BMA Magazine 463 - 13 May 2015

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THERE’S MORE TO SOUTH COAST ART THAN POOH CORNER

Feritage: The tacky art of using fake ‘ye olde worlde’ things when renovating a heritage building.

Try it in a sentence! # 4 6 3 M A Y 1 3 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

Eurobodalla’s award-winning River of Art festival this year celebrates 10 years with its most impressive program yet. EROA is a vibrant 10-day South Coast festival focused on presenting and promoting a dynamic suite of local and visiting artists across all art forms including live music, theatre, film, textiles/wearable art, visual arts, crafts, literature, performance, poetry/story telling and other community celebrations. Cultural and social diversity set this year’s tone, with highlights to include a guided walk and talk along the indigenous Bingi Bingi Budjarn walking track, Wearable Art Fashion Show Beastly, and Workability – Moruya Day Option Artists event.

EROA Chair Sue Barford says the festival committee has been keen to create a diverse artistic journey experience that covers the entire Eurobodalla Shire, from Durras Lake right down to Wallaga Lake. The EROA has had a strong Canberra representation over the years and Sue says she expects this year to be no exception.

“Canberra residents have a strong connection with the Eurobodalla community and are key participants in our event every year,” Ms Barford says. “In 2015 we are proud to include Canberra Rock n Roll trio The King Hits who will

appear alongside Evolve, Circus Evolution, Ironic Circus and lighting artist Bryn Waterman at the event’s launch.” Ms Barford says, “Returning visitors can rest assured that EROA favourites, such as the popular Open Studio Program, SoArt Art Prize and Creators Bazaar Market Day will be also back, along with innovative new ideas and events. Our aim is that anyone of any age, culture or background will be able to find something within our program that appeals to their particular artistic fancy, whether it be music, art, craft, literature, nature, fashion or food. The event runs from May 15-24. For more information visit riverofart.com.au (surely I’m not the only one who finds the web address funny).

CANBERRA’S FUTURE: COS’ LIVING IN THE PAST AIN’T ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND Canberra’s community and environmental organisations have come together to strengthen sustainability networking and collaboration across the ACT by forming a Canberra Transition Town.

The Canberra Transition Town launch on Monday May 25 at 6pm is an opportunity to meet the groups making change in the Canberra community and become involved in the transition to a resilient and sustainable city.

The launch will be an inspiring evening of networking with local groups providing an update on their activities and sharing aspirations for the future.

The Canberra Environment centres invite your thoughts on how Canberra can transition to the place you want it to be. Come along, bring a plate to share, meet like-minded people and find out what’s happening in your city. Monday May 25, 5-7:30pm. Allan Barton Forum, Level 2, ANU College of Business & Economics,Building 26C, Kingsley Street, Acton.

For further info head to transitionnetwork.org/ initiatives/canberratransition-town

WINNERS CORNER: YOUSE ARE FUNNY AS So we had a Mad Max comp, and rather than go for the cheap shot and ask you to detail where Mel Gibson went wrong, we asked you to tell us what’s love got to with it? We weren’t disappointed. The same can’t be said for Mel. Simon says (not kidding, his name was Simon): “What does love have to do with it? What indeed. Max was in love with the Interceptor from the moment he laid eyes on it. He’s in a coma, man. He loves it. It’s all about the car. One man’s love affair with the last of the V8’s.

Tina who?”

And then this: “Ms Turner’s love aint got nothing to do with it. THIS is the kind of love’n I’m talking about, when... She sucks nitro... with Phase 4 heads! 600 horsepower through the wheels! She’s meanness set to music and the bitch is born to run!” Cheers from Petrol Head Lou at the Museum.

Graphic Design Marley Film Editor Emma Robinson

[You’ve got some rat on you. No, the other side.]

NEXT ISSUE 464 OUT May 27 EDITORIAL DEADLINE May 20 ADVERTISING DEADLINE May 21 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 Winter Is Coming And The Battle of The Bedroom Rages On There are many things that place us humans squarely in one category or the other. But as the cold weather swoops in and the strain to remove oneself from bed grows harder, one differing attribute in particular makes itself known. The endless battle between Night Owls and Morning People.

Join me, dear friend, with the Night Owls, a fearless band of folk who revel in the hours of the moon, eagerly devouring televisual boxsets and falling into internet wormholes whilst the family slumbers. Or you can side with the self-satisfied Morning People, those who call the rising sun their familiar, a tribe ready to shadowbox through hours best reserved for breadmakers.

Ostensibly we tolerate each other, knowing there are tasks in the far reaching hours of the day to be completed by the other in order for the world to turn. But it is an uneasy truce.

My wife and youngest daughter are Morning People; strange sprites who spring from bed of a morning as if no sleep had taken place. Often I marvel at how my cherub of a youngest can at one moment be in a sleep so deep it would make Tutankhamun look like he’s just “resting his eyes”, and the next be wide awake to deliver a spirited WAP! to Dada’s cruits.

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.]

Ok. I get it. This new landscape of digital caring and sharing on social media is baffling, vain, overdone and often tedious.

The lines of decorum, copyright and social norms is blurry at best. And that’s just the freaking cat videos. Occasionaly, some stuff cuts through on Facebook that is interesting, challenging, thought-provoking and provocative. When I see something on someone’s page that moves me enough to share it, I credit the person I pinched it from. SO WHY CAN’T YOU?? Because manners. Because the kudos you are receiving for being a quirky, risque internet bowerbird aren’t deserved. You piss me off.

Dear BMA. Morning tea. Over it. I am unproductive after a sugar crash.

My eldest daughter and myself are Night Owls - or not morning people - requiring a few cranks of the handle to get going.

Where the uneasy truce between tribes wavers is Morning People’s expectation of Owls to be like them, issuing a noxious cloud of Smug that hangs heavy in the morning air. “But everyone’s a morning person!” the wife chirped one morn, with a brightness that made my ears bleed. O no. No they are not.

There’s this quiet, shuddering sense that Morning People look at Night Owls with derision. That we’re lazy. I used to stay with a family in England who were all Morning People, leaving me the last to lope to the breakfast table. “Well-well,” they would say each day, in an unmistakably wry and condescending tone as I lurched zombie-like into the breakfast area, scratching my Einstein mop of hair. Then they would add the infuriating, “I see someone has finally decided to face the day!” before they eagerly get high quaffing the smell of their own farts*. It takes every ounce of willpower not to jam a fork in their eyes. At least you would, if you weren’t so tired.

The hypocrisy of the situation is that if you tally up the number of hours slept, you probably have less in the tank than the smug early morning folk. “You went scrambling for bed as soon as the sun dipped over the horizon,” you want to cry. “While I, haha, I was up until 1am conquering the world.” (read: watching wrestling).

But the thing is, we need each other, and not just to keep the world ticking over.

Night Owls rarely snort condescension at Morning People for heading to bed early, mainly because it allows some sweet, self-indulgent hours to do whatever we want. Watch wrestling.

Finally read a book unencumbered by one child demanding you look at the latest thing they’ve extracted from their body whilst the other steals your bookmark and hides it somewhere you will never find. Catch up on shows your partner can’t abide. It’s the cornerstone to a happy home. You always have the hours in the middle of the day to share.

Vive la différence, my friends. Anyway I must dash. It’s just crept past 2am and I need to go and wake my wife.

ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com *they were lovely people and I miss them dearly

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WHO: INFINITY BROKE WHAT: ALBUM LAUNCH WHEN: THU MAY 14 WHERE: THE PHOENIX

As part of their national tour, Sydney’s Infinity Broke are coming to show off their new material and more experimental direction. They’ll be in town to launch their sophomore album Before Before following last year’s debut River Mirrors. The band describe their new album as a sinister spaghetti-western surf-scarred howl, as it charts the feverish and exhausted collapse of a couples’ relationship. Lead by ex-Bluebottle Kiss front man Jamie Hutchings and accompanied with sibling Scott Hutchings, plus Reuben Wills and Hugh Deacon.

Supported by Agency. 9pm. $10.

WHO: THE PIGS WHAT: ALBUM LAUNCH WHEN: FRI MAY 15 WHERE: STREET THEATRE

The Pigs have created a name for themselves by dismantling international mega hit songs and reinterpreting them with their own quirky style through bluegrass and folk music. They boast a prolific career spanning over ten years, consisting of four albums and concerts all over Australia and the world, as well as countless TV and radio appearances. On Friday May 15, they’ll be bringing us reinvented childhood favourites off their album The Pigs Home Brew: 13 Aussie Classics. The show begins at 8pm and tickets are $29.

WHO: JASMINE RAE WHAT: TOUR WHEN: FRI MAY 15 WHERE: CASINO CANBERRA

WHO: FESTIVAL 15 WHAT: FESTIVAL WHEN: FRI MAY 15 WHERE: THE BASEMENT

WHO: LOS CHAVOS WHAT: LATIN ROOTS/HIP HOP WHEN: SAT MAY 16 WHERE: THE PHOENIX

WHO: DALLAS FRASCA WHAT: ALBUM LAUNCH WHEN: FRI MAY 22 WHERE: TRANSIT BAR

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Australian singer-songwriter Jasmine Rae is making her way to Canberra on tour to celebrate the release of her successful new album Heartbeat. The album was nominated for an ARIA Award and four Golden Guitar Awards, including Album of the Year and Top Selling Album of the Year. Rae is fast becoming one of Australia’s leading singer-songwriters and performers and is showcasing her evolving skills with her album Heartbeat, which melds soul and blues influenced country sound. The show begins at 7:30pm and tickets are $28.19, available from ticketek.

Festival 15 is Canberra’s most unique music festival which is composed of a sizeable range of different genres to keep every Tom, Dick and Harry happy. From funk to rock, acoustic to metal, hip hop to folk and much more. In its eighth edition, the festival only gets bigger and better with each passing year, showcasing amazing local talent. Festival 15 takes place on Friday May 15 at The Basement, featuring 15 bands playing a 15 minute set each. Spread out over two stages, the music never stops.

Be sure not to miss it. $15.

A nine-piece explosion of Latin reggae energy, Los Chavos are returning to The Phoenix for another exciting performance.With the goal of swaying hips from Canberra to Colombia, the group have been a fixture on the Canberra music scene since 2007 and have honed their craft at pubs and festivals with a myriad of different audiences. Get on your dancing shoes and prepare yourself for a night of awesome fun music and beats.The gig begins at 9pm and tickets are $10 available at the door.

Aussie rockers Dallas Frasca will be taking their latest Love Army National Tour around Australia beginning in May. The talented band have made their first ever ARIA Chart debut with their new album Love Army, making it #29 on the ARIA Albums Chart and # 10 on the ARIA Australian Artists Albums. This tour coincides with almost ten years of hard work and perseverance performing over 700 shows and seven international tours. Known for their thrilling live shows, the band members are eager to show us their new material.

The show begins at 8pm and tickets are $18.40 from moshtix.

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samuel townsend A recent study published by the Heart Foundation identified Tuggeranong to be the ‘Fattest and laziest district in the ACT’.

After chatting with three of the four members of local band Brother Be, it seems that the residents of Nappy Valley can now add ‘worst behaved audience members’ to their credentials too. Bass guitarist, Netty Salazar, recalls an awkward encounter involving a rather intoxicated and ‘friendly’ fan. “We were doing a gig at P.J O’Reilly’s and just as we’d started our set this woman came on stage who we thought was the bar manager. She started whispering sweet nothings in Mike’s [lead vocals] ear before making her way to me, where I was playing drums. She slid her hand up my shirt and began rubbing my back!” It didn’t take long for the enthusiastic woman to be escorted from the pub by security. “I’m all for love, but you’ve got to choose your moments!” laughs Salazar.

Love is where it’s at for this tight-knit group who have recently released their first EP, Gone and Gone. In a relatively short amount of time the four-piece have accumulated a solid and diverse fan-base, spanning the young and the young-atheart, including ex Brumbies player, Joe Roff. Alan Hilvert-Bruce (lead guitarist) and Sammy O’Brien (drums) fondly remember the post-GIO-Stadium-halftimebuzz, “Roff came over and congratulated us with a round of beers. Mike didn’t know who he was but thought it was pretty cool anyway.”

The recoding process took place in Kangaroo Valley back in January this year – a week spent together at the recording retreat, culminating in the completion of their first recording and celebrated by listening to the triple j Hottest 100. Hilvert-Bruce succinctly explains the bands motivation, “In the end we just decided that we wanted to spend a week on a farm instead of underground in a basement.” O’Brien echoes this sentiment, “It was all about the environment. We were more comfortable being on the farm, than repeating the recording experience of our first single, which was done in a studio in Sydney.”

In the end we just decided that we wanted to spend a week on a farm instead of underground in a basement

Brother Be are leaving an impression upon their audiences – live gigs are memorable due to their on-stage banter and camaraderie.

Salazar once recited the synopsis to Cool Runnings during a gig at Smith’s Alternative Bookshop. An appreciation for musical instruments and a sense of humour run strong with this group of friends who consider themselves more like family or close siblings than just band mates. It’s this engaging quality, coupled with their infectious folk-rock sound, that will see them returning to GIO Stadium later this month to entertain the crowd at halftime. When quizzed about other memorable gigs in and around Canberra the band are quick to respond with some standout performances and favorite venues, “Transit is an excellent space to perform in and we’re excited about Smith’s re-opening too. Playing at Enlighten Festival this year was really fun. We were on a stage opposite Questacon and we had a really big sound system. People kept stopping to listen and our audience just grew!”

The big sound is something that comes through on the opening track of Gone and Gone. The song, ‘Queen For A Day’, begins gently as Hilvert-Bruce plays his 12-string mandolin (a treasure brought back from Bolivia) and gradually builds with an anthem-esque quality not dissimilar to Icelandic group Of Monsters And Men. Ben Moore from Harvest Records was instrumental in the Gone and Gone recording process, his particular brand of magic woven throughout the EP. The overall aim was to retain and harness much

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of the bands live energy in the studio. “When we play on stage, there’s a certain feel to the music. Translating that quality into a studio recording is really hard.” Moore seemed to be up for the challenge, having already worked with industry heavyweights like Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Cloud Control, Sarah Blasko and A$AP Rocky. “I don’t think the record would sound as awesome as it does without Ben. He had the tools to bring it to life.”

