p.42p. 40NOORDHUIS / NICOLLEFILM REVIEWS BMA GIG/EVENTS GUIDE

THE WORD ON FILMS

with Cameron Williams

GIVING THE SLASHER A NEW SPLASH O’ PAINT

Not many film franchises get a chance to grow with their audience. James Bond is stuck in an endless reboot loop, the Fast and the Furious saga is in cruise control, and the Harry Potter series got shaggier and moodier but, hey, that’s high school. Fear Street is different because it’s an experiment 30 years in the making. The concept? Take R. L. Stine’s (yes, the Goosebumps guy) young adult book series Fear Street, first published in 1989, and adapt them as an R-rated trilogy of films: Fear Street: 1994, Fear Street: 1978 and Fear Street 1666. So, the teens who once read the books are now old enough to indulge in full on blood splatter; it’s a glow up and a gore up. Fear Street splits the story across three eras and it’s a tale of two towns: Sunnyside and Shadyside. The town rivalry is like The Simpsons Springfield and Shelbyville beef but in Fear Street there’s 200 per cent more death threats.

Sunnyside is upper class and Shadyside is lower class. Yes, as you probably suspect, there is nothing subtle but that’s part of the appeal of its self-aware hyper melodrama. The Shadysiders suspect their ongoing misfortune is the result of a curse and it gets off to a stabby start in the ‘90s when a series of murders leads a group of teenagers to investigate the town’s past. Fear Street: 1994 and Fear Street: 1978 stands on the shoulders of slasher giants like Scream and Friday the 13th but director and co-writer Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon) doesn’t try to outsmart those iconic franchises. Instead, she embraces the thrill of the contract you sign when you decide to watch a slasher.

Janiak sets up Slasherville, USA, where there are multiple masked killers, which ups the stakes of the plot kind, as well as the kind that goes through people’s chests, faces and limbs. At times, the first two films feel like a cross between Jumanji and Halloween and each period setting is potent with nostalgia – the Stranger Things effect – as the result of the blunt force song choices. Once you get to Fear Street: 1666 the series relies more on supernatural elements and ye olde unease, and loses the previous nostalgic slasher thrills.

In the scope of the trilogy, it’s what Janiak and cowriter Phil Graziadei don’t do that stands out the most. They don’t always follow the traditional character archetypes of a slasher. There are final girls, plural. There’s better representation when it comes to race and sexuality but they never grandstand – it’s just the way it is. The connection to these characters allows for genuine heartbreak with each cruel twist of fate rather than the urge to join Team Masked Killer.

Fear Street hacks and slashes its way through familiar ground, but there’s a youthful vibrancy to the way it leverages Stine’s brand of bubble-gum horror for both die-hard fans and the ones who crave the cheap thrills of a slasher. HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD [ ] Bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) is trying to come to terms with the demons haunting him since his assignment as Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson)’s bodyguard. Bryce’s therapist assures him that he needs to take a sabbatical from bodyguarding, with no violence, no guns, no weapons of any kind. Bryce needs to find out who he is. But just when Bryce has committed to his new life path, Darius’s wife, Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek), launches herself into his world and gives him no choice but to help her recover her hitman husband, who has gotten on the wrong side of some mobsters. Nothing if not loath to help the wife of the man responsible for his breakdown, Bryce nevertheless speeds from one catastrophe to another in the wake of the frenzy that is Sonia. Meanwhile, evil mastermind Aristotle Papadopoulos (Antonio Banderas) is bent on destroying the European power grid in retaliation for the EU’s proposed sanctions against Greece. Interpol gets involved, but so does the FBI, setting its sights on Bryce and the Kincaids, leaving the trio an uncomfortable option as its price for continuing freedom. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard hurtles from one killing to the next, but there are plenty of funny moments along the way, especially with the long-suffering Bryce finding himself stuck with hitman Kincaid, who apparently hates him, and with Kincaid’s terrifyingly loving wife. Terrific performances all round, heroes to admire (not many of them, though), villains to despise, and imaginative action sequences interspersed with what we might — at a stretch — call quieter moments make The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard great fun from start to finish. A rollicking good time. Screening at Palace and Dendy cinemas. MICHELE E HAWKINS

CHINS MARGO + BOJACK

Chins are a Canberra-based alternative rock band, having released this double-A side featuring Margo and Bojack earlier this year. If one were compelled to give an allembracing description of the sound, one could use the terms punk or grunge, but there’s a lot more going on here than any abridged genre can provide. Between the interweaving ululations of the noise guitars and the cosmic contemplations of youth angst, there are cadences of subtle power and true-to-form authenticity. And we all love that.

As well as a subtle uniformity, there’s a diametric curve that covers a lot of ground. There are some persuasive delights for the lovers of frenetic rambling post-punk during Margo, and for those with a penchant for a less explosive but not less intense experience, there is Bojack. The vocal duties on the latter are performed by Madie Cook, who does a splendid job of reigning in a searing urgency, utilising a discursive melodic centre upon which the song swirls. With enough vulnerability to provide a formative counterweight to the relatively untethered but nonetheless effective band behind her, Madie’s performance is what draws us in, in turn tethering us to the band’s miasmic flame.

