BMA Mag 320 05 Mar 2009

THREE20 March 05.09

DISORDER IN THE COURT

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FREE STUFF Freeeeeedooooom of the body. Freeeeeedooom of the mind. Freeeeedoooooom of awesome tat. That’s right, I’ll completely defile Ween in aid of distributing free guff. Send your answers to editorial@bmamag.com and let freedom ring. Now, where was I? Oh yes - Freeeeeedoooooom of se-e-eventy six, oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah ooooooo…

Shit’s Wack Set in the halcyon days of summer 1994 in New York City, where the beats of Biz Markie, A Tribe Called Quest and DJ Jazzy Jeff fill the air, lonely teenager Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck) spends his last summer before college walking the city and selling ‘Fresh & Delicious’ pot from his ice cream cart. He exchanges gear for therapy sessions with an unorthodox psychiatrist, Dr Squires (Sir Ben Kingsley), and is infatuated with the Doctor’s step-daughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby - Juno) who is also hanging around Manhattan for the summer. As the long days idle by, Luke begins to build two of the most important relationships of his life.

The Wackness is a coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, music and what it takes to be a man, featuring a cast that also includes tweenidol Mary-Kate Olsen and Famke Janssen (X-Men). Set against one of the most prolific years in the history of hip-hop, the soundtrack feature a nostalgic selection of ‘90s jams, including the Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest and KRS One. Available on DVD from March 18, we’ve scored five early copies to dish out, thanks to the excellent folk at Madman Entertainment. To win one, give us side A of your ‘90s hip-hop mixtape.

Chucking Up Chuck wants you to have a life less serious.

As the newly-anointed global face of Chupa Chups, the little guy is already well known throughout the world and will be gracing Australian confectionary fans with his presence later this year. Spreading his message on his very own blog -

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www.getchucked.com - the sickly-sweet mascot makes fun of those everyday situations that should be taken less seriously.

His arrival on our shores coincides with a sneaky promotion, offering you – yes, you sir, or ma’am for that matter - the chance to win one of a limited number of plush likenesses.

We’ve got one bumper prize pack consisting of said soft toy and a bucket - literally a bucket - containing a few hundred Chupa Chups. To win, tell us an amusing anecdote from your daily toiling - and quickly, lest temptation proves too strong and we gorge ourselves on the sugary goodness. Otherwise, simply get your hands on a Chupa Chup with the Chuck marking on the lollipop stick and send it in for your chance to own your very own Chuck.

and backstage footage, and interviews with a number of her tour crew, including Baker himself. Kylie’s sister Dannii and U2 singer Bono also feature. White Diamond is named after a Kylie track written by Scissor Sisters, also the sole new song performed by her on the Showgirl - Homecoming tour. The film opens with a reworked ballad version of the song. Two new recorded tracks, I’m Hip and You Are There, plus Alone Again, a previously unheard 2002 Madonna-penned track given to Kylie by cowriter Rick Nowels to record, are also featured on the soundtrack to the documentary. The DVD gives fans a taste of Our Kylie’s triumphant return to the world stage. To win a copy, name the ‘manic’ collaborator Kylie teamed up with for her late-‘90s LP Impossible Princess.

Friday I’m in Blood

Diamond from Caulfield South Hot on the heels on the recent KylieX2008 tour and DVD comes White Diamond, a 2007 documentary directed and produced by Kylie’s longtime collaborator William Baker. White Diamond was filmed between August 2006 and March 2007 in both Australia and the United Kingdom, following the pint-sized poptress on the road before and during her resurrected Showgirl tour - which was abandoned halfway through its original 2005 run in Sydney when Kylie was diagnosed with cancer. The film documents Kylie’s return to the stage following her treatment and recovery, with onstage

From Platinum Dunes and director Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) comes a re-imagining of the classic horror film Friday the 13th, starring Jared Padaleckie (Supernatural), Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti and Travis Van Winkle (Transformers).

Searching for his missing sister, Clay heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins that lie in wait behind moss-covered trees. And that’s not the only thing hiding under the brush. Against the advice of police and words of warning from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has, with the help of a young woman he meets among a group of typically bone-headed college kids, up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are about to find much more than they bargained for. Little do they know they’ve entered the domain of one of the most terrifying characters American film history - the infamous hockey-masked, machetewielding killer who haunts Crystal Lake, Jason Voorhees. Thanks to Paramount Pictures, we have five packs including an in-season double pass to the flick and a blood splatter-shaped pillow. Mmmm… comfy! For more info head to www.fridaythe13th.com.au .

STRUTH BE TOLD Alcohol is pure sex. Frosted white wine splashing between your lips. A smooth green bottle, snug in your dancing hand. The spitfire sweet of a straw-sucked liqueur. The luscious punch of ice shrapnel between teeth, a slush of lemon and gin anointing your smoky throat. Alcohol lubricates your gasping mind. Oils your dancing bones.

Fuels your childlike craziness. Alcohol is the slinky DJ at the decks of your brain, fading your inner monologue and amping up the joy. Alcohol is your dear, dear friend. Wild and reliable. The champagne spray that christened your adulthood will also toast your passing.

As a teenager it was like cordial 2.0.

This thing called beer that came in smooth blue cylinders. Charisma in a can! Like Popeye I could crack the top open and swallow one whole. As I opened my eyes the grimy rumpus room became disco spectacular.

Faces seemed friendly, my jokes were ripe and my head filled with shampoo scents and creamy skin. With my fuzzy meters maxed out I could allow my curious hands to creep under tops and find soft beating chests. Childhood was gone and with this grown-ups drink in me I had found my footing.

By university my friends and I were worshipping alcohol weekly. We’d drain the glass batons and erect a shrine on the coffee table, lighting the cigarette lamps. If there was an art to this miracle drink we wanted to perfect it. With the upchuck of high school behind us, we synchronised our intoxication, erupting into pokie room dance routines, psychedelic singalongs and uncommissioned public transport pantomimes. Alcohol gave us giddy-sweet paper wings to fly high above society.

Hangovers happened. I’d awake with a gum-sealed face and a vacuum cleaner emptied out on my head. But with a girlfriend to snuggle and a high-fivin’ greasy breakfast with friends it could be laughed off with the bravado of a scun knee from a bike trick. After a shower and video I’d be back on my feet, licking a bourbon to take the edge off. This was a time when my footprints were still on the edge of introspection.

Alcohol started running out of tricks in my mid-twenties. With the bubble of uni burst I was flat broke in big cities. I had my first time getting drunk by myself. On a Saturday night I flicked through photos while red wine sat by my side and watched me like a cat. Alcohol wasn’t lifting me up but had its arm around me. With my performer friends we’d still drink like professionals and laugh jaded at the sunrise, but some ingredient was missing. In 2004 my uncle was struck and killed by a train. Booze had been his second skin, and he’d been overflowing with it when he’d passed out on the tracks. Novelty smashed like a bottle in the night.

Humans are strange really. We use stimulants to relax and depressants to have a good time. I’ve watched alcohol rust away the goodness in those I love. I’ve seen my family ride it like cowboys and tumble into true darkness, only to have no memory the next morning. In a year when I’ve been at my happiest and saddest I can no longer take it for granted. It’s a drug with side-effects that I take to feel better about myself. So many nights I feel like I’m going through the same slow motions. I don’t get the rush I used to while the hangovers grow more unbearable. What used to be a headache is now an emotional shit-storm that opens the doors to my sadness I’ve worked so hard to close. It poisons my sleeping and takes Viking swings at my bank account. The world’s standard issue social elixir is failing me. I don’t know how many chances I can keep giving it or how many it deserves.

JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD New Bedroom Philosopher album Brown & Orange out now. www.bedroomphilosopher.com

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NEWS MOAR MORAN BMA’s second favourite drunken Irishman - narrowly edged out by the mostly charming the occasionally volatile Paddy ‘Three Fingers’ O’Shamrock in accounts – Dylan Moran is returning to town with new show What it Is. Known to most as irritable, intoxicated bookstore owner Bernard Black, Moran is touring our shores for the third time, following two completely sold out runs of shows. Following his sold out Royal Theatre show on April 3, a second, more intimate show has been announced for Wednesday April 29 and the Canberra Theatre.

Tickets are on sale now through Canberra Ticketing.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY, I’M GONNA DRIVE IT… After a busy 2008 touring nationally with the likes of Parkway Drive and Ruiner (USA), Perth’s Break Even are heading back out on the road for their first headlining tour in almost two years. Proceeds raised from the A Long Drive Home Tour will be put towards funding the national release of an album featuring the solo recordings of Rowan Willoughby, Break Even’s guitarist who tragically lost his life last November. Catch Break Even on the A Long Drive Home Tour next Tuesday March 10 playing an all ages show at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre with Homewrecker, Slowburn and I Exist.

I’VE BEEN RAPPING FOR ABOUT 17 YEARS… Brooklyn electro-rock madmen Ratatat, responsible for one of the greatest song intros with Seventeen Years, are heading back for their third loop ‘round ‘stralia. With a trio of acclaimed LPs - Ratatat, Classics and LP3 - in the bag and a fourth on the way, the trio won’t be short on dancefloor arsenal. Tour3 will see their first shows in such far flung areas as China, Hong Kong and… Canberra! They’ll be at the ANU Bar on May 10. Tickets from venue, Ticketek and consume.oztix.com.au .

TURNS OF PHRASE After a huge year in 2008 that saw Phrase cement his position as one of Australia’s artists to watch, the Melbourne wordsmith has just released his latest radio single Spaceship, which is currently receiving rotation on triple j. Performing this track with his new live band, Phrase will play alongside N.E.R.D in Melbourne and Sydney next week, before hitting the open road, hitting the Transit Bar on Saturday March 7. With his second LP Clockwork (formally titled Burn It Down) set for release on Saturday April 25, the wait for one of the most anticipated releases of 2009 will soon be over.

SWEET RELIEF The devastation of the current Victorian bushfires has left few unaffected, and in response to our nation’s worst natural disaster, Australia’s music community has banded together for two stadium benefit concerts scheduled to run simultaneously in both Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday March 14 under the unified banner of Sound Relief. Melbourne will host Augie March, Hunters & Collectors, Jack Johnson, Kings Of Leon, Wolfmother, Split Enz and a stack more, while Sydney will see Coldplay, Hoodoo Gurus, Icehouse, Jet (again), Eskimo Joe, Icehouse, The Presets and more to come. Tickets are $75 from Ticketek (132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au), with 100% of the profits from the Melbourne concert will be donated to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal. For more info head to www.soundrelief.com.au .

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JURASSIC PARK! Ah-haaaa! Steve Coogan is at long last heading to Australia. The man most famous as embittered talk show host Alan Partridge is undertaking his first Australian live performances. But perhaps just as famous is his portrayal of Factory Records’ head honcho and all round Manchester legend Tony Wilson in Michael Winterbottom’s brilliant 24 Hour Party People. The Canberra and Melbourne are the first shows to be announced - stick it, Sydney! Coogan will be at the Canberra Theatre on Friday March 27. Tickets on sale Friday March 6 through Canberra Ticketing (6275 2700 or canberratheatre.org.au). Back of the net!

AND ANOTHER THING...

People read this column, you know - all over the world. Proof of this, if proof need be, comes not from someone complaining about my persistent promotion of the joys of heavy alcohol use - or ‘binge drinking’ as I believe its called by experts these days - and its knock-on effect on the drinking habits of dissolute teenagers in Buttfuck, Idaho, but in a ‘letter’ I received via the gift of electronic mail the other day from one Graham Williamson, erstwhile bassist of Britrockers of yore, Whatever. You will remember, doubtless, a couple of issues back I was enthusing about said combo, and the joys of their elpee Sugarbuzz. Mr Williamson got wind of this, and, as these things go, minutes later we were chewing the fat, mid-‘90s stylee, on the band. Graham works on ‘the other side’ of the industry now, and I wanted to see how different ‘breaking the band’ was, in those pre-interweb days.

“Ha, that makes me feel old… it was all about gigging wherever you could and that was really the only way to build a fan base up then, so it was really all word of mouth (and any press that you could get in magazines, which was obviously difficult if you weren’t signed… a classic chicken/egg situation). I still think, even with the introduction of sites like Myspace, the newer bands who still maintain the ethic of playing as many gigs as possible will be the bands with longevity. Bullet For My Valentine, for instance, tour constantly and they are just growing and growing in popularity and get better every time you see them. There were a number of bands signed the same time as Whatever, such as Reef, Apes, Pigs and Spacemen and the like, and they all gigged almost all the time. Bands can be signed now on their fifth or sixth gig purely on the strength of the number of fans on Myspace. It’s a double-edged sword. It’s a great way to showcase new music and get people to hear it, but you do see signed bands now with very little experience on stage.”

YOU PISSED ME OFF Has someone yanked yer chain recently? Well, send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and have your sweet vengeance. And for the love of God, keep it brief! ALL ENTRIES CONTAIN GENUINE SPELLINGS. to the stupid bitch of a “lady”who came into my work the other day and made a comment about my body/appearance, ARE YOU REALLY THAT STUPID, you were standing half a metre away from and expect me not to hear the comment you “whispered” to your ugly boyfriend! i heard every word bitch, and if it wasnt my job at stake i would have made a scene right there and then, who the fuck do you think you are to judge people, YOU DONT EVEN KNOW ME BITCH you were obviously brought up by a dick head who knows nothing about life, and now, here YOU are. you think your so perfect do you? you think you can go around pointing out other peoples faults to make yourself feel better? how fucking pathetic! everyone has faults, its life! things happen to us, and sometimes we cant do a thing about it! you shouldnt be going around saying shit like that about people especially when you dont know them AT ALL, and when you are as ugly and old as you are! how dare you you stupid cow, i hope

Ain’t that the truth. It’s a hard habit to break, this music thing, that’s for sure. Tune in for more from Graham next issue.

SCOTT ADAMS

To the FU(KWIT that ran my beautiful Staffy Max over on Ashley Drive on Wednesday 25/2/2009. You to me are nothing but a oxygen thief. That was my best friend and you could not even be bothered to take 5 minutes out of your pathetic scummy life to stop you just left him there on the side of the road to die!!!! You took away so much from me and caused so much pain!!!!

You could have just made one simple phone call and he could have been saved instead I was up all night and day searching for my beautiful dog and then had to receive a phone call from the ranger saying some low life scum had killed my dog and not even cared!!!!! He laid there all night and you didn’t even fell bad HOW FU(KING DARE YOU!!!!!

I hate your guts so much karma is coming you will get what you deserve!!!! Your a pathetic human being who obviously has no conscience... YOU FU(KING PISSED ME OFF CU@T

FROM THE BOSSMAN

Of course, Whatever were one of the ‘lucky’ bands that got signed - is having a deal as good as it sounds?

“When we were signed it was very dependent on how bothered the record company could be at any given point. Music For Nations (Whatever’s label, and the label that gave Euro distribution to the likes of Metallica and Anthrax - not to mention the mighty Manowar - in the early ‘80s) weren’t good for us. They didn’t know how to market a band that wasn’t 100% metal. I think we’d have been better with a different label. It was very exciting getting the first album out and touring with that but it very quickly become very hard work. Andy Farrow (who now manages Opeth and Paradise Lost) managed us for a while but it really is pretty impossible without the record company support. It is a total myth that all signed bands a) get big advances and b) make money. I literally set a date -my 30th birthday - and decided to call it a day and get a ‘proper’ job. I still couldn’t escape the pull of the industry, though, and used the connections I had made with the band to get a job in music.”

something happens to you that will make you value and appreciate life, cause you dont you stupid fucking cunt. =]

The BMA Magazine Stimulus Package Because in these hard times, it's good to have something to fall back on.

AUTHORISED BY SAILOR SKO FOR CANBERRA

thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com

bma :: Issue320 www.bmamag.com "bma: no, YOU eat a dick!"

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Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne General Manager & Advertising Manager Allan Sko: T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Peter Krbavac T: (02) 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Fahim Shahnoor : T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com

Advertising Executive Danika Nayna Super Sub Editor Josh Brown Graphic Design Jessica Condi Film Editor Mark Russell Principal Photographers (The Flashbulb Posse) Andrew Mayo/Nick Brightman/John Hatfield Issue 321 Out March 19 bma magazine Editorial Deadline March 6 Advertising Deadline March 12

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TIDBITS WHO SKOOL OF THOUGHT, PQM, JEFF DRAKE, DJ RUSH WHAT VIC BUSHFIRE CHARITY APPEAL WHERE TRINITY BAR WHEN SUN MAR 8

Friction and Lexington Music have joined forces with Trinity Bar in Dickson and various Canberra businesses to mastermind a massive night to raise as much money as possible for the victims of the recent bushfires in Victoria, via Trinity’s famed Sound Baked Sundays. Providing the tuneage will be Brighton, UK, breaks fiend Skool of Thought (Against The Grain), New York’s PQM, throwing down a hip-hop set, former Canberran and Chinese Laundry resident Jeff Drake and Canberra’s own Spader man, DJ Rush. Of course, Trinity’s bar will be open to keep you hydrated, there’ll be a free BBQ to sustain you, and auctions from Friction and Lexington Music, (trinity) bar, Parliament Clothing, Spader Clothing and Ministry of Sound Australia. The stylus first drops at 2pm and entry is via gold coin - or green note - donation, so don’t be stingy! The weather’s lookin’ fine, it’s a public holiday the next day and, most importantly, it’s for a very deserving cause, so there’s no excuse not to be there.