The band arrived with their work seemingly cut out for them, as the six tracks that make up the EP existed in written form already.

Although the band didn’t record any new material during this period, Salazar illustrates the impact that the physical space had on the studio sessions and their existing body of work, “Recording in that particular place gave the songs this new life and feeling. Ben really captured the essence of our time there. I don’t think we could have achieved the same sound if we had been in the studio.”

Whilst individual members laid down their particular tracks, others took time to acclimate to the Illawarra region – soaking up the atmosphere by visiting the nearby second-hand book store, eating ice cream, reading comics or just chilling out on the property. This relaxed vibe induced a sense of productivity too, with new songs emerging, “When we weren’t recording everyone was outside, engrossed in the surroundings and inspired to make new work.”

The year ahead will remain busy for the members of Brother Be as they continue playing shows in Canberra and interstate, as well as writing new material for future recordings. Their first single, ‘All My Life’, is also set to become the bands first music video, although some technical hiccups have interfered with the release date, “We’re hopeful it will happen sometime in the nottoo-distant-future. Watch this space!” In the meantime they will continue playing the songs they love to an ever-growing audience that love them in return. Salazar says she can’t go past ‘Borderline’, the closing track on Gone and Gone, “It’s a song that goes where you don’t expect it to. Sammy’s bass-drum just lifts the mellow acoustic sound to a place where you just want to dance and sing and move your body.” Tuggeranong, you’ve been warned.

Brother Be launch their EP Gone and Gone at Transit Bar on Sat May 30 at 8pm. $10 at the door.

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LOCALITY

Over the last two years of hiccups, business turnovers and goddamn fire, it’s really been hammered home that we’re really lucky in Canberra to have the number of live music venues we’ve got. When you look at just how much these venues support local music, you see just how important that is.

The Phoenix has always been a powerhouse when it comes to hosting local music, but this fortnight, they’ve really outdone themselves! It starts on Wednesday May 13 at 9pm, when you can catch Rumshack launching their new album alongside Cherie Lane for a measly $5, which is a bargain if you’re a lover of interesting percussion set ups and modern bushranger ballads. On Saturday May 16, the stage will be taken by Los Chavos, Coolio Desgracias and Housemouse, The BRB and Zagr and Andre, with proceedings starting at 9.30pm and entry sitting pretty at $5. The King Hits, Space Party and Il Bruto will be bringing the sounds of the surf to Civic when they play on Saturday May 23 from 9.30pm, with $5 being all you’ll pay for that rockabilly seaside holiday. If you’re feeling like a bit of a tightarse, there’s plenty of Canberran hip hop delights on offer for free on Monday May 25 when Citizen Kay, D’Opus and Roshambo, Keegz and The Ansah Brothers get the room shaking for the Bootleg Sessions. That’s an absolutely priceless line up, so don’t let that old ‘it’s a school night!’ excuse get in the way, because it’s crap and you’ll kick yourself later.

It’s been a long time coming, but the Polish Club in Turner is finally back on its feet and ready to remind us just how much we’ve missed it over the last 18 months. They’ve hosted a few little bits and pieces already, but their massive grand opening will really let them spread their (white eagle) wings. It’s all going down on Saturday May 16 with doors opening at 7:30pm, with appearances from Jumptown Swing, Dollface and Brass Knuckle Brass Band, with more acts and entry fee to be announced. Make sure you get along and support this fantastic local venue. God knows they deserve it!

While a few venues have been down for the count over the last couple of years, Transit Bar has been pretty consistent and this fortnight they’re celebrating their ninth birthday with a massive week of gigs, culminating in two nights of awesome local music.

On Friday May15 the doors will open at 8pm for sets from Foreign Kings, The Ansah Brothers, Mondecreen, PJ Michael and Jacqueline & Michael, while on Saturday May 16 you’ll be able to catch D’Opus & Roshambo, The Barren Spinsters, Moochers Inc, Marianne & Jonathan, with the night being rounded out by sounds from Jemist and Ced Nada. For both nights, entry is free if you get in before 9pm and then it’s $10 entry after that, so get in early to make sure you make the most of the tunes and have a little extra pocket money for drinks!

In these winter months, it’s super important that we continue to support local venues like these, because by supporting them, we’re keeping the dream alive for our local musos.

NONI DOLL NONIJDOLL@GMAIL.COM/@NONIJDOLL

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tatjana clancy It usually starts amidst the delirium of a deadline week, Bossman Allan Sko and I finding ourselves trapped beneath an insurmountable pile of words, music and pictures that eventually become the magazine you’re holding.

The only way to keep the neurons firing (and to avoid just giving up completely and going to the pub) is to keep a continually excellent soundtrack going in the office. Sometimes we like to challenge and delight the other by finding old tracks or albums beloved yet forgotten. My glee at finding Gerling’s ‘Dust Me Selecta’ and Glide’s ‘Surfaced Euphoric’ matched only by Sko’s enthusiasm at finding old drum and bass anthems (there was also an unfortunate Billy Joel incident last week that I’d rather not talk about if it’s all the same). When we’re in this zone, every track we play has us shouting something like “Wow, I haven’t heard that in agggeesss. I remember listening to that at a party where we all.. actually, uh, nevermind.”

As well as regularly participating in music smackdowns, it’s easy for me to be endlessly surprised by forgotten gems; largely by virtue of the shitty way I look after my music collection.

Everything is in the wrong sleeve or case, which is not a great thing for a music lover to admit. It is entirely plausible for me to find Doves’ Lost Souls in the cover of DJ Shadow’s Entroducing.

When I mean to play Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual I might find the extended mix of New Order’s ‘True Faith.’ I once found 1989’s Don’t Worry Be Happy inside Nick Cave’s Tender Prey. Must have been an interesting party.

I am currently fuelling my forgotten music obsession with an evergrowing playlist on Spotify called Mixtape, should you want to soundtrack your next party/spring clean/road trip/mid-life crisis.

In the meantime, here’s how seven BMA contributors approached the wildly subjective brief “Give me 200 words on music you’ve forgotten about’.’

jeremy stevens It’s really easy to forget that guitars exist – at least the kind of guitars on Radiohead’s The Bends. The album blasts open with ‘Planet Telex’ and Jonny and Ed’s guitar work is just so goddamn warm. You could save hundreds on your winter heating bill if you left it on repeat during the colder months. There’s a power behind it that flies out of the speakers and alongside Thom’s vocals and the band’s knack for writing a good tune or ten, it’s clear why it’s considered a classic.

Sadly, the sounds and feelings that The Bends conjures are easily forgotten about. That’s not a reflection on the album. It’s not something that I’m proud of, but it’s reflective of the fact that as a listener, it’s very easy to feel like I have to reach further into strange areas of sound to find something fresh and satisfying.

Like many, I suspect I’d do well to remember that when that desire impacts upon my listening habits, there’s just as much comfort to be found in that which seems least strange of all. The Bends is warm, inviting, guitar rock done well – and a reminder of why much modern rock sounds so damn flat in comparison.

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samuel townsend In 1992 the charts were dominated by the fellas. The boys club included Guns N’ Roses, Billy Ray Cyrus, Boyz II Men and Mr Big. Madonna was busy hitchhiking naked in SEX (her art/ porn coffee-table-book), Janet was chilling after the enormous success of 1989’s Rhythm Nation and Kylie was busy having her perm removed. While the heavyweight ladies of pop were momentarily distracted, two songstresses who went by the name of Shakespears Sister dropped their sophomore record Hormonally Yours.

The album, best played as Side A and B, was a critical success. The sharp musical arrangements coupled with classic pop sensibilities provided the perfect musical vehicle for the vampy Siobhan Fahey (previously in Bananarama) and Marcella Detroit (who toured with Eric Clapton and has since released solo work and appeared in Absolutely Fabulous). ‘Stay’, the second single from the album, topped the charts and the video inspired the hilarious parody, ‘Destiny’, by French and Saunders. Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), married to Fahey at the time, isn’t credited as a producer on the album, but his influences are everywhere. Standout tracks include the thumping funk-rock of ‘Black Sky’, the synthy melodrama of ‘The Trouble With Andre’ and Detroit’s wailing soprano woven throughout ‘I Don’t Care’. Get a copy on cassette to appreciate both sides of the story.

nicola sheville There are a bunch of singles and albums I’ve recently rediscovered in the past few weeks given that the CD player and iPod dock in my car have both broken, so I’ve been sent back in time and have been listening to all my music on cassette tapes that my parents recorded when they were my age and tapes that I recorded as a tiny little eight year old who was too obsessed with music for her own good.

‘We Can Work It Out’ by The Beatles was a huge throwback to my childhood, with no small amount of input from my mum and her Beatles obsession.

There have also been cameos (or the musical equivalent of cameos) from Placebo’s ‘Post Blue’ and ‘Pure Morning’, Nirvana’s ‘About a Girl’ and the entirety of Killing Heidi’s Reflector (Ella Hooper was the first of many rockstars I wanted to be).

Joan Jett’s ‘Bad Reputation’ seemed to feature on every mix tape I made as a child, along with David Bowie’s ‘Starman’ and The Rolling Stones classic, ‘Paint it Black’ The past few weeks have been one huge musical throwback for me and I couldn’t be happier about it.

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peter o’ rourke megan leahy The Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs It does exactly what it says: a 69 song journey through the highs and lows of love, in Stephin Merritt’s eloquent and whimsical style.

The album is lushly orchestrated, but still with playful tendencies.

At three discs and as many hours long, it is a worthwhile investment to experience.

Screamfeeder’s Rocks On The Soul Bands such as The Go-Betweens, Custard and Regurgitator were notable Brisbane exports, but Screamfeeder were always underrated, perhaps due to their unwillingness to leave their hometown. Rocks is a possibly their finest, with harder rock ending in dreamy epic breakdowns, while still sounding uniquely Brisbane.

The Desert Sessions 9 & 10’s I See You Hearing Me/I Heart Disco The concept is straightforward – take a group of musicians to an isolated desert location and record the results. The brainchild of Josh Homme; the output is varied but often great. The spontaneous dynamic is what made this series so intriguing, demonstrated here by Dean Ween and P. J. Harvey.

Elliott Smith’s XO I’m almost ashamed to realise I haven’t listened to this in years.

Smith lays it down, completely exposed, his fragile vocals adding rawness to the layered instrumentation. Part of what made Smith stand out from others was his brilliant use of melody combined with intelligent lyrics, which on this album flows effortlessly.

Mylo’s Destroy Rock and Roll It just screams mid-00s, doesn’t it? The pastel pink and white album cover, the laid back electro beats, the idea that someone could make an album this good on free downloaded software on their own computer! Almost wants you to go and buy some sushi, a Boost Juice and hang out at…I dunno, Sanity wearing skinny jeans and trendy almost-mullet haircut? (is that enough mid-00s references?) This was an album with some jams that were pumping enough to hear in a club, yet chilled and inoffensive enough that you could play in the car with your parents. With ’80-era synths, straight up four-to-the-floor drums (this was before Flume remember) and filtered vocals, it easily fit the whole ‘soundtrack your summer’ vibe.

Destroy Rock and Roll evokes fantastic imagery, such as cruising down a Californian highway in ‘Sunworshipper’ and ‘Guilty of Love’, the palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, or arriving at a cheapbut-glitzy neon-clad disco with ‘Paris Four Hundred’ or ‘In My Arms’. And who of course could forget the dancefloor bomb ‘Drop the Pressure’? The title track is truly something original, sampling a speech from a court case where the judge is waxing about the moral dangers of (’80s) popstars and rock music. This album arrived on our stereos at the first inclinations that the domination of rock was finally coming to an end – destroy rock and roll indeed.

dan bigna

noni doll Waiting for the Day by Bachelor Girl was the first album I bought with my own money. I was nine and I was obsessed with it. I made up dance routines, pretended to be in video clips and mimed my little heart out to it. I have no idea how that CD is still working.

A little while ago, I pulled it up on my iPod in a fit of nostalgia and was struck by the fact that as a 20-something woman, all the songs are suddenly 100% relevant and accurate. The album’s 15 years old and somehow it’s barely dated. It even mentions a “wristwatch phone”, which means it basically predicted the Apple watch.

HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? And it’s clever. The irony and sarcasm in ‘Lucky Me’, the motherdaughter conversation in ‘Buses and Trains’, the spurned bitterness of the title track, the resigned non-romance ‘This Must Be Love (Like It Or Not)’: it’s a perfect snapshot of the confusion of being a young adult. It’s the same sort of smarts that Taylor Swift has displayed on 1989, captured in 1998 on an album that I can now affirm is a completely non-guilty pleasure.

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M.A.R.R.S’s ‘Pump up the Volume’ This isn’t technically speaking a ‘forgotten record’ given that ‘Pump up the Volume’ was a huge international hit both on mainstream radio and in underground dance clubs going wild for the pleasure head of the emerging acid house scene. The song also made considerable use of samples at a time when longstanding notions of creative originality were increasingly being challenged. ‘Pump up the Volume’ deserved to sell millions of records because it is so damn catchy. It makes you want to break into joyous dancing when lyrical nuggets like “brothers and sisters/pump up the volume/ pump that baby” kick in. But the song has a surprising history.

It resulted from a collaboration between two UK bands on indie label 4AD – reggae and soul influenced Colourbox and one of the most sadly neglected bands of the last 30 years, blissed-out oceanic rock pioneers AR Kane. Although the song was supposed to be a meeting of equals, AR Kane’s contribution was relegated to a few swooning guitar parts mixed in with all the other samples.

The band also provided the dreamy, sensuous b-side ‘Anitina’ and it is amazing to think now of all those smash hit devotees out there bewildered by one of the most erotically charged psychedelic bands in recorded music. Outside of a small, dedicated fanbase AR Kane is almost criminally forgotten.

