April / May
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$6 CAPITAL BREWING SCHOONERS
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[CONTENTS]
[Canberra’s
#523
Entertainment Guide] april/May 2022
ALL MY EXES LIVE IN TEXAS
p. 28
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
THE ABSENTEE
p. 16
p. 18
ED KUEPPER
Article Design Juliette Dudley, except Ed Kuepper and Twenty Minutes With The Devil by Marty Baker Entertainment Guide Editor Allan Sko Social Media Manager Allan Sko & Ruth O’Brien Columnists Ruth O’Brien, Josh Nixon, Chris Marlton, Alice Worley, Allan Sko Contributors Josh Eckersley, Noni Doll, Dan Bigna, Vince Leigh, Allan Sko
p. 31
WHILE YOU SLEEP
p. 30
JOSH PYKE
NEXT ISSUE #523 OUT Thursday, 12 May EDITORIAL DEADLINE Friday, 4 May ADVERTISING DEADLINE Wednesday, 30 March 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.
CHRIS MARLTON
p. 26
‘WAITS FOR NO MAN p. 21
JOHN BUTLER
p. 20
TIM FERGUSON
ES 199 T 2 PAGE 10
MONTAIGNE
p. 32
CBR MUSIC REVIEWS p. 34
GIG/EVENTS GUIDE @bmamagp. 42
FROM THE BOSSMAN BY ALLAN SKO [ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM]
Here’s a thing. CD sales in the US have risen for the first time in nearly 20 years. Figures published by the Recording Industry Association of America reveal the format jumped from 31.6 million units in the US in 2020 to 46.6 million in 2021, with revenue reportedly at $US584.2 million, up from $US483.2 million. It’s the first time since 2004 that the format has seen a boost. So what’s this all mean? Are we on for a retro CD revival? What’s caused this dive into disc-based ditties? The 20-year odd cycle is no stranger to those old enough and paying attention. Fashion, music, entire decades; trends of all kinds eventually find themselves lovingly scooped up and sprinkled with nostalgia dust, or find new and exciting interpretations via the emerging generation wondering what the fuss of their parents’ taste is all about. This cycle is more defined with the digital age, as the physical turned ethereal. And whilst this upswing in CDs is likely more of a flash in the pan than a full bodied resurgence, the news sparked a synapse, casting my mind back to happy times, and provided a reflection on the album concept that a physical disc so embodied. Back in England, I was paid monthly to haul vast quantities of fruit and veg at the Waitrose supermarket chain. On the first Saturday after payday, me and me-mate-Craig would scoot 45 minutes by train into London where, over the course of a spirited day, we would blow 80% of our respective pay packets on CDs. The most magical part of the whole venture was the twilight train ride home. Clasping each plastic case, carefully peeling off the price sticker, admiring the cover art, poring over the insert booklet; getting a feel for the whole musical experience without hearing a note. The anticipation of this aural bounty was giddy. The CD album holds a special place in my heart due to this ritual. An album is a special thing. When I had the pleasure of interviewing The Darkness on the eve of their 2012 Australian tour, frontman Justin Hawkins was bemoaning the loss of the album structure. “In this day and age, what is an album?” he pondered. “We want a ten-track album, but that format isn’t relevant to the market any more. A small percentage of people will buy it in the format we want them to; they’ll get ten songs hand picked and carefully arranged so it’s a journey and all that stuff. Then everyone else will stream it and get 14 tracks with bonuses and B-sides coming through the intraweb and they’ll make their own tracklist.” It can be strongly argued that the picking and choosing of tracks via Spotify, YouTube or Microsoft MindPound has killed the art of the sequential album. But not all hope is dead. There are still many musicians and listeners who understand the artistry of a well-sequenced LP. Indeed, many folk I’ve interviewed – Bonobo, Roni Size, and Iron Maiden to name a few – speak at length about the amount of time, stress, and love poured into getting the track listing just right. Heck, we’ve got Canberra’s The Absentee, and Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men taking it to heart (see reviews for more there). So is the CD format coming back? Time will tell. But the love of an album remains strong. ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com facebook.com/bmamagazine
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[HOT TIX]
Bec Taylor School of Music / Get Loud For Lismore charity fundraiser / Sat, 9 April / The Polo The Bec Taylor School of Music have organised a gig to raise money to aid Lismore and surrounding communities following the recent devastating floods. Prominent Canberra musos Endrey, Bec Taylor & the Lyrebirds, Dogworld, Thyme, and Sam Sly are among 10 bands lending their time and talent. Rebecca Fuller, Customer Service Guru at the school, said they have been overwhelmed with the support from Canberra businesses: “We were hoping to get a few vouchers, but we’ve received incredibly generous prizes - it really shows great community spirit.” 4pm - late, $20/$10 conc via Trybooking
Children Collide / Long awaited fourth album tour / Sat, 30 April / UC Live Nine years in the making, Children Collide released their fourth studio album Time Itself in August 2021 via Spinning Top Records, recorded by Loren Humphrey at Diamond Mine & Stockholm Syndrome in New York City. It’s a complex and provocative rock record embued with the kind of fearlessness that put CC on the map to begin with. Now, the three-piece (finally!) take their epic and frenzied live show on the road, equipped with the fuzzed-out charge of LP opener Man of the People, the twirling, acid-tinged Trampoline, the bouncy, mosh-ready Uh Oh, and the frenetic Turrets. 7pm, tix via Oztix
ARSE / Genre-blasting take on punk rock / Thu, 28 April / Transit Bar Sporting one of the greatest band names in music, ARSE is a raucous three-piece built for the times. Their genre-blasting take on punk rock nails the modern condition in a way that’s universal yet undeniably Australian all at once, combining acerbic wit with live-wire guitars and motorik rhythms. Now, they’re bringing their special brand of noise to the newly kitted out Transit Bar. Adding to the fray will be local favourites Charlotte and The Harlots, Box Dye, HYMMNN, and Second Idol. 8pm, tix $32.62 via Moshtix PAGE PAGE12 12
UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS
National Anti-Folk Festival / Many local acts / Sun, 15 - 17 April / Commonwealth Park The National Anti-Folk Festival (NAFF) is for those who, for whatever reason, don’t want to (or can’t) go to the National Folk Festival. It’s also for bands/performers who, for whatever reason, didn’t get accepted to, or didn’t want to, play. The hefty line-up over three days includes The Cashews, Small Town Alien, Ansel, George Bishop, Lulu and the Tantrums, Ali & Lawrence, Christ, Johnnie Goodall, Bluemilk, Post Irony, Tim Pearce, James Cahill, The Vest Brothers, Lisa Richards, Love Maps, STAV, Wesley and the Crushers, Spaceman Africa the Musical, and more! Check Smith’s website for details
Haiku Hands / We Got Vinyl tour / Sat, 7 May / UC Hub Haiku Hands have shared their singular, rebellious, super fun sound globally over the past four years. After their breakout performances at the UK’s Great Escape, they’ve been touted by NME as “Australia’s most electrifying pop prospect” who combine the pure pop attitude of Charli XCX with the energy and swagger of The Beastie Boys. Their core is Beatrice Lewis, Claire Nakazawa and Mie Nakazawa. They curate, perform, and work as a collective of artists, exploring social norms via lyrical and visual content. Expect hip-hop to pop, electronic to dance, and everything beyond. 7pm, tix $38.08 via Moshtix
Nicholas Costello / CBR-based indie-rocker / Fri, 29 April / Smith’s Alternative Canberra-based indie rock singer/songwriter Nicholas Costello has released new single Capital Realm, which recently premiered on AAA Backstage. Costello draws influence from the likes of Mazzy Star, Nick Drake, REM, and Jeff Buckley, writing soulful, sonically nuanced music. Debuting in 2014 with EP Definite Blue, he’s since released 3 more EPs and a full-length album whilst playing notable shows at venues such as Melbourne Recital Centre, The National Theatre, The Espy, and The Workers Club. And now, the sweetest plum... Smith’s! Supported by Kim Yang. Doors 7pm, $15/$10 conc on the door @bmamag
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If you’ve not yet taken your dancing shoes off and are keen to keep goin’, head over to Transit Bar on Saturday, 16 April for more fun times!
LOCALITY
[THE WORD ON LOCAL MUSIC] WITH RUTH O’BRIEN. SEND YOUR GIGS AND INFO TO: [RUTH@BMAMAG.COM]
Howdy y’all! How’s youse folks doin’? I hope you are very well and keen to get back out and about to the many things happening around our bustling little city. Got loads lined up for ya so let’s get bloody into it! First cab off le rank is this gig on Friday, 8 April at the Canberra Irish Club with Betty Alto and Smartcasual. The members of Betty Alto have been performing in various Canberra bands for years and come together to bring you an upbeat, fun, high-energy show. Likewise, the members of Smartcasual are bring goodvibes to the stage and offer up a soulful, surfy-rock, and an overall hugely likeable style. This is a free gig and it starts at 8pm. On Friday, 15 April, another amazing line-up of local music is happening at The Basement. Spinning Plates are headlining this one and are another great example of the talent we have in this part of the world.
Nuance Media are taking over the venue and have four incredible bands lined up including STUMPS (Syd) and local favourites Sunday Sojourn, Box Dye, and ARCHIE. This is definitely going to be super loads of fun so get your music-loving bootay there. Tickets are $17.33 and can be got from Moshtix. Doors open at 8pm. The following weekend on Saturday, 23 April, HYG are playing a show at Smith’s Alternative. This band has a really unique sound blending influences from rock, jazz, and electronic sounds which take the listener on a bendy, layered, psychedelic journey. If you want an intro to their music, search for their video on YouTube for the song Be Here - very rockdreamy and ready to pull you in! Tix for the Smith’s gig are only $10 and doors open at 9pm. If a full band with jazzy vocals and horns is more your jam, be sure to get along to the EP launch of Lucy Ridge and the Derby Widows on Friday, 29 April at The Polo.
With a blend of heavy guitars, tight riffs and intricate piano melodies, this trio offers up an incredibly cool sound worth checking out. Also onstage that evening are Flowermarket and Mr. Industry who are, again, incredible bands in their own right. If a night of rock is what you’re after, get along to this show! Tickets are $18.40 and are available from OzTix. Doors open at 7pm. PAGE 14
Join the band (and yet-to-be-announced special guests) for the launch of their debut EP Daydrinking, Overthinking. @bmamag
Fronted by the strong vocals of Lucy Ridge, the band have put together an amazing record of four songs full of energy, storytelling, and relatable lyrics. There’s something I absolutely love about hearing an Aussie accent on this kind of music! Lucy’s vocals are so easy to listen to and the band is super tight.
The topic of the event will be A&R, Labels and Artist Development and they’ll be speaking with Australian A&R trailblazers Ally Cole (Island Records Australia), Helena Ho (EMI Australia), and Larissa Jane Ryan (Warner Music Australia) to pick their brains on the role of A&R in the contemporary music market.
Having seen them live before, I know this will absolutely be an awesome show! Tickets are $20 and can be bought from Trybooking. Doors open at 8pm.
They’ll also discuss some tips and tricks for artists looking to take the next step in their career.
For all you wonderful people pursuing music on some professional level, check out the upcoming events by MusicACT. On Sunday, 10 April at 4pm on Zoom, the next instalment of the Digital Program will be taking place with the focus being production. More specifically, how to turn a song into a track. Guests for this discussion include platinum-selling producers Ben Woolner and Louis Montgomery.
Tickets for both MusicACT events can be booked on Humanitix and are free! Alrighty, that’s about it from me! I’ve decided to take a little break from Upbeat for the time being. It’ll definitely be back but probs not until late-May at this stage. This free resource is full of all the latest professional opportunities, jobs, competitions and grants I come across that ACT-residents are eligible for. To sign up head to eepurl.com/g2T5iz or head to upbeatcbr.com Great to hang with you in word-form once again. I hope you can get along to one of the events mentioned above! Take care, Ruth O’Brien - Singer | Songwriter | Writer | Lover of all things artsy and creative - email: ruth@bmamag.com
Later in the month, the next Music Chats will be happening at 1pm on Saturday, April 30 at ONE22.