The Diaura Wellbeing and Spiritual Festival will present an opportunity for natural, alternative WHO and eco-friendly modalities to promote and market their businesses within the Canberra DIAURA SPIRITUAL and Queanbeyan region. It’s a two day celebration of alternative, holistic, environmental and CENTRE eco-friendly products and services, and an opportunity to enhance your life, heal your body, WHAT expand your mind and inspire your spirit. Throughout the weekend there’ll be a variety of WELLBEING & performers and entertainers, belly dancers, activities, dancing, hula hoop contest, labyrinth SPIRITUAL FEST walk, spiral trail, face painting, inspirational speakers, informative workshops, exhibitors and WHERE vendors, crystals, books, CDs, aura-photography and much more. There’s a fantasy theme, so QUEANBEYAN come dressed in constume and celebrate the Fairy Realms. It’s an all ages event, with a free pair SHOWGROUND, of fairy wings for the first 50 kids through the gate. And remember to bring a rug or chair to sit GLEBE AVE on, as activities will be held indoors and out. Tickets are $12 or $10 pre-sale, $5 for pensioners WHEN and children under 12 are free if accompanied by an adult. For more info and bookings, visit MAR 14 AND 15 www.diauraspiritualcentre.com .

WHO THE SCREAMING JETS WHAT AUS ROCK STALWARTS WHERE HELLENIC CLUB, WODEN WHEN FRI MAR 13

Favourites of anyone partial to a bit of no-nonsense, Cuban-heeled, open-shirted rock‘n’roll, The Screaming Jets are synonymous with the word Ausrock, having been at it for two full decades now. Primed after a recent Stateside sojourn, where they blitzed the famed Key Club on LA’s Sunset Strip, The Jets are hitting home shores to present their latest opus Do Ya in all its live glory. Eight years in the works, Do Ya is classic Jets injected with a few left-field influences, though it remains a defiantly rock record. Singer Dave Gleeson confirms this: “Listening to all the songs, which have different influences and different flavours, at the end, it is still a rock album done by a rock band.” Matt Sorum, Gunners, Cult and Velvet Revolver sticksman, gave the LP his seal of approval, lending his percussion talents to proceedings. Do Ya is added fuel in the Jet’s blazing belly, making for a truely incendiary show that will pillage the new album and rifle through the back catalogue with abandon. The words are not so much “do ya” as “don’t ya miss it”!

WHO LA FIESTA SOUND SYSTEM WHAT A DANCE MUSIC CORNUCOPIA WHERE MONKEY BAR WHEN FRI MAR 6

La Fiesta Sound System are always turning up the heat with their infectious stage presence.

They’ve honed their explosive stage show playing alongside the big guns on such Australian summer staples as Good Vibrations, the Big Day Out and Falls Festival, as well as at their highprofile residencies at The Ivy, Establishment, The Argyle, Tank, Home and The Bourbon. The La Fiesta Sound System are hot and in high demand. Versatility has been the key to their success: from background jazzy and Latin rhythms to disco mega-mixes, big party anthems and new-style electro, Fiesta has it all covered! Comprising the glittering line-up of DJ Levi 5Star (Hed Kandi), drummer Cameron Douglas, afro percussionist Cyndi Tan, sax player Mark Matthews (SHE) and the amazing vocal skills of Michelle Martinez (Silverchair and Paul Mac) and MC Mumamegs (Central Station Records), La Fiesta has also rocked the likes of Cartier, Paramount Pictures and Richard Branson’s infamous parties, so you’ll be in good hands. Viva la Fiesta!

They’ve been off the radar for some time, but Melbourne’s finest The Exploders and Treetops are back, and joining forces for a split 7” - a taster for both bands’ new LPs - and an extensive WHO Australian tour. The Exploders are readying their curiously delayed third LP On The Farm, spilling THE EXPLODERS over with bold blues riffs, muscular melodies and that unmistakable tinge of Creedence-esque AND TREETOPS country swagger. Their 7” track, Royal Neil the Horse, falls somewhere between the power of WHAT 'Zeppelin and the southern twang of 'Skynard. Psych-poppers Treetops also have an album in VIC GARAGE ROCK AND PSYCH-POP the wings – their long, long awaited debut, to follow a trio of acclaimed EPs including office favourite Gospel. Their 7” contribution, Can’t Stop Thinking About Spiders, features the trademark WHERE Treetops sound - a modern incarnation of the famed grooves of Laurel Canyon circa '65. This ANU BAR tour will see Treetops as a six-piece with all original members, while The Exploders will swell to WHEN FRI MAR 6 a five-piece featuring Malcolm Clark and J Cortez from The Sleepy Jackson and Louis Macklin from 67 Special. These are sure to be some of the most captivating shows of the summer.

WHO MUSICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE WHAT WOMADELAIDE WHERE ADELAIDE BOTANIC GARDENS WHEN MAR 6 TO 8 bma magazine 10

The brainchild of Genesis mouthpiece Peter Gabriel, WOMAD was founded to celebrate and share the musical delights of the world. Since 1992, the Australia arm of the WOMAD has made its home in Adelaide. Each March, thousands of people from across Australia gather to be enlightened and entertained by performances from musicians, dancers, street theatre and visual artists from all corners of the globe. This year, between March 6 and 8, Adelaide’s stunning Botanic Park will host 380 spectacular artists from more than 30 countries, with performances and workshops across seven open air stages plus over 100 international food, crafts and display stalls, street theatre, performance installations, visual arts, KidZone, forums and more. Headlining the festival is Neil Finn (pictured), who last performed at WOMADelaide with Crowded House in 1993, and critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Rokia Traore from Mali, who fuses blues and rock with a still noticeable African sound. The bill also includes the immensely popular Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Kaki King, Afrobeat legend (and The Good, The Bad and The Queen sticksman) Tony Allen and Canberra’s own Andi and George Band. For more info head to www.womadelaide.com.au .

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ENDLESS HORIZONS “[I don’t want to] be the idiot saying ‘I wish we didn’t have to tour.’ It shouldn’t be a chore” I can’t ever understand the point, unless you’re Alice Cooper and you’re playing a 16,000-person arena every night and have a huge production. I can’t understand bands having a whole crew of people doing things for them and not having to touch a thing except the beer case.”

John Hatfield One of the most commendable aspects of Byron Bay’s hardcore juggernaut PARKWAY DRIVE is that, while being able to play sell out national tours in multi-thousand seat venues, they still make the effort to play smaller cities and venues that are often left off the touring circuit of most bands. March sees the band doing a small run of four shows along the east coast of Australia which includes Canberra on Saturday March 7.

“It’s great to still be able to play a show that’s run by kids and that doesn’t have a barrier and a crazy light show and all that kind of stuff,” explains the band’s singer, Winston McCall. “It’s fun doing all that. But for me personally, I just enjoy chaos at a show as opposed to the spectacle of the show itself.”

Also continuing their trend of touring with smaller Australian hardcore acts, supporting them will be Newcastle band Dropsaw as well as fellow Byron Bay locals Crime Scene.

“There’s no reason those bands shouldn’t be touring in the first place.

We’ve always tried to get smaller bands more notice. I know that the fanbase we have is not a hundred percent hardcore kids, so it’d be nice if some of these people that are maybe a bit less educated to the scene and the type of music we actually listen to take the time to see these bands that come from their own country - and pay them the amount of respect and give them the listening ear they do us. That’s been the whole idea from the word go.”

In terms of touring schedule, the band now spends around seven months a year on the road, effectively doing it on a month on, month off basis.

“We find around the three, four week mark that the tour actually starts hitting you hard and you start missing home. Then after about four weeks at home you’re itching to tour again, so it keeps everything fresh,” Winston says. “It keeps us hungry to want to tour. We don’t want it to ever be in a routine and get sick of it, and be the idiot saying ‘Oh god, I wish we didn’t have to tour.’ It shouldn’t be a chore. It’s so fun playing shows and we don’t ever want it to be a situation where we don’t want to go on tour and we’re like spoiled assholes.”

Touring life for the band has changed a bit from the early experiences of sleeping on floors and in the back of vans, but not so much as to stop the occasional overnight drive from show to show.

“I’d say it’s a bit more comfortable, in that we don’t have to sleep on floors or anything. It’s not that we wouldn’t – it’s just that we’re lucky enough to be in a position where we don’t have to and that’s kind of cool” Winston says.“We get a bed every night and I guess it’s become a bit more adjusted.

We’ve toured so much that doing a 12 hour drive or getting up at 4am in the morning to load in gear isn’t something that’s bizarre for us anymore - it’s become standard. We have a couple of friends that help us out on tour but other than all that we load our own gear and drive ourselves. bma magazine 12

Given the almost mainstream popularity of hardcore and metalcore at the moment, it’s naïve to think that the good times can last forever.

Winston seems well aware of the fact that any day their stratospheric level of success could, and probably will, subside.

“I’ve always had the theory that it comes and goes,” Winston reflects.

“That’s the same with any trend. It’ll get to the point where it becomes too cool and people will go ‘Nah, I’m going away to find something new.’

It’ll lead to a new trend or bandwagon to jump on and then [hardcore] will get so small to the point that someone decides ‘Hey, that’s going to be the cool thing again.’ I never thought it would get to the level it is at the moment - the amount of kids coming to shows Australia-wide is amazing. I thought the hype surrounding us would have died out a few years ago. It went down a little but then it came back even stronger. To be honest, I’m just waiting for the rug to be pulled out from beneath our feet. We never expected to be able to do this with the band in the first place and the size of the shows we play in Australia is completely insane - it literally is just ridiculous. We’re just waiting for the day when we book a tour and we come around and there’s like a hundred kids there.”

In terms of the future, after the life of the band there are no real plans.

Considering that all the members have essentially lived their entire adult lives in Parkway Drive, it’s not really surprising.

“It’s hard to plan anything after this band because we don’t know when it’s going to die. I remember a few years ago we were asked in an interview ‘Where are you going to be in five years?’ and we’re all saying things like ‘I’ll be working in a pizza shop’ or ‘I’ll be going back to school.’

Five years later the band’s still going and we only expected the band to be going for like a year. We really have no idea whatsoever. Time’s ticking over and all the hours we spend playing on stage are hours we could be spending getting an education or building a career to fall back on. When the band ends we’re only going to be left with the skills we’ve acquired on the road and that going to be interesting.”

But looking ahead to the more immediate future, the band plans to start writing for a new album in the coming months as well as issuing their first DVD. “I’ve never stopped writing,” Winston says.“I have a vast amount of lyrics I’ve written over the years and only some of them make it into songs. I just write what comes into my head or write a song at like two in the morning when I can’t sleep. The band has started writing vaguely for about three months and we’re starting this week to jam with the idea of writing a new album. I think we’re going to try and record at the start of next year and see how that goes. At the same time, we’re working on a DVD that will be coming out later this year. Our drummer is editing the whole thing himself, so we’re treating it like a documentary he’s filmed for the last six years.

We shot some live footage that was recorded at the Roundhouse late last year. It’s in a similar vein to the I Killed The Prom Queen DVD but I think a lot more in depth. We literally have been documenting the six years of the band’s history, of everything we’ve done.”

Parkway Drive rip up the court at Southern Cross Woden Basketball stadium on Saturday March 7 with Newcastle’s Dropsaw and Byron Bay’s Crime Scene. Tickets are on sale via Moshtix outlets and www.moshtix.com .

bma magazine 13

ALL AGES Things are heating up in Canberra with a number of big name and soon-to-be-big-name acts rocking up to rock out for all of us musically deprived, underaged Canberrans.

So let’s jump right in, shall we?

Perth hardcore aficionados Break Even are feeling fresh and revived after a break from their massive 2008 national tours with the likes of Parkway Drive, Have Heart, Carpathian and Ruiner and are ready to hit the road for their very first headlining tour in nearly two years. What started in 2005 as five mates having fun soon turned into something more meaningful, with Break Even fast becoming one of Australia’s most celebrated hardcore bands. With the tragic passing of their guitarist, Rowan Willoughby, in November last year, the band has continued on with a new sense of purpose, and will be using the profits from this tour to release an album featuring Willoughby’s previously unreleased solo recordings. Break Even will be playing at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Tuesday March 10 at 8pm. Tickets are $15 and the boys will be joined by Sydney hardcore lads Homewrecker, Slowburn - boasting new bassist Rob Phill - and d-beat fiends I Exist.

As any musically knowledgeable young Canberran would know, Byron Bay has been producing some fine musical acts these last few years.

The legendary Parkway Drive are at the forefront, but it is a band of talented youngsters named 50 Lions who are currently shredding the ears and reservations of the dedicated followers they have attracted since their humble beginnings in 2006. Having toured with the likes of Parkway Drive, I Killed the Prom Queen, Comeback Kid and Evergreen Terrace, they have forged a reputation as a talented group with infinite potential. And here’s your chance to be part of the 50 Lions phenomenon. 50 Lions are taking the stage at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Friday March 27 alongside The Hollow, Vera and This Plague. The show kicks off at 6pm, with tickets on the door.

And now onto one of the biggest bands around at the moment, and the undisputed dons of the Australian hardcore scene - the aforementioned Parkway Drive. The shredding intensity of this band of young men from Byron Bay has taken the country by storm and left in its wake a path of destruction, awestruck fans and a lot of bemused faces, wondering 'what on earth was that?' That is the effect Parkway Drive has on their unsuspecting but highly-appreciative audience. The enigmatic growl of Winston McCall (brother of Oscar McCall, frontman for 50 Lions) sets the tone for an evening of heaving bodies and savage enjoyment, with theme's of love and hate, and a general dark air. Pair this growl with the bone-splintering riffs of Jeff King and Luke Kilpatrick, the stirring undertones of ace bass work by Jia O’Connor and the machine gun double kicks and beats spat at you by Ben Gordon, and what you have is the machine that is Parkway Drive - a fixture in the worldwide hardcore music scene, and one that don't look like disappearing anytime soon.

The boys will be shredding it up on Saturday March 7 with supports from Dropsaw and Crime Scene, and Mostix (www.moshtix.com, and local outlets Landspeed and The Music Shop) have the hook up for $22.80. Get in soon, to make sure you don’t miss out.

And a quick one while he’s away: Woden Youth Centre have assembled a motley, positively Frankensteinian, assortment of young local bands to create the bill for their next Friday instalment of rock. Friday March 13 will host Turbulence, So Long Safety, A Nighttime Skyway and Blackmail Vincent between 6 and 10pm. Entry’s cheap and drugs and alcohol are out, so don’t bring ‘em.

Finally, in breaking news, Central Coast rockers Something With Numbers will be at Landspeed Records from 4pm on Thursday March 12 for a meet 'n' greet as well as an acoustic set. Entry is free, but space is limited. Get in early!

Adios bitches.

LIZ ROWLEY bma magazine 14

elizabeth_rowley@live.com.au

LOCALITY By the time this issue sees print Canberra band enthusiasts and hippies of all stripes will be in come-down from the second annual Corinbank Festival, held in the idyllic surrounds of Corin Forest. Spare a thought for these poor souls as they try to integrate back into the drudgery of workaday society after four days of epicurist musical delight in God’s own backyard. Give them a break if they accidently wear their fisherman’s pants to work a couple of times, they’ll get past it.

Here’s some news to restore your faith in radness: in a Lazarus-like move, Canberra indie rave-up Gangbusters is resuming operations in March, once more at Civic’s Bar 32, once more on Thursdays from 9 pm. Patrons of the night in 2008 are already aware that ‘busters is the beating heart of the ACT rock-pop-postrock-disco-shoegaze-punk-noise spectrum, offering treats for both anorak-wearing music nerds and dance-ready lovelies. Thursday March 5 kicks off proceedings with the hearttugging riffage of Voss and impro-jazzers Also From Tokyo. Grab your skinniest jeans and get down there.

Domus Adultus, the joint venture between the Canberra Musician’s Club and the plucky bunch at Cardboard Charlie, has launched to the hearty approval of the The Hippo Bar’s Thursday night cocktail crowd.

You can catch a selection of folky, jazzy or soulful acts there every Thursday from 8 pm. The next couple of weeks are showcasing soloists belonging to the lovelier sex, with Bridie Hill and Bec Taylor on March 5 and Jo Telfer and Sally Holiday on March 12. All of these bewitching ladies are veterans of the Phoenix Bar’s Bootleg Sessions, so expect some of that warm, inclusive vibe to carry over from Monday night to Thurday. While we’re on the subject, Bootlegs on Monday March 9 features such luminaries as Greg Carlin, Kim Churchill, Big Score and Arythmia. Weeknights are big nights!

Now, I don’t want to freak anyone out, but March is the second month this year to feature a Friday the 13th. Arch-bluesters The Marji Curran Band are taking advantage of the hinky vibes with a special Black Friday show at The Old Canberra Inn on March 13. With the earthy, welcoming vibe of the venue locking in perfectly with the stomping, slide-smothered sound of the band (plus finger-food from 830pm!) this gig should be far from accursed.

I’d be remiss not to remind all you starry-eyed punters that Indyfest is coming up on Saturday March 7. The full line-up includes The Jaybirds, Waterford, Astrochem, The Glaciers, Third Estate, Moots, Rubycon, Hoodlum Shouts and Scaramouche, playing in that order from 2pm. This year’s ‘fest is being held at The Basement in Belconnen, Canberra’s beeriest, cheeriest venue, so take a good strong neck to bang your head with.

