GOOD FOLK

POLY-SERENADES CANBERRA THIS MONTH

BY RUTH O’BRIEN

Katie Noonan’s career has been an incredible journey to watch. From co-lead singer of the band george with her brother Tyrone, to building and sustaining a hugely successful and diverse solo career, Noonan is a real stand-out and leader in the Australian music industry. Those who know me well know how much of a fan I am of Katie Noonan; her voice and her music career. The privilege and opportunity to write this article about the key person who inspired me back in my teenage years, and about an album that inspired my own music career, really feels like a surreal, full-circle, pinch-yourself moment. When Polyserena hit the airwaves back in 2002, Noonan and the rest of the members of george were unaware that their lives were about to change. Even though they’d been touring as a band continually in the years leading up to the debut album release, Polyserena suddenly put them under the national spotlight. They were the “5-year overnight success” story. Noonan will be sharing more about the making of Polyserena at a special in-conversation style event at the National Film and Sound Archive on 6 March. She’ll be joined by Tyrone, who has also gone on to be a remarkable influence in Australian music in his own right. I asked Noonan if the band had any inclination of how successful they thought the album might be. “We had no idea…you know…number one records were by people who [were] played on commercial radio in Australia then, and we really weren’t. So it was really [thanks to] a very loyal fan base who had been coming to our gigs.” Noonan went on to talk about what it was like making the eventual double platinum selling album. “We were just doing our thing, and making that record was a very beautiful experience. Just five hippies hanging out at the Grove Studio [just outside Gosford]. “We simply felt so lucky to be able to be full-time musicians in a studio for two weeks to make a record! That was an incredible privilege and we could just, kind of, lose ourselves in the world of music making for a couple of weeks. Yeah. And then we emerged and it was done.” Though the band went on to release another album, Unity, they decided to disperse at the end of 2004 to follow their own independent projects and careers. Since george, Noonan has gone on to continue to forge an incredibly diverse, successful and inspiring career. She’s recorded and played with the best of the best, in Australia, and around the globe. An advocate for collaboration and supporting fellow artists, Noonan has made albums with Paul Grobowsky, Karin Schaupp, The Brodsky Quartet, The Queensland Chamber Orchestra and the Australian String Quartet. She’s made three albums with her jazz trio, Elixir, which features her husband, Zac Hurren. She’s also released five solo projects over the years, comprising both original songs and covers of her favourite musical influences. These albums include Skin [2007], Songbook [2013], Songs That Made Me [2014], Late Night Tunes with Noons [2020], and most recently, The Sweetest Taboo [2020]. Noonan will be performing a selection of her favourites from over the years in just a few weeks (7 March at The Street Theatre]. She likes to connect with the audiences who have supported her and keeps her solo shows, “super, super relaxed”. While there’s a setlist, she’s open to taking requests of songs from throughout her career. “Some requests are really random, which is awesome; I try to figure them out on the fly,” she says. “But then people obviously connect with george songs like Breathe In Now and Special Ones.” Hopefully, you’re able to get along to at least one of these events over what I’m dubbing “Katie Noonan weekend”. However, it’s likely you’ve heard the recent and happy news that Noonan has just been announced as the new Artistic Director of The National Folk Festival. So, you may just see this musical powerhouse around our lovely city a little bit more over the next year or two. The keen collaborator that Noonan is, she’s keen to bring more local artists, makers and organisations in the creative industries on the journey - particularly after what’s been such a difficult year for the arts in Australia.

“I’m just thrilled that I’m going to be [in Canberra more]…I’ve had some of the best gigs of my life in Canberra. From gigs at The Street, and Tilley’s, and The Canberra Theatre. I’m excited to be able to get to know Canberra better, get to know Ngunnawal Country and get to know the local Ngunnawal mob…[I’m excited to] get to know the place and meet the creatives there and get to know the scene.” Be sure to grab yourself a ticket to one or both of the events Katie has coming up (see details below) and get to know this world-class, and soon-to-be, honorary Canberra artist.

Classic Australian Albums: Polyserena by george @ National Film and Sound Archives on Saturday, 6 March @ 7pm. $25 full/$20 conc from nfsa.gov.au/ events

Katie Noonan: Solo & Intimate @ The Street Theatre on Sunday, 7 March @ 4pm. $49 from thestreet.org.au/ whats-on

It’s Not A Festival; It’s a Bloody GOOD Concert Series

BY NONI DOLL

Nobody had a good 2020, and those in the live music and entertainment industries were some of the hardest hit. In the early days of the pandemic when the first of the big, hard decisions were being made, HELEN ROBEN, the National Folk Festival’s managing director, doesn’t hold back when describing the emotion felt as it became undeniably clear the festival was going to be impacted. “It was tragic… After a year’s planning, you almost remain in a sense of denial; it’s not going to happen to us. All the work and effort,” she reflects. “But of course, that decision inevitably was made. It still came as a severe shock to the “They’re very much fans and big supporters team that the festival that’s three weeks away has just of our events,” she says. “So I think with the been taken away in the blink of an eye.” opportunity to come and play, all of them While 2021 hasn’t signalled the return of the festival just yet, thankfully it has given birth to something new, exciting and tailor-made for the times. Going from cancellation by coronavirus to creative compromise, the team behind the Folkie return this Easter with Good Folk, a special Covidwere incredibly positive and they thought it was a great idea. Which made our life very, very easy from a programming perspective, because every single person we contacted said, ‘Yes, we’re in.’” safe concert series featuring a range of local favourites as There’s also an aspect of sharing around well as notable names from across Australia. With a line-up the little good fortune available as a result that includes Fanny Lumsden, 19-Twenty, Mikelangelo and of the concert series getting up, she goes The Black Sea Gentlemen, Omar Musa, Little Quirks, Guyy on to explain. and The Fox, Kay Proudlove and more, you could be fooled into thinking it was business as usual, just with a new name. “I think from a festival perspective, it’s really important that we provide that But if you’re imagining the usual EPIC locale, you’re in for a opportunity for them, but also they weren’t big surprise: the venues for this new event are on the other given an opportunity for any income from side of the border, thanks to the support of Queanbeyan- us last year either. So I think the fact that Palerang Regional Council, The Q, and an assortment of we can actually pay a good number of other QBN businesses and venues. While a hard decision, performers for Good Folk is also, for us, Roben says the town and the event’s partners have made it really, really important that we continue to as easy as can be expected in the days of Covid-19. support them.” “It has all the facilities that we need to run a festival, and While Roben understands and shares the is [what] our community needs to come and attend the disappointment that some might feel festival,’ Roben reveals. “The support and welcome by the knowing that we won’t see a return of the Queanbeyan Regional Council has been overwhelming.” National this year, she firmly believes that Roben also notes this decision was made in order to signal that Good Folk is something different, not just a replacement for the original event. what she and the team have put together will be a balm for the souls of those missing their Easter folk fix. “We’re not attempting for Good Folk to be a festival,” she says, firmly. “It’s is a concert experience. First and foremost, these venues, because they are fixed structures, will really help us [in] rolling out a Covid safe event, which is important… We can structure seating and ensure people are socially distant and safe. It won’t have stalls or bars outside, where people can wander through… that’s not what we’re trying to deliver. We are offering 20 plus concerts over two days. But it won’t be a festival.” “Good Folk is an opportunity to reconnect with your friends, reconnect with the community and also reconnect with folk artists and folk music. It’s something that we, as the National Folk Festival… we haven’t had the opportunity to do that for two years. We’re really excited that we can bring good people to Good Folk and bring good music as well. While the Folkie is a big event for more recognisable names, it’s worth noting its strong history of supporting “It’s going to be different, but it’s going to be to lots and lots of fun.” artists from Canberra and the surrounding region, regularly adding upcoming locals to its line-up alongside the bigger acts. As such, local musos lost big when the fest was cancelled, but were equally as keen to sign back up when approached about being part of the new endeavour. Roben says that their enthusiasm gave the organising team facebook.com/bmamagazine a massive boost. The Good Folk concert series runs across Saturday, 3 April and Sunday, 4 April, with a range of artists playing across both days at different venues across Queanbeyan. Ticket prices range from $10 to $45. For more information, or to book tickets, head to folkfestival.org.au/good-folk

EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT

A NEW SHORT STORY BY NIGEL FEATHERSTONE

Ifound it in a wine barrel, a half-barrel, though not at a winery but at my local railway station. I had gone to Sydney for work and there it was, growing – trying to grow – in the dry, grey soil, the only plant there. At first I had only glanced at it, a single pink flower sitting on top of the dozen or so leaves, all of them small and pale and wilted. I was tired from travelling and long hours of meetings, so I was keen to walk up the road and be home in bed. But something made me turn back and have another look at the plant that was clinging to life in the half-barrel. Who had put it there? Was it the last plant to survive a failed beautification scheme? Or had a railway worker brought it in to cheer up the place but then forgot about it, his or her mind lost to other priorities? The answer was not for me to know, but I stayed there a moment longer, gazing at that pink flower and the dozen or so little leaves, at the soil that looked as desiccated as dust. Then I just did it: I reached down, pulled the plant from what I had decided was its jail, and then darted away into the darkness. When home, I put it into a shot glass, which I filled with water, placed the glass on the windowsill in the laundry, and then promptly forgot about it. ~

Days later, I saw it there, on the sill, the little pink flower still present, the leaves greener, more alert. I put two fingers to a leaf, felt the soft furriness between my fingertips. I put my fingertips to my nose, smelled the pungent scent of a geranium. I smiled, and then put on a week’s worth of washing. ~

That smile – this is true; I am remembering it correctly, I’m not embellishing in any way – stayed with me all day, as though my mouth, my face, could not do anything else. But it was not just a look: I could feel the smile in my chest and belly, even in my legs. The next day, I decided the geranium deserved to be outside in the sun and soil, good soil, soil that I would be sure to water. I found a small black plastic pot, scooped up some rich, damp soil from beneath the cherry tree, patted in the plant, gave it some water, and then put it on the laundry windowsill but on the other side of the glass from where it had been. Again I gently squeezed one of the leaves between my fingertips, and again I smiled, and I felt the smile, though this time a memory came to me: I was young, a little boy, and had been given a kitten – perhaps it was my family’s new cat though I had taken a particular liking to it. But then, a month later, the cat disappeared. The boy next door found her body beneath a shrub – she had been hit by a car and went there to die. I remember the way I laid in bed that night, my body askew, my legs feeling too long, because death – my first experience of it – made me feel different, as though the event had made its way into my blood and bones. I gave the little geranium leaf another squeeze. This time when I thought about the kitten I had a memory of her being an adult cat and giving birth to kittens, and then being an old cat, dying at the age of twenty-one as she lay peacefully on her cushion in front of the slow-combustion fire in the kitchen.

