BMA Magazine 477 - 20 January 2016

COVER LINE INSIDE: INFO

ANU O WEEK

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ANU O WEEK

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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA

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SPIEGELTENT - LA CLIQUE

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GOOGFEST

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SHENANIGANS AD SPACE 9

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THE GREEN SHED

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AINSLIE & GORMAN

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that she’s actually a really cool person, too?

CHVRCHES TO PLAY AT ANU O-WEEK

The Starman has returned to the sky. #477January20 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 Andrew Nardi T: (02) 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com

Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com

Sub-Editor & Social Media Manager Alyssia Tennant Graphic Design Chris Halloran

Canberra is already off to a flying start as far as gigs go. I mean, when was the last time we knew an artist as big as CHVRCHES was coming to town? I can only think of one recent instance, and that’s Childish Gambino – and I mean, he didn’t even end up coming.

What a fun evening that was.

BMA can go on about that Childish gig all we want (and we probably will), but in the end, it will be overshadowed by the fact that CHVRCHES – the band with the name you love to say – will be hitting up ANU o-week on Friday February 12.

It’s part of ‘Hypernova’, which sounds like a get-together to watch a constellation of stars explode, but it’s actually an evening of music at Fellows Oval on the Australian National University campus.

It starts at 5pm, and aside from the Scottish electro-pop powerhouse, will feature San Cisco, Basenji and more.

You can run along and purchase your tickets to Hypernova at hypernova.getqpay.com.

General admission is $70, with discounts for uni students.

COURTNEY BARNETT MENTORS CANBERRA GIRLS ON ROCKING OUT We all know how great Courtney Barnett is – she’s only won like a billion awards for her debut album, Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit. But did you know

Barnett was visiting the capital for Girls Rock! Canberra, a summer camp for girls aged 10 to 17. Girls Rock! camps take place all over the world, but the Girls Rock! Canberra event – which was held from Monday January 11 to Saturday January 16 at Ainslie Arts Centre – was the first to be held in Australia.

Girls Rock! aims to empower young girls through music, to foster creativity, encourage teamwork and ultimately forge the road ahead for young women aspiring to pursue a life in music and performance.

Needless to say, it’s an awesome cause.

Courtney Barnett was there to give a talk to Canberra’s young ladies, as well as to perform a private show.

Yes, you read that right – Courtney Barnett performed a show in Canberra, and you didn’t even know about it. At least you can stay tuned for a wrap-up of Girls Rock! Canberra in our February 17 issue.

CANBERRA PINUP GIRL ON HER WAY TO THE BIG LEAGUES Heads up, everyone! We’ve got a Canberra girl on her way to stardom, but only we can help her get there! Local pinup chick Miss Cherrybomb is one of 50 ladies participating in the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender in Vegas, Nevada in April 2016.

Harbouring from Weston Creek, Miss Cherrybomb has devoted the last five years of her life to

living and recreating the vintage glamour of the 1940s and 1950s – from hair, makeup, clothing and even driving around in old Chevys and Pontiacs. It doesn’t get more retro than that.

Miss Cherrybomb is vying for votes to become one of the top 12 entrants for the Miss Viva Las Vegas Pinup Pageant held during the festival. To view her profile and submit your votes, visit vivalasvegas.net/pinup-contest and vote for Miss Cherrybomb.

Photo by Lauren Kathleen McDonald.

SOUNDOUT 2016 NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT SoundOut is a seven-yearsrunning sonic arts event that was unfortunately unsuccessful in attaining funding for 2016. To continue their work in bringing out exploratory music from around the world, SoundOut is seeking your help and support through crowdfunding.

Funds will be used for the production of the festival. To pledge, visit pozible.com/ project/202952. The crowdfund has already raised over $4,000.

SoundOut 2016 will be held over the weekend of Sat–Sun January 30–31 at Ainslie Arts Centre.

Film Editor Emma Robinson NEXT ISSUE 478 OUT February 17 EDITORIAL DEADLINE Feb 5 ADVERTISING DEADLINE Feb 11 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.

Lemmy photo on cover by Jessica Branstetter.

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FROM THE BOSSMAN Thanks For the Good Times Art, in all its forms, is a truly wonderful thing.

In times of grief and times of joy (heck, even in times of idleness, a state in which many of us are so privileged to experience), we oft turn to art.

We may turn to art as a means of escape; to ease mental stress; to forget whatever turmoil has tarnished our work life or home.

We may turn to art as a way to better understand life; to share stories, lyrics or images that mirror our own thoughts, or open our eyes and minds to new ideas.

Or we may turn to art for the sheer joy of living, to laugh and release some endorphins, or to hear a sick guitar riff, stick your leg up on something and triumphantly air guitar with delight, or to be moved to tears by a passionate speech.

And so it was with a heavy heart that the world suffered the loss of three significant practitioners of such emotion-inducing art in a short space of time. Each from vastly different backgrounds.

So here’s to you: Lemmy David Bowie Alan Rickman.

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.]

To the weird guy who wouldn’t stop trying to sell me his stuff during the midnight screening of Star Wars – is this what you do?

Do you buy tickets to highly-anticipated films well in advance and stand in line for an hour or more to get into the cinema and start selling your wares? Just because it’s a high traffic area doesn’t mean people are going to want to look away from the film to browse your catalogue of fake Louis Vuitton handbags.

And you just kept asking? You could see that I was with my friends and I was very engaged in this generation-defining film.

I was dressed as Princess Leia, for fuck’s sake. I really wasn’t interested in your “segway (doesn’t work, good for parts)”. Who the hell wants segway parts? Do you know anyone who wants to modify a segway or build one from scratch? Do you honestly think people at a Star Wars screening really want a bootleg Bart Simpson plushie with stoned eyes, incorrect facial dimensions and a frickin’ green shirt? Does anyone anywhere really want “Meet The Parents VHS (box only)”?

Either get a better inventory, or stay the hell away from Star Wars.

Death is, of course, a sad and sombre occasion. We all experience it, we know it’s coming, and yet we find ourselves shocked when it happens.

A death means we can’t interact with that person any more; makes us realise that final conversation, that recently released album, that joke, that smile, that anything… Is the last we shall see of them.

But in such sad times, I find myself turning to the joy of the art they brought us.

Lemmy growling out Ace of Spades.

QL2

David Bowie in The Labyrinth.

Alan Rickman as Snape.

There’s plenty, plenty more. We all have our favourite bits.

And that’s the point.

To have produced, what amounts to, countless hours of worthy work; to amass such fervour on social media with heartbreak, adulation and celebration post passing… What a life those people led.

You may follow a religious text, or you may not. You may believe in reincarnation, or in heaven, or that we return to the soil after death. All carry a weight that affects your life and the way you live it. It can create conflict; the world has shown that.

But what unites as a people is the knowledge that we have this life, and we choose how we want to live it.

Lemmy, Bowie and Rickman all gave many people joy and happiness by doing what they were good at, and what made them happy.

That’s a great way to spend a life in my opinion. So, too, can we.

ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

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WHAT: AUSTRALIA DAY BEACH PARTY WHEN: TUE JAN 26 WHERE: WESTSIDE ACTON PARK

’Straya Day … Can you think of a better time to pretend we have beaches? Bring some swimmers and a beach towel, see some sand, sit in a baby pool and listen to Triple J’s Hottest 100 at Westside Acton Park. You know what? That actually sounds pretty great. Plus if you stick around after the countdown, you can watch a sunset screening of the Aussie classic, The Castle. An adults-only affair, you’ve gotta be 18+ to kick back at the beach. Tickets range from $25–35 + bf and can be purchased through Moshtix. Starts at midday.

WHO: POCKET FOX WHAT: ALBUM LAUNCH WHEN: SAT FEB 6 WHERE: GORMAN ARTS CENTRE

Is folk-pop your groove thang? Me too. That’s why I’m so excited for Canberra-based band Pocket Fox’s album launch for The Brightest Light. Pocket Fox combine haunting vocal harmonies and orchestral magic with catchy pop undertones. With original, inimitable tracks, Pocket Fox bring the goods. This one’s a family-friendly event, and the word on the street is that there’ll be fairy lights. Joining them is local indie act Burrows. The gig/garden party kicks off at 7pm, and entry starts at $10. Albums will be available for purchase for $25.

WHO: JENNIFER KINGWELL & PLUM GREEN WHAT: NIGHT TERRORS TOUR WHEN: SUN FEB 7 WHERE: SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE BOOKSTORE

Melbourne-based Jennifer Kingwell and New Zealand singer Plum Green have teamed up to embark on their Night Terrors Tour, which will see the two sirens of the antipodes tour Australia and New Zealand. Kingwell will perform songs off the deluxe edition of her new EP release, The Lotus Eaters; whilst Plum Green will be performing her new EP entitled Karma. They’ll hit up Smith’s Alternative on Sunday February 7 at 6:30pm, with special guest Alice Cottee. Entry is $10 or $8 + bf pre-sales through nightterrorstour.com.

WHO: FOREIGN KINGS WHAT: TOUR WHEN: FRI FEB 12 WHERE: TRANSIT BAR

Hey kids. Do you like to rock and/or roll? Consider hitting up Transit Bar to catch emerging riff-lords Foreign Kings and get a load of Canberra’s rock scene. The six-track hell ride of Foreign King’s selftitled EP embraces the hedonism of their rock forefathers. It’s pretty intense, let me tell you. They’ve got Sydney’s The Bitter Sweethearts flying in, and local band Signs & Symbols opening. As part of their Beers, Bags & Swags Tour, they’re finishing up on their home turf on Friday February 12 at 8pm. Tickets are available through Moshtix.

WHO: GUY SEBASTIAN WHAT: TOUR WHEN: TUE FEB 16 WHERE: ROYAL THEATRE

What a Guy. Remember when Guy smashed the Eurovision stage last year and made us all proud? I guess you could say angels brought him here. And he’ll be here as part of his You… Me… Us… Regional Tour. Now, his resume is pretty impressive – he’s got over 11 top ten singles, multi-platinum albums, platinum and gold certifications, over 3 million album sales and plus, he seems like a swell Guy. Okay, okay, I’ll stop with the name jokes. But seriously, if you’re keen, tickets will set you back $86.66 + bf and can be purchased from Ticketek.

WHO: RADIO MOSCOW & KINGS DESTROY WHAT: TOUR WHEN: FRI FEB 19 WHERE: TRANSIT BAR

Hailing from California, psychedelic troubadours Radio Moscow will make their way to our nation’s capital as part of their Australia and New Zealand tour. And they’re bringing their New York doom-laden brethren Kings Destroy with them. Man, who says Canberra doesn’t get any good gigs? What’s more exciting is that Melbourne’s Holy Serpent will be a special guest in all their Australian shows. That means you, Canberra. If you’re a fan of heavy psych and rock ‘n’ roll, this is the gig for you, my friend. You can nab yourself a ticket for $30 + bf from Oztix. Starts at 8pm.

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NATIONAL FOLK FEST

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REMEMBERING BOWIE JEN TAYLOR On the day DAVID BOWIE died, the world stopped. Everyone was in shock; days earlier, he had celebrated his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar. His final photo shoot shows an incredibly happy Bowie posing to commemorate both of these iconic events.

The album itself is arguably one of the most meaningful works ever produced, and suddenly in the context of his death, its sentiment makes sense. It is a message, a personal goodbye from the legend himself, who knew his time was limited. Blackstar is set to make its way to number one in the charts. While his passing is likely to help its cause, there is no doubt that this album deserves all the attention it gets.

AD SPACE

After discovering his death was not a hoax, shock turned to despair.

But then something remarkable happened – people started pulling together parties, events, ways to commemorate him. As we all came together around the world, we weren’t wallowing in tears of sorrow, we were celebrating. On that fateful Monday night, a strange but overwhelming joy was felt amongst the masses congregated in the town square of Brixton for an impromptu street party in the place he was born. Huddled together in the freezing cold night air, faces painted in true Bowie style, everyone sung through the night to the strum of acoustic guitars. Drinks in hand or raised above heads, we came together to toast whichever iteration of the legend spoke most personally to us: to Ziggy, to Major Tom, to Starman, to the Thin White Duke, to David. One thing was apparent; Bowie inspires, and the legacy he has left behind is one that persists.

He pushed so many boundaries, giving people encouragement to do the same

Since the news of his death, the media has exploded with tributes, eulogies, memories, and stories from the vaults. Never before has there been such an extensive and accessible collection of all things David Bowie. Judging on back catalogue alone, his impact is one of the greatest in music history. But his legacy extends so far beyond that, and the recent tributes have shown that everyone’s memories of Bowie are very personal.

He pushed so many boundaries, giving people encouragement to do the same. He famously challenged gender identity, making it okay for people to be exactly who they wanted at any point in time, whether that was constant or ever-changing. As Bowie explored every inch of culture, society and music, he changed the industry with every version of himself, and brought us all along with him on every adventure.

Right through to the end he was pulling the strings and even his death was a work of art; the album release, the eerie video clips, the hidden messages. People will forever remember where they were the day they heard of Bowie’s passing, the day the Starman went back to the sky; he did come and meet us, and he certainly blew our minds.

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DAN BIGNA The David Bowie album on high rotation during the desirable transition from high school to university was The Man Who Sold the World (1970). I played it while I came to realise during that first O-Week that a university education brought with it unanticipated freedoms such as the opportunity to buy a beer with lunch, a wonderful possibility far removed from the oppressive walls of a private Catholic high school. The irony was that Bowie conjured an Orwellian dystopia on the album, somewhat at odds with the striking floral patterned dress he wore on the cover. There was something a bit rebellious and subversive going on here, which appealed immensely to me in the year that also happened to spawn the Seattle grunge explosion. The Man Who Sold the World revealed the Ziggy Stardust persona in embryonic form and although themes of detachment and uncertainty would continue to be explored on albums throughout the 1970s, the music was transitioning from sprawling folk rock with a sometimes hard edge to a more melodically concise proto-punk of sorts, with a particularly British vaudevillian sensibility.

luminaries like The Stooges also mustered – the sexually fluid teen dream Bowie was aiming for was now fully fledged.

But the best was yet to come. I was introduced to Bowie’s late 1970s albums coincidentally around the same time I was discovering German electronic and psychedelic music from the likes of Can and Kraftwerk. This seemed to align with the motorik rhythms conjured on the title track of his 1976 masterpiece Station to Station. The mind-swirling experimentation happening on the Brian Eno-produced trilogy of albums Bowie recorded in Berlin, where he had gone to escape the drug-fuelled plasticity of Los Angeles. From there, the 1980 album Scary Monsters is Bowie’s last great work and until now, I had not paid much attention to later albums. An astonishing amount of creativity was on display throughout that 1970s period, barely matched by any other artist. His sound and vision during this time was simply extraordinary.

Admittedly, I had not been intending to check out his farewell album Blackstar, but was motivated by curiosity tinged with sadness.