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BMA BAND PROFILE
Newly formed instrumental three-piece The Absentee used their experienced hands to craft their sound in the crucible of Covid. Rigorous rehearsals honed their music into a time-signature switching, atmospheric, melodic-yet-sometimes-heavy concoction. The result is a cracking debut album Between Words and a launch gig with the mighty RED BEE and Clarity of Chaos to boot. Let’s get to know the band a bit better before then, shall we? Group members: Ian Reuter: Guitar Andrew Coll: Bass Adam Bowler: Drums
introduced Adam to Ian. A mutual conversation of technical music ensued after Andrew alluded that he and Ian had been quietly working on material. Our first jam occurred in 2018, and it didn’t take long before we were creating songs with different time signatures and a few hidden challenges. Since then, our songs have become more complex – but this has helped create something that is uniquely, and distinctly, ours. Describe your sound: Instrumental guitar-based music with time signatures... melodic... atmospheric... occasionally heavy... and generally a bit odd!!
Where did the band name come from?
What key tracks should people immediately check out?
In the early days, the band wrote songs with the intent of adding a vocalist. We worked with very capable singers (all great people), but just couldn’t get it to gel (musically). Over time we evolved into an instrumental act, and agreed that we’d develop vocal parts when/if the right person came along.
Pandora - for the musical journey and the time signatures
Once we had enough material to play live gigs, we were ready to trial another singer. Our immediate destiny (and name) was realised when a fresh contender called us to say, ‘I’m on my way to rehearsal!’ but just never showed! Shortly after, he (and we) became ‘The Absentee’. How did you form? All three members of The Absentee have been involved in the Canberra music scene since the heady days of the ‘90s. When reminiscing at the final ANU Bar gig in 2017, Andrew
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Battles - for its metal/hard rock intensity Haul - for its simplicity and pop sensibility Who/What are your influences, musical or otherwise? From our view, musical influences are a distillation of everything we have ever heard. Through listening, the stuff that rises to the top (for us) are classics like Tool, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, and Allan Holdsworth. We also enjoy music that goes beyond the popular norm - such as the 1980s incarnations of Devo and Midnight Oil. But we also don’t really accept the pretence that ‘Today’s music has all been played before!!!’... A modern playlist from The Absentee would include bands such as Battles, Osaka Punch, Night Verses, The Contortionist. and Hashashin – just to name a few!
What are some memorable experiences you’ve had as a band?
What are your plans for the future?
Lengthy afternoon jams, heated discussions, and old-fashioned hard work are all part of our song-writing process.
Now that our debut record is here, we are keen to play larger shows (including interstate) and push our music out to a broader audience. In the background we are slowly working on some new songs, but we’re happy to enjoy the ride and see where the new material takes us.
We work (and constantly re-work) ideas until we have set song structures, tempos, and dynamics. Our process is long and not always fun - but the memorable experiences are from the oft travelled road. As a three-piece we were able to work hard during the COVID lockdown. Gigs were infrequent so we knuckled down and recorded our debut record Between Words at Infidel Studios. With the return of live shows, our focus seems to have paid off. Complete strangers compliment us on our set, our songs; and now the new album. What is it that you love about the scene? Your genre’s scene? There’s not a lot of bands in Canberra who do what we do - so we naturally have some interesting discussions with local punters on where we musically fit! But that’s what we love about this place. Canberra has a diversity of supportive bands, venues, and performance settings – all of which keep providing The Absentee with new opportunities. The support from promoters, friends, and strangers is not lost on us. We can’t wait to get out and play some more live shows!
What makes you laugh? The thought of running a lyric writing competition for The Absentee. And cat and dog memes! What pisses you off? Poor timing! Frequent software update requests! People littering! Scam emails! People whingeing about an essentially privileged existence. Anything else you’d like to add? In lockdown, I think we all learned that all sorts of foods taste better with cheese… Where can people check you out? We’re up on Facebook, triple j Unearthed, as well as multiple streaming platforms.
Tell us about one of your proudest moments?
But the real thing is always better - so come to the album launch for Between Words on Friday, 22 April 2022 at The Basement w/ RED BEE and Clarity of Chaos - tickets via Oztix
Finishing our debut record Between Words has to be our moment!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Absentee.Oz/
So much hard work and dedication went into this album. When we collectively listened to the final version (start to finish) we all just sat there and soaked it in – with a true feeling of accomplishment.
Triple J Unearthed: www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/theabsentee/
We’ve also been blessed to be able to use the amazing artwork of Michael Monaghan (kudos!).
Apple Music: The Absentee – Between Words
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Spotify: The Absentee – Between Words
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WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN By Dan Bigna
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for many years and it will be a fairly unique run of shows.” ED KUEPPER
As you would expect, those strange times in 2020 created the opportunity for individual sensibilities to get a good workout. Prolific Australian musician Ed Kuepper decided time well spent in isolation was to perform a number of live streaming shows, and also to pull out a bunch of early Beatles records and re-connect with finely attuned song craft channelled through basic instrumentation. The thrill of those records had made him want to pick up the guitar and blast out some chords from an early age, and revisiting them proved a welcome distraction from the chaos happening outside. “It was a weird kind of time. It went by very quickly and also very slowly,” Kuepper muses. “Everything was blurred from one day to the next. I listened to Beatles records that I hadn’t listened to for decades. It was fascinating how good those records were, and the nine year-old in me came back when listening again. It was a pleasant experience and I think sometimes it’s good to go back to the very beginning; it’s easy to get a bit jaded and cynical in the music business.” Once upon a time, Kuepper and vocalist Chris Bailey embraced a cynical sneer and invented Australian punk rock in The Saints circa 1976. But Kueppers’s urge to push musical boundaries even further became crystal clear in post-Saints group Laughing Clowns and the head spinning number of solo and collaborative recordings he made since. One particularly appealing group was The Aints, a Stooges and John Coltrane influenced outfit Kuepper formed in the early 1990s. In 2018, Kuepper revived The Aints!, with the added ‘!’ to the name to distinguish it from the earlier incarnation, and recorded The Church of Simultaneous Existence, made up of songs and “various musical and lyrical elements” he had written many years before. Promo material called it a “surprise success” but I consider it one of his greatest albums; a striking blend of best bits from his past work. Time moves on and in a good sign things are starting to happen again in live music, Kuepper will be teaming up with adventurous percussionist Jim White [known to many for his imaginative work in The Dirty Three] for a string of shows comprising songs from Kuepper’s extensive back catalogue. The tour coincides with a number of CD and vinyl releases including a collection of singles Kuepper recorded between 1986 and 1996 when people were still buying singles. Kuepper has always picked his accompanying musicians with care and I want to hear about Jim White’s appeal as a performing partner. But before we get to Jim, I am interested to hear a bit more about the genesis of The Church of Simultaneous Existence. “When I did an album a few years ago called Lost Cities [2015] which, depending how you count them, is sort of my 50th album, I was thinking for a little while it should be my last one,” Kuepper says. “But then I had all these melodies pop into my head, and a lot of these were melodies I had written when I was really young. So I had this brief idea that I would turn these melodies into a Lost Cities-style thing except make it more orchestral, but that didn’t happen. Then there was an offer to do a tour to commemorate some anniversary, or something The Saints had done. That was an offer for The Aints to do this. Initially I said no, but then a year later another thing came through and I said: ‘Look, ok, but on the basis that it’s not just going to be a cheap, nostalgic kind of thing’. Kuepper goes on to point out: “The Saints were never in Australia for very long. We played in Brisbane while
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@bmamag
Jim and Ed we were developing and not many fans of the band [in Australia] saw the original line-up and were not really exposed to what was a rapid development; three albums in 18 months and then split up.
to those before or after. This will be dependent on a range of factors, including the mood of both performers on any given night, the level of interaction with the audience, and the general vibe of the venue.
“But there was a back story to the band, and I had all these songs and bits of songs, so I said I would do The Saints commemorative tour, or whatever it was, but I was going to introduce new, yet old, material. There was a worried silence on the promoters’ part but I was pretty sure hardcore fans were going to like this and that turned out to be the case.
“We are starting with discovering everything I’ve done in terms of a time span kind of thing and there will be some new things in there,” he says. “But it’s more the way the songs are going to be played. Every night is going to be different to the night before.
“That album was road-tested. I didn’t want to force the material if it wasn’t working live. I didn’t want to record if we played to an audience and they responded negatively. But the opposite happened and it really galvanised people. And somewhere along the line a decision was made that we should actually record it. And that’s what we did.” In 2019, The Aints! played a show at The Street Theatre in support of The Church of Simultaneous Existence and it was energised, creative, and just straight up good fun. Now in June, Kuepper will return to The Street but this time without the full band, instead opting to perform with the great drummer Jim White. I ask Ed the motivation for touring as a two-piece. “I really like him as a drummer,” Kuepper says. “He cites The Saints and the [Laughing] Clowns as early, major influences on what he’s done, so we have some musical shared history. Basically, he’s played in bands who have supported me and I’ve done shows where I’ve supported bands he’s played in. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for many years and it will be a unique run of shows. We don’t have plans beyond what we’ve advertised at the moment. We’ll just see how it goes. “I like the idea of adding and subtracting rhythmic elements at times,” he continues. “I did an album of guitar, voice, and drums in 1990, Today Wonder. But this is different. It’s electric for starters, not acoustic. I think you have to experiment a bit from time to time. Solo shows were very important to me for developing as a musician, but I also think there is something about interacting with a musician like Jim who is a really good interpreter. He has a sort of spontaneous approach to his playing but is also really solid”. Ed is also keen to pursue the notion of spontaneous creation in these shows so that any one performance could turn out to be quite different facebook.com/bmamagazine
“In a way, the material is secondary to the performance. It’s more of a musicians’ kind of interpretive, spontaneous night by night thing. Given how everything is recorded these days, it’s nice to do things that are kind of one-off, that are there for people who are there in that moment.” To coincide with the shows, three albums will be released. The Laughing Clowns compilation Golden Days: When Giants Walked the Earth, originally released in 1995, will be making its first appearance on vinyl. There will also be The Aints! Live at the Bowlo, and a singles collection Ed Kuepper - Singles ‘86’ ‘96’ that will be his first ever collection of 45s and CD singles. There is little doubt that all three will sound great and become significant additions to Ed Kuepper’s lengthy discography. Referring to the Laughing Clowns compilation that I first picked up in the mid 1990s on CD at a time when vinyl had been consigned to the historical dustbin, Kuepper says: “It’s important to me to have the material available again. It’s an ongoing, slow process, but we are getting there. We are testing the waters with this collection. It is a good compilation. The actual mastering is truer to the original releases and we’ll see how we go.” The singles collection will sit nicely alongside existing Ed Kuepper compilations and remind music fans that a long, long time ago singles made significant musical statements. “That was the era in which I released singles, that decade between the mid 80s to the mid 90s”, Kuepper says. Beyond that this is the first time those particular songs have been collected together. At first I was a little dubious about it. But once we actually started doing it and I listened to it, it seemed to work”. Ed Kuepper & Jim White perform at The Street Theatre on Thursday, 21 April at 8pm. Tickets are $50 via the venue. PAGE 19
Doing it for himself
John Butler By Anthony Plevey When a gig is described as An Evening with... where the artist will play songs from his vast catalogue of almost a quarter of a century, you may think it to be a retrospective of the performer’s career. “No, it’s not a retrospective,” Butler says, emphatically rejecting this conception of his COVID delayed national tour. “I’ve been wanting to go solo for a while. I started solo. My plan after Home, my last album, was to go solo and tour that set, that kind of sound, which is so much fun to do. I’m playing lots of new songs. It’s just another side, I guess, of my musical palette.
constantly changing and all I can do is follow my heart in what’s going on for me and write about the things that are going on for me.” His music underpins this diversity, Butler explains. “Because I have such eclectic taste and because, I think to my benefit and to my detriment, I explore that within my music. “I always want to try and get back this folk thing, a roots thing. Folk music has always been a hybrid music. It’s always been music of the people and for the people but you know hip hop was born of folk music and so was rock ‘n’ roll and blues and they are all kind of cross pollinate all the time. I think that’s what I like about folk; it can morph. Roots is always going to say that this is where it comes from; what it’s informed by. “Dude, you can like hip hop, but you don’t have to try to record it,” he quotes disparagingly. “But for me, I want to hear a hip hop beat and banjo together. People love the dance sensibility of it and there are people who will love either the singersongwriter aspect of the lyrics or the activist side of the lyrics.”