The following day, I went outside to check on the geranium. The flower was gone and only three leaves remained, the others having shrivelled and fallen. ~

I cared for that plant: I watered it; I made sure it got enough sun but not enough to get burned; I brought it in at night in case there was an early frost. I made sure to not squeeze any of the leaves as they returned. Eventually the plant came back fully to life, the leaves bigger and greener and there were more of them; then a new flower, and then another, and another – three bright pink flowers. ~

Three months after I had first found the geranium struggling in the barrel at the railway station, I was sitting on the bench beneath the laundry window, where I liked to have my morning coffee. By now I had moved the plant into a bigger, terracotta pot, which I had placed on the ground at one end of the bench. The plant was thick with leaves and there were too many flowers to count. Because by now it was late autumn and the morning cool, winter only days away, I reached out and squeezed one of the largest, healthiest leaves. As had happened previously, I smiled. Also as had happened previously, I found myself remembering: my husband, who despite generally being not a good cook – ‘I’m too busy to learn,’ he had told me many times – was able to make the most delicious roast chicken once a month on a Sunday, the meat moist and tender, the skin crinkly, the stuffing

packed with fetta and olives, also roast potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic; Eric could also make gravy from scratch. How wondrous. But then I remembered waking early one morning to find my love for him was gone. It felt like he had become a stranger, someone who I did not want to touch. I fought the feeling; I tried my hardest to reconnect with him. When the next month’s Sunday came around and Eric made his roast, the food was tasteless, as though I was eating nothing but stale air. I squeezed the leaf a second time; again the memory changed: we were having a picnic in the back garden – roast leftovers: divine! – and our daughter, Bea, was sitting cross-legged opposite us, nibbling a chicken wing slowly, as if she never wanted it to end. ~

The next morning, I went out to the bench. All the geranium’s flowers had fallen off; only a single leaf remained – a small one at the base of the stem.

All winter I cared for the geranium. I kept it inside so it would be protected from frost, though most days I put it out for an hour at noon to catch the best of the sun; sometimes I put it out while it was raining so it could be wet all over, the soil moist. When inside I kept it away from the dry air of the heaters, and should a leaf begin to wither I removed it – with a surgical snip of the scissors – to make sure the plant remained healthy. Because of my daily care and attention, and because I was careful to not squeeze any of the leaves, the geranium survived, even thrived, and I was able to begin putting it outside during the day for longer periods. ~

On the first day of spring, with the geranium already offering three flowers, I sat on the bench, the plant by my feet and in its pot. I needed to know what had happened to my husband and daughter. I reached out to squeeze a leaf, but then I stopped myself. What if I was asking too much of the plant? What if it died? I had become used to its company, reliant even; I needed its powers and the possibilities they offered. But if things could be changed so that Eric and Bea were sitting in the garden with me, even sitting on either side of me on the bench, was it not worth the risk? I squeezed a leaf very gently – I did not want to do any damage to the plant. I smiled. I remembered: Eric and Bea on the picnic blanket in the back garden, Bea nibbling the chicken wing slowly. But then I saw them standing in the front doorway, Eric gripping a suitcase, Bea, a bee-shaped backpack on her back, beside the car in the driveway. Eric stepped up to me. ‘I’ve done as much as I can to help you,’ he said. ‘You need to acknowledge that all is not well with you. You need professional assistance. There’s only so much I can do. By staying, I’m not helping you – I’m hurting you.’ He paused then. I waited. And waited. Eric smiled, but it was a smile that carried a weight, and a great pain. ‘Please know,’ he said, ‘that I loved you dearly, and deeply.’ And then they were gone. I squeezed the geranium a second time, but harder, pressing my fingertips, my skin turning red and white. As had happened before, the memory changed; it turned into a series of recollections, all true, I know: I am walking my daughter to school, for her first day of high school; I am farewelling her at the airport, a backpack on her back so she can fly around the world; I am meeting her for lunch in the café at the bottom of the tower where she works as a barrister; then her wedding; then the birth of her first child, a daughter, the birth of her second, a son; then I am watching her stride purposefully from the courthouse after winning her first high-profile case. Now I smell the pungent scent of a pressed geranium leaf. Bea is sitting next to me; I know that is true too. She is holding my hand while I lie on my back, the mattress thin beneath me. Even I can hear the rattle in my throat, but that doesn’t matter, because my daughter is by my side, squeezing my hand gently again, and again, and again.

Nigel Featherstone is the author of Bodies of Men, a novel published by Hachette Australia, and The Gift of a Father, a digital essay commissioned by the Tuggeranong Arts Centre.

Bodies of Men hachette.com.au/nigelfeatherstone/bodies-of-men The Gift of a Father thegiftofafather.com/

BY ANTHONY PLEVEY

Trust is a powerful thing. Knowing Peter Garrett was a busy bloke and that only we had a short time to talk together, I had to trust that he was able to respect my personal experiences of attitudes toward Indigenous people. The risk taken, the trust came through, and we were able talk freely and confidently about The Makaratta Project, Midnight Oil’s strong links with First Nations issues, their hopes for the impact of the album, and the larger Makaratta Project and future. We then talked of the structure and shape of Midnight Oil’s newest work, and how it traverses the physical, emotional and political landscape of Australian’s relationships with its First Nations People. Moving across this landscape, we talked about the album and the ongoing touring project, its stories, its personal, artistic and cultural impact and hopes for the future. When I referred to the opening two tracks First Nation and Gadigal Land as evocative of, and even directly referencing, the anthemic titles of the ‘80s, Peter quippied: “Well, we are the Oils and we do like to be loud!” More seriously, Peter acknowledged this connection, which he returned to across the conversation, often referring to Diesel and Dust as if it was a fulcrum point. Peter made it clear that he and the band, despite the twists and turns since he embarked on a musical career as a student at the ANU in the ‘70s, has never lost sight of Indigenous rights issues. “Even before Diesel and Dust, even as far back as Head Injuries and Place Without A Postcard, part of our yearning has been to better understand and connect, recognise, acknowledge, and ground ourselves in the real history of our country, which you can’t ultimately ignore. You know invasion Australia or Settler Australia might always try to just shrug it off and look at a big city full of skyscrapers and say, ‘Ah well, it was a long time ago’. “Well, it wasn’t a long time a go.” First Nation, its music plugged into The Dead Heart from the Diesel and Dust album, opens up the issues for Indigenous people today. Its driving plea “…still waiting…when?” reminding us that these injustices/issues remain to be resolved and that Midnight Oil’s commitment to give these voice hasn’t gone away. “There’s reason that First Nation culture and community is the longest existing culture,” Peter emphasised. “Its strength and resilience and depth is a powerful, powerful thing. It hasn’t gone away. It may have suffered an incredibly difficult time, but there’s plenty of evidence on the sporting fields, in the schools. “I hear it in music. I see in the poetry and in the vision and determination of the people who came together at Uluru to draft the Statement From The Heart.” Gadigal Land is another song pivoting on that ‘80s Midnight Oil sound, which backhandedly celebrates all the ‘gifts’ that Europeans brought; disease, poison and dispossession. Its tonguein-cheek joy reflects the openness to the conversation, which Indigenous people seem to maintain, even though as Peter said: “…all of the impacts of people having their land stolen and their family torn apart are still felt every day, every day. “It’s the right song to have up front because it is so clear, and with the additional voices coming in to contextualise what is being said, you end up with something that is thought provoking. There’s no hiding in the corners when you hear a song like that.” Noting that the third song, Change The Date, for me was a bridge to a different, more collaborative, feel in the album, I asked Peter if he felt that changing the date of Australia Day was already too politicised and had lost some of its gravitas. “I reckon we need such strong symbolic action backed up by real concrete steps, legislation and resources,” Peter responded. “It is not a gift that Anglo culture bestows on First Nations, it’s an acknowledgement and a stepping to one side to allow that strength of First Nation culture to come through.” Then we came to the unsettling Terror Australia. For me a key piece of the album, and the moment of trust. Terror Australia takes a perspective on relations with First Australians that places the fear in the hearts, not of Indigenous people, but in the hearts of Europeans. Contextualising my reaction to Terror Australia’s 180 degree spin by explaining that the name of a common brand of cheese was a term often heard in relation to Aboriginal people within my extended family. I explained how the song hit me between the eyes and that I saw that it’s not just the powers that be, the rich blokes, the ‘money and ignorance’ of the corporates. It’s us who hold this fear which was expressed through this casual, almost traditional racism in language and attitude. Agreeing to the almost antithetical proposition: the First Nations people, who’ve been here for thousands of years, are quite comfortable in their land and that it is us who are the uneasy ones, Peter went on:

“The failure of the political process to essentially make good a wrong means that its left to citizens, wherever they are and whatever their station, to pick it up and to carry it forward and to demand of political leaders that they respond. “It’s challenging for a culture to front up to that. I think we can do so but we really have to be prepared to lose some of our own apprehensions and assumptions; to think very hard about what happened.” In a somewhat emotional telling of the creation of Terror Australia, Peter recounted that it came about in the mid ‘80s when the band was travelling the western desert and Arnhem Land with the Warumpi band, recording Diesel and Dust.

“It was one those songs. I started off with some words and at the time our dear departed brother in music, Bonesy Hillman, was still around. It was one the few co-writes that we ever did.

“So when we tipped all of the songs out on to the table, it was one of the ones that fell out.

“But I think the truth of it is that Terror Australia couldn’t have had the force, I agree it really does on Makarrata, if it weren’t for the fact that it was sung by an indigenous performer. Alice Skye really found the right place to sing it and communicate that sentiment, which needs to be heard. It has more force and presence as a result.” Speaking of the later songs, Peter emphasised the strength in the collaboration of Desert Man, Desert Woman and Wind In My Head, as well as the album as a whole. “It’s what you’d call a multi-colab,” he says. “It was incredible to have access to previously unreleased material from Gurrumul. Incredible to have Sammy Butcher, who we knew from Warumpi days, to fly things in for us and be at the back end of Wind In My Head. “Kev Carmody, one of Australia’s great poets, and Jess Mauboy and Neil Murray from Warumpi, too . It’s a very rich field of talent that came and worked on this record with us.” Raising the final song, Come on Down, which comes after the heartfelt reading of the Statement From The Heart and calls people to ‘…come on down to the stomping ground, to come the fire’, I asked Peter if he really thought that a big enough fire can be made to attract enough people to come on down and unite around Makarrata?

“There are points of light amid lots of clouds and storms and darkness,” he responded. “The station walk offs, the referendum, Vincent Lingiari and the Gurindji, the Bridge march, Kevin Rudd’s apology. “We’ve also got the original response from some Europeans who didn’t accept that fact that the country should be stolen, the resistance by First Nations people which we are only now starting to find out about thanks to oral and written accounts of the times.

“You’ve got reason to be sceptical,” Peter continued. “…we’ve been so let down, particularly by the national parliament. Since the Rudd apology some time ago, it has been a weedy field of dried out corpses and we need to bring it to life again. “But we, Midnight Oil, really believe in the good will of people and the good will of the Australian polity; if it has the opportunity to consider things to in a clear way.

