PAGE 2
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 5
PAGE 6
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 9
[CONTENTS]
[Canberra’s
#521
Entertainment Guide] December/JANUARY
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out, 2021...
THE DECIDEDS
p. 30
Mail: 36/97 Eastern Valley Way Belconnen, ACT 2617 Publisher ABN 76 097 301 730 Pty Ltd General Manager Allan Sko E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Allan Sko E: allan@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi E: accounts@bmamag.com Cover Design Juliette Dudley
p. 16
MUESLI
SOUNDS @ SUMMERNATS
p. 20
Cover photo Joachim Ellenrieder Article Design The Decideds, Summer Rhythm, and Summernats article designs by 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, Chris Marlton, Allan Sko
SUMMER RHYTHM FESTIVAL RETURNS
p. 28
THE BEST CANBERRA MUSIC OF 2021
p. 34
Contributors Josh Eckersley, Ruth O’Brien, Vince Leigh, Allan Sko NEXT ISSUE #521 OUT Thursday, 20 January EDITORIAL DEADLINE Friday, 7 January ADVERTISING DEADLINE Wednesday, 12 January
LOCALITY COLUMN
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.
p. 14
THE DROP
p. 18
BEST METAL OF 2021
p. 22
TIM FERGUSON
ES 199 T 2 PAGE 10
LOLCOL - CHRIS MARLTON p. 26
BEST FILM & TV OF 2021 p. 36
BMA GIG/EVENTS GUIDE p.42 @bmamag
FROM THE BOSSMAN BY ALLAN SKO [ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM]
Ahhhh, how quickly we find ourselves blindly windmill-punching through yet another new year. And this has certainly been a year, hasn’t it? Like a small child awoken from a couch-bound slumber, doughy-eyed and blinking, we wonder where we are, what the heck happened, and what now? There’s a smorgasbord of feelings at this time of year, more so than ever at 2021 stumbles to a close. The smashing together of blind optimism, end-of-year indolence, sombre reflection, and a general sense of ‘Hang on… These aren’t my trousers...’ merrymaking creates something magical about this time. Despite many of us negotiating the new year with a hangover worthy of its own heartbeat, it’s hard not to feel invigorated about opening a fresh pack of 365. In those first few trembling steps of a new year, anything is possible. I will write that book. I will lose that weight. I will stop doing three-list gags as often. Before that, there’s the joy of making our way through the startof-year rituals. Rituals such as taking a spirited romp with a digital machete through the overgrowth of an inbox that, throughout December, has become lush with emails concerning Christmas well-wishes from people you’ve never met and invitations to invigorate the size of one’s member via colourful pills. Of course, there’s the familiar thrashing through anxiety dreams, riddled with the various things you put in the ‘Do It In January’ basket - ie most of it - that threatens to rob you of decent sleep at the very moment you need it. Then there’s being on the receiving end of the various cuts, scrapes, and sharp prods administered when putting away the Christmas decorations, and the ceremonial knocking over of at least one precious item with an electrical cord. Once we venture out into the world - something we can actually do, now, by crikey - there’s the knowing smirk elicited when hitting the gym for the first time, marvelling at the hordes of fellow folk gym-goers sporting clothes that have spent more time absorbing mothballs than sweat. And for those with cricketing inclinations, there’s the joyous sound of a ball skittling violently into the wicket of an unfortunate English batsman, a sound - whilst undeniably pleasing - that tends to sink the heart a tad as it signals the working year looms and that another passage of time has flittered past at the speed of a Mitchell Starc yorker. But this is the year I will seize the day. I’m finally going to write an album, and it will include tracks like the soaring I Like Parenthesis Titled Tracks (Or Do I?), the instant anthem for the world-wise recycling generation Can I Borrow a Peeling? and the heartfelt I Really Must Stop Relying on Three-List Gags. All I need now is to learn to play, write, and basically have anything to do with music other than talk about it. But the year beckons! So before we collapse into the inevitable and safe steady step of drudgery comprising the same failed dreams and bad habits that we subject ourselves to every year, enjoy this glistening moment of optimism. Now if you will excuse me, I have a book to start, a musical instrument to learn, and a pair of trousers to find. facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 11
[HOT TIX]
Los Chavos, Kopasetic, Nina Leo & The Dirty Sunflowers / Sat, 18 December / Live at the Polo As you know, we here at BMA Magazine are staunch supporters of great Canberra live music. This edict is more than satisfied by the Polo Party!, showcasing four of Canberra’s best and brightest. To whit, there’s 8-piece explosion of Latin reggae energy that is Los Chavos; the sublime rhythm engine creators Kopasetic; the boots n all rawness and real pub floor abandon of Nina Leo; and the catchy guitar riffs and unapologetic lyrics of 5-piece punk rock band The Dirty Sunflowers. It’s a hell of a way to cap off a challenging year in carefree, rollicking good fashion. 7:30pm - 11:30pm, $25 + bf via trybooking.com
The Strides / Top shelf roots and reggae / Sun, 19 December / Smokey Horse The Strides blew the roof off Smokey Horse earlier this year with their amazing 7-piece outfit, featuring legendary frontman Ras Roni hailing from Barbados via London. This time, they are retuning with a full compliment of 9 band members. Fijian vocalist LTL GZeus and Sierra Leonian Blacka C will be joining the epic night of top shelf roots and reggae music, showcasing dance hall, hip hop, and dub influences. Support on the night is by local Braidwood legend Lily Morris, with a solo set of her charming, understated, and effortless original songs. 5pm, $11.64 via eventbrite.com (late news; may be sold out)
Quivers (Melb) Album Launch / With Lily Morris and Yasmine/ Sat, 15 January / Live at the Polo Quivers’ life-damaged but hopeful jangle pop has returned with a long-anticipated second album, Golden Doubt. Out on Spunk Records in Australia, this album is full of the driving rhythms and harmony driven pop that comes most naturally to Quivers. Musically, it plays with the ghosts of ‘80s Australian guitar bands and the spirit of R.E.M. and Teenage Fanclub, with a distinct lyrical directness. Pitchfork called it “absolutely glorious” and “like a Go-Betweens with Coachella conquering ambitions”. 7:30pm, $20 + bf trybooking.com PAGE 12 PAGE 12
UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS
CBS Xmas Party Blues Jam / The Cyril B. Bunter Band / Sun, 19 December / Harmonie German Club Between 1972 and 1985, The Bunters toured Australia ceaselessly, earning a reputation for good-time, soul-satisfying blues-infused boogie. They built a fanatical cult following, eventually hitting the national touring circuit, playing six-nights-a-week for years. The band became fast friends with George Thorogood during three tours together, culminating in George recording The Bunters’ song Boogie People as the title track off his 1985 album. Canberra Blues Society welcomes them, and you! 1pm-4:30pm, CBS members $5/$10 + bf
IL Bruto / A smorgasbord of rock et al / Thu, 23 December / Smith’s Alternative Come all ye faithful for a Christmas Eve-eve of rock ‘n’ roll, libation, and boogeying if yer so inclined. IL Bruto will be serving up a smorgasbord of garage, punk, blues, and surf infused rock ‘n’ roll for your enjoyment. Despite the paucity of gigs this past year, the IL Bruto boys reckon they can mostly remember how the songs go. If need be they’ll wing it, and with your presence a fun time will be had! Doors 5:30pm, gig 6pm - 8pm, tix $15 of your Earth dollars from smithsalternative.com/events
Royale With Cheese / Rage Against The 90s / Sat, 22 January / The Basement Royale With Cheese is Australia’s premier ‘90s rollicking party show, playing rock and pop covers – including Seattle-sound to grunge to Britpop and all the best Oz Rock – from one of the greatest and most influential decades in rock music. Comprised of five experienced musicians, the ‘Cheese bring all your favourite ‘90s covers from Nirvana to Spice Girls and everything inbetween. Come as you are to smash pumpkins and Rage Against The 90s! From 7pm, tix are $50.75 from oztix.com.au @bmamag
[SPOTLIGHT]
Graeme Base’s The Worst Band In The Universe Exhibition / On now til 6 Feb / Belco Arts Bring the whole family, get up close, and marvel at original illustrations from the book The Worst Band in the Universe by Australia’s favourite children’s author, Graeme Base. Feeling inspired by Base’s thrilling and detailed works? Local artists byrd and Hanna Hoyne certainly have been – see how they have responded to these otherworldly themes in fantastical, large-scale murals in the Generator Gallery. And don’t forget to keep your eye out for aliens hiding around the Centre – can you find them all? Runs until 6 February, opening hours 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed public holidays
Rujuvenation Exhibition / By Rachel Head & Imogen Fayed-Machacek / Now til 13 Jan / Smith’s A collaborative exhibition focusing on the Australian bush and its incredible capacity for Rejuvenation after the 2019-2020 bushfires. There will be works in watercolour and ink of birds and flowers by artists Imogen Fayed-Machacek and Rachel Head. It’s the invigorating and uplifting exhibition we sorely need right now. The exhibition runs at Smith’s Alternative until the 13th of January 2022, so plenty of time to check it out!
The Empire Strips Back / Star Wars burlesque parody / Thu, 20 January / Canberra Theatre 2022 marks the 11 year anniversary of The Empire Strips Back, so a very special anniversary tour for fans old and new awaits. The show has been packing out Australian theatres since 2011, when it opened in a 100-seat Sydney venue and swiftly became a word-of-mouth phenomenon, touring internationally. So be prepared for some seriously sexy Stormtroopers, a dangerously seductive Boba Fett, some tantalising Twi’leks, a delightfully luke-warm Taun Taun, a ladylike Skywalker, the Droids you are looking for, and much, much more! 8pm, $56.50-$149.50 + bf via Canberra Theatre facebook.com/bmamagazine
UPCOMING ARTS EVENTS
Space Oddity / Arts & craft recreation of 2001: A Space Odyssey / On now til 6 Feb / Belco Arts In the mid-’90s, bathed in blue light from a flickering television, a young Tom Buckland becomes transfixed with science fiction. Long hours he spent crafting spacesuits and spaceships from toilet rolls, cereal boxes, and egg cartons. Kubrick’s seminal 1968 sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey left a deep impression on a young Buckland. Now, a slightly taller Buckland lovingly rebuilds, recreates, and refilms this iconic movie entirely within the gallery space. Space Oddity is a love letter to the power of childhood imagination. Runs until 6 February, opening hours 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed public hols
Circus Of Illusion / Performance magic & stunts galore / Sun, 16 January / Canberra Theatre Escape into a world where sawdust and sequins combine with cutting-edge illusions to create an extravaganza of mystery and mayhem. The ringmaster will take you on a journey blending worldclass circus artists with spellbinding magic. Stay on the edge of your seat as showgirls levitate, disappear, and fly high in the air, and the talented troupe of performers from across the globe put on a show of pure spectacle. Acclaimed illusionist and Australia’s Got Talent finalist Michael Boyd presents death-defying escapes, breathtaking illusions, and more. 2pm & 7pm, $59– $69 + bf via Canberra Theatre
Decadence & Debauchery / Celebrating Flazeda’s 1st Birthday / Sat, 29 January / Belco Arts Centre Celebrating 12 months of Flazeda being open as part of Jazida Productions, you’ll be treated to incredible performances from headlining acts and local stars, a best dressed competition, and more! The event will be available in real life and also via livestream. There will be ticket giveaways, free classes, merchandise, and an auction and raffle. Also revealed will be grand plans for 2022, the Performance for Purpose program, and how you can support Flazeda to make it all possible. 8pm, tix via flazedahub.com/Shop.php PAGE 13 PAGE 13
LOCALITY [THE WORD ON LOCAL MUSIC] WITH RUTH O’BRIEN. SEND YOUR GIGS AND INFO TO: [RUTH@BMAMAG.COM]
Yes, it’s the end of another year and Christmas is right around the corner. There’s a lot to celebrate! Just getting to this point after two quite shit years is a huge achievement in and of itself. So props to you for making it through 2020 AND 2021. To celebrate in fine Canberra gigging-style, here’s my rundown of the best things happening around town in the lead up to Christmas, and in January. By now, you’ve probably heard of Lunchbox Acoustic. This initiative started in August 2020 to give Canberra musos a place to perform during these weird COVID-y times. Over lunchtime in Garema Place every weekday from 12pm1:30pm, a different local artist or band performs for 90 minutes. There are some great acts lined up for the last days before Christmas, including Monica Moore Trio (17 Dec), Johnny Huckle (20 Dec), The Smorgasbroads (22 Dec), Chicken Salt (23 Dec) and O Christmas Trio (24 Dec). For more info about the acts and Lunchbox Acoustic, head to any reputable search engine, and it should be the first entry that pops up.