In contrast, though not incoherently so, is the partnered track, Margo. This side of the band gives in to some healthy punk grunge tendencies with perhaps more of a lean towards grunge. Utilising another of the band’s vocalists, Margo has a corrosive, enervating aesthetic that wears its peeves and petulances on its sleeve. And that’s healthy, of course. Many of the same snarling guitar parts that populate Bojack appear on this one, with the difference being their ability to double up on the tangible vexations issuing forth from the vocal performance. What stands out here, on both tracks, is the band’s concerted energy and selfassuredness, all intact while maintaining an idiosyncratic, emergent edge. VINCE LEIGH

CHINS BACK IN THE 80S

The new track from Canberra-based Chins is an unsuspecting dose of [ ] conspicuous ethereality that deflects much of the punk grunge sounding angst of their last releases for a quieter, less noisy disposition. However, there’s still a discernible level of anxiety present, but it’s deceptive—it resides in a rawness that’s at the heart of the band’s MO. A two-chord chugging guitar progression introduces us to quite a pleasing temperament, one accompanied by an assumed reminiscence. The song, after all, is called Back in the 80s, and I feel pretty confident there were no such 80s for these kids. Nonetheless, this appropriation is absolved by Madie Cook’s vocal—effortlessly gliding through a series of references and visual snapshots dreamily woven into the fabric of the rhythm and melody. After a few rounds of this list-like lyric, we are taken down, or up, depending on your taste, by a diverting route, complete with a rushed one-bar count, to a more boisterous space, where, finally it seems, some semblance of raw punk power makes an appearance. But as much as this rawness is welcome, its deviating characteristics are tricky, merely reflecting a will to free oneself from the shackles of memory, as part of the lyric intones. Once the song is over, what’s revealed is that the melodic hooks are relegated to the verses and the philosophical tendencies to the chorus. And with that in mind, these parts become interchangeable. Another pleasing attribute. There are also two forms of energy present, the verses making use of a straight drum part, and the chorus’s urgency which is governed by the descending chords and accents. The more strident part of the song has its chief refrain, the line: ‘We don’t need to remember anymore’. And so, perhaps the appropriation mentioned above is not the case after all, and the song is a fresh statement of rejection, willing the past to the past and not to some pointless, empty pedestal? Well, I’m up for all that. As another line informs us, Back in the 80s, ‘we were all kinda crazy’. And yes, who isn’t when they’re that young? VINCE LEIGH

PAGE 38

ALBUM IN FOCUS

MAHMOOD KHAN IMAGINARY FRIEND EP

There’s no one quite like Mahmood Khan in Australia, and this amazingly versatile artist has the track record to prove it. His new EP Imaginary Friend is the latest addition to his oeuvre and a very welcome one it is too. It is an outstanding record, continuing Mahmood’s trademark world pop sound and will undoubtedly repeat the success of his previous releases. Imaginary Friend follows the enormous success Mahmood is enjoying right around the world. His trail-blazing musical career also includes his enduring recordings with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and his debut solo album selling over six million records.

But Mahmood has also achieved phenomenal results at a global level. Imaginary Friend has already shot into the USA iTunes Jazz charts at #5 and is currently #1, a feat no other Australian or Pakistani artist has ever accomplished. The new release follows in the wake of Mahmood’s recent chart impacts worldwide, which include: - six songs on the iTunes USA top 100 during April 2021 - a #1 Billboard Classical Crossover hit with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra that also reached #1 on iTunes in USA, Australia, France, Switzerland, Mexico, France, and Turkey - four consecutive #1 singles in Australia - Tere Baghair becoming the first foreign-language album to go #1 on the USA and Australian iTunes charts As for the new EP, the opener is Call Her Up, a track that gives the listener a good taste of what lies ahead; that full, slick sound tempered with, on some occasions, raw, unguarded performances. The title track continues the same resplendent aesthetic, yet one imbued with a faint quixotic tone. The following track, I Have To Love You, despite its rather inflexible title, is the ballad of the EP, one that actually reveals the flexibility of Mahmood’s vocal skills.

Mahmood’s new collection also includes the funk-fuelled Runnin, with its splashes of mid ’70s cop show drama and reiterative, circling chorus. The result here is a uniformed sophistication, an atmosphere that manages to be expansive while retaining an organic, relatable vulnerability. The EP has many surprises and reveals, in varying degrees of accessibility, with Mahmood Khan’s ability to draw on numerous genres and writing styles to sustain his artistic idiosyncrasies on full display. VINCE LEIGH

a jazz conversation to wash away life’s dust

By Ruth O’Brien

Many singers spend a long time trying to master the vocal skills that Michelle Nicolle performs seemingly effortlessly. If you listen to any of her discography, you’ll hear the perfect balance of mixed voice, twang, and just enough vibrato in all the right places. It’s one thing to hear this kind of vocal technique demonstrated well on a recording. It’s another to hear it done just as well, if not better, in a live concert.

Heading to The Street Theatre at the end of the month, Nicolle will be joined by long-time friend and collaborator, Nadje Noordhuis, trumpeter and composer who is currently back in Australia after living abroad in New York for more than 16 years.

Noordhuis has been described by All About Jazz as “one of the most compelling voices to emerge on her instrument in recent years”. A quick Youtube search will make you realise how the playing style of Noordhuis is quite special. Unlike many jazz trumpeters who might like to fit as many notes as they can physically muster (ok, maybe a slight exaggeration) into a single bar, Noordhuis gives each and every note its moment.

The blend of Nicolle and Noordhuis sharing the lead-voice for this gig makes for a unique event in and of itself; there aren’t too many ensembles that have two instruments “singing” the lead part. They will also be joined onstage by bassist, Jonathan Zwartz, and drummer, Ronny Ferella.

As you may notice, there is no chordal instrument in this quartet. I found this particularly intriguing when talking to Nicolle about the show. However, it’s something the vocalist has been doing for years at The Brunswick Green in Melbourne.

“[In Melbourne] it’s myself, bass player Frank DiSario and saxophonist, Paul Williamson. We’ve been doing that gig every Thursday for 14 years. And all we do is take requests”, says Nicolle.

“It’s fun because you have to think differently (as a singer, a horn player and a bass player), everyone’s roles are slightly different because you can’t rely on that chordal instrument to provide the harmonic information and the time. Everyone’s got additional things they have to do.”

The show at The Street will not be dissimilar in style to these Brunswick gigs. Many of the tunes performed will be improvised arrangements of jazz standards, however there might also be the occasional original composition thrown into the mix.

When they’re not performing or writing their own music, both Nicolle and Noordhuis teach privately and at various tertiary institutions. I asked Nicolle what her experience was with the younger generation coming through when it comes to jazz music and traditional standards.

“I’m always amazed that there are young people who know about jazz. I teach at Melbourne Uni and Monash Uni and they’re all young people. I would say a good percentage of those, probably half, are really interested in the jazz repertoire.”