What I’ve been listening to is a dignified and beautifully constructed collection of songs that sound utterly contemporary, with noted references to the atmospherics on the Berlin recordings. The album radiates an elegiac pulse that peaks on the final track ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’, which almost put a tear in my eye and made me want to replay the album right away. Most reviews have mentioned a jazz sensibility working through the songs with accompaniment from the Donny McCaslin Quartet providing rhythmic groove and instrumental colour to the noir-ish arrangements. The musicians under Bowie’s close direction create a dimmed lights ambience that would suit a sophisticated New York nightclub, such as the instrumental break on third track ‘Lazarus’, that also happens to sound a bit like The Cure. But Blackstar also exudes an unsettling mournful quality established on the opening title track that places the album just outside the mainstream. Concessions are made to existing musical styles and Tony Visconti’s majestic production imbues the music with a stately elegance. But an ethereal quality that has always formed part of Bowie’s grand vision to transcend and transform remains, leaving us to forever wonder what his next move would have been.

It almost put a tear in my eye and made me want to replay the album right away

The chameleonic Bowie would undergo a number of significant transformations as time went on and part of the fun was to guess what the next persona would be like. I had been attracted to The Man Who Sold the World because its weighty themes fitted with what I thought at the time constituted good art, but I would soon discover there was a lot more to Bowie’s music, which became apparent on the breakthrough 1971 album Hunky Dory. This is where the Clockwork Orange-styled glam fashion, Lou Reed-inspired hard rock edge and German cabaret vibe with sublime melodies blended together on a fantastic set of songs, slightly eccentric but always compelling – check out Hunky Dory track ‘Life on Mars’ for confirmation. Both look and sound made for a winning combination with Bowie, now an actor playing the part, as he put it, “all the way down the line.”

The only way was up on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), an almost masterpiece that was conceived as a connected set of songs about the creative trajectory of an otherworldly rock ‘n’ roll star. Such songs as ‘Moonage Daydream’ accentuated everything good about Bowie at this point – including Mick Ronson’s blistering guitar work, the panoramic stereo sound and the Ziggy’s sexual come-ons attached to another great tune. Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust represent the creative peak of Bowie’s glam phase as does the superb single ‘The Jean Genie’, which exudes a rock ‘n’ roll simplicity early punk

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LOCALITY

Once again, we’re saying goodbye to a beautiful Canberran musician-butterfly-person. This time it’s Rafe Morris, who’s heading to New York for some new adventures. But before he gets on that jet plane and disappears, everybody is wringing as many gigs out of him as possible. Catch him doing his solo thing at the BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! poetry slam on Wednesday January 20 at The Phoenix. Go to see him, stay for the poems and shouting! (Also, there’s a set from Singaporean artist Deborah Emmanuel that will also be worth catching.) It starts at 7:30pm and entry is free as a bird. If you’re looking for the really big final shebang, the place to be is the Polish Club on Friday January 22 from 8pm as his other main project, Moochers Inc. play their own ‘funeral’. These guys have

spent the last four years building a reputation as one of Canberra’s most enjoyable, ridiculous and charmingly self-deprecating acts with a live show that will make you dance and smile. The Gypsy Jazz Project are on supporting duties, with a solo set from Rafe also on the agenda. Limited pre-sale tickets are available through TryBooking for $20, or search Facebook for the event page.

While one is leaving, another is making a return, albeit briefly. Drew Walky, who spends most of his time in Brisbane these days, will be returning to Smith’s Alternative on Thursday January 21 from 7pm, with a little help from Alice Cottee and Beth Monzo (formerly of Beth n Ben). He’ll be playing his delightful mix of psychedelic folky sounds, and word is that there’ll be an eclectic mix of extra-special secret guests who might join in the fun. As an added bonus, entry will only cost you $10 at the door.

Shorty and Chow have got a pretty full schedule at the moment, with two gigs coming up over the next few weeks. They’ll be playing as the feature act at Bang!

Bang! Bang! on Thursday February 4 after 7pm, complementing (and probably complimenting) the range of local artists also stepping up to play a few tunes on Nigel and Beth’s back porch (take a look on Facebook for the event page for more details on the address). Entry is $5, with Girl Remembered and Zach Raffan locked in at the time of writing, with more TBC. On Saturday February 6, you can catch another set of their jazz/funk/progressive rock mish-mash at Smith’s Alternative from 9:30pm for $15, supporting the release of their new album, Fortunes, which is a pretty nice listen! You can get it into your eardrums by heading to shortyandchow.bandcamp.com.

Finally, Summer Sounds are returning to the Australian National Botanic Gardens at the foot of Black Mountain, with a lineup that includes a bunch of local acts who work with both original and cover material.

The roster includes Big Boss Groove on Saturday January 23, Franklyn B Paverty and Humbug on Sunday January 24, Annie & the Armadillos on Saturday January 30, and Young Monks on Sunday February 7.

All of these gigs start at 5:30pm, are allages and entry will cost you $5 for adults, $2 for concessions, with children aged 12 and under getting in for free. Find out more at parksaustralia.gov.au/botanicgardens/do/summer-sounds.

NONI DOLL NONIJDOLL@GMAIL.COM @NONIDOLL

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DOG TRUMPET

AMBER NICHOLS & GOOGFEST ZOE PLEASANTS To entice us over the border, Googong is putting on a night of live music. In its second year, GOOGFEST is a big celebration of a small town. Headlining this year’s festival will be SAFIA, the three-piece electronic band who are currently redefining Canberra pride. Joining them on the bill are Amber Nichols, The Burley Griffin, Guyy and the Fox and The Kaleid Trio. I caught up with AMBER NICHOLS – who you may remember was heavily pregnant while on the The Voice last year – and we chatted about what she’s been up to since then.

“Yep, last year was pretty hectic,” said Nichols. “Before kids, I’d been in bands for years, touring and stuff. I’d released my own EP and had been promoting that,” she says. “So I was ready for a break and I thought I’d do the kid thing for a few years. That was the plan anyway!”

But then her audition for The Voice got noticed and just before she went on the show, she discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Nichols is aware that the exposure she got from The Voice will be fleeting, so she is currently putting a lot into her music.

She’s writing songs for an album and travelling around the country, with her baby, to work and collaborate with people on these songs. “I just can’t take my foot off the pedal for the moment, because you go on a reality TV show and people will remember you for five minutes. I’m very aware of that.”

I just can’t take my foot off the pedal for the moment

JAZZ AT THE GODS

Nichols finds inspiration for her songs in things that impact her directly. “I write about things going on in my life and hope that people relate.” I remember seeing Nichols at TEDx Canberra in 2014 and being struck by her cut-through insights. She writes beautiful songs. “But I’ve got to work on writing happy songs,” she said. “Every time I play, I just look down at the audience and see people crying and I think, ‘what am I doing?’ So I want to write something that is bubbly and upbeat!”

Nichols didn’t know much about Googfest when she was asked to be on the bill, but she found out that last year’s festival had thousands of people at it. “I’m actually really excited, especially when they told me they had the SAFIA boys headlining! I was like, ‘yep fine, I really want to do it!’ I was excited that I could go along and watch them, the fact that I get to play is even better,” she says. “It’s actually all local. They’ve got awesome Canberra bands. The Burley Griffin, who are probably my favourite band in Canberra, and they’ve got Guyy and the Fox – I really love those guys. It’s a huge line-up.” It certainly is and it’s more than enough enticement to cross the border!

Googfest will be held on Saturday February 6 from 5pm to 9pm, at Googong’s Rockley Oval. It’s a free, family-friendly event. See googong.net for more details.

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THE REALNESS Welcome to 2016! While you might be keen for just a bit of downtime between New Year’s and work (or whatever you’ve got going on), and while we’ve been blessed with such fine weather, you’re probably better off to just keep on going. Luckily for you 2016 is here to help with a massive line-up of shows ensuring that you’ll have no choice but to keep the holiday vibes flowing.

Sydney hardcore and battle rapper MC Fortay has turned his hand to recording and will be swinging through Belco’s Basement Bar on Friday January 15 in support of his debut album. Featuring supports Jimmy The Junkie, Sky’high, Top Dawg, Redbak and Defiant plus DJ Dizzie Dayze, DJ Jungle Josh and locals Semantix and Corpus Colloseum, this one is chock-a-block. Tix can be had for $24.00 via Oztix.

Saturday January 16 will see JFB come all the way to our part of the world from the UK. JFB’s pedigree is insane – he’s won the UK DMC Championship twice and is the resident Scratch DJ for Radio 1, has collaborated on a heap of different projects with Fatboy Slim and Beardyman and has played some of the world’s biggest stages and festivals. Brought to you by Full/Frequency (the same guys who brought DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist to town for last year’s epic show), this one is a must-see and will include support sets by Dred, Chem-Ical, Crooked Sounds and Nigiri.

Saturday January 30 you’ll be able to check out Detroit’s very own Guilty Simpson and Australia’s Katalyst get together for a massive show at Transit. Launching their new collaborative album Detroit’s Son, Katalyst and Guilty Simpson won’t be doing it all by themselves; Jimmy Pike, Corpus Colleseum and Tak-Un-Da have all signed on to support the show and make this one go down in history. Tickets only $25.00 via Moshtix and Landspeed.

I’ve also been reliably informed that Sydney MC The Tongue will be visiting Transit on Friday February 5 though, at present, I’ve been unable to source any further details so maybe, I dunno, just keep your eyes posted for this one. I’ve been wrong before…

Melbourne crew D.Y.E. are also making their way north on Saturday February 20 for their Define Your Element Tour. Following their recent EP Sorry For The Stickers – released through Obese Records Online – this is the crew’s first interstate show. Beat Theory, Lash and Semantix are all signed on for support and it’ll only cost you $10 to get down.

Wherever you choose to spend your hard-earned shekels this month, 2016 is looking like a good’un for hip-hop in the national capital.

BRADY MCMULLEN realness.bma@gmail.com

CADA

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CODY ATKINSON Holi Play, on its surface, is just the latest festival to collapse before it was held. But digging deeper reveals an international tale of deception and deceit. And a seriously out there mea culpa for their actions. Yep, the weird shit column goes a bit serious, and Cody Atkinson has to hold together the pieces.

So what is Holi Play?

Holi Play is a Brazilian festival based on the celebration of Holi. Holi is the Hindu festival of colours, or festival of love, culminating with the throwing of coloured powder and water at other people. The Holi Play festival is somewhere between a dance music festival and a paint party, with religious leanings. It’s also pretty popular, and relatively well established in its home country. It’s also not the only Holi/dance music hybrid, with the Holi One and Holi Festival of Colours festivals being run in multiple countries, with thousands of people attending, including in multiple Australian cities.

So the Australian version of Holi Play was legit then...

Almost certainly not. After the announcement of the festival, suspicions were raised when the two headliners of the festival, Afrojack and Steve Angello were already booked into festival dates in Scotland and South Africa respectively. Rumours started to circulate that none of the advertised venues were booked, and none of the other artists confirmed.

Just a week after the festival was announced in the music press, it was cancelled by its “organisers”.

Why did you use quote marks there?

Because “organisers” might be a strong word to use there. In their statement to inthemix (inthemix.junkee.com/another-australian-dancefestival-has-been-cancelled), cancelling the festival was bizarre to say the least...

Bizarre?

But can you find anything on Google about them?

Why, yes you can. In October 2015 the Colluci Group, and CEO “Luciana Colucci” advertised the first Netflix and Chill festival in Vancouver, to be held in the middle of December.

There can’t really be a festival called Netflix and Chill?

I googled it and everything. The actual thing is legit, and raises money for charity.

They know it’s code for banging, right?

Probably. KIDS THESE DAYS, AM I RIGHT? Nah, you’re just old. So what happened with the Vancouver bangfest or whatever?

Well, after a few people found it a little suspicious that someone would hold an outdoor festival in Canada in the middle of winter, Vancity Buzz did a little more digging, and found that no booking had been made for the venue, and no permits were applied for by the festival. After both Vancity Buzz and the Vancouver Parks Board (owner of the venue) tried to contact the Colucci Group, all associated websites went dead and not a word more was heard about the festival.

When you see the phrase, “We are NOT a scam and this never was our plan to cancel the event and steal people’s money,” it immediately seems like a scam

Well, when you see the phrase, “We are NOT a scam and this never was our plan to cancel the event and steal people’s money,” it immediately seems like a scam.

Wait, what else does the statement say?

Well, to quote “George Ameral”, the CEO of the Colucci Group (the billed promoters): “For those who bought it, we gonna refund in until 30 days, since the paypal hold the money for 21 business days , until we can be able to make the transition. We already contacted the paypal to let them know it, and the people who bought the tickets will be the first to know about it , by email.

Again, to show that we are no scam , we of course will offer the refunds to those who bought, and trusted on us, we would like to thank them for that, and say I am sorry , unfortunately those who were really interested and excited for the festival will pay th consequences for the action of a few unhappy internat hatters.”

INTERNAT HATTERS! Holy crap!

Yeah, it’s a bit ... scammy. That’s not how PayPal works ... that’s not how anything works.

Who the fuck is behind this sham?

Good question. In their statement to inthemix, “Mr Amaral” said that they: “...dont need to have a wikipedia page or tons of media content with the prior activities of our company to prove that we are serious , as a few people said that they could not find anything on google, and because of

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that , they just supposed the the festival was scam and not only supposed , but made sure everyone would know his , but if he had asked for us about our past experience and even proofs about it, he would totally know, but OF COURSE they did not ask, people like to judge.”

Have they done this any other times?

Well, they’ve tried it in Toronto with the Colorland Festival, which was scheduled for Saturday December 26 last year at the Air Canada Centre, on the same night that there was an ice hockey game at the venue. And they also “tried” to put on a Holi Play festival in Toronto on Saturday November 28, which didn’t appear to have happened either.

WHO THE FUCK ARE THESE GUYS? Well, according to domain lookup service Whois, both the Holi Play Australia and the Colluci Group websites are registered to ANOTHER person (who BMA won’t name), with addresses in suburban Toronto and Brazil, respectively. The Holi Play Australia website help info points to both the Colluci Group site and a Brazilian marketing agency called Agency Mcking.

Additionally, the website colorlandfestival.com.br also points to the same person, and the same “marketing agency” as the help contact.

And all of this has the Colucci Group and one particular individual in common.

Yep. All the fake festivals, the marketing agency, the group, everything. The modus operandi seems the same each time: set up a webpage, make a video out of the same templates, send out press releases to any contact they can find, sell some tickets and shut everything down and hide.

That’s some shitty behaviour right there...

On the Holi Play Australia twitter feed (the last piece of “live” social media relating to the festival), the account can be seen trying to get the private details of several high profile journos to email press releases to.

So a transcontinental trail of fake festivals...

Happy new year everyone.

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

DANCE THE DROP

A new year brings new music, new resolutions (which you’ll break by March, trust me) and… a new club?

Not quite, but Digress Bar has quietly undergone a few renovations over the summer break, with an upgraded sound system and DJ booth and a new lighting array, with the second room (once an Indian restaurant) now a pool table lounge.