Canberra’s most fun and loud (in every sense of the word) big pink truck, The Soul Defender, this looks like it could be one of the best ways to end 2021. Who doesn’t love to shake their booty for hours to tunes made by local DJs? The event is weather dependent, so best to keep your eye on the forecast around this one, given the rainy days and nights we’ve been having. The next one is scheduled to go ahead on Christmas Eve from 5pm. No bookings required but capacity is capped at 80 people. Moving on into 2022 (I know, weird), there’s a few pretty awesome gigs happening at the end of Jan. On Friday, 28 January, Sputnik Sweetheart are headlining a show at UC Hub. The band have built a reputation for delivering hard hitting performances to sold out rooms across the country. They released their debut EP Growing Pains in 2019, which was headlined by the anthemic breakout single Us Girls, a song that throws gender inequality into the spotlight with a passionate and frustrated voice.
If you wanna keep in the Christmas spirit, it would seem Sunday, 19 December is the day for it. From 11am-2pm, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra will be in Haig Park for a series of ensemble performances, bringing Christmas cheer at the Haig Park Village Markets. If you want a picnic rug (provided) to sit and listen with up to 5 friends, you’ll need to register via Eventbrite - it’s free, they just need numbers. Otherwise, feel free to wander and listen to your heart’s desire as you shop around these fab markets, which I’m sure will also be tinged with Yuletide gaiety. At 4pm, Children’s Choir, Luminescence, has their concert A Luminous Christmas - Love Is Born. From the whimsical to the witty, Luminescence Children’s Choir perform traditional Canadian and French carols, as well as Aussie ones by Paul Stanhope and James Valentine. This festive gathering will be happening at Wesley Uniting Church in Forrest. You can find more info by heading to cimf.org.au Bit of a Christmas die hard over here; I might just see if I can make it to both events. But if you’re more like, “nah, fuck Christmas”, and just wanna let loose after a bit a shite couple of years, then this next event might be the one for you. Hot Foot Records have started up a regular Friday night dance PAGE 14party called Loosen Up at Londale St Cafe. Featuring PAGE 14
Most recently, the band have released Jealousy, a track that showcases their darker side of songwriting. Sputnik Sweetheart will be supported by Sophisticated Dingo and Parklands and tickets are available through Moshtix. And finally, Bangers from The Basement is happening on Saturday, 29 January. The event features multiinstrumentalist Sam Sly and her band, Wollongong pop trio The Huneez, Canberra local indie rockers Flowermarket, and, fresh from the garden, alt rock five-piece THYME. Finally, to all the event organisers and artists who have come through these rocky times and keep on, we admire you so much! As fellow arts workers, we know all too well how difficult things have been. But we very much appreciate the work you put into your craft and to the Canberra arts scene. Thanks so much for reading! And for more events, don’t forget to check out the WOLO gig guide at wolo.events for more info on things happening over Summer. Happy Xmas everyone! May 2022 be a good one. Ruth O’Brien - Singer | Songwriter | Writer | Lover of all @bmamag things artsy and creative - email: ruth@bmamag.com
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 15
BMA BAND PROFILE Group members: Lily Begbie: Vocals Luca Florez: Vocals/guitar Kieran O’Leary: Drums Nelson Stannard: Keys Harrison Whalan: Bass/Mum Where did the band name come from? Muesli just came from a random word generator. We wish we had a better story but we don’t. As with all names we kind of grew into it after a while. We keep it crunchy and funky and hope to contribute to everyone’s healthy musical diet!
We are also inspired by our college music teacher Ms Zimpel. She has provided countless opportunities for us to perform and grow as musicians, and is never afraid to give us constructive criticism. Most of all, we inspire each other to be better musicians and people. What are some memorable experiences you’ve had as a band? A week before lockdown 2.0, we were closing a free show at sideway. We advertised the show reasonably well, and we expected a decent crowd. What we weren’t expecting was a line of 50 people outside, waiting to be let in to see us perform. And we certainly weren’t expecting people singing our songs while we performed. This show was a big turning point for us, as it made us realise that people outside of our immediate circles enjoy our music.
How did you form?
What is it that you love about the scene? Your genre’s scene?
We all went to school at St. Francis Xavier College. Harrison graduated in 2019 and was brought back to run the school’s funk band in 2020. Everyone else was a part of this funk band, which is how we all met and bonded over our love for music.
We love the fantastic venues, incredible bands, and welcoming fans that make up the Canberra music scene.
One day, Luca brought one of his original songs I Wanna Be in Love With You. We jammed on it for about an hour, and it sounded so good we thought we had to make a band. We’ve been gigging since November 2020 and have no plans of stopping anytime soon! Describe your sound: Unapologetic upbeat pop and funk. We pride ourselves on creating a sound that makes us, and our audience, smile. Who/What are your influences, musical and/or otherwise? Harrison loves Vulfpeck (especially Joe Dart) , Lily loves Lake Street Dive, Kieran loves Anderson Paak, Luca loves Rex Orange County, and Nelson loves Coldplay.
PAGE 16
We are spoiled for choice with music venues in Canberra. These venues available to us are of such a high standard, especially for bands that are just breaking into the scene. The sound quality is fantastic, lighting is excellent, and the staff are so welcoming and hospitable. We particularly love Smith’s Alternative, sideway, and the White Eagle Polish Club. All the bands that we’ve had the privilege of performing with are always kind, cooperative, and supportive. And of course, the musicianship is excellent. The fans that come and support local music are exceptional. Especially those who aren’t afraid to get up and dance to some funky tunes and get involved no matter their background. The vast variety of people we have at our gigs is reflective of Canberra’s inclusive attitude, and music scene.
Tell us about one of your proudest moments?
What makes you laugh?
We recently had a gig at Smith’s Alternative, where we got the audience to help us decide what song we should record as our first single. We stuck QR codes on all of the tables, which were used to access a Google poll where they would vote for their top 3 songs.
Harrison doing happy jumps whenever we sound good, Kieran’s atrocious fake laugh, and whenever Nelson roasts Lily.
The voting was really successful, and it was hugely rewarding to see that many people care about our music enough to have their say about our future. It was our most intimate, interactive, and successful gig we have done so far. What are your plans for the future? We are going to be recording our first single later this month at Amberly Studios, and will be releasing this, and hopefully our first EP, in 2022. We’re also going to be performing at the amazing Summer Rhythm Festival at Goolabri on New Year’s Eve. This will be our first time playing at a festival and we are super excited for it!
facebook.com/bmamagazine
What pisses you off? Harrison forces us to practice with a metronome. It annoys us so much but it does make us better musicians. Anything else you’d like to add? We encourage all young aspiring musicians to get out into the Canberra scene. It is such a welcoming environment that has given us so much joy. Thank you BMA for interviewing us! We really appreciate it and can’t wait to see you all at our next gig! BAND LINKS: https://linktr.ee/Muesli.the.band
PAGE 17 PAGE 17
THE DROP [THE WORD ON EDM/DANCE MUSIC] WITH ALLAN SKO - ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM
Hello creatures of the night, and general revellers of postmidnight mirth.
“But wait - there’s myrrh…”
So here we are. Finally at the end of this most charming of years. And December/January - the official merrymaking season of any calendar - is set to be extra special, what with all this pent up party energy to unleash.
The Headz honchos have assembled a massive line-up for the festivities: Crooked Sound, System, Tidy, Samwise, Moonstompa, DanFran, Xujih, Raggz2Riches, Rascal, Gamacell, Mariana Dub, Karuna, Fourthstate, DJHRH, and KeySeismic. You get all these fine people for a humble $20 + bf change via events.humanitix.com
And with a sense of the Before Times firmly established, there’s been enough space for our beloved venues of verve veneration, as well as those punctilious promoters, to put on a slew of exciting events across a broad range of genres.
Ok, that’s enough of that. Don’t say I didn’t want you.
So strap on your disco pants and let’s get clubbin’ in neat, chronological fashion!
Also on Saturday, 18 December, if a bag full of warm eclectic grooves and straight up pumping beats is more your style, the Crown Ruler double that is SS10: Ruby Savage and Zjoso is playing out at sideway.
Fiction is getting back into the swing of things, with FEEL returning to Friday nights. The 17 December edition sees ultimate triple-threat Touch Sensitive man the helm. The producer, in-demand live performer, and DJ is a treasured slashie for artists and audiences alike, known for such accolades as remixing Rufus, collaborating with Flume, and touring internationally with Flight Facilities. The man with an ear for hooks and impeccable taste will be joined on the night by Unknown Avenue, Burg, Aunty Daniel, and Kaliopi. Tix range from $16.57 - $27.01 depending on when you get in, and are available from fctn.intix.com
Since moving from her hometown of Amsterdam to London in 2007, Ruby Savage has worked behind the counter at Honest Jon’s Records and managed record label Sounds Signature, where she also created the Wildheart Recordings sister label. Much of Brownswood Recording’s recent success has been down to her stewardship as label manager (2016-20) while solo exploits have taken her to the dance floor with her In Flames postpunk disco party, a monthly on NTS, and bopping through the booth of a large number of well respected London clubs a la Oval Space, Phonox, 5 Miles, Pickle Factory, Giant Steps and The Village Underground.
The following eve, Saturday, 18 December, you can decorate the Yuletide season with the drum ‘n’ bass baubles of Jungle Bells III at Pot Belly Bar. The Headz are Rolling team have done a frankly fantastic/horrific pun-laden description for this, so I’ll hand over to them:
She’ll be joined by the Tribqu head honcho, Zjoso. West African in heritage, the Naarm (Melbourne)-based Zjoso has quickly become an essential thread weaving through the city’s musical tapestry. He is the founder of Tribqu, a progressive platform celebrating underground music and culture where, at the helm, he has successfully carved out a distinct role as radio host, DJ, and curator.
“Time to get lit, because Christmas is almost here and we are feeling all santamental about the Canberra Bass family. So that means we will be pudding in a big sound system and it’s time to get down with the Headz are Rolling crew. It’s Christmas so yule be rocking out to the Amens until late and the DJs will be sleighing it to make it rein dear.” Strap yourselves in, because it doesn’t end there. “Dasher down to the Pot Belly bass camp from 10pm to start the ascent. Get ready to raise some holiday spirits, because it’s the most wonderful time for a beer. Christmas is a good Claus for celebration and we all love to get Blitzened by snares so much no one will want to go ho ho home. PAGE 18 PAGE 18
Add to that local legend Frasier Brigz, and you have yourself a night! Tickets are $20 - $30 + bf via events.humanitix.com @bmamag
Come Boxing Day - the holiday that confuses Americans once again you have a choice of danceables.