Jettisoning the tired ol’ compact disc format, local triple j Unearthed winners Hancock Basement will be dropping a 7” inch vinyl of freshly re-recorded track Don Juan as well as recent fave Hey Kids in late March.

If you want the songs now, you can download ‘em for free at www. mercuryswitch.org/hancockbasement .

In closing, big fat raps and congratulations to the young turks from Starfish Hill for winning the Canberra heat of the National Campus Band Competition, beating out such popular and talented local acts as The Trivs and Danse Macabre. Taking out the title only a month or so after winning the Upstep Band Comp, these rockity-popsters are swiftly carving out ones-to-watch status. All luck to them for the national final.

Remember Canberra Cats and Kittens, you can contact nickdelatovic@hotmail.com with all your upcoming gigs and happenings. See you in a fortnight.

NICK DELATOVIC

bma magazine 15

DANCE: THE DROP Good morrow children of the night and welcome to another sonic stimulus package designed to reinvigorate the phonic ecomomy for another week.

Fresh from mixing a disc for the Ministry of Sound Clubbers' Guide compilation, The Aston Shuffle headline the Canberra leg of the tour as it returns to Academy on March 14 presented by Friction and Lexington (under the Alliance banner).

2009 is heating up quicker than a Biggest Loser contestant standing over a tray of chocolate croissants, with a bevy of acts stopping over in our fair city over the coming month.

In some exciting news to hand, Transit Bar have just announced that legendary UK progressive house luminary Nick Warren (Way Out West/ Global Underground) will be appearing on Thursday April 16. This is another one of their amazing free gigs, so there is no excuse to not start the weekend a day early and catch one of the scene’s most revered artists in an intimate environment.

Things are going ape over at Monkey Bar with March accommodating a trio of massive events. March 14 sees the first instalment of Monkey Business, where you can catch ten local DJs squeezing themselves into the booth like a crazy clown car. March 21 heralds the return of the much-loved Bang Gang DJs and March 28 is the Canberra debut of Chinese Laundry favourites Neon Stereo and Agent 86 (whose Balance compilation was one of my favourite 2008 releases).

Supports for all above events are provided by the usual drunken monkey posse of Trent Richardson, Tim Galvin, DJ Kiz and B-tham.

Pang have been doing some exciting things of late and March is no different. Friday March 13 sees US progressive heavyweight Morgan ‘The Longest Road’ Page grace the turntables at Lot 33 supported by Ashley Feraude, Dave Norgate, Gabriel Gilmour, Peekz and Hubert.

They have also secured the services of exciting producer/DJ Bart B More for another Sunday session on March 22 with Canberra globetrotters The Aston Shuffle also sharing top billing. Along for the ride are DJ Kiz, Exposed DJs, Hubert and the delightfully named Offtapia.

With Get Shaky fast becoming number one on the ‘drunk girls request list’ in clubs, mark March 7 down in your diaries as The Ian Carey Project lures the teenage population of Canberra to Academy for a massive show. The promoters expect this one to sell out so bust open your piggy bank and get in quick for tickets. Tim Galvin and Sean Kelly are in support.

bma magazine 16

Those of you that attended the Roni Size gig at Academy in February will remember that BMA guru Allan ‘Lord of the Ring’ Sko stole the show with his surprise proposal to partner Elisa, so I would just like to offer my congratulations to them both. I wonder how the Jungle will go down at their wedding reception?

Well kids, it’s bloody March already, innit? 2009 is coming quicker than poor old Alfie Patten and I’m still nursing a New Year’s Eve hangover to rival Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Kindergarten Cop “tooma”. Until next issue just remember: with a Panadol, Neurofen and coffee breakfast, every day can be a Saturday night.

TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

IAN CAREY

“We definitely don’t wanna become a bunch of cheeseballs that write lowest common denominator music”

Tim Galvin

spaces er d a v in

The American government will tell you that on July 7 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico, the debris recovered from the infamous UFO crash site was from an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon. Well, that story is about as believable as Nicole Kidman’s performance in Baz Luhrmann’s Schlochbuster Australia. The actual event involved the teleportation of a secret race of genetically altered super androids back in time to planet Earth to subdue humanity… and only two survived.

Taking on the human forms of Vance Musgrove, a mad scientist slash male prostitute, and Mikah Freeman, a truck driving ex-action hero, they formed an ultimate plan to enslave the human race by capturing the consciousness of the world’s youth with mind-altering soundwaves.

Today we know them as THE ASTON SHUFFLE, and they are returning to Canberra after a long campaign abroad with a briefcase full of bleepy beats. "We are always really excited when we get to DJ in our hometown" Vance says. "It's such a rarity now that when we get to play, we like to try and get all our friends out and have a big party. I think this upcoming Clubber’s show is going to be nuts. Look the fark out kids.”

a f o s bird ther fea “Like always, I’m really excited to come back to the land of the dolphins and party people” Tim Galvin Contrary to popular belief, the Daft Crew aren’t a rag-tag bunch of teenage misfits from the UK fronted by a pimply, teenage Allan Sko lookalike. It is in fact the most prestigious ‘unofficial’ French house music fraternity on planet earth, with names like Thomas Bangalter, Busy P and DJ Mehdi attached to the nom de guerre.

The most outspoken member of the shadowy filter fellowship is consummate party professional DJ FALCON, who is preparing to bring his trademark aural orgy back to our shores for a series of dates across the country.

“I’m in France right now but leaving for Australia in two days and, like always, really excited to come back to the land of the dolphins and party people." Falcon enthuses. "Memories from last tour are special because being with Daft Punk for their last show was pretty emotional. Magic time...”

Having racked up more frequent flyer miles than Kevin Rudd, the duo have had to utilise every spare moment to continue their endeavours.

With his inner circle running such luminary labels like Kitsuné, Roulé and Ed Banger, Falcon has been party to the massive French house movement which has made artists like Daft Punk household names.

“We have got so much work on the go at the moment... We think we might need to hire another ghost producer from Thailand! On a serious note, we are starting to do a lot more work on the road and also any spare minute we might have in a hotel room is dedicated to trying to get more music done. We are such a boring bunch of dudes.”

“All the labels you mentioned are connected with Daft Punk (Busy P and Gilda from Kitsuné were both working for the Punk when Roulé was a Daft Punk label), so they have something in common with the first generation of 'French touch.' I think they have the same base, they just adapt themselves to different trends. The future will be groovy, baby.”

Having been on high rotation on triple j with their singles For Everyone and Stomp Yo Shoes, it poses the question whether the guys would ever be tempted by the lures of mainstream music.

But it wasn’t always strobe lights, robot helmets and topless models for the Parisian, as Falcon shares his plaid pathway into dance music.

“We definitely don’t wanna become a bunch of cheeseballs that write lowest common denominator music, but we wanna try and make music that is memorable," Vance states. "If it ends up on the radio we will be very happy and surprised. We just gotta keep our heads down and make sure our music is strong.”

"As a kid, I was more into rock, punk rock... all kinds of music connected with skateboards," he reveals. "Plus at home, my sisters were listening to some Prince or Stevie Wonder, stuff like that. Then when I started going out with friends we started going to rave parties [which were] the things at the time. House music has the energy of rock, the groove from funk and the modern side of electronic and techno music. It just came naturally.”

The Canberrans have just completed a disc for the new Ministry of Sound Clubber's Guide series, and credit their connection with the massive dance label as a catalyst for their meteoric rise to success. "They took us from being a couple of dudes playing lounge bars and writing weird music to playing massive festivals and getting a number one ARIA club record!" Vance says.

Having released massive anthems So Much Love To Give and Together in collaboration with Bangalter from Daft Punk, along with remixes for the likes of Cassius, he mysteriously answers the obvious question of a possible future album release with a simple “Yes.”

But their notoriety has its drawbacks. The club couple have resorted to wearing cheap fake beards made from kangaroo fur so they aren’t mobbed by unruly fans while shopping at adult stores. “The weirdest place [that we have been recognised] was the same toilet cubicle that George Michael got busted giving head," Vance remembers. "Go figure.

It’s quite odd but very cool being recognised at shows. We love to hang out and party with fans - they are the reason we are doing so well and drive us to keep doing what we are doing.”

With the sun setting in the sky and new dancefloors to conquer, I finish by asking the million dollar question: What is in store for 2009?

“Maybe get a role in Underbelly, produce the new Veronicas album, who knows... Basically just keep having fun and enjoying every moment of this good life that we live, at least until it all turns to shit and you see us asking for a ciggie or a dollar at the Civic bus interchange.”

The boys from the Shuffle aren’t ones to forget their roots and, as such, have a swag of upcoming shows lined up for all you fine looking Canberrans.

The closest is at Academy on Saturday March 14. Tickets are $15 a pop from Landspeed, Parliament and www.inthemix.com.au .

Being an avid jet-setter, Falcon has accompanied artists like the Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk on their world tours. "It’s just a great experience touring with those guys," he says. "Being able to share those moments is really special. I feel privileged."

Yet while he's travelled to countless exotic, far-off places, he still has an obvious affinity with Australia, and cites our little continent as his favourite stopover in the world.

"I don’t want to sound like a hypocrite but Australia fits me perfectly.

Great party people and good waves; paradise for a DJ surfer.”

So break out the Moet, dangle an awkward string of onions from your neck and don your favourite beret as DJ Falcon promises to bring “French cancan with local fireworks and a touch of champagne” to the nation’s capital.

Have a taste of French house as Pang presents DJ Falcon spinning glorious tunes at Minque on Sunday March 8, alongside The Funktrust DJs (Sydney) Hubert, Ashley Feraude, Dave Norgate, D'Opus and the Exposed DJs (Beat it, Sean Kelly and Stakey) . Tickets are $25.50 first release/$33.50 second release plus BF, available from Landspeed Records.

THA REALNESS

Local lad done good, Omar Musa, has recently unveiled his debut EP after a stint overseas in both the UK and US. The Massive EP is available now at Landspeed Records and features the QBN poet/emcee representing his skills over five versatile originals produced

by US legend Geoff Stanfield (Sun Kil Moon, Black Lab). Single Hemmingway swoons with soul, while the infectious Shake ‘Em Up ups the ante. Check for the video of Hemmingway out soon and support Musa by checking out the EP – hit him up on www.myspace.com/omarmusa .

The long-awaited LP from Ciecmate + Newsense has finally dropped on Broken Tooth/Shogun and is aptly titled A Tale Of Two Cities. Produced by the boys themselves, the record also features high-calibre guest slots from Bunks, Maggot Mouf, Diem and Swarmy. The concepts are tight, the narratives intricately woven over hard-hitting, drum-heavy production and the trademark Hospice humour and sharp lyricism is present and 100% correct. Mexi’s artwork is dope and bam – you’ve got another high quality product from the Hospice camp. Don’t miss it.

Melbourne’s underrated duo Low Budget make their welcome return with sophomore set Laserdisc through Shogun. Awash in thick mirror ball funk, Low Budget have their own unique flavour in spades, intertwining bone-rattling basslines under smooth disco/boogie grooves with undeniably infectious results. Check out the killer video for Tailor Made online for a taste of the quality sounds. Guest-free, the boys represent themselves 100% with Genetik continuing to hone and develop his skills as a captivating, intelligent wordsmith. Laserdisc is certified dope.

Obese Records continue to unveil new releases from their new signings with Brisbane’s dynamic Coalition Crew dropping their new double disc Known Unknowns. True musicians in their own right, the crew incorporate an original and versatile range of sounds, traversing genres with ease, incorporating soul, jazz and rock. Well renowned in their home town, the album is sure to herald a nationwide ascendancy for the crew with its musical prowess and incredible diversity. Featuring guest slots from Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Lazy Grey, Rainman, Tommy Illfigga and many more, Known Unknowns has its own sound and deserves your attention. In other Obese news, the label has just signed Melbourne’s Illy as well!

Staying north, Gold Coast legend Syntax has just unveiled his new mixtape IOU’s featuring booming production from M-Phazes, Mules and SDub. Syntax is ill with the flows, muti’s and punchlines, but can also tell an incredible story and has his craft down-pat. Grab a copy from www.whoissyntax.com now if you know what is good for you!

Resin Dogs have given their More full player a re-rub for 2009 with More Or Less, featuring a host of bossy remixes and a few new treats thrown in for good measure. Enlisting a who’s-who of dope beat scientists to reinterpret their originals, the ‘Dogs serve up more of that good stuff with Plutonic Lab, Denorthwode, Chasm, Two Fresh, Barkin Soul and more all contributing remixed bangers.

After serving up killer debut single Now This Is It NZ’s Tiki Tanne has dropped his second double single of Our Favourite Target/Faded from his forthcoming LP. Our Favourite Target is extremely fresh with vocalist Julia Deans laying down the soul over Tiki’s bubbling electronic bass heavy gem. Truly original and intensely exciting, can’t wait for the LP! Check out www.tikidub.com to hear more!

On the live front, Melbourne’s Phrase hits Transit Bar on March 7 with DJ Flagrant in tow. With an album on the way and two hit singles under his belt, Phrase has been touring the country on the festival circuit and will be ready to impress. The huge triple-header of Drapht, Downsyde and Pez will bomb the ANU Bar on March 19 for a show that will be a sure sell-out. Don’t miss the ruckus. Canberra favourites Muph + Plutonic return to Transit Bar on March 21 with Sydney’s Horrorshow and Newsense in support. With two spots in the recent triple j Hottest 100, expect a large turn out, get there early!

To hear music from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM from 9:30 pm Tues nights or stream live at 2xxfm.org.au .

ROSHAMBO bma magazine 18

of e l a a t mcs two

"Having Underbelly suddenly come out with the same name has really shitted me..."

Stevie Easton Originally from Canberra, MCs and Producers CIECMATE AND NEWSENSE of The Hospice Crew more often than not reside in Melbourne these days, having set up their own record label there in 2003. These two major players in the underground scene, appearing on numerous Australian hip-hop releases and recently, the time came for the duo to put their names on the front cover of one. A Tale of Two Cities is the first such release for the pair and, chatting to BMA via the intertubes, Newsense tells me it’s the first of more to come.

Asked about where he and Ciecmate fit into the scene in terms of radio-friendly rap versus the raw, hard-edged lyrics of the ‘underground’ style, Newsense says he “I don’t think we’ll ever fit into that (mainstream) category. While we make music that everyone can relate to, a lot of it comes across with a fairly brazen attitude on raw style beats.”

Completely produced by Ciecmate and Newsense at their own Broken Tooth Entertainment studios, they also collaborated with some other artists, including MCs Billy Bunks, Diem and ex-Canberran Maggot Mouf, as well as the voice of one Porsah Lane. “We’ve been a fan of her work for a long time and the track never sounded like a full track until we ended up getting her on it,” Newsense says.

The title was actually taken from a Dickens novel, and refers to the experience of The Hospice Crew dividing their time between Melbourne and Sydney. After coming up with the name, Newsense says that “having Underbelly suddenly come out with the same name has really shitted me though!”

Asked about influences, Newsense reveals that some tracks on the album have been in the pipeline for up to six years, so he lists the ‘golden era’ of early ‘90s hip-hop from the US east coast as their biggest influence, as well as “rappers that had been on the low for a while, and remerged, like Boot Camp Click and Blaq Poet.”

The lyrics on the album are also based on a similar time period, and span a wide range of topics, with no particular theme holding them all together. Lyrical content is important to define any music, and this focus on the bald facts of real life is also a hallmark of underground hip-hop like this. “Every track is a different topic. There’s a lot of venting, as the last few years we’ve gone through a fair bit of stuff and the world around us is continually changing.”

Ciecmate and Newsense are telling it like it is, keeping it real, and proudly representing Canberra and Melbourne.

A Tale of Two Cities is available now through Broken Tooth via Shogun Distribution. Newsense supports Muph and Plutonic at the Transit Bar on Saturday March 21. Entry is free.

bma magazine 19

yde s t a wh ou on? y “Australia is such a sunny country, yet we touch on issues that are quite serious, such as addiction to crystal meth” Shailla Van Raad Before this interview, I knew little about Australian hip-hop beyond the fact that I like grinding my hips, elbows and shoulders to it. Speaking to DOWNSYDE’s Scott Griffiths provided more of an insight into the culture. "Australian hip hop is related to storytelling. It touches on issues that are very relevant to Australian society,” he explains. “Some radio has really exposed Australian hip-hop to a larger audience and it’s been really successful because it identifies well with people.”

The group is composed of six members: Optamus (Griffiths), Dazastah (D. Reutens) and Dyna-Mikes (Shahbaz Rind) all look after MC duties while DJ Armee (Damien Allia) mans the decks, Cheeky (Mathew Cheetham) plays bass and keyboards and Hi-Hat covers drums and percussion.

Hailing from isolated Perth, the band is heavily in touch with Australian culture and issues.“We sing about the statements of society itself. Some of our songs are about the plagues in our community. It’s ironic because Australia is such a sunny country, yet we touch on issues that are quite serious, such as addiction to crystal meth,” Griffiths says.“We have had an insight to crystal meth; it’s a big problem in some parts of Perth. On the other hand, it’s a delicate balance writing music. Besides serious issues, we want to make music people can escape to too. It’s one thing to switch on the news all the time, but it just depresses you after a while.”