What’s super exciting however is their promise to work with a heap of different Canberra sound crews, with a focus on underground and alternative dance music (in a literal underground venue). With the closure of both Trinity and Clubhouse in recent years, it’s been a struggle for those outside the EDM or mainstream house scene to find a large enough venue to regularly host events, especially juggling venues which have busy schedules with live bands and other nights. A win for the underground scene, it should be an exciting year ahead!

If you’re in Canberra over the Australia Day long weekend and you don’t mind a bit of music and video games, Reload Bar is hosting 1-Up: Gangster Beats Edition, with nothing but live glitch and bass sounds with Elysium, Uncle Dunc, and Silicon Slave. Also on Friday January 22, Box Cutter presents their first party of 2016, with Italodisco legends Bell Towers and Hysteric, plus locals Soul Crane and Mr Luke 15:11. If you prefer trap-ish/dub-steppy electronica, LA’s CRNKN makes the trip to Mr Wolf – huge stuff! Saturday January 23 will see a glitch-hop night with Royalston going down at Digress.

Xujih, Grundle and Genius supporting.

BMA SESSIONS

The following weekend on Friday January 29 at Digress, The Next Levelists are hosting a warm-up fundraiser party for their Leaf Litter doof, with a techno and psytrance lineup including Widge, Tarik, Emidelic, Lateral Axis and Bizzle. Also that evening, Sydney’s Hatch comes to Mr Wolf, with plenty of tropical and bass sounds.

Ever heard of electro-swing? Find out more about this genrebending groove the following evening at Digress, with the first-ever Electro Swing Soiree with Mr Manifold (MEL), Ugly Bunyip and K-DO. Prizes on the night for the best dressed lady and gentleman.

Boat parties are a rarity in our city, and definitely worth jumping aboard (haha). Mutiny – A Hard Dance Boat Cruise is happening Saturday January 30, with Import (SYD), Ben Penfold, Nomad, Nasty, Jake Raven, Capital Punishment and Soundsmith. Check Canberra Hard Dance on Facebook for ticket details!

If you’re up for some DnB action, Headz are Rolling returns to Digress on Friday February 5 for Straight Outta Canbra, with a local lineup of Centaspike, Tidy, Fourthstate and Crooked Sound System, $5 entry. If house is more your thing, Mr Wolf is hosting Beni & Pantheon’s ‘Alright’ national tour that same day.

The following evening will see the launch of a monthly techno club Department of Late Nights, taking place the first Saturday of each month at Digress (author’s disclosure, I’m involved in the running of this gig). Sydney’s Robbie Lowe will be travelling down for it, joining B-Tham, Fourthstate and Kazuki (yours truly).

The next installment of Gay Cliché takes place at Transit Bar on February 13, raising money for the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT. DJs include Skinny, Megan Bones, Veneris vs Mulk Mulk, Pelvic and Lady Bones DJs. Huge month ahead!

PETER ‘KAZUKI’ O’ROURKE contact@kazuki.com.au

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The best places are underground

I asked Lowe if he thinks the power of retro is influencing the current sounds.

“Yes, definitely,” he says. “Music goes around in circles, one hundred percent, but always with something new, and better produced.”

ROBBIE LOWE PETE O’ROURKE ROBBIE LOWE has been one of Australia’s most influential and capable underground DJs for the past two decades. Currently holding residencies with Sydney’s Reckless Republic and Spice, Lowe has toured the world and played warmup sets for some of the world’s most respected underground artists, and in February will be performing in Canberra at the first Department of Late Nights* club night.

DJing now for twenty-four years, Robbie Lowe began spinning records in his late teens. “I was introduced to it by some friends,” he says.

“I began with hip-house and acid house back in the early ’90s, and naturally progressed over the years as the music changed.”

Lowe says that he always plays both old and new tracks in a DJ set, believing that the best sets have a natural progression.

“I never plan a set,” he says. “It’s best to feel what the energy is in the room and work with that. I’ll probably know the first two tracks I’ll play, and build from there. I don’t like to rush my sets, preparing to take it slow and steady, and keep a gentle groove throughout.”

Where does Lowe see the current dance music scene going in Australia? “The best places are underground,” he says, stating that the “bigger festivals are not at all happening anymore,” and that there is still an obvious divide between the commercial side and the underground side of dance music.

“Generally it’s still pretty split. Punters know what they want to hear and they go to venues that play the music that they like – and that’s important that there is something for everyone. If everyone liked the same music, the world would be a very boring place.”

So what can we expect with a return to Canberra?

While different forms of house music have always been Lowe’s primary focus, the Sydney DJ has spun everything from rave music, techno, hip-hop, drum and bass and downtempo sounds.

“I’ll bring a big bag of goodies!” Lowe said laughing. “There’ll be a few classics too, but just good house music. I’m actually really looking forward to coming, it’s been a while since I’ve been there, but I always had a great time. I used to play at Lot 33, and one of the best parties I’ve ever been to was in Canberra, back in 1999.”

“Music is always changing, I’ve been hooked on it from the very beginning, and have never got bored with it,” Lowe said. “Coming into 2016, I can hear a lot of progressive flavours coming back, with tracks that slowly build – no overblown drops or anything like that.”

*BMA disclosure – The author is one of the organisers behind Department of Late Nights.

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Robbie Lowe performs @ The Department of Late Nights, Saturday February 6 at Digress Bar.

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one’s passing is to turn your amps or stereos up and crank out the volume into the year and getting back to work.

METALISE Last night I poured a few Gentleman Jack’s down in honour of Lemmy’s passing, which threw a bit of a damper on the festive spirit this year. For the record, I thoroughly support renaming a Jack & Coke a “Lemmy”. For those on the petition to name a new heavy metal element “Lemmium”, who keep pointing out that Motörhead never were or called themselves heavy metal, I would say that you can’t make a heavy metal without its base elements and Lemmy was as much a base of the heavy music we know and love today as anyone. Long live the king. The only proper reaction to the great

2016 is awash with promise and there’s plenty to be excited about for local metal fans and beyond this year, despite the collapse of Soundwave under its own gargantuan largesse.

Going on about that seems so 2015 – it’s all about the positive reaction to that news in the form of crowdfunding Legion Fest, which is being organised by John Sankey. John is better known these days for his work with All Shall Perish, but I always associate hearing his name with a Brisbane band that kind of sounded like Damage crossed with Fear Factory band Devolved. I hope they do get the funding to do a festival to cover bands who book travel before everything unravels. Go chuck it some cash if you’re into it.

Another festival that was on shaky ground prior to the end of the year was the Rolling Thunder fest which has changed venues twice now, but has landed at the Coburg town hall and maintained the bulk of its line-up for the February 21 show headlined by USA act The Sword. American Sharks, Radio Moscow (killer guitar player) and Kings Destroy are also flying out from the States and Beast Wars and Clowns round out the headliners. A bunch of great Aussie bands are also signed up with lots of other entertainments to make a weekend of it. Tickets are 80 bucks.

Closer to home but in a similar flavour of heavy is the show at the Basement on Friday February 5. Ithaqua is a character from HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos and also a great filthy sludge band from the Kochi Prefecture in Japan. The guys are heading out to Australia on tour with a national mix of supports including Siberian Hell Sounds from Queensland, BOG from Victoria and locals Loather. Law Of The Tongue also emerge from a long hiatus to play the show in what will be a welcome return of the local doomsters and a nice change of pace for singer Ben Bourne.

High On Fire are at the Manning Bar in Sydney on Saturday February 20 too, if you feel like a trip up the Hume to catch songs from their very well-received Luminiferious album from last year.

JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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The son of a forces chaplain, Kilmister drifted through his early life in North Wales before somehow scoring a gig as roadie for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. This of course moved him to the epicentre of late ’60s rock eclecticism London, where the young bassist soon became an important member of Hawkwind. During his stay with the band, which started with 1973’s Doremi Fasol Latido, he wrote only a couple of songs – one of which, a paean to the joys of amphetamines named Motörhead, was to become not only the man’s raison d’étre but also a rallying cry for the tribes living on the edges of music’s mainstream for decades to come…

REMEMBERING LEMMY SCOTT ADAMS IAN ‘LEMMY’ KILMISTER died on December 28, four days after his seventieth birthday and just two days after it was announced that he was suffering from an aggressive form of cancer. The abrupt nature of his death was somehow fitting – mirroring the spread freak modus operandi of his most famous musical venture, MOTÖRHEAD. Despite already having been a key member of psyche rock overlords HAWKWIND, it was the ‘head that was to be Lemmy’s lasting musical legacy. Formed in 1975, the band carved a name for itself as the apotheosis of no-nonsense, heads-down blitzkrieg heavy metal (though Kilmister himself was disdainful of the term) – in the process proving themselves to be hugely influential on a series of musicians (most notably Metallica’s James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich and Nirvana/ Foo Fighters alumnus Dave Grohl), who were themselves to become titans of the hard rock pantheon.

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Like all prophets however, Kilmister had his wilderness years. Kicked out of Hawkwind in 1975 “for taking the wrong drugs”, it would be three years of struggle before a run of classic albums – Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades and the live No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith (the band’s only UK number one album) – catapulted the band into what amounted to heavy metal superstardom. However, 1983’s Iron Fist saw cracks starting to appear in the band’s classic line-up of Kilmister, guitarist ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke and drummer ‘Philthy Animal’ Phil Taylor. Clarke was gone the following year – replaced by former Thin Lizzy axepert Brian Robertson – but the magic was also gone. With odd blips such as 1986’s Orgasmatron and 1991’s 1916, much of the rest of the twentieth century saw the band becoming ever more acquainted with the law of diminishing returns, at least as far as album sales were concerned.

Kilmister turned his back on the UK and moved to Los Angeles, where he was still feted as something of a heavy metal messiah and he and the band’s later years coalesced into something of a second ‘classic’ period. Alongside guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee, the band hit form again with albums like Motörizer (2008) and last year’s acclaimed Bad Magic, which meant demands on the band in the touring arena increased – putting a massive strain on the now frail Kilmister constitution. As rumours of the man’s ill health intensified, appearances at events like the Classic Rock awards last year seemed designed purely to put the kybosh on same. Sadly, those rumours proved right in the end.

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It’s a brand new year and I still feel as though I’m living in a Groundhog Day of social inequity. Maybe we’re still in the junior leagues of a punk scene in Canberra, but I feel as though that shouldn’t mean we need to pretend we’re in the junior leagues of awareness in terms of female presence in the punk scene. Hardly anything has changed since the 1970s – despite the popularity of female punk artists such as The Slits, Kim Gordon, Patti Smith, people still expect women to “prove themselves”.

Girls being interrogated about bands they choose to wear merch from, being asked, “what are you doing?” upon arrival at a show or asked whether they’re doing “merch or door?” as though being at a gig as nothing more than a punter is an entirely unfathomable concept. Another standard: “So, who are you here with?” which even if meant as a pick-up is just as insulting. Almost as insulting as males who proudly declare that they wouldn’t pit if a girl was amongst it, as though we were children stumbling around unsupervised and in need of coddling.

On top of a general everyday sense of isolation, there are much more intense consequences of this underlying ‘gentleman’s club’ attitude – females being bullied out of concerts and scenes, sexual harassment and groping, all laughed off or swept under the carpet because we’re either invisible or an ornamental oddity. Even the most aware punters should make an effort to recognise how poisonous and deeply embedded these negative mentalities and attitudes are so that we can begin to remedy the situation.

Anyway, here’s some shows. Try not to be a dick.

Thursday February 4 – to ease into things very smoothly, we have a gentle night at the familiar Phoenix with The Hard Aches, fresh Melbournian angels Camp Cope and locals Azim Zain and His Lovely Bones.

Hopefully the Thursday show will be as gentle as described, because the next night promises to be something on the opposite end of the scales entirely. Heavy as hell internationals Ithaqua play with sludge masters Law of the Tongue, out-of-towners Siberian Hell Sounds and BØG, as well as the legendary Loather on Friday February 5 at The Basement.

To finish off this rollercoaster punk bender on Saturday February 6, jangling cuties The Gooch Palms are blessed to be playing The Phoenix alongside two local legends The Fighting League and Eadie & The Doodles.

A Canberra/Aussie punk lovefest not to be missed.

Late February brings another classic Phoenix night that will not disappoint, headed by Dan Melchior, supported by short, fast, loud and sharp Thunderbolt City, the perfect soft punk powerhouse Passive Smoke and also featuring a Wet Dream surprise special.

RUBY TURNNIDGE rubymaudet@gmail.com

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STRUNG OUT

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

YANA ALANA SAMUEL TOWNSEND On her way to the Christchurch World Buskers Festival, Sarah Ward settles in for an honest chat about identity, mental health and facing her own mortality. Weighty topics like these may not seem likely material for award-winning cabaret, but they indeed weave the rich fabric of YANA ALANA, Australia’s much adored and fastest rising cabaret star. Ward, the mastermind behind the character finds herself in the highest point of the house due to the “strange” mobile reception.

“If it cuts out, I’ll have to get you to call me back because I’ve run out of credit,” she giggles infectiously at the situation and we’re off and racing.

Her critically-acclaimed show, Between the Cracks, has been in much demand since its feverish reception at the Midsumma Festival back in 2013. A year later, the show received a Helpmann Award for ‘Best Cabaret Artist’, which leaves me pondering the mobile credit situation.

“You’ve got to ask yourself, when you’re 37 and you’re just making ends meet, ‘why the fuck am I doing this to myself?’” The proof, they say, is in the pudding, “An audience member comes up to you and says ‘I’ve been suicidal and I want you to know that I feel good about myself and that you, your show, changed my life and now I feel positive about my life’.”

Between the Cracks was conceived during a low point for Ward – both emotional and creative. She fondly recalls her MC gig with Circus Oz, but acknowledges her desire to turn her back on entertainment momentarily. “I was kind of a bit lost. I wanted to disappear for a little bit and think about creating art again. I ended up working full-time in a coffee factory.” The giggle kicks in again as Ward ponders the situation, “That’s how far away I went from entertainment. So there I was doing hardly any performance and feeling pretty depressed, actually.”

With encouragement and a little help from some friends (writer, dramaturge and pianist, Bec Matthews, Anni Davey and Louise Goh, respectively), Ward stepped into brave and unfamiliar territory to write Between the Cracks. In less than a week, the show was pulled together. “We didn’t even run a dress rehearsal before the show opened. [Originally] it was only two shows for the Midsumma Festival.”

These shows rippled through the queer community of Melbourne and the momentum is yet to cease.

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With high rotation on the festival circuit, the show has yielded some unanticipated results; most notably, the broad reach in audience demographic. “I suppose that’s a subject that sometimes I feel nervous about. Particularly when I look out into an audience and I see mostly a room of silver haired heterosexual couples. I kind of go, ‘oh, shit!’ I don’t know how this is going to go.” It appears that the spectrum of age, culture and sexuality make for some dynamic interactions. “I think mainstream audiences need to hear this stuff too. One of my songs is about how your sexuality has nothing to do with your politics, has nothing to do with your morals – it’s about who you wanna fuck. Or who you’re in love with.”

Yana Alana – Ward’s fabricated character – resonates with audiences and gets away with her particular brand of mischief for a myriad of reasons, but Ward puts it simply, “I call her my Diva Drag Bouffant.