HOLY GOOF
Back to Fiction, and the club welcomes the return of The Sunset Bros on Sunday, 26 December, who will be playing their trademark fusion of NRG, house, techno, and trance. JaySounds is the main support for this event, with ample contributions from Vivace, Toucan, Daron K, and Edstar. Tix range from $21.79 - $32.23 depending on when you get in, and are available from fctn.intix.com Also on the Day of Boxing, Sunday, 26 December, Friction Presents once again takes over the Assembly People’s Pub for a massive afternoon featuring K.I.M (The Presets),
Mashd N Kutcher (DJ SET), and Stace Cadet. There’s only final release tix left, $52.02 via Moshtix, but they’re not expected to last long! Spans 2pm - 10pm. No kidding on that. Friction Presents and Assembly have been on a roll since The Big F’s re-form, with consecutive sold-out shows hosting the likes of Sneaky Sound System, Bag Raiders, and the Ministry Of Sound classics party. So if you missed out on the Boxing Day bash, then get in early for future shows, namely Assembly Sunday Sessions ft. Jungle Giants (DJ Set), Stacie Fields & more on Sunday, 16 January from 2pm - 10pm, and then Assembly 360° Experience feat. Bag Raiders, Alex Preston & more, also on a Sunday, (6 February), also from 2pm - 10pm.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce that the Dragon Dreaming Festival 2021 will now be happening in 2022, in collaboration with the Regrowth Tree Planting Festival!” the team enthused. “After years of rest, we return with an even more refined vision to come together for celebration, sharing, and giving back to the country that holds us. This new vision has come about with the exciting amalgamation between the not-forprofit Dragon Dreaming Festival and that of the Regrowth Tree planting festival (REGEN Eco-projects). “We are now one and ready to bring you a ‘leave a positive trace’ festival that we can all be part of. “This means that the Dragon Dreaming Festival will now add to the 73,000 native plants we have planted together to date at Regrowth Festivals.
The latter 360° gig is a special Boiler Room style set where you, the salivating audience, can surround the Bagsters and witness, up close, them doing their thang. Like this:
“Of course, we will continue to bring you the amazing festival experience you have come to expect, presenting diverse music over four days from live bands to live electronic music, performers, interactive arts, expression and learning spaces, art gallery, cinema, markets, healing space and kids’ space.”
There are various tickets at various prices via Moshtix, with the age-old mantra of ‘the sooner you buy, the cheaper it is’. Rounding out the monthly calendar, again back at club Fiction on Friday, 14 January, is Holy Goof, described as “a driving force at the very forefront of UK bass culture” and “a key protagonist in the scene, with a sound that’s had a huge impact on electronic music.” Wow; a DJ from the UK. There’s a novelty to report on in 2021! He’s a popular boy is our Goof-meister, with only final release tickets available for $32.23 via, you guessed it, fctn.intix.com And finally, a note from hard-working lads at the Dragon Dreaming festival, who have seen their way through the recent challenges and have emerged with good news. facebook.com/bmamagazine
So isn’t that a happy piece of news to end with? It’s all set to happen across 1 Apr - 4 Apr, 2022 at Lake Burrinjuck, which is a hop, skip, and a merry jump away from Canberra. For tickets and further information, head to dragondreaming. com.au, and continue to keep an eye on these pages as we near the big event. OK - damn! - that was a lot of stuff to report. It swells the cockles of me old heart, it does. I intend to kick off the 2022 column by rounding up some notable music identities and find out what rocked their socks music-wise in 2021, as well as provide you with a coupla heaters from yours truly. But that all depends on how fat and lazy we all get over the festive season. Whatever turns out, I will be here, with all that dancey-EDM goodness to extol the virtues of. I hope you’ll be here too. Party hard. Party safe. Peace, love, and unity.
PAGE 19 PAGE 19
START YOUR ENGINES… In the same way that the changing hues of the leaves signal the onset of autumn, so too does the Summernats city cruise strongly signal that the zenith of summer has truly arrived. But the spectacular, like the festival itself, has been absent of late. Perhaps not since its inception in 1987 have crowds, organisers, and performers alike been so revved up for the long-awaited next instalment of Summernats. Australia’s best known car festival, bringing in excess of $20 million in economic benefit to the ACT economy, finally returns after the global hiatus that kept it away. Summernats has evolved from Chic Henry’s construction of a dedicated burnout track at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC, then known as Natex) and the first Summernats in January 1988, to the four-day spectacular boasting 100,000+ crowds of today. It features street machines with airbrushed artwork, restored and modified cars, events, prizes in competitions for burnouts, parades of cars around the track, fireworks at night, as well as two outdoor concerts held on the Friday and Saturday nights. Speaking of which, to celebrate its return, Summernats organisers have assembled some top quality party starters, namely hip hop heavyweights Hooligan Hefs and Kerser, and global festival party DJ, Hot Dub Time Machine. And the tune-touting trio are understandably all kinds of excited about it. “I am pumped to finally be performing at Summernats!” Kerser enthused. “I was excited when I first got booked, but this two-year delay has taken the anticipation to the20 next level. Can’t wait to hit that stage!” PAGE PAGE 20
Tom Lowndes, better known to his salivating audiences as Hot Dub Time Machine, is equally thrilled at the prospect. “I’m stoked to be performing at Summernats 2022!” the man chimes. “I had a great time with all the crazy car guys at Red CentreNATS a couple of years ago, and from what I hear, Summernats is going to be on a totally different level. I can’t wait!” Sharing the performers’ enthusiasm is the hard-working team putting the whole shebang together, including Communications Manager Adrian Hodgson.
than car “It’sshow,moreandfestival there genuinely is something for all ages.
“
By Allan Sko
Clockwise from top: Hot Dub Time Machine, Hooligan Hefs, Kerser
“We’re just super excited to be getting back to Canberra to put on a great show,” Hodgson says. “All of the usual elements that make Summernats a party are there, but with a longer than normal break between gigs, there’s just a bit more of everything. More awesome new cars, more burnouts, more cruising.” And, of course, more music, an aspect of Summernats that has taken increasing prevalence in recent years. “Adding music to the mix serves a couple of purposes,” Hodgson explains. “First, it gives Summernats attendees an epic show on Friday and Saturday nights. Second, it brings fans of those musical acts into the Summernats circus where hopefully some of them will realise how much of a good time it is and hang around for the cars.” The Summernats crew have a considered approach when deciding on who the vibe vendors will be.
“We look for artists that can match the party energy level that our entrants and spectators bring to the show,” Hodgson continues. “You won’t find a lounge act at Summernats, but you will find thousands of people jumping, dancing, singing, and loving the vibe.” Proving once again that good things do indeed come to those who wait, Hodgson confirms some exciting new additions, and readditions, to 2022’s event. “We’ve gone two years without a Summernats Burnout Masters Grand Final, so we have twice as many of the wild tyre-destroyers fighting it out for the biggest prize money ever offered at the event,” he confirms. “On the show car side of things, there are 24 brand new elite-level builds ready to be unveiled. It’s also looking like there will be a record number of entrants, too – more than 2500.” So whether you’re a seasoned pro of a petrol head chomping at the bit to finally return to the ol’ burnin’ ground, or intrigued to check it out for the first time, the ‘nats crew have you covered. “It’s a constantly moving, changing, automotive feast for the senses,” Hodgson enthuses. “Thousands of cars and people enjoying the best parts of the automotive scene, great food, and great musical acts in the Canberra sunshine. “It’s more festival than car show, and there genuinely is something for all ages.” Summernats revs up at Exhibition Park (EPIC) from 6 - 9 January, 2022. Day passes, Season passes, and Platinum passes are available via summernats.oztix.com.au @bmamag
KARINA UTOMO
METALISE [THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON [DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]
We could recap the year, but you know... I’m sorta not keen at all to do it. We have shared the crappyness. But in the spirit of the season, I will stop the whinging, and up the things I am hopeful and thankful for. The Bergersens Take On The Basement
at bleeding edge of control, Hagbulbia and Avow were blistering. Former Canberra resident, now Melbournite, Karina Utomo launched not only two releases, but two new bands. Kilat are an exploratory black metal 3-piece, and Rinuwat a 3-piece heavy conceptual work. Both incorporate Karina’s Javanese heritage and they’re both unique and fascinating pieces of heavy art that are well worth your time. Doooooooooooooooooooooooom! (of the good kind)
Nic and Mik Bergersen took on a live music venue at the most challenging time in live music’s history. And they’re absolutely killing it. The whole ‘Basement staff-family are the unsung heroes of the Covid lockdowns and have worked through any and all challenges to keep supporting a plethora of original and cover shows through all the complications. It’s reassuring to see that the whole extended team have stuck through it all to the point where I was driving past prior lockdown lifting and spied them all in action, painting and sprucing up the ol’ room for another run of heaviness. Well done, and gratitude to you all. A Not-Top 5 In lieu of a fulsome top 5, like last year I want to do a composite of releases I have loved in 2021. I know personally, and from talking to my network, that it’s been reaaaaaaallllly challenging to keep the creativity flowing through this. It’s seemed to go one of two ways, though. Some have been relatively quiet and struggled to create. Others have gone berserk. Of the latter group, Portal released two complex and extremely challenging records at the same time. Dense and complicated work, uncompromising in scope and
PORTAL
PAGE 22
Doom wise, as always it was a fruitful year both here in Australia, and abroad. Lucifungus are never short of new songs, churning them out in 2021, with their Clones release being the latest well worth a listen. Canberra’s own Futility dropped an immense slab of funeral death doom in the form of Anhedonic. Norway’s Kal-El dropped a slab of stoner doom so good that Riff Lord Tony Iommi himself gave their Dark Majesty release sizable props. Melbourne’s Dr. Colossus again confounded all expectations of a Simpsons-themed doom band with the (deep breath) I’m a Stupid Moron with an Ugly Face and a Big Butt and My Butt Smells and I Like To Kiss My Own Butt.
Semi locals Hekate impressed with Sermons to the Black Owl on debut. And to round out with other doom offerings well worth your ears... Eyehategod – A History of Nomadic Behaviour, Hooded Menace – The Tritonus Bell, The Sonic Overlords – Last Days of Babylon, Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows – The Magnetic Ridge, Red Fang – Arrows and Acid Mammoth – Caravan all impressed me this year in that slower heavier zone. For those who like their BPMs a bit livelier
MENTAL CAVITY
Canberra. Metal. Fest. So I mentioned last column that the metal prevalence of diverse views on Covid vaccines was interesting. As such there has been a few changes to the Canberra Metal Fest. The end result is that one ticket has never carried as much weight or value. It’s now a three night bonanza starting Thursday, 13 January with Mytile Vey Lorth headlining, plus Atrocita, Besomora, Numbutolik, and Plague Dweller. Friday, 14 January features Witchskull, Remains, Wretch, Carnal Vicsera, 12 Gauge Rampage, Lucifungus, Outcest, Point 17, Rooted, Sumeru, Tera Mortem and The Ending. Saturday, 15 January winds up with Psycroptic, Pod People, Disentomb, Holy Serpent, Arkane, As Flesh Decays, Burn the Hostages, Carcinoid, Celestial Oath, Gape, Goat Shaman, Hekate, Hypergiant, Immorium, Letterbomb A.D., Ploughshare, Reaper and Womb To Tomb. Whew! That is a metal lovers 666mas present ticket if ever I have seen one. So thrash your way through the festivus people. Stay safe, support your local venues, and BMA will see you in 2022 \m/
For those who like their BPMs a bit livelier, locals Mental Cavity‘s Mass Rebel Infest, and Bloodmouth‘s Unmanned both clobbered out some nasty riffs and blasting beats.