While this gig is already interesting for a number of reasons, it’s really exciting to see to see women taking the lead. In a recent interview Noordhuis did with the Street Theatre, she said, “one of my most important jobs is to be seen. I know that by merely walking into a room of students, where there may be only one young woman in the course, that is enough to solidify that what they are trying to do is possible. You have to see it to be it, generally speaking.”

The soaring long, cinematic notes of Noordhuis coupled with Nicolle’s rich vocal stylings guarantee to make for an intriguing and intimate show. Both warm and generous performers, the friendship and sense of fun will certainly be evident between those onstage both within the songs and between each tune.

This gig is a must-see for anyone studying jazz vocals, composition, improvisation and general stagecraft, or who simply enjoys a good time out.

To book tickets head to thestreet.org.au Friday, 30 July 8pm-10pm Cost: General $35.00/Concession $29/Student: $25

Mervyn Bishop Photo Exhibition Celebrating Mervyn Bishop, one of Australia’s most prolific and renowned photographers, whose images of culture, politics, and people have significantly influenced our collective understanding of Australia’s history. Runs til August, 10am – 4pm every day, $5 - $13 from nfsa.gov au NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE Smith’s Scribblers - Lunchtime Life Drawing Each Thursday lunchtime Smith’s transforms into a drawing salon, hires a life-model, and invites everyone to come and try their hand at drawing the human figure. 12:30pm - 1:30pm, $15 or $10 for students/concessions at the door SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Are We Dead Yet? by Stephen Dupont // Exhibition Opening An artistic documentation of the devastating effects of climate change on our nation, through the lens of award-winning Australian photographer Stephen Dupont. 6pm – 8pm, exhibition will continue daily from 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends until Sun, 8 Aug AMBUSH GALLERY Potted Potter Olivier Award nominee and Best Of Las Vegas Award winner Potted Potter takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a reallife game of Quidditch) into 70 hilarious minutes. 7pm, tix from $69.90 via venue THE PLAYHOUSE Skyscraper Stan and The Commission Flats Bringing their cocktail of country, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. From 7pm, $20/$25 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Bangarra Dance Theatre presents SandSong: Stories from The Great Sandy Desert SandSong is a journey into ancient story systems framed against the backdrop of ever-changing government policy and of the survival of people determined to hold strong to their Culture. Runs 15 - 17 July, 7:30pm, $59 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Drag Trivia! - Sex Ed Edition Every Month brings a local drag host, games, giveaways, and fab themes. 7:30pm – 11:30pm. Free, register via phishandphreak.com THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Leaving Jackson - The Johnny Cash and June Carter Show Jeff Carter and Brooke McMullen bring to life a captivating and unforgettable musical concert, recreating the dynamic Johnny and June shared. 7:30pm, $29 – $59 via venue BICENTENNIAL HALL The Penelopiad By Margaret Atwood Penelope re-tells the story of The Odyssey from her point of view through a series of visions spanning her life. An all-female cast of 13 actors in which the women play all the parts. Runs 7–17 July, $30 – $40 + $5.95 fee via venue website (check for times) THE COURTYARD STUDIO Beatrix Christian’s The Governor’s Family Beatrix Christian’s remarkable play explores what might have been not that long ago. No other Australian play has dealt with such a time and place. The ghosts of our colonial past cannot be forgotten. Runs 1 - 17 July, tix $35 - $45 via venue website CANBERRA REPERTORY FACT Thursdays Party all night in the intimate setting of Fact located on the mezzanine level of Fiction. Hear all your favourite RnB, hip hop & party jams. 10pm – 3am, free entry FICTION CLUB

FRIDAY 16 JULY

‘90s Tribute Night Come and rock out as People of The Sun, Loo Lighters, Guns n Roadkill, Slaytallica and No Sleep Til Belco pay tribute to 5 of the biggest acts of the ‘90s! From 6pm ti late, $34.95 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Bird’s Nest presents: nonbinarycode nonbinarycode delivers a mix of grunge, punk, and stadium rock hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s to today with their unique blend of instrumentation. 6:30pm, free, bookings via venue website BLACKBIRD BAR Potted Potter 7pm, tix from $69.90 via venue THE PLAYHOUSE Bangarra Dance Theatre presents SandSong: Stories from The Great Sandy Desert 7:30pm, runs 15 - 17 July, $59 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE The Penelopiad By Margaret Atwood 7:30pm, runs 7–17 July, $30 – $40 + $5.95 fee via venue website THE COURTYARD STUDIO Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Local Music - Betty Alto and Beau Sykes Alto are long time friends, here to serve an original blend of upbeat pop and rock with Sykes, the professional street balladeer and performer himself. 7:30pm, free CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Beatrix Christian’s The Governor’s Family 8pm, runs 1 - 17 July, tix $35 - $45 via venue CANBERRA REPERTORY Carl Barron There is no point to this show other than to make you laugh as much as possible. Funny stories from a bloke with a funny head. 8pm, $79.90 via Ticketek ROYAL THEATRE Growing Pains A chronology through the lives of Sarah Ison and Chelsea Heaney, a show of half sketch, half stand-up comedy. 8pm, $20 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Karaoke - Disney Come dressed up in your favourite Disney gown to have your chance of winning the best dressed prize. 8pm – 1am THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB She’s on the Bill Presents: Queens at Queenies Featuring Emily Grace and Samantha Sly from 8pm. Free QUEENIES AT KINGSTON Thelma Plum - The Homecoming Queen Tour Sold out at time of print, but check with Moshtix/venue and you might get lucky, eh? 8pm UC REFECTORY Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning funk, soul ‘n’ more THE OLD CANBERRA INN TAKEOVER ft Sydney Yungins The trio will be joined by fellow Sydneysiders Latifa Tee & Mowgli May, Canberra favourite Kilusan, plus regulars Karani, Divito, Edstar, Trigga, and Daz. 9pm – 5am, $32.23 via hiphoptakeoverjul.intix.com FICTION CLUB

