BMA Magazine 452 - 12 November 2014 by BMA Magazine

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IN TALENT’S WAKE

Guy Pearce has a record out. It’s not a patch on Stefan Dennis’ effort. # 4 5 2 N o v 5 Fax: (02) 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com

Editor Tatjana Clancy T: (02) 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com

Accounts Manager Julie Ruttle T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com

Sub-Editor & Social Media Manager Chiara Grassia Graphic Design Chris Halloran Film Editor Melissa Wellham

Oh young people. They’re out to get us right? I know I cross the street when I see teenagers, convinced they’re about to beat me up in a YOLO induced frenzy. What’s that you say? They’re not all bad and I should cut them some slack on account of bad generalisations being an ageist hallmark bleated by decrepit Gen X’ers? Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over my ‘90s guitar-induced tinnitus. The Indent Tour is an all-ages drug and alcohol free affair that happens annually, touring a major headlining act out to regional and remote areas within NSW. The tour acts as a skills development opportunity for young people in regional areas, as the tour works with teams of young people to teach them how to stage and promote the event in their own town. It is the only tour of its kind in Australia, funded by ArtsNSW. This year hardcore quintet In Hearts Wake are headlining and if you can carpool to Yass you can catch them for $10. For tickets head to indent.oztix. com.au or for more info on how you can get involved in future workshops and learn how to be a surly promoter or manager head to indent.net.au

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE We all (should) know that violence against women is not on but the statistics in this country are still appalling. An event aimed at increasing our social consciousness on the issue is Walk A Mile In Her Shoes. It will take place on Sunday November 23 and will allow men from the ACT and surrounds to take an oath and illustrate their zero tolerance

for violence against women and support the fantastic work of White Ribbon. All participants must sign a waiver, (so that organisers aren’t responsible for your rolled ankles etc) and they ask that you be warmed up and ready to go in your heels (no flats). Take the pledge by signing an oath and saying the words, “I swear never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women. This is my oath.” The walk is open to all men and they are encouraged to walk with their families, their mates and their colleagues. Adults, teens and children are welcome and encouraged to take part. To be involved – $30 rego fee 2pm (for 2:30 start) – 4pm. Anzac Parade, Campbell, (Meet at the Australian War Memorial end). For more info contact Alanna Davis on 0402 073 957.

NOBODY PUTS BABY IN WINNERS CORNER To win passes to Sunset Cinema (Dirty Dancing being one of the classic films on offer) we asked you to speculate on what would happened if Patrick had left Baby where she probably belonged. Your answers, as always, were funny as. Ginette wrote: Well, firstly she would have developed wrinkles around her mouth from pouting too much... Secondly, she would have been destined to live with her parents until she was well into her 40s and would have become an old maid. Not pretty! Zooanimal wrote: She would have exploded in a frenzy of hypercolour ultraviolence, guns blazing, while the veins in her temple pulsed to the rhythm of ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’. Nobody (alive) puts Baby in a corner. Martin said: “She would have had the time of her life.” (we see

what you did there Martin) Dorothy reckons: Clearly, she would have suffered a severe attack of corner-induced claustrophobia and would have to finish the movie from her hospital room. And Courts said: If Baby was left in the corner we wouldn’t of seen her in Dirty Dancing we would of seen her in Stepford Wives - prim, proper, hair, pearls – the whole shebang! SCARY.

HOPEFULLY RAISING AN EXCESS OF DOLLARS Ciaran Gribbin, lead vocalist of INXS, is performing at a special event to raise funds for Shaye, a five-year-old Canberra boy with an acquired brain injury. As the night is dedicated to raising funds for one of Canberra’s own, Ciaran will be supported on the night by local musicians. Having just turned five, Shaye has been living with an acquired brain injury since he was four days old. Amongst the everyday challenges the acquired brain injury has created for this brave little boy, the epileptic seizures, considered ‘hard to treat’ by doctors, are the most debilitating for him. As a consequence, Shaye’s ongoing care, modifications to his home and treatments to assist him into the future are great. An auction will be held on the night and will include signed memorabilia, jewellery, children’s toys, gift vouchers and much more. Items as they are donated can be viewed at facebook.com/Fun.for. Shaye with.INXS.Frontman and rozart.com.au. This event will be held at The Abbey, Gold Creek on Sunday November 23. Doors open at 6.30pm. Tickets $20 online or $25 at the door or eventopia.co/event/ FUNdraising-with-INXSFrontman/271756

NEXT ISSUE 453 OUT Nov 19 EDITORIAL DEADLINE Nov 12 ADVERTISING DEADLINE Nov 13 Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd ABN 76 097 301 730 BMA Magazine is independently owned and published. Opinions expressed in BMA Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or staff.

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FROM THE BOSSMAN The courtyard of the apartment building in which I live questions me with a living metaphor each morning as I eagerly speed to work. As my head begins to swarm with the 87 tasks to complete in the day, some beautiful rose bushes attempt to entice both me and surrounding bees with their lusty perfume. Do I have time to literally stop and smell the roses? Metaphorically or otherwise, as life goes on it becomes increasingly harder to halt and inhale. Nowhere is that more stark than the state of one’s computer. At time of writing, I have 15 tabs open. There’s my work email, my google docs, digital calendar, to-do sheet, the obligatory time wasting no-honestI’m-just-going-to-take-a-quick-peek ones like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and my favourite wrestling forum (heh-heh, how did THAT get in there?) and, of course, one for this column which your eyes are now caressing (actually make that four, each tab a mocking reminder of an idea half-finished). Tabs are like amoebas, doubling every few seconds. You start with one. By the end of the first minute it’s up to two. A minute more and it’s now four. Then eight. Then 16. Pretty soon you’re drowning in tabs and find yourself having constant “senior moments” where - like going from one room to the next and forgetting why you were went in there - you wander aimlessly from one tab to the other frantically trying to remember what you were doing.

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Care to immortalise your hatred in print? Send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and see your malicious bile circulated to thousands. [All entries contain original spellings.] There are no words to describe the maddening feeling of circling aimlessly looking for a park, then spying one after 20 minutes, only to discover it’s a disabled park, sighing as you drive by, and then watching some yuppie getting in there sans disabled sticker, knowing they will never get a parking ticket, nor will they ever have any sort of social conscience. I’ll go to the school concert. But my kids are the only performers I want to see. I’m sure yours are way talented, but I don’t fancy sitting through an hour of other people’s children. Why don’t they serve beer. Beer would help. G’day fellow punters. When a band worth watching is on, it’s okay to dance. It won’t ruin your carefully crafted street cred. The band might actually enjoy knowing you’re enjoying what they do. Novel but true.

It didn’t used to be like this. I have grown up using internet, mobiles and social media and yet remember a time when such things did not exist, or at least weren’t widely used. This is an alien concept to our children. I remember back in the day - I must have been all of 12 or 13 - we were visiting relatives in Denmark. I was rather enamoured with the wonderful world of computer games at the time and had taken with me a solitary games magazine for entertainment (Total Magazine was its name for any 30-something former-UKcomputer-games-obsessed dwellers playing along). Over the course of the two-week visit I read that one magazine cover to cover maybe 12 times largely because, without being about to speak Danish, there wasn’t much else to do. And it was great. I absorbed the information. I discovered jokes I had missed the first time. A bond with the words and their writers was formed. Flashforward to 2014 and my 15 open tabs and my attention is all over the place (actually, it’s now 17 tabs… My brother sent me a text enthusing about new ABC2 show Soul Mates so I jumped on the ABC site to check it out). Multiple sources and fractured attention mean we’re speeding through things, including those we’re meant to enjoy. We’re losing the art of savouring something, whether it be taking time to read a book slowly, allowing new music to sink in or simply pausing for thought. In his recent autobiography, John Cleese says how he would listen and relisten with great care to The Goon Show as a child to absorb every joke. We’re losing our ability to do such things. So it’s time to take the power back. This is our third-last issue for 2014 before we break for the year and I am determined over the shutdown to adopt a slow philosophy. Savour a book. Take an hour to make a macaroni picture with the kids. Give those roses a ruddy good sniffing. And most importantly tell my laptop that it can shove its tabs up its USB, break the damn thing in half before stuffing my mobile into a cannon and firing it into the sea. ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

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WHO: KATCHAFIRE WHAT: REGGAE WHEN: THU NOV 6 WHERE: SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB

WHO: THE OCEAN PARTY WHAT: ALBUM LAUNCH WHEN: FRI NOV 7 WHERE: T HE FRONT GALLERY

WHO: LOCAL HORROR WHAT: SINGLE LAUNCH WHEN: FRI NOV 14 WHERE: FRI NOV 14

WHO: DAVID CHRISTOPHER WHAT: ALBUM LAUNCH WHEN: WED NOV 19 WHERE: SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

WHO: SPLITREC WHAT: EXPERIMENTAL WHEN: THU NOV 20 WHERE:SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

WHO: S.I.N.G.E.D WHAT: FUNDRAISER WHEN: SAT NOV 22 WHERE: SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

New Zealand’s all-Maori reggae band Katchafire are hitting our shores for a national tour on the back of their latest release, the anthology Best So Far. Renown from their classic reggae sound, which fuses together dancehall, rnb and funk with a dash of pop, all four of the band’s studio albums have charted in their homeland. Katchafire’s energetic live shows have been met with worldwide acclaim and has lead them to share stages with The Wailers, Lauryn Hill and Shaggy. Catch them before they head back to the studio to finish album #5. 8.30pm. Tickets $46 from the venue or ticketek. The Ocean Party have been makin’ a lot of waves lately with their fourth album, Soft Focus. The Melbourne band have just toured the States, which included a stint at the prestigious CMJ showcase in New York, while online they caused a stir when prominent tastemakers Stereogum premiered their new single ‘Wading In’. Their jangle pop sound has been compared to icons of the genre The GoBetweens, as well as early Paul Kelly. Catch them when they roll into town to play The Front Gallery on Friday November 7. Support from Melbourne singer-songwriter Emma Russack. $10 at the door. Need some end-of-the-week plans? Support local live music and head down to ANU bar on Friday November 14 to celebrate the launch of Local Horror’s debut single, ‘Somantic Depression’. Recorded live to tape, the tune combines personal lyrics with woozy guitars, honky tonk piano and an early Bowie-esque with a psychedelic garage rock flair. You can get a little taste of the Local Horror sound at localhorror.bandcamp. With support from Looking Glass, Agency and Astro Zombies. 8pm. $10 includes entry and a free download card for the single. Tickets available at the door or from moshtix. Coinciding with the release of his second album, Preloved, South Coast singer-songwriter David Christopher will be dropping by Smith’s Alternative to play an intimate acoustic show. “Preloved is an optimistic step forward from the heartrending confessionals and character studies of my previous album Apartment. This record was inspired by memories of summers I spent playing the London singer/songwriter scene in the late 2000s,” says Christopher. His sound has been compared to Neil Finn, mid-era Manic Street Preachers and Coldplay. Support from Sam Jeffress and Jenny Spear. 6.30pm for a 7.30pm. Tickets $10/$7, $5 for CMC members at the door. This month, label Splitrec will tour around Australia with a slew of their artists for a series of very special events. This year saw the label release a historic 1972 recording from the group Teletopa. These performances neatly bring together generations of experimentalists from Sydney, an unbroken tradition stretching back to the early 1970s. Teletopa member Geoffrey Barnard will give a pre-show talk on the history of his band. He’ll be joined by musicians Peter Faarar (alto saxophone), Amanda Stewart (voice and text) and Cor Fuhler (piano) and Jim Denley (winds) of labelmates Truancy. Time and price TBA. Help keep beloved Wednesday late-night staples S.I.N.G.E.D (that’s synthpop, industrial, noise, gothic, electronica and darkwave, for those not in the know) and Subsequence on the 2XX airwaves by coming along to this fundraiser. Line-up includes Stenxh, Paul Heslin, Psithurism Trio, Marc Robertson with improvisers Morgan McKeller (Gatherer, Cold House, Morning Stalker), Michael Norris (Fugal Quease, Subsequence) and Sebastian Field (Cracked Actor, Burrows). A part of the massive 2XXFm Radiothon program, show your support for community radio and local alternative sounds. 3pm. $10 entry includes free Subsequence compilation of new Canberran music, including excerpts from recordings of live-to-air performances on the show.

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rory mccartney If you’ve ever channel surfed rather than picked specific stations, you may have found your dial on 98.3 FM, Canberra’s alternative radio. Established in 1976, 2XX is the oldest community radio station in Australia. Beginning as an ANU-only station in the Drill Hall Gallery, it became a community AM station in 1976, before the leap to FM in 2000. Not tied to any network, 2XX can make its own choices in what it plays and what programs it presents. In seeking to serve those whose interests are not covered by commercial stations or the ABC, 2XX’s twenty-four hour coverage includes local news and information, contemporary art and film, youth programs, literature, public events, current affairs, indigenous and multicultural content. In the lead-up to the station’s forthcoming fundraising Radiothon, BMA spoke to Declan Kelly, the 2XX General Manager. Lured to the hills of the nation’s capital from the bright lights of Melbourne last February, Kelly was formerly the digital content developer and programming manager for community radio SYN and a casual producer for commercial channel 3AW “because you’ve got to pay the bills somehow.”

Not content to rest on its laurels, 2XX is on the lookout to improve its local impact. “There was a heavy re-branding under our previous General Manager Jamie Freestone,” explains Kelly. “We were very much getting back to our origins as a university station. It is not just about being here for the people who have been about forever, but to make current students know that we’re a great local radio with great music.” 2XX makes use of some nationally syndicated shows, such as the weekly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music program Deadly Sounds. It also produces its own Indigenous show Sovereign Voices. “It’s all about local Indigenous music, culture, sport, politics – you name it,” says Kelly. The station also has its own nationally syndicated show Local n Live. “It only plays local music and bands touring through Canberra and we give that over to some other community stations,” he says. “We were nominated for a national community radio award for that show, this year.”

We are all about the community, so we encourage anyone and everyone to get involved

Being a not-for-profit organisation which cannot run advertising in the normal sense, 2XX helps keep the broadcast gong by involving the local populace as ‘subscribers’. “Subscribers are eligible to win prizes, get trained to go on air and access all the great discounts we get around town,” says Kelly. Plus, of course, the warm fuzzies which come from the satisfaction that you are supporting an independent, community focused station. People can also become ‘members’, which gives them a say in how the station is run. “Anyone can join as a member, after they have been a subscriber for at least a year. We are all about the community, so we encourage anyone and everyone to get involved,” explains Kelly. Members really can make changes to how the station operates. ‘I work for the board, which is made up of members,” says Kelly. “This year we have been doing a lot towards upping our Indigenous and multi-cultural content. Plus, we’re making our local voice a lot louder, including talking about local art and definitely about local music. We want to get local artists involved with like-minded people.” Besides promoting art through Art’n’Soul and Artbeat, 2XX serves those with more specialised tastes through shows such as S.I.N.G.E.D, concentrating on synth-pop, industrial, noise, gothic, electronica and darkwave music. “It’s one of our staples of alternative, late night music, running for ten to fifteen years, with local DJs doing sets,” says Kelly. The station has a heavy emphasis on Australian content. “It’s a station policy that one in every two songs has to be Australian and one in every four has to be a local song,” he says.

Apart from its three studios in the station’s Civic HQ, 2XX promotes music in the street. During 2XX’s upcoming Radiothon in November (its major fundraising event) the station will be running Local n Live live in Garema Place, every day for free. “In addition, S.I.N.G.E.D will be combining together with Subsequence to do a fundraiser during the Radiothon,” says Kelly. “Subsequence is full of that crazy, ambient sound, done by the local DJ Dead DJ Joke.” Away from pure entertainment, 2XX also runs shows on local matters such as environmental issues, politics, incarceration, drug use and democracy in general. The local politicians are happy to talk and Andrew Barr used to regularly host a program. Community events and service announcements get promulgated through Lunchbox, which will also be out and about during the Radiothon. However, “we don’t do talkback,” confirms Kelly. The Radiothon will also seek dollars through the Pozible online donations, plus through a series of live events where people can donate. “Our tagline is ‘put your money where your ears are’, so if they see some giant ears, that’s where they can put their coins.” Being not-for-profit, the station seeks volunteer help wherever it can get it. “We have a very dedicated volunteer base, but they are now getting to the age when they are retiring and not necessarily giving as many hours to a community radio station,” Kelly says. People give from half an hour to ten hours a week, either on air, as a panelist, producer or through the music committee which selects what is played. So if you think you have a good head for radio, you may have a future as a volunteer presenter. The 2XX Radiothon runs from Monday – Sunday November 10 – 23. You can find out about related events and volunteering opportunities at 2xxfm.org.au

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LOCALITY

It’s only been out since April, but Moochers Inc are finally launching their first EP, Standing in Front of a House. (No prizes for guessing what the cover art looks like.) It’ll all go down in Glebe Park on Saturday November 15 from 2pm, with those cheeky trad jazz kids playing alongside Pocket Fox and The Hoary Sunrays. It’s all free and rumour is there’ll also be Frisbee… If you can think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than this, I’ll eat my apple crumble (Because no picnic is complete without it.).