SUMERU
Sumeru features Canberran Jake Willoughby on the throat now, and this year’s EP Blood Ordinance had two of the best riff feasts all year. Cold Chamber rules, but Foundry Of Dread is my speeding fine generator of 2021. I also really enjoyed: Carcass - Torn Arteries Cerebral Rot – Excretion of Mortality Mortal Coil – Dodsrit Gatecreeper – An Unexpected Reality Anatomia – Corporeal Torment Sanctioned/Entrails Massacre spilt All rad in 2021 and worthy of your ear time. To all, I salute your staunch resilience and creativity! PAGE 23
PAGE 24
PAGE 25
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
However, the general consensus of the senses makes far more sense than would have ever seemed possible a year ago. Humanity has indeed come to its senses, all nine of them: Vision, Hearing, Memory, Hallucination, Motion, Taste, Humour, Moisture, and Cringe.
The Year In Review with Chris Marlton
This millennium turned 21 this year, a milestone by any account, but certainly worth noting when you consider the amazing events that have occurred in the past 12 months.
Accidental Birth Award-winning actor Michelle Fraser went to work on her new film, The ForgetMe-Not LionHearts (in which she was both starring and producing) on a rainy Wednesday in August like it was just another day in the office. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
Coming To Our Senses!
The makeup and prosthetics team, whose job it was to design and build a fullbodysuit for Michelle to wear in the film that would make her appear pregnant, did their job a little too well.
It’s fair to say that the one thing most people will remember, when they look back on 2021, is the official Reclassification of the Senses.
During one of the takes Michelle, after hours of makeup and wardrobe to inhabit both her character and the bodysuit, actually gave birth.
When our planetary leader, Robbie Gorbachev, and his head science officer, Wen Jinpeng, announced that humans now have nine senses, most people didn’t believe it.
The filming is currently in hiatus while Michelle and her twin boys, Rodrigo and Daniel, undergo a raft of medical tests to find out what exactly happened on set that day when they shocked the world in the ultimate version of life imitating art.
The idea that smell was a masshallucination, touch was actually a subsense of the new sense named motion, and hallucination and memory were also senses in and of themselves, seemed mad. PAGE 26
McFadden, is not actually human. The entire Royal Family, Juicy, her husband Concrete McFadden, their sons Watercress and Jazzballet, and their pet giraffe ScottBaio, are all a different species altogether. While they appear similar to us, they are in fact, humanlooking shells, filled, to the brim, with whipped-cream. We discovered the truth about Creamy Queen in April, and to our credit they lasted until October. They will live on in our hearts, our heroic and legendary Royal Family, delicious to the last. Next year the millennium turns 22. By all accounts it’s going to be awesome and it’s going to be sweaty, so make sure you bring a towel. Chris Marlton is a comedian, writer, painter, and film-maker. His Canberra Comedy Festival show Mephisto Waltz is on 23 March 2022, tickets on sale now at: canberracomedyfestival.com.au/ event/chris-marlton-mephisto-waltz/ Chris also runs a monthly stand-up comedy night at The Front in Lyneham. Upcoming stand-up comedy tickets are available at: linktree.com/3blindmen
Creamy Queen
You can follow Chris:
And lastly, 2021 is the year that we all found out that the Queen, our Queen, Juicy
@threeblindmencomedy on Instagram @ChrisMarltonComedy on Facebook
PAGE 27
RETURN OF THE
SUMMER RHYTHM FESTIVAL
By Joshua Eckersley Pictured: Top - FunkyTrop, Top-Right - Muesli, Middle- Shadow Ministers, Bottom-Left - DJ Suz Da Fuse, Bottom Right - The Burley Griffin
On New Year’s Eve we will see the long-overdue return of the Summer Rhythm Festival, which is shaping up to be the biggest local event of the year. With a jam-packed line-up that showcases a diverse range of Canberra’s best musicians, you can expect a full day of fun, food, and festivities that will carry us through to 2022. This month we spoke with the dynamic live music promoter/musician duo behind the Summer Rhythm Festival, Rafael Florez and Dan Luton, about their dedication to bringing back good vibes this Summer. Those of us that have been around the block a few times may remember the original Summer Rhythm Festival from way back in 2009. It started as a one-day event with two stages, and over the course of three years it evolved, ultimately building into a three-day event with four stages, over 80 bands, camping, and market stalls. The festival was a grass roots and community-driven success story that was a well-remembered and often reminisced event in this neck of the woods. So why, in 2021, are we now seeing the resurrection of Summer Rhythm? We ask the diligent Dan Luton, who started the festival as a fundraiser for a friend, after suffering a motorbike accident, and he told us. “Ten years on, we still encounter people who remember the original Summer Rhythm Festival as one of the best events of their life,” Dan enthused. “This is why we are reviving it in its essence, over one beautiful night this New Year’s Eve. The event will be staged in The Wedgetail Pavilion at Goolabri this year, which alone is worth the experience. It is the only permanently installed, engineered stretch marquee in the region, nestled into the bushland.”
line up of diverse and amazing live music, with over 10 artists There will be camping available, food trucks, and community market stalls too. We’ve worked hard on the programming so there is a natural flow to the event, starting quite chilled for those attending earlier (including a children’s act) and then ramping up as we get closer to midnight.” And what have these brilliant boys got planned for the big countdown to midnight, I hear you ask? Dan lets slip that, “we will have a special midnight piñata ceremony to see out 2021 in style!” Rafael adds, “The midnight countdown will be orchestrated by local samba drumming group Raio De Sol, so that will definitely be a cathartic communal experience.” Joining Raio De Sol on the night will be The Decideds, Shadow Ministers, The Burley Griffin, Funkytrop, Muesli, Nice Good Things, and many more exciting local artists. The musical genres, ranging from Gypsy and dub reggae to Latin funk and blues presents an eclectic mix of world music that is deliberately ambitious and curated to inspire a broadening of people’s musical appreciation and overall experience. Rafael explains: “At every step of the process, the perspective of the audience is central, especially with this line-up. We hope the punters might know one or two of the bands playing but will be exposed to many more that they have never heard of before. This year is particularly varied, but still holds true to the good vibes and reggae seeds of the original festival. And given we’ve not been able to experience a music festival for ages because of Covid, this event is going to be extra special.”
Rafael adds: “I was a huge fan of the original event, especially the musical direction which showcased bands that bridged the genres of dub, reggae, hip hop, blues/folk and world music. It saw some of the best dub/reggae bands in the country perform, along with the cream of Canberra’s live music scene.”
Dan further explains: “Summer Rhythm has always celebrated diversity in music. It feels good to create a space where people are invited to cross over and experience different musical genres as one. It’s great to co-produce this edition with Rafael, who always puts on really uplifting and diverse shows, and understands how to put together a great line-up that flows well.”
It stands to reason that the 2021 New Year’s edition of Summer Rhythm will continue the celebration of life, positivity, and good vibes, with a swag of top-notch entertainment already locked and PAGE 28The dedicated duo has secured “a hand-picked and packed loaded.
WHAT: Summer Rhythm Festival WHERE: Wedgetail Pavilion @ Goolabri WHEN: 3pm, 31 December - 1am, 1 January 2022 TIX: For further information, visit bit.ly/summer_NYE
PAGE3228 PAGE
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 29
RAFE MORRIS on
DECIDED-LY NICE GOOD THINGS By Joshua Eckersley With Summer heating up (finally!!!) and live music getting even hotter, local legend Rafe Morris of The Decideds and Nice Good Things dropped into BMA Headquarters to spread his sunshine around the office, and give us the inside scoop on what’s cooking in the Canberra music scene this month. Guitarist, singer, and composer Rafe Morris certainly enjoys the best of both worlds as he fronts two stellar bands with very different vibes. If you enjoy potent live music that get your blood pumping and your feet moving, look no further than The Decideds. They are a jazzy, funky, gypsy mix of upbeat party music that always gets the crowd dancing. Or, if you’re more like me (the handsome, humble, quiet type) and are fond of a chilled-out, folk-roots experience, you are also in luck, because Nice Good Things have got you covered there. The fact of the matter is, whatever your preference might be, Rafe has got the musical antidote for those persistent Winter blues, and thankfully he is bringing a double dose of good times with him to the Summer Rhythm Festival on New Year’s Eve. Whilst The Decideds started out with the simple PAGE 30 goal to play festivals and get PAGE 30
big groups of people moving, Nice Good Things evolved a bit differently. Wanting to do something with a bunch of acoustic pieces, written mainly whilst living in New York City, Rafe enlisted some local talent to breathe life into the songs. “I had received some funding from artsACT to work with composers and arrange music for a string quartet to accompany my songs,” Rafe recalls. “For a few reasons, that project didn’t achieve what it set out to do. So when I came back to Canberra, I took a few elements of the string quartet (cello and violin) and was lucky enough to be joined by the fabulous voice of Chanel Cole. Now the band has grown into this super wholesome, super chill, super pretty, contemporary folk thing.” The highpoint for both bands this year will be sharing the limelight at the newly revived Summer Rhythm Festival on New Year’s Eve. With an amazing lineup of artists, Rafe is hoping to catch a glimpse of the other acts in between his own musical obligations on the day. “I love The Burley Griffin, and I’m also excited to see FunkyTrop for some Latin vibes. Sam Harris is great! Everyone is good! I’m excited to see them all!” Rafe enthuses. “Canberra has got an amazing music scene that punches well above its weight, and this line-up is a great showcase of that.”