SATURDAY 17 JULY

Leo Joseph’s Blues Piano Sessions Running since 2011, Leo’s familiar solo blues piano sessions have now found a new home at Smith’s on the 3rd Saturday of every month. From 12.30pm to 2pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Bangarra Dance Theatre presents SandSong: Stories from The Great Sandy Desert 1:30pm & 7:30pm, runs 15 - 17 July, $59 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Beatrix Christian’s The Governor’s Family 2pm & 8pm, runs 1 - 17 July, tix $35 - $45 via venue CANBERRA REPERTORY Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm 2pm – 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN The Penelopiad By Margaret Atwood 2pm & 7:30pm, runs 7–17 July, $30 – $40 + $5.95 fee via venue website THE COURTYARD STUDIO Il Bruto The seasoned players will be takin’ care of business with a Satdee arvo of garage, blues, punk, and rock ‘n’ roll. 3pm – 5pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Potted Potter 4pm and 7pm THE PLAYHOUSE Super Rats - Winter Revels A midwinter’s evening with timeless eastern European melodies that your ears can snuggle into like a well-worn cosy jumper, a plate of hearty stew and a nip of the good stuff! 7pm, dinner and show $43.90 via Oztix GANG GANG CAFE Marky Worthington Presents: Open Mic Comedy Whether seasoned pro looking to tryout some new stuff, or your first time, head on down. Doors 7pm, show 7:30pm, limited spots available, email: markyworthingtoncomedy@gmail.com THE BASEMENT

Rock of Origin Featuring 3 of Canberra’s top pub rock and tribute acts: 5150 for the US classics, Metropolis with the Aus Rock legends, and the Brits with their new Oasis trib show. 7:30pm til late, $30 via Humanitix HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Carl Barron 8pm, $79.90 via Ticketek ROYAL THEATRE Drag Takeover’s First Birthday! Jello shots on arrival and an extra large cast to celebrate this stunning achivement and the over 80+ hours of shows put on in the past year. 8pm ti late, $25 via Phish and Phreak website THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB FICTION Saturdays House, EDM and mashups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free before 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB

SUNDAY 18 JULY

CBS July Blues Jam hosted by The Minglewood Blues Band Four like-minded fanatical seasoned blues musicians decided to form a band that had a common purpose: to play the blues for the fun and love of it. 1pm – 4:30pm, $10 via Humanitix HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB English Trad Jam Dust off those accordions, fiddles, hammer dulcimers & tubas and knock out those toe-tapping tunes from the British Isles including polkas, jigs, waltzes & 3/2 hornpipes with the Burnt Roast Band. 1pm – 3pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Potted Potter 1pm + 4pm THE PLAYHOUSE The Ten Tenors Revisits the full history of the group’s catalogue of 15 albums and over 4000 live performances. 2pm + 7pm, $79 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Carl Barron 8pm, $79.90 via Ticketek ROYAL THEATRE Ed Kuepper With Jim White Kuepper; the co-founder of ’70’s proto-punks The Saints, chief architect of the uncompromising Laughing Clowns and The Aints! and master songsmith over some 15+ solo albums, and White; the brilliant drummer of renowned instrumentalists Dirty Three. 4pm, $50 via venue website THE STREET THEATRE Liquid Dreams by #Water_Voices, an immersive night An interactive exhibition presented by #Water_Voices, a collective project established in response to drought in 2019 by artists Beth Johnston, Elissa Jackson, Xingweiai Fang & Zora Pang. Guest artists include DJ & sound artist Hei Zhi Ma & poet Zhi Yi Cham (ShaYu), movement artist Shiara Astle, and photographer Kenton/Davey (Oculi). 6pm, $17.35 ($12.25 concession) via Oztix GANG GANG CAFE

MONDAY 19 JULY

Lunchulele 12.30pm-1.30pm, ukulele players SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY 20 JULY

IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Tuesday Jams with MissM Described as a mix of soul, folk and jazz, with smooth tone and percussive lyrics, MissM’s music can take you on a journey, leaving you thinking or finding you feeling understood. 6:30pm, free, book a table via bit.ly/3sIA11v BLACKBIRD BAR

WEDNESDAY 21 JULY

Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene gather for an open session of Americana/ old timey music. 4pm-6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

THURSDAY 22 JULY

Smith’s Scribblers - Lunchtime Life Drawing Each Thursday lunchtime Smith’s transforms into a drawing salon, hires a life-model and invites everyone to come and try their hand at drawing the human figure. 12:30pm - 1:30pm, $15 or $10 for students/concessions at the door SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE A Croatian, Swiss and American Walk into a Bar Come see this triple header standup show and see the joke incarnate. Featuring outstanding local comedians Sarah Ison, Anthony Tomic and Kelsey Bullis. 7pm, $20 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Hannah Gadsby – Body of Work The world class, award winning funny person has a brand new live show. 7:30pm, $74.90 + $5.95 fee via venue website (tickets selling fast/ sold out!) CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Pierce Brothers - Into The Great Unknown Celebrating their new album. From 8pm, $45.13 via Moshtix THE UC HUB FACT Thursdays Located on the mezzanine level of Fiction. Hear all your favourite RnB, hip hop & party jams. 10pm – 3am, free entry FICTION CLUB