Having just made their first international jaunt (to New Zealand), Sparrow-Folk are back on Canberran soil and will be causing a flap at Civic Pub with their new show, Feathered, Frank and Fabulous, on Thursday November 13 from 7:30pm. Tickets are $15, but at the time of writing, they’re more than half sold and this show will sell out, so head to the Sparrow-Folk Facebook page for all the details on how to book your spot. Friday November 14 is going to be an absolute corker, so gird your loins for this incredible list of events. First, there’s the final outing for the year for Art Underground at Beyond Q Bookshop in Curtin from 7pm. You’ll see and hear all kinds of wonders, from poetry to music to really weird performance art and you can join in on the open mic fun too and it’s all 100% free. Or if you’re looking for something that is better at conducting electricity (because it’s metal, geddit?), you should head to catch Local Horror at their single launch at ANU Bar from 8pm. It’ll set you back $10 and features support spots from Looking Glass, Agency and Astro Zombie. Should something a little more relaxed and café-friendly be on your Friday night wish list, check out Brother Be at Smith’s Alternative from 8pm, where they’re also launching a single. Tickets are $10 and they’ll be joined by Pivotal Point and Buck et al. Perhaps you’re looking for some sultry folk-pop tunes from a lovely lady with a guitar and a really good-looking band? Then you should head to The RUC in Turner for No Hausfrau’s debut album launch, with support provided by Burrows. All that deliciousness will only set you back $15, with proceedings starting at 8pm. Seriously, if you’ve got no plans for Friday November 14, there’s nothing more I can say to you – your biggest trouble should be picking which of these you’re going to! In recording and general news: Cracked Actor have shaved the head of vocalist Sebastian Field in pursuit of their new video clip, with more details to come; and Coolio Desgracias has released a new album, Suppositories of Wisdom, which features a bevy of local guest appearances and can be found at welargeproductions. bandcamp.com. There are also rumours that Hashemoto are recording, but that could just be my imagination. And briefly, the Woden Valley Festival is promising heaps of fantastic family events, Fri-Sat November 7-8, so head to wodenvalleyfestival.org.au and check out all the details! That’s it! Done! That’s it! Done! Now go out and get some Canberran local goodness into your ears and eyeballs! NONI DOLL nonijdoll@gmail.com/@nonidoll

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Image credit: Jem Natividad

NO CAN DO DAN BIGNA

NO HAUSFRAU’s Alice Cottee has kept a guitar close by since her teenage years when she began performing under her own name. The Canberra songwriter spent time playing in various groups and refining her craft to the point where a general contentment has resulted in No Hausfrau’s debut album We Were Invincible. It belies in some respects the ‘suburban folk rock’ tag, as various atmospheric nuances can be found in the music similar to the melancholy, late-night vibe of Mazzy Star. Whatever the influences – possibly including Joni Mitchell, Howling Bells and Feist – there is little doubt these songs are the product of lengthy contemplation of the human condition and are coloured by the personal experiences of a sensitive soul as the closing title track of the album makes clear.

I have fallen into being really raw lyrically

Cottee has been doing her thing for some time but the song-writing, recording and mixing of the album took place relatively quickly. “I’m not one of those perfectionist type people who spends a long time thinking about exactly what I want,” she says. “The concept was there, the song ‘We were Invincible’ was there and I wanted to write good songs to get out into the world more generally, but also songs that were strong within the band and that our audience could respond to. I knew it would fall into place.” That ‘falling into place’ didn’t necessarily come so easily. Cottee has struggled with a variety of personal issues which seep into the album in subtle and sometimes not so subtle ways. Take the title track for instance which starkly explores desire and loss. “I think the story in that song is something people can relate to,” she says. “The aim is not to hurt anyone but when you write the song it can be cathartic. I will often play back a song I’ve written and be filled with emotion, but then I can also feel a song emotionally but also detach myself and not get too caught up in the moment.” Curious about the connection between the artist as a person and the art as a carefully crafted semblance, I ask Cottee about the songs that particularly resonated. “The first two songs on the album are really important to me,” she says. “They have the sound that I wanted and of course with these things you have limited time, money and resources, but on those first two songs I think we did some good things with harmonies and those along with ‘We were Invincible’ are the most prominent ones on the album for me.” Cottee has recently tried out noisier environs in punk rock band Glitoris but whatever the sound, an open connection with the audience remains. “I have fallen into being really raw lyrically,” she says. “And I’m always hoping that people relate to that – the no bullshit approach.” Catch No Hausfrau launch We Were Invincible with special guests Burrows on Friday November 14 at the RUC Turner Bowls Club, Tickets $10 CMC members, $12 Conc. $15 GA.

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rory mccartney Fancy a new festival with unusual entertainment, great food stalls, boutique beer and a top musical program (with Busby Marou as headliners)? Then read on. This November, Canberra’s inaugural UNBRIDLED all-day-and-night event will be held at Thoroughbred Park. The festival will showcase equine activities never before seen in Canberra. BMA spoke to festival program manager Kate Bowman, to get the details straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Bowman sounds like an expert in all things horsey, but admits that she has had a steep learning curve over the past year and that she’s more skilled at falling off a horse than riding one. The ACT has the highest per capita horse ownership in the country and on any morning lovers of large four legged animals are out at horribly early hours to care for their nags. However, Unbridled is not intended just for them. “The aim of the event is to provide a platform for the equine community in Canberra to showcase what they do, how people enjoy their sports and just the overall majesty of the horse,” Bowman explains. “It’s especially for people who might not be able to have that close contact but who would really like to get up close to them.” Day to day horse events don’t tend to be so accessible for the general public (Melbourne Cup lunches do not count), but Unbridled throws that notion on its head.

The kids will be well catered for in the HorseWyse Neigh’bourhood Kidz Zone. “There are crafts for making horse masks and tails and even a little mounted games course with jumps and vaults, where kids can pretend to be horses,” Bowman says. There are introductory courses for all you ever needed to know about buying that pony, plus local street performer and acrobat Charlie J who will do a show about her missing horse. The festival includes opportunities for hands-on contact with horses too. Kids can actually try out braiding the main of a real live horse – no less than the famous Clydesdale ‘Cathcart Lofty’ (My Little Pony was never this good). There are more touching experiences in the Breed Pavilion where “horses will be in their stables with their owners and people can give them a pat.” Bowman adds, “There will be everything from Clydesdales down to miniature horses.” Been in a sulk for years because your mean mum and dad refused to buy you that pony? Therapy is at hand, as there are horse rides for adults as well as kids and carriage rides too.

While it’s an equine event, it will have a unique festival vibe

There is a broad variety of equine events to watch. “There is a big main stage with headline acts, plus bands,” says Bowman. “While it’s an equine event, it will have a unique festival vibe.” Unbridled is being held at a racecourse, but there will be no gallops on the day. However, retired race horses will be a topic of discussion. “We have people talking about re-homing thoroughbreds, as the racing industry needs to address the wastage of animals after their racing days,” she says. “Horses need to be retrained in the way they behave, to suit their new sport.” There’s a raft of specialist speakers, including a ‘horse whisperer’ (equine behaviouralist) or two. “There’s a guy called Greg Powell coming, who is a bit whizzbang and who taught Hugh Jackman how to ride in Australia.” Events will include showjumping for miniature horses, Luke Thomas’s outback show and the Girls Girls Girls Trick Riding Team. “The horses gallop around the arena with the girls doing acrobatics on the horses, hanging off the side and jumping on and off the animals,” says Bowman. “They are really amazing, bordering on crazy.” There is mounted archery and an international standard jousting event. “Sarah Hay, who is putting the show together, is the world’s leading female jouster and medieval mounted archer.” There is even horse boarding (a new sport from the UK), involving people being dragged around on big mountain skateboards. “It’s modern day chariot racing”, says Bowman.

Watching horses is hungry work and Unbridled includes an international food bazaar, with goodies including gozleme and Mexican nosh, plus the usual snack foods and crafted beer from Bent Spoke Brewery to wash it all down. “They will be selling their cider and beer at our bar, called the Hitching Post,” says Bowman. However, there will be no horse meat burgers, made from slow gallopers. “Definitely nothing French,” she assures us. Horserelated products will be available for those in that market and crafty stuff for those who just like to shop. Don’t want to come all day? No problem – there are a range of tickets including student concessions and a night-only ticket which enables you to catch the big horse spectacular and the music. Apart from the ukulele stars from Rockhampton as headliners, the line-up includes UK artist Fiona Bevan, soul singer Dave Dow, alt-folk singer/songwriter Mark Moldre and locals Dr Stovepipe, The Fuelers and The Burley Griffin. Interested in helping out? The festival needs more helpers, including horse marshals to escort some of the up to 200 beasts about the site, bar staff, gate controllers and (of course) people to shovel poo in the stables. Details of volunteering opportunities, which include free access to the festival, are on the website. Unbridled is on at Thoroughbred Park on Saturday November 15, 8.30am–11.30pm. All ages. Tickets start from $40, with concession and youth discounts and family bundles available. Full details at unbridledfestival.com.

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KANING IT jade fosberry Canberra’s own Citizen Kay has been on fire over the last two years. He’s released some massive singles, performed with some of the biggest names in Australian and international hip hop and is about to embark on a nation-wide tour of his LP, Demokracy, followed by a casual string of shows with Ice Cube. He’s currently in Ghana but took the time to answer some questions about his beats, inspiration and the capital. BMA: Since 2013 and the release of YES!, you haven’t really stopped. How have you managed to keep producing, touring and generally remaining so prolific? Citizen Kay: I guess not! I’m not completely sure but I’d say it has something to do with the team of people around me. It’s also something I absolutely love doing so most of the time I don’t really notice that I’m ‘working’, especially when writing or producing without deadlines. I also feel like I’m yet to really prove myself and truly break through so I don’t wanna slow down. Hopefully when I finally do catch that break I still won’t slow down though – cause there’s still so much to say and do through and with my music.

there’s still so much to say and do through and with my music

You taught yourself how to rap and produce beats. What’s next on the CK list of things to quietly learn and dominate? Still both of those things! I see myself as a beginner in both rapping and beat making so I definitely want to keep at both of them for as long as I feel needed, especially making beats. But after I feel I’m at a level I’m really happy with, the next thing I plan on dominating is the D-Floor, haha! Your style has been described as so many things. My favourite being ‘thoughtful, genre bending hip hop’. What would you say best describes your beats? My beats don’t really have their own style just yet but I’m someone who loves melody! Like rapping, the beat has to be influenced by something – whether an emotion or another song or whatever…and I guess like I always say with my music, I really want to be known for overall versatility so my beats are also part of that. There’s so much fresh hip hop coming out of Canberra at the moment – any favourite artists? CANNNBERRRAA REPPPINN!!! No doubt!! Gotta suss out Jimmy Pike, Semantix, Jedbrii, Nix, Coda Conduct, Suavess and there’s a hell load more. Canberra definitely has something to prove and we sure as hell got the people here to prove it! You’re touring Demokracy in November and then touring with Ice Cube in December. It’s been a few months since the last tour, what have you got in store for the tours? I’m hoping to be able to bring back the energy that’s become expected of a CK show – the live shows are the next thing I’d really love to work on to bring it to another level. It’s hard to say exactly what people should expect but they should know that there is passion in every single song that’ll be performed and I hope people will really be able to connect with that and appreciate the heart that goes into a lot of these songs. Citizen Kay will be returning to the capital with his Demokracy Tour on the Friday November 21 at Academy Nightclub. Tickets available at the door, price TBA.

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THE REALNESS LA natives The Pharcyde will be returning down under once again, this time calling by Transit Bar on Thursday November 27. Now might be the time to come clean with the truth – unfortunately the original four members of the group haven’t toured together for a number of year. Actually, it’s only Imani and Bootie Brown who still travel under the groups originally moniker and they won’t be anywhere near Transit Bar on this night. So who is actually turning up then? Well, the two other former members SlimKid3 and Fatlip while be joined by Bizarre Ride’s original producers J-Swift and L.A Jay reliving that classic album. A night definitely not to be missed! Are you an Oz hip hop fan? Actually are you just a hip hop fan? Enjoy that underground under the radar boom bap? Sick of the questions? If you answered yes to all then you need to ensure you beep the latest project from one of Adelaide’s well respected producers, Admin. When he’s not knocking out some of the tastiest bakery treats for the residents of the church city, he’s deep in the lab knocking out bangers for Maintain to flow over. Head over to bandcamp now and check out Maintain X Admin’s X_One – while you’re there don’t be cheap, tip the boys a few dollars for the great service. Run The Jewels, the super dynamic duo of El-P and Killer Mike, two of the most distinctive and celebrated names in hip hop, are set to release their sophomore album, Run The Jewels 2, via Mass Appeal Records. In addition to being made available as a free download, it will be released on all formats. The immensely anticipated album includes guests ranging from Zack de la Rocha and Travis Barker amongst others, but the duo maintain that the album is first and foremost about the creative partnership between the MCs themselves. On Black Milk’s sixth solo LP, If There’s A Hell Below, he continues the narratives he started on his 2013 release No Poison No Paradise. This time, rather than speaking through the character Sonny Jr., he paints pictures from a first person perspective of someone raised and living in one of America’s toughest cities and the ups and downs of pursuing a career in the arts. The stories reflect how he and the people where he’s from feel or have felt – if there’s a hell below, maybe we’re already in it. Following up 2013’s Peter Pan Syndrome LP, un-retired producer/ MC/DJ/author/drummer/master of lampoonery, J-Zone, returns with a 7” single of new material to keep the funk flowing. ‘Stick Up’ is a dirty, dusty instrumental that features J-Zone on the drums trading syncopated funk grooves with carnival-style Hammond organ in a stylistic nod to the beloved late ‘60s funk 45. The flip side, ‘Mad Rap’, is a vocal affair that sees J-Zone challenging the word “hater,” a handful of celebrities and the death of the unpopular opinion. ‘Mad’ Rap would ruffle some feathers if Zone were actually rich. For those more orientated toward the beat tape scene, Cakedog is Leland Jackson aka Ahnnu. Leaving Records writes, “Inspired by the Battle Groundz in Chicago, Menace in the Phantom is an authentic footwork tape of 14 cypher trax.” BERT POLE - bertpole@hotmail.com

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DANCE THE DROP

In the last issue, I lamented the loss of three of our most Iconic late night venues, but we mustn’t linger in the smouldering ruins of Northbourne Avenue when there is a steaming hot buffet full of freshly prepared nightspots begging to digest your savings. Look down. Are your shoes purple? Can you feel the soft spring breeze on your ankles? If your answer is ‘M’Lady’ then you’ve probably been to Molly’s. This fantastic and relatively new inner city speakeasy is nestled amongst the urban camouflage of Hobart Place – just look for groups of sullied drunkards spilling out of what resembles a disused bomb shelter. The Braddon precinct has given birth to another shiny ‘Barstaurant’, aptly named Hopscotch, because it is but a weeny intoxicated skip and a stumble from the CBD. The venue itself is quite nice and the live music is pleasant although this is the kind of place that herds of collared twenty-something’s gather to ignore each other and play with their smartphones.