Rafe is no stranger to the Summer Rhythm Festival, having performed at the first run of fests with Canberra classic band Dahahoo, a super fun, high-energy dance group from back in the day. His eagerness and enthusiasm for the event has not diminished at all, as he tells us: “I’m super excited that the Summer Rhythm Festival is back. The parties out at Goolabri are always good, debaucherous fun, and these things have a strict ‘no dickheads’ policy, so everyone will be feeling good and up for a random laugh. We’ve got a pretty exciting midnight countdown surprise, and the after party will go well into the next day.” To add even more weight to this huge event, we are told The Decideds actually had their very first gig at Goolabri as part of the last New Year’s Eve celebrations. So, this will essentially be their 1-year anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than to get everybody up and dancing all night long. Let the party begin! WHAT: The Decideds and Nice Good Things @ Summer Rhythm Festival WHERE: WedgeTail Pavilion @ Goolabri WHEN: 3pm, 31 Dec - 1am, 1 Jan TIX: For further information, visit bit.ly/summer_NYE @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 31 PAGE 33
THE MAGIC OF MONTGOMERY CHURCH
Contemporary folk duo, Montgomery Church is heading down from the snowy mountain ranges this month, to soothe our troubled souls with their unique brand of Americana and bluegrass-tinged country music. By Joshua Eckersley Cielle Montgomery and James Church, the couple that make up Montgomery Church, mix the essence of old-school country music with their own modern interpretations of bluegrass and folk, to create something truly alluring and distinct. Their influences range from country outlaws, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard, to the more recent stylistic trailblazers like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Much like their influences, Montgomery Church share a sense of nonconformity to musical norms, and a uniqueness that only comes when artists choose to walk the path less travelled, irrespective of overt commercialism. Having started from a chance encounter at the Academy of Country Music in Tamworth, Cielle and James were naturally drawn to each other, thanks to their complimentary abilities and somewhat unusual backgrounds. With Cielle’s heavenly vocals and solid guitar skills, matched with James’ mastery of the dobro and harmony vocals, the pair quickly started sharing music and songwriting together. As James recalls: “It was a strange point in both of our lives. Cielle had a talent for singing but had only written songs sparsely. She had been a paramedic and I’d been a full-time tennis coach for 10 years prior to the Academy of Country Music, but I’d also been involved with bands and playing instruments since I was little. “For both of us, our lives were changing at that exact point, together, and our paths met and went in the same direction. It was one of those ‘right place, right time’ kind of things.” PAGE 32
In 2018, their debut album In the Shadow of the Mountain was released, featuring 10 wellcrafted original songs, plus a live recording of Bob Dylan’s I Was Young When I Left Home. To help create the required atmosphere and poignancy that the songs demanded, the recording session was held in an old country barn in the NSW Southern Highlands, with producer Syd Green (Iota, The Stiff Gins, Dominique Fraissard). The second single from that album, titled Gonna Love Her All The Time earned the duo a substantial amount of attention and kick-started a momentum and interest that continues to this day. What followed was global radio airplay, a top-10 spot on the Australian Country Radio charts and, most excitingly, a Golden Guitar Award nomination for Bluegrass Recording of the Year. Not bad for a 100% selffunded, independent release. Now, after a long 18 months of writing and recording, Montgomery Church are set to release their second album, Where The Quiet Can Hide, produced by Grammy-nominee, Producer, Erick Jaskowiak, and featuring some of Australia’s finest instrumentalists, including Paddy Montgomery (mandolin), Isaac Gunnoo (double bass), Rachel Johnston (cello), Gabi Blissett (fiddle), and Syd Green (percussion). James tells us: “For this record, we made a dream-list of people we wanted to work with. The first person we thought of was Erick Jaskowiak, who was based in Nashville at the time. We talked about going over to record with him, but he was actually moving over to
Australia, which was an extreme stroke of luck.” James adds: “He came over to our house to play music and see if the relationship worked, which was great, but then COVID hit, and he had to produce the album by proxy.” The end-result is a collection of 10 stellar country-folk songs that Cielle and James are bringing for a very special live performance at The Street Theatre. They are bringing the full band experience to ensure the new songs get the justice they deserve on stage. James informs us: “We are playing with our band of double-bass, mandolin, and fiddle, and we’re really excited to be able to flesh the music out a bit and bounce off these other great players that we’ve got. We’ve also got Charlie & Jensen, a great duo, playing support for us, and they are fantastic instrumentalists and players that will also hop up with us to play throughout the show.” In staying true to their roots, James leaves us with a little clue as to what kind of magic we can expect from the live show. “Whenever we can, we all play around a single microphone, just like that old school bluegrass style which sounds so beautiful when everything is working right. It’s a really nice, responsive way to do things live.” Montgomery Church will be performing the Where The Quiet Can Hide Album Tour at The Street Theatre, on Friday, 11 February at 7:30pm. Tix are $27/$32 via thestreet.org.au @bmamag
Set Adrift with Bec Taylor a n d T h e Ly r e b i r d s This month we caugh
t up with Canberra’s very own music al chameleon to hear all about her debut album By Joshua Eckersley
Bec Taylor has cultivated a reputation as one of the hardest working musicians in Canberra. Having spent years actively touring in the raucous punk band Glitoris, and the alt-pop band Fun Machine, she is now heading up a new project, Bec Taylor and the Lyrebirds, and this month they certainly have a lot to crow about (sorry, bad bird pun). Her debut album Adrift, produced by Loius Montogmery at Infadel Records (SAFIA, Peking Duk) is finally ready to be unleashed after a long 15-month gestational period where the duo meticulously crafted each song into its own unique sonic landscape. The result is a masterful collection of thoughtful and pensive tunes that delve into the uncertainty, fear, and elation of these turbulent times. “It’s not an overly chirpy album, and I think the pandemic and the anxiety I was feeling definitely came out in the song writing,” Bec reveals. “The song, Boat Without an Ocean, is directly about lockdown and that feeling of being stuck without anywhere to go. I’m really proud of this album and I’m excited to finally get it out.”
“I was the drummer and singer in Glitoris and I played piano and drums in Fun Machine. In Bec Taylor and the Lyrebirds, I mainly play guitar and piano but the album itself was entirely recorded with just myself and Louis. I played all the instruments except for bass, which Louis is really good at.” This impressive approach puts a whole new spin on the saying ‘If you want something done right, do it yourself’. It does, however, create a logistical problem when performing the songs live. Hence, Bec enlisted the talents of Hannah Beasley, Sam McNair, Sophie Chapman, and Clarke Finn to form the Lyrebirds and to animate and invigorate the music on stage. She couldn’t be more pleased with the new line-up, telling us: “After we finished the album I thought, gosh I really want a band to play these songs live because suddenly there is all this interest in it. “So, I got these musicians together and they are amazing! The songs have transformed with the full band experience, and it sounds very rich. It’s really lovely to hear the songs played by the Lyrebirds.”
The journey of creating and releasing the album has been both challenging and fulfilling for Bec, and started with a pilgrimage to Nashville in 2019 to immerse herself in the song writing process.
Bec mentions the liklihood of a gig at the exciting notion of a newly relocated, newly refurbed, and newly opened Transit Bar in January, details for which are still being finalised.
“I always wanted to go to the song writing Mecca of the world and it was so inspiring for me. I thought, ‘God I’ve got to do a solo album!’ It’s taken a long time to have the confidence to be in the spotlight myself, as a frontwoman, because I’ve always played collaboratively, and I’ve loved playing in bands,” Bec tells us.
But whenever and wherever it is, there will be merchandise on sale, with everything from vinyl to t-shirts and tea towels [which will be a mighty fine way to support the new Mum; congrats on the bub, Bec! BOSSMAN ALLAN SKO]
Bec’s rich history as a mega-talented, multi-instrumentalist saw her perform the lion’s share of the recording duties for the album. facebook.com/bmamagazine
The new album, Adrift, is out now on Buttercup Records. Bec Taylor and the Lyrebirds are set to play Transit Bar on Friday, 21 January. Check venue for details closer to date. PAGE 33
[BEST OF CANBERRA MUSIC] GROOVY DAUGHTER I DON’T CARE [
]
Canberra’s Groovy Daughter has followed fifth single, Harsh, with I Don’t Care. Early this year, Harsh attracted notable support from the industry. This included landing GD the coveted title of triple j Unearthed Feature Artist.
Since the release of her debut Tyro Dreamer in 2018, Groovy Daughter has enhanced her performance profile. She did a series of shows with Slum Sociable, Thandi Phoenix, and Groovin the Moo. Never one to rest, during the 2020 pandemic, she took part in a series of online events. This included a performance on the IsolAid line-up alongside beloved singer-songwriters Courtney Barnett and Alex the Astronaut. Groovy Daughter has once again worked with Warm Water and Kay Ansah on this new release, fleshing out the fall-out from a soured relationship with an assortment of elements, including a sly groove, quirky percussion, atmospheric swells, and her sensual yet assertive vocal.
PAGE 34
Lyrically, Groovy Daughter pulls no punches on this latest. She utilises a terse series of proclamations to establish the title’s straight-shooting articulation. Most engaging is the unexpected sonic backdrop to the affirming decrees, the irony solidified by a high chill factor feel, with an ever-present muted guitar part eagerly acting as reinforcement. The vocal performance here is R&B flavoured. This helps intensify the lyric’s semi-eruptive spirit, putting smouldering dark layers to lines such as: I don’t care that you left me just maybe the lies And: I don’t care that you hate me Because you I despise If not fighting words, then very close. Juxtapositions just work. Consider the optimistic, love-filled chorus set against a minor chord sequence or a major set of chords underpinning a doomsday narrative—they fulfil our expectations to a point. That point then becomes the focus and, in turn, a more enticing musical experience. I Don’t Care employs this dichotomy. The chorus’ smooth melodic hook pulls one into the lyric’s defensive avowals, the emotional bruises well and truly on show but quite exquisitely ordered and revealed. REVIEW BY VINCE LEIGH / PHOTO BY MORGAN SETTE
@bmamag
AVA MARTINA MS SELF DESTRUCTIVE [
]
Accomplished singer-songwriter AVA Martina heralds from the Northern Beaches of Sydney but currently resides in Canberra. AVA has recently released her debut EP, Peculiar Minds, and Ms Self Destructive is the lead track. What’s immediately apparent from this foray into some pleasing blues country terrain is AVA’s lustrous voice. It slides over the guitarbased backing, effortlessly providing a series of pacifying melodies. This compelling combination conjures a noon sprawl in the back garden, the sun marinating the air.
SAULÈ UNTIL THIS BLOWS OVER (SORE) [
]
Canberra-based singersongwriter Saulé has been practicing and honing her craft for years, refining a brand of soulful indie-pop with every release. Until This Blows Over (sore) is the third single from her debut EP. The London-born musician has been influenced by artists such as Chicago, Regina Spektor, and Norah Jones, to name a few.
Saulé’s new offering relies heavily on a highly persuasive, resonating element—her voice. The production is quite bare, divested of layers and studio trickery that might usually expand a sound, whether for diversion or illusion.
What we have here lyric-wise is perhaps incongruous in this setting, referencing a self-defeatist state of mind that overstays its welcome. I guess that mental disposition is never really welcome; in some way, The Self is partly to blame. Said contradiction is certainly welcome here. Sad words with bright major based melodies—joyful declarations with dark, minor based melodies. This dichotomy typically works; the push and pull, the oscillating temperature, all converge and contrive to create a more nuanced creative device. And AVA has that going on here. A laidback pace, an effective dynamism, lyric lines that fall on certain sweet spots of voice and melody. This is enhanced by the gradational style of the accompanying instrumentation; neatly building, leisurely accommodating. The song’s centre, the chorus, manages to do a number on you. This steady, sustained charm is bolstered by a surprise. This comes in the form of an elevating second chord change that adds weight to that whole incongruity idea. AVA’s performance is dreamily consistent, perched and pitched at a euphonious, semi-sanguine emotional level without straying. The production bears mentioning too, with its discreet merging of acoustic elements with the machine kinds; persuasively used to conjure the track’s easy-going rhythm. Ms Self Destructive reveals an artist who is perhaps not so selfdestructive after all, with a charm that is almost irreproachable if it wasn’t so hopefully astute. The line that convinced me of this opens the second verse: ‘Can I keep my inner child alive?’ Indeed, it’s a valid question, wedded to an equally credible song. VINCE LEIGH
with the sustained notes of the chorus carrying its more soul slash pop-hook tendencies to a pleasing resolve. What we’re listening to here is an altered form of intimacy. There’s a vulnerability that, ironically enough, one might discover on many self-assured, accomplished records. This track invokes the kind of intimacy that feels as raw as if it weren’t intended for us. The lyric might be the kind of collection of expositions left on someone’s voicemail, late, late, late at night. Who is that someone? Yes. That’s the key to it. The key to its transferability, its transparency and, ultimately, its efficacy. Until This Blows Over (sore) is bittersweet and tranquil, moodinducing, and a mood all of itself. VINCE LEIGH
The song is filled with the residual effects of Saulé’s tender, emollient tonal qualities. The nuances and subtleties are light yet salient, revealing deeper, denser ulterior constituents. For most of the track, Saulé’s vocal accompanies various textures. Electric and acoustic piano with a non-intrusive six-eight groove add support and rhythmic weight by the first chorus. There are the odd atmospheric additions also, significantly reverbed repetitions of some of Saulé’s lines that add to the residuals mentioned above. However, these merely morph into sonic dapples. An afterglow, if you will. The song’s melodic sway is perhaps not up for scrutiny. It’s just not that kind of track. Yet these parts are well-defined, facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 35
[THE BEST FILM AND TV OF 2021]
IT’S THE CAM WILLIAMS BEST OF TV AND FILM ANNUAL EXTRAVAGANZA!!!
Yes, friends, it’s the best film and television series of 2021. Once again, we had a lot of time on our hands this year due to the thing that shall not be named.
BUMP
Yet somehow it was not enough time to watch the ridiculous amount of film and television on offer. If you’re still trying to catch up, here’s a list of stuff that’s worth your time.