FRIDAY 23 JULY

Bird’s Nest presents: Sheldon Keys Sheldon Keys and the band are all about reggae, calypso, and pop music! From 6:30pm, free entry. Book your table now bit.ly/3sIA11v BLACKBIRD BAR New Owner - Puppetry, Live Action and Animation A story of love, loss, and new beginnings, New Owner takes you on a world of adventure through a dog’s eyes. 6:30pm – 7:30pm, $20 – $29 via venue website THE STREET THEATRE CANCERVIVEFEST - Mini-Festival 2-stage, 7-band mini-fest with funds donated to The Cancer Foundation Australia. Featuring Traces, Proposal, Karma, Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men, 3 Broken Strings, Axiomatic Theory, and AtrocitA. From 7pm, $24.95 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Children Collide - Uh Oh Tour w/ Special Guests Their repertoire includes some of the most well-loved Australian singles of the past decade. From 7pm, $24.60 via Moshtix KAMBRI PRECINCT Live @ The Polo - Flowermarket + Thyme + Nora A night of high energy grooves, emo something-punk, and heart-stealin’, ham-steamin’ alt-rock. From 7pm, $18 + bf via Trybooking POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB Hannah Gadsby – Body of Work The world class, award winning funny person has a brand new live show. 7:30pm, $74.90 + $5.95 fee via venue website (tickets selling fast/ sold out!) CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Local Music - Nyash! Afrobeat Collective Canberra’s very own enclave of Afrobeat + ska + reggae sounds – this 9-piece orchestra combines the mighty Afro-Funk of Nigeria’s Fela Kuti with tight brass section and heavy jazz + ska grooves. 7:30pm CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Dami Im - Piano, Songs & Stories An insight into a remarkable performer and her experience as she brings new life to her charttopping hits and fan favourites. 8pm, $49 – $65 + $5.95 bf via venue THE PLAYHOUSE Eurogliders Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch’s love for each other seen on stage every night are a shining example of the sheer joy that only music can provide. 8pm, $48.32 via Eventbrite HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Flash Anthem Final Ever Show! Flash Anthem started rocking out in 2017, surfing the scene with their experimental, psychedelic rock. An end of an era, and what a blast it’s been. Come send Flash Anthem off with a bang! With supports Enfants, The Narcissists, and Sunday Sojurn. 8pm, $12.97 via Moshtix THE UC HUB STUN! A Queer Variety Show STUN! offers queer art in all of its forms, celebrating LGBTQIA+ artists from all backgrounds within the Canberra community. 8pm, $10 available at phishandphreak.com THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning retro, jazz, and funk THE OLD CANBERRA INN

FEEL ft LUUDE With supports Rex Da Ruler, Reubok, Karnotix, Chounders. 9pm – 5am, $21.79 via feelftluudee.intix.com FICTION CLUB

SATURDAY 24 JULY

New Owner - Puppetry, Live Action and Animation 11am and 5pm THE STREET THEATRE Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Canberra Choral Society & National Capital Orchestra - Brahms German Requiem An unforgettable performance conducted by Leonard Weiss featuring Song Company soprano Amy Moore and baritone Hayden Barrington, with chorus master Dan Walker. 3pm, $22.40 – $47.90 via ticketek.com.au LLEWELLYN HALL We Mavericks - Original Wild Folk It’s folk that resembles everything else: bringing challenging originals, entertaining stories and incredible energy, this award-winning new duo pack emotional punches but have songs to heal the scars. 3pm – 5pm, $20/$25 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Hannah Gadsby – Body of Work 5pm + 8pm CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Sounds from the Suburbs With Lachlan X. Morris, Lady Denman, and Paint Store. From 6pm, $17.35 via Moshtix GANG GANG CAFE Brendan Keller-Tuberg - In Spite Of It All A stalwart of Canberra jazz, Brendan returned to the ACT in 2020 from the United States, having performed with Walter Smith III, Emmet Cohen, June Lee, and many others. 6:30pm, $20-$30 + bf via Humanitix AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE Canberra Opree 2021 With headline artist Luke O’Shea (13 GG winner), plus Ash Greenwood (Bungendore) and Felicity Dowd (Bega), Urban Drover: The Duo (Canberra) and others. From 6:30pm, $30 ($25 for members) via Trybooking CANBERRA IRISH CLUB PAGE 44 Eat the Bourgeoisie - Feast of Fuckery A night of drag, dance, and other worldly delicacies. 7pm, $35 via Phish and Phreak SUBSDANCE DANCE STUDIO The Resilience Project Hugh van Cuylenburg, founder of The Resilience Project, has partnered with elite sports teams, 1000+ schools and 500+ workplaces – teaching simple and practical mental health strategies. 7pm, $40.95 + $5.95 bf via venue THE PLAYHOUSE Witchskull - March of Winter Tour Witchskull, Mental Cavity, Astrodeath, Mountain Wizard Death Cult and B.C. invite you to an evening of aural brutality. From 7pm, $29.35 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Dancing in the Shadows of Motown 10-piece powerhouse all-star band featuring internationally acclaimed artists playing classic hits from the era. 7:30pm, $42.86 via Eventbrite HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Kefi at The Boardwalk Canberra’s only regular Greek night. Featuring Canberra’s resident band: Kefi. 8pm – 2am THE BOARDWALK BAR & NIGHTCLUB FICTION Saturdays House, EDM and mashups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free B4 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB

SUNDAY 25 JULY

Pachamama Play Along Latin American music jam session, open to all ages & levels. Learn to sing in Spanish, play some hand percussion, or join in on your own instrument. 1pm – 3pm. Register via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Music Chats: Strategising Your Release with Beehive PR Join Beehive PR’s Sosefina Fuamoli to talk about release strategy for emerging musicians, how to identify when a PR agent is needed, and what musicians can do to improve the reach and success of their music. 3pm, register at Moshtix GANG GANG CAFE Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN The Tuesday Weld Experience with Space Party The early ’80s pop influenced Welds meet the rough, edgy, ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll sound of Space Party. 4pm, $10 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Orpheus Omega Bleed The Way 10 Year Anniversary Tour With their aggressive approach to classic melodic death metal, the Melbourne band blends catchy hooks and melodies with crushing riffs. With guest Triple Kill. 7pm, $20 via Oztix THE BASEMENT

MONDAY 26 JULY

Lunchulele 12.30pm-1.30pm, ukulele players SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY 27 JULY

IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Emil and The Detectives Told by two skilled actors immersed in smoke and mirrors, miniature worlds, and a cinematic score. Dark and light, intrigue and delight for audiences aged 8 and up. 6pm, $21 – $30 + $5.95 bf via venue website THE PLAYHOUSE