She’s my clown with a lived experience.” The lived experience Ward speaks of includes the ongoing management of her own mental health and her very recent dealings with cancer, a topic she doesn’t discuss during her performance. “The only time I bring it up is when I say, ‘I’ve had a lot of personal growth. So much so that I’ve had two removed’.”

It becomes clear that Yana offers Ward catharsis when she steps into the role; the drag armour providing her a vehicle to tackle the scary obstacles that life can sometimes throw at us. “I have quite a few scars on my tummy now… painting over them is…” she trails off whilst considering the physical act of painting herself in preparation for performance, “… it’s hard to explain, but when your body is your instrument (as a singer), you kind of can’t separate your health from what you do.” Ward acknowledges that this must be the case – whether you perform or not – but reiterates her position in the context of art. “It’s just a bit more obvious when you take your clothes off and you’re painting over scars and you go out there performing in a show… naked… about your mental health… and about identity.” And the audience on the receiving end? “Yana tackles risky subject matter, asking audiences to question themselves and their beliefs and their behaviours.” A demanding request of her audience, but one that seems absolutely worthwhile. “The woman on stage is a size 16, covered in paint, sweating her ass off, singing about her mental health. A lot of audience members want to leave, but will sit there out of respect ’cause they’re thinking, ‘shit, who is more vulnerable [here]?’”

See Between the Cracks in The Famous Spiegeltent on Sat–Sun March 5–6 at 10:30pm. Tickets are $50 + bf through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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EMPIRE STRIPS BACK

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In the room, you (and up to four other people) have been tasked the dangerous job of untangling the mind of a comatose patient named Casey. However, if you don’t succeed in time (that is, 60 minutes), you will also be trapped in this nightmarish dreamscape.

“We originally wanted to open Riddle Room with three or four different escape rooms. But that costs a lot of money, so we tried crowd funding. Unfortunately, we didn’t raise the money needed to make all the rooms so we saved up some money ourselves and built the one room – The Nightmare Room.”

Of course, you won’t be trapped forever if you can’t figure out the clues – that’s illegal. Additionally, anyone who does want to leave the game before the time limit can do so via an emergency exit.

RIDDLE ROOM KAROLINA FIRMAN Imagine being trapped in a room, with only a series of clues and puzzles to solve to escape.

That is the concept of a RIDDLE ROOM. After starting in Japan around 2007, Riddle Rooms have gained popularity worldwide, finally coming to Canberra this year.

Riddle Room (located in scenic Franklin) is the brainchild of Chris Krajacic and Jesse Mount. Partially funded by a Kickstarter campaign, the room has been open for the intrepid, brave and curious for just a little while now.

“Everything in the room from the floors and walls to the puzzles, design and creation has been 100% made ourselves. Some other companies buy room ideas from puzzle designers but we’ve spent a lot of time designing, building and testing our puzzles for people to enjoy.”

The secret to escaping on time, and successfully: “First: Communication! Talk to your teammates, work together as a group and you’ll get out in time. Second: Don’t be too proud to ask for clues, we’re happy to help. Third: Have fun! You only get to do each room once.”

My advice after my recent attempt? Pay close attention to all the clues that you find, try and keep a level head, remember where you’ve put the clues and follow all of the instructions. Unfortunately, I was unable to free myself from the dreamscape nightmare, which is inconvenient as I do have work this week – not sure they’ll accept ‘trapped in a nightmare land’ as a valid excuse.

That being said, it was a lot of fun and I would highly recommend the experience to anyone that likes a good puzzle.

If you want to check out Canberra’s new attraction, visit their website at riddleroom.com.au. You will have to book, as they don’t allow walk-ins. Costs start at $35 per person. The Riddle Room can be found at 16 Marjorie Bernard Lane, Franklin ACT 2913.

CANBERRA REP THREEPENNY OPERA

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SOUNDOUT 2016

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SOUNDOUT 2016 DAN BIGNA The seventh annual SOUNDOUT festival of sense-stimulating improvised music will take place at the Ainslie Arts Centre later this month. The event will work wonders for those of us who recently thrilled at the release of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme: The Complete Masters and who enjoy spending languid summer days exploring the many sonic colours of such a landmark recording as The Topography of the Lungs from master European improvisers.

The press release for this year’s festival states that attendees can, “listen to music with an unforced organic quality that will grow on you,” which I think means that electro-acoustic instrumentation in myriad combinations might illuminate an intuitive environmental and artistic accord for those willing to take a look.

SoundOut is a premier cultural event in Canberra coloured by some extraordinary moments, such as that earth-shattering performance in 2011 from Norwegian trio The Thing, who almost tore the roof off The Street Theatre. Since then many local and international performers have appeared at this significant forum for free creative expression. This year, SoundOut will bring to Canberra such artists at the cutting edge of contemporary improvised music as

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the RHRR trio from France and Swiss clarinetist Hans Koch, who has worked with major players such as Cecil Taylor and Fred Frith and is now recognised as one of the most innovative improvising reed-players in Europe. These significant international acts will perform alongside talented locals such as electronic artists Michael Norris and Reuben Ingall and wind trio Psithurism featuring John Porter, Rhys Butler and SoundOut festival director Richard Johnson.

This is a world class line-up, so I find it odd that SoundOut 2016 did not achieve due recognition from ACT funding bodies. This meant that Richard Johnson turned to crowdsourcing to keep this year’s festival afloat, which isn’t the most ideal outcome but nevertheless generated positive activity from those keen on good quality art.

“There seems to be more people behind it and more people aware of how important a festival this has become,” Johnson says. “Jon Rose [avant-violinist] is backing it with material including books and CDs, which helps a lot. Another entrepreneur in Sydney has been very helpful and various friends and musicians are more aware of helping and spreading the word.”

A supportive scene is critical to sustaining art beyond the mainstream and it is becoming more commonplace these days for alternative funding sources to assist in preserving such an event as SoundOut with the high level of talent it attracts and the immersive sound worlds that result.

“It has the relaxed atmosphere of, say, a rock concert with a deep listening awareness,” Jonson says. “So it is a great festival to spend a weekend listening to exploratory music rather than having to go to Melbourne or Sydney. Festival newcomers can expect a deep listening experience to take them to new places in the sonic awareness, and to marvel at new ways of approaching instruments and techniques.”

See SoundOut at Ainslie Arts Centre on Sat–Sun January 30–31. For event details and tickets visit isoundout.wix.com/soundout2016

NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

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AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

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E X H I B I T I O N I S T ARTISTPROFILE: ANGELA PARRAGI

What do you do? Paint. I usually use oil on canvas but sometimes I use panel, or watercolour on paper. My work is based in realism or a classical style.

When, how and why did you get into it? I guess from a young age I always wanted to draw (on the walls!) and colour in … Art was my favourite subject at school, although I didn’t do it in years 11 or 12. I studied visual arts at university, and from there it has just progressed into something that I now want to do full-time and make a living from. I fell into it by following my creative instincts. It was something I was drawn to, and wanted to do and am now compelled to do.

Who/what influences you as an artist? John Singer Sargent! He is my idol and my goal is to paint like him. Many of the old masters influence me. I take inspiration from paintings or drawings that are technically extremely good and visually/emotionally appealing.

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ARTS | ACT Of what are you proudest so far? That’s a hard question to answer.

Maybe being a finalist in last year’s Black Swan Portrait Prize.

Winning Clifton’s Art Prize (ACT) twice was also rewarding.

What are your plans for the future? To keep painting and become a better painter, and to start making a living from my art (by hopefully receiving more commissions and gallery representation).

What makes you laugh? My dog.

What pisses you off? Bad drivers.

What about the local scene would you change? It would be good to have more free exhibition spaces to show your work. There are also a limited number of commercial galleries in Canberra, which is fairly restrictive.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? I don’t currently have any upcoming exhibitions planned. I’m always working on something to have for a show. Currently I’m working on a portrait commission. I am open to any portrait commissions.

Contact info: angelaparragi.wix.com/angela-parragi facebook.com/AngelParragi angela.parragi@gmail.com

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WOMADELAIDE

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audience. And if we can make something that Canberra wants, then the festival is more likely to grow in the future. We have worked joyously but hard on this programme, as has every artist involved. But it’s all for nought if the peeps don’t come!

What’s different about this year’s Multicultural Fringe festival compared to previous years?

CANBERRA MULTICULTURAL FRINGE ANDREW NARDI Every year, the CANBERRA MULTICULTURAL FRINGE brings together a host of talents to celebrate the cultural diversity of our city. The 2016 event is being directed by Chenoeh Miller and Gregor Murray.

We sat down with Miller to discuss the festival’s direction in 2016, what’s on offer and the importance of representing cultural diversity in Canberra.

What’s on offer at this year’s Canberra Multicultural Fringe?

Each year I am hoping to take a different approach to programming.

Cultural diversity will remain front and centre when selecting acts, but I’m also keen to find risk-taking performers.

This year the programme is entirely local. Gregor and I have challenged performers to showcase a side that Canberra audiences haven’t seen.

The programme remains music dominated. It is a party after all, and current funding doesn’t allow for much deviation from that. I will again be working with the ever-expanding Sound and Fury Ensemble – a diverse array of outstanding artists who will act as hosts and entertainers throughout both evenings. Their presence really adds an exciting theatrical overlay to the whole event.

This year we have one venue (Bailey’s Corner Car Park) which will include the main stage, the Fringe bar, and a chill-out area.

What’s the overall aim of the Canberra Multicultural Fringe? What does it hope to achieve?

The aim of the CMF is to create a platform that celebrates cultural diversity and risk-taking performance. While at the National Multicultural Festival, you can see music and dances from around the world, and you can eat your fill of delicious food, the CMF is more about risk-taking. I want to see audiences and performers get braver and more experimental. Given the context of the Fringe as a family friendly event, it can’t really go too far out there. We need to remain accessible. But certainly this year, I think we have taken more risks with programming including our adults only segments after 10pm.

I am a theatre director and I have the great pleasure of working regularly with local choreographer, Alison Plevey. I reckon it’s important to draw on all of our available skills to put together a programme, rather than just booking back to back acts. So I work a fair bit with Ali on making a show that we believe will offer Canberra audiences something new and exciting.

CMF works with the loose theme of Refugee. While we aren’t being didactic on the subject nor do we offer any particular views on that theme, we do explore the notions of displacement and togetherness as overarching themes for the Fringe.

Why do you think it’s important for Canberrans to come along and get involved?

Last year I put a lot of energy in to seeking sponsorship to get headliners like Thelma Plum, L-Fresh the Lion and Mojo Juju. This year I have focused more on the ‘show’ of the festival and particularly on local talent. Feedback from last year’s Fringe was that audiences wanted more risk. So this year we have the two over 18 segments from 10pm including our commissioned show by the marvellous chameleon Chris Endrey (of In Canberra Tonight), and exquisite local performer Alison McGregor to create The Late Night Adults Only Variety Show! from 10pm on Friday February 12.

What do you think sets Canberra apart from other major cities, in terms of how we celebrate multiculturalism?

The word multicultural is in pretty much all these questions, which makes sense given the name of the festival. I am very uncomfortable with this word. It is one that I have inherited given that this event remains part of the National Multicultural Festival. Multiculturalism is an old word for a political philosophy, and I don’t see it being useful in contemporary Australia. I think this word encourages disconnect from the rhizome of the people that live here.

I don’t really know how to answer that question. I feel like Canberra and the rest of Australia has a long way to go to truly embrace cultural diversity. In my capacity as an arts worker here, I will do my best to contribute to that.

How does the festival work with multicultural communities to realise their creative expressions?

Oh gosh, I have found this so unbelievably difficult. Recently I returned from New York where I attended Bite the Big Apple Arts and Cultural Management Tour – for Australian arts leaders whose focus is on cultural diversity. During that week I was exposed to a wide array of NYC arts leaders including the Broadway League, Brooklyn Museum, American Dance Theatre, The Guggenheim, the MET, the Apollo and on and on. And every single institution is focused on one thing – how to provide art that is relevant to their community. How do they research thoroughly who lives in the neighbourhood? Where do they come from? How much do they earn? What education access do they have?

These questions and their answers formulate outreach programmes where every one of these institutions finds ways to literally reach out and to hang out in their neighbourhood. It was very inspiring, and I can see why the New York arts scene continues to thrive.

When I first got this Fringe gig, I looked back over previous programmes I had created and was embarrassed at the pretty much all-white folk contingent. That isn’t representative of Australia or Canberra. But then I looked at the audiences, and I saw the same thing.

Where are all of these other fellow Canberrans? And what do they want to see? What do they want to perform? What will bring more of our community to the Fringe? I don’t have the answers, but I’m seeking them. I hope I have some years ahead of me to learn and to improve on this vital aspect of the programme.

Canberra Multicultural Fringe runs from Fri–Sat February 12–13 at the Bailey’s Corner Car Park off London Circuit. For more information, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/ CanberraMulticulturalFringe.

Mostly because it’s a good fun party made especially for Canberrans.

The CMF team is seeking to create an identity and relevance for the festival. I have no interest in ticking boxes. Everything is for the

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW Anchor Point Alice Robinson [Affirm Press; 2015]

“Bushfire was spreading south towards Kyree thanks to a man, a rabbit, an overfed ferret.”

When her mother Kath disappears into the bush, ten-year-old Laura makes an impulsive decision that will haunt her for decades. The story unfolds in four acts, tracing a grieving family’s attempts to move on from their loss and guilt. Laura’s childhood is cut short as she fills in the maternal void for little sister Vik and helps her father Bruce clear the land. As a young woman, Laura moves to Sydney to build a new life, but family, duty and a desire to make amends ultimately draw her home.

At its heart, Anchor Point is a novel about forgiveness, atonement

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and survival. Robinson’s attention to motive and human behaviour gives her characters incredible depth and credibility; even the secondary characters are well-developed. The inclusion of Indigenous tracker Donald and his son Joseph does not shy away from uncomfortable truths. Even as a child, Laura knows “some people were worth more than others in town,” and there is recognition of their mob’s claim to her family’s land.

Robinson’s writing is evocative without being flowery; her language practical, effective and occasionally brutal. Details – like magpies and the scent of wattle – bring the landscape of Laura’s childhood to life (in contrast to the sprawling glass of the city). “Squares of toil made a patchwork of the land.” Bruce skins a stillborn lamb to deceive its mother, so that she will suckle one who is motherless, “... it’s better to save one than have them both, you know, die.”

Emotions lie beneath every gesture, every unsaid word. “The measure of Bruce’s love was apparent in the freshly oiled chain.” The repercussions of Laura’s decision are carried to the next generation, in Vik’s personality and treatment of her daughter, Laura’s niece.

While very much a human story, Anchor Point is also a story about the changing land and climate. Bruce and Laura’s activist boyfriend clash over dinner. Decades later, Laura watches a news story about climate change shifting demographics. Lush forests give way to drought-stricken farms, then housing developments. Robinson’s warning is powerful in its subtlety, building to a chilling conclusion.