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THE REALNESS It’s been a big couple of months of music news in the rap game with a heap of high-profile releases throughout March and April so there is plenty to catch up on. March saw epic releases from Kendrick Lamar with To Pimp a Butterfly, Action Bronson’s Mr Wonderful and Earl Sweatshirt’s darker sophomore effort I Don’t Like Sh*t, I Don’t Go Outside. In other news, Diplo and Guccimane announced they are working on an album together despite Gucci’s detainment until 2016 (#Freegucci) and Kanye arguably signalled the arrival of grime in the US mainstream, performing with Skepta and JME at his London gig in early March.

Despite all the happenings, it is the attention which Kanye brought to his fellow Chicago MC, Vic Mensa, with a feature on ‘Wolves’ and the release of ‘U Mad’ in April which has been most interesting. One result of the increased attention ‘U Mad’ brought Mensa was the revelation that despite claiming independent status, Mensa had secretly signed a deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation in early to mid-2014.

While this doesn’t seem like a big deal in the age of internet-rap, the DIY aesthetic, or the perception of an independent aesthetic, is an important selling point for an artist trying to build hype. Artists like Mensa, or Atlanta’s Young Thug, appeal to this underground aesthetic while simultaneously relying on backing and production from labels like Roc Nation and Atlantic’s Artist Publishing Group respectively. For those who choose to support internet artists, this can make a real difference to perceptions of where our money is going and who it is benefitting. While it isn’t surprising, it is disappointing and feels like another chapter in the ongoing corporatisation of hip hop and internet aesthetic in general. Like, what is even real anymore?

Locally, Aussie hip hop’s naughty boys, the Funkoars, make a return to Canberra on Wednesday May 13. Playing at Transit, the ‘Oars are touring their new full-length In Case of Emergency and new single ‘Below Average’. Perth’s Mathas and Melbourne’s Eloji are playing support while DJ Total Eclipse will be working the wheels of steel. Tix available online at Moshtix.

Friday May 15 will see Thundamentals travel to the UC Refectory as part of their Elephant in the Room tour. Canberra will be reppin’ pretty hard at this one with local girls and recent Triple J Unearthed Feature Artists Coda Conduct, Koolism’s Hau and noted Queanbeyan spoken word poet and rapper Omar Musa also in attendance. In what may best be described a truly worthy line-up supporting a truly worth cause, the Thundamentals guys will also be peddling their ‘Got Love’ shirts with 100% of proceeds going towards supporting the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

At the other end of the spectrum, Necro is coming to Canberra! Playing at the ANU Bar on the Friday May 22, this one has me more excited than anything in a while. The Ill Bill collaborator, who has also formerly produced for heavyweights including Non Phixion and Raekwon, will be bringing his brand of hardcore rap to Canberra as part of his Terminator tour and it’s probably gonna’ be a doozy. Maybe leave the kids at home though…

Brady McMullen realness.bma@gmail.com

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DANCE THE DROP

I stare out of the airplane window scanning barren Wile-E Coyote country for the dusty wake of the Road Runner, then out of nowhere, concrete and neon. Las Vegas juts out of the dusty face of the Earth like a volcanic zit, it’s so audacious and pointless, like a gentleman’s club on Mars. The last time I was here – many years ago – I stumbled up and down the strip crying and weeing in my pants, which was completely normal behaviour for a toddler but I’m not sure it’ll be welcomed with as much vigour if I repeat it as an adult. Vegas is home to one of the top five nightclubs in the world, Hakkasan, which sounds like the Japanese word for ‘expensive’. Tonight is headlined by current world number one DJ Hardwell and we’re suited up and ready to go. The club is accessed by walking through the infamous MGM Grand Casino floor.

Tonight, the entry line snakes all the way onto the casino floor, the couple behind me tell me it’s like this almost every night, which is not hard to believe in a city that hasn’t slept since it was a desert. There seem to be as many big men in black suits as there are punters and they shuffle up and down the line like prison guards. I dare not make eye contact lest one of them come over and judge my shoes too harshly and send me back to my hotel room in shame. After about half an hour of anticipation, we are shuffled through the doors into an elevator accompanied by another couple of big men in black suits and up we go. The main room is several stories of glass, steel and opulence. You know those movies where the bad guy’s lair is on the other side of two way glass inside a club, well this looks exactly like one of those places. It’s like someone took the main room at Academy, threw a hundred million dollars at it and plonked it inside the top of a skyscraper I’m sure a white suited mob boss is doing cocaine off of a showgirls buttocks somewhere behind one of these walls… To be continued in the next edition of the Drop.

Uberjak’d and friends (including Savage and Jaysounds) are heading to blow the rood off of the main room at Academy on Friday May 29. If you love your bounce, get this into your life quick smart.

The first time I heard of Trap was when Admiral Ackbar was trying to warn the rebel alliance that their mission was in jeopardy, but that was a long long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Since then, Trap has become one of the biggest musical movements on our planet and legendary Los Angeles’ outfit Boombox Cartel are heading to Tongue and Groove on Saturday May 30 to show us how it’s done.

To warm you up for their show, the American duo have kindly provided me with their current top five tunes. Stretch out your trap arms and get googling: Mac Demarco – ‘Chamber of Reflection’ Billboard – ’S H A P E S’ The Party Squad – ‘Dat is Dat Ding (Alvaro remix)’ Ricky Remedy – ‘Make Me’ Major Lazer and DJ Snake ft MØ – ‘Lean On (Popeska remix)’ TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

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cody atkinson In March a jury found that the Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. song ‘Blurred Lines’ had infringed the copyright of a 1977 Marvin Gaye song, ‘Got To Give It Up’. The federal jury awarded $7.3 million to the Gaye estate, from total sales of about $14 million. That means about 14 million people bought ‘Blurred Lines’, which can’t be good for humanity. This week, Cody Atkinson questions the vibe of the thing.

‘Blurred Lines’ ripped off that Marvin Gaye song, right?

Well, the US Federal Court held that Thicke, Williams and their associated labels had infringed on the copyright of the Gaye Estate, specifically Marvin Gaye’s 1977 song ‘Got To Give It Up’. In the last week, however, the representation for ‘Blurred Lines’ have begun to appeal the ruling.

What grounds are they appealing it on?

Well, for starters, that they didn’t plagiarise ‘Got To Give It Up’. That’s probably the key one. Secondly, that the amount awarded by the jury was far in excess of what was actually received by Williams for the song even if they did steal the song.

Wait, wasn’t it the biggest song of the year? Surely Pharrell got all of the money for writing it?

What, so being inspired and writing a song like an artist might land a band in hot water?

That might be going too far, but only just. There is no doubt that Marvin Gaye was a distinctive artist and ‘Got To Give It Up’ has a particular vibe that may even go past the notes being expressed, but to protect that vibe ahead of the music that’s actually being played seems overly restrictive.

Regardless of the outcome, surely there’s a better way to handle disputes like this than expensive lawsuits?

Perhaps one of the best perspectives coming out of the media hoopla surrounding the case was from exGalaxie 500 member, Damon Krukowski. He pointed out that such a lawsuit may present a case that the whole concept of copyright infringement around cases like this may be a bit illogical and perhaps should take a leaf from the royalty processes around covering songs.

$14 million in profit was generated by ‘Blurred Lines’, which is insane for so, so, so many reasons

Well, Pharrell’s representatives claim that the $3 million that was awarded against him was twice the amount he actually earned from the song. However, the court case revealed that roughly $14 million in profit was generated by ‘Blurred Lines’, which is insane for so, so, so many reasons.

So, does the appeal have any chance of succeeding?

Some legal experts say “maybe”. Writing for the New Yorker, Columbia law professor Alan Wu expressed that the judge in the case shouldn’t have allowed the case to go before a jury. Wu also stated that the case incorrectly considered elements beyond the music protected by copyright, such as stylistic similarities within both songs. In fact, Wu wrote that it was likely that the verdict would be overturned on appeal.

But the songs kinda sound alike. They’ve got the same handclaps and a similar bassline and…

Kinda sounding alike is one thing, but being the same song is another. It’s like saying ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana and ‘Monkey Gone To Heaven’ by the Pixies are the same because they are quite-loud-quiet, have distorted guitars and yelled male vocals in the chorus. A song sounding like another song is often more an indicator of genre than it is of anything else. Condemning music that sounds the same from a feel perspective as being a rip off ignores the actual music in play.

What does this mean in the bigger picture?

Ultimately, it is one of the first rulings that have held that a “feel” can be distinctive enough that it can be plagiarised. According to

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musicologists involved with the “Blurred Lines” side, that song only shares 5% of musical notes with that of ‘Got To Give It Up’, including both songs being written in a different key.

OK, how can you legally cover a song then?

A cover version of a song is largely governed by a process called a mechanical reproduction, which dates back to the day of player pianos, Scott Joplin and jump bass. When a song is covered, a mechanical royalty has to be paid to the original songwriters. The amount to be paid is strictly and clearly outlined and is a compulsory system with nearly no room for argument.

So how much does covering a song cost in Australia?

For a strict cover of a song, an artist needs only to pay between 5.5% and 6.5% per copy of the song sold in Australia. In the US, that figure is roughly 9.1 cents per song.

So how much would Thicke and Pharrell paid if they just covered ‘Got To Give It Up’?

Back of the envelope math revealed at the trial suggested that a straight cover of ‘Got To Give It Up’ would have only cost Thicke, Williams, et al $1.4 million dollars. Remember, they had to hand over a combined $7.3 million, for an end product that my not-at-all scientific survey found was “pretty average” when compared to the Gaye song.

Wait, it would have cost less if they had stolen the whole song and not just a part of it?

Yeah, which is an indication that not enough consideration has gone into this type of copyright use. If all partial and full uses of musical copyright were governed by the mechanical copyright provisions, it may strike a better balance between fostering creativity for artists and protecting the rights of the original producers of the work.

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METALISE So I think it’s pretty clear for those that read this column with any regularity that I would basically like to marry lifeisnoise. The Perth promotions team that seem to tap into my record collection and tour the tastiest jams announced yet another pant spoiling level tour by becoming the first promoter to bring the USA’s mighty Yob to Australia for their long overdue first tour. Their album of last year, Clearing the Path to Ascend was so good that even casual music journals like the Rolling Stone hailed it’s dynamic and vital display of doom metal in its year end lists. They’re coming in August for four dates and I guess the one thing that stops me popping the question to lifeisnoise is that they don’t tour Canberra. You will need a ticket to their Saturday August 22 show at the Manning Bar in Sydney if you want to see the best three piece in doom and one of the heaviest bands of any genre. Between this and Pallbearer, there’s not much more we can ask for. That said, Goatsnake are on the cusp of a new record and are yet to tour Australia…

So the mighty King Parrot continue their ascension to metal Valhalla with their unrelenting assault in all mediums and the hard work has gleaned a nomination for the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards for ‘Best New Band’. Of course their wares are not new to Canberra fans, they play here more than a lot of Canberra bands do. They

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have yet another video out on the YouTube with a track from their imminent release Dead Set entitled ‘Like A Rat’ which features possibly the most water sports per minute of any music video I can think of. The album is due out this fortnight and their show at the Magpies in the city on Thursday May 21 with top notch Mexican support bands High Tension (who also have an album out this winter) and Colossvs. The show is going to be an absolute delicious excuse to enjoy a gateway hangover into your weekend the next morning, see you there.

The best way to overcome that hangover will be to pick your butt up and grab a few hair of the dogs at the Basement the following night, Friday May 22. You will be rewarded for taking the Lemmy Kilmeister guide to hangover avoidance, which is to keep drinking, with the might Voyager. The Perth progsters are warming up for a European tour including a slot on the venerable Progpower stage in the Netherlands and for an extra treat they’re bringing out Klone from France for this jaunt.

Bargain buy show of the month has to be the I Exist, Hellbringer, Witchskull, Boonhorse and Urge To Kill show for the ludicrously affordable ten bucks at the Magpies club in the city. That’s a lot of variety for chump change. For further incitement, check out the fantastic three track sampler by Witchskull from their recording in Melbourne early this year on their bandcamp site which is absolutely killer traditional doom metal.

JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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carrie gibson A back to back American tour, a European tour and now the announcement of a national tour…the KING PARROT boys aren’t familiar with the term ‘down time’. A term described as “not our thing” by vocalist Matt ‘Youngy’ Young. “We’re a working class band and, yeah, we play some pretty horrific music but there is an audience for it and we love playing live,” he says. “We much prefer doing this than anything else and we’ve made that our mission –as long as there is a demand for it, we’re going to keep on doing it.”

The recently concluded European tour was the first of hopefully many successful European tours for King Parrot, stretching their legs and their attitudes across the continent opened up a Pandora’s Box of fans. “Getting over to Europe was one of the first goals the band ever had, we had to tour Europe. The opportunity came up with a band called Weedeater, who we are now brothers for life!”

The traditional King Parrot tune – were the fundamentals to remain the same with Dead Set? “They changed a lot, we have a new drummer now,” says Young. “A drummer always changes the chemistry of a band. Todd [Hansen] came in, with a good pedigree with playing with some awesome bands and that’s another reason why we got him – his insatiable appetite for touring. It’s definitely changed the way we write, we’ve given the songs a lot more space.”

Dead Set is described as more of a metal album where as the bands debut, Bite Your Head Off, was more of a grind album, Young reiterates. “We wanted to let Dead Set breathe a bit more and it’s just a natural progression for us,” he says. “For this record in particular I wanted to make a statement that King Parrot is about doing things the right way, doing things the real way. There are so metal records these days that sound so produced and so fake, it just doesn’t sound like a real band anymore. A lot of the drummers these days aren’t even fucking playing the drums, it’s all just programmed, it kills the life of the record in my opinion.”

We play some pretty horrific music but there is an audience for it and we love playing live

Metal Hammer took quite a shine to King Parrot over the Soundwave tour this year and low and behold King Parrot is now up for a fucking Golden God Award (the Oscars of metal). The reaction from these humble dudes from Melbourne was not unexpected .“I saw the nomination and I was like, holy shit man, it took us by surprise,” says Young. “If someone said to me at the start of this that I would be nominated for a Golden God award down the line I would not have believed them. I guess it’s just a combination of all the hard work that has been slowly paying off – the videos, the album, the relentless touring. We’re very grateful.