WEDNESDAY 28 JULY

Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene gather for an open session of Americana/ old timey music. 4pm-6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Australian Rock Collective - Let It Be Live! ARC, Australian Rock Collective, comprised of Kram, Darren Middleton, Mark Wilson and Davey Lane do Let It Be from start to finish. 7:30pm, $81.85 – $176.15 + $5.95 bf via venue website CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Bird’s Nest presents: Tweet to the Beat! Sing your heart out at the Bird. Kanberra Karaoke playing the best retro hits of the decades. 8pm, free BLACKBIRD BAR Shadow Ministers at Paradiso Reggae Night Chill vibes and great beats with cozy Caribbean style. 8pm THE HIGHBALL EXPRESS

THURSDAY 29 JULY

Smith’s Scribblers - Lunchtime Life Drawing Each Thursday lunchtime Smith’s transforms into a drawing salon, hires a life-model and invites everyone to come and try their hand at drawing the human figure. 12:30pm - 1:30pm, $15 or $10 for students/concessions at the door SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Rebecca Mann with Alec Randles Mann is a Blue Mountains-based folk singer/songwriter who delivers raw emotion through her passionate, original music. CBR’s Randles is a fingerstyle guitarist and roots musician. 7pm, $15/$20 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE John Butler In this brand new live show, John will be sharing stories from the road and from his heart and playing songs from his vast catalogue which spans almost a quarter of a century. 7:30pm, $88.50 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Sputnik Sweetheart Energetic, emotive and passionate, Sputnik Sweetheart bring their own blend of alternative-rock to the Australian Music Scene. With Coconut Cream and Parklands. 8pm, $17.97 ($12.86 student) via Moshtix THE UC HUB FACT Thursdays Hear all your favourite RnB, hip hop & party jams. 10pm – 3am, free FICTION CLUB

FRIDAY 30 JULY

Jack Biilmann After a packed full production show at The Street Theatre in May, show #2 sees a stripped-back variety of songs inside the beautiful backdrop of Blackbird. 6pm, $20 + bf via Sticky Tickets BLACKBIRD BAR

Box Dye State of Emergency Single Launch The brazen CBR punksters are joined by HOT local talent in the form of Spinning Plates, Bad Lunar, and Northbourne. From 7pm, $25.25 vis Oztix THE BASEMENT David Helfgott In Concert Having performed at prestigious venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall this is Canberra’s chance to witness this amazing talent live in concert. 7pm, $65 - $79 via venue website CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Kuban Katz The all girl group led by Carmen Alicia and Wendy Parra, with supports Amy McCarthy, Bernice Tesara, Lauren White, Lauren Tsamouras, Riley Soltes, Olympia Karanges and Yvonne Veivers, playing the latest music Cuba – rock, funk, salsa, son, pop, Cha Cha, with amazing dancers Alice Jury and El Moro. 7:30pm, $40 + bf via StickyTickets HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Local Music - Mega Beige From 7:30pm CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Diesel The set will be littered with hits that span his 30+ years in music, including Tip Of My Tongue, Cry In Shame, Don’t Need Love, 15 Feet of Snow plus many more. 8pm, $70 + $5.95 bf via venue website THE PLAYHOUSE Hands Like Houses with Polish Club, Citizen Kay & Hope Wilkins Celebrating HLH 10 years and counting, a massive night with some of CBR’s finest and special guests Polish Club. 8pm, $45.13 ($40.02 for students) via Moshtix UC REFECTORY Noordhuis / Nicolle Group Both trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis and vocalist Michelle Nicolle are jazz artists at the top of their game that have changed said game. Both possess qualities and abilities on their respective instruments that challenge what those instruments are supposed to do. 8pm, $25 - $35 via venue website THE STREET THEATRE Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning retro, jazz, and funk THE OLD CANBERRA INN

SATURDAY 31 JULY

Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Welcome Back Party With Flyying Colours, Cable Ties, Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers and more. From 6pm, $45.10 via Moshtix KAMBRI PRECINCT CBBC Big Band Series 2021 The Canberra Big Band Collective presents a night of hot swinging big band music! Featuring two Canberra big bands: In Full Swing and Blamey Street, with a special swing dance display by Swing Katz. 6:30pm, $45 via Trybooking HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB NIN + A Perfect Circle + Radiohead - Triple Header Tribute Show From 6:30pm til late, $34.95 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Mog with Subway to Venus Welcoming a multi-instrumentalist, local band Mog are launching their new album, titled Maybe It’s Nothing. Joined by Subway to Venus, mercilessly grooving everyone to hard funk heaven! 7pm – 9pm, $10/$15 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Barry Drive - May Contain Traces of Peanuts Canberra garage-popsters Barry Drive are dusting off the amps for a one-off show to celebrate 20 years since their debut release, May Contain Traces Of Peanuts. Supported by Adelaide Jones. From 7:30pm, $10 + bf via Trybooking POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB Bohemian Symphony - Orchestral Queen Tribute A 24-piece symphony orchestra, conducted by internationallyrenowned George Ellis, will perform Queen’s Greatest Hits. 7:30pm, $99.90 – $149.90 + $5.95 bf via venue website CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Heath Franklin’s Chopper - The Silencer Panic, terror, stupidity, crisis; they can all form a queue and suck the wrinkles out of Chopper’s walnut wallet because he has stopped giving a f*** and is done with suffering fools. 8pm, $36.95 – $39.95 + $5.95 bf via venue website THE PLAYHOUSE The John Lennon Song Book In Concert - John Waters Celebrating the 50th anniversary since the release of Imagine – the whole album will be performed live by John Waters and Stewart D’Arrietta with The Liverpool Band. 8pm, $55 via venue website THE STREET THEATRE FICTION Saturdays House, EDM and mashups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free B4 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB Small Town Alien with Freelings There will be laughs, cries, yips of ecstatic bliss, existential philosophy, jarring non-sequiturs and engrossing, Woodstockesque jam sessions. 9:30pm – 11:30pm, $10/$15 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