The Kingston Foreshore area is probably the most exciting new development that Canberra has seen since that law was passed that nobody is quite sure about that may or may not decriminalise possession of small portions of marijuana. There are plenty of options along the waterfront (Morks, C Dine Bar etc) that are geared towards mature dining and conservative alcohol consumption, it’s just a shame that no one has thought to open a floating superclub called Pontoon (or a Cube-offshoot called Buoy). This brings us to the meat and potatoes of this article – where have all the clubs

gone? We are blessed with a cavalcade of interesting bars and restaurants, but nowhere new to pound the air until breakfast time. The only problem with venues like this are that they need investors who are well entrenched into the party scene and, well we’ve all spent our money on booze and cabs. Trinity Bar is one place left in Canberra that you can rely on to keep your healthy lifestyle at bay. The Aston Shuffle are heading back there on Saturday November 22. The lads have been hard at work securing a hillside mansion and ruining exotic cars in Los Angeles and probably doing music stuff too. Here’s your chance to touch them, make ‘oooh’ sounds and comment on their American accent. Smurfette –ahem- Tigerlily has been dying to get back to rock the Academy main room. You can catch the in-demand vinyl vixen on Friday November 14. In the spirit of the epic Lot 33 reunion party just passed, I thought I might waffle on about some classic tunes that still push my fun button to this day. Sharon Phillips – ‘Want 2 Need 2’ (Trentemoller remix) is such a fun but brutish record, it’s like being punched in the face with ice-cream. Different Gear feat Sia – ‘Drink to Get Drunk’ always sounds bigger in a club, it’s one of my all-time favourite house anthems. It doesn’t get much more ‘sing-a-long’ than Deep Dish – ‘Dreams’ (Axwell Remix), even if you don’t know the words you do know the words. Finally, Mylo – ‘Drop the Pressure’ was always a popular tune but head for the Laidback Luke remix for a bit of extra firepower without diverting too far away from the poppy silliness of the original. TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

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cody atkinson These days rejoining a band is the new joining a band. It may not be hip to be square, but it is hip to hang out with people you did a decade ago and got sick of hanging out with, but now do so because you get a boatload of money to. Cody Atkinson meanders around the topic. So why are so many bands making a comeback? First of all, don’t call it a comeback. A comeback is what a retired boxer does, or what John Farnham does every other year. Bands “reform” instead. Sorry. Why are so many bands “reforming”? You can broadly break it down the recent swathes to two different motivations: • A want to explore their earlier work further with some of their closest formative influences and to mend long broken fences; or • For cash money – dollar dollar bills y’all. Whenever bands are reforming for the latter reason, they almost always pretend it’s for the former. Except for, you know, the Pixies.

But it’s not like Aphex Twin has to talk to himself into recording again? The motivations to returning to his old work are the same, however. To revisit work that you’ve left behind, regardless of reason, takes a lot of thought even if there are extrinsic benefits on the table.

A comeback is what a retired boxer does, or what John Farnham does every other year

OK, so who’s reformed lately? This year has seen bands such as OutKast, Sleater-Kinney, Drive Like Jehu, Death From Above 1979, The Unicorns, Luna, The Libertines, Coachwhips, Thee Oh Sees, Slowdive, Aphex Twin and Temple of the Dog give it another shot. Jeez, that’s a few? Is there really demand for all of those bands playing again? And that’s before we get to the trend of reforming the “classic” line-up of vintage bands, as seen by bands like Dinosaur Jr. To be honest, I don’t know who half of those bands are. Do they really exist? Hmmm, pick one and we’ll walk through it. Sleater-Kinney? You don’t know who Sleater-Kinney are? Wow. Sleater-Kinney was/is a indie rock band from the Pacific Northwest who spawned out of the Riot Grrrl scene. They released five critically acclaimed albums in the ‘90s and ‘00s, including One Beat and The Woods. They also recorded an album with Aussie legends The Go-Betweens and member Carrie Brownstein has recently starred in TV sketch comedy Portlandia. Wait, Aphex Twin is a solo artist...And he got back together with himself to release his first album since 2001, the pretty brilliant Syro. That doesn’t make sense...You’ve read this column before, right? It generally doesn’t make sense...

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But a solo act taking some time off is just a hiatus, isn’t it? Hiatus, break up, does it matter what you call it? If an artist doesn’t make music anymore, it could really be either. If Aphex Twin doesn’t make an album for a few years, then he suddenly drops one, how is that different from when Death From Above 1979 do the same?

Are all bands that reform big, influential or famous? Theoretically, any band that was a band can reform, but in practice if no-one gave a shit about the band in the first place there is very little impetus for them to get back together again. That’s why you won’t see my high school band playing gigs any time soon. Because we sucked.

But do local bands have reunions? Yeah, absolutely. Just a couple of weeks ago Assassins 88 played their first gig in Canberra in a couple of years and they absolutely killed it, like they’d hardly missed a gig. They’re not the only ones and certainly not the only ones to destroy it on their return. But a reunion will never be like the original... Maybe not, but that’s one of the beautiful things about life – not much stays the same. Let’s face it, aren’t reunions just an opaque ploy for the cash of punters (slightly) past their prime? Yeah, but who cares? The motivations or age of a song doesn’t change how it sounds, which is the most important thing. And if part of the appeal of seeing a band you grew up with is nostalgia, so be it. Nostalgia can be great sometimes; it can remind you of times when you were happy and when everything cost 50 cents. EVERYTHING. There’s something kinda cool about seeing a great band put aside their differences, regardless of motivation and play the songs you grew up with. Good music rarely gets less good and certainly your memories of it rarely fade. There’s no real reason that hearing ‘Shady Lane’ played by a reformed Pavement will sound any different to how it did 15 years ago. Being a dilettante is overrated sometimes – it’s OK to like stuff that has seen the light of day before.

Tour on Sunday November 23. They’ll be at Zierholz with support from New Jersey’s The Front Bottoms and the UK’s Apologies, I Have None with tickets set at $34.70 and available through Oztix.

Yo, is it possible to have intense hayfever and still be punk? I mean having your face dripping with snot, tears and sweat isn’t exactly the toughest look…but then again, maybe it is. I’ve seen myself in the mirror with hayfever and I don’t think I would fuck with me. Anyway, if you’re not prone to hay-fever then A) I hate you and B) you can go outside and fully enjoy the following shows without any repercussions. Local indie-punk favourites Super Best Friends have announced their first Canberra show in…I dunno…like, a while. They will be celebrating the launch of their new single ‘Out Tonight’ at The Phoenix on Thursday November 13 with support from Newcastle’s Maids. As if that weren’t enough, the endearingly nicknamed ‘Bestie Boys’ will also be headlining the aptly named Super Best Fest on Friday November 28 at the Magpies City Club. This show will be an all ages extravaganza, as it hosts a mixed bag of some of Canberra’s best young acts including Fricker, Duck Duck Ghost, Rather Be Dead, Obey the Lifeless, Adventure Sunday, Jack Livingston, Hannah Blackburn and Maggie Jeffs all for just $10. Australia’s favourite folk-punk outfit The Smith Street Band will be coming through the capital as part of their Throw Me in The River

In what may well end up being the punk event of the year, the first annual Gingerfest is coming up in loving memory of the Ginger Ninja. The festival will take place at The Factory Theatre in Sydney on Saturday December 6 and will see sets from 28 Days, Bagster, Totally Unicorn, Born Lion, Clowns, Super Best Friends, Hightime, The Punk Rock Hillbilly, Revellers, Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougal and Lincoln Le Ferve with even more acts to be announced! Tickets are on sale now for just $27.50 +bf through factorytheatre.com.au, with all proceeds going toward Vision Australia. On Friday November 21 Sydney’s Corpus will be stopping by the Magpies City Club launching their new record The Sliding Side of Morality. They’ll be joined by fellow Sydneysiders Fat Accompli and Propeller along with Canberra’s very own Lost Coast. This show will be all ages and will cost you a mere $10 at the door. If you’re a Frenzal Rhomb fan you can head to The Basement on Saturday December 13 to catch frontman Jay Whalley who according to Facebook “has rejected all good advice and is playing a bunch of shows by himself.” Whalley will be supported by local acoustic favourites Dylan Hekimian and Jack Billman for just $15.30 through Moshtix. Also, remember to tune into the best show for local and international punk and hardcore, Haircuts and T-shirts on Tuesdays from 10.30pm at their new home on PunkRockRadio. There. Now I’m just gonna go drain my face. So punk. IAN McCARTHY punk.bma@gmail.com

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METALISE Great show to kick off the fortnights entertainment this Friday November 7 at the Basement in Belconnen with Dutch death metal stalwarts Sinister. With eleven studio albums that kicked off with their 1992 album Cross The Styx and most recently this years’ opus, The Post Apocalyptic Servant, it’s about time they band took the opportunity to tour Australia for the first time. The band is utterly brutal – if you love death metal, you absolutely have to attend this show. The supports are also tantalising. Tasmaniacs Mephistopheles should be well known to Australian death metal fans as former Psycroptic vocalist Matthew Chalks brutal death band with some interesting fusion ideas intertwined. Stellar local bands Tortured, Wretch and Inhuman Remnants round out a superb bill that will satisfy any discerning fan of the more extreme end of the metal spectrum and well worth the $37 door price. The Veil are an interesting band that blend post-punk and doom metal influences which they have dynamically combined in their new album Impermanence which they’re launching this Saturday November 8 at the Basement. The Sydney act has two prior releases with 2013’s Ghosts of Memory and 2009’s Nightfall Watching. The teaser for the new album available on their bandcamp site (theveilband.bancamp.com) reveals a maturity and focus of their musical evolution reaching a new plateau. The show also features

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our own hard working Looking Glass who are on the cusp of album #4 recorded out at Infidel Studios and if the new material they’ve been road testing of late is anything to go by – that too is going to be an absolute monster of a record. Also along are three piece Canberra band Hence The Testbed whom I’ve heard good things about, but not had a chance to catch live yet, so I’m looking forward to this show after a day of beers at Beer Day Out. The Magpies Club in the city has a show on Tuesday November 11 with Hand Of Mercy playing one of their extensive 18 show Australian tour with a licenced all ages show. Hellions and Void of Vision are along for the ride for those with a penchant modern hardcore would be well served in heading along to that one. I’m REALLY looking forward to Thursday November 13 as Australia’s premiere and arguably heaviest doom band ever Whitehorse come up from Melbourne to play for us at the Basement. If you’ve not seen the band before, I think it would be fair to summarise their sound as a two continental tectonic plates forcefully and methodically struggling against one another, forcing upward mountainous riffs at which their peaks are lashed with harsh electronic frequencies that bestow harsh consequences on the witnesses to their sonic eruptions. They’re also pretty bloody good blokes. I am intrigued to see New Zealand band Meth Drinker whose bandcamp site showed off some pretty damn bag tearingly awesome songs. The two locals on the bill feature the excellent Hygiene who will have a deliciously dirty 7” of their power violencecome-grindy filth on sale and the might Blight Worms whom I’m very much looking forward to seeing live again. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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JOSH NIXON Canberra has benefitted over the years with highly successful annual festivals that have seen hundreds of thousands of eager visitors flock to our city year after year to enjoy them. The three biggest ones draw folk who come for the smoke and burning rubber of Summernats, the quieter and more aromaticallypleasing stroll through Floriade and the vitality of the Multicultural Food & Wine. At the beginning of last year, beer and cider wholesaler Steve Hegarty and Anthony Young, owner of the wonderful Plonk bottle shop at the Fyshwick Markets, decided to bring a new festival to add to the annual Canberra event calendar with a day dedicated to something close to many people’s hearts the world over, beer. Thus BEER DAY OUT was born. Hegarty and Young’s professional relationship and their contacts with the Canberra home and professional brewing community were the wellspring from which flowed the inspiration leading to 2013’s event held out at Thoroughbred Park.

cream company Frugii, has been busy in his lab with some tastes that include Bridge Road Brewers Chestnut Pilsner and peach ice cream and 2 Brothers ‘Kung Foo’ Rice Lager and Passionfruit Pavlova ice cream. Of course there will be plenty of more traditional savoury fare available too. The fine folks at Temporada in the city, well noted for supporting local producers of food, wine and beers, are preparing a bunch of seasonally inspired dishes. Morks Thai, Shannons BBQ and Mr Papa will also be on hand to keep punters hunger pangs at bay. Hartley Lifecare Incorporated are a great charity that have supported the ACT and region for 50 years providing services for people coping with physical and complex disabilities and their families. At the Beer Day out the Hartley team will be offering the perfect counter weight to all the delicious beers – a variety of German sausages. All proceeds will go directly back into this most worthy of causes, so you don’t have to feel guilty about going back for seconds and thirds.

Canberra has some of the best brewers both in their home and professionally in Australia

Around 1,700 payers attended the universally well received event, with the only real logistical headaches revolving around physically getting the punters into the venue. Not a bad problem to have from a sponsor’s standpoint, but one the organisation team were keen to address. Hegarty tells me, “We have worked closely with Moshtix and Leader Security to streamline entry this time,” to mitigate a repeat of the bottleneck at the gate (ok I’ll drop the beer puns forthwith).

Lesson learned, Hegarty, Young and a collective of wonderful volunteer staff are back in 2014 with an even larger program and a new venue, The Former Transport Depot building on the Kingston foreshore. Hegarty explained that while, “It certainly wasn’t a cheaper move, the fairly central and larger indoor/outdoor venue allows us to expand on last year’s event.” The event kicks off Canberra Beer week which includes a tonne of opportunities to try different beers with tap takeovers happening across the city from Saturday November 8 through to Friday November 14. Of course, there is not just beer on the menu for punters that the BDO 2014 is aiming at its core demographic of avid craft beer lover’s. “We have even more beer and cider to try this year from over 28 brewers, along with more food and entertainment. There will also be a tent focusing on ciders from around the world and also a tent selling wine which we got a lot of requests for last time around!” says Hegarty. Of course when it comes to food at the Beer Day Out, each dish has to contain beer too. That goes for the regular suspects that accompany a few refreshing ales to some more experimental tastes. John Marshall, the culinary mad scientist behind local ice

For entertainment, the team have prepared a diverse musical program. “This year we will be kicking things off with a great young blues, roots guitarist called Jack Biilman,” says Hegarty. “Then we’re upping the tempo with a funky, hip hop infused local band Mondocrene, finishing with the Ashley Feraude Trio pumping out house and disco inspired tunes. In between all this local DJ Speakerlove will keep the crowd boogieing throughout the day.” To add a layer of challenge after tasting the brews, the event will also host the first running of the annual Life-Sized Jenga Competition, which is sure to bring a few laughs at others stress related concentrations of balancing the big bricks and not being caught under their inevitable collapse. The event’s logistics require a lot more than good will and hands on help was thankfully not in short supply. Hegarty expresses lot of gratitude for the volunteer assistance –“We have about 50 volunteers helping from Friday put everything together. The BDO simply would not exist without these peoples help.” Hegarty contends that, “Canberra has some of the best brewers both in their home and professionally in Australia. I would love to see the Beer Day Out outdoors over three days under a massive circus tent somewhere iconic in our beautiful city. I’m excited by what the future holds.” Entry is from 12pm Saturday the 8th of November with prepurchased ticket or 1pm at the door (if available) at the Former Transport Depot, Wentworth Avenue Kingston. 18+. Please drink responsibly. Tickets $25 from moshtix, $45 with $20 of beer vouchers or $35 on the day, with additional beer vouches $1. More details at canberrabeerweek.com.

