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[Canberra’s Entertainment Guide] #518 June/July

I’ve heard many times to be a better writer, you need to read more. Great; now I need to learn to read.”

Mail: 36/97 Eastern Valley Way Belconnen, ACT 2617 Publisher ABN 76 097 301 730 Pty Ltd General Manager Allan Sko T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Allan Sko E: allan@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Graphic Designer/Cover Design Juliette Dudley Film Columnist Cam Williams Entertainment Guide Editor Allan Sko Social Media Manager Allan Sko & Ruth O’Brien Columnists Ruth O’Brien, Josh Nixon, Alice Worley, Chris Marlton, Allan Sko Contributors Josh Eckersley, Rory McCartney, Ruth O’Brien, Vince Leigh, John P Harvey, Michele E Hawkins, Isaac Dugdale, Allan Sko NEXT ISSUE #519 OUT Thursday, 15 July EDITORIAL DEADLINE Friday, 2 July ADVERTISING DEADLINE Wednesday, 7 July 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. EVAN BUCKLEY - THE BURLEY GRIFFIN

IRMA GOLD’S NOVEL - THE BREAKING p. 24 LOLCOL WITH CHRIS MARLTON

EARTHBOUND

RECORD STORE DAY p. 32

TIM FERGUSON p. 28 AERIAL SPORTS - CHER ALBRECHT

CBR MUSIC REVIEWS p. 34 FILM REVIEWS p. 30

EST 1992

FROM THE BOSSMAN

BY ALLAN SKO

[ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM] I was metaphorically thumbing (the only kind of thumbing if you have my skin type) through the raft of potential topics for this month’s Bossman, when the missus decided to pop on Bo Burnham’s new Netflix special Inside to happily while away a portion of the weekend. And now, it’s all I want to talk about. This part-comedy, part mental health exploration, all-art piece is a documentation of Burnham’s creative process, and subsequent output, seemingly filmed over the past year-plus of lockdown. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a time capsule, a perfect distillation of the Lockdown Leg of our lives (which still rages on for many), honed particularly on the plight and struggle of performance creatives who, arguably, only exist along with an audience. If a comedian tells a joke in the forest, and all that. The case for its containment within a capsule of time can also be firmly pinned on how perfectly he captures the zeitgeist of 2020 and beyond. There are songs, and songs aplenty, interspersed with spoken-word vignettes that cover and capture all the hot topics of the day. He opens by questioning his role not just as a comedian in this Covid world (“are you being funny at a time this this?!) but of being a white, male comedian. From here we cover sexting, isolation, mental health, white women on Instagram, Facetiming with Mum, turning 30, suicidal thoughts, outrage and subsequent apology culture, gaming streams, a particularly hilarious mega-meta take on video commentary, and possibly the finest encapsulation of the internet in song form (“a little bit of everything all of the time!” opines his chorus, with the verses comprising an increasingly alarming list of disparate things to “enjoy”). He packs a lot into the running time, which, at 87 minutes, is lengthy for a comedy special. Perhaps too lengthy, you could argue; 10-15 minutes could be shaved off to make it extra tight. But you could also argue, and I would, that this is a deliberate artistic decision by Burnham, with an extended run time reflecting the seemingly never-ending state of the old Covids, and its enforced isolation. Indeed, about 20 minutes before the end, at around the time the special could be safely wrapped up, he confesses to the camera: “I’m about done, but if I finish then I’ll have nothing to focus on, so I’m just going to keep going...” It’s a stunning bit of work; equal parts hilarious and confronting (so much so, a helpline is proffered at credits’ end). I didn’t know Burnham had stepped away from comedy due to the onset of panic attacks, spending time on his mental health to the point he was finally confident in returning, only for Covid to hit. And his return, slow disintegration, and rebirth shown strafes the thin line between reality and performance; hilarity and despair. It strikes at everyone’s core need for connection and confirmation, and - in a beautiful twist - by exploring his own identity turmoil and isolation, he has no-doubt brought many people together in a shared understanding in a way only the sharp, self-aware, and of course, funny Burnham can. So yeah. Worth a watch!

