yes.

He holds three world records and has won six Olympic gold medals. Even when he’s a bit off his game, he’s the best.

At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, he set the all-time mark for the 100-meter race -- 9.69 seconds -- despite the fact that one of his shoelaces was untied and he slowed down

to celebrate before reaching the finish line. Like you, Bolt is a Leo. I’m making him both your role model and your antirole model for the foreseeable future. You have the power to achieve something approaching his levels of excellence in your own field -- especially if you double-check to make sure your shoelace is never untied and especially if you don’t celebrate victory before it’s won.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In his unpublished book *The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows,* John Koenig coins new words that convey experiences our language has not previously accounted for. One that may apply to you sometime soon is “trumspringa,” which he defines as “the temptation to step off your career track and become a shepherd in the mountains, following your flock between pastures with a sheepdog and a rifle, watching storms at dusk from the doorway of a small cabin.” To be overtaken by trumspringa doesn’t necessarily mean you will literally run away and be a shepherd. In fact, giving yourself the luxury of considering such wild possibilities may be a healing release that allows you to be at peace with the life you are actually living.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “The supreme pleasure we can know, Freud said, and the model for all pleasure, orgasmic pleasure, comes

when an excess tension built up, confined, compacted, is abruptly released.” That’s an observation by philosopher Alphonso Lingis. I bring it to your attention, Libra, because I expect that you will soon be able to harvest a psychospiritual version of that supreme pleasure. You have been gathering and storing up raw materials for soul-making, and now the time has come to express them with a creative splash. Are you ready to purge your emotional backlog? Are you brave enough to go in search of cathartic epiphanies?

What has been dark will yield light.

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The potential turning points that might possibly erupt in the coming days will not become actual turning points unless you work hard to activate them. They will be subtle and brief, so you will have to be very alert to notice them at all, and you will have to move quickly before they fade away. Here’s another complication: These incipient turning points probably won’t resemble any turning points you’ve seen before. They may come in the form of a lucky accident, a blessed mistake, a happy breakdown, a strange healing, a wicked gift, or a perfect weakness.

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you happen to be an athlete, the coming week will not be a good time to headbutt

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a referee or take performanceenhancing drugs. If you hate to drive your car anywhere but in the fast lane, you will be wise to try the slower lanes for a while. If you are habitually inclined to skip steps, take short cuts, and look for loopholes, I advise you to instead try being thorough, methodical, and bythe-book. Catch my drift? In this phase of your astrological cycle, you will have a better chance at producing successful results if you are more prudent than usual. What?! A careful, discreet, strategic, judicious Sagittarius? Sure! Why not?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You need to take some time out to explore the deeper mysteries of snuggling, cuddling, and nuzzling. In my opinion, that is your sacred duty. It’s your raison d’etre, your ne plus ultra, your sine qua non. You’ve got to nurture your somatic wisdom with what we in the consciousness industry refer to as yummy warm fuzzy wonder love. At the very least, you should engage in some prolonged hugging with a creature you feel close to.

Tender physical touch isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity.

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): My interpretation of this week’s astrological data might sound eccentric, even weird. But you know what?

Sometimes life is -- or at least should be -- downright unpredictable. After much meditation, I’ve concluded that the most important message you can send to the universe is to fly a pair of underpants from the top of a flagpole. You heard me. Take down the flag that’s up there, and run the skivvies right up to the top. Whose underpants should you use?

Those belonging to someone you adore, of course. And what is the deeper meaning behind this apparently irrational act?

What exactly is life asking from you? Just this: Stop making so much sense all the time -- especially when it comes to cultivating your love and expressing your passion.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your body contains about four octillion atoms. That’s four with 27 zeroes after it.

Believe it or not, 200 billion of that total were once inside the body of Martin Luther King, Jr. For that matter, an average of 200 billion atoms of everyone who has ever lived and died is part of you. I am not making this up. (See the mathematical analysis here: http://tinyurl. com/AtomsFromEveryone.) As far as your immediate future is concerned, Pisces, I’m particularly interested in that legacy from King. If any of his skills as a great communicator are alive within you, you will be smart to call on them. Now is a time for you to express high-minded truths in ways that heal schisms, bridge gaps, and promote unity. Just proceed on the assumption that it is your job to express the truth with extra clarity, candor, and grace.