Griffiths outlines the evolution of the band, who have been plying their trade for well over a decade now. “Downsyde has changed over the 13 years it’s been together. It started with just the core group: Shahbaz, Dazastah, Optamus and Armee," he explains. "Because we’ve been around for so long, we’ve seen the metamorphosis of Australian hiphop,” he points out. “Throughout all the change, we’ve been fortunate enough to have been accepted as a band by the Australian public and given the opportunity to tour extensively.”

But after such a long time together, Downsyde needed a break. “We’ve recently taken three years off as a band," Griffiths says. "Now we’re back to tour as hard as we can. We’re touring all of Australia in our City Brothers tour. Getting out there to play live and spread the word.”

The tour accompanies their latest album All City, featuring the tracks Fortune and Fame, Master MC and Life Speed which have been on rotation on triple j and featured on shows such as Home and Away.

Pairing up with Drapht, the crew will take in the length and breadth of the country on the jaunt. "We’ll be on the road the whole time. There’ll be loads of equipment to haul around; it’s going to be nuts,” Griffiths says with anticipation. “We’ve collaborated closely with Drapht to create a two-hour set. The two bands’ songs mould into each other in order to create a great experience.”

Keeping their cool amongst all the excitement is important to the band, and their friendship certainly helps. “As a band we’re all really close and good mates. We have a holistic approach to the music we make and we all contribute creatively in the band. I’d say the key to our success though is that all the personalities benefit the band in different ways through the unique roles we play. Everyone has a place which they slot in.”

Downsyde are an exciting band within an exciting cultural music revolution that is sweeping Australia. They are not just focused on making their music - they're also keen to make others enthusiastic about the scene too, through hip-hop’s diversity.“You can explore different genres in hiphop. There are soulful vocals and blues, funk and jazz. These elements are great to listen to, and the music never becomes stale.”

Downsyde will be playing alongside Drapht and Pez as part of an all star Aus hip-hop line-up on Thursday March 19 at the ANU Bar. Tickets from www.oztix.co.au and www.inthemix.com.au . bma magazine 20

“Jake just lost it and took off and turned off his phone.

We had to cancel our shows”

g' s n i h t sometta give go

COMING SOON: THURS March 19

DRAPHT DOWNSIDE

& PEZ

Jim Beam on-campus pool comp every Tuesday 5pm rego, 6pm start

David Bulter

HAPPY HOURS in the ANU Bar

Punky pub rock bands are a dime a dozen in this country. Over the last 40 years it’s been one of our greatest contributions to the world of music. These days, the quality is still there, but you have to look hard for it, wading through all the tats, piercings and whiny voices of the pretenders to find the rough gems. Central Coast rockers SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS add a ridiculously catchy dose of melody and some big pop hooks to the mix to help raise themselves above the masses. Add in a singer who can actually sing – the dynamic frontman Jake Griggs – and the band’s major success with young rock fans becomes clear.

Weekdays 4 -6pm

Gig tickets thru Ticketek.

Transaction fees apply.

Back with their third studio album Engineering the Soul, Something With Numbers has produced an accomplished disc which they confidently call “a pop record.” The band’s drummer, David McBeath, has no qualms whatsoever with the big P word.

“Yeah it’s definitely more of a pop sound,” McBeath says. “I think it’s got a lot to do with the way we recorded it. In the past we’ve often just gone in and put down the music and then Jake would come in and work over the top of that. This time Jake came in with a lot of the lyrics and the vocal melodies ready to go and then we all took it from there. Also, Jake always said that he had to make a pop album while we were still making music, so he’s pretty happy with it.”

First single We’ll Fight finds the band in top form, with a big call-to-arms chorus, complete with a horn section. It’s clear from the first tracks of the album that the band hasn’t forgotten how to write a big hook.

Recorded in Brooklyn, New York, Engineering the Soul found the boys living together in one the world’s biggest cities. Shenanigans were bound to ensue. McBeath is tight-lipped on the matter. “I don’t want to go too far into it, but it was good fun. We were in a one-and-a-half bedroom apartment, and there were five of us in there, so it was pretty intense. But they plied us full of beer and it was awesome.”

McBeath says times haven’t always been so good for his bandmates.

Turning back to the end of 2007 and what seemed like one neverending tour, a travel-weary Something With Numbers found its singer had taken off after a show one night, with no contact coming for days and no idea on whether the band had a future together.

“We’d just finished our own tour where we did 32 dates and then we had five days off before we jumped on the Grinspoon tour which was another 28 dates and in between that we were doing some shows for the Silverchair and Powderfinger tour. When you’re playing music, you don’t really think that it’s hard, so we just took every show that we could possibly get.”

“Right at the end of one of the shows, Jake just lost it and took off and turned off his phone. We had to cancel our shows and then I eventually got through to him and said ‘let’s fight it out and do these last few shows, and then we have to have a break. We were thinking ‘are we going to be able to keep going?’ But in the long run, it was a definitely a good thing that he went through that. We don’t work ourselves so hard anymore and we’re having so much more fun as a result.”

March FRI Mar 06

SUN Mar 08

THURS Mar 12

THE EXPLODERS TREETOPS + HANCOCK BASEMENT

THE FREEMASONS CLUB JUNQUE SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS

BEHIND CRIMSON EYES THE INHERITORS

TUES Mar 17

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

WED Mar 18

JUKE KARTEL

Currently touring across the country, McBeath is enthusiastic about his band’s future. “We’re taking the time to come and have a drink and say g’day to the people who come to the shows, rather than just playing the show and then getting out of there. We’ve been having a lot more fun with it and I think you can really see that on stage.”

Something With Numbers play the ANU bar Thursday March 12 with Behind Crimson Eyes and The Inheritors. Tickets through Ticketek or at the door.

bma magazine 21

PUNKSKA

Burning flames of fire for your musical desire, it’s the punk and ska news. Grab that studdedleather jacket and polish yer boots, because ‘80s UK punk firebrands The Varukers are coming. Formed in 1979, The

Varukers emerged from the second generation of punk, aka UK Hardcore or UK82, along with bands like Chaos UK, Abrasive Wheels, Discharge, The Exploited and Charged GBH. The original Varukers line-up split in 1988 but in 1993 founding member and vocalist Rat put the band back together. Stylistically, their 1990s-era music resembled the traditional UK82 style. Local louts the Bladderspasms, Eye-Gouge and All In Brawl, along with Rust (Syd) are primed to support with a venue yet to be confirmed. For now, it’s at the ANU Bar, $25 on the door, on Friday June 5.

the Soundwave Festival and Shoot The Moon: The Essential Collection (Rhino Records) features 19 remastered tracks plus two unreleased live recordings from their final show.

THE VARUKERS Rhino Records released a retrospective from one of the most influential pop-punk bands of the last 15 years. Face To Face played catchy, fast punk rock with intelligent lyrics, releasing six albums and touring constantly, before breaking up in 2004.

The band’s reformed to play at

Special Beat, the touring band put together by vocalists Neville Staple (The Specials) and Ranking Roger (The Beat), are returning, this time with The Selector’s Pauline Black, to play the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in Byron Bay and shows in Sydney and Melbourne - but not Canberra. They’re at The Forum in Sydney on April 16.

Meanwhile, The Specials’ reunion tour in the UK, this April, is generating some controversy.

Founding member and original keyboardist Jerry Dammers accuses the band of ‘driving him out’ of the reunion. Paraphrasing a statement released by Dammers, regarding what would be the group’s first shows together in 25 years, he “was not invited to take part in this proposed tour, or even told about it,” and that claims the door is still open to him fail to mention he’s “been driven out every time he has attempted to get involved” and was given a “severe dressing down” by the band at a meeting to which he was not invited, when he proposed ideas for their comeback. However, in breaking news, vocalist Terry Hall dismisses the accusations, insisting it was Dammers’ decision to opt out of the reunion tour and says “I’ve read Jerry’s statement and I just don’t get it. ‘They’re trying to kick me out of the band’ – not at all mate, not at all. I spoke to Jerry night after night all through 2008.

He wanted to do one date, in (the band’s native city) Coventry, in front of 30,000 people at the football stadium. I thought that was a bit of a Take That thing. We wanted to play 2,000 to 3,000sized venues. I don’t think he likes the idea of touring, to be honest. I have no idea why Jerry isn’t doing it. Hand on my heart, this is what I feel is a bit sad for Jerry. He’s fucking missing out.

He’s missing out on being in this incredible band.”

Oi Oi that’s yer lot!

SIMON HOBBS Next deadline is March 23. Send news, views, gig promos and abuse to rudebwaay@gmail.com

bma magazine 22

"The Fugazi rule was that you got to choose what everyone did if it was your birthday, so we went and saw Tasmanian Devils being fed at night"

Peter Krbavac

IN' K L A T T ABOUSS BA

Bass players don’t have a great track record when it comes to solo ventures - see Wings; Dee-Dee King, the Ramones bassist’s misguided rap project; need we go on… But in the case of JOE LALLY, bassist for inestimably influential Washington DC post-hardcore band Fugazi, we need have no such concerns. As one would expect, the quality of his solo output is excellent, mercifully avoiding any slap bass odysseys or limp MCing. In fact, it’s the logical progression from his dormant group - spare, rhythmic tracks sprinkled with skittering rhythms and spare vocals.

Currently based in Italy, where he lives with his wife, mother-in-law and seven-year-old daughter, Joe seems the very picture of domestic bliss.

He explains, chuckling quietly at himself, that he’s found it difficult to meet potential band members as he rarely goes out at night. Later in our chat we’re interrupted by a vacuum cleaner, which he spends the rest of the interview trying to avoid, hopping from room to room. These familial commitments explain the relaxed pace and low-key level at which he’s taken recording and touring his two solo LPs, 2006’s There to Here and 2007’s Nothing is Underrated. But as Joe explains it, he never set out to begin a solo career - it was almost inadvertent.

“I wasn’t playing with a band, and music doesn’t care whether you decide to go on a hiatus or not - it just keeps coming,” he says. “I put down basslines and started out with the idea of ‘Okay, I don’t really even understand how to write a song on my own,’ so I just made each bassline a song and then worked towards it that way by putting lyrical ideas that could go with it. It was a long process for the first record to feel like I knew what I was doing at all.”

From the very beginning, a couple of kids in Australia were paying close attention. Self-styled Sydney ‘soca punk’ band Gallucci were so taken with Joe’s There to Here LP that they took it upon themselves to learn the songs and get in contact with Joe to convince him to tour Australia. And now, years later, their initiative has paid off. “[Galluci] sent me files of them playing all my songs and I was just like, ‘whoa, these guys are intense!’” Joe marvels. “And they’re kids - kids to me - but they really put a lot of time and energy into it. I’ve stayed in touch with them and finally got somebody to organise a tour.”

It’ll be a welcome return for Joe, who’s been absent from our shores since Fugazi last toured in the mid-‘90s. “The times that we were there do kind of blur together but I’ve always enjoyed going to Australia,” he says.

Rather quaintly, he recalls a tale of camping on a beach between shows with Shellac. “That was an incredibly unforgettable experience,” Joe remembers. “We were far enough from cities that we could just see all the stars and satellites moving - those are pretty great memories from there. Longer ago, I turned thirty in Tasmania and we had a day off after that. The Fugazi rule was that if you had a day off you got to choose what everyone did if it was your birthday, so we went and saw Tasmanian Devils being fed at night.”

There’ll be no such luxuries this time ‘round, however. With a family to attend to, Joe has a limited window of opportunity and so his schedule is packed. After touching down, he’ll meet up with Gallucci for two days of rehearsals before they set off around the country, playing a show every night. Days off, birthdays or not, won’t be an option.

“I kind of argue against [days off ] anyway,” Joe laughs. “We do what we can to avoid them - I can only be away for so long. When you’re going that far away, if you can do a show you’re going to do it.”

Joe Lally and Gallucci play the Transit Bar on Sunday March 8, supported

by Spartak. Entry is free. There to Here and Nothing is Underrated are available via Dischord.

"A strong image shouldn’t have to rely on the fame or familiarity of the subject for impact, either - a cool pic’s a cool pic, regardless of who it’s of"

it p e h in t Peter Krbavac With a voracious appetite for gigs, and a good decade spent on the books of this ol’ rag, local photographer ANDREW MAYO has amassed a hefty archive, documenting a decade of music in Canberra and around Australia. After a lengthy and painful selection process, Andrew has collected the best images from his years in the trenches for his first exhibition, GUYS, GIRLS, GUITARS. It opens at The Huw Davies Gallery at Photoaccess in Manuka on Thursday March 12, before moving to The Front in Lyneham on Wednesday April 1.

It’s fitting that after his exhibition opening, Andrew will be hotfooting it across town to catch Midnight Oil’s first reunion show, as the Oils were where it all started for this keen photographer back in the late-‘90s.

“Ten or 11 years ago I approached Midnight Oil frontman, Peter Garrett, after a gig in Sydney and asked to shoot an Oils show. To my surprise, he said yes!” Andrew remembers. “Two weeks later, I was in the photographer’s pit at the Parramatta Leagues Club with my old Nikon FE2, a manual-focus 50mm lens, three rolls of black and white film... and a stomach churning with excitement! I was hooked immediately on the thrill of being so close to the action and the challenge of capturing the raw energy of a live performance up close. I’ve included my favourite pic from that first show in the exhibition - a grainy, black and white of Garrett belting it out - to provide some context of where it all began for me.”

Guys, Girls, Guitars charts Andrew’s humble beginnings in Parramatta through overflowing inner-city pubs, beer-drenched refectories, heaving stadiums and sun-beaten festivals, presenting a diverse range of subjects, with a heavy focus on Australian artists. Indeed, images of the debonair Tim Rogers and You Am I litter the exhibition - not surprising, given its title - betraying Andrew’s fondness for the classic Australian group. When asked if he has a favourite subject, the answer is inevitable.

“I’ve shot Tim Rogers and his band of merry men a lot over the last few years, and I never come away disappointed," he says. "In fact, of the images that narrowly missed the cut for the exhibition, a disproportionate number of them are of Rogers and You Am I. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s just something about him that makes him the perfect subject. He pens a great tune, too.”

Andrew admits that ever since his passion for photography took hold, it’s changed his gig going habits. “It’s terrible, but I find it very difficult to go to a show without a camera,” he smiles. “If I do, I’m constantly whining to the person I’m with about how great the light is, and how much I wish I was shooting. If there’s a band I really want to see, and there are lots, I try and catch back-to-back shows where I can shoot one night and then leave the cameras at home on the next.”

Asked what makes a great image, Andrew makes emphasis of atmosphere - something the selection of images that comprise Guys, Girls, Guitars captures admirably.

“I love images that capture the atmosphere of a live show; pics that somehow grab everything that’s amazing about a gig or a band and squeeze it into a two-dimensional image. It’s bloody hard to do!” he exclaims “But there’s no hard and fast rule for what makes a great shot. It could be a tight portrait of an artist in a quiet moment; a smile between band members; or a dynamic, wide-angle image capturing band-crowd engagement. A strong image shouldn’t have to rely on the fame or familiarity of the subject for impact, either - a cool pic’s a cool pic, regardless of who it’s of.”

Guys, Girls, Guitars, supported by the ACT Government, runs from March 12 to 29 at Photoaccess, Manuka, and between April 1 and 14 at The Front, Lyneham. A limited number of prints will also be for sale. For more info head to www.andrewmayo.com.au . bma magazine 23

THE OLD HEAVE-HO "Because our backs were a little against the wall we pushed it harder, we left all the contract stuff and concentrated on writing the best album"

Justin Hook Peter Turner, bassist for Mancunian five piece ELBOW, is feeling the wrong side of shabby. “We’ve had quite a few mad days recently. Today’s the first in a while that I feel fresh,” he admits. “We were down for the Southbank Show Awards on Monday (where his group won best album for 2008’s The Seldom Seen Kid) and the partying sort of spilled over.” As well it should. The band are riding an enormous wave of critical acclaim that started around September last year when they won the highest peer assessed industry accolade in the UK – The Mercury Prize.

Since then it’s been a steady stream of top ten finishes in year ending round-ups and enough award show receptions to make you dizzy. They must be relishing the attention the album is receiving, I wonder aloud with a surprisingly chipper Turner adding: “Yeah, it’s obviously very good – we love free booze and food!” Well yes, but then it’s not all champagne and canapés. “It was two years writing the album and some points it got a bit heavy and hairy and to come out the other side to have your music recognised... it feels very good for a change.”

The turbulence Turner is referring to came about after the band had finished touring 2005’s Leaders of the Free World. Despite being on the receiving end of its own share of critical acclaim the album was faltering commercially, as Turner explains wearily. “People didn’t have a clue it was even out! So we basically downed tools.” In a beautiful twist sure to warm the hearts of struggling musicians and frustrated consumers everywhere, the band decided to give their label – V2 – their marching orders. “We worked really hard to get the album done, we struggle and then they don’t promote it. What’s the point?” he asks rhetorically. “We love our job but they weren’t holding up their side of the bargain.”