“It might not be one big fire in the middle of the western plains but there’ll be a bunch of fires everywhere that we all sit around and I definitely think that we can get there… “And more people can come by voting, writing letters, protesting... any small thing. The fire will grow.” Shifting the focus to Midnight Oil as a band, and referencing Taylor Swift’s efforts to regain control of her music, I asked about their curative approach to managing not just the music but the band, as well as what the band stands for across so many years and how this empowers their success and longevity. “You’ve nailed something there; people who’ve looked at the band over the years would see it’s a big part of what we do,” he responded. “We really want to sketch out the ground on which we are creating and playing. We’re not too interested in anything other than ourselves finding that common place as 4-5 musicians; that’s where we need to be first.

“We create something that isn’t necessarily hostile to commerce but certainly is not at all interested in commerce determining what we should do with our art.

“Our art, our performance and our political views have to come first and they’re have to come in a way that makes sense to us, without any interference or watering down or compromise as a vision which we try to play out when we play on stage. “I think the whole purpose of this is to not only have people who can, and do have connections to the band, to say that here’s some music that can move us around, but also to share that music with others and to invite people who are not necessarily Midnight Oil fans just to come and try.” Having generously extended the interview, and with the band warming up in background for another rehearsal, Peter continued speaking of the Makarrata Project album and our conversation. “It is interesting to hear how you are responding to Makaratta,” he says. “The fact of it is that this is the album we had to make. When the songs tumbled out it was key to involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers and singers. That’s what walking together, what the Uluru Statement From The Heart, is all about and that’s what our future looks like if we are to have a decent future at all.

“Midnight Oil certainly tries to make a sense of how individuals are relating to songs, how they feel about things. As a band, it’s about what we want to say, and finding a way to communicate that which stems from the music and the primal sort of heart-driven emotion; adding a layer of history and fact to the lyric. We’re not churning out fast food, we’re trying to make something that sticks to your ribs a bit more. “We’re incredibly proud of this record with its collaborations. We feel the opportunity to tour it live and have other guests with us has the making of something very, very special. “We’ve obviously played in lots of places; big world tours and all that. But I think in some ways this will be the most important bit of touring we do. “It gives the opportunity not only to present the songs but to share the experience, and in that sharing we will find that people will walk away both humming and thinking…” My trust repaid with a rewarding interview, it is hoped that all Australians can trust in each other and with courage trust the issues raised, and solutions suggested by, Midnight Oil’s The Makaratta Project. For all you need to know about their big Canberra show, flick your eyes to the right page just there.

BY ALLAN SKO

”I think this is exciting not just for indigenous composers but for Australian music. We were once hearing indigenous culture filtered through the hands of white composers. Now people are saying they want to hear indigenous culture from indigenous composers.” These are the thoughts of Chris Sainsbury – Dharug composer, and lecturer in Composition at the Australian National University – about his involvement in Songs From A Stolen Senate. More on this worthy topic later, but first some background. Initially birthed as part of the Where You Are Festival, Songs From A Stolen Senate is an Australia-wide, cross cultural collaborative musical project that makes us think about where we are, our history, and the great shames and hope-filled triumphs they hold. “It’s a collaborative project between The Griffyn Ensemble and six of Australia’s leading First Nation musicians,” says Griffyn head and composer Michael Sollis, who is overseeing the project. “They’ve written these pieces for us to perform, taking words that have been spoken in parliament that have some personal meaning and significance. It’s about hearing the diversity of First Nation voices by putting their reflections on Australian Parliamentary history into song.” The assembly of composers/musicians is a mighty one, comprising Aranda country musician Warren Williams, one of Australia’s most well-known Indigenious country music singers; prolific Perth-based Noongar performers Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse; Mua Island artist Norah Bagiri; and two classical Canberra creators in Yuin composer Brenda Gifford and Dharug nation Christopher Sainsbury. Their subsequent dig through the parliamentary archives, with the aid of poet and research assistant Melinda Smith – revealed inspiration equal parts fascinating, disturbing, and deeply personal. “Each composer has done a very different thing,” Sollis says. “Some of them have been quite political; we’re talking quotes that were spoken only a bit more that 100 years ago about chaining Aborigines around their neck so that they can’t escape when they’re walking hundreds of kilometres to missions.”

Another shocking and saddening event has been deaths in custody, a topic that had touched Yuin composer Brenda Gifford personally. “I really wanted to write a musical response to deaths in custody,” said Gifford in an interview leading up to the event. “When we were younger we had that issue. Twenty years down the road, it’s a toss of the coin regarding what has changed. We’re still talking about black lives and deaths in custody now. This issue affects Aboriginal families, especially our youth. “[This composition] was a way to respond to this issue and have power – to protest, and voice our stories. It’s so important to voice our stories through the medium of music, combined with these words spoken in parliament.” This individuality of response, and the freedom of expression, was very important to Sollis and co when assembling the project, to the extent that they were happy to bend the rules on the project’s origins. “The original brief was to use text that was spoken in parliament, but even that went off track a little bit,” Sollis reveals. “It depended on which issues were significant to the composers.

Featured image: Warren Williams, one of the composers of Songs from a Stolen Senate. Photo by: William Thomson

“For example, Norah Bagiri wanted to write about the sea levels rising in the Torres Straight, because that’s where she’s from, and very little had been talked about that in parliament. She worked with Melinda Smith to gather the words, which ended up being spoken in the UN. “Equally, Gina Williams was interested in AO Neville, who was a notorious figure in Western Australia politics, so they used some text from a WA sitting. So it was all really driven by the composers, which is why there are five different pieces that all have different angles.” Indeed, Perth-based Noongar singer Gina Williams had a refined focus when approaching her piece, zeroing in on the essence of language to explore identity. “I was really interested in any references to the words ‘stolen’ or ‘freedom’, as well as AO Neville who was the chief protector of Aborigines here in Western Australia, whose policies had widespread devastation and destruction across the country,” Williams says. “As far as I’m aware, there is no word for ‘stolen’ and ‘freedom’ in our language [Noongar] … I thought that would be an interesting thing because these are recurring words when people are talking about Aboriginal people. “So that became the basis of the song. It was quite painful to read some of the transcripts – but taking difficult subjects and words and making them beautiful is a way we can look at it differently. “Maybe we’re not that far from where we once were, and we still need to learn those lessons – maybe these songs are ways to do that.” As well as this tragedy and pain, there also emerges stories of triumph and hope. For this, we return to Dharug composer Chris Sainsbury and his piece Red Kangaroo Standing. “I worked with lyricist Melinda Smith, who adapted a maiden speech by Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt, and a couple of his other speeches into lyrics, and then I set it to music,” Sainsbury explains. “I hope people take away a sense that Aboriginal people are on the front foot with hope and determining our own Indigenous futures. It is here than we return to where this article started.

“I think this is exciting not just for indigenous composers but for Australian music,” Sainsbury continues. “We were once hearing indigenous culture filtered through the hands of white composers. Now people are saying they want to hear Indigenous culture from indigenous composers. This has been a big shift over the last five years – there is still more traction to be gained in that shift, but it’s certainly started, which is pretty exciting.” This echoes the sentiment of Michael Sollis, who sounds both elated and exhausted by the countless hours he has put into the project. But his toil, and that of his fellow composers, will be very much worth it, as Songs From A Stolen Senate gifts the world with an exploration, and celebration, of our First Nation people and our realtionship, and responsibility, to each other. “I hope people will place these stories, and place indigenous musicians, at the forefront of Australia’s artistic expression,” he says. “It’s a project around supporting different perspectives, about thinking about the world around us in a different way. “What we’re doing is part of an ongoing narrative, and an ongoing work that all Australians are involved in; to ensure our artistic, cultural and creative expression not only represents the diversity of this country, but also is rooted in this incredible history both good and bad that we’re all a part of; about how we came to be a nation. “Even now, looking over the Brindabellas in my house in Flynn, there’s a renewed sense of place and the footsteps that came before me.” Songs From A Stolen Senate has two performances on Saturday, 13 March at 2pm & 7pm. Tickets are $45 adult/$35 concession and are available from belcoarts.com.au/songs/

THE RAVEN’S ROCK The Raven’s Rock has followed opposed to the verse’s conversational

SMOKED A CIGAR last year’s social conscience nuances, seem to act in tandem with [ ] charged track 6 Minutes to the sinuous nature that underpins Midnight with a new release, the entire track, one that is displayed Smoked A Cigar, another high- from the outset. energy, raw-edged example of the band’s contemporary indie rock style. Another point of difference is the arrangement, holding back Less folk-like than their previous releases, Smoked A Cigar on releasing the chorus’ swirling reveals a more amiable sonic palette, taking on some identifiable attributes until a run of two-verse to elements of the compendium of classic rock and blending it with pre-chorus sections have expired. This their restrained yet nonetheless vibrant spirit. acts as part of that well-established Kicking off with a galvanizing musical motif of chorused guitars and accented stadium rhythmic patterns, the song maintains its measured power throughout, ascending towards an alleviating and quite satisfying chorus. The protracted notes here, as and always welcome surprise factor, inherent in all satisfying records, perhaps a characteristic even more rewarding as it relates to tracks that rely on that delicate interplay between variegation and accessibility. The post-chorus resolve, which acts as an opportunity for the vehemence contained in the chorus to rest up a little, is most welcome, and is subverted at the track’s conclusion to become the final flourish, with the accompanying lyric—’and the chaos is your home’—fittingly spectral and definitive. The Raven’s Rock manage to retain an earthly glow, an unprocessed candour most evident here in the vocal performance, and perhaps even heightened this time around by the forthright glide of the instrumentation, as it dips and swerves around the melodic terrain. A valid follow-up to their last release, Smoked A Cigar sets this Canberra outfit on a no doubt veracious, elevated path. VINCE LEIGH

SPUTNIK It’s not every day you that you

SWEETHEART get to listen to a track inspired ROLLING by a novel. Tim Winton’s [ ] Breath, no less. As frontwoman Nette France has said of Sputnik’s Sweetheart new single Rolling: “The lyrics are inspired by Tim Winton’s coming of age novel, Breath. It’s a story about growing up and navigating through the changes that come with new and old relationships.” Formed in 2018, the four-piece alternative rock band has quickly established quite a reputation for delivering emotive, high-energy performances. They have also garnered a notable list of achievements including: the prestigious title of Triple J Unearthed Feature Artist in June 2020, surpassing 200,000 streams on Spotify, and sharing the stage with some big guns on the Australian music landscape including Ball Park Music, Joyce Manor, British India and Kingswood. What we get with Rolling is a stirring mix of abandon and observation, with Nette’s sinuous vocals frontloading slick hooks in a raw style. The guitar parts here are also jostling for position and harnessed to the lurching feel of the drums and the fulminating sonics. The picture is indeed a bright one and harmoniously aligned to the moment. The peaks are here, slathered between the disrobed verses, yet these climaxes, as melodically persuasive as they are, are merely the amiable antecedents to the post-bridge assault, complete with feel change and mood change. It is the kind of moment one hopes to hear at a live show, threaded to the inbetween bits; a fully nourished band letting rip. Part of the appeal of this second apogeeic moment is the arrangement; the aforementioned hooks never get another round. Ah, keep the punter primed to the end. Rolling is idyllic, peppered with power-pop bursts, as well as nuanced and littered with unburdened, modest finesse. And it sounds like Breath has induced more than just the lyrical conceit; it sounds as if the performances, the intentions, have all emerged from out of the depths of some boundless, pelagic entity. VINCE LEIGH