The guys from Metal Hammer are a great bunch with an awesome sense of humour.” Metal Hammer should custom make your award to something like a Golden Bonox award? “Yes!” Laughs Young.

“Wow that shit is horrible, I won’t go anywhere near it. This one kid brought Bonox to a show once and started throwing it around the mosh pit, a tonne of it landed on me, it smelled so bad, I look at Slatts [bass] and he’s got it all over his face. I saw the kid, grinning from ear to ear and I’m like you motherfucker.”

The latest album, Dead Set, I’ve had a sample Matt and I’m sorry to say…it’s brilliant. It’s fucking brilliant! “I’m so glad you like it,” says Young. “You know that feeling, when you get so close to something that you don’t even know if it’s good anymore, this was Dead Set. We did the pre-production in August last year, the recording, the mixing, the mastering – we worked on it so much, though we’ve had positive feedback so far.”

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The opening scene of ‘Like A Rat’, the first video release from the album, features Slatts waking up alongside Phil Anselmo – I personally know at least four girls who would have killed to be in that predicament. “Well their just not Slatts are they,” laughs Young. “We had such a blast making that video, it was good to take some time off from recording and have a little fun. Phil was such a good sport, I was nervous asking him but as soon as I sent him the script he’s like ‘Fuck yeah man when we filming?!’”

The national tour is fast approaching – are you back in the country yet? “I am indeed,” Young says. “I am home, in Melbourne, I’ve been running around all day doing promo for the tour, I’ve collected the actual physical copy of Dead Set, its killer. I’ve been listening to it in the car all day, so keen to get it out there.”

King Parrot tick the box, they tick that box, they yell at it and when all is said and done, they will never subject themselves or their fans to stay inside the box.

Catch King Parrot with High Tension and Colossv at Magpies City Club on Thu May 21. $23.50 from oztix.

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If you haven’t picked this issue up in time than prepare to feel devastated because you may have missed The Hard-Ons. If you’ve been timely however, you can still catch them at Transit this Thursday, May 14.

Ahhh, winter. Or as it’s known in punk circles, “Fuck it’s fucken’ cold!

The only thing my wardrobe consists of is ripped jeans and band tees which obviously aren’t very warm garments, plus to continue with the cliché, I’m super poor so I can’t afford to buy a coat, but at least mi goreng is pretty warm, plus if I get exceptionally cold I can totally use the heat from my band’s demo to warm me up.” Yes, it’s long but I think it might catch on. Anyway…

If you’re in the mood for something a bit more mellow, Sydney noiserockers Infinity Broke are headed on tour to launch their new album Before Before. They’ll be stopping by The Phoenix on Thursday May 14 with support from locals Agency. $10 on the door.

Melbourne thrash group King Parrot are headed to Canberra on Thursday May 21. They’ll beat the Magpies City Club joined by hometown mates High Tension and Collosvs. You can grab tickets through Oztix for $23.50.

If you’re looking for something on the noisier, heavier side you can catch Melbourne’s Encircling Sea at the Magpies City Club on Thursday May 28. They’ll be joined by Adelaide’s Funeral Moon and locals Autonomous Drones.

On Saturday May 30, Melbourne’s Clowns will be stopping in Canberra as part of their ‘Running Through These Veins Tour’. They’ll be at The Phoenix with support from Melbourne’s Summer Blood, Sydney’s Tanned Christ and locals Office Jerk and Hygeine. Tickets for this one will be $5 on the door.

The pretty much legendary Frenzal Rhomb are headed to Canberra on their ‘The Final C*ntdown Tour’ and if this news doesn’t excite you immensely then you should take a second to look back at your teenage years because they sucked, guaranteed.

Anyway, they’ll be at The Basement on Thursday June 4 and you can secure tickets for $27.50+bf through Moshtix.

Also on Thursday June 4 you can catch Melbourne’s The Newsletters at The Phoenix as they launch their new single ‘Lucky Country.’ They’ll be joined by fellow Melbournian Matthew Dreams and locals Mind Blanks and Passive Smoke for just $5 on the door.

That’s all for now. Until next time, have a good “Fuck it’s fucken’ cold! The only thing my wardrobe consists of is…”

Whatever, winter.

IAN McCARTHY punK.bma@gmail.com

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

A NEW DAWN baz ruddick After a brief ‘lull’ in the ‘90s, German Cinema is currently making a resurgence on the world stage. Leaving behind the reputation of being overly saturated by Holocaust films and untranslatable comedies, the current German film climate is one of progress, optimism and an enthusiasm for a vast array of subjects and themes. This year’s GERMAN FILM FESTIVAL looks at a modern, multicultural Germany, displaying a certain quirkiness, humour and edginess that it is not tradition-ally credited with. I spoke to selection jury member Richard Kuipers about the palatability of Ger-man Cinema, its reinvention and its multicultural face.

An adage of the German film industry says that a German director typically feels an obligation to make one Holocaust film in order to take his career to the next level. However the new generation of German Directors is somewhat moving on. “I don’t think German cinema feels the obligation that it has to go into the past,” states Kuipers. “It isn’t a rite of passage anymore and there are many other aspects of German society and culture that can be told.” The new face of German cinema is bold, young, confident and multicultural.

“There are still Holocaust films being made and there always will be because that is an important subject,” says Kuipers. “There was a significant body of work that dealt with the Holocaust which allowed people to socially, artistically and culturally get to grips with it. That really was how you made your mark.”

German Cinema has begun to look increasingly at the division of East and West for inspiration. ”There is always a strong bracket of films that looks at the history of East Germany and how that reflects on how that reflects on the current united Germany,” Kuipers says A clear example of this is the documentary Anderson. Directed by Annekatrin Hendel, the film tells the story of a renowned East German musician who was a part of the East’s thriving underground art scene.

“What no one knew was that he was an informer for the Stasi,” says Kuipers. “So he led this double life and now 30 years later he appears on camera, completely and utterly frank talking about what he did without shame.”

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After ten years of advising the programming of the German Film Festival, Kuipers has found him-self less concerned about what will ‘work’ with Australian cinemas. ”I worry less and less about what Australian audience will be interested in or will embrace because the Aussie audience has be-come very sophisticated,” he says. This is exemplified in the programming of Dietrich Brügge-mann’s Stations of the Cross’. “It is an absolutely magnificent film that is the antithesis of commercial cinema. It only has fourteen shots for the entire film, goes for over two hours and the camera only moves three times.”

Modern Germany is dealt with in Mo Asumang’s documentary The Aryans. Of mixed Ghanaian and German heritage, Asumang journeys to the centre of race hate and confronts race supremacists face to face. Under the premise that hate comes from a ‘constructed enemy’ which is rarely actually faced, Asumang faces those who hate her head on. “She has these intellectual discussions with these people who hate her and hate her race and believe she is inferior,” states Kuipers. “The bravery of the film making is just incredible.”

Among the films showcased at this year’s festival will be costume drama/period piece Beloved Sis-ters. Directed by Dominik Graf, the film tells the story of two aristocratic sisters and a love triangle with the playwright Friedrich Schiller. Burn Qurbani’s We are Young.

We are Strong deals with post-reunification depression and the interaction of a Vietnamese migrant and a typical Rostocker teen.

Bora Dagtekin’s comedy Suck Me Shakespeer tells the story of an ex-con who takes a job as a janitor in a school and quickly finds himself mistaken as a substitute teacher which distracts him from reclaiming stolen loot. Baron bo Odar’s political cyber thriller Who Am I – No System is Safe opens the festival as an example of mainstream cinema.

“I see so much rubbish in the multiplex cinemas,” says Kuipers, candidly. “These little festivals are a bit of an oasis against that. It is about balancing stuff that is more broadly appealing, stuff that is more generally appealing with stuff that is more specifically German and deciding which ones of those will capture the imagination.”

The German Film Festival runs from Wed May 20–27 at Palace Electric Cinema

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STAYING EN POINTE INDIGO TRAIL When I speak to Drew Hedditch, he’s in Sydney, having just completed a several-performance run of the Australian Ballet’s Giselle. However, there’s no question of a rest before that production scoots down to Canberra later this month – along with the rest of the company, Hedditch has just embarked on the second ballet in the company’s current repetior, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Only after this wraps up will the company make their long-awaited return to the nation’s capital, where they will perform Giselle at the Canberra Theatre from Sat–Thu May 21–26.

The path to the Australian Ballet has been a long one for Hedditch.

He’s been dancing ballet since he was eight years old. “I started tap dancing first – I’d say I was about five at the time. I remember my teachers asking me when I was going to start ballet and I’d just say, ‘Never!’ A lot of girls start ballet at three or four, but boys have to sort of get their head around it first.” What was it then, that made this younger Hedditch add a pair of ballet flats to his tap shoe collection? “Competitiveness,” he says flatly and then laughs. “My older sister did it and eventually I started to think, ‘if she can do it, so can I.’” Evidently this mentality paid off. From the studios of Lisa Clark, a Canberra dance centre, to the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne, Hedditch slowly but surely honed and sharpened his technique until, in late 2013, he received an offer from the Australian Ballet itself. “While I was training [at the Australian Ballet School], it was always an aspiration of mine to graduate with a contract – you know, to get to join the company and go down to other end of the building.”

The news itself, however, came as a bit of a shock. Hedditch recounts that day sounding just the tiniest bit bewildered, as though he still can’t quite believe it. “I got called into David [McAllister, the Artistic Director]’s office and that hadn’t happened before. I was called in and he offered me a seat and then he just went, ‘so, I have a contract for you.’ I – I didn’t really know what to say. I remember walking out of the office and not knowing what to think. I remember talking to some of my friends and they were like, ‘are you happy?’ and I just said, ‘yeah … yeah, of course. I’m just…not really sure how to… respond.’ Eventually one of them just ordered me to call my mum.” This retelling is punctuated with laughter – he’s had over a year in the company now and while the shine certainly hasn’t worn off, there’s an ease to Hedditch that declares he now fully understands what he’s achieved and loves every moment of it.

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Of course, it isn’t all slow revelations and quiet triumphs. “You have to be extremely fit,” says Hedditch bluntly – there’s no room for complacency in the Australian Ballet and he knows it. “You have to maintain that fitness, but I also think that nothing prepares you for ballet except ballet. You know, you can do what you want at the gym, but at the end of the day you need to be in that studio practising.”

He speaks from recent experience – there has been practise aplenty for Giselle as the company perfected the performance before its premiere. “I’m excited to bring it to Canberra. I think it’s a beautiful ballet. It’s such a classic – I think it’ll be really nice to share that with everyone.” He’s not wrong about that –it’s been several years since the Australian Ballet brought a full production to Canberra and there is certainly a resultant air of expectation and excitement surrounding this one, particularly due to its famous status.

When asked what it is about Giselle that makes it so timeless, Hedditch muses, “it’s such a beauty. Really to have the development of Giselle as this sweet, innocent girl who becomes this ghostly character who’s still somehow capable of finding love in the man who was cruel to her – it’s just such a tragic beauty. And ultimately, it’s the tragedy of the ballet which brings the depth to it. It transports the audience somewhere else for a couple of hours. And,” he adds, somewhat wryly, “you know, it’s one of those ballets that has the large corps of girls dressed in white. It’s iconic.”

However, performing isn’t the only thing on Hedditch’s agenda. He talks enthusiastically about ‘Boys’ Day,’ a programme he’s hosting in a bid to open up the ballet world and break the stereotype of ‘girls in fluffy tutus.’ “I’ll actually be hosting it,” he confirms happily. “There’ll be a class that’s on for boys aged 9–14 that I’m teaching and then after the class they’ll get to sit down and watch us do class. Basically, it’s about showing boys that there’s a large group of males out there who dance. Ballet’s not just for girls.” Hedditch, as a professional dancer and in his spare time, an avid rugby player, is perhaps among the best to teach them this. “I want boys to know it’s an art form that’s quite strong and beautiful. It’s great to be both.”

Giselle is on at the Canberra Theatre Centre from the Sat–Thu May 21–2621st to the 26th of May. Tickets start from $143/$98. ‘Boys’ Day’ is on Mon May 23. Tickets can be purchased from australianballet.com.au or through the Canberra Theatre.

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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: Claire Primrose What do you do? Painter.

When, how and why did you get into it? When I was about ten, I was lucky enough to have a very inspiring art teacher who encouraged me to develop and pursue the visual arts. Art has been a constant in my life ever since.

Who or what influences you as an artist? I am a constant observer and try to find inspiration or influence in everything around me. Here is a list of my current favourite artists: Elisabeth Cummings, Sophie Cape, Michael Cusack, Jo Davenport, Ros Auld, Idris Murphy and Tim Allen. I admire all of these artists for different reasons and they have all influenced my work in some way.

Of what are you proudest so far? I would have to say my youngest son’s art. He recently completed portrait homage to Vincent Van Gough in perfect proportion. I had the work framed and it is hanging

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in my studio to remind me that often it is best just to paint from the heart and to enjoy the process – just like a child would. I should also mention, in the interest of not indulging in favouritism, my other son is not interested in art. Despite my best efforts.

What are your plans for the future? More painting! I am currently working towards a duo exhibition in Sydney at the Stanley Street Gallery, Darlinghurst in November.

What makes you laugh? My children What pisses you off? Injustice.

What about the local scene would you change? My studio is in Queanbeyan and we are lucky to have a very active and supportive art community. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Upcoming exhibitions? I have a solo exhibition at Form Studio and Gallery Mon–Thu May 11–28 and Memory Mapping at 1/30 Aurora Ave alongside my friend and fellow artist Kerry Johns.

Contact Info: 0430359776, claireprimrose.com.au, claire@ claireprimrose.com.au

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW Miracle Man William R. Leibowitz [Manifesto Media Group; 2014]

William R. Leibowitz has written an extraordinary story that is a mix of political, psychological and medical thriller. Miracle Man is the story of an abandoned baby that grows to become the world’s most celebrated scientist and hunted man, Robert James Austin.

A boy baby with piecing blue eyes is abandoned in a dumpster. Saved by a homeless man, the baby is taken into foster care by Peter and Evelyn who quickly discover he is not like all their previous foster children. Bobby, as he is known, is plagued by terrible nightmares and prone to trance like states.