SUCCESSION Stan hit Australia right in the heart with this charming series about the ripple effect of a teenager’s surprise pregnancy on her family and friends.
RESERVATION DOGS Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi put their heads together and conjured the best teen comedy/drama series of the year. Universal teenage woes play out on an indigenous reservation in rural Oklahoma.
Three seasons down and the Roy family continue to astonish with their petty power plays and extreme privilege.
HACKS ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI A brilliant hypothetical dramatisation of a real-life conversation between Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Malcom X.
THE GOOD FIGHT
LOKI Fate and predetermination examined from the point of view of Marvel’s favourite trickster. One of the best sciencefiction series of the year, and one hell of a trip across the multiverse.
The spin-off of The Good Wife continues to outclass everything on television at the moment. The Good Fight is in its own league and tapped into the post-covid landscape brilliantly in its fifth season.
SQUID GAME
MINARI A family is forged in hardship in Lee Isaac Chung’s sublime semiautobiographical film about South Korean immigrants who buy a farm in rural America.
PAGE 36
Jean Smart (Mare of Easttown, Watchmen) and Hannah Einbinder are a dynamic comedy duo in this hilarious series about a Las Vegas stand-up comic who tries to reinvigorate her career with the help of a younger comedian.
Bench the global phenomenon and the hype and just focus on the show, which is an enthralling dip into the financial extremes of modern life under the thumb of capitalism.
GET BACK Peter Jackson’s 8-hour documentary about The Beatles is a joyous immersion into their creative process, and an insightful look at the creative forces within the band. Release the 60hour version you cowards!
THE MITCHELLS vs THE MACHINES A kooky family road trip in the middle of the robot apocalypse brought to life with inventive animation from the same folks who made SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS - Why Are You Like This - Invincible - The White Lotus - Only Murders in the Building - Star Wars Visions - Preppers - How To with John Wilson
@bmamag
[IT’S THE VINCE LEIGH TOP TEN TRACKS OF 2021 SPECTACULAR!] As keen readers of BMA Magazine can attest, Vince Leigh has been an absolute workhorse in 2021. He’s one of the best music writers I - Bossman Allan Sko - have had the pleasure of
working with. He has lovingly cranked out review after review of considered, erudite, passionate, and well crafted words, the reading of which is a highlight of this ragged Editor’s job.
True Seekers by Sleigh Bells The duo returns with a seamless convergence of electro power pop, swirling with gorgeous synths, muted guitar brilliance, and big hit worthiness.
Crutch by Band of Horses The new one for the Seattle group does not disappoint. A carefree and brisk wildfire of sweet melodic spots and Ben Bridwell’s typically endearing vocal spark.
Stacking Chairs by Middle Kids This song sounds as if it comes from the depths of rock history, a record reinforced by restraint, allegiance, and a quiet emotional power.
The Fine Line of A Quiet Life by FUR This steams ahead like an unstoppable pop rocket of glam and retro rock with dashes of The Strokes.
As such, it was only right we asked Mr Leigh for his favourite tracks for 2021. Read on, and rock out!
How Not To Drown by CHVRCHES (feat. Robert Smith) CHVRCHES are consistently notable and this, featuring Robert Smith’s trademark touch, makes for an utterly irresistible piece, with a monster downtempo groove and tantalising melodies.
Hometown by Sea Girls Utilising the same gregarious melodic heights as U2 and Coldplay, Sea Girls add a layer of grit and excitable invigorative energy, finessed with a classic guitar choke hold.
Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender A coming-of-age rock pop embedded tale, Seventeen Going Under’s measured abandon is highlighted by an assured vocal and an almost tender, rueful lyric.
It Won’t Always Be Like This by Inhaler Another Dublin outfit, merging the high-flying melodics with a spirited, gallant rock stance.
A Hero’s Death (Live) by Fontaines D.C. A bit of Irish post-punk from the 2021 release Live at Kilmainham Gaol. The opening refrain of ‘life ain’t always empty’ initiates a welcoming stream of raw sentiment. ‘Never let a clock tell you what you got time for’, indeed! It unfurls and unfurls like the most unlikely of messages.
facebook.com/bmamagazine
The Angel of 8th Avenue by Gang of Youths A neo-Springsteen meditation, continuing the band’s poetic drive and strident rock delivery.
PAGE 37 PAGE 19
[BEST OF CANBERRA MUSIC] DMC MEMORIES
Canberra-based music artist DMC has a new [ ] release titled Memories. The single is his fourth and is already attracting attention, with triple j calling it, “supercatchy… a real jangle-pop nugget”. Memories utilises some of the same sonic nuances noted in DMC’s last single Searching but expressed in a somewhat less sombre, open-eyed tone. Memories is DMC reflecting a seemingly more joyful and whimsical state. From the onset, with the buoyant bass line introducing the equally insouciant drum groove and funk-pop style guitar flourishes, the track establishes a free-flowing, easy-going centre from which DMC’s celebratory dispatch reveals itself. The jaunty nature invokes a somewhat naïve musical sensibility; fittingly, one might argue, considering the man’s declarations and outpourings. The opening lyric of the chorus will undoubtedly get hijacked by besotted bliss seekers everywhere. If one needs to proclaim the statement, ‘I’ve been thinking about you again’ through the conduit of a pop tune, look no further than DMC’s latest. The chorus goes on to refer to memories ‘trapped inside my brain’. The negative connotation of ‘trapped’ echoing the unconscious regurgitation of fresh, head-recalibrating imagery associated with discovering the complexities and sledgehammer effect of romantic convergence.
But perhaps ones he obviously has no hold over. And just as this sense of control loss has impacted DMC, and the lyric’s cleansing tone, the musical accompaniment also attempts to mirror the somewhat wild nature of the oncelived experience. There are moments between the upswing of the chorus when the sparse production and the restrained instrumentation allows DMC’s vocal to attain a conspicuous level of intimacy that one can easily perceive as authenticity. And rightly so; this is how the song weaves its way into your brain.
Or indeed, yes, love.
The track’s hook encompasses a totality. It is not necessarily concentrated in one area but instead strewn all through its quixotic temperament. It’s feather-light and modestly honeyed, making for a solid pop experience.
Aye, this is what DMC is reliving; sanctified moments.
VINCE LEIGH
JACK BIILMANN THE DEVIL’S GOT A BED
Jack Biilmann’s new single, The Devil’s Got A Bed, is taken from his latest album, Full Circle. [ ] The track is raw, gritty, and simmering with an inauspicious kind of playfulness. A guitar-driven roots, blues, and rock showdown whose dynamics and carefree heat allow Jack to veer from the low, almost spoken cadences to the rock-edged palatable rasp of the chorus. A straight time feel is augmented by an off-in-the-distance percussive pulse, as well as some earthy, rousing handclaps, that push into a territory that reflects the thematic side of the song. It’s a western gothic; visions of dry, dusty terrain, steeped in myth and classic metaphor. A highlight, of course, is the care given to the guitar work as it weaves its way through the track, establishing the central musical motif initially, then adding texture, character, and another fervent voice alongside Jack’s vocal. In the chorus, it redoubles the melodic line, intensifying both the sound and the mood. ‘The devil’s got some vacancies, the devil’s got a bed for me,’ Jack sings.
PAGE 38 Page 38
Indeed, I suspect the devil is open for business most of the time. If this track is exploring the precarious nature of temptation, or perhaps even further down that road, regret, then it certainly sounds like it. By the time the last run of choruses arrives, we’re sure some diabolical action has taken place. But we’re not sure what. The chorus vocal lines are doubled yet again. This time there’s gang chants, reinforcing the dark elements by clouding the nuances with a layer of dishevelment. It’s as though the voices were embodying the very nature of the tension at the heart of this narrative. ‘What you see ain’t what you get’, another line warns. And that’s the case here. Jack Biilmann’s latest not only brings to light some expressive and impressive musicianship but uses that light to create a saturnine yet immensely immersive musical trip. VINCE LEIGH
@bmamag
TRACK IN
FOCUS
A subtle jazz-blues like strumming style via an acoustic guitar establishes the rhythmic pulse of the track early on. This becomes the underpinning groove around which the song evolves. The verses flow effortlessly into the chorus, which ascends to its crowning line after a cleverly appropriated use of ‘sorry’, which one can easily imagine an audience finding allegiance with. Yet, this seemingly innocuous apology is turned on its head with the end line. It’s an admission that sounds more like a reflection of
self-discovery. Hope’s voice is finely attenuated to this realisation, with the verse’s subtle confluences differentiating fluently with the chorus’s admissions. My Head (I’m Not Sorry) lures in the same way it appears to comfort. It eases you into moments of introspection that are awash with pleasing musical motifs that seem both rejoiceful and consoling. REVIEW BY VINCE LEIGH PHOTO BY CLAIRE WARREN
HOPE WILKINS MY HEAD (I’M NOT SORRY) Following the release of her acclaimed debut EP Coffee Cups in late 2020, Hope Wilkins spent the past year selling out a string of live shows, gaining airplay on triple j, as well as receiving a nomination for the Best Live Act in the ACT at the National Live Music Awards. Her new release, My Head (I’m Not Sorry), reaffirms not only her considerable songwriting skills but also ventures down a more roots flavoured road. The song eschews an instrument-driven production in favour of a bare-bones, low-key variation of her previous endeavours. This style reflects the nature of the song; a personal self-assessment. The assessment is more effective when not coming up against competing sound sources or inessential elements. That’s not to say that My Head (I’m Not Sorry) is without embellishment altogether, though. There are a series of striking vocal harmony parts, most poignantly used post bridge section before the resolving chorus cycle. There is also a suite of light touches including pads, additional guitar lines, and the recurring vocal chant effects. These enhance the idea of the internal with a very external embodiment of the stated declarations. facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 39
Page 39
[BEST OF CANBERRA MUSIC] NORTHBOURNE FLATS TOO MUCH TO ASK [
]
The fourth single, and first in over a year for Canberra band Northbourne Flats, is Too Much To Ask. The new one follows Paralysed, which featured vocalist Ruby Delgado and helped to broaden the folk-rock band’s established sound palette. The latest track also coincides with Ruby officially joining the band.
Too Much To Ask makes for a fluid transition from Paralysed, one that harnesses more of the band’s altrock tendencies. A striking feature present is the band’s ability to merge these inclinations with the melodic sensibilities of folk. The rhythmic energy on display is a blend of lightfunk rock and blues.
A slew of dynamics are also on show here. The surprise bridge section— the lead vocal accompanied by a lone guitar—is a particular highlight, as though stripped of all accoutrements, the song’s pure mechanisms are brought into stark and thoroughly disarming relief. The surprises continue with the chorus end utilising a modified rhythmic emphasis, one consistent with the natural progression of the chorus’s reappearance. The vocal layers and harmonies, an essential and perhaps defining aspect of the band’s sound, is evident on Too Much To Ask, elevating and substantiating the song’s focus, and coating the record with a sophisticated sheen. Yet, the raw bite of the intimate is still what’s most persuasive and most sustaining about Too Much To Ask. VINCE LEIGH
Every section of the song contains this dual-mode. Whether it’s the verse, chorus, or bridge, the melodies are imbued with a feeling of yearning. Suspended in a state of unquietness. It’s a striving for an elusive emotional corroboration that’s somewhere beyond the abstract. The lyric featured in the chorus, ‘is it too much to ask that we remain friends?’, embodies this sense, turning our attention towards the interior. This is what Northbourne Flats seem to do quite effortlessly. Their performances is on par with the intensity of those inner workings. The vocal work, in particular, is notable for its power to rouse our attention through restraint and repose.
Canberra-based Chins dropped the follow-up to their last single Back in [ ] the 80s, released earlier this year. The new one restates the governing focus of the band, an amalgamation of raw edge and dream pop melodic overlays, and features Madie Cook’s vocal at the helm once more.