“I’ve always had the plus year-olds to the 12 year-olds into the music, ever since it began,” he says of his almost 25-year career as an independent artist. “I guess it’s been good in that sense. As I get older, my fans get older and younger,” he chuckles. “It’s kind of the same as it has ever been. I’m still playing to a whole cross section of different people. “That’s where I can keep things fresh,” he continues with relish. “I’m constantly changing and I feel like everybody’s PAGE 20
Following up on the activist aspect of his career, John recalls meeting front line activists around 1992-95 as a catalyst. “I saw people dedicate their lives to the betterment of our society, our culture, and our environment,” he recalls. “Meeting those people changed the way I saw my role. “In the beginning it was very trite and very naive and sometimes it still is,” he admits. “What it had going for it was, it was honest. But as I’ve gone on, I’ve gotten more interested in good song writing and how a good story can be relevant for hundreds
of years, beyond colour, race, creed, age, and politics. To me, that’s the real power. Talk about a political issue [but] put it in a way that everyone can relate to, not just a greenie or a lefty or a righty; speak to the mother, the sister, or the father. “I’m fascinated by that,” he enthuses. “I’m trying to do it better. To me, it’s more important than ever before, that music speaks to the heart not to the flag. “No one’s has ever stopped me from saying what I have to say,” John says of being an independent artist. “People weren’t interested in the early days; we were too ‘out of the box’. By the time they were interested it was obvious what they were interested in, which was nothing to do with my music. “It’s definitely helped me get more of the pie,” he observed. “Because of that I’ve been able to pursue challenges that most record companies would give up on... [Like] spending 10 years losing money in America to finally make a career there. “Touring keeps you busy, keeps you hungry and to wanting to win over audiences,” Butler goes on. “It’s good to be able to go elsewhere and it’s also good for people to see that you are going elsewhere. Then, being big back home in Australia and opening up for artists and playing to six people in a room within the same week. That keeps your feet on the ground and keeps your perspective very honed and that connects to longevity.” And despite multiple COVID postponements, Butler is finally going to fulfil his promise to perform in Canberra. “Yeah! I’m going to get there,” he pledges. John Butler plays Canberra Theatre on Thursday, 14 April. Tix $88.50 + bf via venue. @bmamag
TOM WAITS FOR NO MAN By Joshua Eckersley The Street Theatre is presenting the dark, gritty world of Tom Waits through the lens of the master of musical interpretation, Stewart D’Arrietta. Now, be warned; the world of Tom Waits is not a place you visit on a scenic day trip, casually skirting the outer rim of the rusty, captivating mess of his genius. It is a murky meld of vaudeville, cabaret, jazz, and blues,
performers as Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman, and Joe Cocker, to name but a few. The Tom Waits For No Man show, originally titled Belly of a Drunken Piano, first started in 2002 at the Stables Theatre in Sydney. From there, D’Arrietta toured the show everywhere, from the Soho Playhouse in New York City, to the Edinburgh Fringe and the Montreal Jazz Festival. “The show has always received a wonderful reception wherever I play”, says Stewart,
It must be quite a task to pick the choicest cuts from this period, starting with Closing Time from 1973, through to the barnyard brilliance of Mule Variations, released in 1999. Stewart tells us: “I decided to play what were Tom Waits’ supposed favourites [from that era], like Heart of Saturday Night, Martha, Jersey Girl, Tom Traubert’s Blues, and some of his more offbeat songs, such as Swordfish Trombone, Big in Japan, and Get Behind The Mule.” Stewart will be performing solo at The Street Theatre this time around, which he tells us is a new experience for him, and one that he is really looking forward to. Some of you may recognise D’Arrietta as one half of the dynamic duo that brought us the iconic Lennon Through a Glass Onion show, which also features the legendary John Waters. The pair created and starred in the theatrical production of ‘Glass Onion way back in 1992, and were met with such critical acclaim and demand that they have been touring the show around the world ever since. On the topic of their career-defining partnership, Stewart recalls:
and D’Arrietta has distilled it into pure, enthralling entertainment. Having been emersed in music from the tender age of six, D’Arrietta’s famed piano chops can be attributed to the strict nuns that first taught him the instrument. They also taught him about corporal punishment, swinging a ruler at his fingers whenever a wrong note sounded. This heavy-handed approach, no doubt, provided him with the tools he would later need to navigate his way in the music industry. Fast forward a few years to when Stewart’s older brother introduced him to Little Richard, with that huge piano dominating the sound. From that point D’Arrietta was hooked on rock ‘n’ roll, and has built a solid reputation for interpreting such legendary
adding it has been a truly rewarding experience to present these masterfully crafted songs over the years. “The audiences are very appreciative and give a lot back [when performing the show]. I had a great time in Edinburgh, meeting up with fellow performers and musos. It’s like meeting up with carnies that travel all over the world, exchanging stories and laughs.” D’Arrietta has refined the show over the years, mainly focusing on the first half of Waits’ lengthy career. “With such a rich catalogue of songs, the setlist can range from all-hell-to-pay rock songs, to the heart-rendering love songs,” says Stewart.
“John rang me, saying that he had four weeks booked at the Tilbury Hotel, and he had been asked to put a show together. We sat and structured the songs to meet his script, and what started out as a 4-week season went on to play for 29 years in the UK, USA, Japan, and Australia. It’s been a great experience, and we have become great mates.” It’s a wonder how D’Arrietta finds the time to work on so many other projects, with his busy touring schedule. His interpretation of these poignant and skilfully crafted songs from the patron saint of the poor, the punks, the hobos and the lost, Mr Tom Waits - will be a stunning show, not to be missed. Tom Waits For No Man by Stewart D’Arrietta plays at The Street Theatre on Saturday, 7 May, 7:30pm. For further information and tix, visit thestreet.org.au PAGE 21
HYDRANAUT - CBR STONER METAL SUPERGROUP
METALISE [THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON [DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]
OK so, like, Transit Bar is open and shows are going on. The Basement is smashing along. Gigs and tours are happening. The weird thing is; I know way more people that have Covid, yet the masks are only seen on the tram and bus and on a few considerate shoppers. We can actually claim that we are indeed living with it. So, the first show as a result of mates falling victim to the spicy cough was the oft-delayed Bloodmouth album launch for 2021’s anti-carnist manifesto Unmanned. Their lead propagandist, who’s identity I will keep secret as they seem to have a penchant for masked vegan actions, was ironically impacted by the rouge speciesjumping virus of a Pangolin in a wet BLOODMOUTH - VEGANISM HAS market. Almost an NEVER LOOKED SO INVITING exclamation point on their ethos and no doubt only amplifying their intent, they will be joined by Faceless and Blight Worms to aurally assault as many people that arrive at sideway on Thursday, 7 April until the capacity is reached. The show is free, and this weekend offers plenty for those that need to exchange the entry fee for petrol money. Case in point, and another of above said network of currently infected or just recovered friends includes at least 3/4 of newly minted Canberra stoner metal super group Hydranaut, who recently launched their debut demo which you can listen to online or check out through the band’s Facebook. The band have a couple of shows in April, the first of which is an absolutely cracking free (petrol not included) show at The Basement on Friday, 8 April. With a resolute cracking line-up featuring Pilots of Baalbek, Hekate and The Ending. The demo is a rollicking uptempo stoner riff fest that reminds me of Orange Goblin‘s late 90s/early 00s work with a slightly more aggressive vocal approach. With that line-up, and the price of free, there should be no need to provide further encouragement. Their next show is less free, but delivers two nights of significantly impressive value. The Sun Burn 3 line-ups have been announced and, at present, are as follows: PAGE 22
Friday Night, 29 April: Pod People, Astrodeath, Atolah, Frozen Planet 69, The Balls, Planet of the 8s, Hydranaut, Futility, Mourners, and Amommoth. Saturday, 30 April: Dr Colossus, Nunchukka Superfly, Holy Serpent, Goat Shaman, Whitehorse, Lucifungus, Burn the Hostages, Hekate, Religious Observance, Yanomamo, Mountain Wizard Death Cult, Kitchen Witch, Golem, Ghostsmoker, Pistonfist, Creep Diets, Bog Monster, Smoke Witch, Droid and Punish. One ticket, two nights, all the riffs. Well, not all. There’s an almost passive aggressively named festival on, also at The Basement on Saturday, 23 April. Entitled Just Another Metal Festival, it’s an interesting angle for the promoter of this event. After two lean years and a line-up this killer, I suggest the name: Just Get Your Arse To This Metal Festival. THE ASCENDED
Featuring The Ascended, Purenvy, Trance State, AtrocitA, Besomora, Pestilent Doom, and Auld, it’s a big night out for a mere 30 bucks. Tickets are on sale through The Basement website. There’s a great 3-band bill, if the big shows are too much over stimulation for your post Covid emergence. There’s a double launch night Friday, 22 April at The Basement with long time Canberra visitors RED BEE launching their Beautiful Wreck single playing with local 3-piece instrumentalists The Absentee celebrating the launch of their LP Between Words. No strangers to The Basement, Clarity of Chaos round out the bill for a killer night. If too much is not enough however, there is also the heat in the Wacken Metal Battle also on at The Basement on Saturday, 9 April with the acts now announced to represent at the final in Melbourne later this year. Canberra bands AtrocitA, Eviscerate the Crown, Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men, Hostel, Lycanthrope, Wretch and Live Like Animals are all there so if one of them is your favourite, get along, support them, and rev them up.
PUNK & DISORDERLY [THE WORD ON PUNK] WITH ALICE WORLEY Hey y’all! What’s good? Well I’ll tell ya… A little band called ARSE will be coming to Transit Bar, Thursday, 28 April, and I am so stoked for this show.
Also really excited to see them supported by Totally Unicorn! If you’ve never seen Totally Unicorn before, do yourself a favour and get onto this. They are absolutely wild. Just make sure you can hold your own when they inevitably jump into the mosh with you. If you’re looking for some awesome local shows coming up and don’t know who to be keeping an eye on, then I have to say a big shoutout to Burntout Bookings. They have just come onto the local music scene like an unstoppable force, putting on show after show of amazing acts, both here and interstate. I’ve heard about these guys for a while now and finally got to see them when they played with Pist Idiots at ANU last month. Such great performers, totally devoted to the crowd, but I also feel like the band is some trippy anti-joke due to some of the peculiar shenanigans they pulled during their set. They really made the audience turn to one another during their set wrap up to say: “What the hell is happening right now?” I can’t explain the experience, you just have to see them. They’ll be supported by Charlotte and The Harlots, Box Dye, HYMMNN and Second Idol (SYD). This line-up is so damn cool, I know it’s a huge Thursday night, but you’ll be kicking yourself for not going to this. So excited to say that WAAX are heading to Canberra on Saturday, 14 May! Been waiting so long to see these guys locally and, at last, the time has come.
Director Sarah O’Malley is just pouring her heart and soul into this and it’s so inspiring to have someone so passionate about music at the helm. You’re doing almighty work and it’s not going unnoticed. Thank you for all your efforts to bring so many hard-working bands to people’s eyes and ears. Special mention goes to the International Womxn’s Day panel that you put together at The Front a few weeks back. It was so empowering and invigorating to be present at. I cried several times and got some amazing words of advice and encouragement from some very kind and wise panelists. Please follow Burntout Bookings on Instagram and Facebook! Also just wanted to take a personal moment to say thanks to everyone that came to my band (Box Dye)’s single launch last week. We had the time of our lives playing to y’all alongside Slagatha Christie, st.sinner, and Northbourne. There’s no other feeling like a crowd singing your songs back to you, and this is why I love local music. You’re all so supportive and engaged and you carry us baby bands on your back with love and care. Thank you endlessly.