When he is four years old, his foster parents seek help for him and they discover Bobby has an unmeasurable level of intelligence. They eventually agree for him to attend a government backed specialised facility for the truly gifted, but the government has ulterior motives for their generosity and interest in him.

When his foster parents are killed in a car accident, Bobby withdraws. In an effort to bring him out of his grief and to refocus him on his studies, the government appoints a mentor, Joe, who quickly becomes a strong father figure and influence in young Bobby’s life. Bobby becomes an accomplished, handsome young adult but is devastated when Joe develops a terminal illness and dies a painful death. Rocked by the loss of yet another parental figure in his life – and with his mentor’s words echoing in his mind – he informs the government of his intention to focus on medical research rather than the defence related research they had groomed him for. They cut him off and he leaves the facility and the protection he had known all his life.

Supported by his mentor’s former university, Bobby devotes his life to finding cures for diseases that ravage people around the world. With every discovery, he collects enemies in the anti-science establishment and the pharmaceutical industry. At the same time, he is being applauded for his work and awarded numerous Nobel Prizes.

I would have liked to see exploration of the issues of the antiscience establishment. There was no real exploration of the consequences of Bobby’s drive to save millions of people from certain death which became a nagging thought as I read. There are some forgivable loose ends and more information about Bobby’s antagonists would have made the story more interesting in parts. There is a definite lull in the middle third of the story but is made up for as the pace picks up again.

I loved the character of Bobby. The writing is quite beautiful in parts as the author describes Bobby’s thoughts and feelings.

The unpredictable and exciting ending did have me pondering, momentary, about the possibility that there are super intellectuals the likes of Bobby walking among us.

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ALSEY ANN CONDIE

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bit PARTS MARVELLOUS MIZ DEMEANOURS WHAT: Jazz/Blues WHEN: Sat May 23 WHERE: Southern Cross Club Woden The sensational four part harmony group Marvellous Miz Demeanours are set to take Canberra by storm with a cheeky, catchy show that will leave audiences wanting more. The ladies have been busy touring Australia recently, tantalising audiences in Sydney and the Gold Coast with their infectiously entertaining performances. Show starts at8pm, with tickets $26, or dinner and a show at 6pm for $56. You can book online at ticketek.com.au or in person at the Southern Cross Club in Woden.

DON JUAN WHAT: Theatre WHEN: Sat May 23 WHERE: The Street Theatre Image credit: David Kelly

A highly original and entertaining collaboration between guitarist Karin Schaupp and actor/director Tama Matheson comes in the form of Don Juan, a fusion theatre piece that transports audiences to the setting of 17th century Spain. For one night only, this show spins a tale of fiery romance, passion and intrigue whilst exploring the life of the fictional Don Juan and the equally outrageous but real Lord Byron. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are $35 and are available at thestreet.org.au or on 02 6247 1223.

Image credit: Thomas Hanses

EUROVISION PARTY WHAT: Eurovision party WHEN: Fri May 24 WHERE: National Film & Sound Archive Celebrate one of the most fun and cheesiest nights of the year with the Eurovision song contest final party. Eurovision parties have become an Australian tradition, so what better way to experience the awesome final with Canberra’s ultimate Eurovision party. After Conchita Wursts’ victory at the 2014 contest, this year’s event will be held in Vienna, Austria, but you get to watch it right here in Canberra. The party begins at 5pm and the broadcast begins at 7.30pm. Entry is free, but you have to book a place via trybooking.com.

ANDRE RIEU WHAT: Classical Music Livestream WHEN: Sat–Sun May 25–26 WHERE: Capitol Cinemas Streaming live from Rieu’s hometown in the Netherlands, Andre Rieu, known for his energetic and festive live performances and his famous 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra are presenting his traditional concert series for an eleventh year. The event will be broadcast internationally on around 1500 screens in 40 different countries including the USA, Canada, Germany and, of course, Australia. The event will be streamed via satellite at Capitol Theatre and promises to be a great time out for any classical music lover. The show will begin at 2pm and tickets are $40, available at eventcinemas.com.au.

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the word

on albums

album of the issue blur The Magic Whip [Parlophone Blur were the first band I ever cared about; my young eye was drawn to how much of a band they were. Dressed in uniform, swanning about Trafalgar Square looking like modern urchins of a Dickensian stripe, except slightly healthier. These lads were likely and I wanted in on their gang.Their story was one we probably won’t see again – a 20-plus year traipse through pop culture, becoming big enough to be a news event, trying to hide in the glare of the spotlight they craved, falling into pieces and picking them up again years later.

This history feeds into The Magic Whip and can’t be ignored, but shouldn’t overwhelm the fact that this is a record to be assessed like any of their previous.

On that front, if it’s not the best Blur record, it’s close. Of course, favourite Blur records are like favourite Blur members – subject to taste, given the scale of variation on offer. And while there are tunes that recall Parklife/ Great Escape pop herein (‘Ong Ong’, ‘I Broadcast’, classic opener ‘Lonesome Street’) 13 is the most obvious touchstone. Like that 1999 record, the Magic Whip is melodic, dense, noisey and trippily magnificent. By now you’ll know the story – the band decamp to Hong Kong to jam for five days, guitarist Graham Coxon picking up the files a year later and massaging the bits into songs with super-producer Stephen

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Street. A technical note worth noting is that a record assembled from jams means an absence of choruses. It’s almost impossible to come up with a chorus when a band is loudly locked into a groove. So there’s nary a chorus on the whole LP. And for a band who have dropped some major choral moments throughout their career, this is risky. The self titled Blur LP was always thought to be the Coxon LP (cos it haz more guitars, innit?), but Coxon’s role as curator and organiser here has made for a truer collaboration between the guitarist and Albarn. It’s an album that sounds very much like the Blur we know, but updated and new.

It’s a record of middle age, combining Albarn’s disparate post-Blur output with Coxon’s solo work and the record is so much stronger for Coxon’s elevated authorship. The adventure of the craft on show here once again reveals how stupid that Oasis spat was. Oasis are a short order cook in a country takeaway compared to Blur’s Heston Blumenthal.

Both make for good eating, but the skills of one crush the other. They’re not in the same league.

‘Go Out’ is, for an essentially tuneless tune, a righteous banger, but ballads and spooky mid-tempo numbers are where the LP elevates. ‘I Thought I Was A Spaceman’ and ‘Ice Cream Man’, ‘Pyonyang’ are all eerie and extraordinary. It’s sonically dense, with much going on at all corners of the palate. Lyrically it’s less so, primarily being concerned with technological dislocation (the overarching theme of Albarn’s excellent 2014 solo album) and friendship- namely that of Coxon and the singer. The 2009 film of their reunion No Distance Left to Run was really the story of two old friends coming together again and what is most extraordinary is why anyone might care. Perhaps the universality of that narrative, the power of history and finding a way to keep things vital as we go on is the tonic. The rekindling of that friendship that has brought this album into existence and that’s a reason to care. The Magic Whip is a gift, something Blur fans thought might never arrive. It’s more than we could have hoped for, as a coda or another chapter in an ongoing story.

glen martin

Naked Bodies Piranha [Independent Release] Remember pop band Little Red? You should, as they had spectacularly successful singles like ‘Waiting’ and ‘Witch Doctor’, before they suddenly and surprisingly broke up.

Little Red member Quang Dinh is back, but his return in Naked Bodies deserts all that chirpy, catchy pop, opting instead for an earthy, cynical indie rock. Naked Bodies is a band you have to Google with caution, if you want to avoid being buried in a torrent of flesh, so frame the word search carefully.

Its debut album Piranha looks at life through sore, red rimmed eyes and finds it gritty and abrasive.

Opener ‘Ugly Morning’ (subtitled Funeral Hangover Song) starts with a strange thrumming sound, advancing like a hoard of hornets. The contemplative vocal is shattered by a gunshot drumbeat, before it rises in volume and menace. Guitar licks sear the skin, as ungentle as sandpaper. Dinh’s raspy vocals draw quick comparisons with Gareth Liddiard, especially when Dinh rants in a theatre of the insane entitled ‘Don’t the Devil Feel’, supported by backing vocals of softly uttered ‘Ahs’, while egged on by squalling guitars. Will Lopez’s solemn violin introduces ‘Armour of Gold’ (subtitled Broke Wino Love Song), delivered in the alt-folk vein of Leonard Cohen. It’s easy to visualise the park bench choir, brown paper shrouded bottles in hand, as they la-de-da along in the grim chorus.

Sometimes harsh on the ear, the band’s most melodic moment comes briefly in the sarcastic pop ditty ‘Hollywood Boulevard’.

The LP builds up steam for a theatrical finale with the drum thumping, reggae bordered ‘Fiction Tree’ and ‘Circus Song’. The latter rollicking, run away from it all, tune glories in carnival sounds and vocals that vary from whispered secrets to shouted commands, softened by a kiddies’ chorus. rory mccartney

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Built to Spill Untethered Moon [Warner Brothers Records]

Sahara Beck Bloom [Sugarrush Music/MGM]

Emperors Chupacabra [MGM]

Built to Spill were at risk of landing into the ‘where are they now’ basket given their previous album There Is No Enemy from 2009 barely raised a murmur outside of a small yet dedicated fan base. This was a sad state of affairs as the band is up there with the most imaginative and stimulating indie minds of the previous two decades, with original member Doug Martsch a guitar playing mastermind. Line-up changes and unfinished songs held up the release of Untethered Moon, the band’s eighth studio album, but the wait has been worth it. Opening track ‘All Our Songs’ is launched with an infectious riff that is second nature to this band – melodic and catchy – which points to an invigorated Martsch celebrating a renewed belief that ‘rocknroll will be here forever.’ But longterm listeners have come to expect more and true to form the song becomes transformed through an assortment of melodic teasers and passionately conceived guitar lines that conjure a serpentine magic.

Queenslander Sahara Beck made her first ripples in the indie-pop pool, aged just 16, with her 2011 debut LP Volume One. Having laid a foundation of enchanting songs on that album and her follow-up EP You Could Be Happy, Beck has further developed her musical style in this EP Bloom. Her earlier folk influenced arrangements have been polished and buffed, with the injection of a more indie pop lustre and the addition of extra production which adds richness and depth to the songs. The acoustic guitar core has gone too, with more complex arrangements and heavier doses of drums and keys.

Since their formation back in 2009 Perthbased four piece Emperors have had a fairly rapid rise in their hometown, with triple j picking up on their single ‘Favourite Colours’, an event that led to the band playing one of their earliest gigs at the Perth Big Day Out. In the past Emperors have been upfront about their influences, describing themselves as aspiring to sound like the bands they love, rather than priding themselves on originality. While the energetic power-pop spark present on their 2012 debut Stay Frosty remains firmly in evidence on this second album Chupacabra, in reality the driving exuberance of these ten new tracks masks darker circumstances.

Indeed, the demise of the band during the recording sessions (apparently initiated by lead vocalist/guitarist Adam Livingston) means that these songs are likely to never be played by the band live.

This happens alongside non-annoying higher pitched vocals woven into tunes that on this occasion bring to mind the appealing off kilter harmonics on the best work of underground New York band Woods. This is the case on such a track as ‘On the Way’ that quickly becomes a joyous listening experience in a rather odd way.

It all culminates with the eight minute closer ‘When I’m Blind’ that moves swiftly from upbeat tune to a cacophonous guitar workout that would have found favour with The Velvet Underground, which, as we all know, can only be a good thing. dan bigna

Opener ‘Words for Mary’ focuses attention with a fascinating guitar pattern, framing Beck’s soft, yet forceful, voice. The musical web grows more strands, as Aaron Bool joins in with his own embroidered guitar playing and the song is buffeted by firework percussion. Beck fires up ‘Brother Sister’ with extra chilli in her singing, in a track embossed by vocal overdubs and trimmed with clattering, tinkling and clapping percussion. The feisty ‘Pretender’ verges on mainstream pop with its supercharged chorus. After the frantic pace of the opening trio, Beck catches her breath in ‘I Don’t Want to Break Your Heart’, crooning to syncopated beats and generously spaced guitar notes. It shows a different side to her voice, gentle and soaring to a higher pitch.

There are shades of Regina Spector in the keyboard work and serrated edged vocals of closer ‘The Creators’.

Beck has an amazing voice, able to quickly build in intensity, then just as swiftly fade out. Bloom marks an important step in the progression of her career, with songs that catch the light, emitting a spectrum of bright, shifting hues.

RORY McCARTNEY

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It’s a pity because Chupacabra sees Emperors working alongside producer Dave Parkin (Jebediah, Gyroscope) to craft an impressive album that’s easily their most polished and focused collection yet.

A brief intro of loose acoustic jangle soon proves to be a false start as ‘Seeing Ghosts’ sees robust rock drums locking into place around surging pop powerchords, bassist Zoe Worral-James’ backing vocals adding a sweet edge to Livingston’s chorus hooks (think British India and Kingswood as obvious local comparison points). ‘Shooting From The Bell Tower’ sits closer to Foo Fighters’ stadium-friendly outings, fusing a vaguely Cheap Trick-esque jangling riff with a bright fuzzed-out chorus section and cooing backing vocals, before ‘Little Victories’ unfurls what’s easily one of this album’s biggest highlights, surging off on a cresting wave of weary yet majestic sounding feedback. A bittersweet treat. chris downton

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The Feldons Human Graffiti [Independent Release]

Ghostpoet Shedding Skin [PIAS]

Jonny Telafone Romeo Must Cry [Chapter Music]

Canberra guitar band The Feldons, based on the core songwriting duo of Mark Hunstone and James Montgomery, has seen a few line-up changes since its 2006 formation.

However, it has remained unashamedly classic Brit pop in style, even having the London Underground sign as the basis for the band logo. Human Graffiti, The Feldons’ third LP in seven years, sees the folk influences of the Goody Hallett and Other Stories album left behind for a more poppy, up tempo collection of songs.