Sam Buckingham / with Kim Yang / Sat, 12 June / Smith’s Alternative

Having played alongside Kasey Chambers, Tim Freedman, Ben Lee and Washington, Sam Buckingham is finally touring solo in support of her fierce new single Something More. “I wrote this song because I was tired of believing I was asking too much... all I’ve ever asked for is the absolute bare minimum of equality and respect. It’s a reminder to myself not to accept the status quo.” Revered for her soul baring, intimate performance, expect storytelling, live loops and sampling, and expertly crafted songwriting. And support from the everwonderful Kim Yang! 6pm, $25 + bf from venue website The Fringe of Squaredom / Jazz in many forms / Sun, 27 June / Tuggeranong Arts Centre

The Fringe of Squaredom presents jazz in its many forms, from the earthy swing of New Orleans to the classic cool of the modern era. Founded by Rachael Thoms and Tom Fell and featuring the powerhouse rhythm section of James Luke, Chris Thwaite and Hugh Barrett, the band brings together a collective of the region’s finest musicians to present four showcase concerts at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre. The concerts build upon the Arts Centre’s growing reputation as a venue for music, offering a program that will appeal to jazz lovers and jazz laymen alike. 4pm - 6pm, $30 via venue

Paco Lara / Virtuoso flamenco guitarist / Sat, 19 June / The Q - Bicentennial Hall

Australia’s own Spanish-born critically acclaimed flamenco guitarist - at the vanguard of flamenco fusion with hugely successful groups, El Barrio and Los Delinquentes - Paco Lara presents an evening of Spanish guitar. Lara’s extols his eclectic fusion of flamenco and guitar standards, leading his ensemble of second guitar, percussion, keyboard and special guest flamenco dancer, Deya Miranda Giner. The virtuoso of 30 years has toured the world and accompanied some of Spain’s greatest artists such as Maestro Paco Cepero, Mercedes Ruiz, and Isabel Pantoja. 8pm, tix from $25 + bf via venue

With Heavy Heart 8/ Metal of the darkest order / Sat, 10 July / Live at the Polo

It’s exciting enough that Canberra’s favourite festival of misery returns for its long-awaited eighth instalment, let alone the announcement of Sydney doom metal maestros Cruciform to head the bill. It further stirs the blood to know they are joined by bigsound industrial doomsters Illimitable Dolor, the dark folk ‘n’ blues balladeers Burden Man, and the dirty dirge of Dust Devil. But perhaps most giddy of all is the slow-heavy-dark Futility, and the launch of their exceptional third album Anhedonic. Never has doom and gloom been so enjoyable. 8pm til late, $25 + bf from Trybooking PAGE 12 PAGE 12 Mick Thomas & The Roving Commission / Album launch/ Thu, 1 July / Smith’s Alternative

Raconteur, troubadour, balladeer and poet, Mick Thomas is best known as chief songwriter of pub-rock icons Weddings, Parties, Anything. Current band The Roving Commission features old “Weddoes” bandmate Squeezebox Wally on Piano Accordion and a rotating schedule of talented performers playing Mick’s unique mix of folk, roots, and country. They are happily touting new album City’s Calling Me - originally a covers project that morphed into more, tapping into the Dutch genre of nostalgic sentimental pop music known as Jordaanlied. Two shows 7pm & 9pm, tix $35 from venue

Don’t Miss The Melody / Music Trivia Night / Sun, 11 July / Smith’s Alternative

Come one, come all to the new Australiana music trivia show unlike any you’ll find in the bush capital. Don’t Miss the Melody brings some much needed pizzaz to the bog standard trivia experience with interactive rounds where you might find yourself in the spotlight. Bring a friend for a plucky table of two or max out with a group of eight. There are prizes to be won and laughs to be had, so don’t dilly dally and book your ticket today. 7-9pm, $15 from smithsalternative. com/events/don-t-miss-the-melody-72512