LUCY SUGERMAN In 2019, Lucy Sugerman sold out sweetness of the keys and beachside breeziness of the acoustic guitar

I WANNA KISS BOYS her headline shows at Smith’s also contrive to frame this track as an unapologetic leap of lucid, alluring

COS I’M BORED Alternative, opened for X-Factor melodic invention. [ ] winner Dami Im, and spent the year writing alongside a plethora of Australian writers and producers (Alex Lahey, Dustin Tebbutt, LANKS, Dylan Nash). And Lucy’s courtly performance is, of course, more than just the proverbial icing. In the verses, the low register hums with a knowing cadence, in the chorus the hook is solidified by the sweeping swirl of a semi-swagger, a confidence that in no way betrays the hint of Lucy was named the National Folk Festival Youth Ambassador in vulnerability we sense in the song’s title. 2020, was the recipient of one of APRA AMCOS’ Women in Music Mentorships as well as a part of their inaugural Song Generations writing camp at ANU School of Music and featured on, and cowrote the track, I’d Do It All Again with Australian artist LANKS as part of his anticipated upcoming double album Spirits. i wanna kiss boys cos i’m bored seamlessly blends an untethered element to a very defiantly pop aesthetic, creating a leisurely, atomizing musical experience, with a touch of playful, idiosyncratic enticement thrown in for good measure. Lucy has been performing around Canberra since she was nine VINCE LEIGH and this has served her well, going on to share the stage with such notables as Sheppard, Ali Barter and Nicole Millar at Canberra Day in the Park, and John Farnham and Daryl Braithwaite at the Anthems concert at the National Arboretum Canberra. Lucy has just released i wanna kiss boys cos i’m bored and that title alone is enough to endear the track to these ears. Yes, there is a confessional element to this semi-sassy pop daydream but it’s communicated with what seems like such a sense of extemporaneous poise that it feels more judicious, as though Lucy understands the nature of her declaration is a little more than mere admission. The surrounding surfeit of fuzzy pop ingredients, the thick lo-fi goodness of the drums, its fly-in-fly-out tendencies, the chiming

GROOVY DAUGHTER HARSH

I think I’m scared to move on, I’m a lake after droughts, I am nothing.

This is quite an escalation. In a sense, the rate of diminishment here might, in a microevolutionary form, reflect conversely the speed of our lives. And those careering towards the threshold of adulthood might feel this acceleration more acutely. Or maybe not. Personal hurt expelled through the lens of self-analysis. Maladaptation that’s related to society. The above line is from Harsh, the fifth single for the Canberrabased outfit Groovy Daughter. Since the release of her acclaimed debut Tyro Dreamer in 2018, Nicole Wilde-Carr AKA Groovy Daughter has gone on to nurture an ever-expanding profile, performing in a series of shows with Slum Sociable, Thandi Phoenix, as well as strutting the Groovin the Moo boards. During the 2020 pandemic, Groovy Daughter took part in a series of online shows, including a performance on the Isol-Aid line up alongside Courtney Barnett and Alex the Astronaut, as well as Live In Ya Lounge. And just recently, she found herself as the triple j Unearthed Featured Artist. Now, we have Harsh, a team up with ubiquitous Canberra hip hop producer prodigy Citizen Kay, and a self-assured meditation on selfcriticism—the irony here is worth noting—featuring Wilde-Carr’s contained yet simmering-with-tension vocal performance which is one part Amy Shark, one part Beth Gibbons, but more persuasively operating in her own corner. When neutered from Wilde-Carr’s hyper-galvanic disconcertment, the music—muted guitar lines, trip-hop ’90s flavoured drum loop, various sonic textures—pleasingly adheres to deputy status. And this is most evident when the vocal shifts up an octave during the second chorus, exposing us to a skilful vocalist’s sweet high spots. The melodic elements team up effectively, with the line, ‘What if I, what if I, what if I let go of the pain?’ convincingly reiterating the swell of anxiety, said swell mirrored also in the groove’s languor, invoking a palpable sense of indecision, irresolution. However, the track sounds as if it’s on the cusp of revelation, with its exquisite rendering of unease and emotional malaise. Identification is perhaps the trigger point for engagement here, and Harsh will undoubtedly resonate with many. VINCE LEIGH

KIM YANG In 2019 Canberra based indie This one does, emphatically, yet in the most unemphatic way; DOMINOES folk artist Kim Yang toured her with a restrained push into the deepest river of your yearnings. [ ] debut EP Ocean of Mind after This track contains all the elements for artistic durability; an a sold-out EP launch. She also idiosyncratic voice whose obvious vulnerability is strengthened shared the stage with ARIA and APRA-awarded alt-country by a searing high-register that pierces with every passing note. artist Tori Forsyth and many others. In fact there are many attributes about this track that are Kim performed at the National Folk Festival 2019, Enlighten restrained; the performance, the melodic tangents, the Festival 2020 and Canberra Theatre Centre’s online CTC@ production. Sure, there is a pulse of underlying melancholia Home series during COVID and organised the International with Dominoes, but there’s something about that recurring Women’s Day Concert 2020, gathering female musicians of acoustic guitar line, together with Kim’s voice, that seems to Canberra and the general public to offer more than just a muted glimmer of celebrate the day. hope too. Now, Kim has released new track These are perhaps the track’s most Dominoes, a subdued folk meditation potent elements; the dualistic tenet with some restrained pop edges that that calms as it triggers a memory or will soothe your aching soul the minute leads you to that cliff; the thought of Kim’s luxuriously hypnotic cadences swaying in the otherworldly current atop enter your ear. that falling off point is most often more Anchored by an acoustic guitar riff intense than the fall. slash chord progression that doubles VINCE LEIGH as a thematic marker, Dominoes is the sort of song that transports you geographically and emotionally. And believe me, one doesn’t expect to get transported—musically that is—every time a new track attempts to state its case.

CITIZEN KAY Australian rapper and ARIA-

DON’T BLINK nominated Citizen Kay has had a [ ] successful run since the release of his first track Yes! all the way back in 2013. Having attracted tremendous support from many key players such as Spotify, Tone Deaf and The Music, as well as touring extensively with some of the greatest exponents of the rap genre, including Public Enemy, Run The Jewels, Ice Cube, Danny Brown and Wiz Khalifa, Citizen Kay has followed up the gains achieved from his last release Funny Business feat. Genesis Owusu with this new track, Don’t Blink. The track kicks off with an alluring combination of bass guitar and siren. Yes, you heard it, a wailing-just-on-the-horizon siren, and I imagine nothing else instantly instils a sense of drama and grimy pop danger into the unsuspecting listener like this heterogenous combo. A word about the bass riff, as it features quite heavily here, and heavy it is too; a marauding block-rocking slice of bottom end bite and undulation that underscores the seismic layers of combusting fervour from Citizen’s worked-up swagger. Don’t Blink has thrills and spills to spare, a mobilising and quasimenacing few minutes that effectively blend rap, rock, and hip hop without sacrificing any of the tantalising elements of those genres’ finer points. With the title a consolidating refrain billowing forth in the aftermath of the chorus, this compendious, minacious ode has a pleasing amount of mayhem and entertainment value and manages to avoid any sense of monosyllabic tendencies by the sheer amount of good stuff it contains, with the thriving rhythmic bones decorated by Citizen’s terse indoctrinations making it a must. Whereas Funny Business explored a few well-worn ‘80s vistas, Don’t Blink ventures forward, almost unadorned but undaunted about its hybridity and claiming an area that embraces what is seemingly perhaps not so embraceable.

And for that alone, it’s hit the spot. VINCE LEIGH

THE WORD ON FILMS

with Cameron Williams

NEWS OF THE WORLD

Tom Hanks is one of the most reliable actors of his generation. Exhibit A: News of the World. Set in 1870, Hanks plays a former member of the Confederate army, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, who works as a newsreader. Kidd travels by cart from town-totown reading newspapers to local crowds for a small fee.

What’s making news? Pandemics, political instability and a new president; it’s all way too familiar when you consider what’s making news in 2021. During a reading in a southern town, the pro-Confederate crowd rages when they hear about the amendments to the U.S. constitution, which includes the abolition of slavery. Kidd calms the crowd by providing context: “these are difficult times.”

Hanks is stoic in these moments when he’s bridging the gap between facts and public opinion. Kidd even tweaks the news items he reads in each town – an old school version of Facebook’s news algorithm – to suit the audience; during one reading he only picks good news stories to provide the crowd with an escape from reality. Like the nightly news on television, it’s a mixture of theatre and current affairs.

But what doesn’t make the news? That lands in Kidd’s cart in the form of a white girl in native American clothing named Johanna (Helena Zengel). The progress of America is dependent on the displacement of its indigenous population, and Johanna is a survivor of the collateral damage. Kidd must reunite Johanna with her surviving relatives and they become an unlikely duo looking for their place in a country that’s rapidly changing and being torn apart around them at the same time. Even the presence of Hanks surrounded by mostly unknown actors enhances the sense of isolation Kidd and Johanna experience. The relationship between the news and what’s happening in each community fractured by the Civil War is the most fascinating part of News of the World. Throughout, Hanks is a constant reminder that you’re in capable hands even when the film trots along slowly, which is a change of pace for director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, Captain Phillips) who is best known for shaking up action cinema. Greengrass’ patience with the story evokes thoughtful westerns like Meeks Cutoff and True Grit with a colonial sprinkle of The Last of the Mohicans, but it requires a little fortitude. News of the World is currently streaming on Netflix. ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) [ ] Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw) is a positive, confident and widely capable teen, who finds herself suddenly floundering under the cool gaze of her classmate Abbie (Zoe Terakes). Taking charge of her feelings, Ellie decides to talk to Abbie, setting out on a quest to find the perfect way to ask her to the senior formal. After Ellie comes out to her mother Erica (Marta Dusseldorp), she is suddenly visited by the ghost of her vibrant and outspoken gay aunt Tara (Julia Billington). What follows is a hilarious colliding of worlds, begging the question, “Is being gay such a big deal anymore?” As Ellie and Abbie slowly get to know each other, two separate (yet truly relatable) queer stories begin to develop. Ellie facing the repercussions of coming out to an uncomfortable mother, and Abbie still reeling from a public “outing” years before. As the connection between Ellie and Abbie deepens the truth about Ellie’s aunt Tara begins to emerge, unfurling some hard truths about Australia’s own queer history. Gently reminding us of the sacrifices others have made to lead us to a new age of free love and self-acceptance. While society is beginning to accept queer emergence and understanding of sexual orientation as a natural hurdle for modern teenagers, we are still yet to see this reflected in our theatres. Director Monica Zanetti sought to write a story of first love that rang as true as any other. Insisting that there is a whole world outside of the traditional coming out story - Zanetti puts forward a film of true Australian talent, with a diverse female cast, and brilliant, lovable characters.