Consistent with her thoughtful prose, the novel offers closure but steers clear of a too-neat ending.

Poignant yet never cloying, Robinson’s searing debut captures the ‘sunburnt country... her beauty and her terror’ of Dorothea Mackellar’s iconic poem, belittling our attempts to tame the land.

Our struggles – internal and external – pale in significance to fire and flood. A gripping tale of repressed secrets, sacrifice and living with the choices we make, Anchor Point remakes the archetypal Australian bush story for a modern audience.

“The natural world had no master plan.” Neither do we, it seems.

SHU-LING CHUA

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ART NOT APART

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bit PARTS SPOOKY FRIDAY NIGHT OPENINGS WHAT: Art Exhibition WHEN: Fri Jan 8–Fri Feb 26 WHERE: National Portrait Gallery Calling all fans of the macabre! How would you like to partake in fascinating and ghoulish performances and activities? The National Portrait Gallery is opening its doors until 8pm on Fridays for an adultsonly experience. I’m talking grim and grisly tales that are strictly for grown-ups (sorry, kids). Sex, Murder and Mayhem tours will run as part of the permanent collection and summer exhibition Sideshow Alley: Infamy, The Macabre and The Portrait. Late-night openings will take place every Friday night from 5pm to 8pm from January to the end of February. Tickets for the exhibition are $10 or $8 concession.

LEARN. TRAIN. CREATE. WHAT: QL2 Training Program Enrolment Day WHEN: Mon Feb 1 WHERE: QL2 Office & Foyer Who doesn’t like to dance? A good boogie never hurt anyone. What about bedroom dancing when no one’s watching? We know you do it.

Everyone does. Well, maybe it’s time to dust off those dancing shoes and get along to some of QL2’s training programs. Their programs are a series of weekly dance classes for ages 8–20+. Enrolment Day is a great chance for you to discuss the programs, sign up for a class and pay by the term. Get yourselves along to QL2 Dance on Monday February 1 between 3pm and 6:30pm and get ready to cut loose, footloose. If you’d like more information on their classes, visit blog.ql2.org.au.

THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK WHAT: Star Wars Burlesque WHEN: Sat Feb 20 WHERE: Canberra Theatre You can basically feel the force in the air around you. The Empire Strips Back – A Star Wars Burlesque Parody takes the characters from the beloved Star Wars franchise and drops them into the world of burlesque. No two shows are the same, but one thing they all have in common is this: sexy Stormtroopers. There’s no word yet on whether new girl Rae will be in on the action this time around. It’s sure to be a cracker of a show either way. Me? Well, I just wanna see Jar Jar Binks strip. Tickets start from $65 and can be purchased from canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

LA CLIQUE WHAT: Cabaret WHEN: Fri Feb 19–Mon Mar 14 WHERE: The Famous Spiegeltent, Civic Square

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The Famous Spiegeltent’s La Clique redefines cabaret. Having played to sell-out houses in London, New York, Sydney, Paris and Montreal, the show introduces us to dangerously charismatic characters, who are skilled in magic, burlesque and death-defying aerial feats. I know, right? Sounds pretty swish. Not to mention, outside Spiegeltent is a party! Get your party hats on (figuratively) and mosey on down to La Clique, where you can leave your troubles at the door of the prestigious 1920s jewel that is The Famous Spiegeltent. La Clique runs from Friday February 19 to Monday March 14. Tickets start from $55 through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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ADCADA SPACE

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the word

on albums

voice is unleashed like a tsunami and just as you acclimatise to the aggression, Coar moves effortlessly into the clean vocal parts. It’s the norm for bands of this genre to have two vocalists – one screamy dude, and one squeaky-clean guy – but this vocalist takes care of business in both departments. The depth and power of the growls and the pitch-perfect, clean voice creates a very solid, all-round vocal performance.

album of the issue VESSEL BORN STATELESS [INDEPDENT RELEASE] I love it when a band comes along and is the type of band that starts arguments amongst genre purists.

Brisbane quintet Vessel Born has been ascribed a metalcore band. While they do generally fit the criteria, they put their own signature depth to the almost formulaic sub-genre. Their first release, Stateless, is a six-track EP that demonstrates this comprehensively.

The band formed a little over a year ago with members coming from Copia, This Collision and Bound For Ruin. The Vessel Born lads wasted no time at all, getting straight into the studio to record the EP at the adroitly named Studio Anders Debeerz – filming a video for the first single ‘Dressing As A Deadman’ and touring in late 2015.

For a band that hasn’t been together long, they are incredibly tight – though it feels that it’s the beginning of something a lot bigger. While Vessel Born did produce a great EP, it seems that it doesn’t completely showcase what each musician is capable of, perhaps due to their haste in getting into the studio. There are glimpses of great guitar solos, some very laudable bass playing and some brilliant drumming.

The opening track ‘Sleeping Giants’ doesn’t give much away in the intro – some tricky snare-work and swelling guitar tones to prick your ears up – but then the power of vocalist Shaun Coar’s

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‘The Vultures Voice’ is a more technical representation of each bandmember’s ability. The drumming is precise and couples well with the djenty rhythm guitar and some lightning fast lead runs. This one is certainly a highlight of the whole EP. If you love your breakdowns, ‘Burn’ will be a favourite for sure. The first exposure of just how heavy Vessel Born can be – and also with the catchiest chorus – it’s the song of the record that you’ll have in your head hours later.

Each song seems to build on the energy of the last. This is where the metalcore tag might not be all-encompassing.

There are certainly periods where there is a lot more death metal stylings, but always reigned in by the cleaner, ‘easily digestible’ parts of each song.

Having said that, ‘Death Figure No. 1’ provides the breather for the EP. A gently compelling guitar arrangement accompanies a monologue from Gandhi that you might need to listen to a couple of times to really get the message; I’ll leave it at that!

The final two songs are both very heavy-hitters. ‘Dressing As a Deadman’ was released as a single prior to the EP coming out and ‘Let Chaos Reign’ has been touted as the heaviest song of the album, rounding out a tremendous first effort from a band that are certainly worth keeping track of.

My opinion is that if you’re going to convert someone to metal, then metalcore would certainly be the gateway and it’s bands like Vessel Born that are boosting the reputation of metalcore, and heavy music in general.

JEREMY EDWARDS

AINSLIE WILLS OH THE GOLD [INDEPENDENT RELEASE] Victorian singer-songwriter Ainslie Wills first came to notice with her soul-meetselectronic-pop track ‘Wide Load’ in 2010, followed by the 2013 LP You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine. Retaining the collaboration with co-writer/guitarist Lawrence Folvig, she’s back with a new EP that takes the thread of her earlier material and ties some fancy new knots in it. The release was laid down in Brisbane studio Grandma’s Place, under the guidance of Matt Redlich whose previous work with Emma Louise comes through clearly in the airy vibe of the disk.

‘Drive’, the most dominant and experimental song on the EP, is effervescent electro-pop, with vocal hooks and samples as sparkling facets to the song. Highly produced with a big sound feel, voices fly from multiple angles in this complex piece. Illusive in character, it refuses to solidify into a consistent format. The more seriously framed ‘Hawaii’ is an ’80s pop ballad, synth-heavy with angelic vocals hovering in the background. A tentative piano guides the way in on ‘Constellations’, another song constantly changing its sonic wardrobe with vocals lurking in a ghostly manner, or swooping owl-like. ‘Never Know What to Say’ teases with shy lyrics hiding below bossy beats. Wills’ attractive, tawny tones entice at the beginning of ‘But I’ll Try’, escorted by glowing keys. The closer benefits from the raw vocal and guitar takes, done in a home studio. Instead of having to compete with heavily layered effects, for most of the song Wills only has to contend with her own voice – bright as ice droplets on a frigid morning, and acoustic guitar. The Wills-Folvig partnership continues to spoil listeners with intriguing, experimental sounds.

RORY MCCARTNEY

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CRAYON FIELDS NO ONE DESERVES YOU [CHAPTER MUSIC]

THE OCEAN PARTY LIGHT WEIGHT [INDEPEDENT RELEASE]

DAN LETHBRIDGE INNER WESTERN [VITAMIN]

Former high school band Crayon Fields survived to continue on past its school years, going on to release the whimsical Animal Bells in 2006. The debut was a dreamy release – gossamer-textured and full of character. Then came All the Pleasures of the World, which hit CD shelves in 2009. The sophomore album continued and developed the qualities of the debut, retaining its fragility while losing some of its brightness. The band’s output slowed when frontman Geoffrey O’Connor dabbled in a solo career, but its members have joined the dots again and released a third LP.

Nothing anticipates summer holiday time much more than tearing down the Hume with some classic Aussie tunes blaring from the car stereo; it just feels like you’re in for something special. Somehow, this summer, The Ocean Party provided that perfect playlist to the annual road trip – the spacious, retro guitars enhancing the vast emptiness of the landscape outside.

Three albums in and Melbourne songwriter Dan Lethbridge is spreading his wings. His sophomore LP Oh Hawke was an elegant work, with folk songs of acoustic purity like ‘Rolled Right By’ and ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (nothing to do with the movie). Put together with backing band The Campaigners, the latest release is more eclectic – broad in genre and more adventurous in composition.

While past glories have included slots at the Laneway and Big Day Out extravaganzas, the band has well and truly gone off the boil and fans may find it hard to recognise Crayon Fields in its latest incarnation. The synthesizers of O’Connor and Chris Hung rule the roost, with the musical style having shifted from folk-pop to electro-pop with low-key dance sensibilities. The overall texture, while still keeping an overall dreamy vibe, has moved from soft and welcoming to the hard plastic of the ’80s, exemplified by the synth power of ‘Love Won’t Save You’. Better tracks come mid-disk, with the highlight being the Human League meets Pet Shop Boys track ‘If I Could’, with guitar licks adding some zest to the mix. ‘Night Moves’ begins and ends with sparkling guitars, but sounds ordinary in the keyboard passages that dominate mid-song. Overall, rhythms are unengaging and the songwriting is uninspiring, weighed down by the oft employed trait of the over-repetition of lyrics, to the point that they become tiresome.

RORY MCCARTNEY

Light Weight sees The Ocean Party maturing their sound over previous albums, while still retaining their sense of whimsy and authenticity. It does not always reach the high points heard on 2014’s Soft Focus, but as a whole Light Weight is arguably the better album.

Lyricism is a strength of The Ocean Party – this album touches on dark themes with graphic, violent analogies that may throw the listener off-guard. The vivid lyrics are delivered with an earnestness, making you feel as if they are there at the scene.

Sharing songwriting duties (as they tend to do) can make consistency an issue at times.

This is no exception on Light Weight, with some tracks falling slightly flat. Despite this, the pace of the album is held together pretty tightly, with enough momentum to propel it to its end. The understated highlight of the album is ‘Guess Work’, a tune reminiscent of The Go-Betweens, but gloriously crafted to stand on its own – entirely the sound of The Ocean Party.

There is no doubting that the members of The Ocean Party can effortlessly construct a killer tune and their storytelling sensibilities are endearingly engaging. It will be worth watching to see which direction the band take next after Light Weight.

Judging from their prolific track record of previous releases, we won’t have too long to wait either.

MEGAN LEAHY

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Inner Western is a mixed bag, in terms of both quality and style. While his rural roots are apparent in some alt-country vibes, the CD is more western-suburban Melbourne than western-rural. Lethbridge is a man who sings with feeling and there are gems here for the finding, although you have to trawl through some middle-of-the-road material to get there. His songwriting is at its peak in opener ‘It All Will Start to Splinter’. With its garden path piano leading the way in and a strong finish with electric licks and powerful violin, it’s great storytelling and well worth repeated listens. A faraway song for faraway thoughts, ‘On My Head’ is full of panoramic sweeps from the lap steel. Other highlights include tracks with female vocals in the mix, including the duet ‘Everybody Says’ with Taasha Coates from The Audreys. She takes the otherwise mournful track, boosting it to a new level, even though her voice is only idling. Rebecca Barnard’s silky backing vocals add class to ‘Do No Harm’. While it’s a bit of a loungelizard-in-a-Hawaiian-shirt in flavour, its bubbling melody makes it another of the better tracks. However, ‘Wait Another Day’ is a curious creature, as the long, graceful instrumental lead-in is followed by sawn off lyrics, giving the song an unbalanced feel.

RORY MCCARTNEY

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BLOC PARTY HYMNS [CREATIVE/CONTROL] Bloc Party has always been a shifting, fluid beast. For their first four albums, this characteristic was limited to their creative output. Sonic curve balls abounded. For their fifth album, Hymns, it has extended to describing their membership. No longer are we graced with the talents of bassist Gordon Moakes or drummer Matt Tong, who have left the band (and are now involved in other musical projects worth exploring – Young Legionnaire and Algiers, respectively). Instead this record was written by original Bloc Party members Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack, plus newcomer Justin Harris (bass and keyboards). We also have Louise Bartle (drums) who joined the three after Hymns was complete. For fans of the band’s earlier work, this could be monumentally disappointing. So what should we make of this fresh group, once again, born anew?

Hymns opens with lead single ‘The Love Within’, which is acceptable if mediocre, and feels incredibly out of place. When the chorus closes out with Okereke’s half-hearted “Don’t you want to get high?” it’s hard not to feel a little sad.

Where did the impassioned feeling go?

Thankfully, while the garish single leaves a sour taste, the following tracks walk down very different paths. ‘Only He Can Heal Me’ sees Okereke instantly become more soulful, more pained, more seemingly self-aware, and more interesting. Layers build, staccato backing vocals repeat the title, and while it’s a far-cry from Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm, it almost feels like it could slot

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nicely into A Weekend in the City, with its dark subdued tones.

‘So Real’ brings the synths in once again, and Okereke displays his talent for turning lyrics that would be clichéd on paper into genuine moments of feeling. Like removing a mask, in a vulnerable reveal, he croons: “What am I supposed to do? / When the only good thing about me was you.” There’s a welcome semblance of a groove behind the guitar riff here. ‘The Good News’ screams Bible Belt blues, not just with its title, but with its palm-muted and slide guitars. Yeah, some good ol’ slide. Does it sound like Bloc Party?

No. Is that okay? You bet it is. Like the about-turn they threw us all with Intimacy, it’s good to hear the band venture into relatively unchartered waters, and unlike ‘The Love Within’, it feels like they’ve done so with a certain amount of forethought. The chorus rings out loud and unashamedly so.

‘Fortress’ is more new-wave R&B in its dark, muddled bass, and Okereke’s voice shines through. This is hardly a complaint though. Like Intimacy’s ‘Biko’, it’s an exercise in Okereke breaking hearts with his talented vocals.

It’s when ‘Different Drugs’ comes in that it’s easy to see why this album is called Hymns. There’s a big sense that it’s like a prayer to the heavens, that this album feels like a plea for something. Following in the same trend as ‘Fortress’, Okereke sounds pained and touches each note with the delicacy it deserves. ‘Living Lux’ closes out the album proper, sans deluxe version bonus tracks, and feels messy.

It has the makings of an intimate and touching closer, but it’s synths feel so independent of Kele’s vocals that it never quite comes together in the climax it should.