Supports yet to be announced, but it’s WAAX y’all. No matter who they’re playing with, I’m there! Aussie punk gods, Frenzal Rhomb, have announced a Canberra show at The Basement on Friday, 29 July. Saw these guys at Scene and Heard Festival in Newcastle a couple of weeks ago and I’m keen to get back in their crowd. PAGE 23
[SPOTLIGHT]
Sammy J/ Symphony in J Minor comedy album tour / Sat, 9 Apr / Canberra Theatre As the years go on, the accolades amass for beloved comedy-withmusic champ Sammy J. Winner of Best Comedy Song 2020 at the International Songwriting Competition, and described as “an endlessly creative talent,” by Time Out, London, and “this country’s finest and most astute satirist,” by The Age, the star of ABC TV and radio gets back to his musical comedy roots, performing songs from his ARIAnominated album Symphony in J Minor and beyond. Mr J will sing, play, croon, belt, warble, purr, and chirp until you kindly ask him to stop. 7:30pm. $45-$48 + bf via Canberra Theatre
SIX The Musical / Spectacular Tudor pop / 23 Apr - 15 May / Canberra Theatre An original, witty, pop-fuelled musical packed full of sass, SIX remixes the history of the six wives of Henry VIII – Britain’s notorious Tudor King – as they take to the microphone to re-tell their stories once and for all. The SIX powerful women are transformed from Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses as they take court in Canberra to reclaim their identities out of the shadow of their infamous spouse, twisting the narrative from five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a celebration of 21st century girl power. Check canberratheatrecentre. com.au/show/six-the-musical/ for times and tix
Hotel Sorrento / Comedic play on national identity / 28 April - 14 May / Canberra Repertory Three sisters, reunited after ten years in different worlds, again feel the constraints of family life. It is Meg’s semi-autobiographical novel, recently short-listed for the Booker prize, which overshadows their homecoming. Described by Peter Craven of The Australian as “a powerful … Australian play that begins as a comedy about national identity and develops into a familial drama of great poignancy and reverberation.” Can’t argue with da Crave. $49 - $38 via canberrarep. org.au/content/hotel-sorrento PAGE 24
UPCOMING ARTS EVENTS
Canberra Circus Festival / 5-Day Festival of various delights / 19 - 13 April / Various venues The Canberra Circus Festival brings the best in Australian circus to the ACT for a jam-packed season of laughs, gasps, and excitement. There are shows for all ages and fun for everyone. The festival showcases everything circus can be: impressive, beautiful, messy, silly, serious, pensive, and joyous, sometimes all at the same time! It’s a glorious five-day festival of great Australian circus, magic, comedy and burlesque, with workshops, markets, food drinks and fun galore. Be sure to check out canberracircusfestival.com.au for session times and further info.
Luka Lesson/ Performance poet meets Greek hip hop / 27 - 29 / National Museum of Australia Luka Lesson is one of the country’s greatest performance poets and storytellers. Accompanied by cinematic scores and hip hop numbers composed by Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s James Humberstone, this soulful performance will ignite your heart. Agapi & Other Kinds of Love tells the story of Socrates and his mysterious lover, Diotima. Inspired by his heritage, Luka takes the audience on a journey from ancient to modern-day Athens and shows us how love prevails despite the trials and tribulations of the ages. $55-$45 via nma.gov.au/agapi
Bigger and Blacker / Steven Oliver’s comedy cabaret / 5 - 7 May / Belconnen Arts Centre You might know Steven Oliver from being sexy on ABC’s Black Comedy. Or from hosting Faboriginal on SBS. But his talents don’t end there; get ready for a rap, a sing, a tap, and a lot of shaking his ring. Bigger and Blacker has been described by Sydney Morning Herald as a ‘tour de force’ comedy cabaret and is guaranteed to get you laughing, thinking and shimmying. With good pal Michael Griffiths on keys and harmonies, Steven makes his Canberra debut with this acclaimed show that has dazzled audiences all around the country. $45/$40 via belcoarts.com.au/bigger-blacker/
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Exhibitionist | Comedy in the ACT
Start As You Mean To Go On Buck & Bürble started the evening with a 27-minute rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, sung in 12 languages. The song started with a romantic Romanian, followed by a stirring Sindhi, before devolving into a bellowing Burmese for the 3rd and 4th verses.
New Arcadia International Film Awards Overview with Chris Marlton Once a year the New Arcadian Film Alliance (NAFA) award the most outstanding efforts in the film and cinematic arts. Chris Marlton has the latest coverage on last night’s awards. The Marchies The NAFA film awards, or Marchies as they’re often known (due to the award ceremony being held in March each year), are a time to come together and celebrate the peak accomplishments of the greatest storytellers in the greatest storytelling medium. This year’s ceremony was hosted by Cecilia Buck and George Bürble. This is Buck’s first time hosting the Marchies; by contrast this is Bürble’s tenth time. PAGE 26
The 5th verse was a poorly delivered Dutch, but this was saved with an iconic Italian for the 6th verse. Verses 7 through 14 were told in Tamil, startling many. The seventh language, which came almost 15 minutes into the opening number, was a charming Czech, and no one was surprised to hear the eighth language (16th verse) was Turkish. The 9th and 10th languages were Marathi and Bengali. English was 11th, taking the oft-highly regarded 19th verse of the song, while the final stanza, and the closing chorus, were rendered in a rousing Mandarin, with almost all of the audience spiritedly joining in. Once the formalities of the 12-language introduction song were out of the way, Buck told a few cute jokes, Bürble asked Buck to marry him, and then they played a ceremonial game of Marchie-Host chess. The winner of the chess game is granted the honour of giving out the first and last award of the night (Best Actor and Worst Actor). The game was projected onto a large screen behind the hosts, taking four and a half hours to complete.
While we do not have the time to go through all the moves, you, dear reader, will be pleased to know it ended on a stalemate. The stalemate demands that the hosts read out each award in unison, which is a frustrating and curiously time-consuming process. Best Acting Winner The award for Best Acting was given to Charlie Felt for his performance as Tappy Wind in the Biblical epic Godtap. This was Felt’s first win, following a decade of nominations. Godtap, written and directed by Deborah Dust, follows the ordeals and fascinations of Tappy Wind in his efforts to build the first ever water-tap under the vague guidance of God. Deborah Dust has now directed seven films from the heavily-contested Fresh Testament. Dust’s other Fresh Testament film, Roger’s Milk, was also nominated for multiple awards in this year’s Marchies. The Freshmaker The Fresh Testament is a newly discovered fifth instalment to the Bible, which for hundreds of years consisted only of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Modern tech, combined with Biblical A.I. Research Bots, have recently found many more Testaments in ancient archaeological locations.
The current listing of verified Testaments is now as follows: 1. The Old Testament 2. The New Testament 3. The Yellow Testament 4. Andrew’s Shriek 5. The Fresh Testament 6. The Western Testament 7. The Eight-Hour Hug 8. December’s Orphans 9. God’s Favourite Automobiles (also known as Gottes Lieblingsautos) 10. The Tenthtament Followers of what is now referred to as Bible-10 are known as the Decatrites, and are made up primarily of former Christians and Buddhists. The approximately 9000 voting members of the New Arcadian Film Alliance are all Decatrites.
The opening 87 minutes of Juicehat is a slow-motion free-fall of a 747 plane filled with Guava-flavoured Aeroplane Jelly. Dust insisted on filming a real 747 that was filled with jelly (apple flavour, for lower production costs). This fall would usually take threeand-a-half minutes, but was filmed by Deborah Dust’s crew at 700 framesper-second to be slowed down to 1/29th of normal speed. While the plane was destroyed with a spectacular jelly-filled explosion, the actual film cut away from the plane just before the explosion occurs to show Moses Number Nine waking from a bad dream. While this stays accurate to the biblical text, it is being held up as the most anti-climactic moment in film history.
Deborah Dust has defended the editing decision vehemently: “I did what God wanted me to do. Don’t argue with God.” A full analysis of all Marchie award winners is available at www.NAFA. org/2022-awards Chris Marlton is a comedian, writer, painter, and film-maker. Chris will be performing his new show Muesli Balloon at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival from 11-24 April. Tickets are available at www. linktree/ChrisMarlton. You can follow @angleside & @ threeblindmencomedy on Instagram and @ChrisMarltonComedy on Facebook.
Many believe this is responsible for the high representation of biblical epic films in both the nominees and the winners of the Marchies. Cutest Plot Twist Winner The winner of the Cutest Plot Twist award in the 2022 Marchies went to Michael Earr. Earr wrote the screenplay for the gardening thriller Seeds of Lament, which was directed by Dame Priscilla Hamburger. SPOILER ALERT: the first two-thirds of Seeds of Lament were told from the point of view of the gardener, who could not understand why the plants appeared to be crying each morning when he visited them. The final third of the film suddenly takes place from the perspective of the plants. Actors in plant-suits walk around the garden debating the concepts of space-time and depression. The film is a remake of the French Graines d’animateurs de radio d’insectes. The original version, however, was set entirely underground and focussed heavily on a pirate radio station being managed by the root systems of the trees and seven ant disc jockeys. Worst Flight Scene Winner Flight scenes can make or break a film. Deborah Dust’s second biblical epic nominated for a ’22 Marchie is called Juicehat for Fridges, from the December’s Orphans testament. PAGE 27
All Our Exes
LIVE IN TEXAS
By Noni Doll The National Folk Festival will return in near full glory this year, and with it a few names that regular attendees may recognise from previous festivals. One of those on that list is All Our Exes Live In Texas, with one of the songstresses from the band, Georgia Mooney, saying that they’re always pleased to come back to the National. “I think this will be our third time,” she says. “It feels like more because we are just so deeply attached to the festival. It’s been a long time, but we’re very excited to be back. It’s going to be so nice. The last time I was there, I got the winning raffle ticket and won a beautiful handmade dulcimer, which I’m pretty excited to return and be able to play.” Mooney goes on to mention that she’ll also be doing a solo set, something that comes with being part of what is arguably a supergroup of some of Australia’s sweetest voices, and incredible singer-songwriters, with Elana Stone, Hannah Crofts, and Katie Wighton making up the rest of the band. It can also make planning tours and recording a little more difficult, especially since careers aren’t the only things taking up their time these days. When asked about the potential for a new album, Mooney says that they’ve tried, but nothing’s really lined up yet: “Everyone’s been focused on surviving a pandemic and then recording solo albums or having a baby. These things happen, but it’s definitely on the way.” On the way it is indeed, as those who catch their festival set will be treated to some new tunes that could well make the final cut. “We’ve introduced a few new songs into the set, so there will be some new ones to hear,” she reveals, “and we’ve started recording the next album a couple of times and it’s not been quite right. It’s definitely in the pipeline and we really want to find a producer that we love
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and go away somewhere for a month and just get in the studio and bash one out.” But as previously mentioned, there is a new challenge that could potentially make things a little more tricky to organise, albeit a very cute one: bandmate Elana Stone’s new son. Mooney laughs it off, saying it’s actually been a pleasure having at their shows.
“
Everyone’s been focused on surviving a pandemic and then recording solo albums or having a baby... These things happen, but it’s definitely on the way.
”
“Oh, it’s so nice. I’d like to think we’ll eventually become a family band and there’ll be heaps of us; all the generations,” she laughs. “I mean, obviously we’re an all female band, so we want to prioritise people being able to do things like have families and have flexible work, home, [and] touring lives. We haven’t done much touring in the last couple of years, so in a way, it’s the perfect time to pop a baby out. But it’s so nice to have baby Humphrey come along to shows and her partner Joel comes along too. “There are lots of really amazing women in the music industry who are proving that it’s very possible to have young children and keep a music career going either by being flexible
and bringing your kids along, or making touring life more adaptable to the realities of life.” She chuckles. “We’ve always been a band that enjoys an early night and a cup of tea to be honest, so it’s not a dramatic change for us!” However, Mooney confesses that the National is one of the exceptions to that rule, with the late night jams of the Session Bar being a highlight for all the members of All Our Exes Live In Texas. “That’s a really rare thing, especially in Australia I think,” she explains, “where all the musicians get together at the end of each day and sit around and play music and have a jam. It goes into the wee hours of the morn and that’s such a beautiful, unique thing to the National Folk Festival.” She goes on to add: “There’s lots of collaboration, which I think is a really nice thing that is particularly special.” And for Mooney, it has the potential to have a strong sense of personal achievement attached as well: she was struck down heavily by Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic, suffering the effects for a long time afterwards. “I got it right at the start of March 2020, the OG strain, which seems like a distant memory,” she recalls. “[I] had long Covid for well over a year, so that was a very strange time of just focusing on health and not being able to sing. “It means a lot now, being able to play again and being fully recovered and back playing music. I’ll never take it for granted again, that’s for sure.” You can catch Georgia Mooney solo and as part of All Our Exes Live In Texas at the National Folk Festival this Easter long weekend, 14 - 18 April at EPIC. You can find more info at folkfestival.org.au. @bmamag
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That’s a really rare thing, especially in Australia I think, where all the musicians get together at the end of each day and sit around and play music and have a jam. It goes into the wee hours of the morn and that’s such a beautiful, unique thing to the National Folk Festival.
”
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JOSH PYKE IS
Good Folk “
In the true sense of the word ‘folk’, I’ll be hanging out with ‘folks’ I know, that I haven’t had a chance to see too often in the last few years, so it’s going to be good.