SUNDAY 1 AUGUST

English Trad Jam Dust off those accordions, fiddles, hammer dulcimers & tubas and knock out those toe tapping tunes from the British Isles including polkas, jigs, waltzes & 3/2 hornpipes via the Burnt Roast Band. 1pm – 3pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN The Songtellers - The World is Full of Stories 3 unique songwriters and one all star band joining forces for a show that revels in the power of the song. Featuring The Marvellous Hearts, Paula Punch and Lisa Richards. 4pm – 6pm, $20/$25 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Bohemian Symphony - Orchestral Queen Tribute A 24-piece symphony orchestra, conducted by internationallyrenowned George Ellis, will perform Queen’s Greatest Hits. 5pm, $99.90 – $149.90 + $5.95 bf via venue website CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Rap FC Presents: First of the Month Rap FC is throwing another Sunday session, featuring Big Ric, King Dunx, and Jam Cee, plus more to be announced. 6pm, $10 on the door SIDEWAY

MONDAY 2 AUGUST

Lunchulele 12.30pm-1.30pm, ukulele players SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY 3 AUGUST

IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Bird’s Nest presents: J.E.P Trio Promising more sick tunes. Doors 5pm, show 6:30pm, free, table bookings via bit.ly/3sIA11v BLACKBIRD BAR

WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUST

Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene gather for an open session of Americana/ old timey music. 4pm-6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Bird’s Nest presents: Tweet to the Beat! Sing your heart out at the Bird. Kanberra Karaoke playing the best retro hits of the decades. 8pm, free, bookings via venue website BLACKBIRD BAR

THURSDAY 5 AUGUST

Smith’s Scribblers - Lunchtime Life Drawing Each Thursday lunchtime Smith’s transforms into a drawing salon, hires a life-model and invites everyone to come and try their hand at drawing the human figure. 12:30pm - 1:30pm, $15 or $10 for students/concessions at the door SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Jen Broadbent The Final Heartbreak EP Launch Jen officially launches her debut EP at the After Dark Bar. Supported by Christiaan Sep and Chris Wark. First 20 people through the door get a FREE copy of the EP on CD! WOW! Physical media! 7pm, $10 + bf via from Oztix THE BASEMENT

FACT Thursdays Party all night in the intimate setting of Fact located on the mezzanine level of Fiction. Hear all your favourite RnB, hip hop & party jams. 10pm – 3am, free entry FICTION CLUB

FRIDAY 6 AUGUST

BELCOvid-21 Face melting metal tributes featuring four acts: Slaytallica (Slayer and Metallica with members of Clarity of Chaos, Johnny Roadkill, Soulcrusher; Land of Goats (Lamb of God with members of Clarity of Chaos, Deprivation, Immorium, Talesin); Blood of the Zodiac (Machine Head with members of Wretch, Immorium, Clarity of Chaos, Deprivation), Doon (Down with members of Immorium, Wretch, Inebriator, Claret Ash). 7pm, $24.25 via Oztix THE BASEMENT The Witching Hour - Gen Z Tour The Newcastle-based band will be bringing their heavy, occultic riffs. Supports Black Heart + Tundrel. From 7pm, $23.50 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Nothing Else Matters – A Symphonic Tribute to Metallica Over two hours of Metallica classics performed by the George Ellis 24-piece symphony orchestra with Damage Inc. 7:30pm, $99.90 – $149.90 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Disco Revolution Slip on your flares, step into your platforms, and get ready to enjoy all the Disco Classics that have become anthems in their own right. 8pm, $32.57 via Eventbrite HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Local Music - Beta Blockers It’s folk music. It’s pop music. It’s god damn Rock n Roll. It’s verses and choruses. It’s the music you already know that you don’t even know that you know. From 7:30pm CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning retro, jazz, and funk THE OLD CANBERRA INN CBS celebrates International Blues Music Day 2021 Hot Rods, specialty market stalls, raffle prizes, CBS member lucky door prize and nine hours of music. 1pm – 11pm, $30 - $40 HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN FLIK Bloodbath Single Launch Supported by humdinger, Ruth Lorelle, and Jess High. 7pm, $15 + bf via Humanitix GANG GANG CAFE st.sinner st.sinner & The Revelators are “young, rebellious and unapologetic” and are planning a show of the calibre that Canberra hasn’t seen in a very long time! With supports Kilroy, Subway To Venus, and Dead Lazarus. 7:30pm, $15 + bf via Trybooking POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB FICTION Saturdays House, EDM and mashups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free before 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB

SUNDAY 8 AUGUST

Björn Again - Mamma Mia! We Are Back Again! Björn Again have performed over 7000 in over 120 countries worldwide, are endorsed by the members of ABBA and are regarded as the most successful tribute show of all time. 2pm & 7:30pm, $69 – $89 + bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE The Bec Taylor School of Music Presents: School’s Out Rockshow A showcase of the School’s flagship group program: Bandmates. Ending the night with the incredible and professional headlining prowess from Reverend Bones & the Exvangelicals, School’s Out features 13 rock bands from the school, including Bandmates Juniors, Teens, Icons and Heroes.With Wayne Herbert as MC. 3pm, $15 (under 18s), $20 (adult), $40 (family of four) via Oztix website THE BASEMENT Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Lunchulele 12.30pm-1.30pm, ukulele players SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY 10 AUGUST

IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

WEDNESDAY 11 AUGUST

Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene gather for an open session of Americana/ old timey music. 4pm-6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Bird’s Nest presents: Tweet to the Beat! Sing your heart out at the Bird. Kanberra Karaoke playing the best retro hits of the decades. 8pm, free BLACKBIRD BAR