Mervyn Bishop Exhibition / Influential photographer / Until 1 Aug / NFSA

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia celebrates Mervyn Bishop, one of Australia’s most prolific and influential photographers, with a new exhibition open now until 1 August, 2021. Mr Bishop’s images of culture, politics, and people have significantly influenced our collective understanding of Australia’s history. This exhibition is drawn from the Art Gallery of New South Wales collection, the artist’s private archive, and enriched by sound and moving image from the NFSA. $13/$5, check tickets.nfsa.gov.au/Events/Mervyn-Bishop for opening times and more info Canberra Symphony Orchestra / Four elements, four pieces / Sat, 19 June / Llewellyn Hall

Ancient Greeks believed all matter was comprised of earth, water, air, and fire; the elements undergirded philosophy, science and medicine. Directed by Concertmaster Kirsten Williams, the orchestra explores each element in this program: taking to the sky with Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, before diving into the tempestuous waters of Welsh composer Grace Williams’ Sea Sketches, then bristling with Haydn’s spirited Fire symphony. The earth element has new meaning and urgency via Kim Cunio that seeks to make musical sense of the quandary of climate change. 2pm, $30-$101 via cso.org.au

This World / Jazz Supergroup / Fri, 25 June / The Street Theatre

Comprising four of Australia’s most esteemed jazz musicians, this celebrated super group made waves last year with their critically acclaimed debut album This World. Stuart Nicholson of UK’s Jazzwise called the quartet’s music “profound, moving and expressive jazz of the highest level”. Masterfully articulating the struggle, strength, and hope of humanity, the music imagines the prosaic and profound in a post-pandemic world. Having established deep musical bonds over several decades, the shared history and personal connection between these musicians can be felt in every note. 8pm, $25 - $35 via venue The Governor’s Family / Beatrix Christian play / 1 - 17 July / Canberra Repertory

It’s Sydney, 1897. Government House. A nation of colonies is on the verge of federation. Beatrix Christian’s remarkable play explores what might have been not that long ago. No other Australian play has dealt with such a time and place. The ghosts of our colonial past cannot be forgotten. Vice-Regal secrets warrant attention at any time, even fictional ones. Directed by Tony Llewellyn-Jones and starring Peter Holland as the titular Guv. $35-$45 + bf from Canberra Repertory

Photo by Dylan Evans I’ve Been Meaning To Ask You/ By Canberra Youth Theatre / 8 - 10 July / The Street Theatre

Performed inside a theatre-turned-playground-turned-battleground, this riotous experience is full of questions asked by young people, and answered by adults. Watch as age collides with experience in a revealing one-hour-tell-all that combines anonymous experiences with high-impact video. Adults take a back seat as a powerful panel of 9-13 year olds tackle the answers they receive. A collab with, and performed by, local young people from across Canberra, I’ve Been... brings audiences both young and old together to tackle the big (and little) questions that life throws at us. $18 - $29 + bf from venue facebook.com/bmamagazine Lightbulb Theatre Presents / Shakespeare: Off The Ruff / 1 - 3 July / The Courtyard Studio

Based on a single suggestion from the audience, improvisational impresarios the Lightbulb Improv company creates two fully off the cuff Shakespearean masterpieces right before your eyes. Nothing has been planned or written in advance for the comedy and drama about to unfold. Each performance is a completely new work, inspired by Shakespearean words, intrigues, and themes. All dialogue is devised on the spot, all characters created as you watch. All the stage is a world not yet explored! 7-9pm, $25 - $35 + bf from Canberra Theatre website

LOCALITY

[THE WORD ON LOCAL MUSIC] WITH RUTH O’BRIEN. SEND YOUR GIGS AND INFO TO:

[RUTH@BMAMAG.COM]

Well, well, well, it’s that time of the month again…Locality time! And I know, I know, it’s freezing out there and we’re still managing this coronavirus BS (thoughts are with you Melb + get vaccinated as soon as you can everyone), but there are still amazing things to attend all over the city that are cozy and COVID-Safe.