”
By Joshua Eckersley This month, we spoke to singer-songwriter Josh Pyke and, for some reason, my mind meandered towards the descriptive term ‘quiet achiever’ as I pictured him slowly building a sterling career over the years. However, as I look a little closer at his list of ‘quiet’ achievements, I realise it’s a touch too loud for such a label. It would be selling him appallingly short to use the term in public say, for example, in some form of printed press, such as a monthly entertainment and arts magazine. With six top-10 albums, four ARIA Awards, and numerous song writing credits for film and TV, let’s call Josh Pyke a massively talented ‘high-achiever’. Amazingly, he’s found time in his busy schedule to chat about his new album, To Find Happiness, and his upcoming slot at the National Folk Festival. His origin story is fairly typical, as far as prolific singer-songwriter origin stories go. Pyke was born into a musical family in Sydney, with an all-encompassing compulsion to create and perform music (let’s not forget to mention the brief dalliance with punk rock in those formative early years). He burst onto the indie-music scene in 2005 with his break-through single Middle of The Hill, and he has been going strong ever since, having just released his sixth studio album To Find Happiness. PAGE 30
The album is a beautiful, rich collection of songs, recorded over the last couple of years, in the stop-and-start absence of live music events that resulted from the pandemic. Josh tells us: “I recorded my previous album, Rome, here in my studio, but I wasn’t able to tour because of Covid. It just wasn’t an option. I needed, and wanted, to stay creatively busy, and in the absence of touring I just threw myself into producing more music”. It is a sign of what can be achieved with the right people and circumstances, as Josh continues to explain: “I’d get people to come around and help me with stuff. There is a great violinist that lives just around the corner, called Steph Zarka, who played all the violin. My kid’s piano teacher at the time, Glenn Hopper, who is a fantastic producer and solo artist in his own right, would come down and play piano and accordion.” Pyke then made the trip up to the amazing Music Farm Studios in Byron Bay to mix the album with Wayne Connolly, who mixed Pyke’s very first album, Memories & Dust. To support the release of To Find Happiness, Pyke is hitting the road, starting with some solo performances at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. As well as performing as a musical artist, he will be doing a book-reading and live show with Justine Clarke, the hugely talented actress, singer
and children’s entertainer. Pyke and Clarke have collaborated on a number of projects, including the song Words Make The World Go Around, which promoted and raised funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, for which they are both ambassadors. Pyke is clearly excited at the prospect of getting back onto the live stage to perform, and thanks to the amazing line-up at the NFF, he’ll get to see some amazing folk artists doing what they do best. “I’m super excited to go [to the festival] and bring the whole family. We’re going to check out Jack Carty, All Our Exes Live In Texas, and a bunch of bands I am really keen to see.” Josh then tries his hand at a play on words, as he muses: “In the true sense of the word ‘folk’, I’ll be hanging out with ‘folks’ I know, that I haven’t had a chance to see too often in the last few years, so it’s going to be good.” The National Folk Festival is happening on the Easter long weekend (14-18 April), hosted on Ngunnawal Country, and features the likes of Archie Roach, Kate Ceberano, Yothu Yindi, and Lior & Domini to name but a few. The festival will also host storytelling, poetry, dancers, choirs, and art installations in what promises to be an immersive experience of folk culture and a celebration of the folk history of our people. WHAT: National Folk Festival WHERE: Ngunnawal Country / Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC) WHEN: Easter Long Weekend (14-18 April) TIX: Visit www.folkfestival.org.au/tickets @bmamag
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHILE YOU SLEEP? By Joshua Eckersley Kate Neal and Sal Cooper have been collaborating for over 12 years, across a variety of artistic mediums, and this month their most ambitious work, While You Sleep, is coming to The Street Theatre. These two artistic directors have combined their talents; Kate’s experience as a composer and arranger, and Sal’s specialisation in video and animation, to create a truly captivating aural and visual adventure. Over the span of their artistic association, the pair have constantly pushed boundaries, as they explore aspects of the human condition, articulating these ideas through the entwined relationship of vision and sound. The origins of While You Sleep dates back a few years to a conversation about music, language, and the mind, which Sal recalls, “came from a discussion we had about the fugue, and the realisation that the word refers to a particular musical form, and a rare kind of dissociative psychological state. We thought that strange connection, and all its associations, was a rich and interesting starting point for a major work.” Their unique show, which first premiered in 2018 at the Arts House, Melbourne, delves into some very complex ideas, such as the selective truth of memory. These types of
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themes manifest across three large screens in the form of hand-drawn animations and stop-motion videos, setting the scene for the musicians to fully explore the theatre space. The live music score is performed by a string quartet that trace intricate tracks of flight across the stage, spinning and undulating on foot and wheeled chairs as they symbolically battle with their instruments. They create shapes and patterns that mirror and respond to the art displayed on the screens, which, much like a musical fugue, gradually builds into a more complex form. While You Sleep is saturated with metaphors, and communicates deep themes visually, poetically, gesturally, and aurally. According to Sal, “the very heart of the work expresses an abiding sense of movement. It is a wandering energy, a constant fleeing from, and returning to, the self and the other. It’s a wonderfully fluid premise within which to create a very broad and expansive work.” Kate and Sal learned there are a multitude of challenges in creating a work such as this, with many hours spent on making the performance look seamless. To sync such tightly cued visual media with sound, and movement, the score must be entirely memorised, as well as choreographed (there is no room for music stands in this show). The creative process, however, was more experimental and fluid, as Kate reveals:
“In the development process, there was a beautiful synergy of devising staging with the musicians, and fusing this into more fixed, scored material. Director Jackson Castiglione has been great in helping realise this synergy and construction.” The artistic directors certainly rose to the challenges of staging a production of this magnitude, turning complications into inspiration, and fuel for the creative fires. Sal further elaborates: “There were conceptual, practical, and technological issues, but they often gave rise to new and surprising ideas. The inherent intricacy was only possible through the extraordinary talent and focus of the musicians who carry this off in the live performance.” The team is very excited to bring While You Sleep to The Street Theatre. For Kate, the Canberra area holds a special connection, having grown up in Cooma and the Monaro region. There will be a wisp of a hometown advantage, which will surely add to the overall atmosphere and energy on the night. WHAT: While You Sleep WHERE: The Street Theatre WHEN: Fri - Sat, 29-30 April, 7:30pm TIX: Visit www.thestreet.org.au/shows/ while-you-sleep PAGE 31 PAGE 33
The ever evolving
Montaig ne By Noni Doll
The last two years have been confronting and challenging for musicians everywhere, and Montaigne’s 2020-22 has been no different… Except that for her, those years also included a crack at the Eurovision title, branching out into acting, comedy, and streaming, plus collaborating with a legend of modern music. But before we get into all that, the topic of discussion falls on familiar ground: her return to Groovin The Moo as part of this year’s lineup. She explains she’s already planning who she wants to catch up with and whose sets she’s keen to see. “I’m keen to meet Sycco, who I messaged yesterday to ask if she wanted to make music with me. And I have quite a few friends playing, like Middle Kids and Hilltop Hoods and Alice Ivy and Lime Cordiale… I’m keen to see everyone in person let alone on stage,” she says, cheerfully. However, she does acknowledge that while it won’t be her first time in the capital as part of this festival, she hasn’t been able to perform in the city as often as she’d like. “I haven’t done a lot of gigs in Canberra historically… My booking agent knows why, I suppose!” she jokes. “All my family live there so it’s always nice to go and see them and stuff.” Though it won’t just be locals in the crowd for Montaigne’s sets on the GTM tour. “I have a Swedish fan who has travelled to Australia to come see me play live, which is very lovely,” she explains, chuffed. “She came to my Queanbeyan show… and she’s also going to [the Bendigo] show. So I’m keen to touch base with her again, and a bunch of other fans that I’ve developed something of a relationship with, which will be nice.” The relationships she speaks of have been mostly built online, through her increasing Twitch presence and the ensuing Discord community, which is built around her music and gaming streams, but also around a quirky sense of humour, a strong sense of social justice, and a generous helping of kindness. Montaigne explains how it came together: “Early Twitch streams were a bit more jokey. I’d play video games, either by myself or with my partner, and we’d make very stupid PAGE PAGE 32 32
sketches of certain moments. That was the vibe, and everyone really enjoyed that, especially in the thick of the pandemic when we were trying to connect with each other as best we could through the digital space. Twitch was a good way to do that. So I feel like it was really borne out of the pandemic. But people seem to have stayed because of the music, which I mostly stream now on Twitch.” The move into the online space has also had a significant impact on the music she’s currently working on.
“
I don’t get stuck on ideas and ‘Oh, should I do it like this? Or should I do it like that?’ because I have to keep going in order for people to actually enjoy what they’re watching or listening to.
”
“Twitch was the thing that galvanised me to start learning to produce,” she says. “And most of the chops that I’ve developed producing have been earned through practice on Twitch because I find doing it live in front of other people forces me to make choices very quickly. I don’t get stuck on ideas and ‘Oh, should I do it like this? Or should I do it like that?’ because I have to keep going in order for people to actually enjoy what they’re watching or listening to. “So it’s quite a huge part in my ability to make my own music from scratch and also monopolise the songwriting I do because I start with production now instead of the song, which makes for a completely different song.” Has the push towards producing made her less inclined towards traditional sounds?
“I actually have been thinking lately that I’d like to try write more songs on instruments. I haven’t done that for a long time. That used to be the only way I did it and now it’s mostly through the computer. But yeah, Twitch has really determined the fate of a lot of the music I’ve been making,” she concludes. What about producing someone else’s work? Is there a producer-only credit on the horizon? “I haven’t had the time to do it lately, because I’m in the middle of an album cycle, getting back into shows and all that, but eventually I’d really like to do it,” she confesses. Before wrapping up the conversation, there’s one more thing that has to be touched on: her recently released collaboration with David Byrne, formerly of Talking Heads, and one of the most innovative artists of the modern era. How on earth did that happen? “I emailed him.” Wait, it was really that simple? Apparently so. “The producer was working with, at the time, Dave Hammer. His manager tried to find his email, found it, and said, ‘Hey, send him an email.’ So I did. He replied, and the reply was terrible. “He was like, ‘Oh, hi, Jess. Great to hear from you. Weird that I haven’t heard of you before because I have very broad music taste. I’ll go listen now. I’m obviously open to collaboration. I’m about to do a duet with Mitski,’ blah, blah, blah. Anyway, he was very chill and keen and answered my email.” It’s hard to think of a more Montaigne story than that: how else does one become a Eurovision finalist, a Twitch star, and a collaborator with musical royalty than by just getting in and having a crack? It’s certainly worked for her. Montaigne plays Groovin The Moo on Sunday, 24 April at Exhibition Park with a raft of others. Visit gtm.net.au for info & tix @bmamag
“
The producer was working with, at the time, Dave Hammer. His manager tried to find his email, found it, and said, ‘Hey, send him an email’. So I did. He replied, and the reply was terrible...
”
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[BEST OF CANBERRA MUSIC] CHARLOTTE & THE HARLOTS HIT THE LIMIT [
]
Charlotte & The Harlots were formed in Canberra in 2017 by frontwoman Charlotte Jenkins and drummer Daan Steffens. They were joined later by bassist Jasper-Kemp Myers and lead guitarist Luke Schiffer. The band released singles, and a debut EP in 2019, and since then have solidified their power grunge pop standing.
They’ve played a series of live shows, including sharing the stage with the likes of C.O.F.F.I.N, The Neptune Power Federation, Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers, Hard-Ons, and Witchskull. The latest release for the band sees them in fine fiery form, creating a captivating four minutes of post-grunge power-pop pulsing with energy, melodic know-how, and combustible performances.
This crowned by Jenkins’ undeniable super-charged presence, a combination of rock, soul, and alluring, refined swagger. The track is a cohesive hybrid of styles. It bridges the moody inferences of an early ’90s grunge spirit to a contemporary rock sensibility. With a dash of power punk for good measure. From its bass-centred intro parts to the high dives of the chorus—regarding the chord changes, the melodic twists and turns—Hit The Limit reveals a band with a self-assured focus and an enthralling, career jumping-off point. The chorus, in particular, straddles a curious intersection, utilising these fused styles to generate a rousing refrain with an equally enticing lyric. Come on, now; we all want to say it at some point, right: Everything you are to me, you’re my best friend. There’s more to say about the chorus. Its surprise take-off, which bounces off an almost classic rock all-in accent to the title’s veiled command, soon cascades into that bracing, staggered series of notes. And the performances behind it all add weight and energy. The drum part is notable for its services to that melodic structure. Each beat marks the track’s moments of controlled chaos. Hit The Limit will set Charlotte & The Harlots’ upward trajectory in motion. It’s a no-brainer track that delights on all sorts of elevated levels. VINCE LEIGH
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MAISIE X ENDREY RUNNING [
]
Running is the debut track for 21-year-old Canberra vocalist Maisie Lyon alongside veteran experimental pop artist Chris Endrey.