The dialogue in this film shines. Scenes between Hawkshaw and Dusseldorp are delightful and hilariously uncomfortable, seamlessly capturing the tricky conversations between a gay teenager and a parent that doesn’t know just quite what to say. Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt) leans into the rollercoaster that is first love, with the upbeat, self-deprecating humour that Australian film is known for. Showing a new generation of LGBTQIA+ Australians that our love stories are just as important, just as real and just as bloody awkward. LAUREN EVERS

BLACK CYPRESS Canberra’s Black Cypress has remote wilderness areas. They

CROW’S NEST released track Crow’s Nest back have succeeded in usurping the [ ] in 2020. The song reflects a flowing, primordial spirit and lilting, haunting amalgamation of have channelled, through their folk, both traditional and modern, dark blues. significant talents, a sensory Anchored to a hypnotic 6/8 time signature, Crow’s Nest offers a vast array of textures and tonal treasures. From the ethereal experience that, it seems, music is meant for. voice blend of siblings Rosie and Sam Harris to Huw’s eloquent The band has stated the song is: fiddle playing, the song reaches for a sublime state and pretty much attains it. ‘... atale of a lonely sailor battling through a vicious storm, Underscored by dynamic use of acoustic guitar and voice, Crow’s experiencing the whole thing from Nest channels an ancient time without forgoing a very present up in the crow’s nest.’ articulation. One is immediately transfixed and transported. And no doubt it is. To where? It is certainly somewhere otherworldly, yet there is a somewhat familiar core intimacy at work here too, as attractive But despite the dark aura of as the subtle melodic structures. this track, it intones a sense of the cathartic too, as though the The performances are self-assured and effortlessly compelling. organic blend of instrumentation, Black Cypress is doing its own thing here; yes, it is in the folk voice, and melodic movement, at vein but it floats around several different tributaries of that the end, are also a statement of the genre. The shamanic spirit is alive and well here, turning from sailor’s survival. steady guitar picking and strumming to the dense dreams of the fiddle, which seem to enclose the musical space with a very commanding ambience. Crow’s Nest works on many levels but it is perhaps the most effective when it is simply surrendered to. Just like the surrounds, the band have professed to wanting to reflect the Crow’s Nest is an entrancing musical treat, and one well worth giving in to. VINCE LEIGH

NISSAN: NISSAN: Unstoppable, the artistic

UNSTOPPABLE front for former member of

CEREAL SOUNDS Canberra band Pleased to Jive You [ ] Morgan Quinn, released album Cereal Sounds at the end of 2020. It’s yet another collection of sonic surprises; an array of hip-twisting, mind-bending, mood-inducing sound palettes that never ceases to be as unpredictable as the song titles promise. Opening track Leaving Alice, balances on a blend of disjointed funk rhythms, wah guitar and rap-like crooning, reminiscent of something Beck may have conjured during his germinal incantation. Leaving Alice segues into Excerpt—though it must be said that the entire album is threaded by a series of segues—a brief slice-of-life interlude that includes ominous footsteps, a sliver of beat poetry over slide guitar, with a vista of drama providing a muted counter layer in the background. There is another short interstice with Feeding Bell, which turns on the surprise factor of the album by surprising us with a direct correlation to the title: yes, a series of stark bells accompanied by seagull sounds whisks us away to the next song. What follows is one of the few tracks that allow for some easier accessibility (there are perhaps three of these, if one is to be precise), a piece titled The 5th Season, featuring a gravelly guitar intertwined with vocal bites, clumpy rhythmic textures, samples colliding with other samples until we reach a rather lazily luring melodic line before a final rap section. Another caesura arrives with Down Bastard Alley, a sound-splice of warring voices, traffic and general urban chaos, which is usurped by the jaunty funk-pop of Party on Elm Street, one of the endearing tracks that contrast well with the more obtuse portions of this collection. Next track, Dr. Morsecode’s Error unassumingly begins with a plucked guitar until it morphs into another blend of the identifiable with the not-so; a rhythmically nebulous arrangement of sounds and melodic contours interjected by a series of studded snippets of arctic wind. A reprise of Excerpt precedes the final track When the Heat Strikes First and the Earth Moves Forward…, a quick-paced splash of funk set against a varied conglomerate of pleasing melodic infringements, beguiling vocal work, and usual litany of brash, stupefying choices. Absorbed in one session, Cereal Sounds makes for a salubrious indictment on NISSAN: Unstoppable’s untethered creative zeal, and perhaps most significantly, his artistic intransigence. VINCE LEIGH

You don’t necessarily have to be a fan of Lucifungus to appreciate this EP (though that does help) but merely an inquisitive connoisseur of the stoner doom slash sludge metal genre in general. The Canberra band’s new EP comprises of S.F.M, a cover which was originally performed by early ’90s doomsters Slug, as well as three versions of Lucifungus’ track Transpyramid from their album Derek released earlier in 2020.

The EP’s opener is a multi-textured track; varying tempos, converging dynamics, split-tone guitar fire, with all these attributes imbued with the expected degree of unrelenting, apocalyptic subharmonic and pharaonic might. About half-way through S.F.M, the track seems to unspool into a heaving cyst of desolation, a devolving which is soon fittingly crowned with what is akin to a demented gothic choir; their paroxysms reaching into the depths of the abyss. And we can thank the wonders of glorious mind-altering distortion for a lot of this.

The remaining three tracks, of course, operate within the same interzone as S.F.M, with the delineating aspects being alternate and additional vocal and guitar performances: Track two, version one, includes bonus vocals by members of Dr Colossus.

Track three includes added vocals and guitar by Blackie from Hard-Ons and Nunchukka Superfly. And version four has vocals by Hiroyuki from Japan’s Sithter and Church of Misery, and guitar solos by Craig Westwood from Christbait, Dern Ruttlidge and The Ruiner. Quite the assembly of talent. Although the vocals are not the centrepieces here, the various hues and ornamental differences in the guests’ cadences can still be glimpsed. For example track three, where the performance is injected with considerable malice and manic veracity when pitted against track two, which evokes a rather more restrained attack, though an effective attack nonetheless.

The Transpyramid Project is an aptly titled assembly, and should go a long way to appeasing Lucifungus’ legion of doom metal disciples. VINCE LEIGH

HOPE WILKINS COFFEE CUPS

The debut EP for emerging Canberra singer-songwriter Hope Wilkins contains three previously released tracks, L.I, You & Other Drugs, and Fly for Me—all of which have received unanimous high praise—and two new songs, Bloodless and Coffee Cups. Actually, I might rescind my use of the word emerging; I don’t know why I and others use it anyway; it’s quite a vacuous descriptor, expired as soon as it’s uttered.

Hope is not emerging. Hope is already here, fully-formed, beautifully haunting amid an expanse of guitar effusions and double-barrelled lyric projectiles, spinning in this fine balance of indie spark and mainstream fare.

First up is Bloodless. A slow shuffle feel, ghostly guitar notes and Hope’s burning cadences, wonderfully restrained at this point in the EP’s narrative. L.I follows, with its relatively optimistic tilt and countrylike effervescence despite the quite surprising, but no less enjoyable, expletive that turns this track into an outpouring with bracing grit. With You & Other Drugs, the heat gets turned up, with Hope’s voice augmented by some playful muted guitar spearheading the track and a series of vocal chants that will no doubt make a good departure point for some excellent artist and audience symbiosis. Hope’s last single Fly for Me is up next, a swirling acoustic guitar and vocal fragility that creates what is initially a sensuous sort of amalgamation that ascends into a maelstrom of soaring, crosscurrent lines and band dynamics. This segues efficiently into the last track, Coffee Cups, with its fiery stadium rock opening and high and low voltages throughout. Hope’s set finale? I bet. A perfect closer. It carries within its pulsing veins many of the stand-out characteristics of this artist who, despite this being a debut EP, effortlessly reveals an implacable emotional sophistication on every track. Coffee Cups the song is a musical peroration that certifies all that has come before; a series of tunes with affecting raw valour, flair and finesse. It’s music for the aching heart. VINCE LEIGH

SPACEMAN AFRICA THE MUSICAL I NEVER FELT SO ALIVE

Canberran writer and musician Spaceman Africa’s curious history would usurp most of the oxygen [ ] of this review if one allowed it. Followers of the Spaceman have compared his music to Lou Reed and Bob Dylan, which is quite a call, but nonetheless Spaceman has geared up for the release of this six track EP I Never Felt So Alive and the accompanying events, of which I will endeavour to provide some of the details. The EP launch was an online event spread over seven days featuring exclusive content. Each day featured a different song and a link to new and never before seen content, such as music videos, live performance videos, interviews, photos and behind the scenes footage. As for the EP itself, at a glance, that is, upon first perusing the titles, one assumes a humour-laced musical ride is what is in store for us, and for the most part that is correct. This collection is eclectic, despite the fact that it operates within a constrained genre, one that is primarily raw sounding, guitar shepherded and performative-based, it is wild and vaguely subversive; yet it’s a deconstruction that’s imbued with an unadorned theatricality, which is expected I suppose, when considering Spaceman’s label of ‘musical’ to describe his EP release.

There is a varied series of moods here, an array of constructs that will amuse, entertain, and perhaps even beguile, and this is no doubt the intention.

A grab bag of musical flavours is consolidated by Spaceman’s transmuting vocal and a spread of narratives underscore these performances; one that refers mainly to the stylistic tics of rock but is not averse to adopting a few folk traits. VINCE LEIGH

OWEN CAMPBELL The new album for blues-rock

THE ROLLING singer-songwriter Owen Campbell

THUNDER OF LOVE follows three studio albums and [ ] several years of national and international touring. He’s had a number one album—Sunshine Road (2014)—and performed across the globe from the US to The Himalayan Blues Festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. After listening to The Rolling Thunder of Love, it’s easy to understand why Owen has done so well. The album is a set of songs steeped in tradition yet offering a recalibrated version of that history—requisite instrumentation enhanced by intelligent production, admirable writing spiritedly communicated by Campbell’s ragged, ripened voice, all forged into an affecting, baronial landscape sans pomposity.

From the semistomp of the opener Presidents’ Man to the contemplative gaze of the closer, Gentle Breeze, Campbell escorts us through this well-trammelled terrain with artful composure and skilful resolve.