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E X H I B I T I O N I S T ARTS | ACT

ALL EYES ON SWEET ALBION baz ruddick Australian audiences have a strange relationship with British cinema. Despite a large majority of people claiming to love the cultural cinematic exploits of fair Albion, it is far too often left in the shadows by flashy overly-produced Hollywood blockbuster films and twodimensional American rom-coms. In its second year, the EMIRATES BRITISH FILM FESTIVAL will be giving Australian audience the chance to reconnect with British cinema and learn to love it once again. With 21 films on showcase, the EBFF includes a retrospective look at 60’s British Cinema and fifteen new releases, Australian audiences will be treated to a vivid cultural excursion of the British Isles and will have the chance to see exclusive premieres. I spoke to film festival director and curator Kim Petalas about how you curate a film festival. In its debut year, the EBFF set the benchmark for the festival as a premier showcase of British cinema and a yard stick of film festivals to come. With an exclusive Australian premiere of Stephen Frear’s Philomena, starring Judie Dench, the festival pre-empted worldwide reaction to the drama. “The film moved thousands,” Petalas tells me. “Launching such a terrific drama as our closing film really sparked a lot of word-of-mouth. It gave the film a real boost to release on Boxing Day and it really performed incredibly well with mainstream audiences.” Audiences are expectantly awaiting similar caliber gems at this year’s festival. Australian audience’s relationship with British cinema has traditionally been one of absent love. While we may enjoy the scene as a whole, it is often absent from our lives and out of consciousness. “Australian audiences have a great synergy with British cinema,” states Petalas. “We have a very similar sensibility and we identify with their comedy and their drama particularly well. I think American cinema could certainly be described as two-dimensional, whereas British cinema is more earthy and more real.” This quality Petalas describes compliments a certain vibrancy and vivacity. The festival opens with the Australian premiere of James Kent’s film Testament of Youth. A World War One period drama featuring a ‘star making performance’ by Alicia Vikander, the film follows the story of an intelligent and irrepressible free spirited woman and her literary love affair. With Vikander set to star in five major releases in the coming twelve months, Testament of Youth is being billed as her breakout role. The closing film of the festival, The Imitation Game, directed by Morten Tyldum and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, tells the story of Alan Turing and the cracking of the

Nazi enigma code. “Cumberbatch is a real rising star,” says Petalas. “And it is a film that will certainly feature in next year’s Academy Award nominations.” While the festival holds no claim of having an ‘ongoing theme’, unofficially it would seem that many of Britain’s breakout films this year are dealing with turbulent times in history. ‘71 is a gritty drama set within a 24-hour period in Belfast. A debut film by Yann Demange, the film follows the journey of a young British soldier, accidentally abandoned by his platoon in Belfast following a riot. Still an extremely sensitive topic in Britain and Ireland, the troubles of ‘71 are painted with realism and desolation. Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner, stars the beautifully charismatic and dynamic Timothy Spall, famed for playing both Winston Churchill and Harry Potter’s Peter Pettigrew, as the prolific 19th century painter J.M.W Turner. Celebrated and reviled, Turner stands in British history as a remarkable and notable character who pushed social and cultural boundaries through his life and his art. In addition to a slew of exceptional new release films, the EBFF will be screening a ‘retrospective six from the ‘60s’. “I was really taken aback by ‘60s British cinema,” Petalas shares with me. “Some of the films screening are some of my favourite films.” Among the ranks of the half a dozen classics are both John Schlesinger’s films Darling and Billy Liar, Peter Collinson’s The Italian Job, Lindsay Anderson’s ‘If..’ and Cy Endfield’s Zulu. “The film’s we chose still hold incredibly well with audiences today, particularly Michael Caine’s breakout film Zulu,” says Petalas. “It just looks great on the screen!” This year’s festival coincidentally marks not only the fiftieth anniversary of The Beatles tour of Australia, but also the fiftieth anniversary of the release of The Beatles tour film A Hard Day’s Night, directed by Richard Lester. Digitally restored, the film is a “wonderful depiction of The Beatles and the world at the height of Beatlemania. It jumps off the screen!” says Petalas. “The last thirty minutes is like being at a Beatles concert during the height of their popularity.” Featuring an absolute plethora of quality cinema starring uncompromising British (and the odd Australian) actor, the EBFF is certainly one of spring’s cultural shining points. The Emirates British Film Festival will be screening at the Palace Electric Cinema from Thursday–Sunday November 6–23.

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BEHIND THE SCANDAL indigo trail “I like being a part of a story,” says actor Ethan Gibson over the phone on a sunny Tuesday morning. “I think, being able to stand on stage and basically story-tell to an audience – it’s really enjoyable … really special.” Gibson, who has been acting seriously since he was 18, clearly has a love for stories that runs deep in his veins. “I try to only choose scripts and stories that I really believe in,” he says, before segueing into the virtues of the play he’s currently rehearsing, SCANDALOUS BOY, which has its world premiere at the Street Theatre on Friday November 14. Written and directed by David Atfield, Scandalous Boy is set in Ancient Rome and revolves around the Emperor Hadrian and his relationship with his male lover, Antinous. “I’ve never played a role this challenging before,” says Gibson of what drew him to the project initially. “I mean, there’s a whole period we’re covering, a whole load of relationships. The content in the play is going to challenge a lot of people. It’s very difficult to act, but at the same time, you have to take risks as an actor, you have to make choices that you think are going to help you grow.” Gibson is certainly no stranger to making difficult decisions for the sake of his art. He auditioned for NIDA right after high school and, only just missing out, commuted to Sydney during the week to study at the Actor’s Studio Australia. “When my relatives were unavailable I sort of lived out of my car for a few days a week, yeah,” he reminisces, tone bashfully proud. “Then I went back to Canberra – I trained at Canberra Youth Theatre too. Since then, I’ve just been doing lots, just trying not to stop.” If the “sheer challenge” of Scandalous Boy is anything to go by, it sounds as though all those early bumps in the road were worth it. “My character, Antinous, he’s a very vocal character, but also a character we know very little about,” says Gibson. “He’s sort of been ignored by historians, but he was one of the most influential people of the time – I mean, he started an entire cult, for one thing.” And while starting a religious cult might be comparatively difficult to top during one lifetime, what is known about Antinous proves that is just the tip of the proverbial laurel wreath. A male prostitute for most of his life, Antinous caught the attention – and attractions – of none other than the Roman Emperor, catapulting him into a precarious position of both extreme power and total vulnerability. “I think it’s a real shame he hasn’t been talked about more,” Gibson says with an air of wistfulness. This mysterious, unknown Antinous won’t be around for much longer, though – a toss right into the path of the bright, blinding stage lights ought to zap up some of those pesky shadows. “That

was my main attraction to the project, actually – telling the story of Antinous. He’s been ignored and I sort of felt an obligation to put his life [on stage] because he was so important.” Gibson speaks about Antinous like a jet stream – words and sentences streaming out of him as he expresses the exhilaration in bringing a forgotten character to life. “It’s really exciting – we’ve created something that’s really challenging and new. There was a tremendous amount of freedom in how I got to play Antinous – it wasn’t like a biographical film where I’d have to mime or study them or learn how they move and talk, because we don’t know that about him anyway.” By his own admission, Gibson is most fascinated by complex, human stories – but the relationship between the Emperor Hadrian and his character seems to have struck a particularly significant chord within him. “The most compelling part for me to act is that relationship. It’s a relationship between a younger and an older man – which is outside my realm of experience – so that’s been a great challenge for me to play.” Ancient Rome, as we know from high school history and HBO, was undeniably brutal; however, it was also significantly more accepting of homosexuality than even parts of our modern world. Gibson has clearly done his research. “In Rome, [homosexuality] wasn’t even a word, being gay was just a thing. But now, over the thousands of years, it’s become something secret, something that people have to hide, which is such a shame. What this play does is challenge attitudes towards homosexuality both in the Roman era and today.” Even so, this is far from the only thought-provoking and shocking aspect of the play. “Yeah, there’s nudity,” laughs Gibson. “When I took on the role I knew that. But it’s fine, because it serves a purpose. If nudity benefits the story, like [in Scandalous Boy], then I’m fine with it. Antinous is a male prostitute. His economy is sex, his body is his currency. That’s part of his struggle. He uses his body and sex but at the same time he’s misjudged by people.” Here, Gibson pauses, entrenched in the scope of his character. “There’s – there’s a lot more to him than just the way he looks and I think a lot of people can empathise with that.” I ask Gibson the dreaded question – how would he sum up Scandalous Boy in one word? He stops, allowing another one of those lengthy rubber-band pauses to plug up the static filled phone line. But then, he snaps and it’s easy to imagine his eyes flashing triumphantly. “Dangerous. It’s dangerous.” Scandalous Boy is at the Street Theatre from Friday –Sunday November 14–23. Tickets start at $25 for students, $35 for standard

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and, erm, roads. At the federal level, yes, it’s about more frigging roads but also taxes and – most importantly of all, apparently – keeping out ‘foreigners’.

UNINHIBITED He’s been the man of the moment, which is quite something considering his moment was actually 40 years ago. Gough Whitlam, the former prime minister of a country I’d love to call great but really, it’s pretty average. Good old Gough, the man who gave us universal health care and free tertiary education and land rights for Indigenous people. These are extraordinary achievements, and I say that in the context of knowing that we should never worship anyone, no matter how good they might be – uncritical adoration rarely ends well for anyone. But I’m not here to discuss adoration. I want to reflect on Whitlam’s other contribution to society: his support for the arts. During his painfully short period at the top of the political food-chain, Gough gave us a significantly more effective Australia Council, and, in a powerfully symbolic gesture, he bought Jackson Pollock’s ‘Blue Poles’ for the National Gallery and showed us – once and for all – how the arts is an investment in the future. Where are the strong political voices now? Regrettably, there are none. In Australia, at all levels of government, as soon a politician starts talking about the arts they’re deemed to have lost their connection with the average Australian, whatever the hell that is. At the local level, politics is about rates, rubbish, and roads. At the territory/state level, it’s about schools and hospitals

No rational person would doubt the importance of a fair education system, and a health network that might actually lead to better health, and the need for efficient transport options. But it’s a brave political operative who puts their neck on the line and says, I happen to think the arts is as important as any thing else. Here’s the question: why is it that we’re so scared of the arts? After 46 years on the planet, 45 of them spent pondering this question, here is my answer. Australia is a masculine country. We like real men who stick it up to authority – Ned fucking Kelly, for instance. We want to play backyard cricket and get sunburnt and rat-faced and listen to songs about bangin’ chicks. This is a country where we’re not gonna let witchy women like Julia Gillard tell us what to do, no fucking way. The arts? Pffft, that’s for poofters. It’s for those who wanna drink champagne and verdelho, not a can of top-notch piss. It’s for those who can’t hack it on the footie field or in the pub. It’s for those who couldn’t shoot a fucking roo to save themselves. Of course, this is all bollocks. Australia is a diverse and multi-layered place. But the dominant narrative is one driven by white men in suits who believe that it just isn’t tough to talk about creativity and imagination. So this is the heartbreaking fact of the matter: right now, regardless of where you live in this neck of the woods, there isn’t a single politician who is a courageous advocate for the arts. If only I was religious and Gough Whitlam was Jesus. I’d vote 1 for a resurrection. nigel featherstone

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A R T | C O M E DY | D A N C E | L I T E R AT U R E | T H E AT R E

ARTISTPROFILE: Shellaine Godbold

What do you do? Primarily I draw but I move between drawing and making. Making informs drawing and drawing informs making. For me it’s very much about learning and connecting through touch.

What are your plans for the future? I’m heading off to Japan next year for a residency which I’m very excited about and interested to see how my work develops after that. What makes you laugh? Hong Kong comedies, Monkey Great Sage of Heaven and my friends. What pisses you off? Not being able to do 2 chin ups. I can do one but that’s it.

When, how and why did you get into it? I was always interested in art but never felt confident about my abilities. It wasn’t until I was older that I finally got up the courage to go to art school.

What about the local scene would you change? BNothing. I moved here from Brisbane to go the ANU School of Art and I ended up staying even though I hate the cold and polar fleece.

Who or what influences you as an artist? Other artists (especially Patsy Payne and Louise Bourgeois), my friends and family and a whole lot of travel.

Upcoming exhibitions? I have a solo exhibition opening at CCAS Manuka on Thursday 30 from 6pm and then running until Sunday 9 November.

Of what are you proudest so far? My latest solo exhibition Surface Tensions. For this show I was working with new materials and processes which is always exciting and scary.

Contact Info: shellainegodbold.tumblr.com

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW The Skeleton Road Val McDermid [Little Brown; 2014]]

The discovery of a skeleton in the turret of an abandoned building in Edinburgh marks the beginning of international best-selling crime writer Val McDermid’s latest novel, The Skeleton Road. Detective Inspector Karen Pirie of Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit is called in to identify the skeleton and investigate the murder that has evidently taken place. With the help of her human rights lawyer friend Tessa, Professor Maggie Blake from Oxford had been getting on with her life after her lover Mitja, an ex-Croatian intelligence officer, left her without a word eight years ago. Maggie is thrown into turmoil when DI Pirie from Scotland questions her about her former lover when the evidence points to Mitja as the potential victim. The skeleton is proved to be him and Maggie comes to realise how little of his history she knew. In the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia an investigation is commissioned into eleven deaths before trial of former soldiers accused of war crimes during the Balkan War. The future of the two lawyers working this case is at stake as they search for connections between the deaths. DI Pirie’s investigation comes to their notice as she delves into one of their persons of interest, the former Croatian intelligence officer. Maggie joins forces with DI Pirie as they travel to the village where Mitja came from – Maggie in search of answers to her lost loves life and DI Pirie in search of clues to his murder. They discover human rights investigators, a man and woman, have visited the village

asking questions about atrocities that took place there. DI Pirie’s junior officer discovers the motel where the dead man was staying before his death. Maggie lies to DI Pirie when she claims to not recognise any of the guests who were also at the motel. The investigations of the 2 lawyers, DI Pirie and Maggie intersect in a climax with DI Pirie racing to stop Maggie taking revenge on her murdering friend. It is tempting to skip through Maggie’s story of her time in Croatia before and during the war and how she met and fell in love with Mitja that is dispersed throughout the book. Although a distraction from the flow of the investigation into the skeleton, the commentary on Eastern Europe during the dark days of the 1990s and the investigation into the skeleton eventually do mesh together. DI Pirie’s live-in partner’s untimely death right at the end has left me wondering if we will see more of her in the future. I generally really enjoy Val McDermid’s story telling style and I wanted to like this one but I struggled to maintain my interest with the back and forth between the investigation and Maggie and Mitja’s love story. ALSEY ANN CONDIE

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A R T | C O M E DY | D A N C E | L I T E R AT U R E | T H E AT R E

Regular readers will know my fondness for the English language, its versatility, richness and melodious lyricism; its concision and expression, its honeyed enchantment and blunt candour. It’s the bollocks. As with so many things one holds dear, its abuse often proves particularly adept at ruffling one’s feathers. I’m sure you have similar indulgences to which you are attached, and whose abuse is cause enough to wound. If you were a dog-lover and I kicked your dog into a nearby lake, you may take umbrage. If you loved pungent cheese and I took your cheese and smeared it onto the face of a nearby dog before kicking it into a lake, you may get peeved. It is in a similar state that I often find myself when having to listen to people fight a losing battle with their native tongue. As your cheese-coated dog sails through the air, you will no doubt experience the same queasy pang I do when people spout some ill-thought-out analogy: one hopes for the best, but we all know the only result is a mishmash of loss, gore and Roquefort. You may think that chief among my enemies on this score would be the mindless, grime-encrusted halfwits who amble around local supermarkets in their bare feet, and while it is true that I would happily plant contraband barbiturates on their children before reporting them to the Police, their dimwittedness is not half as offensive as those who consider themselves erudite, but are in actual fact, fuckwits. Particularly grating among this class of offender are those who mask their inadequacies with the employment of language designed solely to confer a sense of importance upon themselves and to belittle those whose vocabulary, while perhaps limited, is nonetheless accurate. You know the type. They ‘push envelopes’ instead of pioneer, employ ‘blue sky thinking’ rather than originality and ‘value-add’ instead of enhance. I loathe these people. Their desire to ‘drill-down’ during ‘high-level talkshops’ all taking place at ‘the strategic level’ are all attempts at obfuscation, gilding their bog-standard careerist cage with fool’s gold. But us laymen wouldn’t understand; we only have to complete a series of tasks when at work. They have to ‘action our key milestones.’ Sadly, it appears that even erstwhile allies are now in direct opposition to reason and accurate communication. Even the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is now surrendering its former authority. I literally cannot believe that ‘literally’ can now be employed figuratively with the literal approval of the OED. As we have touched on before, there is an undoubted need for language to evolve in order to accommodate our own advance. New words will of course arise, and rightly they must. How else can one describe Ronan Keating’s artistic merit other than to say it is ‘shithouse’? But to usurp a perfectly serviceable word with a fabrication purely to embolden the worth you derive from a fraudulent profession is a crime far greater than allegedly bribing Members of Parliament. An accusation that I intend to vigourously oppose just as soon as I burn my ledger. gideon foxington-smythe