CHINS ELOISE IS CRYING
It’s a straight-ahead, forward motion groove here and one significantly blanketed by a dual guitar approach. In fact, the ‘signature’ sound of the track—aside from Madie’s voice, of course—is a reasonably wellmodulated guitar sound. A flange or a phase kicks off proceedings with a few rounds of an innocent enough chord progression. This segues into an all-firesburning condensed power riffing that one imagines would initiate a decent crowd swell. But we’re soon taken back down, with the verses displaying the band’s penchant for writing memorable melodic lines. When casually and intuitively applied, these create an effective foil for the bustle of the band in full flight.
the chord beneath it) carrying us on a charged-up sustained ride through to the cycle’s end. The inherently strange punk beauty of Madie’s unenhanced vocal on Eloise is Crying—evident also on Back in the 80s—specifically in the tail end of the chorus, is in keeping with the modulation theme of the track. There are curvatures and inflexions that are more like emotional waves rather than a pitch-perfect assignation of the target. And anyway, who wants that? What is the target? There is none. It’s an outpouring, a grief machine, rendering the unrenderable in an abstract fusion of sounds. The verse-chorus times two arrangement on Eloise is Crying is cleaved by two musical interludes, highlighting extemporaneous seeming guitar work, one elevating a heavily reverbed melodic line, the other a series of funked-up chord flicks. It’s then back to the chorus, which sees the track out—the only fitting way to end the song after all. Eloise is Crying is a worthwhile addition to the band’s growing output, reasserting their creative energies through a bracing, more than meets the eye new track. VINCE LEIGH
The alternate tom-based drum groove helps distinguish the parts and adds a sliver of primal colour. One can determine the chorus’s strength after one pass, with the third in particular (and PAGE 40
@bmamag
ALBUM IN
FOCUS
In 2020, despite the global pandemic, Kim released a bushfire tribute Garden of Eden, and Dominoes, which premiered on triple j Roots N All. Kim recently performed at the Stage 88 Australia Day Concert, Carole King’s Tapestry Concert, TedxCanberra Women: Fearless, and sold out her headline show at Good Folk 2021. She has also joined artists Tori Forsyth, Josh Pyke, and Ben Lee on their respective Canberra tours. All of which have lead to the Brave EP.
KIM YANG BRAVE EP Singer-songwriter Kim Yang has released her second EP, Brave, a project partially funded by artsACT. The EP launch will be held at The Street Theatre on Friday, 17 December 2021. Since 2019 Kim has played many festivals, including National Folk Festival, Enlighten Festival, and Floriade. She also released her debut EP Ocean of Mind.
facebook.com/bmamagazine
Both tracks mentioned above feature on the new release, a collection of songs that reveal the various stylistic shifts of Kim’s writing. The EP’s opener, Brave, explores self-preservation, utilising a series of strong melodic lines to enhance the blue though a not disconsolate undercurrent of the lyric. The verse melody is reminiscent of a 1960s classic folk-pop tune. Its abstract magic instantly takes hold of you, providing a welcoming point of entry into Kim’s world. Dominoes, the following track, reveals a more subdued folk approach at play, the restraint of the verse and chorus
parts wedded to the circuitous acoustic guitar chord progression. Its prominent notes add another hook and further emotional pull. Garden of Eden is the EP’s most powerful testament to Kim’s creative energies, undoubtedly because of its autobiographical nature. The track’s stark fragility works in tandem with the rawness and clarity of the lyric. The EP’s closing track, Fantasy, harnesses a more personal angle. When coupled with the easy shuffling groove of the musical accompaniment, it feels less dramatic but no less authoritative. Kim’s narratives are perhaps as critical as her melodic creations, mining the personal to achieve a relatable balance, with universal appeal a natural consequence. This idea is perhaps most notable in Dominoes, with lines like, ‘We build our own roads’ and ‘We will find our path when the time comes’, both of which one might absorb as subliminal hope and connect with more directly. Either way, Kim’s inner quests and discoveries are our delectations. REVIEW BY VINCE LEIGH PHOTO BY CHRIS WALSCH
PAGE 41
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
THURSDAY 16 DEC Angela Lount & Wayne Kelly Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRY-GO-ROUND Smith’s Scribblers Life Drawing Life Drawing at Smith’s is relaxed, inclusive, and fun. Spend your lunchtime making something beautiful. 12:30pm, $10/$5 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE David Helfgott in Concert Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Academy Award winning, Australian film, Shine, the 74 year-old is a national treasure, awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service to the performing arts following a career spanning seven decades. 7pm CANBERRA THEATRE Live & Local Thursday Carnival Road & Craig Williams Carnival Road is a Canberra based original band, performing a special blend of folk/blues/roots/alt rock. Craig Williams performs as a singer/guitarist, known for his pleasant vocal quality and unique signature when performing both covers & original material. 7pm, $15 + bf via Eventbrite HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Fundamentals Christmas has come early as Fundamentals is back to bring you some festive lols in mid-December. This month’s show features Canberra scene legends Anthony Tomic and Taylor Coughtrie. 7pm, $20 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
PAGE 42
Christopher Samuel Carroll’s One-Man Play - The Stranger Renowned as one of the great character studies in modern literature, The Stranger is Nobel Prize winner Albert Camus’ masterpiece. One of Canberra’s most celebrated actors, Christopher Samuel Carroll, delivers a performance of searing intensity in this solo adaptation of a modern classic. Two new shows, 16 - 17 Dec. 7:30pm, $25 - $30 via Humanitix RALPH WILSON THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE JEP at Blackbird Bar Canberra’s most in-demand jazz trio is back at Blackbird with their chill grooves and hypnotic beats. 7:30pm, free BLACKBIRD Santa’s Comedy Sack Live comedy show featuring Daniel Townes with local back-up and MC Cy Fahey. 8pm, $20 via Trybooking BOARDWALK BAR BELCONNEN
FRIDAY 17 DEC Monica Moore Trio Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRYGO-ROUND Hot Foot Records Presents: Loosen Up A free party every Friday afternoon from 5pm-9:30pm featuring the label’s best and brightest talent, plus special guests, on the mighty Soul Defender stage SOUL DEFENDER STAGE, LONSDALE STREET CAFE Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning funk, soul ‘n’ more THE OLD CANBERRA INN
Jim Dusty (Single Launch) Canberra icon Jim Dusty releases his new single with help from friends. 7pm GANG GANG CAFE & BAR Hiatus Kaiyote - Mood Valiant Album Tour Hiatus Kaiyote returns in 2021 with their new album. 7pm, tix start from $49.90 via Moshtix UC HUB Kim Yang: Brave EP Launch Kim’s ethereal blend of sounds balances delicately between vulnerability and power. Performing with a 5-piece band, plus support from The Burley Griffin’s Evan Buckley. 7:30pm, $25/$30 via venue THE STREET THEATRE Cell Block 69 21st Birthday Party The supergroup return to sweet Canberry to celebrate 21 years of being megastars in the eighties! Please get your ticket fast if you’d like to come along! 8pm, tix $45 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Music - The Chris Harland Blues Band Every CHBB set remains a memorable, musical event, revisiting the best of the Blues standards: B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters… the list is long, the excitement sustained. 8pm, free entry CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Smith’s Irish Jam Some of Canberra’s finest exponents of trad Irish tunes gather for a jam. 5pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
FEEL Presents Touch Sensitive The man with an ear for hooks and impeccable taste will be joined on the night by Unknown Avenue, Burg, Aunty Daniel, and Kaliopi. Tix are $16.57 - $27.01 depending on when you get in, available from fctn.intix.com FICTION ONE22 1st Birthday Boogs Disco Set Hailing from the lovely city of Melbourne, the legendary Revolver Upstairs and Thick As Thieves resident, Boogs, makes his way back to the booth to celebrate the big first birthday. With support from Gate Five, Chloe Maguire, Amando & Don Worry, and Wally. Paid entry will commence from 9pm ONE22
SATURDAY 18 DEC Frank Sultana Frank Sultana joins OCI for a free, all ages set. 1pm OLD CANBERRA INN Smith’s Summer Series: Scroggin True to their namesake, Scroggin play an eclectic, high-energy mix of delightful morsels both savoury and sweet. Well-rooted in bluegrass standards, they also branch into Celtic folk, Australiana, and Western swing, with a sprinkling of country songs for more sombre moments. 2pm, $10 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Ross Noble 2021 Comeback Special With an on-stage presence like no other, Ross Noble’s exuberance, spontaneity, and cerebral style have established him as one of the world’s best-loved comedians. 8pm, tix $54.90 via venue CANBERRA THEATRE @bmamag
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Kirklandd - The SUCCESS $TAINS Live Series Following a recent co-sign from T-Pain and his new release, SUCCESS $TAINS, Kirklandd unleashes his Canberra show for the release, with able support by ARCHIE & Lil Spacely. From 6pm, $23.18 via Moshtix UC HUB Headz Are Rolling Present: Jungle Bells III A massive line-up of D&B delectables: Crooked Sound, System, Tidy, Samwise, Moonstompa, DanFran, Xujih, Raggz2Riches, Rascal, Gamacell, Mariana Dub, Karuna, Fourthstate, DJHRH, and KeySeismic. You get all these fine people for a humble $20 + bf change via events.humanitix.com POT BELLY BAR Crown Ruler Ruby Savage & Zjoso The Wildheart label creator and former Brownswood Recordings label manager Ruby Savage is joined by stablemate and Tribqu founder Zjoso. Supported by Frasier Brigz. $20 - $30 + bf via Humanitix SIDEWAY Cell Block 69 21st Birthday Party The supergroup return to sweet Canberry to celebrate 21 years of being megastars in the eighties! Please get your ticket fast if you’d like to come along! 8pm, tix $45 via Oztix THE BASEMENT Jack Phemister & The Wine Tasters With Charlie Violet and adelaidethegirl, enjoy an evening of original, and beautifully crafted folk/jazz/rock music from some of Canberra’s finest writers. 7pm, tickets $20 - $25 + bf via Humanitix HIGHROAD facebook.com/bmamagazine
Kilroy (Single Launch) Guitar pop dreamboats Kilroy release their new single with help from friends. 7pm, $17.35 via Oztix GANG GANG CAFE & BAR Polo Party! Featuring the 8-piece explosion of Latin reggae energy that is Los Chavos; the sublime rhythm engine creators Kopasetic; the boots n all rawness and real pub floor abandon of Nina Leo; and the catchy guitar riffs and unapologetic lyrics of 5-piece punk rock band The Dirty Sunflowers. 7:30pm - 11:30pm, $25 + bf via Trybooking THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB HYG A psychedelic journey that transcends time and sound. Yours to experience. 9:30pm, $10 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE FICTION Saturdays House, EDM, and mash-ups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free before 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB Paco Lara Australia’s own Spanishborn, critically acclaimed flamenco guitarist, Paco Lara, presents a wondrous evening of Spanish guitar. Special guest Angelica Casado is a Canberra-based flamenco dancer. 5pm - 7pm, $30/$35 (sold out at time of publishing, check venue for cancellations) SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
PAGE 43
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