Of course it’s always wise to have a backup plan should you find yourself in similar circumstances and, as one of Britain’s most adored bands, they didn’t have to wait long. Polydor and Fiction had expressed interest in the band, even to the point of wanting to re-release Leaders of the Free World but, naturally, V2 gazumped this proposal. It took over a year for the band to extricate themselves from their old label but, far from being a time of high anxiety, they returned to the studio with renewed vigour and a sense of urgency, remembers Turner. “Because our backs were a little against the wall we pushed it harder, we left all the contract stuff and concentrated on writing the best album.” That intensity is particularly evident on the album’s first single Grounds for Divorce, a monstrous percussive thumper wrapped around singer Guy Garvey’s trademarked gruff, honey-toned melodic soar. As difficult as the gestation period may have been, Turner has no regrets. “In hindsight all the troubles were worth it. It was a lot more intense than I remember it being so to come out the end of it... it’s fantastic.” bma magazine 24

Now that the hard part’s over and done and they’re rolling in statues, the timing seems right for a well deserved lap of victory. Accordingly, the band recently found themselves at the famed Abbey Road Studios performing The Seldom Seen Kid with the BBC Concert Orchestra fiddling about in the background. If the idea of playing at such an iconic location in front of a small group of friends with orchestra in tow seems daunting, you’d be right, admits Turner. “We were all pretty nervous about it. When you’ve got a big orchestra behind you’ve got a lot more to lose and we didn’t want to fuck it up in front of loads of people.” True to form, they didn’t and the evidence can be found on the accompanying DVD/CD Live From Abbey Road, available through the band’s website.

But don’t go thinking Elbow are turning into one of those “album-allthe-way-through” bands. Diving straight into my pet hate topic I find an appreciative collaborator in Turner. “I’m a little suspicious of bands that have a load of albums out but then head back about six albums to one in the early part of their career that did really well and never quite got it back again.” It seems odd that rock music, the music of rebellion and anger, has been captured by such an anachronistic and conservative concept as playing it the way it was released years ago. Where’s the surprise? That anticipatory excitement? I see no difference whatsoever between a well-received, but ultimately joyless run-through of Daydream Nation and another Eagles' Greatest Hits tour. Turner continues on the theme: “It’s almost like living on past glories. They can’t get it back, so they have to rely on something they did ten years ago. With us we hope that every album is a step forward. I wouldn’t like to think we’d be going out playing Asleep in the Back (Elbow’s 2001 debut LP) all the way through.

None of us would do that now, it’s not really on our agenda.” Hypocrisy note: Turner and co. approached the concept a little differently after being approached by a producer from Later… with Jools Holland. “For us, it was an album that we were promoting anyway so if we were ever going to do it now’s the time. It felt a little bit special. We don’t usually get nerves these days so it was nice having that feeling again.”

Elbow are swapping friendly studio gigs for a string of European stadium shows, finishing up at Wembley in a few weeks time before heading over to Australia for the V Festival and Turner, like any Vitamin D deficient Manchester resident, is eager. “Festivals are great fun ‘cause you just drink loads, play music, catch up with people and have a potter around.

Judging by the weather you get over there it’s gonna be a great festival.

Is it any good?” Resisting the urge to spread vicious lies, I point out the obvious – V Festival is pitched firmly at those who probably know a thing or two about mortgages and the advanced stages of hair loss. Turner seems content. “We did a few festivals last year that would have had the same crowd and we had a fantastic time.” And you’re guaranteed to have a fantastic time as well, I bet my mortgage-addled ass on it.

As Captain Hook points out, you can catch Elbow as part of the line-up for V Festival, alongside The Killers, Snow Patrol, The Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Duffy, Louis XIV, The Do, Tame Impala, M83, Madness, The Human League and many more. The V Festival takes in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands on March 28, the Gold Coast’s AVICA Resort on March 29, the Melbourne Showgrounds on April 4 and Perth’s Claremont Showgrounds on April 5. For more info and tickets, head to www.vfestival.com.au .

es l l e B ng i R l Wil “We know how to let the music take over” David Butler Every band that aims to reach an audience bigger than its immediate circle of friends and family needs to produce an album at some point.

It’s a music industry tradition. Over the last 50 years, the full-length LP has become the standard currency of the music world. Whether it’s a good unit of currency or not is another matter. For many bands, the amount of quality songs needed to make a good album proves far beyond them and the result is three good tunes and a whole bunch of junk. This happens so often that a full, rich, well-structured album is now the exception rather than the rule.

Perched up among the fragrant eucalypts of the Blue Mountains, psychedelic rockers BELLES WILL RING have already proven their musical prowess on the band’s 2007 album, Mood Patterns. When it came to the recording of album number two, however, the lads found themselves a little hard up for tunes. The band’s singer/guitarist Aidan Roberts tells me how Belles Will Ring got over this little hurdle.

“We were planning a full-length record,” Roberts says, “but we got to a point where this group of seven songs was shaping up so well and the rest of the songs weren’t. We were losing a bit of inspiration as to how it was all going to come together as a full album, because it’s pretty important to have a good flow to an album, and it wasn’t doing that. We found that when we removed the songs that we were less comfortable with, we ended up with these seven tracks that really work well together and kind of amount to a snappy, short album.”

Belles Will Ring then convinced their record label to put out the material as a shiny new mini-album, titled Broader Than Broadway. Roberts says his band is stoked with how it came out.

“It worked out well in all areas I think. It saved us the stress of trying to solve a puzzle of how to put it together as an album, because it was already just there in a shorter form. It’s cool to have something that’s not that long, but really focused. We couldn’t be happier with it really.”

Broader than Broadway features the classic Belles Will Ring elements of jangly psychedelic guitars and layered vocal harmonies, but with some new twists and turns added into the sound.

“We managed to do a few new things with this record that we haven’t done before: it’s a bit more dynamic and it still has that intensity that the first album had, but it’s also got a lot of sweetness in it as well. It’s been good to continue that Belles Will Ring sound on this album, and then on the next record we’ll take a bit of a left turn.”

Now touring their new mini-album across the country, Belles Will Ring will stop in Canberra to showcase their new material.

I mention to Roberts that it’s a sign of a very strong and creative bunch of musicians that his band was able to step out of the way and let these new songs take their own course.

“That’s definitely the case with us in all our musical projects,” he replies.

“We make music for music’s sake and let it do its thing. Belles Will Ring lives largely on the road and when we’re touring we like to try out new things on stage. We’ve always got those vocal parts there to bind it together, but I feel like it’s an alive thing when we’re all playing together.

It’s definitely a strength that we feel we’ve got as a band, that we know how to let the music take over.”

Belles Will Ring play the Transit Bar on Saturday March 14, supported by Philadelphia Grand Jury and Little Scout. Entry is free. bma magazine 25

BLACKBOX

As with last year, it seems Underbelly is don’t miss television. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities (WIN, Mon, 8.30pm) has even the critics and doubters on side. Those who thought there was only room for one drama based on the true story of Australia’s organised crime figures have had to eat their words. It seems that we will never get bored of cops and crims.

While the blockbuster new series rage on over at Auntie, which is jampacked with six episode runs from the UK, it’s time for the changing of the guard. One of the new shows on their roster is Lost in Austen (ABC1, Sun Mar 8, 8.30pm) where the 21st century heroine trades places with Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet, unwittingly changing the tale - kind of like an English version of Playing Beatie Bow. Adding to the plethora of interesting movie stars taking part in quality telly dramas, Whoopi Goldberg joins the brilliant Harvey Keitel in this week’s episode of the US version of Life on Mars (SCTEN, Thu Mar 5, 8.30pm).

Jennifer Byrne puts a new spin on her book show with genre specific episodes, the first of which is Hoaxes (ABC1, Tue Mar 10, 10.05pm).

Elvis Costello will host a new interview series, Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… (ABC2, Fri Mar 20, 8.30pm) which kicks off with Elton John and includes the likes of Lou Reed, Bill Clinton and The Police in following weeks.

ELVIS COSTELLO

Yet another British show to start airing is Pulling (ABC1, Thu Mar 5, 9.55pm) which looks a bit like it’s trying to be a 21st century version of Friends, beginning with a storyline where the main character runs out on her fiancé the day before her wedding and turns up at the flat her two single girlfriends are sharing.

Rockwiz will feature a special double episode live from Myer Music Bowl (SBS, Sat Mar 7, 9.20pm) as its season finale. The show will feature performances by 17 different acts.

As promised Blackbox continues its tour of European television throughout the southern European states of Italy and Spain. The first thing to note in Italy is the amount of game shows on the screen. And in prime time too - Wheel of Fortune isn’t relegated to the early evening pre-news timeslot here. The second difference from Northern Europe is that the American shows are dubbed in Italian or Spanish - if there are subtitles, they are the local dialect rather than English.

And as an aside, a fellow traveler reports that the most popular show on Mexican television is McLeod’s Daughters .

TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyheffernan@bigpond.com bma magazine 26

Tim Galvin

JUDITH LUCY has a lot more going for her than just having two first names. She has been one of Australia’s favourite sarcastic observers for the best part of the last quarter-century, having starred in the three biggest mediums of mirth: stand-up comedy, radio and television. The 2009 Judith Lucy’s Not Getting Any Younger tour celebrates her 20th anniversary in stand-up and boy, must her legs be tired!

“I’m really feeling my age at the moment,” Lucy admits. “I’m in my fourth week of the show at the Opera House in Sydney and, pardon the French, but I’m fucked!”

To wind the clock back a few decades, Judith first came to our attention way back in 1989 as a star of the ABC’s much lauded Late Show along with such household names as Mick Molloy, Tony Martin and Rob Sitch.

This spot led to many other appearances on TV and radio, but it was stand-up comedy that just kept reeling her back in with its promises of untold wealth and glittering notoriety.

Last year heralded a momentous achievement for Judith as she had her first book published, a cheeky tell-all biography of her life growing up with nutty Irish parents called The Lucy Family Alphabet. The book garnered a swag of great reviews from the press and public alike, topping many best seller lists in the process - which was a revelation for the Aussie entertainer.

For something a bit funnier catch The Cut (ABC1, Mon, 9.35pm), just the thing after a dose of Underbelly.

*cringe*.

a new age

“Essentially, it’s just that I’m not good at anything else!” she exclaims.

“I was sacked from my job in radio, my last TV appearance was on the Mick Molloy show which was also axed, so I guess that’s why I keep coming back to stand-up!”

For a different kind of rock doco, check out The Rolling Stones: Truth and Lies (ABC1, Fri Mar 6, 11.30pm).

No Heroics (ABC2, Fri Mar 20, 9.30pm) is a British comedy about b-list superheroes. Not one of the best British comedies but better than watching another repeat of Pretty Woman or Happy Gilmore.

"I’m in my fourth week of the show at the Opera House in Sydney and, pardon the French, but I’m fucked!"

“It was a big surprise, but I always like to go into things with low expectations,” Lucy says. “I wanted a break from stand-up and this was the perfect excuse to put my feet up for 12 months. The downside was I spent the whole time thinking about my childhood and my crazy family, so it was hard not to go completely insane.”

While aware that it may well be one of the most common catechisms you can pose to a stand-up comedian, I just had to enquire about what her first experience was like taking the stage with sweaty palms in a seedy nightspot full of boisterous drunkards - and also, what would possess someone to take the plunge?

“You see some people drop their pants at a party and think ‘Wow, I’d be really funny’ and turn up at these amateur nights and really aren’t that hilarious. I talked about doing stand-up for a year before I did it and the first night was at this place called Le Joke upstairs at the Last Laugh.

I had decided that props were the way to go and brought this box of things like toilet paper on stage with me... the whole act was met with a barrage of mystified silence.”

The Not Getting Any Younger tour is another no-holds-barred, intrinsic masterpiece taking audiences on a one way trip to Judithville, a place full of swarthy rhetoric, improvised analysis and eight track tapes.

“My shows are always about just whatever comes into my head. I’ve turned 40 now so this one is just all the good stuff and bad stuff that comes with getting older. There is a section in the show called Ask a Young Person, so young people out there don’t miss out in my show - you will all go home with a free cassette.”

If that’s an offer you can’t refuse, you better make sure you get your ticket to see Judith when she plays the Canberra Theatre on Friday 6 March at 7pm.

Tickets are $39.50 through Canberra Ticketing.

THEATRE COLUMN Every year the NC experiences an event which one could, if one wanted to, describe along Arendtian parameters - but we won’t go there. At least not yet. Yes, that’s right, Theatre Column is talking CATS – the Canberra Area Theatre Awards – which a few Saturdays ago booted into the pro-am posterior a flurry of awards. Most of the biggies went to Free Rain’s production of Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, garnering Best Play, Actor and Actress. Supa’s The Wedding Singer cleaned up in the Musicals category, with Best Musical, Actor and Supporting Actress wins, while stalwart and good-ol-fashunned drinkin’ buddy Ian Croker won the ‘coveted’ Golden Cat. Now, for less predictable news.

Alive and Well Is theatre at the street. You all know by now Theatre Column’s fondness for an enjambed subtitle, but at least here it partially incorporates some of what is about to be related. The Street’s Big Show of the moment is Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, and is on NOW until March 21. It’s a bioplay about Belgian songwriter Jacques Brel, directed by Street AD Caroline Stacey and featuring Oz Legend Geraldine Turner. Zut alors! Or something… Cabaret addicts will also be pleased to note that the Street’s ever popular Cabaret Crème season has been announced, with many a delectable dainty on offer.

Check out the website.

The Street presents “Jacques Brel…” at Street 1, showing now until March 21. Tix $25-$39. Bookings can be made at the B.O. on 6247 1223.

Free Rain Strikes Back Or rather, again. First big show of the year for these AmDram heavyweights is The Pink Panther Strikes Again, which as long as they have Peter Sellers, or perhaps some sort of Peter Sellers-manqué (TC uses the word only because TC has been waiting ever so long to use it in its correct context), should be popular.

Free Rain presents The Pink Panther Strikes Again at the Courtyard Studio, March 19 to April 4. Tix $28/$22, thru Canberra Ticketing.

Happy Birthday Jigsaw!

Jigsaw Theatre Company this year celebrates its 35th birthday – an age not easily associated with youth theatre – with a season of collaborations, reinventions, and revisitations. In June, the company will collaborate with W.A.’s Buzz Dance Theatre to create a new work for Early Childhood, while August will see the company touring schools, reinterpreting the Peter Pan tale with Wendy. For more information or to check out Jigsaw’s 2009 programme in full, head to their website at www.jigsawtheatre.com.au . Congratulations!

Three Little Maids From School Ah, that old chestnut, G&S. So comforting, so perfectly perfect in its rhyme schema. Yes, Philo (of which I managed to miss almost everything they produced in 2008, slap me on the wrist and take away my pudding!) is bringing us the classic of comic operetta, The Mikado. Get on it. If you like anapestic hexameter. Oh yeah. Does it for TC every time.

Canberra Philharmonic presents The Mikado at Erindale Theatre, March 5 to 21. Tix $38 - $45, call Philo Ticketing on 6247 4456.

NAOMI MILTHORPE princessnaea@gmail.com

bma magazine 27

DISCOLOGY SINGLED OUT

WITH DAVE RUBY HOWE Cassie Davis Like It Loud (Sony BMG) Points for trying. But it’s like the forgotten Katy Perry B-Side you never knew existed. Because it never got released. Because it was too shit to even be a B-Side to that one about nailing other chicks. So it became a C-Side. And that never existed until this song came out and required we invent something called a C-Side. And then they released an album of C-Sides.

Called C-Side Shanties: Where Songs Go To Die. That is all.

Junior Boys Hazel (Domino) Remember Junior Boys? Remember me and Junior Boys? How they completely floored me in 2006 with So This Is Goodbye, the incredible, heartswelling record album of the year that I still listen to today? Yeah. Them.

They’re back. And they’ve gotten… kind of cheery. They’ve honed their electro-soul to a fine art here, with smart, considered moves all throughout, from the cascading 808s to the barely-there synth solo. Coming to a Best-of-2009 list near you.

Lost Valentinos Serio (Etc Etc) Cities of Gold indeed. The lead single from the upcoming title of that name is a wonderfully hazy skirmish through an endless South American desert. It’s the band searching for their fortune but instead finding untold treasures in the form of booming tribal drums, Rudi van DiSarzio-style backwards guitar solos and Ewan Pearson’s sun-soaked production touches. Let me spell it out.

Solid gold.

T-Pain ft. Chris Brown Freeze (Sony BMG) I actually like T-Pain. Dude’s unconventional. Chubby, garish and robotic, the guy shouldn’t be a pop star. But he kills it. And he makes me want a vocoder just so I can say ‘shorty’ through it all day. And this is unconventional, forward-gazing pop with its sparse structure just begging for those drums. Oh and there’s this Chris Brown fellow in there. He seems like a nice, gentle kind of guy.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Zero (Modular) It’s kind of not the return that I expected of YYYs. I guess I was wanting a little more bite. But this is pretty polished. The bounding beat, the bubbling sequencers. It’s very fun. So I’m going to go with it. I mean, they’re the kind of band that have always done whatever they want, so now, if they want to make bouncy, danceable indie-rock hybrids then okay, I’ll still be listening.

bma magazine 28

Ben Lee The Rebirth of Venus (Universal Music) Ben Lee has gone in search if his female side in this light and creamy pop offering, chock full of upbeat melodies and feelgood lyrics largely concerned with the good things of life. You are invited to sing to yourself, surrender to life and rise up together, in spite of everything. A studio choir appears in a few songs, adding to the ‘happy, happy, joy, joy’ vibe, but not to the quality of the music. But under the fluff there are some deeper themes.