It’s difficult to look at Bloc Party’s work without relating it to their past. They have endured many criticisms, and their new work may not be to everyone’s taste, but each of their albums has felt progressively and noticeably different.

There’s a bravery in that, and I’d rather have that innovative, shifting Bloc Party, than I’d have them succumb to repetitive monotony. They are an everchanging band, they deserve respect for that if nothing else. Hymns may be hit and miss, and a bit unsure of itself, but Bloc Party are consistently themselves – never the same.

JP PART 1 [INDEPEDENT RELEASE] Sick of playing second fiddle as drummer in bands various, John Milton had aspirations for greater things. Now he’s taken on a bigger role as a solo singer-songwriter, and a new, simple stage name too as jp. In recording his material, Milton cornered the market on the instrumentation, playing most of them himself; his support band only really gets a look in when the jp show hits the road for live gigs.

While Milton professes a love for world music, this is not very apparent in his debut EP (produced by Prasheen Naran whose credits include Illy and Karnivool) of puckish and imaginative indie-pop. Milton’s inventiveness extends to the hand-drawn CD art, in which he illustrates his songs’ themes. ‘In the City’ employs a happy doopdoop shuffling introduction to a funny tune about public transport. With a stop-start format (resembling the progress of rush hour traffic), casually delivered verses build up to a bouncy chorus. Comical without exaggeration, Milton relates the joys of bus travel in a common man on the street fashion that is easy to relate to. Fun and quirky, ‘Turtle Doves’ advances to a curious spring-loaded rhythm, with lashings of cow bell, muffled trumpet and clockwork percussion. Milton embellishes this tale of the hopelessly smitten, drawing out the ‘y-o-u’ at the trailing edge of his lyrics.

The eccentric, varied approach to singing continues in ‘Losing My Mind’ as he puts his vocals through tonal hoops. Cheery with a meandering pace, the song winds up with a rosy whistle. Opening with a glowing brass fanfare, ‘Running’ brings a They Might Be Giants ambiance to the CD, in a sunny track in which the sharp vocals dominate the music.

RORY MCCARTNEY

JEREMY STEVENS

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FLEETWOOD MAC TUSK [WARNER BROS RECORDS]

LOREN KATE TIL NIGHT MEETS THE SUN [VITAMIN]

In 1979 Fleetwood Mac was still riding high from the massive success of the Rumours album released two years previously, but relationship turmoil within the band that was well-documented on that album had drained the group. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham had nevertheless become reenergised by punk and a new wave that had arisen, ironically, in response to the FM radio loving Adult-Oriented Rock that Fleetwood Mac had made its own. Buckingham got the band focused again on music (rather than money and cocaine) and the outcome was the double album Tusk – the band’s third masterpiece and their last great work.

It’s been no easy road for South Australiabased singer Loren Kate, who learned her craft as a busker and had to rely on crowdfunding to release her sophomore long-player. However, the Telstra Road to Discovery is a good gig if you can swing it – as the folk-country singer found out when she won the prize, which saw her play some shows in the legendary music Mecca of Nashville and allowed her to record this, her second EP.

This newly remastered edition includes singles, out-takes and session tracks that provide good insight into the various permutations the songs underwent before receiving the final polish. A further bonus of an alternate version of the album comprised of outtakes and remixes is a tad pointless, but the original 20-track recording is so good the focus will always remain on it.

Tusk begins with the beautiful Christine McVie ballad ‘Over and Over’, which takes up the Rumours theme of love lost with its opening lines, “Could you ever need me/And would you know how”. But next track ‘The Ledge’ is pure Buckingham in glistening new wave mode on the edgy staccato lyrics and rhythm – great stuff and something new from the band. There are some gorgeous moments such as the Stevie Nicks penned songs ‘Sara’, “drowning in the sea of love” and ‘Beautiful Child’ with its innocence and experience vibe. Elsewhere the eternally catchy ‘Think About Me’ and the visceral title track add up to a major winner.

DAN BIGNA

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Continuing the theme of her previous releases, the material is very personal in context. In many ways, the songs in Til Night Meets the Sun have been hatched through the trials experienced by Kate and her family. Yet it is often through such darkness that great songs are made. In ‘Silver & Gold’, a song of shattered family relationships, her diminutive voice comes across with a charming, slightly squeaky tone. The acoustic tune sprints ahead, pursued by trickles of banjo, telling of the thrills and scares of youth, as well as the sorrows. Kate’s waif-like vocals are swept along by cello in ‘This Heart of Mine’ as she weaves a pledge of undying love. Switching to storyteller mode, ‘Rollin’ Wheel’ sketches portraits of infidelity. Here, Kate’s voice is seen at its best, as the slower pace allows her to place extra emphasis on the lyrics. The cheery skip in the rhythm of the EP single ‘When You Leave’ belies the wrenching experience of farewelling a dying ex-partner. Like the closing title track, her songs are built to sway to, rather than as toe tappers. These simple but appealing arrangements let the power of Kate’s vocals to express emotion and shine through.

RORY MCCARTNEY

MIKELANGELO AND THE BLACK SEA GENTLEMEN THE ALPINE WAY [INDEPENDENT RELEASE] Long-time shady musicians about town, Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen’s most recent project involved capturing tales of the Snowy Scheme workers as part of a contribution to the Canberra Theatre Centre and Big hART co-production Ghosts in the Scheme, which ran at the theatre in early September. Project Cosmopolitana saw memories of the Scheme brought to life in a play set in the present day, with Cooma locals starring-on to the music of MBSG. Besides the historical aspect, the play also examined the elderly in a new light.

Plucky opener and disk highlight ‘Such Tales’ raises the ghosts of workers on the Alpine Way, the “heaven and hell for the working man” that was Cooma in those days of fast racked multiculturalism, change and new lifestyles from far away. The song features the MBSG trademarks of dominant, upbeat eastern European melodies with bold call and response vocals in the chorus.

Settling down to a more strutting pace, Mikelangelo’s grave-deep singing dredges a path to the remains of a town swallowed whole by a new dam in ‘Way Down Below’.

The finger snapper ‘Handsome & Highwired’ recalls a time of flashy, boisterous nightlife that Cooma locals can only dream of now.

Rufino takes the vocal lead with a brighter tone, sashaying to a hot sax feature and even manages a gritty ‘Satchmo’ lie finish at the tail end of the song. All this is rounded off with the Western-tinged drama of ‘Dirty Victor the Bull Rider’.

The songs combine local colour, a suave Continental exoticism and the irrepressible humour of MBSG in an EP that would make a good souvenir for anyone who saw the show.

RORY MCCARTNEY

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BY CODY ATKINSON TY SEGALL ‘CANDY SAM’

YOUTH ALLOWANCE YOUTH ALLOWANCE [INDEPENDENT RELEASE] Ah, the great emotional rush of youth; so much confusion, excitement and potential, all mixed with a good slab of anxiety and self-doubt. This life stage has proved fertile ground for the appropriately named Brisbane four-piece Youth Allowance.

Having formed in 2013 and gained stage experience with similar bands of its ilk, it has made the big jump to launching a debut EP. Put together at Airlock Studios in Bris Vegas, the songs were captured with the aid of producer Yanto Browning, whose work with fellow Brisbanites The Jungle Giants shows through clearly in the vibrancy and light of the recording. Quicksilver bright with short-cut guitar slashes, opener ‘Hang on Tight’ mixes indie pop with surf overtones. There’s a vibe akin to Deep Sea Arcade in the music, although William Briskey’s vocal delivery is deeper and a lot cleaner than the furry sound of DSA’s Nic McKenzie. With its message of living life to the fullest mixed with new romance, it carries an ear-friendly, danceable rhythm with a revved-up beat switch right at the end. A rumbling bass riff and insistent drum beat introduce the jerky guitar pattern of ‘Running’. A tricky, mixed arrangement, this song of uncertainty and breaking free ends with a sigh, rather than a bang. ‘Overthinker’ brings a clever riff and multiple tempo changes, ranging from a fast jog to a stroll that would challenge the composure of any dancer. Closer ‘Don’t Ever Want to Be You’ shoots out its declaration of rebellion, all dressed up with chiming guitars. While just one of many surf sound bands, Youth Allowance’s debut shows it has enough of a twist in its material and variation in song format to set it apart.

RORY MCCARTNEY

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ROB THOMSETT THE DARK CATECHISMS/THE INVISIBLE EMPIRE OF THE AIR [INDEPENDENT RELEASE] Local artist Rob Thomsett has loved music all his life. From doing Jethro Tull covers in the ’70s he moved on to prog-fusion rock and recorded the concept record Yaraaandoo (based on Aboriginal creation mythology), an album whose longevity led to it being re-released almost 40 years later. Having recorded 13 LPs since 2002, Thomsett (now 68) is still going strong.

Thomsett’s two 2015 concept albums feature his singing. The Dark Catechisms examines how abandonment of traditional values and the warped application of technology have produced a twisted view of life. Free-flowing prog-rock creates a feeling of fear and hysteria and Thomsett’s arrangements convey the emotional turmoil underlying the tracks. ‘Distort the Truth’ mixes cheerful flute with wailing guitar, while in ‘Feed the Fear’, the dark tide of guitars expresses the tumult of crisis.

Thomsett’s somewhat mournful vocals, which are limited in their strength, add to the air of doom. ‘Drug the Masses’ combines a train-whistle harmonica with a drifting hippy vibe and more robust, focused guitars that well express the song’s intent. The Invisible Empire of the Air celebrates how technology has enabled the capture and exploitation of sound through the ages.

Opener ‘Seven Echoes’ projects a mystical vibe through an eerie mix of sounds and Thomsett’s ghostly singing. Sometimes melodious, occasionally discordant, the music rises in power as the technology advances.

Thomsett’s recordings of multiinstrumental arrangements (with guitars, drums, flute, synths and saxophone and more played by himself) are a testament to his considerable abilities. However, while his musicianship is notable, his vocals are not and he needs another singer if his work is to have wider appeal.

RORY MCCARTNEY

Segall blends harder ’70s psych with fragile pop on ‘Candy Sam’, the first track off his upcoming album. The track has one of Segall’s catchier hooks, and a runaway guitar seemingly with a mind of its own.

Nice and fun for a hot summer day, down to the whistling breakdown at the end.

MONEY FOR ROPE ‘STRETCHED MY NECK’ Hardworking Melbournites and perennial live favourites Money For Rope drop a track where you can practically smell the stench of beer on the worn pub carpet. This might be their best recorded effort to date, with bombs of energy hitting all across this one. Time to hop on the bandwagon if you haven’t already.

JENS LEKMAN ‘POSTCARD 52’ On NYE 2014, enigmatic Swede Jens Lekman resolved to write a song a week for all of 2015, in order to get over a case of writer’s block. Lekman takes the role of forlorn poet, wistfully reminiscing while dreamy female vocals fill the air around. ‘Postcard 52’ sees Lekman in a place where he operates best, full of mournful regret and with something to say.

JUSTIN BIEBER ‘LOVE YOURSELF’ Sure, Justin Bieber is making more listenable music now.

There is a curve of progression there.

Getting a wide variety of producers on board – and other voices like Ed Sheeran – has undoubtedly helped.

But is ‘Love Yourself’ a good enough song to recommend any of my friends to listen to? No. Not close. But it’s going in the right direction.

@bmamag

THE LEVITATION HEX

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47

the word

on films

WITH EMMA ROBINSON

It was with great trepidation that I entered the theatre to see the latest installment in the cultural epoch that is Star Wars. Humanity might have had to declare mass cultural bankruptcy if J. J. Abrams had screwed this one up. Walking past Chewy in the foyer we exchanged nervous glances (although that may have been due to the fact that person inside couldn’t breathe).

Reverent silence followed the outburst of applause when the opening credits rolled and within five minutes the audience visibly relaxed. The Phantom Menace this was not.

quote of the issue “That’s not how the force works!”

– Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Rest easy, super-fans. Rein it in, jaded sceptics. The Force is strong with this one.

In the very capable hands of director J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens captures the charming innocence, humour, sense of adventure and familial drama that made the original Star Wars trilogy so special.

Given the immense baggage of the franchise, I was relieved and surprised to find that there is barely a hint of lengthy and unnecessary exposition. The story is ‘shown and not told’: very rare in blockbuster fare.

There are some welcome newcomers: the ‘awwww’inducing BB-8 is well and truly off the cuteness scale, while Daisy Ridley absolutely shines as Rey. She’s one of the most appealing heroines to come out of cinema in recent years – she’s strong, kind, resourceful, fun and full of wonder.

The Force Awakens is a beautiful synthesis of old and new, both in terms of narrative and audience. The screening I attended was unabashedly filled with Wookies, Princess Leias and Stormtroopers: cinema-goers who had grown up with the franchise were now introducing their children to this world. The Force Awakens echoes the Oedipal overtones that gave Star Wars the gravitas it needed and cemented The Empire Strikes Back as a classic of modern cinema. Star Wars continues to resonate with its audience because it’s fundamentally a family-friendly, family-drama – with lightsabers!

The Force Awakens is guaranteed fun. Bring on the next Episode.

MAJELLA CARMODY

SUFFRAGETTE

THE BÉLIER FAMILY

The timeline of the women’s suffrage movement is shocking.

Switzerland, for example, only granted women the vote in 1971.

Saudi Arabia allowed female suffrage just last year. There’s still a long way to go.

When scrolling through the plethora of films about ablebodied people, it’s nice to come across a movie that prominently features people with a disability.

What is even better is when that disability is not the defining feature of the characters.

Directed by Sarah Gavron, Suffragette showcases pure ‘people power’ taking a stand and sacrificing all, in order to generate positive social change.

Set in early-1900s Britain, the film follows the story of Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan), a young mother and laundry-worker, who becomes involved in a political riot, exposing her to key players in the suffragette movement. Through Maud’s character, Suffragette details the fight against conformity and the conservatism of British politicians, where the norm in British society was that women should know their place.

While Suffragette illuminates key historical events within the early British women’s suffrage movement, its episodic structure at times awkwardly slots Maud into the timeline, overcomplicating her cipherrole almost to the point of contrivance. However, the film illuminates the high familial price and devastating social stigma attached to being associated with the cause. Suffragette also steers clear of expected bias, by exploring various sentiments and perspectives. Archival footage that accompanies the film’s credits resonates with contemporary rights discourse, highlighting the struggles of those who have gone before, and those who continue to fight today.

The Bélier Family is a comingof-age story about a young woman who is the only member of her family who can hear.

Thus she acts as a conduit of communication for her parents and younger brother, signing and interpreting for them, whilst trying to carve out some independence and space for herself. It’s a tricky and often hilarious balance to strike, particularly when she discovers she has a voice most sopranos would kill for and subsequently an opportunity to move to Paris.

The clever thing about this film is that while the deafness of the family is a key plot point and driver, it only informs rather than dictates the personalities of the family members. This also happens to be its downfall – there is no getting away from the fact that this family is weird and at times incredibly aggravating.