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bit PARTS LIFE CYCLE WHAT: Art exhibition WHEN: Thu-Sat Nov 6-29 WHERE: Tuggeranong Arts Centre It’s all in the name. Life Cycle is a conversation about the life cycle of an artist and a teacher. United by their passion for art, teaching and philosophy, the eight artists featured in the exhibition are all art teachers at Lake Tuggeranong College, The diversity of the work reflects the differing age, experience and artistic approach of each of the artists, producing a unique and multi-discipline show including painting, videos, drawing, prints and photography. Includes work by Richard Baldwin, George Cora, Lisa Styles, Phil Styles, Rachel Head, Linzie Ellis, Jacqui Ockwell and David Hearne. Opens Thursday November 6 at 6pm. HOMETOWN LOSTBOY WHAT: Art exhibition WHEN: Wed–Sat Nov–Dec 12–13 WHERE: Soju Girl In Hometown Lostboy, local artist Ben Henderson depicts his rediscovery of his hometown, Canberra, through a series of paintings and sculptures. Known for being incorporating the influence of natural landscapes into his creations, the entire collection was completed since Henderson’s relocation back to Canberra. Exhibited in the hip confines of Soju Girl, all of the pieces displayed will be for sale. Exhibition opens on Wednesday November 12 at 7pm and will run until Saturday December 13, ensuring you have plenty of time to catch Henderson’s inspired pieces. IMB SUNSET CINEMA WHAT: Outdoor cinema WHEN: Fri–Sat Nov–Dec 14–20 WHERE: Botanic Gardens It’s becoming a firm favourite in the Canberra annual calender – when the weather gets warmer and the days longer, it must be time for the Botanic Gardens to host IMB Sunset Cinema. This year’s program includes blockbusters Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1, Gone Girl and Dawn of The Planet of The Apes and cult classics Top Gun and Dirty Dancing, plus a few family friendly favourites. Features live bands, comfy beanbags, gourmet food and fully licensed bar. Kicks off on Friday November 14 with hilarious vampire flick What We Do In The Shadows. Tickets (various prices) and program details at sunsetcinema.com.au/Canberra. BITE-SIZED CIRCUS WHAT: Circus WHEN: Various dates between Tue–Sat Nov–Dec 18–7 WHERE: Kaleen High School, Chifley Oval, Majura Primary

With sell-out shows in Australia and a recent stint at the prestigious Glastonbury Arts Festival, Canberra’s own Bite-Sized Circus has been wowing audiences the world over. Harping back to the 1930s-style Vaudeville circuses, the show features spectacular costumes, juggling, balance, amazing acrobatics, danger and comedy. Animal free and suitable for all ages. Three locations! Kaleen High School – Tue Nov 18, 6.30pm. Chifley Neighbourhood Oval – Sat Nov 29 2pm and 6pm; Sun Nov 30 2pm. Beside Majura Primary, Watson – Fri Dec 5 7pm; Sat Dec 6 2pm and 7pm; Sun Dec 7 2pm.Tickets $18 adults, $13 from bitesizedcircus.com.

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the word

on albums

album of the issue Rowland S. Howard Six Strings That Drew Blood [liberation]

There’s a classic scene in the Wim Wenders’ film Wings of Desire featuring Crime and The City Solution performing on stage in a Berlin warehouse. The camera captures Rowland S. Howard perfectly, cigarette dangling from his mouth as he effortlessly wields his jag during a performance of ‘Six Bells Chime’ that steals the scene and arguably the entire movie. Six Strings That Drew Blood attempts to tap into that moment, traversing a thirty year career cut short by Howard’s death from cancer in 2009. Howard was an uncompromising musician who appeared on the Melbourne scene in the late ‘70s fully formed; sartorially complete with a Model Of Youth armband and some Dostoyevsky under his arm. Even brother Harry acknowledged that in a mono cultural Australia “no one knew how to take Rowland”. The Nick Cave link is bittersweet. It propelled Howard from minor local notoriety with The Young Charlatans into a bewildered but critically receptive fanbase in London; the Birthday Party’s shows were legendarily violent and as a result, unmissable. Cave and Howard weren’t natural collaborators, each driven by their own vision and talents. The track ‘Shivers’ was the biggest litmus test, Howard had written it at 16,, but its most famous incarnation was at the hands of The Boys Next Door, a band that preceded The Birthday Party and solidified Cave as the frontman

in their working relationship. Cave has since admitted that Howard should have sung it and hearing this original version here is compelling in its diversity – less unrequited longing and more of the wry observational satire that was originally intended. It was in the formation of These Immortal Souls, with thengirlfriend Genevieve McGuckin and brother Harry, where Howard started to really carve his fender-shaped niche. The processional rhythms of ‘Crowned’ and the wonderfully sardonic ‘Marry Me (Lie Lie!)’ showcase a confidence and creative freedom not previously afforded to him. There’s a spin through some eclectic collaborations, from Lydia Lunch’s fractured sing-song fairy take on a cover of ‘Some Velvet Morning’ to the meandering harmonies of ‘Summer High’ with Magic Dirt’s Adalita. This release gives deserved weight to Howard’s solo career, with ‘The Golden Age of Bloodshed’ and ‘Sleep Alone’ seeing him at the very top of his game. Sadly, critical acclaim only really started to build for Howard around his final solo release, 2009’s Pop Crimes, with the dynamism of that album’s accompanying live shows belying his failing health. His legacy has since been beautifully realised via the must watch biopic Autoluminescence (featuring Henry Rollins, Nick Cave and Thurston Moore) and more recently in the ‘pop up’ tribute band Pop Crimes featuring an impressive lineup of friends/family and collaborators. This release is the culmination of all of this celebration of repertoire, with Harry Howard and Genevieve McGuckin credited as consultants. Lindsay Gravina mastered the tracks to ‘warm up’ some of the earlier releases to maintain a continuity of sound throughout. This is a five star record. It’s not due to a well-earned posthumous respect for an artist who passed well before his time, nor is it because of this release’s aesthetic brilliance – resplendent with scrawled lyrics and a pictorial trip through an impossibly cool world inhabited by some of the original post-punk elite. First and foremost, it’s because Six Strings That Drew Blood chronicles the sounds that could only have emanated from one guitarist, capturing a mood that can only come from absorbing the menacing undercurrent of its sonic tragedies.

Benjamin Booker Benjamin Booker [Rough Trade] Even though he’s only been active as a musician for the last two years, there’s already been a huge amount of media attention swirling around 25 year old New Orleans-based singer / songwriter Benjamin Booker. Indeed, the last twelve months alone have seen him land a spectacularly received run of shows at SXSW and then go on tour throughout the US as support for Jack White, before more recently scoring a spot on Letterman and playing at this year’s Laneway Festival. Booker himself cites Blind Lemon Jefferson, The Gun Club and T. Rex as being amongst his primary musical influences, and the twelve tracks that make up this debut self-titled album see him fusing more traditional blues influences with a furiously overdriven undercarriage drawn straight from garage-rock. Perhaps more than anything else, there’s a post-grunge feel to much of the material here, with Dinosaur Jr’s fuzzed-out riffs and Pearl Jam’s more raucous retro-rock excursions cropping up as comparison points here. Whatever the case, it’s certainly a strong and confident collection from the outset, with first single ‘Violent Shiver’ leading the charge, welding Booker’s gravelly growl onto furious fingerpicked riffs and thumping tribal drums that call to mind a more blues-y MC5 more than anything else. Elsewhere, ‘Chippewa’ drops a boogaloo groove into the loose rolling percussion and organ stabs, in what’s easily one of the most direct dancefloor moments packed in here, before ‘Slow Coming’ drops the pace down into ragged blues-soul, Booker’s rough as sandpaper yelp adding a raw edge to the swelling organs and country-inflected guitars. For the most part this debut album succeeds in capturing the fuzzed-out energy of Booker’s live shows. CHRIS DOWNTON

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Missy Higgins oz [Eleven]

Bishop Allen lights out [Dead Oceans]

Blonde Redhead Barragan [Kobalt]

By the time this review reaches you, Missy Higgins new album will most likely have been played at least six more times in my household. Throughout OZ, the home-grown singer-songwriter proves that not only can she write a decent tune herself (her previous three albums cement this), but creates a home for herself in the work of others. The album is composed entirely of covers of contemporary Australian songs, spanning across a variety of genres and artists. OZ opens with a stripped piano and percussion version of Something for Kate’s ‘You Only Hide’. It is instantly mesmerising with the call of its harmonies and reveals the creativity with which Higgins has approached the album.

New York band Bishop Allen is, in reality, the multi-instrumentalist duo Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, who get live gig and studio backup from a mix of fellow musos. Counting its latest release, the band has put out four LPs since its 2003 formation, in spite of having a five year break from creative activity. Its most unusual project was releasing an EP every month in 2006.

When I received this album for review, I did a quick double take when I realised how long Blonde Redhead have been around the indie-rock landscape; indeed the New York-based three-piece celebrated their twentieth anniversary last year. While preceding albums such as Misery Is A Butterfly and the Alan Moulder-produced 2010 opus 23 saw Kazu Makino and the Pace brothers crafting some of their lushest shoegazer-tinged explorations yet, this latest ninth album Barragan sees them venturing somewhere entirely different. In many senses this album represents a reinvention of sorts, with the band offering up a streamlined and minimalist take on their sound that brings electronic elements to the forefront alongside more strippedback and wiry guitars. There’s also an almost baroque quality to a lot of the arrangements here, which at points had me making associations with Stereolab’s early period.

Despite being a lengthy 15 tracks long, Higgins makes sure the listener stays by investing imaginatively in each song and offering up variety; from the theatrical take on The Blackeyed Susans ‘Curse On You’, the smoky blues of Warrumpi Band’s ‘Blackfella/Whitefella’ and her sultry wail on Paul Kelly’s ‘Everybody Wants to Touch Me’. The bittersweet call of Dan Sultan’s ‘Old Fitzroy’ and the Perry Keyes’ glorious ‘NYE’ both come from recent times yet are bathed in nostalgia, and combined with the time span of the selections creates a sense of timelessness for the record. The contributions from guests – such as adopted Amanda Palmer appearance on Paul Kelly’s ‘Before Too Long’ and Dan Sultan’s revisitation on Slim Dusty’s ‘The Greatest Disappointment of All’ – along with the accompanying mini book enhances the story behind each song. Yet, it is Higgins’ readiness to experiment, her ever present emotional presence and her fearlessness in making these songs her own that ensures each listen of OZ will not be the last ANGELA CHRISTIAN-WILKES

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Put together in an uncomfortable attic, the new album is breezy indie-pop of the Hungry Kids of Hungry variety. Compared to their last album Grrr, the emphasis has switched from guitars to the keys with a consequent move to more complex arrangements. Lyrics have shifted too, taking on more conventional relationship and life issues angles, after the animal focused songs which made Grrr cute and quirky. Highlight and lead song ‘Start Again’ has a brilliantly catchy five note riff, the synth bubbling along underneath bright vocals, while ‘Why I Had to Go’ exemplifies the new fondness for multiple layers of keys and guitars. ‘Give it Back’ benefits from a danceable rhythm and sharp hooks, while the other real winner ‘Skeleton Key’ has a kaleidoscopic 60s ring to the keys and sultry female backing vocals. ‘Bread Crumbs’ carries some of the idiosyncratic character of an Architecture in Helsinki song, but without the flair of that Australian band. There’s a tropical Friendly Fires ring (as heard in their CD Pala) to ‘Crows’, but the song lacks bite. Overall, while worth a listen for its better tracks, the CD is held back by a few songs (such as ‘No Conditions’ and Hammer and Nail’) which, despite the best efforts of Bishop Allen to give them bounce, lack the potency to be really engaging. rory mccartney

‘Barragan’ opens proceedings here with a tentative instrumental wander out into delicately plucked guitars and flute, before ‘Lady M’ sees a clattering drum groove locking into place against Makino’s breathy vocals as guitar bends ring out through delay and mellotron chords swell in the foreground. ‘Cat On Tin Roof’ meanwhile sees Amedo Pace taking the vocal spot as shimmering synth trails wash against blocky electro bass synths and programmed beats, in what’s easily one of this album’s more unexpectedly dance-y turns. Elsewhere, ‘Mind To Be Had’ offers up an eight minute long wander out into rolling Krautrock grooves that calls to mind Neu! more than anything else as clicking programmed rhythms glide towards the horizon alongside pulsing organ tones and psyche-rock guitars. While Barragan sees Blonde Redhead taking a mostly successful sidestep, unfortunately there isn’t much here that really sticks. chris downton

The Ellis Collective carry [Independent Release]

Velociraptor Velociraptor [Remote Control Records]

Tricky adrian thaws [False Idols / !K7]

Formed in 2007, local six piece The Ellis Collective is no ordinary folk outfit. Following on from its 2011 debut Means What it Means comes the band’s second long player Carry. The cover art, bearing a precious burden across harsh terrain, is a fitting intro to the vibe of the LP, in keeping with the melancholic, troubled themes that drive the songs.

Like all things involving the forever perky Jeremy Neale, Velociraptor doesn’t take itself too seriously. With the aforementioned fun aficionado playing the tambourine and now 12 strong – yes, a 12- piece! – the second full-length release brings the Brisbane amigos from of all walks of music back together, seven years on since their first musical release. If one is to take anything away from this, it is that they’re still here to bring the grooves, the moves and the croons.

In recent times it’s seemed like Tricky has descended into a self-contained bubble where he’s completely unconcerned with the opinions of critics and following his own interior muse rather than allowing Maxinquaye’s albatross to drape itself around his neck. Sometimes that’s a good thing, as in the case of last year’s False Idols album, which represented some of his strongest work in years. While that record saw Tricky building a cohesive collection of subtle loop-driven tracks though, this tenth album Adrian Thawes sees him reverting back to the more pop-centred approach in evidence on 2011’s Mixed Race. In many senses it’s also his heaviest album for a long time, with hard-edged synths taking the foreground alongside rock guitars on many of the tracks here.

This is no light, flippant folk, but rather material with gravity and passion. There’s a grit and intensity in the delivery of frontman Matty Ellis that brings to mind the tar dark, strife-ridden music of The Drones, over on the rock side of the musical coin. However, where The Drones ride the ragged edge, The Ellis Collective dresses its grim bleakness in a dark beauty. The emotion and power of strings sweeps through the track list. In ‘Carry’ the deep voice of the cello offsets the crying of the saw, while Ellis expresses the despair of loss in ‘What do we tell our parents/Taking keys off key rings’. The band’s special touch, the ghostly whine of the wood saw, appears in a few tracks. Nothing bought in Bunnings (or wherever else it came from) ever sounded so good. The hardware sings best in ‘Give This Up’ and the opening of the title track. In ‘Out to Sea’ the electric guitar slices through the solo vocals, until the entire band joins in the last chorus. In track two Watts is the Ancient Mariner, spinning a narrative of woe ‘Black words across the ocean.’ The most riveting melody is left to the end, introducing ‘Let’s Go to Bed.’ This is orchestral folk, with an impressive richness to the sound, sophistication in the arrangements and a perceptible weight to the lyrics. rory mccartney

From start to finish, Velociraptor is a toe-tapping, guitar-jamming, bass-drumbooming garage fest. The 60’s Brit-rock influences seep through with chugging guitar riffs, deadpan direct vocals from interchanging members and rambunctious harmonies from multiple singers. To accompany this are track names like ‘Robocop’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘Cool Baby, Cool’ and multiple ponderings over girls, girls, girls (the word ‘baby’ is sung countless times). Such effects drench the whole experience in an adolescent tinge and retro vibes. The high-energy compositions are simple, but Velociraptor don’t appear to want to break down any artistic boundaries. It’s important to remember when listening to Velociraptor that it is an album released by a live group. In places, it feels like the studio setting just doesn’t match the chaos that could be. The formula is constant and something is lost, with one shimmy-tastic tune not feeling all too different from the next. They haven’t made any big sonic progressions since their debut, The World Warriors, but perhaps that wasn’t the point for their new record. Velociraptor isn’t spectacular, no, but it’s definitely fun. Maybe that is just the point: to bring the bopping to your living room ANGELA CHRISTIAN-WILKES

The sparse hip hop-centred ‘Lonnie Listen’ sees icy electro synths locking into place around Mykki Blanco’s android rap, only for Tricky and Francesca Belmonte’s lilting chorus to float through like a gentle breeze, adding a touch of sweetness to the sharp angles. Elsewhere, ‘Why Don’t You’ practically sounds like a tribute to The Prodigy as distorted rave arpeggios blare against metallic guitar riffs and slamming breakbeats, before ‘Nicotine Love’ takes things out into shimmering Moroder-esque disco-house. There are still some sublime moments to be found here, as in the case of ‘Something In The Way’, which sees a gorgeously subtle backdrop of soulful ambient pads and fluttering beats tracing a featherlight path around Belmonte’s vocals, but they’re often outweighed by clangers such as the chugging, goth-rock fixated ‘My Palestine Girl’, with its cringeworthy romance / Middle East conflict metaphor. Sadly, Adrian Thaws often feels scattershot more than anything else. chris downton

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singles in focus by cody atkinson Sleater-Kinney ‘Bury Our Friends’

Vance Joy Dream Your Life Away [Liberation Music]

Childhood lacuna [Popfrenzy Records]

We all know James Keogh (albeit under his stage name Vance Joy) following his 2013 Hottest 100 Number one with ‘Riptide’, or you may have caught his follow-up single ‘Mess is Mine’ doing the radio rounds. Having made his name (or at least pseudonym), much was riding on Joy’s debut LP, as to whether he was the genuine article or had scored a fluke win. Fortunately, there is a lot more to Joy than a funny song about being afraid of dentists and pretty girls.