Some of the reasons this album makes it over the line relate to its breadth and depth; the unguarded application of a style, a well-honed, ageless style, one that never seems to lose its conjuring powers. Of course, one can detect the conspiring intimations of Campbell’s influences— let’s call them his forebearers— Springsteen, Dylan and co—and this embracement is absolutely fine and quite welcome considering Campbell’s measured, almost graceful appropriation of these fellow singer-songwriters’ artistic leanings. Yet one need not be a fan of Highway 61 Revisited or Nebraska to appreciate this rewarding collection of tunes. It convinces, not with argument nor with any kind of denuded, pop perversity but with inherent ease. Amid the varying temperaments and tempos and tenors of this assemblage are a few common threads; the elasticity of the guitar playing, the conscientious textures of the production (the reverbs, the drum sounds, the rational use of compression etc) and Campbell’s spired focus; a consistency of not only attitude (though this plays a critical part) but fallibility; a resolute frankness. And if I’m permitted to be frank, which I hope is not such a rare instance throughout the course of my musical excursions, I would suggest an impartial listen to The Rolling Thunder of Love; it will be entirely worth it. VINCE LEIGH

DEAN ABBOTT The new album from singer- That is a particularly good part LETTING GO songwriter Dean Abbott comes in the of my transference deal indeed. [ ] wake of a series of singles, an EP, and Thinking or feeling, either of no doubt a whole bunch of followers, these is acceptable. fans, likers, and whatever else audiences are called these days. As highlighted in Love To Keep, Letting Go is a uniformly determined and stable set of songs, there are some strong hooks compositing a sound and style and adhering to it throughout. And, welded to the sometimesof course, Dean Abbott’s voice—amiable and textured by a faint earnest sometimes-candid throatiness—is the governing instrument here, delivering in a words Dean conjures. But persuasive, intimacy-suggesting manner the more disquieting nature the focus is a thirst for of some of the themes explored. communication. As in the Because something of an unsettling nature indeed has happened track—and single—Dad. here, with lines such as ‘I’ve done a lot of healing’. Part of our curiosity Communication and connection are drivers here. In a sense, mixes with part of our own personal history and that folks, is when they’re the drivers of the entire album; one senses, feels, hears the transference is made. this need in varying degrees but it all amounts to the same This is a record of heart-on-a-sleeve balladeering with a few reggae- thing. VINCE LEIGH tinged tracks assigned the job of overall dynamic variance. At a sweep, this seems to work, offering the listener an opportunity to take a breather before entering the recurring realm of truth-telling. Or something like that. And Dean is aware of the problem of truth, as he states in Love To Keep, one of the more melodically effervescent songs on the album and a wise choice for opener: ‘The truth was always hard to tell / what if I got it wrong and failed?’ Dean posits a curious theory about truth, and perhaps the omission of it: do we not reveal the truth because it’s just too difficult? And what if we do reveal the truth and that failure mentioned is merely a failure of acceptance, not of telling? Well, there’s one thing: this record got me thinking.

SW Band Night pres. Neko Pink, ZUKO and LIV LI Free live music every Thursday at sideway. Aperitivo 5pm – 7pm; music from 8pm SIDEWAY Doco Of The Month: Finke – There and Back For the riders, the spectators and the town of Alice Springs, the Finke Desert Race is more than a race. Narrated by Eric Bana, Finke: There and Back explores what drives the riders to put their lives on the line when they strap their helmets on. Tix $12/$10; 6pm ARC CINEMA Band Beng Bing Bong Bung In these dark days of Covid, with scarce few venues for bands to play at, Smith’s wants to provide a space for emerging bands to have a go, to practice their stagecraft, play for their friends/supporters and, hopefully, develop their audience. Tix $10/$5; 7pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Silentia Drummer-less Taliesin playing acoustic covers. From 7:30pm THE BASEMENT My Cousin Vlad — People Are Gonna Lose It Having been compared to Guido Hatsis, Nick Giannopoulos, The 12th Man, and SuperWog, My Cousin Vlad brings the funniest parts of European culture twisted with modern corporate professionalism in the most unpredictable way. Tix $40.95; 8pm THE COURTYARD STUDIO

FRIDAY 26 FEB

Friday Matinee: Casablanca 10:30am, tix $12/$10 from NFSA website ARC CINEMA Shannon Noll Live The Australian icon Shannon Noll will be performing at The Abbey backed by his full band. The Aria award Nominated, 4 x Platinum artist will be delivering a high energy show full of surprises. Tix $81.94 – $93.49 from eventbrite. com.au; 6:30pm THE ABBEY FUNCTION CENTRE Gypsy Jazz Night - CanManouche CanManouche will be playing the sweet sounds of Django Reinhardt and other gyspy jazz from 7pm onwards. CanManouche call for other accomplished musos and gypsy jazz lovers to join them in a jam after their house set. Free entry; from 7pm GANG GANG CAFE Sex On Toast Sex on Toast are an 6 - 8 piece explosion who specialise in raw early ‘80s funk, hard-edged new jack swing, blazing improvisation and heartfelt blue-eyed soul. Lady Denman support. Tix $34.92 from moshtix.com.au; from 7:30pm THE WELL KISSOFF - The Australian KISS Show Silverback Touring encapsulate the essence of being a Kiss fan with KISS OFF – The Ultimate Kiss Party, which will pay homage to both the ‘70s and ‘80s eras. Tix $44.15 from oztix.com.au (VIP package option); from 7pm THE BASEMENT Arc Out Loud: Mommie Dearest – Bad Movie Bingo Continuing the series of interactive, ‘out loud’ screenings. Some films deserve hushed reverence and quiet contemplation… these are not those films. Tix $12/$10 from NFSA website; 8pm ARC CINEMA Bruce Mathiske: Guitar Artistry, Live Music & Live Art World acclaimed guitar sensation, and vibrant, exciting performer, Bruce Mathiske, adds the didgeridoo to his six string virtuosity, with percussionist/ artist Adam Manning, taking you on the musical journey of your life. Tix $42-$37 from venue; 8pm THE STREET THEATRE C.W. Stoneking — Solo It’s easiest to describe C.W. Stoneking as a blues artist, but the term disguises what makes his music special. It’s a 1920s pre-war blues sound, with helpings of New Orleans jazz, jugband music, hokum, country, and calypso, and he’s lately brought in elements of jump jive, early rock ’n’ roll, and gospel. Tix $54.95–$64.95 from venue; 8pm THE PLAYHOUSE Karaoke @ The Boardwalk Bar From 8pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning a variety of retro, jazz, funk, and more THE OLD CANBERRA INN Hip Hop Takeover w/ Sophiegrophy, NAØMI & Kilusan Tix from fctn.intix.com; from 9pm FICTION CLUB The Story Of Film: American Cinema Of The ‘70s This episode examines the maturing of American cinema between 1967 and 1979. Tix $12/$10 from NFSA website; 1pm ARC CINEMA Film: Taxi Driver Tix $12/$10 from NFSA website; 2:30pm ARC CINEMA Pop! Goes the Muso Pop! Goes the Muso presents free, family friendly live music for your Saturday afternoon on the shores of Yerrabi Pond. From 3pm - 6pm YERRABI POND DISTRICT PARK Enlighten Festival: Enlighten Illuminations From 6pm – 11pm PARLIAMENTARY TRIANGLE The Miriam Lieberman Trio An enticing and uplifting musical experience with an accomplished and polished sound. Tix $32/$29 from venue; 7:30pm THE STREET THEATRE Fiona O’Loughlin — The Unreliable Witness Fiona lays bare her life and does not spare herself as she details the ugly reality of living with addiction and the harsh truth that recovery is not easy. Plus comedy. Tix $54.95 from Canberra Theatre; 8pm THE PLAYHOUSE Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Miss Ink 2021 From 8pm THE BASEMENT RedHook - Cure 4 Psycho The Sydney heavy mutants, with supports Spinning Plate and Sign & Symbols. Tix $17.97 from moshtix. com.au; 8pm THE WELL

SUNDAY 28 FEB

Life with Paint Presents Happy Heifer - Afternoon Session A guided two-hour painting session from start to finish. No experience needed to have a fantastic time! From 3pm - 6pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Sunday Vibe Fiesta @ Sideway w/ Los Chavos + Friends From 3pm SIDEWAY Caribe Havana Return - Cuban Jazz, Dance, Chanting, Story Telling and Participation Cuban jazz, dance, chanting, storytelling and participation. Tix $35/$32 from venue; 4pm THE STREET THEATRE Life with Paint Presents Happy Heifer - Evening Session 6pm - 9pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

MONDAY 1 MARCH

Enlighten Festival: Enlighten Illuminations From 6pm - 11pm PARLIAMENTARY TRIANGLE

TUESDAY 2 MARCH

IQ Trivia Arrive 6pm for 6:30pm start THE OLD CANBERRA INN Enlighten Festival: Enlighten Illuminations From 6pm - 11pm PARLIAMENTARY TRIANGLE

WEDNESDAY 3 MARCH

Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. Free entry; 4pm - 6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Deep Sessions ft. DJ Liquid Sounds Enjoy some deep house and progressive sounds on the decks with amazing views of the lake during Summer. Free; from 7:30pm - 10:30pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB

THURSDAY 4 MARCH

SW Band Night pres. ENFANTS, Northbourne and Trace Free live music every Thursday at sideway. Aperitivo 5pm – 7pm; music from 8pm SIDEWAY

Irma Gold: The Breaking Book Launch Join Canberra author Irma Gold as her debut novel, The Breaking, is launched by bestselling author Karen Viggers. From 6pm THE STREET THEATRE

FRIDAY 5 MARCH

Enlighten Festival: Lights! Canberra! Action! The evening will shine a spotlight on Canberra’s talented filmmakers, who have each been tasked with creating a seven-minute short film exploring the theme ‘hope’ and incorporating 10 selected items. Free; 7pm - 10:30pm STAGE 88 John Mackey: Melting Pot – Wave Lengths Suite John Mackey’s World Premiere of the Wave Lengths Suite is an improvised series of movements dedicated to the ever-changing nature of our global community. Tix $35/$32 from venue; 8pm THE STREET THEATRE Karaoke @ The Boardwalk Bar From 8pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Owen Campbell Renowned local street musician and AGT’s ‘Angry Busker’, blues aficionado Owen Campbell returns to his hometown. From 8pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE FEEL ft Blanke With supports Squeef, Kaliopi, Reubok and Toucan. Tix $32.23 from fctn.intix.com/; 9pm - 5am FICTION CLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning a variety of retro, jazz, funk, and more THE OLD CANBERRA INN

SATURDAY 6 MARCH

The Gadflys - Two Shows, 7pm and 9pm The legendary pub band who have had crowds dancing their arses off since the ‘80s, are hitting the Hume once again to bring their jungle rhythms and liquorice stick shrieks. $35 from venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Enlighten Festival: Canberra Balloon Spectacular From 6:15am - 9:15am PATRICK WHITE LAWNS Monthly D&D and RPG Meet Up Want to learn to play D&D or another RPG? Play something new, or meet some other RPG players? We’ve got you covered with our monthly Saturday night meetups. $5 via eventbrite.com; 6:30pm - 9:30pm REVOLUTION CD WODEN Classic Australian Albums: Polyserena by george Join Katie Noonan and Tyrone Noonan as we delve into the creation of Polyserena, the influences and styles, and the process of what made Polyserena a classic Australian album. Tix $25/$20 from nfsa.gov.au; 7pm ARC CINEMA John Sharkey III Record Launch Written and recorded amidst the devastating bushfires which ravaged his adopted hometown Canberra, just before the wave of pandemic broke, Shoot Out The Cameras reveals John Sharkey III to be a master craftsman. Support by Nick Craft. Tix $10/$15 from humanitix.com; 7pm - 9:30pm RALPH WILSON THEATRE Nights Of The 666 - 6 bands/6 line-ups/3-city minifest Beats Cartel has put together NIGHTS OF THE 666, a 6 band/6 line-up/3 city minifest featuring some of the best heavy acts from around the country. Supports Hekate, Hence the Testbed, The Narcissists, Grand Duke and Dead Lazarus. $25/$30 from oztix.com. au; 7pm - 11:30pm THE BASEMENT Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