I Love Pop Music introduces a list of global problems, environmental issues etc, on the basis that pop music is an avenue of addressing these as ‘philosophy that you can dance to.’

The issue of gender stereotyping arises in Boy With a Barbie and the album examines female sexuality from woman as earth mother to woman as an object of desire. I’m a Woman Too pays homage to Helen Reddy’s anthemic I Am Woman from the ‘70s.

The album has plenty of catchy beats, particularly Yoko Ono, and some of the lyrics are pretty clever, but the overall theme is unlikely to appeal to tattooed, head-banging blokes.

RORY McCARTNEY

three tracks dedicated to warning the listener about the vile iniquity of fame and fortune (ironic this, since SM are about as likely to become famous and fortunate as Allan Sko’s doomedsince-inception handbag pasadoble collective, Looseface), but really what’s on offer here sounds like a motley collection of offcuts and misfits that didn’t make the cut on any of main songwriter Rich Ward’s other projects.

Hence you get some truly horrible modern rock (Friends, a desperate stab at Kid Rock-styled feelgood redneckery, complete with hackneyed ‘70s southern rock riffage), terribly dated samples of wild-eyed evangelists testifying, rapper Lord Nelson’s declamatory whaddya-meanits-not-1988? rhyming, a horrible take on Olivia Newton John’s rhinestone epic Country Roads and some halfhearted heavy metal. Which is sad, as this band - 12 years ago - were touted as some sort of trailblazer, their synthesis of brutal riffwork and dirty southern rapping on albums such as Rising and Pigwalk gaining plaudits from many deemed ‘in the know.’

Memories of those days are brought to bear briefly on the monolithic The Flood, but one song in a dozen isn’t enough to revive a career, and if you’ve any sense you won’t go anywhere near this sorry mess of an album.

NAMBUCCO ‘SOUTHERN BORN REVIEWER’ DELIRIA

Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream (Columbia/Sony) Bruce Bossteen is back, and dare I say he has quite a kick to his tambourine. There is a word that gets attached to these old boys quite a bit, ‘IT’, and whether or not they still have ‘IT’ is a great bone of contention amongst those within the music world, whether it be fans, critics or other musicians. What ‘IT’ is exactly is uncertain. Record sales? Credibility?

Class? The ability to resist selling out to a company that designs luggage?

Respect from the younger set? An invitation to a private party on Bono’s jet? I am certainly unsure, but if I had to say what ‘IT’ was then I would say that it would have something to do with the quality of their last record, even if it sold dismally. If the LPs is up to par with their previous work then the artist still has ‘IT’ - and Bruce Springsteen still has ‘IT’. Working on a Dream has just enough Americana, Dylanesque wordsmithery, folk, strings, small-town love stories, optimism and cock rock to make it classic Springsteen. Something which I am sure he and the rest of the E-Street Band are hell-fire sure proud of. A fantastic album that is full of what ever ‘IT’ is, and a touching send-off to deceased E-Street member Dan Federici.

TIMOTHY BOCQUET

The Whitest Boy Alive Rules (POD/Inertia) This band makes me want to breed bees. Ultimately I would harvest them for their skins, from which I would make a very cool bee-skin three-piece suit. They make me want to dig up my Grandfather’s safari boots, buried somewhere in Kenya with my Grandfather in them. They make me want to lick a toadstool.

Stuck Mojo The Great Revival (Napalm/Riot Distribution) It’s difficult to know where to start in detailing the very many things that are wrong about this album, Stuck Mojo’s seventh.

Suffice to say, it fails on so many levels you could attach it to a shopping mall and park 1,500 cars in it. A loose concept is in evidence - there are

They make me want to hit the dance floor and move my body in ways that would shock the author of the Kama Sutra. That’s how lung-contractingly laksa-good this band is. The singer, coming from a myriad of bands and projects - most famously Kings of Convenience - delivers a folky balladeer-type of microphone spray over the funkiest thing out of Germany since Bowie’s hair left the county circa ‘77. The four-piece record all the songs live in one take and don’t add on anything that can’t be played live. They write music that you can’t help but move your body to and seem to have tapped into what I and Lewis Carol can only describe as “Disco through the looking glass.” It is dreamy, languid, bright, funky and rolly-polly-thumpypumpy. I can only recommend the album so much. Maybe you should buy it and start doing the same…

TIMOTHY BOCQUET Various Artists 100% Dynamite!: Dancehall Reggae Meets Rap In New York City (Soul Jazz Records) The Soul Jazz label manages to find the freshest roots, reggae and dancehall tracks to furnish their releases every time. The latest in their 100% Dynamite series - this time it’s dancehall colliding with hiphop in the Big Apple - is 13 tracks of hard-to-find, soundsystem booming musical treats for your dancing feets.

Bluntworthy beats and deliriously droll deejay dribble will see this release becoming a part of any dancehall reggae follower’s record collection.

This reviewers pick? Fuschnickens Ring the Alarm, but the tracks by Supercat, Shinehead, Shaggy, Born Jamericans and Rayvon are right up there.

SIMON HOBBS

PJ Harvey & John Parish A Woman A Man Walked By (Universal Music) Within seconds of Black Hearted Love, the first single and starter track of the new collaboration between Polly Harvey and John Parish, it’s clear Harvey has located her guitar. Not quite the ostentatious, bold slashing entrance of Big Exit nor the brittle, intense scratchy cathartic horror start of Rid Of Me, it’s definitely somewhere betwixt; an arresting departure point that’s somewhat disingenuous as a predictor of what follows. Say, for example, the mandolin-based bright eyed menace of Sixteen, Fifteen, Fourteen that ramps up just as you’re settling down with your Earl Grey. It’s the sound of Plant/Page eyeing off Polly from the top of a misty hill, just beyond an abandoned castle. Leaving California must surely give Lisa Germano’s copyright lawyer shakes in the night, but all that gets forgotten as the jittery, late night cab ride of The Chair shakes us up again and returns us to the start with one criminally brief appetizing, descending arpeggio. Blink and its over. We’re halfway through and the somnambulist dirge of April is a perfect excuse to go for a five minute dash down the shops to stock up on imported cheese and crackers. Yum! As if playing to the concept of flipping a old 33 1/3 ‘record’ over, the title track is the next immediate attention grabber, sounding like a Steve Albini-era cast off (“He had chicken balls/He had chicken livered spleen”) – but it’s an unexpected two parter and the instrumental fade out The Crow Knows Where All the Little Children Go is a little bit of Beefheart and a little bit of Lindsey Buckingham, frantic harmonic tweeting and everything. It’s jarring, and I’m not sure it works. Pig Will Not is the fantasy song of all those yearning for aggressive shattering chords set to Polly barking like a dog. With wonky booze-hall piano outros it’s awfully close to self parody. The entire venture is rescued in stunning fashion by the tender despairing call of Passionless, Pointless (“You wanted less than I wanted/Where does the love go?/I am asking/There’s no kindness in your hands”). In lesser hands it would sound like a spotty teenager’s lament and downright cringe-worthy; in Harvey’s its visceral, tangible and present - like most of A Woman A Man Walked By, despite minor flat spots. There’s much to be said for ferocious love stories set to the stark strains guitar, piano, drums and mandolin and as someone who had lost interest in Harvey, it feels good to be back.

JUSTIN HOOK

READ ABOUT IT "We know after all this time that collectively we can be of more use than we can individually"

Justin Hook The bushfires that gouged Victoria early last month were devastating.

Australia’s largest natural disaster on record, they woke the nation up from our annual summer slumber and served as a harsh reminder of our fragile co-existence with nature. The images were bleak, the personal accounts horrifying and the results catastrophic. Whole towns disappeared. As relief efforts rapidly churned into action, the murmurs of a benefit gig became louder by the day. And sure enough, a couple of weeks later and no doubt after exhaustive hours on the phone, two giants of the Australian music industry – Michaels Chugg and Gudinski – announced concerts in Melbourne and Sydney.

Capitalising on tours by two of the biggest bands in the world at the moment in Kings of Leon and Coldplay, and securing attendance responses from the cream of the current crop of local artists was probably a no-brainer. By all accounts, there was much jostling within the music industry to get on the bill. Understandably, everyone wanted to help however they could.

But the real coup d’état has been a mini revolution of reformations: MIDNIGHT OIL, Split Enz and Hunters and Collectors are playing in line-ups that haven’t existed for years. And for once we Canberrans are reaping the rewards for living in the oft-overlooked political heart of the nation, in the form of two highly-anticipated warm up shows by Midnight Oil in the days preceding Sound Relief.

Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst explains the Canberra shows as pragmatism at work, the city chosen “quite literally because we could wander down the hill to the rehearsal room. We had to grab any hour we can, given his incredible workload and what he has on his plate every week.” He is Peter Garrett of course. The former Midnight Oil lead singer and current Member for Kingsford-Smith somehow has to find time in a busy Parliamentary schedule to get back to match fitness, but Hirst is cautiously optimistic. “His electorate has some of the finest beaches in NSW so hopefully he’s had time to get down and do some of that legendary bodysurfing he was always so good at.” Honestly - the sight of a giant, bald Minister for the Environment carving up the Maroubra breaks would surely rectify Sydney’s current status as shark attack capital of the world.

It’s been five years since Midnight Oil played a short headline slot at Wave Aid (the Tsunami benefit concert in early 2005), but this time around it’ll be the real deal. “The Canberra shows will be full length shows, the sort of shows we did when we were touring,” explains an energetic and obviously enthused Hirst, adding “we’ll have the brass section as well. It’ll be a big reunion of band and crew and management.”

It’s a reunion as unlikely as it is anticipated. “You know, the last time we played was under equally tragic circumstances and we definitely thought that was our last ever show. We’d put the band to bed.” But events have a habit of overcoming circumstance and despite distance (Nashville resident and bassist Bones Hillman will be flying in for the shows) and career constraints, the Midnight Oil engine turned over

pretty quickly once the call came in, as Hirst explains. “Pete was the one who put his hand up first saying we should do this. Given his incredible workload and the fact that we have to put in some pretty intensive time before we get up there, it’s indicative of the passion within the ranks to do something. Because we know after all this time that collectively we can be of more use than we can individually.”

And for a band that sweated blood on stage, one that earnt a hardfought reputation in the sodden pubs that used to litter Sydney’s northern beaches, it’s these sort of shows that mean the most to Hirst.

“You know it’s funny, the Oils did a lot of shows over 25 years and the ones that I mainly remember are the ones that meant something, where we lent our names to something special.” Hunt down footage of their guerrilla gig on Wall Street in the early ‘90s if you need confirmation.

The practicalities of these reunion shows extend beyond remembering the riffs and leafing through the pages of a dusty lyric book. There’s the issue of the set-list: what is appropriate, what is possible and, ultimately, how many songs can they fit in? Last week scurrilous media commentators attempted to draw an awkward link between Garrett the Politician and Garrett the Musician, an implication Hirst justifiably bristles at. “It’s important to remember the vast majority of songs were written by Jim [Moginie, the band’s keyboardist/guitarist] and I. Then the whole band contributed to recording the songs.” It’s a worn out chestnut that goes a little something like this: Midnight Oil were a passionate, socially progressive and comprehensively active band who wrote songs about issues – they wore their opinions on their sleeves with pride and, where appropriate, anger. So apparently it’s impossible to sing those songs without being a hypocrite now that one of them happens to warm the front benches of that pointy building on the hill.

Not only illogical, it’s a foul slap in the face of those who bore the brunt of the bushfires and it reeks of callous point scoring of the lowest order.

Hirst agrees. “I think some people have forgotten why many of the bands from the mighty Split Enz to Hunters are getting back together … to some of the younger ones like Kings of Leon and Coldplay and this incredible line-up. Let’s not forget the reason we’re doing this show and leave that sort of discussion out.”

And besides, they wrote the damn songs - they’ll decide which ones to play live and in whichever order they want. “We’ve got about 160 to 170 which we recorded and played for the best part of 25 years, and if we don’t have an opportunity now to play these Midnight Oil songs in any order we want then I’m not sure when were gonna get it again.”

The opportunity to see one the fiercest live bands this country has ever produced in such an intimate setting is one not to be missed, and for those wishing to complete the experience, take Hirst’s advice and make the trip to Melbourne to support the bushfire relief effort in full. “It’ll be one of those events that people remember for their whole lives. It’s more than just another gig.”

Midnight Oil play the Royal Theatre on Thursday March 12 and Friday March 13. Tickets from Ticketek. They, along with Kings of Leon, Split Enz, Jack Johnson and a host of others, will play at the Melbourne leg of Sound Relief at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday March 14. If you can’t make it to Melbourne, Coldplay are headlining an equally impressive lineup at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the same day. Tickets through Ticketek and more info at www.soundrelief.com.au . bma magazine 29

Cell Out

With Mark Russell; he had sex with a Nazi. His leather-bound copy of The Kama Sutra was not well received.

Flickerfest is back in town in 2009. On March 21 and 22, Dendy cinemas will host two of the programmes: International 2 and Best of Australian Shorts. For more information go to www.flickerfest.com.au or just get along and support the festival. Go on, get involved!

Last Chance Harvey

bma magazine 30

“It doesn’t matter what I think. It doesn’t matter what I feel. The dead are still dead.”

Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet): The Reader

You know that old oil heater that your parent’s were really fond of, the one that sat all dusty and unnoticed in the corner, took ages to warm up and smelt a little musty when you first turned it on? Last Chance Harvey is that comforting hunk of metal, in cinematic form. It’s the kind of nice story that baby boomers will appreciate: getting old, living with regret and sensible romances.

Harvey (Dustin Hoffman) is visiting London for his daughter’s wedding, momentarily leaving behind a troubled career in New York writing advertising jingles. A succession of minorly calamitous choices and awkward moments precede him exiting moments after the ceremony to

catch his flight back. Further bad luck leads to him meeting sheltered and depressed Kate (Emma Thompson).

Once these two giants of drama meet, the screen lights up. Witticisms and charisma pop up like retirees on The Great Ocean Road. But it takes half the bloody film for this to happen.

Up 'til then it’s a slow spin round the depressive drain of these people’s lives.

Harvey is permanently down-trodden and Kate wears the weight of the world round her shoulders like a second-hand scarf.

This film is not aimed at young audiences. It is intended to entertain those who have too many past woes and too much common sense for heated passion.

This makes it very difficult to get over the initial narrative hump of Last Chance Harvey. This effect is further heightened by the fact that it’s hard to understand how two actors of this calibre can be so dull. But then they get together and things sizzle… or at least momentarily simmer.

If the recklessness of youth interferes with your heart medication, then this is the film for you. It’s gentle, introspective and offers few surprises.

This makes it hard to get excited about however - it’s just too old for that sort of thing.

The Reader Great films ask the important questions. Exceptional films ask the hard ones – and don’t offer easy answers. The Reader is an exceptional film – thought-provoking, poignant and both beautiful and bleak.

Set in Germany between 19 1958 and 1995, The Reader tells the story of 199 a teenager, Michael (David Kross), and his brief affair with an older woman, Hanna (Kate Winslet). Years later, Michael discovers Hanna again, standing trial for her involvement in the S.S. Told through a combination of flashbacks, the film follows Michael’s lifelong, bittersweet connection with the woman who both awakened him sexually as an adolescent and who haunts him well into his later years.

The Reader is both about one man’s

search for absolution, and the question of greater moral responsibility. Heavy with ethical implications, The Reader explores difficult themes without being heavy-handed or preachy. The young Michael struggles with an important secret, and makes choices strongly influenced by Germany’s situation post-WWII. Weighed down by the country’s residual guilt, he can’t stand in the way of what is seen as ‘justice’ – but the cost is a lifetime of his own personal guilt.

Neither Michael nor Hanna are romanticised in the film – they are flawed, human characters. Hanna isn’t portrayed as a good person trapped in a bad situation – she is guilty of her crimes, as is Michael of his. Early scenes perfectly capture the whimsy of Michael’s youth, with Kross fantastically playing the young

Michael, infatuated with the intriguing Hanna. Ralph Fiennes’ subtle but troubled performance as the older Michael further highlights the questions that The Reader poses on the nature of consequences and responsibility. Winslet perfectly portrays Hanna throughout as simultaneously vulnerable and harsh; sympathetic and reproachable; delicate and pitiable.

The Reader isn’t perfect – there are loose plot threads, and the film is ultimately story-driven rather than historical. But it does a lot with its (albeit slightly long) running time, and is well-directed by Stephen Daldry. It is highly worthwhile viewing – about one boy’s journey, one woman’s secret, and a difficult period in a country’s history.

Zack and Miri Make A Porno An interesting shift has occurred in comedy cinema – a passing of the torch, if you’ll ignore the pretentious phrasing (you usually do). A few years back people might have referred to Judd Apatow as the new Kevin Smith.

Profane comedies with a heart of gold a la Mallrats were originally Smith’s domain. With Zack and Miri Make a Porno however, Kevin’s looking more like Judd’s poor - less-talented and hopelessly imitating - cousin.

Apatow stalwart Seth Rogan plays Zack, a man of considerable loserdom who lives with the almost equally

hapless Miri (Elizabeth Banks). They’re really broke. The best solution to this is to make a porno. Yep… exactly.

Not the worst premise you’ve heard, but straight off the bat you know it’s gonna be hard to identify with these guys. Luckily there’s a whole cast of supporting degenerates to make the main players look normal.