On Sunday, 20 June, yet another Sounds from the Suburbs will be taking place over at the beloved Gang Gang Cafe in Downer. The line-up this time will feature Nothing Rhymes with David, Slagatha Christie and Swoon Queen. Produced by the amazing music-lovers at Homegrown Sounds, these gigs are, from all accounts, a bloody good time! Tickets are available from Oztix. The guys from Swift Peaks will be launching their single Better on Sunday, 13 June at sideway. They’ll be joined by Signs & Symbols, Lost Coast and Rhys Coles with the gig starting at 2:30pm. Tickets are available at Oztix for a bloody steal at $10! Keen for a bit of a blues jam sesh? Jeff & Deej Band (featuring DJ Gosper aka blues Canberra’s powerhouse!) have got you covered with a June Blues Jam over at the Harmonie German Club on June 20. J & D will start the afternoon off at 2pm and will then be followed by some of Canberra’s finest musicians. Tickets are just $5 for Canberra Blues Society members or $10 for general entry and can be booked through Humanitix. For more info, head to harmonieclub.com.au

For those Fun Machine fans out there, listen up! On Friday, 25 June, the band is back at Smith’s Alternative for a one night only show alongside acts Jason Recliner and Lulu and The Tantrums. Sounds like a pretty bloody great night if you ask me. Tickets can be purchased direct from the Smith’s website at smithalternative. com/events Okay, okay, having a little break from live music now to let you know that the Handmade Markets are back! After having spent the last few market events being online only (which I believe still went quite well) the June market is happening from 25-27th of this month. For the event to stay COVID-Safe, you will need to book a free ticket which can be done via the markets’ website at handmadecanberra.com.au . There’s always loads of cool Canberra-themed stuff and many of the vendors are Canberra locals. So make sure you support this great event if you can! Aaaand, back into music again now! Any Wind, Brass or Strings players out there wanting to join an orchestra? The ANU Orchestra is holding auditions to recruits new members. Applications close Monday, 5 July at 5pm and the audition period is from 19-23 July. For more info and to apply, head to bit.ly/anuorchestra As we get even further into the chilly months , fear not! For Sound and Fury: Cold. Winter. Hot. Party. 2021. is here! Well…not quite yet, but it will be on 10 July at 8pm at Dairy Road in Fyshwick. Directed by the fabulous Little Dove Theatre Art and produced by Dionysus, these events always go off. This is Sound and Fury number 22 and, if popularity is anything to go by, I’m sure this won’t be the last. But just in case it is, go to this one! Tickets can be booked via soundandfury.party for $45. Do it!

One other event you might want to pop in your winter calendar of fun times is Winter Rhythm. Yep, the folks over at Goolabri near Sutton are putting together a fab line-up of incredible local acts including: The Decideds (folk reggae), Kopasetic (roots reggae), Bobby James (blues folk), Skinny Wolf (indie blues), Finn Burton (solo acoustic) and Sri Lustri Experience (guitar ragas). What better way to keep warm than by shakin’ ya bootay to the beats of local tune makers! This great event will be happening on Friday, 16 July from 5pm and tix can be purchased at bit/ly/winter_rhythm And finally! If you’re keen to get more info about music grants, comps, industry advice and other music-related opportunities every fortnight, sign up to my 1-year-old baby, Upbeat! If you subscribe before June 20 you’ll go into the draw to win a Golden Ticket to all Kambri shows for the next year! I’ve been told Upbeat is a pretty good resource for finding out about opportunities for professional musicians and industry personnel, which is good because that’s what it was created for! Anyway, sign up, QR code is below.

O’Brien out.

Ruth O’Brien - Singer | Songwriter | Writer | Lover of all things artsy and creative - email: ruth@bmamag.com

FIND THEIR LOST LIMBS

by Joshua Eckersley

Evan Buckley, better known as The Burley Griffin, is one of the most exciting musicians currently peddling his wares in Canberra’s burgeoning indie music scene. His new album Lost Limbs is due to be released in June, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, he is planning the biggest, most outrageously awesome album launch this city has even seen. But we’ll talk about that later.