Formed in 2010, the debut album for Childhood has been a long time coming. Surprisingly so, the four-piece from South London have managed to pull off summery, pop-rock on Lacuna very well, convincing your naïve reviewer that they hailed from a more sunnier location.

Joy sings his indie pop songs with a folk influence in a simple, casual manner that creates an easy bond with the listener. The crisply spun lyrics, dropped in an unaffected real bloke voice, bear the stamp of real life, not some clichéd rhyming couplets. Tunes are acoustic guitar driven, with occasional, subtle flourishes of strings or brass, and a little electric guitar in ‘All I Ever Wanted’. Joy can sound as soulful as Matt Corby when he chooses, but also brings some of the plaintive, humorous mix that got Passenger such success with his ‘All the Little Lights’. ‘Riptide’ is included in the CD, but it’s the odd man out, rather than an indicator of the album vibe. Joy is more into recounting the struggles of love than its funny side. He creates emotional polaroids, often with wistful or regretful romantic themes, that are easy to relate to, all delivered with catchy melodies and well-chosen choruses which get their hooks right into you. Highlights include ‘Georgia’ with its charming melody and ‘Red Eye’ with its standout lyrics. There is no filler in the album, with every track a delight. rory mccartney

Perhaps the four years interim has given the group time to establish a solid sound, with Lacuna coming across as firm and confident in its direction. It is packed out with cymbal-flecked percussion and Beach Fossil-esque riffs that weave into one another, immediately heard on earlier single and opener ‘Blue Velvet’. Notably, Childhood is excellent at writing an ear-worm chorus, often nestled in the inviting lull of verses. Lyrical content is simplistic, with multiple references to girls and not understanding one’s own identity, yet the tinny croon of lead singer Ben Romans-Hopcraft didn’t quite make the mark in convincing me I should care about such things. Songs such as ‘Right Beneath Me’ and ‘Tides’, with their spacious riffs and entangled whirls, glisten with nostalgia. Bursts of synth are sprinkled throughout Lacuna to a warming effect. Much of Lacuna’s appeal is the ease with which one can get caught by its steady pace and dreamy haze. The float-on charm of the bulk of the record is there, but the immediacy of crunchier tracks like ‘Sweeter Preacher’ and ‘Chiliad’ restores a sense of balance. Even with them, the constant spaced out vibes make it easy to lose track of time and position when listening. However, the highly enjoyable and wellwritten Lacuna is sure to cement Childhood a deserved spot within the currently overflowing genre of guitar-rock. ANGELA CHRISTIAN-WILKES

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After a decade apart Sleater-Kinney are back with ‘Bury Our Friends’, seemingly picking up where they left off on The Woods. The Sleater-Kinney trademark doubleguitar assault is in full effect, as is the unique vocal partnership between Brownstein and Tucker. ‘Bury Our Friends’ is where serious rock and roll is at in 2014, both weighty and wellconsidered.

The Ocean Party ‘Wading In’ Reminiscent of jangle pop heroes past, ‘Wading In’ puts a little bit of sheen on the Ocean Party’s ringing guitars and languid melodies. Lyrically rooted in social realism, ‘Wading In’ isn’t perky but it is pretty, and also pretty engaging.

Panda Bear ‘Mr Noah’ It takes a little bit to get used to, but hidden behind the shifting noise and off-kilter electronics is something that is damn catchy. Panda Bear flirts with more traditional four to the floor structures, but the similarities to his earlier solo work, and his work with Animal Collective, are still present here. But as usual, Panda Bear’s vocals drive the issue here, with multiple part harmonies and spat syllables drawing ears ever closer to the speaker.

Marlisa ‘Stand By You’ The lyrical themes, the melody and counter-melodies, nothing seems unique here except for the name attached to the song. While ‘Stand By You’ is a new song, there’s nothing inherently new about it. It is the sound of Reality TV-produced, chart-topping pop music in Australia in 2014. It is inherently replaceable, inherently disposable.

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

Some of the promotional materials positioned Fury as a kind of Inglorious Basterds 2. Less funny, sure – but still a darkly comic, ultraviolence take on the war. As it turns out, Fury is a lot more muddy. Both in terms of the battlefield and the morality of the characters. Tarantino it ain’t. Fury has a number of darkly humorous moments, but for the most part it’s doom and gloom. And that’s not a criticism.

quote of the issue “The killing’s not done. The dying’s not done.” – Wardaddy (Brad Pitt), Fury

Fury Fury is an action-thriller about war. It has guns, it has explosions and it has a certain level of non-ironic appreciation for machismo, bravado and patriotism. But it is also an antiwar war movie. This may feel like an uncomfortable marriage of themes, but Fury makes it work. The film follows a group of five men – who call the tank ‘Fury’ their home – as the Allies make a final push into Germany in 1945. The hardened army sergeant Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) is responsible for taking his men behind enemy lines – despite the fact that their slow-moving vehicle (albeit one with big guns) is hopelessly outdated when compared to Nazi weaponry. The battle scenes in Fury – and the ‘clean up’ scenes, which show the characters having to deal with the blood and disemboweled guts that come after – are suitably raw and visceral. The script is slightly overlong and the cliché count rises as the film progresses – but it is supported by strong performances from the central five. Pitt is believable as a soldier carrying a lot of sorrow and Shia LaBeouf reminds everyone he can actually act. Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal and Logan Lerman round out the key characters. Fury is a proud war movie, while still being anti-war – and that’s because the film is like its characters. They believe in war, but they’ve also seen the consequences. melissa wellham

This Is Where I Leave You Was this movie a comedy or a drama? I’m still not sure… The death of a father brings four siblings (and a killer cast) together for seven days under the same roof. There is a mother with boundary issues (Jane Fonda) and a supporting crew of ex-partners, spouses and lost loves. There are chuckle worthy moments along with ones that are trying for bittersweet poignancy that miss the mark. Little Miss Sunshine is an excellent example of how a film can be hysterically funny and incredibly moving simultaneously. This combination of feelings is what this film is trying to inspire but instead ends up as a schizophrenic, undecided collection of scenes. The actors do a fine job with what they are given. Tina Fey, as Wendy Altman, plays a bossy (bordering on obnoxious) woman who manages to reign in these less than appealing traits as it is always clear that her sole motivations are born of affection, either for her family or a love that might have been. Likewise, the chameleon-like Adam Driver plays Phillip Altman, a charming, egotistical man-boy who on the surface is very sexy but really just needs to grow up. I wanted to feel for these characters but the disjointed pacing and styles got in the way. One reason to see this film is Rose Byrne’s comic timing proving crazy can be appealing. Stellar cast, but a beige family gathering film. emma robinson

Whiplash Can the final 30 minutes of a film save it from mediocrity? The answer is yes – I present Whiplash. Andrew (Miles Teller) is a drummer enrolled in a competitive music conservatory in New York City who is recruited to play in a band led by a demanding teacher, Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), who demands nothing but perfection. Writer and director Damien Chazelle presents a game of ‘cat and mouse’ that plays out over a drum kit in spectacular style. Complacency is the enemy of greatness in this world of musical brutality. Bleeding hands and wounded egos are all the result of Fletcher’s dictatorship over the group of young musicians he chastises to become one of the greats. Simmons’ Fletcher is a force of nature who is a combination of Sergeant Hartman (Full Metal Jacket) and the infamous Ginger Baker (see the documentary Beware Mr Baker). Whiplash says that in order to be successful, you need to be an arsehole, which is true within the context of the film – but it makes Andrew a dull character stripped of personality. All work and no play makes Andrew a dull boy. Luckily, Andrew lets his drumming do the talking and Chazelle stages a stunning conclusion that pushes the human body close to spontaneous combustion. All mistakes are forgiven and the finale is an unforgettable sequence sure to lodge itself into your brain as one of the iconic cinematic moments of 2014 so far. CAMERON WILLIAMS

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Pride

Before I Go To Sleep

Equality is everyone’s business. This is the overriding theme of this film and it is communicated in the most compelling and uplifting way.

Before I Go To Sleep is probably better than you’re expecting. Well, assuming that you’re expecting it’s a bit of a lost cause, given that ‘amnesiac Nicole Kidman looking stunned’ doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

It’s the summer of 1984. Margaret Thatcher is busily earning her other name ‘The Iron Lady’ and the people of the UK are doing it tough. Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer) is a young gay activist who is smart, ahead of his time and ready to get active for a noble cause. Thus, he mobilises a small group of lesbian and gay activists to come to the aid of the striking National Union of Mineworkers. It seems like an illogical pairing; however, in the eyes of Mark, struggle for equal rights is the same across all marginalised groups. He saw what the miners were going through and recognised his own struggle as a young gay man and knew in order to survive he needed to come to the aid of others. Many films falter when it comes to character believability and development but not Pride. For example, Cliff (Bill Nighy), a man in his sixties and rigid in his ways is slowly coaxed into a more sincere version of himself which is heartening beyond measure. The 1980s was a dark time for many but what we got out of it was immeasurably important. There are many unsung heroes that deserved to be praised and remembered which is why everyone should see this film. emma robinson

Based on a novel by S. J. Watson, the film follows Christine (Nicole Kidman) who wakes up every morning with no memory of the past 20 years, after a traumatic accident. Every morning she has her history explained to her by doting husband Ben (Colin Firth) and then tries to remember it for herself with the assistance of her doctor, Dr Nasch (Mark Strong). It’s a terrifying way to wake up. But this psychological thriller gets more terrifying from there. In terms of atmosphere, the film is a one-trick-pony. It’s unrelentingly ominous, to the extent that it sometimes feels a little silly – especially when combined with such a (melo)dramatic score. You can see why the book the film is based on was a bestseller (the twists are enough to keep the audience engaged), but the plot is so preposterous that it’s hard to be wholly invested in the characters. Kidman and Strong turn in strong, subtle performances – but it’s Firth who is the real highlight, in a role that you wouldn’t usually pick him for. Ultimately, the most important thing in a movie like this is whether you saw the twist coming. This reviewer – who admittedly isn’t great at picking twists – didn’tMELISSA WELLHAM

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the word on dvds

The Normal Heart [Warner Home Video]

Edge of Tomorrow [Roadshow]

Old School [Universal Sony]

In 1987 one of the most iconic and controversial government public health awareness campaigns was launched. It showed the Grim Reaper, scythe in hand, down at the foggy human bowling alley knocking over men, women, children all of them victims of AIDS. It was terrifying, polarising and effective. Since 1981 there have been over 36 million HIV/AIDSrelated deaths worldwide.

There are sentences I’d never thought I’d think, let alone commit to print for eternity. But here goes: this Tom Cruise film is actually very good. Maybe it’s unfair or obvious, but Cruise is an easy target for derision. Mostly it’s due to his off-screen activities which rent exactly box office poison, but close enough to. And his acting has hardly been the beacon of enjoyment; over-pronounced expressions, erratic verbal tics and a propensity for pomposity. So call it the curse of low expectations but Cruise has found a vehicle in Edge of Tomorrow that plays on his bravado and forces him to – god forbid – act.

As the name suggests, Old School harks back to the bad old good days. Where crims were hardnosed thugs and coppers – most of them on the take – were even harder. Where men didn’t talk about feelings and shit like that. Where inner city bars weren’t poncy artesian microbreweries. Where everyone was called Terry, punched on, drove drunk and never wore a seat belt. Like I said, good times. It’s a difficult era to capture without looking hackneyed and cliché, but if anyone’s going to pull it off its Bryan Brown; a man from Sydney’s rough and tumble working class south west who seems incapable of losing that distinctive larrikin drawl.

The Normal Heart is a fictionalised history of the then-crisis, now-pandemic just as it was emerging in New York, circa 1981. Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) is nothing if not flashy. The first 20 minutes, starting from the retro HBO logo through to some shirts/pants off partying on Long Island, suggests this is going to be a, err, rough ride. Thankfully it settles down, kind of. Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo) is an intense, argumentative writer who begins to notice his friends are becoming very sick. Then they start dying horrible deaths. Attempting to piece it all together Weeks visits the wheelchair-bound Dr Emma Brookner (Julia Roberts) who matches Weeks’ passion with liberal doses of righteous anger and blunt impartiality. Brookner and Weeks do their best to chart the spread of the diseases and advocate for action, funding or at the very least – attention. All they want is for someone to pay attention. Bruce Niles (Taylor Kitsch) heads a community organisation adopts the more softly, softly approach fearing the illness would be used as justification for continued marginalisation of the gay community. Over half a decade and thousands of deaths transpired between the events in this film and the Grim Reaper ad. To those impacted by the illness, every second counted. The Normal Heart is the story of those seconds. JUSTIN HOOK

Cruise is Major William Cage a cowardly military PR prick sent by his General (Brendan Gleason) to the front line, fighting an alien invasion that is decimating the planet. After trying to blackmail his way out of the assignment he is arrested and wakes up on his way to battle, where he promptly dies only to wake up back on base earlier in the day. Cage’s life is an eternal loop. Each new version he makes it a little further, just like a video game, until he meets Sergeant Vrataski (Emily Blunt) who knows what is going on. The pair, naturally, intends to save humanity with the help of Cage’s unique ‘skill’. As that précis suggests, there’s a Groundhog Day element to this film. A sizable chunk is spent watching Cage adapt to his mission – live, die, repeat as the tagline says. Cruise keeps his smarmy bravado in check and instead opts for weary, practical defeatism with a bit of wry humour. Blunt is superb as his equal partner – neither the saviour nor the saved, just a warrior. Multiple outcomes in the single narrative could get tedious and too clever by half, but Edge of Tomorrow is more than up to the task. Frankly, it’s brilliant.