SUNDAY 7 MARCH

Sunday Session with Paint Store From 3pm - 5:30pm SMOKEY HORSE Life with Paint Presents Autumn - Afternoon Session A guided two-hour painting session from start to finish. No experience needed to have a fantastic time! From 3pm - 6pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Katie Noonan: Solo & Intimate 5 x ARIA award winner Katie Noonan’s technical mastery and pure voice make her one of Australia’s most versatile and beloved vocalists. Tix $49 from venue; 4pm THE STREET THEATRE Life with Paint Presents Autumn - Evening Session THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Enlighten Festival: Symphony in the Park Back by popular demand, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra will once again be taking to the stage with BABBA to perform ABBA’s greatest hits. 6:30pm – 10:00pm STAGE 88 Larry’s Garage ft. Trent Rackus + Jack Burton, Clique and Waxlily The newly rebuilt Friction presents introduces Larry’s Garage, an exciting night of house and disco at the newly rebuilt Knightsbridge Penthouse in Braddon. From 9pm, tix on the door KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

MONDAY 8 MARCH

Enlighten Festival: Enlighten Illuminations From 6pm - 11pm PARLIAMENTARY TRIANGLE

TUESDAY 9 MARCH

Enlighten Festival: Enlighten Illuminations From 6pm - 11pm PARLIAMENTARY TRIANGLE Science in the Pub - International Women’s Day 2021 Come and hear six amazing local scientists sharing their research in short, creative talks. Free, register at smiths alternative.com; 6:30pm – 8:30pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE IQ Trivia Arrive 6pm for 6:30pm start THE OLD CANBERRA INN

WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH

Deep Sessions ft. DJ Liquid Sounds Enjoy some deep house and progressive sounds on the decks with amazing views of the lake during summer. Free; from 7:30pm - 10:30pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. Free entry; 4pm - 6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

THURSDAY 11 MARCH

NFSA Livestream: Backtrack Boys Director Catherine Scott’s observational documentary follows participants of BackTrack Youth Works, the highly successful program which turns around the lives of at-risk young people. $5 from nfsa.gov.au; 6pm ARC CINEMA SW Band Night pres. Lady Denman, Lily Morris and Flik Free live music every Thursday at sideway. Aperitivo 5pm – 7pm; music from 8pm SIDEWAY Tommy Francisco, Chris Eaton and Anna Therese From 7pm THE BASEMENT

FRIDAY 12 MARCH

BOYSCLUB Best For You Single Launch w/ Box Dye Sydney’s BOYSCLUB send off the patriarchy with a blast of furious, energised punk rock. From 5:30pm til late THE BASEMENT Mark Wilkinson: Hand Picked Vol 3 Album Tour Recorded on a farm in the NSW Southern Highlands, each song captured as a live take with one microphone, the natural setting of the surrounds adds a beautifully unique sonic texture. $35 from venue; 7:30pm THE STREET THEATRE Karaoke @ The Boardwalk Bar From 8pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning a variety of retro, jazz, funk, and more. THE OLD CANBERRA INN

Solquemia Trio [Flamenco - Latin - Jazz] A night of Spanish guitar blending Latin + Jazz + Flamenco. Alejandro Florez from Solquemia welcomes back Aya Kitaoji from SENES Flamenco on percussion and vocals and introduces the young and talented Luke Koszański on guitar. $20-$25 + bf from humanitix.com THE QUEANBEYAN HIVE Sarah McLeod (Superjesus) - One Electric Lady McLeod will be performing solo on her upcoming tour, and this powerhouse and self-confessed lover of touring has some seriously impressive plans for the shows. Tix $72.95 from oxtix.com.au; 8:30pm ROYAL HOTEL QBN Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Boasting a line-up of Festival favourites and some of the freshest emerging talents including Cam Knight, Tom Cashman, Amanda Gray, Chris Ryan, John Cruckshank, Floyd-Alexander Hunt & Anthony Locascio. $40 + bf from venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

SATURDAY 13 MARCH

The Teeny Tiny Stevies With irresistible melodies and helpful tips for navigating life’s little challenges, sisters Byll and Beth perform kids songs with a purpose and focus on acceptance. $20-$30 + bf from venue; 10:30am CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Escape Ferocity Present: Doppel - Eucalyptograph Launch Party More buttery than your nan’s pumpkin scones and more Aussie bush than Ned Kelly, Doppel is so Canberran he should be enshrined in bronze on Lonsdale St and rubbed daily for good luck. BYO day party. Tix $20.90 - $37.40 from humanitix; 1pm - 8:30pm BLACK MOUNTAIN PENINSULA Songs from a Stolen Senate - 2pm & 7pm Following the hugely successful online stream, The Griffyn Ensemble have commissioned three more First Nation artists, including Ngunnawal custodian Richie Allan and hip-hop artist Jimblah from the Larrakia nation. $45/$35 from venue; show at 2pm & 7pm BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE SENES Flamenco Ensemble - Flamenco Dance & Music Experience the art of movement as SENES Flamenco Ensemble bring their live flamenco dance & music to Canberra for one night only. Tix $30 from venue; shows at 6pm and 7:30pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Pop! Goes the Muso Pop! Goes the Muso presents free, family friendly live music for your Saturday afternoon on the shores of Yerrabi Pond. From 3pm - 6pm YERRABI POND DISTRICT PAR Women Who Rock Show 3: In Support of Karinya House Part of the CBR Women in Music 3 Day Festival, Show 3 on Saturday starts at 8.30pm and features an amazing local line-up: Matriarch, Slagatha Christie, and The Black Souls. In honour of International Womens Day the artists are proud to donate a share of the door to Karinya House POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB Touch Sensitive with Biblemami and Neko Pink Touch Sensitive is the ultimate triple-threat; as a producer, in-demand live performer and DJ, he’s a treasured slashie for artists and audiences alike. $49.90 from moshtix.com.au; from 6pm KAMBRI PRECINCT Live ‘n’ Local ft Clarity Of Chaos, Atrocita, Black Mountain, Blissphorus A night of hard and heavy music. $20; 7pm THE BASEMENT Joel Creasey’s Messy Bitch Tour Joel Creasey, Australia’s Crown Prince of Comedy, returns for another season of sauce and sass with his latest stand up show. $42 + bf from venue; 7:30pm CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Tim Freedman Solo Show Hot Autumn Nights 2021 Previewing three more songs from The Whitlams’ forthcoming album Gaffage and Clink, and also premiere reworkings of some of his favourite tracks from Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Randy Newman. $55 + bf from venue; 8pm THE PLAYHOUSE Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Jan Preston: 88 Pianos I Have Known “Jan Preston is a crusader of the keys…she carries the torch for the piano culture.” Melbourne Age. $35/$32 from venue; 4pm THE STREET THEATRE Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

MONDAY 15 MARCH

Selby & Friends Presents: Exotic Strudel Dubbed “chamber music at its best” (SMH), iconic Australian pianist Kathryn Selby AM brings Selby & Friends back to live, on-stage concerts. $77.50 - $59.15 from Ticketek; 7:30pm LLEWELLYN HALL

TUESDAY 16 MARCH

IQ Trivia Arrive 6pm for 6:30pm start THE OLD CANBERRA INN

WEDNESDAY 17 MARCH

Midnight Oil: Makarrata Live w/ Dan Sultan & Leah Flanagan Seeking to elevate The Uluru Statement From The Heart which calls for a Makarrata – or “truth telling” – to account for the theft of lands and displacement of First Nations people. $112 standard or $142.59 – $173.17 seated from ticketmaster.com.au STAGE 88 Deep Sessions ft. DJ Liquid Sounds Enjoy some deep house and progressive sounds on the decks with amazing views of the lake during summer. Free; from 7:30pm - 10:30pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. Free entry; 4pm - 6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Acoustic Soup A monthly night of music and a meal! Local musical delights and a bowl of organic, vegan and gluten free warming goodness. $15-$10; from 7pm THE FOOD CO-OP SHOP & CAFÈ

THURSDAY 18 MARCH

SW Band Night pres. Moondog & W. Wade, Freelings and Special Guests Free live music every Thursday at sideway. Aperitivo 5pm – 7pm; music from 8pm SIDEWAY

FRIDAY 19 MARCH

The Gruffalo’s Child The team behind The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and The 13-, 26-, 52-, 78- & 91-Storey Treehouses return with The Gruffalo’s Child, bringing together physical theatre, music and puppetry to deliver songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up, and their adults. Tix are $25 - $34 + bf from venue; 10am & midday sessions CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Mahalia Barnes - Early Show The powerhouse soul and blues vocalist. Dinner & show $89.80 from oztix.com.au; 5:30pm arrival, 6pm start ROYAL HOTEL QBN Karaoke @ The Boardwalk Bar THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning a variety of retro, jazz, funk, and more THE OLD CANBERRA INN

SATURDAY 20 MARCH

Celebrate Gungahlin Festival Celebrate Gungahlin is a week-long celebration of all things Gungahlin from 20-28 March 2021. This multi-day festival will showcase the incredible wealth of talented individuals, fantastic artists, hard-working community organisations and diverse local businesses that call The G and its surrounding suburbs home. belcoarts.com.au/ celebrate-gungahlin/ VARIOUS VENUES, GUNGAHLIN Belco Speakeasy Comedy A night of quality, sparkling laughs from some of Canberra’s finest MCd by Felix McCarthy and featuring Emo Parsonson, Laura Campbell, Daniel Mehareb, Polly Hemming, Grant Follett, Joey Richards and Chris Ryan. Be warned; this has probably sold out! FLAZÉDA

The Gruffalo’s Child Tix are $25 - $34 + bf from venue; 10am, midday & 4pm sessions CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE The Song Company: Dances Of Passion Beautiful voices and exquisite harmonies in sublime song. $55/$45 from venue; 7pm THE STREET THEATRE Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

SUNDAY 21 MARCH

Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

MONDAY 22 MARCH

Recent Work Readings: Paul Collis and James Lucas (with Open Mic) As part of the That Poetry Thing readings and as part of the Poetic City Poetry Festival in Canberra, join us at Smith’s Alternative for the launch of two new Recent Work titles. Bookings from venue; 7pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Creed Bratton (The Office US) Creed’s variety show includes live music, stand-up comedy and untold stories from both his life and time on The Office. 7:30pm THE BASEMENT