First, let’s delve into the bizarre history of Evan Buckley, who has one of the more interesting origin stories that you’ll hear about a young singer-songwriter whose journey has only just begun. Born and raised in Wanniassa, Tuggeranong, Buckley spent a significant portion of his childhood in a religious fundamentalist cult. This involved total isolation from the rest of society, spending the bulk of his time waiting for the rapture to come. Instead of maths and science, he learnt to load and shoot guns; essential skills for any future apocalypse. Instead of having friends like kids do, the closest thing to any sense of connection, according to Buckley, came in the form of his “crappy two-chord songs” that filled the lonely void over those troubling years. Music was a lifeline to the young man and served to be his true salvation when his family eventually left the cult and re-entered society, in time to complete his final years at high school. “I was a pretty weird guy, having spent all this time separated from society,” Evan tells us. “Music was a point of connection for me, going to gigs and starting bands with friends my own age. I went from being the really weird guy to gradually being accepted as a musician, and connecting with people through music.” With this new-found freedom, Evan started touring and seeing much of the world whilst self-funding and releasing two full length albums (You’re Quite a Forest in 2010 and the self-titled Burley Griffin in 2015). With his faith so thoroughly stitched into the fabric of his identity, and not so easy to unpick, he started questioning, finding holes in the foundation of his beliefs. As a songwriter, this growing doubt bled into his music, inspiring the song Die alone off his last album. He recalls: “It was me questioning the nature of God and the idea that God would send people to hell. Could this God even exist? Through processing and writing there was a big part of me deconstructing my Christianity to a point that it (his faith) passed away.” All this makes for a truly fascinating backstory as we return to the present, where Evan has established himself as a gifted songwriter and engaging performer. With three singles already released from the upcoming album, there is a sense of growth and maturity shining through the new music, suggesting The Burley Griffin has become a fully-formed and self-realised project. Aside from the catchy, melodic pop hooks and the tasty tinges of country-rock, there is a clever form of lyrical agility occurring that is nothing short of genius. The recent single Still Waters is a rollercoaster ride through the absurd contradictions of modernday life and includes the following choice lines: I want to be a real handyman I’m gonna whittle you a riddle of my good intentions Meet in the middle like an ampersand I got you holding out your Walden, going even Thoreau says only still waters run The tune was inspired by Evan’s 2016 USA tour that coincided with the Trump presidential election campaign, where illogical reasonings and general insanity was at an all-time high. “That song is about the alternate logic of the libertarian people I was meeting, who were either not going to vote, or were going to vote for Trump because of these weird anti-logics,” Evan recalls. “One of them gave me the book Walden because it was about David Henry Thoreau going out into the wilderness to build a log cabin, and it’s all about being independent. At the same time everyone is having these arguments with me and trying to convince me of stuff that doesn’t make sense.”

It’s one of the many gems on the new album Lost Limbs which is being launched at The Street Theatre on Saturday, 26 June. It promises to be a memorable night where The Burley Griffin will perform the album in its entirety, along with some early classics. Evan excitedly tells us: “It’s going to be an extravaganza. I’m getting a light show and projections organised. There’s going to be a string section, and probably some horns… We’re going to make it a really fun, lovely time. We’re trying to go for a bit of breadth, from fun to quite sincere, and back again.” The album will be available for purchase on vinyl, which is Evan’s preferred format for numerous reasons. “I’m pushing vinyls because this record is very special to me, and I think vinyl is a nice way to listen to it. The lyrics are on the inside because that’s a very important part of it,” Evan tells us. “I don’t try and cloak my lyrics in the mix. I like them to be fairly forward. I’m pro-vulnerability, I guess, in that I want people to hear what I am saying” The Burley Griffin’s Lost Limbs album launch is on Saturday, 26 June at The Street Theatre. Tickets are $25/$29 and are available at thestreet.org.au

THE DROP

[THE WORD ON EDM/DANCE MUSIC] WITH ALLAN SKO

Shibbity-Shabbity POW! It’s another edition of the BMA EDM/ Dance column. Let’s do it to it.