The new release introduces Maisie, who some have marked as Australia’s suburban Dua Lipa, and is the production debut for Endrey, a multiple-awardwinning performer who has collaborated with a stable of top Canberra artists, including Lucy Sugerman, Citizen Kay, Kirklandd and SAFIA’s Ben Woolner. Amid the many subtle treats this new track offers, an obvious one is Maisie’s intimacy-evoking vocal, restraint doubling as emotional probing, gently circling the beds of synth pads, finessed electro percussion, and the melancholic emissions surrounding it. The dynamic scope of the track retains a strong balance, shared by the melodic inventions and the undertow of the
THE ABSENTEE BETWEEN WORDS
Between Words is the debut album for Canberra three[ ] piece The Absentee. Whilst a vocalist is nowhere to be heard on this collection, the musicians’ voices come through loud and clear. And expertly so.
instrumentation. One part is attended to by the melodies, which veer from the verses’ retro conjuring affectations—the opening five notes feel almost Bacharach like as they climb up the scale—to the chorus’ note-colliding cadences, its two-part structure allowing for a transformative resolve before the second verse. The other part is handled by the music, a fitting juxtaposition of swells and emanations that converge to give the track its pulsing late-night colouration. The rhythmic ebb and flow throughout the track, particularly regarding the straight bass drum additions, help thicken the intensity, the task of which is already steadily adhered to by Maisie’s sleek yet persuasive commitment and Endrey’s minimalistic sensibilities. Along with the melody’s immediacy, the sparse arrangement of texture and light rhythmic augmentations coat the song with authoritative sobriety, merging Maisie’s equally understated approach, generating a sense of nuanced pop opacity—despite our understanding of the lyric’s governing contention. There is a lot to like about this track; whether it’s simply the spectral luxuriance of Maisie’s tone, or Endrey’s merging of rippling synth hymnal with lounge-ready electronica, the collaboration has produced a trenchant and rewarding result. VINCE LEIGH
Scenes like this play out all through Between Words. The juxtaposing, sudden shifts. The coursing musical mini dramas that each player expertly soars through. It guarantees, if not a strictly emotional connection, then most persuasively the kind tilted towards wonderment. This balance, of guitar, bass, and drums, is well-honed, sprinkled along most of the tracks with what I can only term as controlled abandon. Yes, they all seem to let loose at various junctures along the way. Still, it’s all done with an integrated, progressive musical witchery.
The seven tracks that make up this assortment range from high-velocity dexterity displays to more nuanced applications. Yet the common thread is apparent when the album is streamed in its entirety. Not only is it the masterful navigation of disparate time signatures, rhythms, and melodic structures, but a seemingly effortless consideration for the art of dynamics.
And there’s that word right there— progressive. Let’s not call it prog rock, but this is just what it might be. And why the hell not! One must settle back when listening to Between Words; let all those hours the artists have spent fine-tuning, endlessly recalibrating their focus, their craft, guide you toward a more experimental musical experience.
When zooming in on some of the tracks, we realise the scope of such concerns. For example, when casting our attention to Pandora, we not only get a rather sweet guitar introduction, supported by gently cascading drums and bass work, but by the three-minute mark the intensity grows into an assemblage of accented volleys of that sweetness mentioned above, with a further amendment as it ascends towards a metalfocused segue, again, highlighting what can only be termed as the thematic engine of the piece. facebook.com/bmamagazine
Scenes like this play out all through Between Words. The
And if one needs a nudge, one need only to refer to the album’s tell-tale sleeve design. VINCE LEIGH PAGE 35
[BEST OF CANBERRA MUSIC] THE SUNBEARS NAUGHTY BOY [
]
The SunBears’ last single, Devil Smile, went to #1 on the National Metro AMRAP charts, was voted #13 by Canberra Indie and gained a semi-final spot in the International Songwriting Competition. Not bad for a band four singles into their career.
And with shows booked around the country at major festivals such as the Thredbo Blues Festival, Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival, Moruya Blues & Roots Festival, Enlighten Festival, and Torch Fest, 2022 is shaping up to be a big one. The band’s new release, Naughty Boy, deviates from the brooding growl of Devil Smile in that it seems to aim for the feet. Cue the blazing rock shuffle that takes flight from the opening snare fill and does not let up, not one iota.
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Garnished with the typical ‘SunBears blues colourations, Naughty Boy is tantalisingly brief, stylistically on point, and contains enough firepower to warrant repeated listenings. Clearly, the band, or lyricist, has issues with Old Nick, and well, who the hell doesn’t? Contemplate this line, near the end of the Bears’ obstreperous resolve: This woman made me the devil ain’t nothin I can do. Okay, all political correctness considerations aside, this predicament is, of course, quite dire. Hence the groove’s rambunctious, steamrolling nature, the fevered dynamics, the classic twelve-bar blues progression, and subsequent arrangement: the archfiend and rock ‘n’ roll go way back. Right back to the birth of the blues, all those spirituals; the work songs of the deep south. And this track is indeed a workout. What’s most arresting here is the marriage of this galloping, rolling rhythm with CC Hall’s Hendrix-like wailings and drummer Dylan Harding and bass player Craig Marshalsey’s hurtling yet tightly coiled alliance, giving the track a sense of threatening, streamlined energy. It all works, of course. No doubt Naughty Boy is a highlight of the band’s live shows—and justifiably so. VINCE LEIGH
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ALBUM IN
FOCUS
that no amount of acceding to metal tropes can reduce. Everyone here has put in a good healthy stretch of practice, and it shows. The band veer from cyclonic speeds to less combative kinds with ease and dexterity, allowing for one of the show’s real stars to shine: the dynamic. In a sense, it’s all about this characteristic. Some tracks deviate from the superfast, such as Pigbat, with its lurching shuffle plodding, that nonetheless maintains the rise and fall within the five-minute blitz.
CHAIN TOMBSTONE & THE DEAD MEN REALM OF PAIN
The vocal performances are the anticipated death growl embodiments. There’s a few slight turns here and there. Such as Sting of Torment, with its
verses that seem to contain, quite disarmingly, a melodic propensity. This kind of hyper metal—as I term it—feels like metal at its rawest manifestation taken to its logical endpoint. Faster, harsher, more brutal. That makes sense from a metal evolution point of view. Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men’s new one explores and exploits the genre like it’s perhaps supposed to. Like it’s expected to do. And that will undoubtedly guarantee a willing and devoted audience. VINCE LEIGH
Ben and Rheece formed Canberra’s Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men in April of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a creative outlet for the two multi-instrumentalists. The band’s debut single Steel Chair Lobotomy was released mid-2020, and a debut album, Circus of Gore, in early 2021. Chain Tombstone & The Dead Men have now released the second album, Realm of Pain. The band kicks off its debut album in a similar fashion. The gentle easing of Brace for Impact replicated in Dragged to the Underworld. And once again, they take the listener for a fast ride into that relentless underworld of speed slash death metal. But not before opening the set with a brief instrumental that works as a kind of introductory experience. It’s a piece that’s semi sedate yet tinted with an air of expectancy. And what one expects, one gets. The pummelling drama quickly envelopes us, and we’ve landed smack bang in the middle of it all. Riffs within riffs, cyclical tempo resets, turbo double kick patterns, as well as tom fills so explosive and brisk that they’re more like snippets of jet airplane samples. The tracks are consistently unrelenting and unrelentingly aggressive. Yet, they also reveal, like many death and speed metal bands tend to do, a depth of musicianship facebook.com/bmamagazine
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FILM REVIEWS
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE [
]
In the most mundane of countless alternative realities, Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) struggles to keep her failing laundromat afloat and can spare no attention for her neglected husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), and daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu). Most urgently, she must collate hundreds of invoices within hours if the business is not to be closed down by the Internal Revenue Service’s (I.R.S.’s) dreaded but long-suffering agent Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis). But at the most critical moment of Evelyn’s face-to-face negotiations with the I.R.S., Waymond does the impossible, taking her into an adjacent universe to beg her help to save the entire multiverse of worlds. Evelyn has no time for that: she must do her taxes. But needs must. Pursued by mortal enemies from other universes, this lowest-achieving of all Evelyns is forced to continually jump realities, accessing her other selves’ collective abilities, in order merely to survive — and just possibly save all life and conjectural possibilities in the multiverse as we know it. And the most critical moments will demand of her the most unlikely (and shockingly funny) snap decisions. This latest escapade from Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, co-directors of Swiss Army Man, takes only unexpected turns. Unparallelled in its combination of creative energy, transdimensional urgency, inter-universal consciousness, intelligence agency, and hilariously mad zaniness, Everything Everywhere All at Once will keep you flinching, gaping, and laughing aloud in consecutive moments throughout.
FAREWELL, MISTER HAFFMANN [ADIEU MONSIEUR HAFFMANN] [
]
Since June 1940, Paris has been occupied by the Germans. Now, in 1941, Jewish people are required to identify themselves to the German occupiers and are being taken to Germany “to take part in work programs” — including the elderly, children, and babies. Talented Jewish jeweller Joseph Haffmann (Daniel Auteuil), fearing the worst, sends his wife and children to the unoccupied zone, promising to join them as soon as he has secured the future of his shop — a future that doesn’t include confiscation by the Nazis. To this end he signs over ownership of his shop and home to his employee François Mercier (Gilles Lellouche) with the gentlemen’s agreement that once the war is over they will reverse the process. Mercier agrees, and he and his wife, Blanche (Sara Giraudeau), who isn’t happy with the scheme, move into the Haffmann residence. But Mr Haffmann’s escape route has closed, and he returns to his shop to hide until his next chance to leave. Then things get complicated and tense as what began as a gentlemen’s agreement based on decency and trust gradually becomes something quite different. Outstanding performances by Daniel Auteuil as Joseph Haffmann, Gilles Lellouche as François Mercier, and Sara Giraudeau as Blanche paint characters facing the twin threats of marauding Nazis, and the relationships between the three of them.
— JOHN P. HARVEY
Rich in moral and ethical complexity, Farewell, Mister Haffmann uses the subtlest gestures and facial expressions, and exquisite attention to the smallest details, to reflect French society of the period and the invaders’ indifference to the welfare of the French and heartlessness toward those they identify as Jews.
Screening at Palace, Dendy, and Hoyts cinemas from 14 April.
To get the most from the film, don’t let anyone tell you how it turns out.
And, for the icing on the cake, the plot makes complete sense. At least, on the second viewing. I think.
—MICHELE E. HAWKINS Screening at Palace cinemas from Friday, 8 April.
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FILM COLUMN with Cam Williams A TRUE PERIOD PIECE
There’s no half measures on the cusp of teenage life and it’s the cornerstone of Pixar’s Turning Red. Set in 2002, Mei (Rosalie Chiang) is a 13-yearold Chinese-Canadian student who turns into a red panda whenever she gets emotional. Yes, the metaphor is totally intentional and apt. In Mei’s world there’s lots of excitement for a heartthrob boyband 4*Town (Jordan Fisher, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo, and Finneas O’Connell) and the pressure to live up to the expectations of her mother (Sandra Oh); it’s a lot to contain and enough to overwhelm any teenager. Director and co-writer Domee Shi, who won an Academy Award for the delightful Pixar short Bao, plays every emotion in Turning Red as big, bigger, biggest. It’s a hormonal rush accentuated by dazzling animation that bucks Pixar’s house style in favour of a more hyperactive approach. Mei’s eyes bulge with cute hearts, there’s colourful fantasy sequences, and the whole film is set at the pace of a teenager’s short attention span. For once it feels like Pixar is pushing its visuals to compete with the innovation exemplified by Sony Pictures Animation (Into the Spider-Verse, The Mitchells verses the Machines) and the oddball hysterics of the Cartoon Network facebook.com/bmamagazine
(Adventure Time, Steven Universe).
The 2002 factor can’t be understated either.
Shi and co-writer Julia Cho take their Teen Wolf premise and give it multigenerational depth. Is the red panda a blessing or a curse?
The film indulges in nostalgia for touchstones of the time, such as flip phones, tamagotchis, and when boy bands were globally considered as legitimate royalty.
Turning Red pushes its story beyond the animated film clichés of absent or deceased parents to focus on family and identity with the backdrop of melodramatic teenage life. It’s a similar move to Disney alum Encanto and its rejection of a physical villain in favour of deeply embedded trauma and family conflict.