Brown is Lennie Cahill a rough head crim who has just finished a spell in prison for armed robbery. During the robbery, Ted McCabe (Sam Neill) was caught in the crossfire and took a bullet. The robbery was the biggest in NSW history, so now that Lennie is free its understandable both sides of the law might have an interest in his movements. Ted is on the case and good thing too, because before too long Lennie is smack bang in the middle of a staged murder. Lennie wants his cut of the robbery, but someone wants him dead. Old School is simple, no frills odd couple drama done well. The humour is black and dry. Neill and Brown could act this sort of stuff in their sleep, but you sense commitment to the script and they develop real chemistry. Without this, there’d be a gaping chasm in the centre of the show. Gregor Jordan, who directed Brown in Two Hands, keeps the action swift and dialogue crisp; it rattles along in wiseass speed. There are slow parts and plot holding patterns but when the Brown/ Neill combo hit their stride, who cares? JUSTIN HOOK

JUSTIN HOOK

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the word

The Cat Empire, Madre Monte Zierholz at UC Friday October 17

on gigs

The audience waited with bated breath as a cadre of instruments were marched onto the stage. Trumpets, trombones, baritone horns, guitars, drums and percussion instruments all played their part in creating an evening of solid gold. It began with Madre Monte, who is circumnavigating the country alongside The Cat Empire. Fashioned from hard-hitting horns, a tight rhythm and cranking guitars, this nine piece Latin reggae outfit got our bodies warm and blood singing for more as the front man regaled us with tales of Ancient Columbia. Felix Riebl provided a sneak peak performance as he briefly jumped on stage to join Madre Monte and banged away at the bongos. After a timely wait between sets, The Cat Empire wasted no time getting into the swing of things and blasted UC’s Refectory with a joyful rendition of ‘Still Young’. The audience was given no time to draw breath as another hit song was thrown our way. One melody quickly bled into another and as one the audience toe tapped and sashayed its way through this collaboration of beats. The Cat Empire has created a style inimitably its own filled with catchy chorus’ and melodic hooks. Harry Angus and Riebl played tag-team as each took a turn at the mic, making for an entertaining set. Their interaction with the audience was palpable and perhaps this can be attributed to them playing their thousandth gig together recently. Calls of an encore had the band back on stage for a few songs more before drawing the evening to a close. The Cat Empire provided us with a tight set that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. My eardrums certainly won’t be forgetting them any time soon. beth watson

the word

Bluejuice, Jody, Wallflower ANU Bar Saturday October 18

on gigs

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAYO

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Locals Wallflower opened with slow, floating vocals, in complex songs which surprised with sudden injects of Calypso and Mariachi guitars and spoken word samples. It drew the bar flies in, but was not the type of material which Bluejuice punters were used to. Indie rockers Jody from Western Sydney followed up with a fairly indifferent set. They had fun on stage, shoving each other and jumping off drum kits, but their energy did not translate into the crowd until their last two songs, of which ‘Never Change’ was a set highlight. Ah, Bluejuice! If they had to say goodbye, then this was the way to do it. The band appeared on an ultra-violet lit stage, which made their fluro outfits, the backcloth and the tape all over their instruments and speakers shine like beacons. It was a super energetic show, with a ‘greatest hits’ set list. The band indulged in some early crowd surfing, born aloft over the audience with the mic held out in front. Half the set was viewed through a forest of punters’ arms, waving in time with the music. It was all one big singalong. The main set ended with ‘Vitriol’, the song which launched the band’s career. After chants of ‘Broken Leg’ from the floor, the band was back, hurling glow sticks out to the crowd, for them to wave during ‘Medication’ which followed. As that song ended, the band yelled ‘Make it rain!’, resulting in an avalanche of glow sticks from the crowd, back onto the stage. Bluejuice wrapped up with ‘Broken Leg’, appropriately drenching those up front with water from bottles while singing the lyrics ‘I’m’ drowning!’. Then, after a collective bow to the crowd, we were left with the memories of the frantic, shout-out energy that was Bluejuice. rory mccartney

the word

The Church, Young Docteurs ANU Bar Friday October 24

on gigs

Mechanical woes had The Church running very late and punters were restricted to the bar while the band did its sound check, giving us snippets of their latest album. Meanwhile, we boosted bar profits or watched the muted TV with movie captions like ‘both moaning passionately’ or ‘haunting theme plays’. In a real treat, ex-Canberra punk legends Young Docteurs kicked off. Vocalist Chris Shakallis sounded hot in ‘One Day’ and put some grit into his voice, grinding out lyrics, “it tastes like mercury”. The sound was sweet, with an all-acoustic backing from two guitars and a bass. In good news for old fans, there was material from a forthcoming album.The Church’s delivered their entire new LP Further/Deeper. It was always going to be interesting, how the record’s nuances would translate to a live setting. With less studio tricks available, the sound came out cleaner and unrefined. Steve Kilbey’s singing was less echoed than the record, so lyrics were crisper, but you also heard the rougher patches in his vocals. It was the first night of the tour and some rough edges showed, with the keys sounding out of sync in ‘Love Philtre’. However, the energy and strong rhythms of the album cut through clearly, with the complexity of the music captured in the interplay of four guitars (the extra provided by Craig Wilson) in powerful songs like ‘Lightning White’. Revisiting their local origins, Kilbey sang the Lyneham High anthem. There was a little heckling at the end, from a couple of boorish punters. It’s a challenge for a band to frame an entire show around songs an audience has never heard. However, the hecklers got short shrift from the band, which plunged into the vibrant set closer ‘Miami’. rory mccartney

the word

The Blurst of Times The Factory Theatre Saturday October 25

on gigs

With 30-odd bands over eight hours, Blurst was always going to be a nightmare of timetabling clashes. The entire festival was an exercise of stage hopping and band swapping, a non stop musical buffet in the inner-west of Sydney. All the bands who played outside seemed to suffer a little, bar perhaps Step-Panther, who revelled in the late afternoon light. DZ Deathrays, also on the outside stage, seemed to struggle with the bright night lights and jet planes. But even at a touch off their peak, DZ still manage to shred the crowd into a frenzy.

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY

It might not have been the greatest TV Colours show ever, but fuck, I’ll take an average TV Colours set over most other bands kicking around. Sydney got right behind the Canberra lads, and they dominated a defacto second headliner slot. ‘Beverly’ was undoubtedly one of the high points of the entire day. After 45 minutes, it was very clear that TV Colours are most definitely for real. In the last 12 months Blank Realm have seemingly “broken” through, a hard act to achieve for a band five years and four albums through their career. Seeing them live makes it easy to see why. Driven by a near constant motorkik beat, Blank Realm came off like a machine of near perpetual motion, a force that is just not meant to be stopped. Of a nearly all local bill, the key exception were a band from over the ditch, Kiwi noise-punkers Die! Die! Die! However, it was a worthwhile exception. Die! Die! Die! are one of those bands that overwhelm you with their energy, and their ability to just goddam play music live. They’re the type of band that makes you love live music. Local punk legends (and once inner-west kids) the Hard-Ons were chosen to close the festival, and rightfully so. After seeing so much great young music, its awesome to see a band still able to dominate their surroundings after more than two decades together. cody atkinson

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Nov 5 - Sat Nov 8

Listings are a free community service. Email editorial@bmamag.com to have your events appear each issue. wednesday november 5

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award

King of the North

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

THE BASEMENT

Art Exhibitions

Screen based portraiture finalists. 10am-5pm daily. Free.

Can It Tour. With Renegade Peacock, Looking Glass + Critical Monkee. 8pm. $15.

Landscapes Territoires Rêvés

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

Nick Rigby

By Jean-Yves Camus. Opening: Oct 22, 7pm. Free. Until Nov 11. Mon-Thu 9-8pm. Fri 8-5pm. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize 2014

Nature as seen by the artist. Until Nov 9. Free entry. NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA

Painting the Town

By Julie Spencer: The intricacies of every day urban lifestyles. Free. WedSun 12-5pm. Until Nov 9. M16 ARTSPACE

Movement

By Aika O’Toole. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Surface Tensions

By Shellaine Godbold. Oct 30-Nov 9. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Lumiere

By Ned Hatch: A quirky exhibition about natural & artificial light. Free. Wed-Sun 12-5pm. Until Nov M16 ARTSPACE

Eclectika: Ceramic Artistry for the Table

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Canberra Grammar Sculpture Festival

Plus Harris Hobbs Small Sculpture Prize. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Observation

Works by Michele England about global warming issues. Free. Wed-Sun 125pm. Until Nov 9. M16 ARTSPACE

Live Music CMC Presents bands every Wednesday

CMC Forest Falls, Rosie Henshaw + Dylan Wright. 7.30pm. $10/$7/$5. SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Annie Lou

Hands-on exhibits to surprise your senses and challenge your mind. 9am5pm. Until May 2015. Admissio

Trivia

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Questions with Glamour. 8pm. Free.

thursday november 6

M16 ARTSPACE

Something Different

Tattletale Saints 8pm. $TBA.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Thursday Jazz

With Bellagroove. 8pm, $15/$10. SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

The Vinyl Lounge

BYO vinyl. 5.30-6.30pm. Free.

NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVES

saturday november 8

On The Town

Art Exhibitions

4some Thursdays

Life Cycle

Free entry.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

friday november 7 Live Music 5pm. $TBA.

Groovin’ the ANU

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29. TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Ghost Stories

Opulent fashion photography by Lori Cicchini. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

Travel Diaries

Time & $TBA.

TREEHOUSE BAR

DJ Speakerlove

Jazz, funk and soul. 8pm. Free. THE LOFT AT DUXTON

Sinister

Positive Feedback Loop

NISHI GALLERY

TRANSIT BAR

La Rumba

Raio de Sol community samba band. 9pm, $5. THE PHOENIX BAR

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The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize 2014

B-tham

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Poke Something that Bites

Live Music

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Nature as seen by the artist. Until Nov 9. Free entry.

Art Exhibitions Cohen Gum on touchy emotions. 113pm. Until Nov 18.

Landscapes Territoires Rêvés

7pm. Free.

Ms Adie Sings

With Mephistopheles, Tortured, Wretch + Inhuman Remnants. $36.75 on oztix or @ the door. 8pm.

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

By Meelan Oh & Sacha Nixon: works about feeling in place. Free. Wed-Sun 12-5pm. Until Nov 9.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

With The Naddiks, Barren Spinsters, Beneath Benetta + Hearing Voices. Free. Time TBA.

Absorb

A Sense of Place

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

9pm. Free.

Something Different

Tranny Trivia

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

With Marlo. $15 before 11pm.

Dos Locos

By Jean-Yves Camus. Opening: Oct 22, 7pm. Free. Until Nov 11. Mon-Thu 9-8pm. Fri 8-5pm.

ANCA GALLERY

With Heike Qualitz. Until Nov 15. Tue-Fri 11am-5pm. Sat 10am-4pm. Free

Alive Fridays

HELLENIC CLUB (WODEN)

QUESTACON

Peter Vandermark & Archie Moore

On The Town

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Certified Australian

Curious & exquisite light works. Wed-Sun 10-4pm. Until Nov 6. Gold coin entry.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

By artists from the collective Claybodies. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 9. Hardy Lohse & Martin James explore refugee policy. Opening Oct 22. Until Nov 9.

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

8pm, $15

Matt Dent

Canadian roots/oldtime/bluegrass. 8pm. $TBA.

Perception Deception Exhibition

STUR GALLERY

A guitar and vocals powerhouse. 6.309.30pm. Free.

Skyscraper Stan + Craig Williams

THE BASEMENT

With Bruges + Dylan Hekimian. 8pm. Free.

Chad Croker/ Oscar

5pm afternoon session. 10pm band. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA

Photos of the USA & Canada by Andrea Pitsilos. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Painting the Town

By Julie Spencer: The intricacies of every day urban lifestyles. Free. WedSun 12-5pm. Until Nov 9. M16 ARTSPACE

Movement

By Aika O’Toole. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Dole/Dolour

Liam James searches for an alternative Aussie identity. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Emma Russack 8pm. $TBA.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Nov 8 - Wed Nov 12 Surface Tensions

By Shellaine Godbold. Oct 30-Nov 9. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Lumiere

By Ned Hatch: A quirky exhibition about natural & artificial light. Free. Wed-Sun 12-5pm. Until Nov M16 ARTSPACE

Eclectika: Ceramic Artistry for the Table

By artists from the collective Claybodies. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 9. STUR GALLERY

Certified Australian

Hardy Lohse & Martin James explore refugee policy. Opening Oct 22. Until Nov 9. ANCA GALLERY

Peter Vandermark & Archie Moore

With Heike Qualitz. Until Nov 15. Tue-Fri 11am-5pm. Sat 10am-4pm. Free CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Little Things

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29. TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

A Sense of Place

Live Music

Finding Harold Bloom

Sweet Fuck All

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

9:30pm, Free Entry. THE PHOENIX BAR

Vintage Diamond

Capturing the hits & sound of Neil Diamond. 9pm. $60. THE PLAYHOUSE

Matt Dent

7.30pm. $TBA. TOURIST HOTEL

The Wildbloods

With Brother Be + Heart of Mind. Time & $TBA. MAGPIES CITY CLUB

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Canberra Grammar Sculpture Festival

On The Town Victorian Tap Take Over

Only the finest Victorian Craft Beers on Tap. 11am-11pm. DURHAM CASTLE ARMS

monday november 10

TRANSIT BAR

2XX LocalnLive Presents The Bootleg Sessions

4th Degree

10:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Ezekiel Ox

With Astro Zombies, The WRST + The Naddiks. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

On The Town With Jared de Veer. $10 before 12am. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Conversation, pronunciation, grammar or travel workshops for all ages. Info + bookings: afcanberra.c ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

tuesday november 11 Comedy Irresponsible Comedy

Canberra Grammar Sculpture Festival

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Photos of the USA & Canada by Andrea Pitsilos. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

Movement

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Dole/Dolour

Liam James searches for an alternative Aussie identity. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Peter Vandermark & Archie Moore

With Heike Qualitz. Until Nov 15. Tue-Fri 11am-5pm. Sat 10am-4pm. Free

EXHIBITION PARK IN CANBERRA (EPIC)

Karaoke

Little Things

Christmas Fair & Open Day

Karaoke Love

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Craft, food, music + workshops. 10am3pm. Free entry.

sunday november 9

Patrick Ryan

Lead of The Steptones brings us sublime sounds. 3-6pm. Free. THE DUXTON

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music. From late afternoon. Free.

The Happiest Refugee Live

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

With Ben Chan. 2pm. Free.

Travel Diaries

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Observation

Anh Do returns. 7.30pm. $50/$55.

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Comedy

Opulent fashion photography by Lori Cicchini. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

Fashion and treasures market, clothes and much more. 10am-3pm. $3.

Live Music

M16 ARTSPACE

Ghost Stories

By Aika O’Toole. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

7.30pm, $10.

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22.

Works by Michele England about global warming issues. Free. Wed-Sun 125pm. Until Nov 9.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

French Classes

8pm. $10

Plus Harris Hobbs Small Sculpture Prize. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29.

Sam Newton – Album Launch

Fash ‘n’ Treasure

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Life Cycle

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Something Different

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Workshops

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Poke Something that Bites NISHI GALLERY

Plus Harris Hobbs Small Sculpture Prize. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

8pm. $TBA.

Love Saturdays

Cohen Gum on touchy emotions. 113pm. Until Nov 18.

Art Exhibitions

With John Hill. 3pm-5pm, $10.

Live Music

The Next Step Tour. 8pm. $39 via Moshtix.

wednesday november 12

Sunday Sangria & Sounds

Dusky

By Meelan Oh & Sacha Nixon: works about feeling in place. Free. Wed-Sun 12-5pm. Until Nov 9. M16 ARTSPACE

6pm. $TBA.

Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Live Music

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29.

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award Screen based portraiture finalists. 10am-5pm daily. Free. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Trivia and Brigadiers with Bondy and Kiers

Poke Something that Bites

THE PHOENIX BAR

NISHI GALLERY

7.30pm. Free.

Cohen Gum on touchy emotions. 113pm. Until Nov 18.

Hand of Mercy

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

With Hellions + Void of Vision. Time & $TBA. MAGPIES CITY CLUB

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

The Acoustic Sessions IRON BAR

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Nov 12 - Sat Nov 15 Live Music Acoustic Soup

thursday november 13

Organic food, local music. 7-10.30pm. $8/$10.

On The Town

CMC Presents Julia & Deep Sea Sirens

Free entry.

ANU FOOD CO-OP

With Tom Woodward, Obscura Hail + Reuben Ingall. 7.30pm. $10-$5. SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Trivia Tranny Trivia

4some Thursdays

Art Underground Open Mic Night

Share music, stories, comedy, circus tricks or antics. 7pm. Free. With special guests. BEYOND Q

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Workshops

Something Different

Actor’s Professional Kickstart Conference

Naked Girls Reading

3 girls read aloud from various books. 7.30pm. $15. Book at: politbar.co. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Questions with Glamour. 8pm. Free. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

friday november 14

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 13

Access industry info, meet entertainment pros & more. Info: cada. net.au.