Plenty of local action to commend and recommend, starting with a bit of a love letter to Canberra progressive outfit Late Night Music. If you don’t already know, it’s time to get edumacated! Formed back in a mystical time known as the 2010s by James Beetham and former BMA columnist Peter O’Rourke, whilst the label is listed as Melbournebased, it has Canberra DNA through and through, with the label positioned at the forefront of some cracking Canberra progressive house talent and subsequent original music. Stablemates read as a who’s who of the scene, including Fourthstate, Mønarch, Connor Mac, Liam Sieker and, of course, James “B-Tham” Beetham and Peter “Kazuki” O’Rourke themselves. After years of writing it, I thought it would be a nice twist for the man to feature in it, so I caught up with old mate Pete for a Dance column special mini-interview. “James and I met back in 2010 when he was running open decks nights at Lot 33. He taught me to DJ, and we became best mates over time,” Pete explains. “We ran parties together as Department of Late Nights around 2015 or so, which eventually morphed into the label Late Night Music when James relocated to Melbourne.” Late Night Music’s modus operandi and intent has remained firm from inception. “We really wanted to focus on deep proggy techno and house, which we both share a long affinity for,” Pete opines, “and use it as a way to connect to other artists that inspired us both here in Australia and abroad. If you want your music out there, you can sit around waiting for someone to sign it, or you can push it out there yourself. And it was definitely the right move; I’ve been really proud of what we’ve achieved.”

2021 has already proved to be a good ‘un for the label, with more excitables to come.

“Recent releases from our different artists have seen international airplay and support from some of the icons in the sound that we look up to, such as John Digweed and Robert Babicz,” Pete enthuses. “At the moment, we’ve got a few more releases in the works, including my new EP Samsara / Nirvana. Just waiting for the masters to come back! We’ve got Sri Lanken prog house legend Subandrio on a remix, which I’m pretty stoked about.” Speaking of releases, one of Late Night Music’s recent output concerns B-Tham & Liam Sieker and their track Zenticle. It’s your typical moody, slow-build, high-production prog house affair; bass snarls, blips, synth stabs and keys weave in and out of the main driving bass landscape, retaining the same driving motif throughout but switching up the sounds at just the right intervals to keep you engaged. But heck, don’t take my word for it. Check out their many wares yourself by heading to soundcloud.com/late-night-music-official . There’s also limited edition, juicy, sweet vinyl to be had too. In other local news, this time looking at shows, the hip ‘n’ happenin’ Hot Foot folk are celebrating their first EP launch on Saturday, 12 June, with Mtty taking the honours with his Alberts Intergalactic Adventure (no possessive apostrophe; I checked, fact hounds). The EP serves up “four intergalactic heaters showcasing Mtty’s very own unique and quirky sound”, and the show sees the man headline, with Banker & Jackson Lees in able support. The event is free entry with purchase of the EP from Bandcamp. For the others, grab your tix from Humanitix for $10 a pop. In the meantime, I’ve got your preview stream right here, pal: hotfoot. bandcamp.com/album/alberts-intergalactic-adventure Continuing on the shows-front, another one to circle on the calendar is Irish rave ringmaster Rebūke. Here he is:

Currently quarantining in Melbourne, he’s one of the first international house and techno DJs to tour Australia since the pandemic, a testament to how much he loves Australia. Since breaking through in late 2018 with Along Came Polly on Hot Creations, he’s stamped himself as one of the most original new artists on the scene. His since followed up with standout releases on iconic labels such as Drumcode (Rattle is a minor classic) and The Pipe on the ever-excellent Dirtybird label, before enjoying a standout year in 2020 (despite the lack of gigs), remixing Human Resource’s classic Dominator on Armada, Fatboy Slim & Eats Everything’s All The Ladies, and collaborating with Alan Fitzpatrick. Rebūke himself states of his particular concoction of sounds: “I love house, techno, and old rave records. I’ve got an obsession with the Italian, Belgian, and UK records from the early ‘90s and I try to bring that into my production. It’s really about capturing the dirt and energy of that time and fusing it with modern house and techno. That’s definitely what appeals to me.” And you can check out his wares in person with his first ever Canberra show at Fiction Club on Friday, 11 June. Supports in the main room are Unknown Avenue, Parisi, Amraks, Offtapia, with Divito and Edstar manning the Fact Bar. Tix are $27.01 – $32.23 from intix.com Well heck, that was a lotta words, wasn’t it? You must be knackered. I’ll wrap up here for the month. See you next.