The scenes intended to elicit sympathy from the audience fell flat – instead of feeling compassion for the parents, what was felt was exasperation that the 16-year-old daughter had to be the voice of reason.

Nevertheless, The Bélier Family is a heartwarming, original take on a coming of age story.

EMMA ROBINSON

See this film. Continue the conversation.

MAJELLA CARMODY

@bmamag

PALACE CINEMAS

DADDY’S HOME

JOY

Will Ferrell is one of the greatest comic minds of our generation.

No, I’m not wrong, and no, I will not take that back. Any film he casts his dumb-guy magic upon I will watch, and will probably have a good time. There are no bad Will Ferrell films, just lessgood ones.

Superstar Jennifer Lawrence along with the just-keepsgetting-better Bradley Cooper have once again teamed up with director David O’Russell (a combination that never seems to fail) in the semi-autobiographical story of a tenacious woman who invented several things we take for granted today.

Having said all of this, I will say that director Sean Anders’ Daddy’s Home is probably what I would consider to be a ‘lessgood’ Will Ferrell feature. Yes, the chemistry between Mark Wahlberg as Dusty and Ferrell as Brad is outstanding, however the end result falls a little flat.

Daddy’s Home pits two childish men against each other in a battle for the hearts of Dusty’s biological children. The film pulls many punches and almost always takes the safe road, with easy jokes and comic set-ups, which – while amusing – are not as funny as they should be. Thomas Haden Church and Hannibal Buress shine in their supporting roles, but the whole film lacks the energy of Adam McKay (director of The Other Guys and regular Ferrell collaborator). Anders gives a valiant effort but fails to coax the gleeful madness out of Wahlberg and Ferrell, and doesn’t provide the same calibre of entertainment as Anchorman, Step-Brothers or Talladega Nights. Regardless, this is a perfectly fine film, and is more than welcome entertainment on a lazy Sunday night, or when recovering from a hangover.

PATRICK JOHNSON

Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is a woman managing a bizarre and needy family whilst trying to curate some happiness and success for herself. In between raising her children with her ex-husband (who resides in her basement) and managing her estranged parent’s various idiosyncrasies, Joy is struck with inspiration – what if there existed a mop that you never had to replace? Well, the inventor of such a product would find themselves facing adversity at every turn, even from those who claim to have her back, and would need to display constant vigilance.

Characters are often at their most compelling when what drives them is innate rather than something that is drawn out by another person. Joy’s integrity and momentum comes from within herself and not from any romantic entanglement – which is rare in a film with a female protagonist.

Every person has a breaking point. The interesting part comes after – how does a person handle crisis? Do they fall apart or do they bring the hammer down right between the eyes?

You can probably guess what path Joy chooses to charge down, which is why everyone should see this fantastic film.

EMMA ROBINSON

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the word on dvds

INSIDE OUT [DISNEY] Two words made me put off watching this incredible film for many months: Herman’s Head.

For those who lived through ’90s TV, Herman’s Head was a show where a guy called Herman struggled through every day with a chorus of annoying idiots – his psyche, in miniature human form, inside his head arguing over his every decision. I’m not the first to notice the similarities between this little-known, not especially cult TV show and 2015’s second biggest (Minions sold more tickets… really???) animated film. But my memories of that show made me pass for far too long.

Inside Out takes the same basic concept – someone’s personality and psyche is driven by multiple, often incompatible components – and applies several layers of magic Pixar dust. The first layer is the cast. It goes without saying that having Amy Poehler in anything is a win, but lining up Lewis Black, Diane Lane, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader and Kyler MacLachlan and especially The Office’s Phyllis Smith (Sadness) makes this one of the most expertly balanced casts in a Pixar film. The next layer is the scripting. Making the internal working of a teenage girl’s mind a reality was one of my biggest worries for this film; having a bunch of characters argue over who gets to ‘win’ an emotion was never going to work. In Inside Out, the structure makes perfect sense – from trains of thought to core emotions. It’s complex, nuanced and believable. And of course another significant level is the animation itself – you never feel lost or betrayed by using animation to create shortcuts. It’s also technically stunning, more so than recent Pixar efforts.

Many animated films promise to bridge the gap between childlike wonder and adult concepts. It’s an area Ghibli has owned for decades. Inside Out makes a good fist of hitting the same heights.

JUSTIN HOOK

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MAGNUM P.I. – THE COMPLETE FIRST AND SECOND SEASON [MADMAN] By the end of the 1970s pretty much everyone except for Elton John was jack of it. Oil shocks had created recessions round the globe. Urban decay and so-called ‘white flight’ meant cities were going bankrupt or burning. Rolling strikes meant garbage was piling up in the streets. On top of all that the two superpowers kept the Cold War alive with some pretty intense posturing in the Middle East, after some even more disastrous posturing in SE Asia. Terrorism was rife. Plus ça change. So it’s unsurprising that by the turn of the decade, light relief and colour were needed – which explains a lot about the ’80s. And right on cue, in late 1980, came a moustache, a wardrobe of glorious gauche shirts, a red Ferrari and a luscious Hawaiian estate.

Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) was owner of the moustache and shirts and he had an arrangement with the unseen Robin Masters (Orson Welles in voice form only) where he could hang on his estate, fang that Ferrari so long as he did a few odd jobs and put up with snooty estate manager, Higgins (John Hillerman). By and large, the odd jobs were local detective work, where he’d team up with his old war buddies. Over time the relationship between Higgins and Magnum became the focus of the show, but in these early seasons the show is purely about action, fun and manageable danger. The crooks never won and were never scripted to. But when the location shots saw red sports cars winding around tropical coastlines, who cares?

Magnum P.I. might be simple but it isn’t dumb. Selleck, dare I say it, had depth and Hillerman is an oldschool Hollywood actor who doesn’t resort to chewing scenery to play aloof. And though a product of its times, it’s aged remarkably well.

JUSTIN HOOK

TRUE DETECTIVE – SEASON TWO [WARNER HOME VIDEO] By the end of True Detective’s debut season, there were many (this reviewer included, though with some reservations) applauding loudly. It was bleak, desolate and weird. Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey both turned in star performances, letting pauses and air say as much as a 200-word diatribe. Audiences wanted more, so you can understand why shudders were felt across keyboards when it was announced Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn would be major parts of the return season. Both are well-known for their love of ham, so it’s fair to say those shuddering had due cause.

As it turns out, the casting decisions – so critical to the first season’s success – were the least of this show’s worries.

The problems are evident from the very beginning, where all the major characters (including Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch) are introduced hurriedly, each from their very different part of California, only to be drawn together in a moody, swirling final shot heavily implying impending doom. It seems all too obvious, as if they were trying to condense a sprawling Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia, Boogie Nights) film into 52 minutes.

Where season one worked hard for its mood, this one repeats the same methods (brooding establishing shots from high in the sky, desolate people doing dysfunctional things, cod philosophy dressed up as the metaphysical) and expects us to feel the intensity straight away.

And that simply won’t wash with Vaughn as the scheming villain. There’s even a repeat of an ‘episode six event’ – that tracking shot in season one and the sex party in season two.

For all the bad press this season got, it’s not all too shabby. It just feels like a show lacking in confidence, over-egging the dialogue and happy to take the proven path. And fair play, Farrell was pretty great.

JUSTIN HOOK

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AD SPACE

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the word

Falls Music and Arts Festival Mt Duneed Estate, VIC Monday December 28 – Friday January 1

on gigs

Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen.

With extreme weather pounding the southwest of Victoria, fires raged along the Great Ocean Road, eventually claiming 116 homes along the way. With the fires threatening to push towards Lorne and its surrounds, the organisers of the festival made the tough decision to move the festival to safer grounds. They had 30 hours from the announcement of the move to build a festival – essentially from scratch – and somehow they pulled it off.

Seventeen. Sixteen. Fifteen.

The first night was billed as Boogie Nights – practice reps for the early arrivals. Nothing was too serious here, with the Mexican Elvis (El Vez) and “Weird Al” Yankovic (who wasn’t that weird after all) featuring. The highlight of the night was also the band that seemed to have the most fun – Art vs Science, which was fitting.

Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve.

On the second day, Paul Kelly stole the show with the Merri Soul Session in the fading sunlight. A punter had made a sign with “Aw, Choon” scrawled across it, and he wasn’t wrong. Kelly was far from the only highlight on the second day, with partners-in-crime The Bennies and Dune Rats whipping the crowd into a frenzy with joints, sex toys and wild jams. Wavves came on later and took it to another level, at least to my now-barely functional ears. ‘Post-Acid’ and ‘King of the Beach’ are truly choons, as sign guy attested to.

Eleven. Ten. Nine.

Manglewurzel into Soak into Alpine provided a spark to the third morning, all with slightly different flavours of indie pop, all with assured, catchy song writing. Courtney Barnett delivering a great live set is one of the surer bets going around the scene now, and she didn’t disappoint. Running through most of Sometimes, Barnett and her crack band blend great lyricism and top notch playing into something that feels worthwhile and substantial.

Eight. Seven. Six. Of all the things that I hope to remember in the future, the Young Fathers set mid-afternoon is firmly amongst them. Over the course of three-quarters of an hour the four Scots put in a transcendent performance, one that defies ordinary criticism. You kinda had to be there, and I’m glad I was.

Five. Four. Three.

PHOTOS BY MEGAN LEAHY

Even with extra tickets being sold for charity fund-raising, the grounds were pretty sparse all day due to the 42 degree heat.

Gang of Youths killed it in their early set, winning the crowd over (and then some) with their energetic brand of rock and roll and ardent feminism. Money For Rope picked up where Gang of Youths left off an hour later, and put in a dominant set of fury and guitars that was more than worth the effort. Money for Rope – despite the lack of stature – have grown into being one of the finest live bands going around, the type of band you’d want to see in your local every week and never walk away disappointed. Kurt Vile was also a highlight, playing a sublime set of Americana-tinged rock, sitting in the middle of his own self-built universe.

Two. One. Happy New Year.

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The year actually ended twice for me, thanks to the stages being slightly out of sync with each other. As DJ Yoda hit play on a banger and Foals launched into another slice of arena-rock, I reclined, beer in hand on what remained of the grass and thought about the fires, the new festival site and whether it was worthwhile. As the beer disappeared and Django Django finished off the festival in fine style, everything seemed just right, despite the chaos.

CODY ATKINSON

@bmamag

KING OMAILLEYS

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the word

on gigs

Woodford Folk Festival Woodford, QLD Monday December 28 (Day 2) Welcome to Woodfordia – the magical place just outside Woodford, about an hour north of Brissy. You may remember it as the place Splendour took over for a couple of years, but for the folkies it is a permanent spiritual home. Set on a beautiful property, which has benefited from lots of regeneration work, it is delightfully shady and spacious while still remaining an intimate vibe.

First on the list was my new favourite live act, Montaigne. Having recently seen her do a fantastic show at the Mullum Music Festival, I wanted to see if it was a one-off. Not so, as this time was just as endearing as the first. This pint-sized gem is slowly building up a fan base on the back of some great EPs and reviews. Watching her swing around like a rag doll during ‘I Am Not Your End’ and blasting out her triple j Like A Version cover of Sia’s ‘Chandelier’, you can see it is justified. Josh Pyke was next and I was slightly disappointed not to see a full band, but with his guitar and stomp pedal, he ploughed through his impressive songs, with ‘Summer’ and ‘Hollering Hearts’ being favourites of mine.

The Paper Kites opened their set with ‘Electric Indigo’ from their new release. Fuck, I love this band and love the new direction in sound, which veers away from their indie-folk beginnings. They still played older songs like the hauntingly beautiful ‘Bloom’ to make a great show. Ex-Saints frontman Ed Kuepper packed the beautifully decorated Garland stage. His set mainly consisted of tracks from his upcoming album, because as he put it, “nobody knows my other stuff anyway”. This is not the case however, as he has an impressive back catalogue that I and many others would have loved to have heard, but nice to see him still around and showing off his talent.

Heading into the Pineapple Bar for a cheap cocktail, Brisbane’s dub/ reggae/funk outfit CC The Cat was in full swing on the small stage.

This is the quintessential Woodford vibe at its best, with people of all ages dancing away, many in bare feet just letting themselves be taken away. The band was extremely tight and CC has a towering stage presence; her earthy look fits right in the surroundings.

The last major act of the night was Courtney Barnett who quickly filled the amphitheatre stage. The last time I saw her was at The Front in Lyneham with a crowd of 15 people, so she has come a long way. With a quick announcement and a roar, Woodfordia awakened to a rocking set as Courtney ripped through songs from the new album. For someone whose songs contain so much dialogue, Courtney is light on crowd banter – albeit she let us know that she is from Melbourne and she explained the meaning behind her next song, ‘Depreston’. This is merely a short slowdown as the rest of her set thumps away with the young crowd jumping away at the front, showing their appreciation right ’til the last song. Myself, I’m not sure about her ‘Aussie as’ sound, but obviously this crowd and the world is lapping it up – so as we say down-under, “farken you beaut, bonza ripper to her mate!”

On the walk back to the car, I was reminiscing about my day and how blown away I was by all the selection of bars/food and the side activities on offer. In between my indie sets I saw acts as diverse as a French-inspired cabaret band, improv, street, blues bands, to an all-male choir with the scruffiest set of gentlemen – and surprisingly I liked it all. Maybe I’m not such a snob after all.

That said, if Woodford could put aside one day each year for us indie snobs, I and many more will come and bask in its presence and maybe open our eyes to other sounds. Regardless, it’s definitely worth at least a daytrip if you have never been.

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ALEX KREET

@bmamag

UNDERSTANDING MUSIC

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the word

Cell Block 69, Brass Knuckle Brass Band, Hot Gossip ANU Bar Saturday December 19

on gigs

Duane Le-Corey Michaels is one unlucky guy. To have written hit after hit in the ’80s, he and his fellow Cell Block 69 bandmates (who are also coincidentally called Corey) should have ruled the world.

Yet, the songs were all poached by the artists that made them famous, leaving Cell Block just letting the days go by.

While the band could be forgiven for being bitter about the situation, their annual reunion show held in “Canberry’s ANU asbestos-riddled stadium” was full of power and passion. Ably supported by the thrusts of Hot Gossip (winners of the 2015 Dance Off) and a crisp Brass Knuckle Brass Band, the capacity crowd was primed for the final countdown to the main act. Like a well-oiled and extremely well-costumed machine, Cell Block 69 delivered the goods.

Their blistering double set reclaimed anthems from Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Billy Idol, Van Halen, Queen, INXS and Talking Heads.

Particular highlights included ‘You Can Call Me Al’, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ and ‘Leave a Light On’. Showing they were up with the times, a ’90s mega-mix was thrown in for good measure. Never have I heard ‘MMMBop’ mesh so seamlessly with ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. The audience lapped up the brief change of direction, though the night firmly belonged to the ’80s.

PHOTO BY LISA SAMPSON

When the finale arrived with a bagpipe cameo in ‘You’re the Voice’, we were told this was the last time Cell Block was to perform. After over a decade of reunion concerts, I have a good feeling the band of Corey’s will pull another Farnham-esque reunion in 2016. Don’t change, Cell Block 69, you glorious bastards.