Zack and Miri might have been funny and slightly insightful if it had been directed by the aforementioned other guy, or by the Kevin Smith of ten years ago. But it doesn’t have the heart of Chasing Amy or the wit of Clerks.

Instead it’s got the wit and heart of, well, Clerks II. There’s very little subtlety to it at all. Instead it’s just a torrent of explicit sexual references thrown at you in place of comedy.

It does bring the occasional chuckle and fans of awkward situational comedy may really enjoy some moments. But for the rest of us this just presents all the storyline and acting quality of a porno, without the pay-off.

MARK RUSSELL

MEGAN McKEOUGH

MARK RUSSELL

bma magazine 31

GIG REVIEWS

Propagandhi/Jandermarra Wall/Bloody Humans/Outcome Uknown @ Weston Creek Community Centre, Friday February 20 It is a rare thing when international bands include Canberra on their tour itinerary. We are the slightly neglected, overlooked child of the entertainment industry - especially when standing next to our somewhat flashy siblings Sydney and Melbourne. So when the exceptionally talented, politically, environmentally and socially aware band Propagandhi sets its sights on Canberra to play a show, we embrace the fact that we didn’t have to drive three hours to get there, crammed into what will always resemble a clown car, no matter how spacious you think your choice of transport will be.

For those of you who are unaware of Propagandhi and their politically acquainted lyrical style, they are the one of the few groups left standing in today’s punk scene that practice exactly what they preach.

Propagandhi are well known human and animal rights activists, pushing for equality in all walks of life, which explains why it was easier to find vegan cupcakes than it was merch at the Weston Creek Community Centre on the 20th.

First up, holding a firm grasp on the way punk music should sound, Canberra’s very own Outcome Unknown brought in the early punters with their raw sound. Outcome Unknown are relatively new to the scene and their sound is heavily influenced by bands such as Leftover Crack and Black Flag, which is self-evident when they perform. Also supporting Propagandhi, Bloody Humans performed a set which alerted the growing numbers with their unique sound. Between bands, a pair of didgeridoo players, Jandermarra Wall, gave a rather moving performance, showing our Canadian guests a part of Australian culture rarely heard at punk shows.

As the numbers grew it was as if the room had shrunk, crusty punks front and centre ready to perform just as hard as the headlining Canadians. The crowd stirred and chanted. With sweat literally dripping off everyone’s bodies before Propagandhi had even walked onto the stage, the show began with an explosion of screams and hands forcing themselves together. As the band made some last minute adjustments to their instruments the crowd were restless and seemed desperate for the band to hurry up, however lead singer Chris Hannah calmed them with some words of wisdom: “You’ve waited 11 years for this... you can’t wait 30 more seconds?”

Starting with some of their most recent songs from forthcoming album Supporting Caste, the group varied their choice of songs, hitting up favourites like Fuck Religion and Anti-Manifesto.

The pit was a swirl of mostly men, resembling little boys who had forgotten to take their Ritalin, kicking and punching in the most affectionate manner – it was as if a huge ball of energy was being tossed around throughout the hall. At points in the show the heat and lack of ventilation proved too much, however a large majority sucked it up and tried to ignore the fact that they hadn’t taken a decent breath in over 45 minutes. As the show went on, the group continued to joke and chat with the audience between songs, making the night even more entertaining. It’s always so nice to see such successful groups that have performed hundreds of times haven’t lost touch with their fans.

Rather than having a banner of their own band name up on stage, Propagandhi instead had a Sea Shepherd banner. The band are forthright with their political and ideological views, which I found to be quite admirable, coming across as a lesson in social awareness without forcing anything. With the boys continuing their Australian tour as we speak, fans are following them everywhere they can before Propagandhi head back to tour in the US. This show was something people will be talking about for quite a while, delivering all of the elements needed for an amazing punk show in the ‘Berra.

EMA BOURKE Monarch/4 Dead/Agonhymn/Bowcaster @ The Basement, Saturday February 21

PHOTOS BY JOHN HATFIELD bmaPROPAGANDHI magazine 32

Slinking into The Basement at the conclusion of Bowcaster’s set, I wished I had gotten there earlier as the minute or so that I heard sounded ominous - and ominous was the flavour, regardless of tempo, this night.

Agonhymn I had seen in Melbourne sans their regular drummer, due

to his delay at Brisbane airport and some undue attention from sniffer dogs. That show saw Robert from Grey Datura’s step up on the kit and deliver an excellent set of improv with former Terrorust bassist and main Agonhymn-ster Dav Byrne showing dextrous six string skills as they traversed a considered musical landscape that evoked in my ear a stripped back Neurosis vibe. With the “real” Agonhymn in full flight, the Neurosis vibe was still evident, however with Liam Brewer behind the skins of this two-piece powerhouse, they really went well beyond a Neurosis-esque duo and covered some really interesting ground with focused intent and huge sparse chords given ample room to breathe.

Vocally, Dav mostly let the music do the talking, but the vocals offered an island of contemplation, almost a moment to breathe while you processed what had happened musically 'til that point where they built up into the next section of the song. Their tunes are out there on Heathen Skulls and their album Doom Jazz that I picked up on the night (along with quite a bounty of Monarch merch) is really good.

Rumours had been going around that 4 Dead were doomed that evening also. Upon speaking with the guys, it was confirmed that we would witness the end of an era in strange context for those guys - at a doom show in Belco. A good 20 plus folks had shown up just to see them play what will be the end of, I guess, 4 Dead Mark II. Following the departure of guitarist Tom about a year ago (who entertained with crab walk moves during the band’s set at tonight’s show), the four-piece had seemingly settled.

However, it now appears that with the impending birth of Adam’s first child, both Adam and Chris have decided to move on. With the rhythm section leaving, it was in this atmosphere that the band delivered a strangely restrained performance, particularly by Jon’s standards. No blood was spilt, no equipment broken and no obvious signs of contusions or haematomas that usually compliment a 4 Dead set were on display tonight. Their farewell was almost off-putting and low key, considering that these guys have pretty much been the most firey and essential Canberra band of the last five years . That said, I thought Adam played a killer set and, as always, Shane never ceases to bring an air of menace to proceedings.

Shane and Jon both expressed their desire to continue with new guys – if there’s any killer rhythm sections out there, time to get in touch with those guys. Vale’ old 4 Dead, we knew you well and you’ll be missed.

As Monarch took to the stage, conversation in the crowd turned to French exclamations. However there wasn’t a lot of space for applause or praise once the four-piece of French minimalists hit their stride. Shiran and MicHell threw down the gauntlet and began the process of hypnotising the venue with utterly crushing drone doom frequencies that for the most part stuck to monolithic exercises in sustain. Huge chords hung in the air with deliberate menace and once you settled your head into the tempo, the seething hypnotic wall of frequencies emanating were perfectly accompianied by the utterly ferocious drumming of Guilaume, and by one of the most dynamic and sensationally extreme vocal performances I have ever witnessed in nearly 20 years of live metal shows. Vocalist Emilie would be lucky to be allowed on a ferris wheel at the Canberra Show, she’d be five feet tall at a stretch, but what she lacked in height she made up for in sheer power and talent. Holding the microphone at her waist she would let forth shrieks that were clearly audible above the band in full flight. Dynamically traversing disturbing clean parts enhanced with a number of delays and effects Emilie controlled on a chair in front of her, she effortlessly delivered a vocal approach that avoided clumsy literal storytelling and favoured a more musical expression that fitted proceedings like a stylish French glove.

From reverb drowning clean melodies through to the most powerfull set of pipes in drone doom (come to think of it, pretty much any extreme metal genre!), I had already placed these guys ahead of Sunn for taking the drone idea and blending it with a number of more musical ideas that not only worked as a live performance, but really took me places.

Okay sure, I had some great weed before the show, a lot of it, but the fact remains that within a couple of minutes, their hour-long set transcended the usual live experience. “What songs did they play?” someone asked me the next day. I have their entire catalogue and thought myself familiar with it. However, I was so hypnotised they could have played Les Lumiers Have Been Blown Out (possibly) or Winter Bride (the most likely) or a doom metal version of Baby Elephant Walk (less likely). The end result was the same: an unmissable musical performance at the apex of its genre. They were all approachable, nice folks after the show too.

JOSH NIXON

MONARCH PHOTOS BY PATRICK bmaCOX magazine

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FIRST CONTACT: Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306

BMA BAND PROFILE

VOSS Where did your band name come from?

It’s the title of a book written by Patrick White.

Group members: Jed - drums, banjo and guitar Henry - bass Elyane - violin, vocals Owen - guitar, banjo and vocals Describe your sound: Fake explorer music.

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise?

Songs: Ohia, Will Oldham, the Drones, Smog, Neil Young and so on.

What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing?

Absolutely nothing really.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far?

Discovering and successfully mapping Australia’s inland sea. It is there, and we have sailed it.

What are your plans for the future?

Our drummer is leaving soon for a better life overseas, and we will sorely miss him. We will lay low for a while to sort it all out, and then hopefully re-emerge from hibernation completely transformed.

What makes you laugh?

Sometimes when we are bored we put an apostrophe and an ‘s’ on the end of a person first name e.g: Will’s Oldham. Sometimes this will make us laugh, and sometimes this will not.

What pisses you off?

Voss branded bottled water, Norwegian towns called Voss, Michael Voss.

What’s your opinion of the local scene?

Robust. Mostly friendly.

What are your upcoming gigs?

Thursday March 5 - Gangbusters at Bar 32 w/ Cat Cat and Also From Tokyo.

We are currently trying to finish our first recording. Super special final show and launch yet to be announced…

Contact info: myspace.com/vosstheband vosstheband@gmail.com

Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5'd Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@ hotmail.com.au Annie & the Armadillos Annette 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone singer/songwriter(guitar), sax & flute Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Kingswood Factory Sharon 0412 334 467 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Bastards Jamie 0424 857 282/ www.bastards.altpro.net Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 Casual Projects Julian 0401 016 885 Catchpenny Nathan 0402 845 132 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 CD and Website Design Brendan 0404 042 574 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/ stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com Cold Heart Projects Andrew 6294 5450 Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 087 833/colebennetts@gmail.com Colourful Racing Identities Josh 0410 135 605 Cool Weapon Luke 0410 983 450/ Josh 0412 863 019 Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Cumulonimbus Matt 0412 508 425 Dance With Amps Marcus 0421 691 332 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 DayTrippers, The Reidar 0414 808 677, daytrippers@grapevine.com.au (dp) New Media Artists Mal 0414 295 297 Dogact dog-act@hotmail.com, Paulie 0408 287 672 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 DJ/MC Bootcamp Donte 9267 3655 DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208 DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835 or moises_lopez@hotmail DNA Vic 0408 477 020 Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com Entity Chris 0412 027 894 Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com EYE eye@canberra.teknet.net.au Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Dan 0410 480 321 FirePigs, The Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Funk Shui Dave 0407 974 476 Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com Guff Damian 6230 2767 HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594 Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375, hancockbasement@hotmail.com Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096, Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 Infra Retina Kyle 0437 137 775/Michael 0430 353 893/www.infra-retina.com In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703 Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650 Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884 Jacqui Seczawa 0428 428 722 JDY Clothing 0405 648 288/ www.jdyclothing.com Jenn Pacor singer/songwriter avail. for originals & covers, 0405 618 630 Jennifer Versatile singer looking for band; 0422 158 362 Jim Boots 0417 211 580 Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/dj@ karismakatz.com Kurt's Metalworx (PA) 0417 025 792 Lenders, The Tim 6247 2076 Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075 Los Chavos Jules 0413 223 573 los.chavos@yahoo.com.au Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462, contactus@manillagreen.com, Mario Brujo Gordon world/latin/reggae/ percussionist and DJ. 0405 820 895 Martin Bailey Audio Engineer 0423 566 093 Malumba Dan 6253 5150 MC Kayo Marbilus 0405 648 288 kayo_101@hotmail.com Meatbee Ben 0417 492 560 Mercury Switch Lab Studios mercuryswitch@internode.on.net Missing Zero Hadrian Brand 0424 721 907/hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots aspwinch@grapevine.com.au Huck 0419 630 721 Murder Meal Combo Anthony 0419 630 721 MuShu Jack 0414 292 567, mushu_band@hotmail.com Myriad Kath 6253 8318 MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/ www.myspace.com/myonus Neptune's Necklace Mark 6253 1048 No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680 Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580 OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448 Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027 Para 0402 277 007 Petra Elliott Petra 0410 290 660 Phathom Chris 0422 888 700 The Pigs The Colonel 0422 412 752 Polka Pigs Ian 6231 5974 Premier Audio Simon 0412 331 876, premier_audio@hotmail.com Queanbeyan Music & Electronics 6299 1020 Redletter Ben 0421 414 472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527 Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680 Roger Bone Band Andy 0413 483 758 Rob Mac Project, The Melinda 0400 405 537 Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041 Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776 Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350 Sara Vancea Sara 6247 9899 Sindablok Duncan 0424 642 156 Simone Penkethman (Simone & The Soothsayers, Singing Teacher) 6230 4828 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401 588 884 Solid Gold Peter 0421 131 887/ solid.gold@live.com.au Stalker and Liife Darren 0413 229 049 Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748 Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853 Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479 System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556 Taboo Bamboo Greg 0439 990 455 That ‘80s Band Ty 0417 265 013 The Morning After (covers band) Anthony 0402 500 843/ myspace.com/themorningaftercovers Tim James Lucia 6282 3740, LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514 Transmission Nowhere Emilie 0421 953 519/myspace.com/transmissionnowhere Udo 0412 086 158 Undersided, The Baz 0408 468 041 Using Three Words Dan 0416 123 020, usingthreewords@hotmail.com Voodoo Doll Mark 0428 650 549 William Blakely Will 0414 910 014 Woden Youth Centre Jeremy 6282 3037 Zeitgeist www.zeitgeist.xwave Zero Degrees and Falling Louis 0423 918 793 Zwish 0411 022 907

GIG GUIDE March 5 - 7 THURSDAY MARCH 5

THURSDAY MARCH 5

ARTS _____________ I Hate Hamlet Written by Paul Rudnick, directed by Rob de Fries. Runs until Mar 14 THEATRE 3, ELLEN CRES, ACTON World Visions at CCAS Featuring the exhibitions Mouse

by Maurice, In (And Against) Time

by Izabela Pluta, and Tales from the Underworld by Tevita Havea.

Until March 14, Tuesdays-Fridays CCAS, GORMAN HOUSE Bert Flugelman An exhibition comprising a major survey of the stainless steel-wielding master, Runs until Apr 5 ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY, ACTON AUtonomies An exhibition by Jessie Boylan and Emma King exploring the ways in which mainstream government and society affect and disregard concepts of land, culture, conflict and kinship.

Runs until Mar 8 HUW DAVIES GALLERY, MANUKA Charles Darwin Exhibition Includes his travels and research work and shows how they helped shape his publication: The Origin of the Species. Runs until Apr 12. Free entry NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA, LAWSON CRESCENT, ACTON PENINSULA Feast 2009 Showing selected works from the 2008 Strathnairn Memebers Annual Exhibition. Runs until Mar 20 BELCONNEN COMM. CENTRE, SWANSON CRT, BELCONNEN Brutal, Tender, Human, Animal: Roger Ballen Photography

By South African photographer Roger Ballen (b.1950, New York).

Runs until Mar 29. Free entry NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA EXHIBITION GALLERY, PARKES PLACE Shell-Shocked: Australia After Armistice Follow journeys of repatriation and resettlement after WWI. The exhibition combines government records with personal stories. Runs until Apr 27. Free NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, KING EDWARD TERRACE

THURSDAY MARCH 5

FRIDAY MARCH 6

LIVE _____________ A Series of Actions An exhibition by Alicia Kane and Kaye Pemberton. Until March 14 CRAFT ACT GALLERY 2, CIVIC SQUARE Debra Boyd-Goggin: New Ceramic Work Debra Boyd-Goggin explores memory and emotion through clay. In this new body of work she reflects on living in Tapini, Papua New Guinea at an early age and her connection to family and different cultures.

Until March 14 CRUCIBLE SHOWCASE, CIVIC SQUARE Fathers and Sons A photographic exploration by William Hall. Runs until Mar 21 THE GALLERY, CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL Highlights

By Gilbert Riedelbauch. New technologies are an important part of Riedelbauch's practice forming the development process from sketching to making. Until March 14 CRAFT ACT GALLERY'S, CIVIC SQUARE Feast 2009 A selection or work from the Strathnairn Arts Assc '08 members exhibition. 'til March 20 BELCONNEN COMMUNITY CENTRE, SWANSON COURT The Mikado The classic Gilbert and Sullivan musical, presented by the Canberra Phillharmonic Society.

Runs 'til March 21. Tix from ticketing.philo.org.au ERINDALE THEATRE, WANNIASSA

DANCE _____________ Trash Thursdays $2 drinks until 2am and discounted cocktails. With DJs Adam and Esscue. 2 for 1 entry with Uni sticker ACADEMY, CIVIC Rowan Marshcrost KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Gangbusters Making its grand return, with Voss, Also from Tokyo and Cat Cat plus DJs. From 9pm, $5 entry BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Basic Shape Melbourne indie/pop/folk lads, touing LP Boat Without a Sail.