PUNK & DISORDERLY

[THE WORD ON PUNK] WITH ALICE WORLEY

Hey y’all! Got a bunch more release rumblings and a couple of ACT punk rock bands about to resurface. Exciting times ahead! Canberra alternative fans may have noticed that one of the Capital’s staple punk bands has been pretty busy lately. Our beloved Sketch Method have been hitting the studio again! Haven’t had any releases to get keen for since their single Gladys in 2019, and before that their album Is It A Bird? Who Cares? in 2018, so seeing them getting to work on a fresh batch of tunes is just what we need in 2021. Every time these guys put something out, it trumps their previous release, so I’ve got high hopes and high expectations for what’s to come. So enter the newest release from Canberra’s political punk powerhouse; the wonderfully titled Panic! At The Costco. According to the band, it’s: “Two more minutes of pop punk anxiety. Fuelled by a post apocalyptic supply/demand capatilist regime where big business takes all, leaving us to apply for the opportunity to interview to work for our share of the scraps. No super, no overtime, no mercy.” They’re playing The Basement on Friday, 2 July, with tix a mere $18.10 from Oztix. Congratulations to The Dirty Sunflowers on their launch of Reel Love at Smith’s Alternative. Apologies to the staff at Smith’s that had to put all the tables and chairs back after a dance floor became a necessity, but I mean... it was a necessity. Always great to go to a show where all the bands are just mates that love playing with each other. So good to see Parrots With Piercings, Box Dye, and Nora all having such a good time championing the ever increasing catalogue of banger tracks being produced by The Dirty Sunflowers. Kudos to all!

Box Dye have announced a new single; State of Emergency. This will be their second song release after Julia back in early 2020, but this time the single in question has been recorded in a studio and not a friend’s mum’s shed. Still sounded pretty alright though, hey? The track is set to be released on 26 July, with a single launch to follow on the 30th at The Basement. Joining them on stage will be Spinning Plates, Bad Lunar and Northbourne. Should be a night of high energy, aggressive-but-catchy tunes, and maybe we’ll even do some stage diving (we can only hope). Tickets available now through Oztix, get onto it!

Charlotte and The Harlots emerge!

I myself have been wondering; where did Charlotte and The Harlots go? They’re one of my favourite Canberra bands but I haven’t seen any trace of them since last year. Just as I was starting to worry that they’d called it a day, they announced they’re going to be supporting The Kids on their Go Back To Canberra - Canberra Tour alongside Yoko Oh No and Enfants. Phew! Glad they’ve popped back on the radar, as I’m sure many of you are. Great to have them returning to the stage; we missed you! [Hey all, Bossman Sko here quickly popping in with some breaking punk news, reproduced here with Alice’s permission.... After a hiatus of 18 years, Canberra’s Vicious Kitten Records has been relaunched. The first release is a 7” single by NYC punk legend Kevin K - who has teamed up with Ricky Rat (Trash Brats / Dead Boys) on a hard hitting Ramones-like anthem called Identity Crisis. The first 100 singles comes with a bonus Kevin K sticker. Ooooo! Vicious Kitten Records formed in 1999 and grew out of the popular Vicious Kitten Fanzine. The label developed a reputation for releasing artists directly related to, or inspired by, Johnny Thunders and dissolved in 2003. Vicious Kitten released recordings by Australian and international artists including Kevin K, Freddy Lynxx, Nikki Sudden, Rick Blaze & The Ballbusters, Sheek The Shayk (ex-Psychotic Turnbuckles) and The Golden Arms (Japan). There’s plenty more to learn, so for more information on past and future releases, hit up viciouskittenrecords.com OK, that’s all from Sko. Back to you, Alice!] For some interstate band action, one of my all time most beloved Aussie punk bands, DickLord, will be coming to Canberra to support legends The Meanies on their Desperate Measures tour. I never thought I’d see either of these bands in Canberra any time soon, so I am absolutely stoked. I already have my ticket, don’t you? To finish off this month, I just gotta say, been great to see sold out local shows and so many people supporting the scene post lockdown. Big hand for all punters forking over their hard earned dollars to our starving musos and vulnerable venues, keep it up!