Turning Red captures the boundless energy of a teenager and its exuberance snaps you back to a time when every itty bitty thing in your life had end-of-the-world stakes.
But Shi never loses her grip on the energetic vibes of Turning Red and the tender emotional moments are still shaded with a glitter pen. The voice cast is exceptional, and again brings into question why the hell these performances never get the same kind of recognition as their liveaction peers, especially when considering, and relishing in, the performances of Chiang, Oh, and Orion Lee as Mei’s father (whose cooking in this film is drool central).
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They’ve raised some $150,000 thus far. As well as discovering a raft of new favourites, the comp includes cuts from the likes of A-Sides, Black Sun Empire, Current Value, Calibre, DJ Marky, IMANU, Logistics, London Elektricity, Modestep, Noisia & Phace, Nu: Tone, Shanks, and The Upbeats.
THE DROP [THE WORD ON EDM/DANCE MUSIC] WITH ALLAN SKO - ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM
If the music and arts industry is one of the first to suffer, and last to recover, in a pandemic, then it’s doubly so for our beloved EDM playground. One’s propensity to, using the medical nomenclature, “cut sick” on the dancefloor isn’t wonderfully conducive to virological safety.
Speaking of the mighty NZ duo that is The Upbeats, the ever-busy Headz Are Rollin’ ladz are bringing the bombastic beat barons to Transit Bar on Thursday, 14 April.
The UPBEATS
But thrilling parties are emerging, which we shall cover here, as well as some other notable news. To whit… A Brand Shiny New Local Label! Yes, Ed Reading AKA notable Canberra DJ/ producer Disect, got in touch to tout his new label, Plasmodium Records. “My name’s Ed. I’ve been writing music for 15 years and I still bloody love it,” the man enthuses on the label’s intro video. “The first release is an album from my Disect project, called Macroscopic. It’s gonna be on Bandcamp for free, or pay as you like. It comes out on the Easter weekend, Saturday 15 April, when I’ll be playing two sets, at Earthen Rhythmics at the Blue Mountains. I hope you enjoy the music; plenty more to come.” Drum ‘n’ Bass for the Place Speaking of Bandcamp-based initiatives, over on the platform is an incredibly tidy collection of drum ‘n’ bass and D&B adjacent tunes under the banner Together With Ukraine. As the name suggests, it’s a whopping 136-track compilation of the genre’s best and brightest with the intent of raising money for those affected by the war in Ukraine.
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Known for their eclectic tastes and energetic stage presence, the Vision label eardrum devastaters deliver speaker-rattling sets to shake all manner of crowds. Supported by Tidy and Samwise, Kaliopi, Key Seismic, and Mariana Dub. The night kicks off at 8pm, tix are $23.45 via Moshtix. A fine way to kick off your Easter long weekend. A Feast of Easter Beats Speaking of the Easter weekend (on FIRE with these links), joy of joys, we have another Escape Ferocity party to look forward to on Friday, 15 April at the beautiful surrounds of Black Mountain Peninsula. From the mouths of the EF crew themselves: “It’s been a while, a long while. Like Lazarus rising from the dead and John Farnham coming out of retirement, we’re back. To help us shake off the dust we have a double international headliner, deep-tech sorceress Bebetta (DE) and Kiwi bush king Grouch in Dub (NZ) who is bringing with him Dub Princess (UK).
bebetta to rock escape ferocity
“Why fix what ain’t broke? BYO, green grass, lake views, a banging rig, and – finally – a proper dance. Featuring stellar beats all afternoon by Doppel, Fabio Leal (BR) and more artists to be announced.” The day spans 1pm - 8pm, and tix are $40 - $65 + bf via Humanitix. Set to be a ripper.
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kid kenobi joins the ministry OF sound reunion
Future Sounds Spreading the EDM love across the venues, New York’s Anthony Naples will be dropping by sideway on Saturday, 23 April. His diverse techno and house explorations shall be a treat for the ears. And finally… beloved party-meisters Canberra House Social are back! And they’re bringing John Talabot to the still beautiful surrounds of Black Mountain Peninsula on Sunday, 29 May. For their fifth birthday bash, no less.
More long weekend loveliness, we have a traditional massive Friction Presents gig to look forward to on the Sunday, 17 April. The mighty Ministry of Sound Reunion party is on, featuring the flashback fanfare of Groove Terminator, Mark Dynamix, Kid Kenobi, Jamie Doom of Bang Gang DJs, Jeff Drake, Jack Burton, Clique, Peekz, and Robyn Heart. Starts at 2pm and goes til late, tix range from $49.98 - $91.80 from Moshtix. Friction events have a tendency to sell out, and with the added spice of one of the busiest weekends of the EDM calendar that is Easter, you best get in quick.
john talabot
Earthen Rhythmics If you fancy sinking your chattering teeth into a bit more, and fancy skipping across the border for the long ‘un, the four-day Earthen Rhythmics festival i son from 15 18 April at the Bell in the Blue Mountains, NSW. As the organisers themselves stated: Spain’s Talabot - label head, serial collaborator, and adept curator - will be joined by HYG, Needy Boy (UK), LEMN, Arabella, and Plant Operator. Expect the Soul Defender stage. Expect glass-free BYO drinks. Expect a food truck. Expect a good time. The event spans 11am - 9pm, and tix are $42.50 - $60 + bf via Humanitix.
“We are preparing to gather in the beautiful landscape of the Blue Mountains to build community and develop shared space, to dance and enjoy music, to explore and feel the earth, and to grow within ourselves as well as with others.
Bugger me, that’ll do. Lots ‘n’ lots ‘n’ lots to see and do. Things are still really tough for our incredibly hardworking beat merchants. So stay safe, get hype, and get along to these events to both support this wonderful community and, most importantly, have a damn good time in the process.
“There will be a variety of well known local acts performing throughout the event including live performances through to psytrance, drum ‘n’ bass, forest, and a mix-bag in between.” Peace, love, nature, beats and bass. Lovely. For the full, extensive line-up, head to triniq.com/earthenrhythmic (at time of writing, it appears the event is sold out, so proffer your email in case a cancellation pops up). A quick note on Fiction Club, and the fact that they’re pumping out a healthy calendar of events once more, including their 3rd birthday bash on Friday, 8 April featuring What So Not. Head to fctn.intix.com to check out their wares.
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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
THURSDAY 7 APRIL Hamlet Peter Evans’ critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet returns in 2022. A story of revenge, passion and deception, where human desire for retribution quickly becomes a burden. 7pm, tix via venue
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
Capital Punishment Comedy pun slam - this month’s theme is pirates! 7pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Dear Seattle Following the release of their knockout single Way Out, Australian rock favourites Dear Seattle are on their Way Out Australian Headline Tour. 8pm, tix via Moshtix
UC HUB
FRIDAY 8 APRIL Odette Odette is back with an intimate set where she will captivate and entrance audiences, performing works of her 2020 album Herald including Feverbreak, Dwell, Amends and the title track, as well as a number of unreleased songs. 8pm, $40.13 via Moshtix
UC HUB
Lunchbox Acoustic: Springtide Free live music in the city from 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Rejoice in the Lamb English Sacred Music for Choir & Organ Canberra Choral Society is excited to start its 2022 season and 70th anniversary year with Rejoice in the Lamb – a concert of beautiful 19th and 20th century English sacred music. 7pm
WESLEY UNITING CHURCH, FORREST
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The Gadflys - 40th Anniversary Tour The mongrel jazz band emerged amidst the unlikely yet burgeoning Canberra ‘80s punk scene. They soon transcended the strictures of punk and synth pop to develop a unique style. 5pm, tix $11.64 via gadflysbwd.eventbrite.com
SMOKEY HORSE BRAIDWOOD
Rejoice in the Lamb – English Sacred Music for Choir and Organ Canberra Choral Society is excited to start its 2022 season and 70th anniversary year with Rejoice in the Lamb, a concert of beautiful 19th and 20th century English sacred music. 2pm
ST SAVIOUR’S CATHEDRAL, 170 BOURKE ST, GOULBURN
Hydranaut Canberra’s new stoner rock supergroup, playing with good friends Pilots of Baalbek, Hekate & The Ending. Presented by The Doominati & Garbage Graphics. 7pm
Wacken Metal Battle Australia 2022 Canberra Heat Giving one lucky metal band the chance to perform at the holy land of heavy metal Wacken Open Air! 4pm, tix via Oztix
Chris Johnstone: Experience Hendrix - An Evening of Eclectic Improvisation Eclectic Experience as the Chris Johnstone Band interprets the music the only way they know. 8pm, tix via venue
Get Loud 4 Lismore A fundraising event for flood affected Lismore & surrounding communities. From 4pm
THE BASEMENT
THE STREET THEATRE
Club Oof Micah Heathwood will be premiering his new single Club Oof alongside Hybrid Man, Pluto, and Chloe Maguire
SIDEWAY
Betty Alto + Smartcasual 8pm
CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
SATURDAY 9 APRIL TorchFest Canberra 2022 Listen Up Music & Milestone Entertainment present a first of its kind mental health music festival, shining a light on the subject. Featuring Sputnik Sweetheart, The Million, The Shang, Tiarnie, Seb Szabo, Lucy Sugerman, Imogen Clark, Liv Li, Azure, Sware, The SunBears, and Ryder Sorrento (of Chins). All musos on the day perform their Torch Song, the light that gets you through... From 12pm, $22.04 via Moshtix
KAMBRI AT ANU
THE BASEMENT
THE POLO
Claire Cross: Into Light Darkly-hued, immersive suite exploring the theme of hope and the complexities of struggle. 7:30pm
THE STREET THEATRE
Riley Catherall w/ The Weeping Willows When I Go Album Launch Join alt-country songwriter Riley Catherall as he launches his debut-record When I Go at The Canberra Irish Club with The Weeping Willows and special guest B.Coming. 7:30pm
CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
Canberra Blues Society presents: The McNaMarr Project John McNamara & Andrea Marr have both carved a niche for themselves on the international blues & soul scene with #1 charting albums here in Aus and the US. 7:30pm
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Moondog From 8pm
DICKSON TAP HOUSE
SUNDAY 10 APRIL Karlo Paasonen At the Burning of the Pram: songs about climate change and protest. 2pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Soph Maurice 2pm
QUEENIES (KINGSTON) ZZG Alternate Realities Inc vinyl album launch. 4pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Sarah Soukieh 4pm
DICKSON TAP HOUSE
MONDAY 11 APRIL Haris Hodzic Free live music in the city. From 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
TUESDAY 12 APRIL Bella Groove Free live music in the city. From 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL Joel Dreezer Trio Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Redemption We begin with one of the most blazingly original harmonic ideas in the history of Western classical music: Wagner’s trailblazing Tristan chord. The program also features Mendelssohn, Margaret Sutherland, and music from Hitchcock’s Vertigo. 7:30pm
LLEWELLYN HALL, ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
@bmamag
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
THURSDAY 14 APRIL
FRIDAY 15 APRIL
National Folk Festival 2022 The Folkie is finally able to return! Featuring a huge line-up of artists including Archie Roach, Yothu Yindi, Josh Pyke (article this issue), All My Exes Live In Texas (again, article in this issue) Kate Ceberano, Lior & Domini, and plenty more besides. And the music is just the beginning. For tix and times, head to folkfestival.org.au
Escape Ferocity presents Bebetta (DE) + Grouch in Dub ft. Dub Princess (NZ/UK) Why fix what ain’t broke? BYO, green grass, lake views, a banging rig, and – finally – a proper dance. To help us shake off the dust we have a double international headliner, deeptech sorceress Bebetta and Kiwi bush king Grouch. From 1pm - 8pm, escapeferocity. party for tix and info
EXHIBITION PARK
Mallrat These shows will be the culmination of a massive few months for the 21-year-old singer-songwriter-producer, after her third EP, Driving Music, catapulted her to a whole new level of international fame. 8pm, $40.13 via Moshtix
UC REFECTORY
The Upbeats (NZ) Known for their eclectic tastes and energetic stage presence, the NZ Vision label D&B duo deliver speaker-rattling sets to shake all manner of crowds. Supported by Tidy and Samwise, Kaliopi, Key Seismic, and Mariana Dub. 8pm, tix are $23.45 via Moshtix
TRANSIT BAR
Proposal Australian Tour 2022 Borderline BMT presents. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
An Evening with John Butler Australia’s highest selling independent artist of all time, John Butler, has a brand new live show, sharing stories from the road and from his heart and playing songs from his vast catalogue which spans almost a quarter of a century. 7:30pm, tix via venue
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Redemption We begin with one of the most blazingly original harmonic ideas in the history of Western classical music: Wagner’s trailblazing Tristan chord. The program also features Mendelssohn, Margaret Sutherland and music from Hitchcock’s Vertigo. 7:30pm