TUESDAY 23 MARCH

IQ Trivia Arrive 6pm for 6:30pm start THE OLD CANBERRA INN

WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH

Deep Sessions ft. DJ Liquid Sounds Deep house and progressive sounds. Free; from 7:30pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. Free entry; 4pm - 6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Fangirls - The Best Pop Concert You’ve Never Been To A dazzling cast, witty dialogue, and infectious songs, it’s an ode to love that smashes all generational generalisations. Run til 28 Mar. $49 - $99 from venue; 7pm THE PLAYHOUSE Anh Do - The Happiest Refugee - Live When one of Australia’s most talented comedians delves deep into his own life’s joys and sorrows, the result is an unforgettable night at the theatre. $69.90 + bf from venue; 8pm CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

FRIDAY 26 MARCH

Gungahlin’s So Talented As part of the week-long Celebrate Gungahlin Festival, the contest will feature almost any performancebased talent – comedy, music, dance, poetry, you name it. From 6:30pm - 9pm GEORGE HARCOURT INN Mi Sex - Early Show Party like it’s 1980 when Mi-Sex brings its massive live show and unique blend of rock meets new wave, meets punk meets discotheque. Dinner & show $86.70 from oztix.com.au; 5:30pm & 8:30pm ROYAL HOTEL QBN Drinking Lizards and \Metropolis/ ROCK The Basement! “Two of Canberra’s best rock acts on one night!” $15 from oztix.com. au/$20 on door; 8pm THE BASEMENT Karaoke - Boardwalk 3rd Birthday Pajamas Party THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Retro, jazz, funk, and more THE OLD CANBERRA INN

SATURDAY 27 MARCH

Pop! Goes the Muso Free, family friendly live music for your Saturday afternoon on the shores of Yerrabi Pond. 3pm - 6pm YERRABI POND DISTRICT PARK Bandaluzia Flamenco Acclaimed modern flamenco ensemble Bandaluzia led by ARIA nominated Flamenco guitarist Damian Wright present a spectacular new show that showcases contemporary flamenco dance and music whilst displaying the essential characteristics of the flamenco tradition. $35/$32 from venue; 7:30pm THE STREET THEATRE Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Cy Fahey Thinking Man’s Bogan Described as an “engaging presence” (Chortle, UK), three-time Deadly Funny National finalist Cy Fahey has a weirdness and confronting sense of identity to his humour, but what else would you expect from a Malaysia-born Aboriginal that looks Greek? $20 from try booking.com; shows at 7:30pm & 9:30pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB The Oils Tribute In an explosive energetic 2-hour live concert style Midnight Oils tribute show, the inclusive songbook takes you on a ride of pure oz rock nostalgia. $40 from oztix.com.au; from 7pm THE BASEMENT The Superstars of Country: Then & Now - Hayley Jensen and Jason Owen Two of Australia’s most popular singing stars come together for the first time in a spectacular new 2-hour showcase featuring songs from the biggest country music superstars of our time. $42.75 from venue; 8pm (6pm for dinner & show) CANBERRA SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB (WODEN)

SUNDAY 28 MARCH

Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

TUESDAY 30 MARCH

IQ Trivia Arrive 6pm for 6:30pm start THE OLD CANBERRA INN

WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH

Glenn Starr Sings The Songs You Grew Up With! Glenn Starr will flawlessly serenade you with memorable tunes from the 50s and 60s. $28 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 10:30am BICENTENNIAL HALL, QUEANBEYAN Deep Sessions ft. DJ Liquid Sounds Enjoy some deep house and progressive sounds on the decks with amazing views of the lake during summer. Free; from 7:30pm - 10:30pm THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/ folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. Free entry; 4pm - 6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Glenn Starr’s Hit Parade Through his beautifully-smooth vocal style, to the faithful and charming renditions of your favourite music and memories, Glenn sings the incredible hits of the 50s and 60s like they’re all brand-new. $47-$27 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 8pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

THURSDAY 1 APRIL

Short Stack Joining Short Stack for each of their five headliner performances will be Australian pop-punk band Between You And Me. $59.90 – $99.90 from eventbrite.com.au; from 7:30pm FICTION CLUB Patrick Topping & Choomba The rescheduled Fiction 1st Birthday is finally here! Playing an epic 3-hour set. Tix from intix.com FICTION CLUB

FRIDAY 2 APRIL

Karaoke @ The Boardwalk Bar THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB

SATURDAY 3 APRIL

Good Folk: Kristabelle & The Southern Jubilee Ringers + Den Hanrahan & The Rum Runners Good Folk is the scaled down Folk Festival event featuring 22 concerts over two jam-packed days in classic Queanbeyan venues. $30 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 10:30am BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: 19 - Twenty $30 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 9:15pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Good Folk: Chloe & Jason Roweth - Songs And Poems of Henry Lawson “Jason and Chloe Roweth are without question two of our finest interpreters of Australian traditional folk music.” – Ruth Hazleton. $15 from venue; 10:45am ROYAL HOTEL QBN

Good Folk: Alex & Annette Hood ‘A Tribute’ supported by Paverty Bush Band Featuring 22 concerts over two jampacked days in classic Queanbeyan venues. $20 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 1:30pm BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: Omar Musa with Guyy and the Fox Queanbeyan’s very own esteemed author, poet and rapper returns to the ol’ stomping ground. $35 from venue; 2:30pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Good Folk: Stiff Gins with Kim Yang $40 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 5:30pm BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: Little Quirks Good vibes from the Central Coast trio. $30 from venue; 6:30pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE A Taste of Ireland – The Irish Music & Dance Sensation World-class Irish Dance show with new sets, costumes, tunes and effects. $74.90 – $109.90 + bf from venue; 7:30pm CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Good Folk: Fanny Lumsden with Montgomery Church 2021 Golden Guitar Awards “Female Artist of the Year” Fanny Lumsden is joined by the majestic Montgomery Church. $45 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 8:30pm BICENTENNIAL HALL

SUNDAY 4 APRIL

Good Folk: Chloe & Jason Roweth - Songs And Poems of Henry Lawson Drawing their inspiration from the warmth of old-style bush entertainment and folklore, the Roweths work with vibrant arrangements of new and old traditional Australian songs, poetry, yarns, and dance tunes. $15 from venue; 10:45am ROYAL HOTEL QBN Good Folk: Mikelangelo & The Black Sea Gentlemen The long-awaited return of one of Australia’s most enduring musical ensembles. $40 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 11am BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: Little Quirks Good vibes from the Central Coast trio. $30 from venue; 2:30pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Good Folk: Timothy James Bowen National Folk Festival is partnering with Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council to deliver this COVID-safe, inclusive and innovative festival alternative for 2021. $30 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 2pm BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: Kay Proudlove Emotional and witty, Kay is a Wollongong raised indie-folk singersongwriter with a remarkably agile, engaging, honest, soul-bearing voice and a wry, dry-ice sense of humour. $10 from venue; 2:30pm ROYAL HOTEL QBN Good Folk: FourPlay String Quartet This Easter weekend, Queanbeyan will come alive with a vibrant program of indoor concerts and outdoor entertainment as part of Good Folk – a folk experience in Queanbeyan. $40 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 5:30pm BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: The New Graces With Montgomery Church $30 from venue; 6:30pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Good Folk: Kim Yang Trio Inspired by Joni Mitchell and Bon Iver, Canberra’s indie-folk singersongwriter Kim Yang writes songs that speak from her experiences as a partner, a woman, a traveller and an insecure soul. Her ethereal sound balances delicately between vulnerability and power. $10 from venue; 7pm ROYAL HOTEL QBN Good Folk: Kristabelle & The Southern Jubilee Ringers + Den Hanrahan & The Rum Runners Rounding out the Good Folk mini-fest in jaunty style. $30 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 8:30pm BICENTENNIAL HALL Good Folk: 19 - Twenty $30 from Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre; 9:15pm THE Q – QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

Tennessee Williams’ Cat On A Hot Tin Roof / Theatre/ 18 Feb - 6 Mar / Canberra Rep

In Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the dysfunctional but wealthy Pollitt family gathers to celebrate aging patriarch Big Daddy’s birthday. For the Pollitts, the truth is as hazy as the late summer sun in Mississippi, and sometimes the only way to find it is to journey through the lies. $45 - $36 + bf; canberrarep.org.au/content/cat-hot-tin-roof

Australian Dance Party Presents: SYMBIOSIS / 5 - 15 Mar / Australian National Botanic Gardens

A unique sensory work of illuminated live dance, music and spoken word from award winning dance company Australian Dance Party and collaborating artists on this exclusive after dark walking tour. This intimate open-air experience explores the volatility of the natural world in the age of the Anthropocene; an embodied study of symbiotic relationships: parasitism, mutualism and commensalism. Includes a Audio Description + Auslan interpreted show (Sat, 13 Mar, 6pm). parksaustralia.gov. au/botanic-gardens/do/whats-on/symbiosis-enlighten/

Enlighten Illuminations/ Visual Arts / 26 Feb - 8 Mar / Parliamentary Triangle

Celebrating its 11th anniversary, Canberra’s beloved Enlighten Illuminations will again bring the Parliamentary Triangle to life after dark. Be immersed in stunning architectural projections displayed on some of Canberra’s most loved and iconic buildings. Programming starts at 5.15pm, with the architectural projections firing up from 8pm to 11pm each night. Use the Check In CBR app before you check out the projections at: Australian Parliament House, National Portrait Gallery, National Library of Australia, Museum of Australian Democracy, National Gallery of Australia, and Questacon. You Want It Darker by Stephen Harrison / Art Exhibition / 5 Feb - 21 Mar / Belconnen Arts Centre

Stephen Harrison has been a professional artist for over 35 years. Stephen Harrison uses a variety of materials and themes to express his ideas and thoughts. From evocative lighthouses to beaten WW2 aeroplanes and lonely thylacines, his work is inspired by many things including Shakespeare, animal rights, mythology, dreamscapes and comics. His continued drawing practice has been overshadowed by sculpture, especially bronze works. Check belcoarts.com.au/darker/ for opening times & more info

LAMB / Play by Jane Bodie/ 4 - 6 Mar / The Q - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre

From multi-award-winning playwright Jane Bodie, and featuring original songs by Mark Seymour (Mark Seymour and the Undertow, Hunters and Collectors), LAMB is the story of one family on an Australian sheep farm, over generations — the guilt of those who left; the lost desires of those who stayed behind. Developed through Red Stitch’s INK program, LAMB is a new Australian play full of lyrical longing and humour. It is a story of the land, and of lies told and secrets kept to protect those we love. $57-27; theq.net.au/whats-on/subscriptions/lamb/

Fangirls / Musical Theatre 24 - 28 Mar / The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre

Fangirls follows the uproarious story of Edna, a plucky misfit scholarship girl who believes that she alone can win the heart of the world’s biggest pop star; Harry. Sure, he has 38 million other fans, but for Edna, that’s merely a hurdle. Because there’s nothing she won’t do to meet Harry. NOTHING. With a dazzling cast (including Aydan from The Voice), inexhaustibly witty dialogue, and heart-pumping, infectious songs, it’s an ode to love that smashes all generational generalisations. Whether or not you’ve ever been a fangirl/boy it will move you and leave you with an involuntary grin. $49 - $99; canberratheatrecentre.com.au/show/fangirls