METALISE

[THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON The mercury is dropping faster than Coalition capitulation over getting me vaccinated sometime this year, but it doesn’t mean that there are not - despite the Victorian situation - a dearth of riffs one can not lose themselves in as the frost settles in.

ChainTombstone & TheDeadmen have a launch at TheBasement on Friday, 11 June for their newest slab Circus of Gore which actually hit the streets in January. AxiomaticTheory and BlackHeart are joining the festivities and entry is a low, low $13 via Oztix. Mucho Sonar are reigniting their Covid delayed Murdochracy tour from their self titled 2020 EP release. The band play The Basement on Saturday,12 June with a soaring performance from the excellent Pilots of Baalbek and RawrusTongue from Wollongong. Tix are $18.10 from Oztix.

Destroy All Lines are presenting Justice for the Damned on their Pain is Power Australian tour on Thursday, 17 June at The Basement with the intimidating Antagonist AD, KidPresentable, and Facecutter. Tickets are $24.25 from Oztix but you better be quick and grab them today! If you fancy a trip down to even colder climes, I might suggest the weekend of the 17 - 19 June for this years DarkMofo festival which announced its winter program in May.

The full program runs 16-22 June and features a tonne of amazing things done in the way that only the Dark Mofo team can do, transforming Hobart into something unique the world over. Sonic Youth’s ThurstonMoore kicks off events on the 16th, Lo! headline a heavy card on Thursday 17th, Om make a surprise visit headlining the Friday the 18th, and Canberra’s own PodPeople feature on the Screams From The Abyss with Brisbane’s death metal legends Misery, TheAmenta playing their first live show in seven years, Black metallers AltarDefecation, and locals Growth. And there’s the winter feast hall, and the MONA museum’s activities, and a slew of other events. All of these are ticketed, check the website for the full program. Polaris have been dominating the Australian scene of late and their Vagabond east coast tour on Wednesday, 23 June is currently sold out, but there’s a good chance that the ACT government might extend the capacity for that one. Just in case keep an eye and ear out for the Destroy All Lines site to release some more tickets. That show will also have Deadlights and Above, Below along. Witchskull also pulled out not one but a whole tour full of amazing shows for winter with the aptly named March of Winter that takes in Sydney, Melbourne (maybe), Brisbane, Canberra, and the cherry on top, a plush spot in the INCREDIBLE bill for this year’s Blacken Open Air festival in Alice Springs. The Canberra show sees the boys return to The Basement with an almost festival worthy line-up including new album toting Mental Cavity, Astrodeath, MountainWizard DeathCult, and new local band BC. That gig is on Saturday, 24 July and tickets are on sale through Oztix. Blacken Open Air takes place 30 July through to 2 August and the line-up is insane. Thy Art is Murder, Psycroptic, Amyl and the Sniffers, Clowns, Southeast Desert Metal, Shepherds Reign, Claim the Throne, Lo!, Ruins, Mountain Wizard Death Cult, Black Rheno, Potion, Descend to Acheron, Dead, Furor, Astrodeath, Dawn, Nglah, The Neptune Power Federation, Fuxache, Diskust, The Holy Dimes, and Diploid are among the first (first!) announced bands, with the full line-up due to drop soon. You better be quick as tickets through the Trybooking are evaporating at a speed of knots. Closer to home, the Live at The Polo, on Saturday, 10 July, hosts the With Heavy Heart 8 doom fest with a crushing line-up headlined by Australia’s long serving death doom masters Cruciform.

Cruciform enjoying a lovely day out ahead of their With A Heavy Heart 8 appearance

IllimitableDolor, Futility, BurdenMan, and DustDevil round out the morose affair and fingers crossed that the new Futility record we be available on wax on the night. That’s it for this month. See you next.