With local supports from 8pm 'til 12. $7/$5 CMC members HIPPO BAR, GAREMA PLACE, CIVIC Wolf From 8:30-11:30pm CHISHOLM TAVERN Brian Fraser From 8-11pm THE VALLEY TAVERN, WANNIASSA Charles Chaitain From 9pm-midnight KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Carry On Karaoke PJ O'REILLY'S, CIVIC Karaoke With Grant PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Karaoke From 9-11pm. Cash prizes and 2-4-1 basic spirits and tap beer CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC FRIDAY MARCH 6

ARTS _____________ The House of Bernarda Alba Presented by Moonlight, showcasing the dramas of Spanish playwright Garcia Lorca. 8pm ANU ARTS CENTRE, ACTON Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris Transforming Brel's astonishing musical compositions into a theatrical experience. Directed

by Caroline Stacey, music directed by Michael Morley.

Runs from 8pm 'til March 21 STREET ONE, THE STREET THEATRE, ACTON

DANCE _____________ Jemist KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE La Fiesta Sydney collective with party vibes a-plenty. More info on page 10 MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC

Capital Dub Styles Featuring Dubwise (NZ) and The Versonaires (NZ) TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Rob Reng (UK LOT 33, KENNEDY ST, KINGSTON Who's Ya Daddy?

Live band action, with Crankee following with old school hiphop jams and funk (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

LIVE ____________ La Fiesta Sound System Live 5-piece, plus dance performances MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC After Work Jazz From 5-8pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC Itchy Triggers From 10pm-2am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC Maiden Oz The wittily titled Iron Maiden tribute show. $10 THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Rev Canberra’s weekly alternative club night with two levels of DJs playing rock/indie/dance/punk/pop BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Material Pleasures New season clothes on sale, and free champagne to boot BOGONG THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE, AINSLIE AVENUE SATURDAY MARCH 7

ARTS _____________ Move M16 studio tenants show, with opening speaker Virginia Haussegger. Free, runs til Mar 1 M16 ARTSPACE, 16 MILDURA ST, KINGSTON The House of Bernarda Alba Presented by Moonlight, showcasing the dramas of Garcia Lorca. Frim 2 and 8pm ANU ARTS CENTRE, ACTON

GIG GUIDE March 7 - 18 SATURDAY MARCH 7

SATURDAY MARCH 7

SUNDAY MARCH 8

THURSDAY MARCH 12

DAY PLAY _____________

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________

LIVE _____________

DANCE _____________

Gorman House Markets GORMAN HOUSE Burley Griffin Antique Centre KINGSTON FORESHORE Material Pleasures New season clothes on sale, and free champagne to boot OLD BUS DEPOT MARKETS

'80s Music With DJ Craig PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG King O'Malley's Boutique Beer Come and enjoy the taste or rare beer matched with food made with local and regional produce.

Running until Mar 15 ALBERT HALL, YARRALUMLA

Short Stack In-Store Show In-store appearance in support of new single Princess. 12:30pm SONGLAND RECORDS, TUGGERANONG HYPERDOME Joe Lally TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Second Gear From 3-6pm CHISHOLM TAVERN Vince Gelonese From 9:30pm-12am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

Trash Thursdays ACADEMY, CIVIC Bicipital Groove (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Julian Heartly KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

DANCE _____________

SUNDAY MARCH 8

Ian Carey Project He of Get Shaky fame touches down, with able support from Tim Galvin and Sean Kelly. $20 ACADEMY, CIVIC Phrase & DJ Flagrant TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC D'Opus KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE DJ Marty Faux & DJ Adam Miller KREMLIN BAR, 65 NORTHBOURNE AVENUE, CIVIC Jemist (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Shakedown!

Indie/alt/dance action.

Free before 10pm BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Candy Cube DJs Peter Dorree/Matt Chavasse CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC

DAY PLAY _____________ Tuggeranong Homestead Markets TUGGERANONG HOMESTEAD Cube Sunday From 9pm until late. With DJ Peter Dorree CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Irish Jam Session From 5pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Parkway Drive With Dropsaw, Crime Scene and Dead Kings. Tix from Landspeed and moshtix.com.au SOUTHERN CROSS WODEN BASKETBALL STADIUM Indyfest The Canberra showcase returns for its 19th year, with Scaramouche, The Jaybirds, Astrochem, Hoodlum Shouts, The Third Estate, Moots, Rubycon, Waterford and The Glaciers. From 2pm til late, $15 THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Pat Capocci Combo With Ezzy Lee and Danny and the Cosmic Tremors. Free entry THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC Mia Dyson With special guests Jen Cloher and The Endless Sea. Call 6283 7288 for tix SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB, WODEN Oscar From 10:30pm-3am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

MONDAY MARCH 9

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Trivia in the Trams at the Tradies TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON TUESDAY MARCH 10

DANCE _____________

DANCE _____________

Sound Baked Sunday Bushfire Appeal Raising cash for the needy in style, with UK's Skool of Thought, PQM, Jeff Drake and DJ Rush (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON KarismaKatz DJ Gosper's funky four-piece THE HUSH LOUNGE, PHILLIP DJ Falcon (FRA)/ Funktrusrt DJs (Syd) With Hubert, Ashley Feraude, Dave Norgate, D'Opus and Exposed DJs. 1st release tix $25.50 + bf, 2nd $33.50 + bf MINQUE, FRANLIN ST, MANUKA Cube Sunday With DJ Peter Dorree. From 9pm CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Tropical Limbo Party A night of Latin rhythms with a limbo comp MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC

Chuse Jazz Tuesdays With March Goldberg (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Time Warp A Rocky Horror musical performing everyone's fabourite transylvanian songs HELLENIC CLUB, MATILDA STREET, WODEN

WANTED: NEW MUSIC FOR RADIO Get your music heard on Australia’s first digital radio station dedicated to undiscovered artists

www.radarradio.com.au

LIVE _____________ Musical Madness @ Filthy's With Pete Akhurst, Friendly Yen and Johnny Huckle. Free entry FILTHY McFADDEN'S, KINGSTON

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Fame Trivia From 7:30-10:30pm THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Pot Belly Trivia POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN Carry-On Karaoke TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Trivia Night PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Trivia Night HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON Trivia Night THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC WEDNESDAY MARCH 11

LIVE _____________ Live Entertainment Complete with Happy Hour PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Phil Moriaty THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Midnight Oil The first of two exclusive warmup shows from these Oz legends.

ROYAL THEATRE, CONSTITUTION AVE, CIVIC Something With Numbers In-Store Appearance Doing a meet-and-greet and playing an acoustic set. 4pm LANDSPEED RECORDS, GAREMA PLACE, CIVIC Dommus Adultrus Regular live and local night HIPPO, GAREMA PL, CIVIC Dos Locos From 9pm-12am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Karaoke From 9-11pm. Cash prizes and 2-4-1 basic spirits and tap beer CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Karaoke With Grant PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG FRIDAY MARCH 13

ARTS _____________ Lights! Canberra! Action!

Screening of the top 12 finalists of the Canberra film festival, plus award ceremony. From 7:30pm NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA Andrea Keller Quartet On the Collaborations tour. From 7:30pm, call 6125 5700 for tix LLEWELLYN HALL, ANU

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ St Patrick's Karaoke Final CANBERRA IRISH CLUB, WESTON Leukaemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave Come in and get your hair shaved off in support of the Leukaemia Foundation. Prizes given for various head hair oddities.

From 12-1pm and 5-6pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

SATURDAY MARCH 14

SUNDAY MARCH 15

TUESDAY MARCH 17

LIVE _____________

DANCE _____________

DANCE _____________

DANCE _____________

Midnight Oil The second of two exclusive warm-up shows from these Oz legends. Tickets from Ticketek ROYAL THEATRE, CONSTITUTION AVE, CIVIC The Screaming Jets With supports Lust (Syd) and Night Train. $25 HELLENIC CLUB, WODEN All Ages Live Fest Featuring Turbulence, So Long Safety, A Nighttime Skyway and Blackhall Vincent. From 6-10pm WODEN YOUTH CENTRE Perpetual End CD Launch THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Rev Two levels of DJs playing rock/ indie/dance/punk/pop BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Dallas Frasca Blues/roots maiden, supported by gritty garage-blue duo The Blackwater fever THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Cassidy's Ceili From 5-8pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC The Cool From 10pm-2am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

Clubbers Guide to 2009 Tour The Aston Shuffle rip it up alongside Hugh Foster and Sean Kelly. $15 ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Monkey Business 8 top locals battle it out in versus sets. $10 entry, plus drink specials all night MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC Shakedown!

Indie/alt/dance with all your favourite spinners. Free entry before 10pm BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Tom Tomz The mash-up master (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Candy Cube With DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse. From 10pm til 5am CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC DJ Marty Faux & DJ Adam Miller From 9pm KREMLIN BAR, 65 NORTHBOURNE AVENUE, CIVIC Rowan Marshcroft KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Sound Baked Sunday With Ashley Feraude, Jemist and Tom Tomz (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Cube Sunday With DJ Peter Dorree. From 9pm CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC

Carl Dewhurst (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

DANCE _____________

Leukaemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave Come in and get your hair shaved off in support of the Leukaemia Foundation. Prizes given for various head hair oddities.

From 12-1pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC Wellbeing & Spiritual Festival QUEANBEYAN SHOWGROUND St Patrick's Day Ball Tickets available from the club CANBERRA IRISH CLUB, WESTON '80s Music With DJ Craig PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG

FRIDAY MARCH 13

Friday the 13th Theme Party MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC Purfect Friday ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Dubdeckerbuss (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Morgan Page (UK) LOT 33, KENNEDY ST, KINGSTON Ug Beats TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Nathan Frost KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE SATURDAY MARCH 14

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________

SUNDAY MARCH 15

LIVE _____________

DAY PLAY _____________

Mz Ann Thropik With Charlie Greaser. $10 THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Belles Will Ring TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC The Bandits From 10:30pm-3am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC The Escapegoats Crazy name, crazy guys. Free THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC

Tuggeranong Homestead Markets TUGGERANONG HOMESTEAD Cube Sunday From 9pm until late. With DJ Peter Dorree CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Irish Jam Session From 5pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ The Chris Harland Blues Band From 2-5pm. Free entry WEST BELCONNEN LEAGUES CLUB The Bridge Between ROSE COTTAGE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Wellbeing & Spiritual Festival QUEANBEYAN SHOWGROUND Guiness and Oyster Festival With live music CANBERRA IRISH CLUB, WESTON MONDAY MARCH 16

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Jumptown Swing Beginner Classes Learn to swing dance. No partner or experience required HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB, NARRABUNDAH Carry-On Karaoke TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Fame Trivia THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Pot Belly Trivia POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN Trivia Night PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Trivia Night HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON Trivia Night Free entry THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC WEDNESDAY MARCH 18

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________

ARTS _____________

Erebis A Japanese Elvis impersonator presenting an evening of contemplative improvised music on various instruments. I'm not making this shit up, that's actually what it says. Free entry THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM Hospitality Night With Hugh Foster TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Trivia in the Trams at the Tradies From 7:15pm TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON

Simon Says A new play following a girl who has been kidnapped from a weight loss centre by her mum - convinced it's a cult. Runs 'til March 28. Tix $15 to $25 THE STREET THEATRE, ACTON

TUESDAY MARCH 17

LIVE _____________ St Patrick's Day Celebrations Irish music, dancing, and drinking from 11am to 2am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC St Patrick's Day Traditional Irish breakfast, live music and dancing all day. From 7am til late CANBERRA IRISH CLUB, WESTON Musical Madness @ Filthy's With The Bridge Between and The Wedded Bliss. Free entry FILTHY McFADDEN'S, KINGSTON

LIVE _____________ Andrew Swift With Tyla Bertolli. Free entry THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Jumptown Swing Beginner Classes Learn to swing dance. No partner or experience required WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB, TURNER Fame Trivia PJ O'REILLY'S, CIVIC Carry-On Karaoke From 9:30pm. $1000 grand prize THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Karaoke Night HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON $5 Night TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

DVDEVOTEE

Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (Fox)

Wall-E (Disney Home Entertainment)

Entourage – The Complete Fourth Season (Warner Brothers)

And so this is it. If it’s to be believed, this fourth and final feature-length draws the curtain on the turbulent story that is, and was, Futurama.

We all know the story by now; a Groeningpenned TV series harnessing the genius of The Simpsons is mercilessly axed by foolish Fox executive before the lightning bolt that is DVD sales surged life into the franchise, creating a lumbering, stitched-together confused monster in the form of there’s-just-thatsomething-missing feature lengths.

Prior to the release of Wall-E I thought the cute little computer-illustrated films were reaching an exhausted end. Shrek the Third was bollocks and, to be honest, the entire genre of entertainment was outstaying its welcome.

Then along comes this one, with its beautiful pacing, lovely and lively story and more than the standard 'be true to yourself' message. Set in the future, the title character is a garbage robot sent to clean up the earth after all of the humans have scarpered because of the mess. Wall-E is sustaining himself on a diet of gorgeous old films and bric-a-brac from the Earth’s surface. Eve, a feminine probe robot, comes down with the ‘directive’ to pick up a plant and, being a little space crazy and lovestruck, Wall-E’s heart starts to melt.

By the end of the disappointing third series of this über-male, flashy insiders guide to Hollywood, wobbles began to surface. The James Cameron helmed Aquaman had catapulted Vincent Chase (Adam Greiner) into the A-league so now it was pet project time; a gritty, expansive Pablo Escobar biopic was his weapon of choice. There was much background shenanigan-type teasing, but little delivery.

Season four starts promisingly in hand-held, behind-the-scenes doco style on the set of Medellin and it seems everything has fallen into place. Vinnie Chase’s mega budget vanity project is finally happening. As to be expected, that’s just the start of the problems. In short order we get the wildly temperamental and increasingly obnoxious director Billy Walsh (Rhys Coiro) bringing the film to the brink of extinction with last minute re-writes, alpha male posturing with Chase and his old friend/ new manager Eric, an anxious post-production sub plot involving illegal immigrants, a YouTube-leaked trailer and footage being withheld from producers, financiers and its star. The footage doesn’t look good. Eventually they manage to get the film accepted into the Cannes Film Festival, and the reception it receives a brilliant summation of the strife thus far as well as a juicy set up for Season Five.

It’s a sad tale with somewhat of a happy ending. I’m most pleased to report that Into the Wild Green Yonder is the strongest of the films. Minus a Bender romantic storyline that becomes completely irrelevant half an hour in, the plot – weaving together the Wong parents’ desire to demolish the universe to make way for an intergalactic “mini” golf course, Leela’s vigilante environmental crusade as a result, and Fry’s induction into yet another secret society that places the fate of the universe in his hands once more – holds together surprisingly well, resisting the urge to jackknife wildly in some random direction half way through as with the previous films. The writing is sharper meaning the jokes are more freeflowing, long-standing storylines (Leela and Fry) are wrapped up neatly, and the finale should leave long term fans suitably satisfied.

Whilst better, the film is still not a patch on the perfectly formed series, but Into the Wild Green Yonder is an entertaining animated romp which provides a fitting end to a troubled show that has delighted and frustrated its fans in equal measure. If we go off the theory ‘You’re only as good as your last game’ then I think we’ll be alright.

ALLAN SKO

TIME:

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The two disc set has so many extras including a look at the original credit sequence and a fantastic featurette featuring the cast of Wall-E and the Presto short.

If you don’t like this one you’re probably dead, 'cause this simply brings so much joy to anyone watching it. My godchildren love this film, my mother loves this film, my aunt loves this film… I love this film. Everyone loves this film and the reasons why are clear: Wall-E will take you away to a place and a time of innocence and fun. The animation looks superb and the characters have consistency and humour. Despite minimal dialogue in the script, you can’t help but love Wall-E - both the robot and the film.

GEOFF SETTY

FEATURIN

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LOOM LUKA B

DYLAN MORAN

LUCINDA WILLIAMS

ADAM HILLS

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ISSUE

Harbouring more love than any number of Dane Cook comedies, Wall-E chases the object of his affections off into space for a whole new adventure. This is a fantastic film, with references up the wazoo and more fun than you can poke a computerised digit at. The voices are excellent, with Jeff Garlin as the ship’s captain and Fred (Wha Happened) Willard as the only real standout ‘face’ in the crowd.

AND MUCH MORE

OUT

MARCH

19

Whilst Entourage can be a little too Hollywood insider on occasions and the value in spending hours in the company of overpaid, underemployed spoilt brats is questionable, there comes a point where you simply turn your brain off and indulge in some of the glossiest TV going around. Jeremy Piven’s bravura turn as the ferociously belligerent agent Ari Gold remains a tornado of insults and ultimatums to behold and the developing relationship with his downtrodden assistant Lloyd (Rex Lee) exhibits a degree of depth and tenderness that is, frankly, a little shocking.

It’s Ari Gold after all. The remainder of Vinnie’s posse get pushed to the side a little this time around, but a fantastically un-erotic episode involving a hot tub, a late term Turtle-Drama swap and some pants down action is a vulgar highlight. Guest appearances continue with gusto: Kanye West, M. Night Shyamalan, Gary Busey, Snopp Dogg, and Dennis Hopper, amongst others, make real life cameos, making it harder still to separate fact from fiction – a line that Entourage exploits with effortless glee.

JUSTIN HOOK