LISA SAMPSON

the word

on gigs

Stray From The Path, Hellions, Antagonist A.D., Void of Vision The Basement Wednesday January 13 With Unify just around the corner, it’s been the perfect opportunity for bands to get out and about on tours and sideshows. On Wednesday night, Canberra hosted US visitors Stray From The Path, as they showcased their latest masterpiece Subliminal Criminals.

Along with fellow Unify performers – Void of Vision and Hellions – they were also graced with Australia’s favourite New Zealanders, Antagonist A.D. Shortly after doors opened, Void of Vision hit the stage. With beautiful melodic guitar played over the top of crunching tunes, Void played a great set. The band even gave Canberra a taste of music to come, showing the crowd a new track. Next up was Antagonist A.D., blasting out that unique sound that Canberra has come to know and love. Having played here quite a number of times, they seem to have become very comfortable with the place, pumping out their high energy set in good fashion.

PHOTO BY GABBY MARSHALL

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Then came Hellions. From the get-go, the crowd interaction was awe-inspiring; as they played, their music style changed. Finally The Basement stage was hit by Stray From The Path. Pulling the pin on the grenade, they exploded onto the stage playing many tracks from the new album as well as a few oldies. Since this was their first concert in Canberra, the crowd seemed to match the energy of the band. Personally, I found Stray From The Path’s set to be one of the best I have heard. But all in all, I found that the concert could have been better. All the bands had about 30–40 minute sets, which made the night feel like it dragged on. However, the sound and lighting was definitely fitting of a concert of this nature.

JOSHUA ROBERTSON

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE January 20 – January 30 Listings are a free community service. Email editorial@bmamag.com to have your events appear each issue.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20 ART EXHIBITIONS Sideshow Alley

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015 Free. Until Apr 2016.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

DANCE The Sleeping Beauty Storytime Ballet

Psionic Tide 8pm. $10.

LIVE MUSIC

Simon Tedeschi: Pictures at an Exhibition

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Irish Jam Session

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

10.30pm. Free.

ON THE TOWN Glamour and Moist With Tammy Paks 8pm. Bookings recommended. www. politbar.co.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Jan 11-29. A range of classes to be offered.

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

THURSDAY JANUARY 21 COMEDY LOL Pol

$7/$10. Bookings recommended. politbar.co POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

DANCE The Sleeping Beauty Storytime Ballet

The Australian Ballet. $44.

THE PLAYHOUSE

LIVE MUSIC The Stiffys 9pm. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

19-Twenty 7pm. Free.

Late night openings. 6.30pm. Tickets required.

Songs to Die For

6pm-6.30pm and 7pm-7.30pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

SATURDAY JANUARY 23 ART EXHIBITIONS Messages from Canberra

Parlour House Band

NOFX

The Bootleg Sessions

9am. Oztix.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Parlour House Band

Various Artists. 8pm. Free.

TUESDAY JANUARY 26 SOMETHING DIFFERENT Australia Day

12pm. $25-$35.

WESTSIDE ACTON PARK

UC REFECTORY

4pm.

PARLOUR WINE ROOM

Eliza And The Delusionals 8pm. $10.

THE BASEMENT

Eliza & The Delusionals

The Gaps, Despite Eviction & Critical Monkee.

THE BASEMENT

6.30pm. $20.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27

DANCE

ART EXHIBITIONS

The Sleeping Beauty Storytime Ballet

Sideshow Alley

THE PLAYHOUSE

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Australian Ballet. $44.

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

FILM

LIVE MUSIC

Robbery Under Arms

Out of Abingdon

2pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Zambezi Sounds. $20/$15/$12. 8pm.

Spirit Bunny 9.30. $5.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Plump

HIPPO BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Summer School Holiday Program

Jan 11-29. A range of classes to be offered.

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

WORKSHOPS

10.30pm. Free.

Introductory Intensive

Nathan Hawes

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

Uni Pub Comedy

LIVE MUSIC

LIVE MUSIC

THE PHOENIX BAR

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

6.20pm. $30.

THE PLAYHOUSE

LIVE MUSIC

Sideshow Alley

COMEDY

The Australian Ballet. $44.

FRIDAY JANUARY 29

MONDAY JANUARY 25

THE PHOENIX BAR

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

The Sleeping Beauty Storytime Ballet

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

$290.

Nerd Trivia with Joel and Ali

THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

DANCE

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Impact Comics Presents

Chicago Charles & Danger Dave

UNI PUB

Introductory Intensive

With Franklyn B Paverty and Humbug.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Dereb The Ambassador

Tony Martin 15 Jan. Tom Gleeson 22 Jan. Jeff Green 19 Feb. $20/$25.

Australia Day Concert

The Missing Lincolns

ON THE TOWN

FRIDAY JANUARY 22

WORKSHOPS

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb.

LIVE MUSIC

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

TRIVIA

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

9pm. Free.

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

Performance. 7pm. $30/$35.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

The Australian Ballet. $44.

Summer School Holiday Program

THEATRE

Special K

THE BASEMENT

Sex, Murder and Mayhem Tours.

THE PLAYHOUSE

SUNDAY JANUARY 24

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Big Boss Groove

Big band party sounds.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

$290.

THURSDAY JANUARY 28

THE ABBEY

Icon

10.30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

The Umbrella Man $27/$42. 8pm.

CANBERRA DEAKIN FOOTBALL CLUB

Rock or Be Rocked 8pm. Free.

ROSE COTTAGE

WORKSHOPS Introductory Intensive $290.

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

SATURDAY JANUARY 30 ART EXHIBITIONS Sideshow Alley

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

FILM Lola Montes 3pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

LIVE MUSIC

Los Chavos

The Shift

9pm. $10.

Summer School Holiday Program

Special K

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

Kristy Cox and Travis List

LIVE MUSIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Jan 11-29. A range of classes to be offered.

9pm. $10.

THE PHOENIX BAR

10.30pm. Free.

8pm. $15.

THE BASEMENT

Young Monks

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

9.30. $10.

Queen Juanita and the Zydeco Cowboys

Josh Pyke

7pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

8pm. $50.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

4pm.

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

Moochers Inc

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

10.30pm. Free.

THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

Shaken and Stirred

Annie and the Armadillos

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

PARLOUR WINE ROOM

Live music.

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Burlesque and cabaret. 7:30pm. $20. politbar.co

4th Degree

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Jazz and blues.

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE January 30 – Feb 10 SATURDAY JANUARY 30

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

TRIVIA

SoundOut 2016

Never Mind The Buzzcocks

International festival of improvisation, Jazz and experimental music.

Pop music trivia.

THE PHOENIX BAR

AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

WORKSHOPS Medieval Cookware Course Followed by Medieval Feast on Feb 13. $200.

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

SUNDAY JANUARY 31 LIVE MUSIC Drawn In

1pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Irish Jam Session

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

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Belle Whyte

Indigenous singer/songwriter.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3

Medieval Cookware Course Followed by Medieval Feast on Feb 13. $200.

WATSON ARTS CENTRE

MONDAY FEBRUARY 1 LIVE MUSIC Canberra Musician’s Club Presents

The Bootleg Sessions. 8pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT QL2 Enrolment Day ql2.org.au.

QL2 THEATRE

Ithaqua

7pm. $10.

THE BASEMENT

The Fuelers

9pm. $10/$15.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Sideshow Alley

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7 ART EXHIBITIONS Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

LIVE MUSIC

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

The Cool

Evensong

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Lakeside at 5

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Love Eyes

ANCA GALLERY

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC

7.30pm. $25.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

Lawrence Mooney 7.30pm. $25.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

WORKSHOPS

THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

6 Feb.

8pm. $102.30-$266.15.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE

With Bernie Hayes. 8pm. $25/20/15.

Diana Krall

ART EXHIBITIONS

International festival of improvisation, Jazz and experimental music.

Pocket Fox

Dog Trumpet

ART EXHIBITIONS

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

SoundOut 2016

LIVE MUSIC

Love Eyes

10pm. Free.

Live music. Free. 5pm.

Lawrence Mooney THE COURTYARD STUDIO

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Horror Show with a Magic Lantern

Late night opening. 6pm/7pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6

ANCA GALLERY

ART EXHIBITIONS

LIVE MUSIC

Love Eyes

The Hard Aches

ANCA GALLERY

9pm. $10.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Adam & Ash 9pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

Dream Machine 5-28 Feb. Free.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Sideshow Alley

Choral music. 4pm. Free.

Irish Jam Session

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

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Night Terrors $10 entry.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Young Monks Indie pop band.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Lawrence Mooney 7.30pm. $25.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

MONDAY FEBRUARY 8 ART EXHIBITIONS Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

LIVE MUSIC

Lawrence Mooney

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

Lawrence Mooney

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Messages from Canberra

The O’Week Bootleg Sessions

7.30pm. $25.

ON THE TOWN Benefits with Friends 8pm. $20/$25.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb.

7.30pm. $25.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

8pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

FILM The Bounty 2pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9 ART EXHIBITIONS Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

ART EXHIBITIONS

LIVE MUSIC

Love Eyes

Excuse the French

COMEDY

THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

Dawn French

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

8pm. $20/15/10.

James Reyne

$112-$266.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC

With Moving Pictures. Tickets at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

Evensong

Choral music. 4pm. Free.

FOUR WINDS FESTIVAL

ANCA GALLERY

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Gooch Palms 9.30. $10.

THE PHOENIX BAR

James Reyne

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Lawrence Mooney 7.30pm. $25.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10

8pm. $75.

ART EXHIBITIONS

Justine Clarke

Love Eyes

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

ANCA GALLERY

Lawrence Mooney

5-28 Feb. Free.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

With Mr Tim and the Fuzzy Elbows.

7.30pm. $25.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

ON THE TOWN Oscar

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

Dream Machine BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Sideshow Alley

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

10.30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE February 10 – Feb 24 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10 ART EXHIBITIONS Messages from Canberra

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

COMEDY Dawn French $112-$266.

ON THE TOWN Oscar

10.30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13 ART EXHIBITIONS Messages from Canberra

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

Lawrence Mooney

Love Eyes

ANCA GALLERY

7.30pm. $25.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 11 ART EXHIBITIONS

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

Naked Girls Reading

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12 ART EXHIBITIONS Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

FILM Mad Dog Morgan 6pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

LIVE MUSIC Shananigans 9!

6pm. $20.

THE BASEMENT

The Button Collective 5pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Amber Isles

With Pocket Fox.

Love Eyes

Love Eyes

ANCA GALLERY

ANCA GALLERY

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

Dream Machine

Dream Machine

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

5-28 Feb. Free.

5-28 Feb. Free.

Sideshow Alley

Sideshow Alley

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb.

Chrome

Heuristic

9pm. Free.

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb.

An Evening with Dave Rawlings Machine

Sideshow Alley

COMEDY

Chicago Charles & Danger Dave

Messages from Canberra

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb.

LIVE MUSIC

LIVE MUSIC

ON THE TOWN

Messages from Canberra

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

5-28 Feb. Free.

ANCA GALLERY

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

ART EXHIBITIONS

LIVE MUSIC

Love Eyes

7:30pm. $15.

ART EXHIBITIONS

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20

Dream Machine

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 17

10pm. Free.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14 ART EXHIBITIONS

8pm. $83.

THE PLAYHOUSE

9pm. $10.

THE BASEMENT

THEATRE

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 18

The Empire Strips Back $65-$85.

ART EXHIBITIONS

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 21 ART EXHIBITIONS

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19

Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

Love Eyes

ART EXHIBITIONS

ANCA GALLERY

Love Eyes

LIVE MUSIC

ANCA GALLERY

Canberra Blues Society Monthly Jams

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

LIVE MUSIC Irish Jam Session

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

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

MONDAY FEBRUARY 15 ART EXHIBITIONS Love Eyes

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16 ART EXHIBITIONS

ANCA GALLERY

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen

COMEDY

2pm $3 CBS members /$5 nonmembers.

Uni Pub Comedy

Tony Martin 15 Jan. Tom Gleeson 22 Jan. Jeff Green 19 Feb. $20/$25.

UNI PUB

LIVE MUSIC

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24 ART EXHIBITIONS

Horizons Edge

Messages from Canberra

7.30pm. $12.

THE BASEMENT

Screen Printed Posters from Megalo.

5-28 Feb.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Dream Machine

Cluedo “Game of Drones” $15/$20. 7pm. politbar.co.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Love Eyes

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

5-28 Feb. Free.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Sideshow Alley

Infamy, the macabre and the portrait.

5 Dec-28 Feb. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Solo exhibition by Eliya Nikki Cohen ANCA GALLERY

THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

OUT

FEB 17

SUFJAN STEVENS SINGS ABOUT HIS MUM SMALL CANBERRA GIRLS ROCK HARDER THAN EVERYONE WE TAKE KINDLY TO THE NATIONAL FOLK FEST ‘ROUND HERE ...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

Kayo Marbilus facebook.com/kayomarbilus1

Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288

Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792

Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313 Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343

YOUNG MONKS Group members: Matt Santos (Vocals), Steve Reinhart (guitars), Sam Koster (guitars), Tommy Caldwell (bass), Zac Gaudie (drums).

Where did your band name come from? Space.

Describe your sound. Young Monks are a mega blend of reggae styles to all-out rock and roll. Drawing influence form every single musician on earth, from Pink Floyd to Sonic Youth, Pantera to Sticky Fingers.

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

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Adam Sandler films.

Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? Tommy’s head banging.

Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005

Of what are you proudest so far? Seeing people sing the songs we’ve worked so hard to create.

What are your plans for the future? Writing, recording and an album release.

Chris Harland Blues Band, The Chris 0418 490 649 chrisharlandbluesband @gmail.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662

What makes you laugh? Good times.

Danny V Danny 0413502428

What pisses you off? Ignorance.

Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428

What about the local scene would you change? More nightlife. People need to get out and support local artists.

What are your upcoming gigs?

Saturday January 30 – Young Monks single release party at The Phoenix.

Sunday February 7 – Summer Sounds Festival at the Botanic Gardens.

Friday March 4 – Enlighten Festival.

Contact info: triplejunearthed.com/artist/young-monks facebook.com/youngmonksband instagram.com/youngmonksband/ soundcloud.com/youngmonks youngmonks.bandcamp.com.

Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com Drumassault Dan 0406 375 997 Feldons, The 0407 213 701 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388 Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020 Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885 Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158 Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com

Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae Rafa 0406647296 Andy 0401572150 Merloc - Recording Studio, Watson. Sam King: 0430484363. sam@ merlocrecords.com 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 Rafe Morris 0416322763 Redletter Ben 0421414472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527 Rug, The Jol 0417273041 Sewer Sideshow Huck 0419630721 Simone & The Soothsayers Singing teacher Simone 62304828 Sorgonian Twins, The Mark 0428650549 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401588884 STonKA Jamie 0422764482 stonka2615@gmail.com Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075 Super Best Friends Greg greg@gunfever.com.au System Addict Jamie 0418398556

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

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

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Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au

Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

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SUFJAN STEVENS

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