CANBERRA ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART

saturday november 15

Escape Artist

By Jo Walters. Nov 13-23. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

7 Stories

Everyday experiences & imagined realities by artists from Kiev. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

Peter Vandermark & Archie Moore

With Heike Qualitz. Until Nov 15. Tue-Fri 11am-5pm. Sat 10am-4pm. Free CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Little Things

Art Exhibitions

Live Music

Art Exhibitions

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29.

Escape Artist

Finn

Poke Something that Bites

Catch A Moment

NISHI GALLERY

M16 ARTSPACE

By Jo Walters. Nov 13-23. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 13

Live Music Thursday Jazz

With Victor Rufus Band. 8pm, $15/$10 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Ray Chen

With Timothy Young. A bright star among violinists. 7pm. Book via Ticketek. LLEWELLYN HALL

Super Best Friends

Blues/roots. 9pm. Free. CHISHOLM TAVERN

Ross Ryan Tour

8pm, $30. www.trybooking.com/99465 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Matt Dent

10pm. $TBA.

DURHAM CASTLE ARMS

Brother Be

With Pivotal Point + Buck et al. 8pm. $10 at the door.

Bringing his sweet styles to you. 6.30pm. Free. THE LOFT AT DUXTON

Whitehorse

With Moth Drinker, Hygene + Blight Worms. 8pm. $10.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Lawrence Mooney is a Stupid Liar

Canberra Grammar Sculpture Festival

THE PLAYHOUSE

Life Cycle

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Arcane Saints

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29.

Local Horror

Josh Veneris

Comedy

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22.

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

Matt Dent

WALSH’S HOTEL

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

Bass sucking beats. 8pm. Free. With Second Sun. Indie pop & alternative. 8pm. $15.

8.15pm. $TBA.

Sculptures about everyday moments. Nov 14-30.

DJ Voss

THE PHOENIX BAR

With Maids. 9pm, $5.

Cohen Gum on touchy emotions. 113pm. Until Nov 18.

Plus Harris Hobbs Small Sculpture Prize. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

THE BASEMENT

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Ghost Stories

With Looking Glass Agency Astro Zombie. 8pm. $10.

Opulent fashion photography by Lori Cicchini. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

Special K/ SBS

Kaleidoscope

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

M16 ARTSPACE

On The Town

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

5pm afternoon session. 10pm band. Free.

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

See the world of Hands on Studio. Nov 14-30.

Travel Diaries

The Preatures

Alive Fridays

Photos of the USA & Canada by Andrea Pitsilos. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Movement

THE BASEMENT

8pm. $42 via Ticketek.

Charles & Dave

Presenting Tigerlily. $15 before 11pm.

9pm-12am. Free.

Something Different

Hey Lady

Dame of Thrones Burlesque

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

8pm. $TBA.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Inspired by the stories & people of Westeros. 8pm. $60. THE PLAYHOUSE

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Hilarious theories on myths men need to stay alive. 7.30pm. $35/$40.

Dance Next Level

High energy dance from a Canberra based studio. 1pm & 7pm. $25/$30. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Live Music Arse Eyes 8pm. $TBA.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Finn

Blues/roots. 9pm. Free. OLD CANBERRA INN

Ross Ryan Tour

8pm, $30. www.trybooking.com/99465 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Boot & Flogger Revival Party

The best classic bands brought back to you. 11am-4am. Free entry. DURHAM CASTLE ARMS

By Aika O’Toole. Opening Oct 16, 6pm. Until Nov 16. Free.

The Archaic Revival

Dole/Dolour

THE PHOENIX BAR

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Liam James searches for an alternative Aussie identity. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

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TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

With Hence The Test Bed + Tundrel. 9:30pm, $5.

Matt Dent

8.30pm. $TBA.

EAGLE HAWK HOTEL

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Nov 15 - Sat Nov 22 Buddha Nights

With Deftness, B-tham, System Segue + more. Time TBA. $10. TRINITY BAR

DJ Norm

Freshest mixes of the 21st century. 8pm. Free.

m0nday november 17 Comedy Schnitz & Giggles

7.30pm, $10.

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Husky

Live Music

TRANSIT BAR

CIT presents The Bootleg Sessions

Ruckers Hill Tour. 8pm. $24 via Moshtix.

Live Band

10:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

On The Town Chrome

DJs playing industrial, EBM, alt + dark electro. $5/$10. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Ministry of Sound Annual 15 Tour With Ember. $10 before 12am. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Something Different Otakufest

Impact Comic’s birthday. Cosplay, comics + more. 10-4pm. Free. facebook.com/ImpactComicsCanberra GAREMA PLACE

Unbridled

A festival of horses, music, food, craft + more. Tix: unbridledfestival.com.

With Capes, Duck Duck Ghost, Sean Kirkwood + Pretty Ugly. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music. From late afternoon. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Sunday Sangria & Sound

tuesday november 18

The best classic bands brought back to you. 11am-4am. Free entry. DURHAM CASTLE ARMS

TRANSIT BAR

Live Music With Andy Gordon. 8pm, $15.

Trivia Impact Comics Present Nerd Trivia With Joel and Ali. 7.30pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

wednesday november 19

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

8pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Trivia Tranny Trivia

Questions with Glamour. 8pm. Free. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

thursday november 20

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Life Cycle

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Live Music Liam McKahey & The Bodies 9pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Life Cycle

On The Town

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

4some Thursdays

Ghost Stories

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

See the world of Hands on Studio. Nov 14-30.

Travel Diaries

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Dole/Dolour

Bringing his sweet styles to you. 6.30pm. Free.

Free entry.

Something Different Beaujolais Nouveau Party

Celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau with jazz, food, + a raffle with prizes. 8.15pm. $30. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

friday november 21 Live Music Illworth’s

Liam James searches for an alternative Aussie identity. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

With Bahlu, Jedbrii, Coda Conduct and Lash. 8pm, $10.

7 Stories

Dog Trumpet

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

M16 ARTSPACE

Kaleidoscope

See the world of Hands on Studio. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

Travel Diaries

Dole/Dolour

Standup comedy. 8pm. $5.

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

LOL Pol

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Opulent fashion photography by Lori Cicchini. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

Comedy

Josh Veneris

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Photos of the USA & Canada by Andrea Pitsilos. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22.

Everyday experiences & imagined realities by artists from Kiev. Nov 14-30.

With Jenny Spear + Sam Jefferess. 7.30pm. $10-$5.

Sculptures about everyday moments. Nov 14-30.

Ghost Stories

Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free.

Photos of the USA & Canada by Andrea Pitsilos. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free.

Boot & Flogger Revival Party

M16 ARTSPACE

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!

IRON BAR

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Art Exhibitions

Karaoke Love

M16 ARTSPACE

With Lisa Richards + Guests. 6pm8pm, $10.

saturday november 22

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29.

The Acoustic Sessions Siren Series

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

Something Different

Kaleidoscope

With Derryth Nash. 2pm. Free.

Catch A Moment

Jazz, funk and soul. 8pm. Free.

Karaoke

With Mark Moldre + The Burley Griffin. 8pm, $15/$10 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

DJ Speakerlove

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

With Chris Carlsen & Johnny Reynolds. 2–5:30pm. $3 members/$5 nonmembers.

Screen based portraiture finalists. 10am-5pm daily. Free.

THE BASEMENT

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22.

Nick Rigby

Canberra Blues Society Jam

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award

Album launch with Looking Glass. Metal & blues rock. 8pm. $10.

CMC Presents – David Christopher

Art Exhibitions

THE DUXTON

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Dead

M16 ARTSPACE

Live Music A guitar and vocals powerhouse. 3-6pm. Free.

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29.

SIREN BAR

Live Music

Conversation, pronunciation, grammar or travel workshops for all ages. Info + bookings: afcanberra.c

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

sunday november 16

Little Things

6pm. $TBA.

French Classes

Workshops

CANBERRA ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Matt Dent

Catch A Moment

Workshops

Dominque Fraissard

Access industry info, meet entertainment pros & more. Info: cada. net.au.

By Jo Walters. Nov 13-23. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm.

Sculptures about everyday moments. Nov 14-30.

THOROUGHBRED PARK

Actor’s Professional Kickstart Conference

Escape Artist

TRANSIT BAR

With Bernie Hayes. 8pm. $20/$25 via trybooking.com. THE RUC (TURNER)

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Liam James searches for an alternative Aussie identity. Opening 6pm Nov 6. Until Nov 23. Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

7 Stories

Everyday experiences & imagined realities by artists from Kiev. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

Escape Artist

By Jo Walters. Nov 13-23. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Little Things

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29. TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Dance Hot to Trot

Passionate contemporary dance by young choreographers. Tix: QL2.org.au. QL2 THEATRE

Live Music Singed+ Subsequence Fundraiser

With Stenxh, Paul Heslin, Marc Robertson + Psithurism Trio. 3pm. $10 with free CD. SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Matt Dent

7.30pm. $TBA. TOURIST HOTEL

Beth n Ben

With New Gods Of Thunder. 9.30pm. $5. THE PHOENIX BAR

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Nov 22 - Tues Dec 2 DJ Esscue

Mixing the new and unforgettable. 8pm. Free. THE LOFT AT DUXTON

Metal Fiesta 6

Prong, Our Last Enemy, Motherslug, Wretch, Inhuman Remnants, Na Maza & more. Tickets from Oztix. THE BASEMENT

New Navy

Heaven Tour. 8pm. $15 via Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

sunday november 23 Dance Hot to Trot

Trivia

Matt Dent

21 Years Of Phoenix Trivia

WALSH’S HOTEL

With Paddy and Pints. 7.30pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

wednesday november 26 Art Exhibitions Catch A Moment

Sculptures about everyday moments. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

Pulse: Reflections on the Body 27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22.

Passionate contemporary dance by young choreographers. Tix: QL2.org.au.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Live Music

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

QL2 THEATRE

Josh Veneris

Bringing his sweet styles to you. 3-6pm. Free. THE DUXTON

The Acoustic Sessions With Rumshack. 2pm. Free. IRON BAR

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music. From late afternoon. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

The Smith Street Band 7pm. $35 through Oztix. ZIERHOLZ @ UC

The 21st Birthday Bootlegs

With Los Chavos, Brass Knuckle Brass Band, Dr. Stovepipe + Tom Woodward. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

monday november 24 Workshops French Classes

Conversation, pronunciation, grammar or travel workshops for all ages. Info + bookings: afcanberra.c ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

tuesday november 25

Life Cycle

Nick Rigby

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

A guitar and vocals powerhouse. 6.309.30pm. Free.

saturday november 29

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

21st Birthday Part IV

With Primary Colours, Mind Blanks, Magick + P A R K S. 9pm. $5.

Live Music

THE PHOENIX BAR

Watch This Space

Local indie music/art festival. 2-11.30pm. More info on Facebook.

On The Town 4some Thursdays

AUSTRALIAN CROATIAN CLUB

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Freshest mixes of the 21st century. 8pm. Free.

DJ Norm

Free entry.

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

friday november 28

21st Birthday Part VI

Live Music

With The Crooked Fiddle Band. 9:30pm, $5.

Vendetta

Kaleidoscope

8.30pm. $TBA.

Minh Ha

See the world of Hands on Studio. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

7 Stories

Everyday experiences & imagined realities by artists from Kiev. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

Little Things

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29. TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Live Music The Pharcyde

Left-field US hip-hop. 8pm. $40 via Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

21st Birthday Part III

With Wallflower, Slow Turismo + Mondecreen. 9pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

From harmonica to guitar to didgeridoo! 3-6pm. Free.

CALWELL BAR N BISTRO

DJ Norm

THE DUXTON

Freshest mixes of the 21st century. 8pm. Free.

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music. From late afternoon. Free.

THE LOFT AT DUXTON

Jericco

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Colour Outside The Lines tour. With Circles + Guards of May. 8pm. $13/$20 via Oztix.

Vendetta

2pm-5pm. $TBA. ROSE COTTAGE

TRANSIT BAR

DJ Bo Loserr & The Hobby Decs 9pm. $TBA.

THE PHOENIX BAR

monday december 1 Workshops

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29

French Classes

Art Exhibitions

Conversation, pronunciation, grammar or travel workshops for all ages. Info + bookings: afcanberra.c

Catch A Moment

Sculptures about everyday moments. Nov 14-30.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

M16 ARTSPACE

tuesday december 2

Pulse: Reflections on the Body

Karaoke

Trivia

27 Aussie artists exploring shifts in understanding of what it is to be human. Until Feb 22.

Tranny Trivia

Life Cycle

Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Questions with Glamour. 8pm. Free. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

thursday november 27 Live Music

Karaoke Love

Millions

TRANSIT BAR

Juliette Dudley explores her fascination of cute things. Nov 6-29.

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29.

Karaoke Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free.

Little Things

8.15pm. $TBA.

Pleasure for Your Leisure Tour. 8pm, presale via Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Karaoke Love

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Works by Lake Tuggeranong College art teachers. Nov 6-29.

TRANSIT BAR

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Kaleidoscope

See the world of Hands on Studio. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

7 Stories

Everyday experiences & imagined realities by artists from Kiev. Nov 14-30. M16 ARTSPACE

OUT

NOV 19

VIOLENT SOHO DOG TRUMPET RIBONGIA ...and more!

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FIRST CONTACT SIDE A: BMA band profile

Aaron Peacey 0410381306 band.afternoon.shift@ gmail.com.au Adam Hole 0421023226

Afternoon Shift 0402055314 Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288 Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313 Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343

The Veil

so open to interpretation.

Where did your band name come from? Our first gig was coming up and we still hadn’t settled on a name. The Veil popped up and seemed right. We liked that it was

Group members? Che deBoehmler (guitars/vocals/ bass), Wayne McIntyre (guitars/vocals), Vanessa Ritchie (keyboards/vocals), Dan Nahum (drums/percussion) and Ben Rumble (bass). Describe your sound: Post-punk meets doom, with a strong influence from dark 70s rock and some moments of icy black metal-esque drone and pace. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Some of the most relevant influences would be: The Cure, Swans (Jarboe era), My Dying Bride (early), Joy Division/New Order, Neurosis, Type O Negative, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? Having the opportunity to travel to Ireland and play Dublin Doom Days in 2012. Of what are you proudest so far? That would probably be seeing the new album, Impermanence, through to completion. The combination of the music itself, the performances and the production, is the most accurate representation yet of what the band is about.

Back to the Eighties Ty Emerson 0418 544 014 Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com Bat Country Communion, The Mel 0400405537 Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005 Capital Dub Style Reggae/dub events Rafa 0406647296 Chris Harland Blues Band, The Chris 0418 490 649 chrisharlandbluesband @gmail.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662 Danny V Danny 0413502428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428 Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com

What are your plans for the future? To get the album to as many receptive ears as we can, play some memorable gigs here and overseas and generally make it count.

Drumassault Dan 0406 375 997

What makes you laugh? We’re reasonably capable of amusing each other when cabin fever sets in. What pisses you off? Apathy

FeralBlu Danny 0413502428

What about the local scene would you change? ? A greater proportion of bands taking an individualistic approach to their music would draw more people to local gigs and to the scene in general.

Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020

What are your upcoming gigs? Next up, we’ve got the Canberra album launch at The Basement, Belconnen on Saturday November 8 with Hence The Testbed Contact info: the_veil@hotmail.com, facebook.com/ theveilband, theveilband.com

Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433

Feldons, The 0407 213 701 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388 Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885 Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703 Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480 Jenn Pacor Singer-songwriter avail. for originals/covers 0405618630 Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Kayo Marbilus facebook.com/kayomarbilus1 Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792 Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae Rafa 0406647296 Andy 0401572150 Missing Zero Hadrian 0424721907 hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots Huck 0419630721 Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843 Mornings Jordan 0439907853 MuShu Jack 0414292567 mushu_band@hotmail.com Obsessions 0450 960 750 obsessions@grapevine.com.au Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027 Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974 Rafe Morris 0416322763 Redletter Ben 0421414472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527 Rug, The Jol 0417273041 Sewer Sideshow Huck 0419630721 Simone & The Soothsayers Singing teacher Simone 62304828 Sorgonian Twins, The Mark 0428650549 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401588884 STonKA Jamie 0422764482 stonka2615@gmail.com Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075 Super Best Friends Greg greg@gunfever.com.au System Addict Jamie 0418398556 Tegan Northwood (Singing Teacher) 0410 769 144

Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com

Top Shelf Colin 0408631514

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

Undersided, The Baz 0408468041

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