Since UK-based songwriter/musician Obaro Ejimiwe emerged back in 2011 with his debut album as Ghostpoet Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam, he’s been nominated for the Mercury Prize, played Glastonbury and more recently, collaborated with Damon Albarn on the latter’s 2013 Africa Express project. Two years on from his preceding collection Some Say I So I Say Light, this third album Shedding Skin sees Ghostpoet making some maturing changes to his sound. In comparison to the electronics that featured on his previous work, the ten tracks here see him opting for a more live instrument-focused approach, being backed throughout by his three piece touring band.

It’s a move that’s certainly yielded a bigger sense of scale that vividly brings out the dark shades and lyrical matter that colour much of this album.

After five years of nurturing his creative spark, ex-Canberran Jonny Telafone released his self-titled debut LP in 2012.

This highly imaginative electro-pop material was chock-full of riveting words and music.

Romeo Must Cry sees the artist take a bold new direction. Gone are the incandescence and cheeky lyrics, replaced by an epic work built around melancholy and inner pain.

This album is full of catchy, bright foot tappers. Some of The Feldons’ best songs revolve around riff based material, including opener ‘Good Old Days’ and the standout track ‘Feeling Fine’. ‘Squeaky Shoe’ caries the urban swing of Melbourne band Even and while ‘Perfection’ begins with a sound reminiscent of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, the similarity begins and ends there as the rest is all vintage britpop. There’s a glimpse of psychedelica in the tambourine shaker ‘Guns and Knives’, while ‘Load’ takes a ‘70s rock path, with standout guitar work against a crooning bass. While the title track is the catchiest song on the disk, the album highlight comes when the band makes a leap to another era, with the garage-punk Doc Martens stomper ‘Stop That’.

The ‘60s style of the music isn’t always matched by the romantic, innocent lyrics which characterised that era, with the graphic “Drank it all ‘til she threw up” in ‘Wastelands’ or double meanings such as “In the backseat, won’t you give me a hand” in ‘Outside’. However, the lyrics are of secondary importance in this album, as it’s the bright hooks and effervescent guitar passages that pack the most punch. rory mccartney

If opening track ‘Off Peak Dreams’ calls to mind hints of TV On The Radio’s looselimbed grooves in its shuffling drums and thick bassline, elsewhere the ominous ‘Yes, I Helped You Pack’ covers the subject of domestic violence as eerie post-punk guitars circle against Ejimiwe and Etta Bond’s dual vocals. ‘That Ring Down The Drain Feeling’ meanwhile offers a title Morrissey probably wishes he’d come up with, as vaguely Portishead-esque jagged guitar howls and hip hop-tinged drums swirl around Nadine Shah’s smoky guest vocals.

‘Sorry My Love It’s You, Not Me’ sees smooth phased guitars sliding into focus against a vaguely Joy Division-flavoured drum groove, Lucy Rose’s guest vocals adding a sweeter edge to the chorus. While there’s a lot here that impresses and captures a point of maturation in Ghostpoet’s sound, unfortunately Shedding Skin often simmers rather than really igniting. chris downton

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Whereas his debut was a series of kaleidoscopic stories, Romeo Must Cry resembles a Shakespearian tragedy. In this celebration of neediness and insecurity, the players are book-ended by angelic keys, opening with the slow beauty of the Baroque in the short title track and closing with more 21st century vibes. Tectonic keys slide over each other in ‘The Prayer’, slow and graceful, with a great mass behind them. In ‘Purgatory’ the synths carry the gravity of Midge Ure’s band Visage, but without the accompanying catchy pop, relying instead on wounded whale sounds to scar its canvas. The most melodic track ‘Without Me’ has some swing to it, but it’s an orphan in this company. The bright notes in the LP are briefly glimpsed comets, rapidly surrendering to the overcast which dominates the music. ‘Waking Up Crying’ brings the most varied vocal mix, from frog croaking hip hop, to buzz distortion to a robotic delivery with accompanying laser synths. Album highlight ‘Inferno’ is closest to the previously anticipated JT sound, with hypnotic musical intersections and strangled vocals.

In a reversal of the usual bedroom producer pattern, where it’s more about the music than the words, this LP is all about the lyrics, demanding close attention if its laments and pleadings are to be fully appreciated. It’s a record that needs a few spins before you get right into it.

RORY McCARTNEY

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singles in focus by cody atkinson Erasers ‘Golden Tones’

Various Back from the Grave Vol 9 and 10 [Crypt Records] There is no better place to kick start a rewarding musical career than the garage of your parents’ house because this is where a band dynamic can be forged away from the evil clutches of the corporate hit machine. You would therefore expect that a long and happy life awaits. But most of the bands on this long coming next volume in the superb Back from the Grave series of killer 1960s garage punk barely made it out the driveway. That doesn’t really matter because splattered across 30 tracks are some of the most primitive spurts of hormonal noise ever committed to wax. And all this from a bunch of teenage ruffians cutting loose in the hope of becoming the next Rolling Stones.

Amazingly, despite the many compilations of ‘60s garage rock out there, many of these tracks have not appeared before now which is testimony to the dedicated efforts of record collectors like Tim Warren who has poured time and effort into compiling Back from the Grave which first appeared on CD in the early 1990s.

Things get off to a good start with opening track ‘Circuit Breaker’ from Washington band The Pastels, recorded in late 1965. The killer riff driving the song does it for me each time and the attitude is so snotty it would take a million Sex Pistols to replicate. This track is followed by another monster riff conjured by The High Spirits on the acetate ‘It’s Alright with Me’ with vocalist Cliff Stone dryly informing us that, “I’m sick and I’m tired of living on my own.” A lot of lovelorn stuff happening in these grooves. The comprehensive liner notes also make for an entertaining companion on this wild ride.

DAN BIGNA

Various Artists Balance 027: mixed by Magda [Balance Music] Magda Chojnacka has spent much of the last decade amassing a reputation as one of the more interesting and unpredictable DJs operating within Richie Hawtin’s M_nus label roster, seeming to effortlessly shift between moods and genres. Since recently breaking off from that collective to work on her own, she’s taken the opportunity to pursue her more experimental side.

Indeed this latest volume in Balance Music’s eponymous mix series offers up what could easily be the most impressive and wideranging instalment I’ve heard so far. It’s also something of a bulging feast, with 49 tracks spread across two distinctly divergent discs. Disc one sees Magda exploring electronic composition as conceptual art and it’s easily the more abstracted mix on offer here.

After teasing at first with the eerie spoken vocals and ambient burbling electronics of Tomas More’s ‘Gold, Grey & Dun’, it isn’t until seven tracks in with the pitch-shifted jazz grooves of the Gregory Fleckner Quintet that something approaching a recognisable rhythm slides into focus. From there, the rhythmic pulse remains something of an intermittent presence amongst a unpredictable journey that wanders from Matthew Herbert’s Wishmountain alias, through to Errorsmith, Shackleton and Andrew Pekler. The second disc is just as impressive, offering a far more dancefloor focused mix that’s no less eccentric. The harsh snapping snares of Minor Science’s ‘The Beckoner’ slide smoothly into the electro-funk house grooves of Murat Tepeli’s ‘Play Stop Acid’, only for Marc Houle and Seth Troxler to take things off on a propulsive techno wander that’s beautifully topped off with selections from Planetary Assault Systems, Transllusion and Magda herself. This could easily be the best Balance mix collection I’ve heard yet.

CHRIS DOWNTON

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A song has achieved something if during the course of listening to it you completely forget what your doing. On ‘Golden Tones’ Erasers manage to do this, creating a trance-like state with drone like synths, haunting vocals and a languid pace that threatens to go nowhere fast.

Hideous Towns ‘Um Expression’ Australia seems to do dark and gloomy pop particularly well, from Cave to HTRK. Hideous Towns seem to build on this vibe on ‘Um Expression’, which is filled with rattling snares, winding guitar lines and vocals so echo-y I think I can still hear them in my head.

Power ‘Slimy’s Chains’ Power seem to channel the heroes of proto-punk gods past on ‘Slimy’s Chains’ and to relatively good effect. It makes sense that a band called Power keep a firm grip on the volume knob and don’t mind if it gets a little swampy at times.

The riffs show fast and hard and the yelled vocals add a sense of urgency that was never really missing anyway.

Jess Glynne ‘Hold My Hand’ This was a struggle to get through. Not in the “oh, I’m being mentally and aurally challenged” way, but instead in the “oh, this again” way. You’ve probably heard this song before even if you haven’t heard this song, if you know what I mean.

House-tinged pop, straight from the mid-90s, with a tiny spruce up on the way.

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the word

on films

WITH EMMA ROBINSON

I’ve noticed there are some films and franchises that British actors swarm to like bears to honey (it was easier to pick the actors who didn’t score a role in the Harry Potter films rather than the ones that did). Watching Testament of Youth was a little like playing spot the star (ooh, he’s from Game of Thrones! And look, it’s Rita Skeeter! And... I think know that guy from…something).

It makes me wonder, what did we do before we could surreptitiously peruse IMDB on our smartphones?

quote of the issue “Why was I ever disappointed you weren’t a boy?” Mr. Brittain (Dominic West), Testament of Youth.

Banksy Does New York

Boychoir

Testament of Youth

Director Chris Moukarbel charts a frenetic month in the history of the New York art scene. British street artist Banksy takes up a ‘residency’ in New York City, delivering a piece each day across the month of October 2013. Inspiring what one punter refers to as a ‘hipster Easter egg hunt’, Banksy does his work under cover of darkness before posting cryptic clues on his website, leading to a mad scramble to find and Instagram the piece before it is painted over by ignorant authorities, defaced by jealous coat-tail riding taggers or pilfered by the brazenly profiteering public.

On paper, Boychoir offers a refreshingly cultured viewing alternative within the ‘competitive singing group’ musical sub-genre currently populated by the likes of Glee and Pitch Perfect. Stet (newcomer Garrett Wareing) is a small-town down-and-out parentless Texan kid who has trouble ‘harnessing the rage’, but happens to possess an otherworldly singing voice.

Armed with this knowledge, Stet’s well-meaning school principal (Debra Winger) arranges an ‘Orphan’s Got Talent’ audition in front of the Simon Cowell of choirmasters, Master Carvelle (Dustin Hoffman), for a place at the prestigious National Boychoir Academy. Stet struggles to keep his attitude in check while encountering elitism, bullies, sabotage and complex music theory. Even his name (yep, short for ‘Stetson’) sits awkwardly alongside those of his classmates, Fernando, Rafael, Devon and Andre.

War! What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing! Unless you’re talking about feminism, in which case it is very good. Testament of Youth demonstrates this by telling the true story of Vera Brittain, writer and feminist.

The film aptly captures the key elements of Banksy’s work – the public reaction to the works in the age of social media. While dismissed by the mainstream and alternative art communities of the city as an unsubtle sell-out, Banksy builds hype like no other contemporary artist. It’s distressing at times to watch works potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars been destroyed or stolen, but Banksy himself seems acutely aware of this, skewering the phenomenon in some of his best pieces.

This will inevitably be compared to Exit Through the Gift Shop, the 2010 documentary which featured the anonymous artist himself (presumably). The comparison is unfair, as they are too very difference films (for starters, this one does not involve the actual Banksy at all).

One for fans of the artist and the city of New York.

PATRICK BELL

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It’s a shame that the usually wonderful Hoffman has little to play with here, with his role largely reduced to grumpy and superficial exchanges with Stet, or name-dropping Rachmaninoff. Frustratingly, the transient nature of the boys’ ‘gift’ is allotted only cursory consideration: what happens when the ethereal voice that defines their formative years simply (and irreversibly) changes? There are some fun and aurally striking sequences, including the boys attempting to reach the Holy Grail of high notes (‘high D’) in Handel’s Messiah. If only the script and performances soared as high as the music.

MAJELLA CARMODY

Vera Brittain (Alicia Vikander) is a headstrong woman impatient with gender roles and wanting an interesting and fulfilling life.

She pursues her dreams in life and love by attending Oxford University and falling for the compelling Roland Leighton (Kit Harrington). Tragically, the year is 1914 and the world becomes embroiled in (at the time) the most horrific war in history.

Told from the point of a woman, the audience sees the futility of war along with the pain one feels to be the person left behind. When Vera postpones her studies to serve in the Voluntary Aid Detachment as a nurse my empathy soared – it would be excruciating to sit at home knowing at any second someone you love could die, painfully and pointlessly.

While it is depressing to know that on Armistice Day people believed that this was the war to end all wars (a mere 21 years later England was once again at war with Germany) there are some positive legacies.

A generation of women were galvanized to work and survive in hideous conditions. Vera Brittain went to the brink of grief and came back to be a highly influential writer and pacifist.

Well worth a watch.

EMMA ROBINSON

@bmamag

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter The 1996 film Fargo opens with “this is a true story”, when in fact, there was no core truth to the tale. The Coen Brothers took pieces from real crime stories, weaved them together and leveraged the notion of a ‘true story’ to heighten the drama. Something shocks more if we believe we’re witnessing a chain of events that actually happened, when often with adaptations, storytellers bend the facts to enhance the story.

From the world of Fargo an urban legend was born of a Japanese woman who arrived in Minnesota in 2001 to find the money stashed by Steve Buscemi’s character. While the truth of the woman’s intentions in Minnesota have come to light (Google: Takako Konishi) it hasn’t stopped the Fargo related anecdote from spreading and inspiring the nihilistic but wonderful Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter.

Co-writer and director, David Zeller, presents Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) as someone who found their destiny in a piece of pop culture. Kumiko isn’t driven by greed, she’s motivated by a fantastical purpose to escape a world that doesn’t inspire. There’s a bittersweet inspiration to Kumiko’s fate that speaks volumes about the minutia of life’s pursuits between birth and death. Zeller also challenges our relationship with the concept of ‘reality’ in cinema and whether the stark truth is worth sacrificing for bliss. Add an intense score

by The Octopus Project and striking cinematography by Sean Porter; Kumiko, is divine.

Unfriended An original take on the ‘found footage’ trope has hit cinemas.

Unfriended is filmed through screen shots and Skype chat.

Sounds tedious, but the pacing of this film is near perfect making it a gripping watch.

I’m also instilled with intense gratitude that I went through my teen years sans camera phone.

Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman) is a teenager who, after a wild night, passes out in a compromising state. A video is taken of her and put on Youtube, which leads to her suicide. On the first anniversary of her death five of her ‘friends’ are chatting on Skype and find themselves in the company of a malevolent cyber presence. This is not a stock standard slasher, nor is it a tired reimagining of the ‘found footage’ genre (which had its roots long before The Blair Witch Project). Instead, it is as a cautionary tale – be careful how you treat people.

No one gets out of high school untarnished, even the most hideously bullied people have treated others unforgivably. In a particularly gruelling scene involving a game of ‘I’ve never’ it becomes clear everyone is guilty of something. Humans are capable of acts of kindness, nevertheless, put them in a life or death situation and those same people adopt a ‘kill or be killed’ mentality frighteningly easily. Many sequels will follow, however Unfriended will soon become known as the trailblazer of a modern new genre.

EMMA ROBINSON

CAMERON WILLIAMS

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the word on dvds

Veep – The Complete Third season [Warner Home Video] Third season in, Veep could run on good will and still be on the best comedies on TV. But Armando Iannucci doesn’t make normal TV shows and like the one that led to this (The Thick of It) he takes Veep very close to the edge all the way through this season. Then pushes it over when Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gets a sudden promotion to the top job. It’s a risky gambit but makes perfect sense and has then potential to reboot the entire show as it progresses past the moment Meyer is sworn in as President.

For most this season though, Meyer is struggling to fulfil her role as worlds most powerful but least respected 2IC. Whether she’s visiting Silicon Valley, England or Detroit she never fails to disappoint. Only this time she has the annoying buzz of a gossipy social media type website tracking her every move and splashing her every blunder over every available platform. The muckracker is former White House Liaison to the VP Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons). The website is Ryan-tology. It’s insane. Ryan is insane but in one the best performances this show has ever seen, Simons steals every scene he is in and defines the season in ever-crazier, deeper-gonzo terms. It’s a sight to behold, especially a pivotal scene where he explains Washington politics to his mother.

Initially, Veep was seen as a slight version of its UK predecessor, The Thick of It but Iannucci very deliberately made this one different. It runs at its own speed, probably faster and hits its own unique rhythms. By and large Louis-Dreyfus sets those speeds and rhythms and is flawless. Veep hinges on the ability to make her rise to power seem believable whilst offering a chaotic mad person unable to hold a single thought as the hero. Amazingly, the crazier her behaviour gets, the more heroic she appears.

JUSTIN HOOK

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Wolf Hall [Roadshow] Henry VIII of England is a figurative and literal giant of English history. The man who forged the split from Rome – and therefore a clear split of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church – also had a fondness for ruthlessly pursing a male heir. This meant multiple wives and executions thereof. That’s the Henry VIII we have become accustomed to, the lard assed head chopper.

Wolf Hall places Henry VIII (Homeland’s Damian Lewis) smack bang in the centre, where a monarch belongs I suppose, but tells his story through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance).

Cromwell was born a commoner, son of a blacksmith.

It would be fair to say he was expected to remain commoner but somehow he ended up being on of the most powerful political advisors in British history. He reinvented himself as a lawyer and merchant after some mysterious years in Italy where he may have murdered someone. Or not. Who knows.

There was no social media back then. Cromwell then cleverly aligned himself with Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (Jonathan Pryce) to weasel his way into the corridors of power, only to hastily back out when Henry’s men came knocking on Wolsey’s door eager for some neck action. Pryce’s Cromwell is equal parts taciturn and courageous wit, skulking around palaces and castles like a medieval Malcolm Tucker, only less sweary. Cromwell makes and breaks alliances to secure power. But given Henry’s personal life drove Britain’s path in the first half of the 1500’s anyone who fell foul, fell hard. Cromwell’s unusual relationship with the monarch – he is presented as more honest than his feeble fellow courtiers – could not save him. Wolf Hall pitches itself in the cable drama school of TV. It’s tough, daring and occasionally gritty. Dialogue is neither overbearing nor concessional to modern ears.

Wolf Hall is a success for many reasons, but most obviously it’s Rylance’s show. justin hook

Outlander – Season One, Volume One [Universal Sony Entertainment] Ronald D. Moore’s reboot of Battlestar Galactica is widely considered to be one of the greatest TV shows of the last 20 years. It set itself some pretty lofty goals (religion, politics, humanity, artificial intelligence) and though it never always hit the target, its gritty ambition was compelling. After the show finished up, Moore struggled to find a decent follow up – Caprica (a BSG spin-off) looked good, but was empty. Then there were a host of failed TV pitches and pilots.

But outside the moderately interesting Helix and a cameo in Portlandia, Outlander is his first proper mainstream success in over half a decade. It’s good to have him back but don’t expect humanised robots.

Based on a series of novels

by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander is the story of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) a British Army nurse during the World War II. Randal and her husband, Frank, are visiting Scotland to research family history when through a bit of mystical rock touching she is transported to 18th century Scotland. Typical Scotland. Being from the future gives her a few attentiongrabbing luxuries – like being able to apply the basics of modern medicine and knowing where battles were going to take place. This of course marks her as someone not to be trusted, especially as her new Highland hosts are in the middle of a fierce war with the British Redcoats. Meanwhile back in 1945 – where is Claire?

Outlander is not pure science fiction so fans of Moore’s work on both BSG and Star Trek might struggle with the fantasy and romance elements of the show. And they are plentiful, occasionally veering into the saccharine. When that happens it’s probably a good idea to get distracted by the stunning location scenery and phenomenal set design and remind yourself this is a show helmed but a strong female character getting shit done. justin hook

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the word

Jonny Telafone, Bobby Kill, California Girls The Front Saturday April 25

on gigs

I missed California Girls, the downbeat electronic side of Wives’ Gus McGrath, due to overrun ANZAC Day plans which was definitely my loss. Bobby Kill strode on stage, guitar in hand, looper at his feet. Kill, frontman of TV Colours, blended his older material and some newer stuff, to very good effect. Combining the riffs of classic ‘80s rock and punk with suburban discontent, Kill managed to impress with minimal backing, nearly entirely on the strength of his songwriting.

Two songs into his set, the PA couldn’t handle it anymore, struck by the power of Jonny Telafone’s guttural bass rumblings. People milled around, as they tend to do in the face of minor disappointment. Then the whispers started spreading around the room: Jonno was going play at a house in the Inner North. We arrived at the house, went around the back and were confronted by a mass of people spilling out the back of the house. Jonny had taken over the kitchen, belting out his dark R&B across from the sink. Fifty plus people crammed into the kitchen of a sharehouse, with iPhone lights illuminating the room. Telafone was a local at one point and as such paid service to his earlier material, even if he was here to launch his first album.

Telafone sort of grabs the invisible middle ground between Kirin J Callahan and Spod, masses of realism and irony thrown together without much thought or contemplation. As someone said to me the other day, he has an interesting sense of melody when it comes to his vocals. Romeo Must Cry is a compelling album and Telafone puts on a good show even with just an iPod for backup.

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY

the word

on gigs

CODY ATKINSON

Steve Smyth, Azim Zain, Patrick McKinney Transit Bar Wednesday April 29 The Transit Bar has hit on an unusual idea for support acts – let loose some CIT singer-songwriters with their original material. With not many previous gigs between them, Stu the sound guy had to give some tips on pre-gig setup to Azim Zain and Patrick McKinney and their backing bands. Unsurprisingly, the material has a ‘work in progress’ feel. Delivering their alt-country/blues, McKinney’s outfit had more of a lead guitar than a lead bass, with constantly changing rhythms. Their penultimate song really nailed it, with a strong catchy rhythm. Zain’s outfit was more laid back, with a kick pad instead of a drum kit and female backing vocals. A self-confessed lover of sad songs, his material tended to be soft and low, reminiscent of the style of Lucie Thorne. While his up-tempo songs had some kick, the soft ramblers allowed the punters’ attention to slip, with a consequent rise in background chatter.

Steve Smyth kicked off solo, with a slow bluesy twanger. The quality of ‘stillness’ it possessed focused the crowd, causing the chit-chat to dry up instantly. Smyth, all hair and beard for miles, is a riveting player. The guitar becomes part of his body, jerking and gyrating spasmodically about. He was joined by backing band The Outlaws for a foot stomping, thumping, jerking number. Smyth can alter the tuning knob on his voice to produce an amazing vibrato, or switch to a soulful crooning. He is at his best doling out words like miser’s pennies, slowly and with lots of space between them. He can apply a similar method to his playing, making every note count. The ultimate moment came with a delicate unplugged, cover of ‘Love Hurts’ sung without a mic.

RORY MCCARTNEY

46

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the word

on gigs

Groovin The Moo UC Meadows Sunday May 3 You can get deceived by the newspaper headlines coming out of a big day like this, detailing drug busts, underage drinking and eleven year old DJs. Groovin The Moo manages to unite the young and old, the most rabid of music fans to the most casual. For a fair proportion of the fifteen thousand in attendance, GTM represents a large proportion of the live music they will see in any given year, whether for reasons of age or life just getting in the way.

Tkay Mdaiza is a damn force of nature. On a day typified by scattered crowds and divided attention, she probably united the crowd the most of anyone, a task difficult for someone playing that close to midday. Alternating between rapid fire and melodic, Mdaiza wasn’t so much concerned by keeping it real rather than keeping it sounding good.

A song or two in a friend turned to me and said that the band on stage sounded like an off-brand Oasis. I believe it was a compliment, but regardless DMAs seemed to wear their influences on their yellow jackets. The funky soul machine of Saskwatch broke up the day quite nicely, filling the Moolin Rouge tent with their stone cold grooves. It’s hard to take a decades old sound and make it sound fresh, but Saskwatch manage to dance along that line in their brief set.

A$AP Ferg came on in the seemingly annual mid-bill US hip hop slot, playing the role filled by Public Enemy and House of Pain in the past.

Ferg’s distinctive flow rang loud over rapid-fire beats and he had the crowd yelling at his every whim. After a while though, the misogyny started getting a little too much for me, not to mention the 17 year old boys yelling “suck my dick!” in my ear.

For the second year running a Canadian act stole the show, whilst in front of a smallish crowd. Peaches is an absolute phenomenon, an example of someone who is talented and has something worthwhile to say. Don’t let me, for even a second, let you think that Peaches is po-faced – that might be impossible for someone singing from in between two oversized fabric vaginas. Her set was utterly showstopping, dance and pop in one of its best forms and the singular highlight of the day.

Wolfmother are still who they always were, despite the changing line-ups and break-ups. Despite their billing, they were never going to be the saviours of rock and roll, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a decent live band. Their first two songs ever released, ‘Dimension’ and ‘Women’, are still their live standouts and got the crowd moving more than a decade on.

When they broke onto the scene Hilltop Hoods professed their devotion to two mics and turntables and nothing else. Over time they’ve evolved to a big stage show, the closest Australia has to arena hip hop. Even the most casual observer would have been able to pick out big chunks of their set, from breakthrough ‘Nosebleed Section’ to ‘Cosby Sweater’, and most of the crowd sang along liberally throughout.

As the night slowly cooled down, both literally and metaphorically, to the sounds of Flight Facilities people started flocking towards the exits, alternately spent and satisfied after a long day spent chasing a good time with 15,000 of their closest new acquaintances.

PHOTOS BY MEGAN LEAHY

48

CODY ATKINSON

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed May 13- Fri May 15

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

WEDNESDAY MAY 13

Adam and Ash 9pm. Free.

Art Exhibitions

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Madonna

The Hard Ons & Yoko Oh No

M16 ARTSPACE

TRANSIT BAR

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

X-Rated

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

8pm. Moshtix.

Natalie and the Romance EP Launch 7.30pm. $15/$20.

CIT MUSIC INDUSTRY CENTRE

From Far and Beyond

Infinity Broke

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

THE PHOENIX BAR

2pm. 9-30 May.

Fritz Who?

By Brian Smith. Opens 6pm Apr 15 until May 16. Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm. Sat 9am-1pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

A Dream Within a Dream!

With Agency. 9pm. $10.

On The Town 4some Thursdays Free entry.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Playtime

Top 40, Dance, RnB. 10pm. Free entry.

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

TREEHOUSE BAR

Return to Anzac Cove “Your Friend the Enemy”

Something Different

M16 ARTSPACE

13 artists commemorate Gallipoli.

Opening 6pm Apr 10. Runs until 17 May. Open Wed-Sun 12-5pm.

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Mirage

Art exhibition. 7-24 May. M16 ARTSPACE

Identities

2pm. 9-30 May.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Groundrush

Naked Girls Reading

3 girls read aloud from various books.

7.30pm. $15. Book at: politbar.co.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

VanuARTu Fundraiser

Art Auction to raise funds for Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam. 5pm.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Cafe Historique 6pm. Free.

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Opens 6pm Apr 10 - May 16. Tues - Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm.

FRIDAY MAY 15

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Dance

Dance

Fortuity

Fortuity

$25. canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

$25. canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Live Music

Live Music

Thundamentals

The Funkoars 8pm. Moshtix.

TRANSIT BAR

Rumshack Album Launch With Cherie Lane. 9pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Tickets at uclive.oztix.com.au. $28.60.

UC REFECTORY

The Pigs Home Brew Tour 8pm. $29.

THE STREET THEATRE

Failure

Theatre

5.30pm. $10.

The Crucible

Jasmine Rae

Theatre Production. 1-16 May. Bookings at canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.

THEATRE 3

THURSDAY MAY 14 Art Exhibitions Familiar Impurities

Opens 6pm May 14 - May 24. WedsSun 11am- 5pm

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

7.30pm. $28.19 at ticketek.

CASINO CANBERRA

Matt Dent/The Surrogates

5pm afternoon session/10pm Band.

Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Festival 15

15 bands each have 15 minute sets. $15.

THE BASEMENT

Foreign Kings

With support. 8pm. Tickets at door.

TRANSIT BAR

Alive Fridays

Presents Rob Pix. $10.

Live Music

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Colin Hay

On The Town

Tickets $59 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

THE PLAYHOUSE

Surgin aka Steve Lising DJ. 9pm. Free Entry.