THURSDAY 12 AUGUST

Smith’s Scribblers - Lunchtime Life Drawing Each Thursday lunchtime Smith’s transforms into a drawing salon, hires a life-model and invites everyone to come and try their hand at drawing the human figure. 12:30pm - 1:30pm, $15 or $10 for students/concessions at the door SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Jimmy Plants and The Kashmir Pants present: A Led Zeppelin Experience An event by The Filthy Darlings. 7pm, free THE BASEMENT Lightbulb Improv - Switched On A comedy variety show like no other; completely made up on the spot! In a lively and daring journey, the players craft stories, games, songs, and fearless theatre that frees the mind, delights the intellect, warms the heart, and stirs the soul. 7pm, $15 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Mildlife Presenting a mixture of chillers and floor-movers amidst acoustic and electronic instrumentation. 8pm, $44.90 via Moshtix KAMBRI PRECINCT Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead This Shakespearean Laurel and Hardy finally get a chance to take the lead role, but do so in a world where echoes of Waiting for Godot resound, where reality and illusion intermix. Runs 12 - 28 Aug. 8pm, $35 - $45 via venue website CANBERRA REPERTORY FACT Thursdays Party all night in the intimate setting of Fact located on the mezzanine level of Fiction. Hear all your favourite RnB, hip hop & party jams. 10pm – 3am, free entry FICTION CLUB

FRIDAY 13 AUGUST

Simply Divinyls w/ Metropolis This exceptional 6-piece recreates the distinctive sound of Chrissy Amphlett’s torched vocals in an unparalleled display of all the energy and raw rock you would expect in a Divinyls show. Plus pub rock faves Metropolis. 7pm, $39 via Oztix THE BASEMENT The Front present: Billy Puntton, Sal Viejo, Elestial & Bad Lunar 4 different shades of acoustic wonderment. 7pm, $20 + bf via Humanitix website THE FRONT GALLERY & CAFÉ Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Local Music - Shadow Ministers The live dub/jazz musical group from Canberra setup by Liam O’Connell and Rafael Florez to bring together Canberra’s most versatile improvisers in a southeastern dub style. 7:30pm CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Dave Graney and Clare Moore They’re a duo with guitars/vibes/ keys/melodica … However Dave and Clare choose to play, they bring their story and their songbook which stretches to over 40 albums. 8pm, $30/$35 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Double Header - Rock City Saints & Damaged Justice Damaged Justice – a top Metallica tribute show, and Rock City Saints - covering popular songs from the ‘60s through to now. 8pm, $27.33 from Eventbrite HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Ross Noble - 2021 Comeback Special With an on-stage presence like no other, Ross Noble’s exuberance, spontaneity, and cerebral style have established him as one of the world’s best-loved comedians. 8pm, $54.90 + $5.95 bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead 8pm CANBERRA REPERTORY Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning retro, jazz, and funk THE OLD CANBERRA INN Ziggy Alberts with Tay Oskee searching for freedom is an exploration into some of humanity’s most heartfelt and complex emotions, translated into beautiful simplicity by Alberts’ capable hands. 8pm, $79.90 via Moshtix website UC REFECTORY

SATURDAY 14 AUGUST

Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Canberra Brick Expo Features exhibitors and collectors from all over Australia showcasing a large variety of LEGO models including a massive working layout of trains, fleets of space ships, and many more. There will also be onsite LEGO sellers with rare and hard to find sets and bricks. 9am – 4:30pm, $8 – $38 from Trybooking (check for session times) THE HELLENIC CLUB WODEN An Afternoon At The Proms - A Musical Spectacular This stunning spectacular salutes the famous BBC Proms Concerts of London’s Royal Albert Hall, including well-known favourites Rule Britannia, Jerusalem, Radetzky March and Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory. 2pm, $85 + $5.95 bf via venue website THE PLAYHOUSE Live Acoustic Sets From 2pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Avalanche Second Hand Band’ East Coast Tour The West Sydney hard rockers bring their their raucous, energetic live show. Supports Clarity of Chaos, Hence the Testbed, and Highland Light. 7pm, $18.10 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Songs In The Key Of Springfield - Songs from The Simpsons A chance for the world’s many hard-core fans of The Simpsons to dance and sing along to all of their childhood favourites, performed live by Australian guitarist and singer Boadz. 7pm – 9pm, $15/$20 via venue website SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Marty Sheargold An opportunity to laugh live with the star of Have You Been Paying Attention? as he delivers a load of jokes and stories he can’t do on national TV. 7:30pm, $49.90 + $5.95 bf, via venue website CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead 8pm CANBERRA REPERTORY Ziggy Alberts with Tay Oskee searching for freedom is an exploration into some of humanity’s most heartfelt and complex emotions, translated into beautiful simplicity by Alberts’ capable hands. 8pm, $79.90 via Moshtix UC REFECTORY FICTION Saturdays House, EDM and mashups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free before 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB

SUNDAY 15 AUGUST

Canberra Brick Expo Features exhibitors and collectors from all over Australia showcasing a large variety of LEGO models including a massive working layout of trains, fleets of space ships and many more. There will also be onsite LEGO sellers with rare and hard to find sets and bricks. 9am – 4:30pm, $8 – $38 from Trybooking (check for session times) THE HELLENIC CLUB WODEN English Trad Jam With the Burnt Roast Band. 1pm – 3pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Acoustic Sets From 4pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Griffin Ford & The Variables + Trash Springfield + Jordan Kenny + Blood Blossoms There’s a good, long spiel on each band on the online BMA Guide. Check it out! 4:30pm, $20+ bf in advance, $25 at the door SIDEWAY The Sound of Violence Tour Featuring Thraxas! If loud, fast, heavy thrashing madness is your thing then be sure to catch the show! With supports Black Mountain and Arkanae. 7pm, tix price TBC via Oztix THE BASEMENT

MONDAY 16 AUGUST

Lunchulele 12.30pm-1.30pm, ukulele players SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY 17 AUGUST

IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN

WEDNESDAY 18 AUGUST

Old Timey Jam Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene gather for an open session of Americana/ old timey music. 4pm-6pm SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN Bird’s Nest presents: Tweet to the Beat! Sing your heart out at the Bird. Kanberra Karaoke playing the best retro hits of the decades. 8pm, free BLACKBIRD BAR Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead 8pm CANBERRA REPERTORY