SUNDAY 19 DEC Canberra Blues Society Xmas Party Blues Jam The Jam will be hosted by The Cyril B. Bunter Band. Join in the end of year celebration, with Xmas raffle, Marymead Giving Tree, and some of the region’s best musicians jamming together for a great afternoon of live blues music. 1pm-4:30pm, $5/$10 + bf HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Cathy Diver @ Queenies Cathy Diver plays a free all ages set at Queenies. From 2pm QUEENIES (KINGSTON) Smith’s Summer Series: Bella Groove Get set for Sunday afternoon jazziness as Elise Walsh leads Bella Groove, her soulful voice and smooth flute playing complimenting the music perfectly. 2:30pm, tix $10 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Live Music @ Edgar’s Pub Live Music in Edgar’s Beer Garden every Sunday 3-6pm EDGAR’S PUB Sunday Summer Sessions Sunday afternoon tunes on the deck. From 3pm CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Frank Sultana Frank Sultana plays a free, all ages set from 4pm DICKSON TAP HOUSE
PAGE 44
Renae Stone Renae Stone joins in for a free, all ages set at OCI from 4pm OLD CANBERRA INN Alpha Wolf - A Quiet Place To Die Australian Tour Destroy All Lines & Greyscale Records Present Alpha Wolf with special guests Diamond Construct and more. 7pm, tickets $34 via Oztix THE BASEMENT The Tuesday Weld Experience + Family Therapy A Sunday double dose of local music! The ‘Weld Experience is all about original music; with maybe a nod of the head to Paul Kelly, and Mick Thomas & Weddings Parties Anything. Family Therapy are an alt-rock 4-piece band from the nation’s capital. Expect inspiration from the likes of Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, and the Ramones. 7pm, tickets $10 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE A Luminous Christmas Love Is Born Luminescence Children’s Choir perform traditional Canadian and French carols, as well as Aussie ones by Paul Stanhope and James Valentine. You can find more info and ticketing by heading to cimf.org.au WESLEY UNITING CHURCH Canberra Symphony Orchestra A series of ensemble performances, bringing Christmas cheer to the capital. Picnic rug provided to sit and listen with up to 5 friends; you’ll need to register via Eventbrite - it’s free, they just need numbers. From 11am - 2pm HAIG PARK VILLAGE MARKETS
MONDAY 20 DEC Johnny Huckle Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRY-GO-ROUND
TUESDAY 21 DEC The Angelic Rowan Phemister & Lucy Marcourt Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRY-GO-ROUND Band Beng Bing Bong Bung Half hour “open mic” sets from local bands. Ft Banipreet Kaur, Craigie Marsh, Saul Alexander, Chr!st, Chris van Reyk, and Cuddlefish. 8pm, tickets $10/$15 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Open Mic Comedy with Marky Worthington Whether it’s to enjoy some great food from Chompy’s and watch; whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to tryout some new stuff, or if it’s your first time, head on down and check it out. 7pm, free entry THE BASEMENT IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
WEDNESDAY 22 DEC Old Timey Wednesday Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. 4pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
The Smorgasbroads Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRY-GO-ROUND
THURSDAY 23 DEC Smith’s Scribblers Life Drawing Life Drawing at Smith’s is relaxed, inclusive, and fun. Spend your lunchtime making something beautiful. 12:30pm, $10/$5 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Chicken Salt Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRYGO-ROUND
FRIDAY 24 DEC O Christmas Trio Lunchtime live music in the Civic centre as part of the Lunchbox Acoustic series. 12pm - 1:30pm CITY WALK, NEAR MERRY-GO-ROUND Hot Foot Records Presents: Loosen Up A free party every Friday afternoon from 5pm-9:30pm featuring the label’s best and brightest talent, plus special guests, on the mighty Soul Defender stage SOUL DEFENDER STAGE, LONSDALE STREET CAFE Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning funk, soul ‘n’ more THE OLD CANBERRA INN Smith’s Irish Jam Some of Canberra’s finest exponents of trad Irish tunes gather for a jam. 5pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN @bmamag
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Jade Le Flay With special support by Kilusan, plus locals Tevinho, Divito, Edstar, and Toucan. Tix range from $11.34 - $21.79 via fctn.intix.com FICTION Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Music - Wesley and The Crushers Fun ‘n’ funky rock ‘n’ roll band from Canberra playing music to make you dance while singing words to make you laugh and think! 8pm, free CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
SUNDAY 26 DEC Friction Presents - K.I.M (The Presets), Mashd N Kutcher (DJ SET) With support from Stace Cadet. There’s only final release tix left, $52.02 via Moshtix, but they’re not expected to last long! ASSEMBLY THE PEOPLE’S PUB The Sunset Bros Playing their trademark fusion of NRG, house, techno, and trance. JaySounds is the main support for this event, with ample contributions from Vivace, Toucan, Daron K, and Edstar. Tix range from $21.79 - $32.23 depending on when you get in, available from fctn.intix.com FICTION
WEDNESDAY 29 DEC Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
facebook.com/bmamagazine
FRIDAY 31 DEC Summer Rhythm New Years Festival An all local community festival for ACT + NSW offering 10 hours of live bands and unlimited good vibes! The roots, folk, and reggae fest features BMA cover darlings The Decideds, Muesli, Shadow Ministers, The Burley Griffin, FunkyTrop, Nice Good Things, Alec Randles, Raio De Sol, Sam Harris, Lucky Jim, and Rafa Change. Market stalls and a well stocked bar will be there. From 3pm, tix $20 for kids, $40 for adults via Humanitix GOOLABRI Fiction NYE Ring in the new year with Fiction faves Brittany De Marco, Divito, Edstar, Haylee Karmer, Reubok, Take-Tu, Toucan, and Vivace. $21.79 $32.23 via fctn.intix.com FICTION Smith’s Irish Jam Some of Canberra’s finest exponents of trad Irish tunes gather for a jam. 5pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Shananigans New Year’s Eve Party 7 huge sets of live music, burlesque, and free bubbly at midnight. From 5pm, $40.30 via Oztix THE BASEMENT
WEDNESDAY 5 JAN Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
PAGE 45
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
THURSDAY 6 JAN
MONDAY 10 JAN
THURSDAY 13 JAN
Summernats 34 The four-day festival of cars returns after a two-year hiatus, with more comps, more cars, more events, and the party starting antics of Hot Dub Time Machine, Hooligan Hefs, and Kerser. Runs from 6 - 9 Jan; Day passes, Season passes, and Platinum passes available via summernats. oztix.com.au EPIC - EXHIBITION PARK
Sooshi Mango: Off The Boat The trio’s rise in Australian comedy has been nothing short of meteoric, with their viral online videos amassing over 120 million views and counting. Their characters have made their way from video skits in their parents’ garages, to television screens across the country and stages around the globe. Running 12 - 14 Jan, 7:30pm, $65 - $199 + bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE
Northbourne with Nora, Highland Light and Spinning Plates An all ages gig celebrating Northbourne’s two new singles Hideaway and Money Maker. From 7pm, tix $18.07 via Moshtix UC HUB
Gœse and Friends Gœse is a local, original rock band writing the most creative music you will ever hear. Join them, Milou, and Small Talk for one night only at Canberra’s premiere live music venue. 6:30pm THE BASEMENT
TUESDAY 11 JAN Band Beng Bing Bong Bung Half hour “open mic” sets from local bands. Ft Arley Black, David McRedmond, George K, 11:11, James Cahill, and Brad McInnes. 8pm, tickets $10/$15 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Smith’s Scribblers Life Drawing Life Drawing at Smith’s is relaxed, inclusive, and fun. Spend your lunchtime making something beautiful. 12:30pm, $10/$5 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Smith’s Irish Jam Some of Canberra’s finest exponents of trad Irish tunes gather for a jam. 5pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
Canberra Metal Fest Canberra Metal Fest is a benefit concert, donating to Headspace Canberra, showcasing over 30 of Australia’s finest metal bands over three huge days. Head to the Metalise column on page 23 for a full run down of the fest! $130 via Oztix THE BASEMENT
Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Music - Mega Beige 8pm, free entry CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
WEDNESDAY 12 JAN
FRIDAY 14 JAN
Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
Dear Seattle The Way Out Tour Crunchy and memorable, Way Out finds Dear Seattle vocalist Brae Fisher deep-diving into themes like codependency and resentment building in a relationship lacking honest communication and space. 7pm, $29.89 via Moshtix UC HUB
FRIDAY 7 JAN
Metal Days Featuring Australian metal bands from all genres. 8pm HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Old Timey Wednesday Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. 4pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Vinyl DJs From 8pm Spinning funk, soul ‘n’ more THE OLD CANBERRA INN Smith’s Irish Jam Some of Canberra’s finest exponents of trad Irish tunes gather for a jam. 5pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
PAGE 46
Welcome To Friday (WTF) Live Music - The Bobby James Band Acoustic based folk/blues ballads, with soaring bass lines and worldly beats, wrapped together neatly by rhythmic piano/keyboard. 8pm, free entry CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Holy Goof Described as “a driving force at the very forefront of UK bass culture” and “a key protagonist in the scene, with a sound that’s had a huge impact on electronic music.” Tix $21.79 - $32.23 via fctn. intix.com FICTION
SATURDAY 15 JAN FICTION Saturdays House, EDM, and mashups in the main; RnB, hip hop & party jams in the Fact Bar. 9pm – 5am, free before 10pm, $21.79 from intix.com FICTION CLUB Bucky’s Budweiser Big Birthday Bash & ALOHA! Blues & Roots Charity Gig Annual Blues & Roots music gig fundraiser for Rise Above Cancer Support Group. Featuring 8 fantastic acts, silent auction & raffle prizes. From 1pm, tix $25 + bf via Humanitix HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB On The Stoop Don’t be fooled. Just when you thought it was safe to feel charmed by the lilt of a melody and the gentle wit of the words, On the Stoop impales your ears with the unexpected. Sometimes the music hurtles at you with such velocity that you have to fight the urge to duck, but the warmth, good humour, and zany imagination always draws you in again/ Check venue for times and tix SMOKEY HORSE
@bmamag
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
SUNDAY 16 JAN
WEDNESDAY 19 JAN
Circus of Illusion Escape into a world where sawdust and sequins combine with cutting-edge illusions to create an extravaganza of mystery and mayhem. 2pm & 7pm, $59– $69 + bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE
Live Jazz From 6:30pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
Smith’s Summer Series: On The Stoop On the Stoop could be eight bands from eight corners of the world but it’s more like one fevered collective musical brain firing off ideas like fire crackers. 4pm, tix $10 via venue SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Jungle Giants (DJ Set) With supports by Stacie Fields, Clique, Brittany De Marco, Jack Burton, and Zac Knows. From 2pm - 10pm, $62.22 via Moshtix ASSEMBLY THE PEOPLE’S PUB
MONDAY 17 JAN Yotam Ottolenghi Flavour of Life He’s the trail-blazing chef, prolific author, TV personality, and restauranteur whose name has become a cooking style. 7pm, $109 – $139 + bf via venue CANBERRA THEATRE
TUESDAY 18 JAN IQ Trivia From 6pm THE OLD CANBERRA INN
facebook.com/bmamagazine
Old Timey Wednesday Luminaries from the local old timey/folk/acoustic scene will gather at Smith’s to lead an open session of Americana/old timey music. 4pm, free SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
THURSDAY 20 JAN The TerrySonic Mixtape Tour The Terrys are hitting the road with their tools in tow on their first national tour. “New Terrys hitting like a well timed 2nd beer. I can confirm this (Cost the Peace) was a big singalong moment when the band dropped it live recently,” says Dave Ruby Howe (BMA alum!) 7pm, $29.92 via Moshtix UC HUB Smith’s Scribblers Life Drawing Life Drawing at Smith’s is relaxed, inclusive, and fun. Spend your lunchtime making something beautiful. 12:30pm, $10/$5 SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody Be prepared for some seriously sexy Stormtroopers, a dangerously seductive Boba Fett, some tantalising Twi’leks, a delightfully lukewarm Taun Taun, a lady-like Skywalker, the Droids you are looking for, and more! 8pm, $56.50-$149.50 + bf via the venue CANBERRA THEATRE
PAGE 47
PAGE 48
@bmamag