TREEHOUSE BAR

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri May 15 - Mon May 18 Spenda C

D’Opus & Roshambo

MR WOLF

TRANSIT BAR

Totally Awesome Autumn Tour. $10.

Something Different SciNight: X-rated Science for Adults 6pm. 15 May. $10 at door.

With support. 8pm. Tickets at the door.

Love Saturdays

With Project M. $10 before 12am.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

QUESTACON

On The Town

Theatre

Sneaky: Lucrative

Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be

Sneaking in the city’s finest DJs. 9pm.

Free entry.

THE PLAYHOUSE

Theatre

The Story of Bon Scott. 8pm. $52 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

saturday may 16 Art Exhibitions Groundrush

Opens 6pm Apr 10 - May 16. Tues - Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

TREEHOUSE BAR

Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be

The Story of Bon Scott. 8pm. $52 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

THE PLAYHOUSE

The Crucible

Theatre Production. 1-16 May. Bookings at canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.

THEATRE 3

Madonna

sunday may 17

Art exhibition. 7-24 May. M16 ARTSPACE

Echoes In Time

Art Exhibitions

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Puppetry Program

16 May - 7 June.

Familiar Impurities

Opens 6pm May 14 - May 24. WedsSun 11am- 5pm

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

X-Rated

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

Puppetry lessons for children. $150 per term or $20 per class.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Dance Fortuity

$25. canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

From Far and Beyond

Live Music

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Irish Jam Session

2pm. 9-30 May.

Fritz Who?

By Brian Smith. Opens 6pm Apr 15 until May 16. Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm. Sat 9am-1pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

A Dream Within a Dream!

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Adalita

With support. 6pm. Presale via moshtix.

TRANSIT BAR

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

Something Different

Return to Anzac Cove “Your Friend the Enemy”

Canberra Blues Society Monthy Jams

M16 ARTSPACE

13 artists commemorate Gallipoli.

Opening 6pm Apr 10. Runs until 17 May. Open Wed-Sun 12-5pm.

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Sea Stories + Second Nature 14 May - 7 June 2015. Opening 11:30am 16 May.

The Mighty Bluesicians. 2pm. $3/$5.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Strathnairn Open Day

Markets, open artist studios, kids workshop, woodfired pizza. 10-3pm.

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

monday may 18

Mirage

Art exhibition. 7-24 May. M16 ARTSPACE

Identities

2pm. 9-30 May.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Film Cult Classics: Sharknado

Tickets $12 at dendy.com.au.

DENDY CINEMA

Live Music

Live Music

Los Chavos

The Bootleg Sessions

9.30pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Wesley And The Crushers

8pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

With Ocean Of Eris, Time & Weight and Signs & Symbols.

THE BASEMENT

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Tues May 19- Wed May 27 tuesday may 19 Something Different

Playtime

Top 40, Dance, RnB. 10pm. Free entry.

TREEHOUSE BAR

friday may 22

Planting a Medicine Garden Garden workshop.

Live Music Lurch & Chief

8pm. Presale via moshtix.

TRANSIT BAR

The King Hits 9.30pm. $5.

CANBERRA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE CENTRE

Live Music

THE PHOENIX BAR

Trivia

Dallas Frasca

8pm. Presale via moshtix.

$26/$56 at ticketek.

Twotonmurphy.com Presents Christo and Raph’s Trivia. 7.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

TRANSIT BAR

Voyager

Tour. Klone, Na Maza and Despite Eviction. Tickets at oztix.

THE BASEMENT

Live Music CIT Presents The Bootleg Sessions 8pm. Free entry.

THE PHOENIX BAR

tuesday may 26

Marvelous Miz Demeanours CANBERRA SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB (WODEN)

Film

Canberra Chaos

Andre Rieu

With Perpetual End, Johnny Roadkill, Acid Nymph, Tensions Arise, Divine Ascension, Knights Of The Sp

2pm. $40.

CAPITOL THEATRE MANUKA

Necro

THE BASEMENT

Art Exhibitions

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

10.30pm. Free.

Karaoke Love

Madonna

5pm afternoon session/10pm Band.

Free.

The Underground Architect

TRANSIT BAR

Ministry of Sound Bounce Sessions

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

On The Town

On The Town

Something Different

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Lancelot & Pantheon

Intro to Natural Building

X-Rated

MR WOLF

Treehouse 2nd Birthday Party!

wednesday may 20

Art exhibition. 7-24 May. M16 ARTSPACE

Echoes In Time 16 May - 7 June.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Familiar Impurities

Opens 6pm May 14 - May 24. WedsSun 11am- 5pm

8pm. $45 from ticketek.com.au.

4th Degree

Chicago Charles/Groovalicious

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

With guests.

Feat. JDG. $10 before 11pm.

$10.

Love Saturdays

With Exposure. $10 before 12am.

9pm. Free.

Ft Tom Hathaway, NORM, DJ Daz “The Club Motivator”, and Mr Michael (The Roaming Violinist). 9pm. Fre

TREEHOUSE BAR

TREEHOUSE BAR

2pm. 9-30 May.

Something Different

Something Different

Damn

Huge Vintage Sale

Huge Vintage Sale

GRIFFITH HALL

GRIFFITH HALL

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

From Far and Beyond TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Opens 6pm May 20-June 27. Mon - Fri 9am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 1pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

S.A.M.

Fri 6pm-9pm. Sat 9am-3pm.

saturday may 23

A Dream Within a Dream!

Art exhibition. 7-24 May. M16 ARTSPACE

Sea Stories + Second Nature

Art Exhibitions 2pm. 9-30 May.

Mirage

Madonna

M16 ARTSPACE

M16 ARTSPACE

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

Identities

Echoes In Time

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Something Different

Opens 6pm May 14 - May 24. WedsSun 11am- 5pm

2pm. 9-30 May.

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! 8pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

thursday may 21 Live Music Totally Mild

With Wives & Passive Smoke THE PHOENIX BAR

Hard Cover 9pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

King Parrot With guests.

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

On The Town

16 May - 7 June.

Familiar Impurities

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

THE STREET THEATRE

sunday may 24

Sea Stories + Second Nature 14 May - 7 June 2015. Opening 11:30am 16 May.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

Mirage

Impact Present Nerd Trivia with Joel & Ali 7.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

wednesday may 27 Art Exhibitions Identities

2pm. 9-30 May.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Echoes In Time 16 May - 7 June.

X-Rated

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Irish Jam Session

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

5pm. Free.

Opens 6pm May 20-June 27. Mon - Fri 9am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 1pm.

M16 ARTSPACE

Trivia

Live Music

Damn

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

CANBERRA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE CENTRE

From Far and Beyond

NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVES

A Dream Within a Dream!

Workshop. 6pm. $20.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Eurovision Party

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

CALWELL BAR N BISTRO

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

Puppetry lessons for children. $150 per term or $20 per class.

2pm. 9-30 May.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

8.30pm. Free.

Puppetry Program

Something Different

From Far and Beyond

Vendetta

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

Live Music

Art Exhibitions

X-Rated

4some Thursdays

52

8pm. Tickets $35 at thestreet.org.au

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free.

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

Free entry.

Don Juan

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Art exhibition. 7-24 May.

Karaoke. 9pm. Free entry.

Theatre

Identities

14 May - 7 June 2015. Opening 11:30am 16 May.

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

Fri 6pm-9pm. Sat 9am-3pm.

Karaoke

monday may 25 Film Cult Classics: Commando

Tickets $12 at dendy.com.au.

DENDY CINEMA

Andre Rieu

2pm. 9-30 May.

Damn

Opens 6pm May 20-June 27. Mon - Fri 9am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 1pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Sea Stories + Second Nature 14 May - 7 June 2015. Opening 11:30am 16 May.

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

Live Music Arrester

9.30pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Talks Arts for OUR Communities

Public forum on community arts. 4pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

2pm. $40.

CAPITOL THEATRE MANUKA

M16 ARTSPACE

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Thur May 28 - Thur Jun 4 X-Rated

thursday may 28 Live Music Funeral Moon & Autonomous Drones.

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

Duck Duck Ghost 9pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

2pm. 9-30 May.

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

Echoes In Time

Damn

7.30pm.

From Far and Beyond TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

The Bad Plus

Opens 6pm May 20-June 27. Mon - Fri 9am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 1pm.

THE STREET THEATRE

Room

Canberra Musician’s Club presents

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

On The Town Playtime

Top 40, Dance, RnB. 10pm. Free entry.

TREEHOUSE BAR

29th May continues until July 4. Tues Fri 11am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4pm CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

monday june 1

The Bootleg Sessions. 8pm. Free entry.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Student Teacher Show

friday may 29

May 28-Jun 14.

Art Exhibitions A Fabled Gesture

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

tuesday june 2

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

Live Music

Film

Eric Harland Band

Scarlet Road

29th May-July 4. Tues - Fri 11am 5pm. Sat 10am - 4pm.

Film screening. 2.30pm. Free. RSVP by Thu 28 May. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Tue 7.30pm. Fri 8pm.

THE STREET THEATRE

Michelle Nicolle 6pm. $22.

THE GODS CAFE

Live Music

Live Music

Trivia

Absolution

Brother Be

The Phoenix Trivia Night

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

TRANSIT BAR

With guests.

8pm. $10.

SONGZ & Dimple

Livewire presents Into The Crypt

TREEHOUSE BAR

With I Exist, Hellbringer, Witchskull, Boonhorse & Urge to Kill. $10 entry.

Doors at 7.

On The Town Flava R&B

MAGPIES CITY CLUB

TREEHOUSE BAR

9.30pm. $10.

Clowns

9pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

saturday may 30

The Screen Set

29th May continues until July 4. Tues Fri 11am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4pm.

With We Came As Romans, Beartooth & More.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Encircling Sea

Live Music In Hearts Wake

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

On The Town

7.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

wednesday june 3 Art Exhibitions

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

16 May - 7 June.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

X-Rated

The Sex Industry in the Act. Until Sept 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Damn

Opens 6pm May 20-June 27. Mon - Fri 9am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 1pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Room

29th May continues until July 4. Tues Fri 11am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4pm CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

A Fabled Gesture

29th May-July 4. Tues - Fri 11am 5pm. Sat 10am - 4pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Student Teacher Show May 28-Jun 14.

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

thursday june 4 Live Music The Newsletters 9pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Sea Stories + Second Nature

14 May - 7 June 2015. Opening 11:30am 16 May.

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

Sneaky: Surgin aka Steve Lising

Art Exhibitions Sea Stories + Second Nature

9pm. Free.

14 May - 7 June 2015. Opening 11:30am 16 May.

TREEHOUSE BAR

STRATHNAIRN HOMESTEAD GALLERY

sunday may 31

Identities

2pm. 9-30 May.

Art Exhibitions

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

The Screen Set

29th May continues until July 4. Tues Fri 11am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Puppetry Program

Puppetry lessons for children. $150 per term or $20 per class.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Echoes In Time 16 May - 7 June.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

OUT

May 27

capital jazz project black dahlia superwog ...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

BATTLEBIRD Where did your band name come from? Our Space-Chicken2000 time machine.

Group members? The Kid (beat-boxing, rhyming, sound-effect wizard), Lucky Luke (beats + rhymes, mad professor mixing) and DJ Scooter (robot dancing, hype man, studio drinks).

Describe your sound: Just your regular father-son, robot garage band smashing out Intergalactic Boom-box Pop! The sound of the Beastie Boys partying with The Police at Yo Gabba Gabba’s house.

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? The Zit Remedy, Mordecai and the Rigbys, the Beasties, donuts and ping pong.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? Watching fifty kid robot-dancing, partygoers crammed into the Sandy Klaw (Battlebird HQ) going absolutely bananas at our CD launch last December. Robot DJ, lasers, smoke machine, show-bags and a small mountain of lollies… Lives were changed that day!

Of what are you proudest so far? Hearing our song ‘This Room’ from our debut CD ‘Good Times’ being blasted all over the 2XX airwaves by Laura and the awesome crew who run ‘Live’n’Local’…alright!

What are your plans for the future? We’re about to kick off our ‘Get Back to the Future Intergalactic World Tour’ – we’ll be setting our dials for 1989 first up. Battlebird will be supporting the Zit Remedy at the Degrassi Junior High Gym.. fingers crossed Spike can make it. Our show at the Peach Pit on 7/9/88 supporting an unplugged Brandon Walsh should be interesting.

What makes you laugh? Our neighbour’s dog Max doing the worm, Pop-Rocks and the flatulent German Newsreader Youtube sensation…’hello!

What pisses you off? Paying $1.20 for a cinnamon donut… and why have Space-Food sticks been discontinued?!

What about the local scene would you change? A venue big enough for us to reverse park our Space Chicken2000 time machine in. Oh and a Space Food Stick vending machine in every club.

What are your upcoming gigs? Sat May 16 @ Moruya Showgrounds Pavilion, 2.30 – 3pm, Waterways Museum Launch Pad Party.

Contact info: battlebirdplanet.com, facebook.com/ battlebird2000

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Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433 Back to the Eighties Ty Emerson 0418 544 014 Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net

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 Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843 Mornings Jordan 0439907853 Obsessions 0450 960 750 obsessions@grapevine.com.au Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027 Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974

Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005

Rafe Morris 0416322763

Chris Harland Blues Band, The Chris 0418 490 649 chrisharlandbluesband @gmail.com

Redletter Ben 0421414472

Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662 Danny V Danny 0413502428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428

Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527 Rug, The Jol 0417273041 Sewer Sideshow Huck 0419630721

Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com

Simone & The Soothsayers Singing teacher Simone 62304828

Drumassault Dan 0406 375 997

Sorgonian Twins, The Mark 0428650549

Feldons, The 0407 213 701 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388

Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401588884

Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020

STonKA Jamie 0422764482 stonka2615@gmail.com

Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885

Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075

Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158 Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Super Best Friends Greg greg@gunfever.com.au System Addict Jamie 0418398556 Tegan Northwood (Singing Teacher) 0410 769 144

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703

Top Shelf Colin 0408631514

Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480

Undersided, The Baz 0408468041

Jenn Pacor Singer-songwriter avail. for originals/covers 0405618630

Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

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