LLEWELLYN HALL, ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
BLACK MOUNTAIN PENINSULA
Good Lekker Belligerence Tour Wollongong-based indie-rock band Good Lekker will embark on an East-Coast tour. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
Spinning Plates Spinning Plates are a local alt-rock outfit pushing the envelope of what a threepiece can achieve. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
Great Gable From meeting on the cricket pitch to recording their debut album with the help of Matt Corby, Great Gable are not a band to do things in the standard way. 8pm, tix $35.02 via Moshtix
UC HUB
SATURDAY 16 APRIL Leo Joseph’s Blues Piano Sessions A free trip through the history of blues piano, 3rd Saturday each month. 12:30pm
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Emo/Pop-Punk Tribute Night 4 amazing live bands paying tribute to: My Chemical Romance, Blink-182, Death Cab For Cutie, and AFI. Plus a DJ! 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
Stumps After a couple of postponements (thanks COVID) and a little bit of luck, it’s finally here. Introducing, the Nuance Media Transit takeover! 8pm, tix via Moshtix
TRANSIT BAR facebook.com/bmamagazine
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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Nicolas Cage Fighter & Lycanthrope Two titans, Nicolas Cage Fighter and Lycanthrope, team up for two dates in Sydney and Canberra. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
SUNDAY 17 APRIL Friction Presents: Ministry of Sound Reunion Featuring the flashback fanfare of Groove Terminator, Mark Dynamix, Kid Kenobi, Jamie Doom of Bang Gang DJs, Jeff Drake, Jack Burton, Clique, Peekz, and Robyn Heart. 2pm til late, tix $49.98 - $91.80 from Moshtix
ASSEMBLY THE PEOPLE’S PUB
MONDAY 18 APRIL Alex Raupach Trio Free live music from 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
TUESDAY 19 APRIL Canberra Circus Festival A five day festival of great Australian circus, magic, comedy and burlesque, with workshops, markets, food, drinks, and fun. From 10am
THE MAY WIRTH BIG TOP, LIONS YOUTH HAVEN, 244 KAMBAH POOL ROAD Jeff and Deej Trio Free live music from 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Open Mic Comedy Hosted by the irrepressible Marky Worthington. Free entry, 7pm
THE BASEMENT
WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL Trophy Eyes This will be the first chance for fans to see the anthemic rock-powerhouse on an Australian headline tour in over two years. Joining them on tour as support act are Brisbane pop-punk quartet, Waxflower. 8pm, tix $55.44 via Moshtix
UC REFECTORY PAGE 44
Leisa Keen & John Mackey Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
THURSDAY 21 APRIL Monica Moore Trio Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Ed Kuepper & Jim White Together they will tackle 45 years’ worth of Kuepper’s catalogue with a twist that only these game-changers can apply. 8pm, tix via venue
Rock City Saints & Damaged Justice Expect a stage on fire with their highly entertaining and engaging rock ’n’ roll performance. 7:30pm
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB The Grogans The Grogans are three best mates from Melbourne, who play a variety of music, mainly focusing on a spacey surf-rock, however there are hints of gutsy blues rhythms and dirty grunge/punk driving grooves as well as a cruisy laid-back reggae aspect to complete their sound. 8pm, tix via Moshtix
THE STREET THEATRE
TRANSIT BAR
Tasman Keith Ascendant rapper Tasman Keith has shared the surprise release, 5ft Freestyle, alongside the announcement of his upcoming east coast tour and signings to AWAL Recordings and Sony Music Publishing. 8pm, tix via Moshtix
SATURDAY 23 APRIL
TRANSIT BAR
FRIDAY 22 APRIL RED BEE Beautiful Wreck + The Absentee Between Words Double Launch Canberra has long-awaited the return of RED BEE from the Blue Mountains, and welcome them with very open arms! With Clarity of Chaos. Check out the BMA Band Profile on The Absentee on page 16, and their album review on page 35! 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
Northbourne: Meet The New Guy Come one, come all, and witness the unveiling of our new drummer. Don’t miss the beginning of our new chapter together. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
Daniel Champagne Beautifully crafted vocal melodies with stunning guitar playing. 7:30pm, tix via venue
THE STREET THEATRE
Matt Dent - Live & Free 8pm
Just Another Metal Fest Destruct Agency presents a celebration of heavy music in the capital. From 3pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
DODO + Matilda Abraham An afternoon of original funky, fizzing jazz stylings. 4pm
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
SIX The Musical An original, witty, pop-fuelled musical packed full of sass, SIX remixes the history of the six wives of Henry VIII – Britain’s notorious Tudor King – as they take to the microphone to re-tell their stories once and for all: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr. nominated for five Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and winning the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Whatsonstage Awards. 7:30pm, tix via venue
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
Teeny Tiny Stevies – A Thoughtful Tour Teeny Tiny Stevies released their third studio album into the world from inside the Melbourne lockdown of 2020. That album, Thoughtful Songs For Little People, went on to win Best Children’s Album in the 2020 ARIA Awards, a dream come true and highlight in an otherwise dreary year. 8pm, tix via venue
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
The Classic Rock Show by Audio Vixens This show brings music from The Eagles, America, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, Toto, Blondie, KISS, Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac + more. 8pm
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Ivy Lore’s Debut Single Launch Ivy Lore and special guests are celebrating the launch and debut of their forthcoming epic new single, Almost Gone, to be released on the same night! 8pm, tix via Moshtix
UC HUB
NYASH! Canberra’s very own enclave of afrobeat + ska + reggae sounds - this 9-piece orchestra combines the mighty afro-funk of Nigeria’s Fela Kuti with tight brass section and heavy jazz + ska grooves!
SMOKEY HORSE BRAIDWOOD
Anthony Naples All the way from the big apple we welcome dance music don Anthony Naples for one night only. As long time listeners of Anthony’s diverse techno and house explorations, the promoters are excited to host him in Canberra for the first time. Supports TBA. 10pm, $25 - $35 via Humanitix
SIDEWAY
Ash Grunwald Ash Grunwald delivers his most personal album yet with Shout Into The Noise. 8pm, tix via venue
THE STREET THEATRE
CANBERRA IRISH CLUB @bmamag
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
SUNDAY 24 APRIL Groovin The Moo 2022 Yay! GTM is finally able to return, and what a line-up they have assembled to celebrate, including Montaigne (article this issue), Peking Duk, Alice Ivy, Hilltop Hoods, Milky Chance, Riton, Middle Kids, and so, so many more. For tix info and set times, head to gtm.net.au
EXHIBITION PARK
Skate and Destroy Tour Central Coast punk rats Deadshowws are heading up the East Coast for their biggest tour yet with Soda Simulator and Verum. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
MONDAY 25 APRIL Snez Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
TUESDAY 26 APRIL Calum Stenning Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Triumph of the Imagination Chris Latham, Musica da Camera , pianists Edward & Stephanie Neeman and sop sax Jaime Grech perform in music by and for WW2 POWs with images. 2:30pm
CHAPEL, AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CHRISTIANITY AND CULTURE, BARTON Django Jam A monthly Django Reinhardt jazz jam hosted by The Gypsy Project. 5pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL Lachlan Coventry Trio Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Cybertour 2022 Presented by Borderline BMT Presents with Catalyst x Sedative. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
Let Zeppelin All Girls. All Zeppelin “The most powerful all-female band in rock history” (SPIN Magazine New York) - playing the music of Led Zeppelin. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
White Pearl A “blisteringly funny satire” (Time Out) by one of Australia’s most exciting young playwrights, White Pearl returns after its sold-out 2019 Australian premiere with The National Theatre of Parramatta and acclaimed productions in London and Washington D.C. 8pm, tix via venue
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
Agapi & Other Kinds of Love Poet Luka Lesson draws on his Greek heritage and Plato’s The Symposium to search for the meaning of love in this dynamic performance. Part poetic monologue, part rap, and part history lesson, Agapi explores the power of love. 8pm, tix via ima.gov.au/agapi
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
THURSDAY 28 APRIL Beau Sykes Free live music in the city. 12pm
CITY WALK, NEAR THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
Guitar Case Troubadours Join us for a night of alternative bluesy country music, the troubadours will be joined by Jenny Spear and friends. Note - performance will be recorded. 6pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
ARSE Burntout Bookings presents a rollicking night of rock ’n’ roll ’n’ punk with Sydney’s ARSE, ENFANTS, Box Dye, and Second Idol. 7pm, tix via Moshtix
TRANSIT BAR
The Dave Webb Project A hard rock, alternative, guitar driven powerhouse, with a sound described as “if metal greats like KISS, Metallica, and Tool were to meet Good Charlotte and Chevelle”. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT facebook.com/bmamagazine
PAGE 45
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Agapi & Other Kinds of Love Poet Luka Lesson draws on his Greek heritage and Plato’s The Symposium to search for the meaning of love in this dynamic performance. Part poetic monologue, part rap, and part history lesson, Agapi explores the power of love. 8pm, tickets and more info via ima.gov.au/agapi
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
FRIDAY 29 APRIL The Transatlantic Rock’n’Roll Song Book The history of early American & British popular music. 6pm
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Sun Burn 3 31 of Australia’s best stoner/ doom/sludge bands, over 2 days and across 2 stages. One ticket for both days. 6pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
While You Sleep An aural and visual excursion into both the musical fugue and the psychological ‘fugue state’. 7:30pm, tix via venue
THE STREET THEATRE
Agapi & Other Kinds of Love Poet Luka Lesson draws on his Greek heritage and Plato’s The Symposium to search for the meaning of love in this dynamic performance. Part poetic monologue, part rap and part history lesson, Agapi explores the power of love. 8pm, tix via ima.gov.au/agapi
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
Huskii The Antihero tour is slated to be an iconic experience for Huskii fans who will get to connect with the artist through an intimate run of shows. 8pm, tix via Moshtix
UC HUB
Adventure Street Live and free. 8pm
CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
SATURDAY 30 APRIL
SUNDAY 1 MAY
Sun Burn 3 31 of Australia’s best stoner/ doom/sludge bands, over 2 days. One ticket for both days. 6pm, tix via Oztix
Caligula’s Horse Rise Radiant Australian Tour Australian prog metal trailblazers Caligula’s Horse are back for their first headline tour of Australia in three years. 7pm, tix via Oztix
THE BASEMENT
While You Sleep An aural and visual excursion into both the musical fugue and the psychological ‘fugue state’. 7:30pm, tix via venue
THE STREET THEATRE
FABBA — The Ultimate ABBA Show FABBA will take you on a musical journey when life was as good as an Abba song and the only way to travel was on the Priscilla Bus. 8pm
THE BASEMENT
TUESDAY 3 MAY Rebus Theatre Presents : Inner Climate An interactive theatrical exploration of climate change, and all of the voices telling us what we should and shouldn’t do. 5pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Children Collide Time Itself Tour Following a sold out tour through Victoria in February and an electric set at Yours and Owls Festival, CC take on a national tour to follow the release of their new album Time Itself. 8pm
UC HUB
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@bmamag
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
WEDNESDAY 4 MAY
SATURDAY 7 MAY
Aunty Donna – The Magical Dead Cat Tour “Dear Humans, I am a Magical Dead Cat, and I have discovered the most wondrous sketch show on Netflix – Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun. I was so impressed that I issued Aunty Donna a challenge: entertain me with a 70-minute live show, one that features all new sketches and some fan favourites. If Aunty Donna succeeds, I have promised to surprise them with a mystery, web slinging guest! Come and see if Broden, Zach, and Mark are up for the task! Tix via venue
Rufino and the Coconuts The marooned magical misfits of tropical goodtime, boneshaking, voodoo groove Rufino and the Coconuts - are back! Bouncing off the tail of their sensational debut album Centroturist, the Coconuts are yearning to make musical love to your ears once more. 5pm, $22.19 via Eventbrite
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
THURSDAY 5 MAY Bigger and Blacker You might know Steven Oliver from being sexy on ABC’s Black Comedy or from hosting Faboriginal on SBS. But his talents don’t end there; get ready for a bit of a rap, a bit of a sing, a bit of a tap and a lot of shaking his ring. With his good pal Michael Griffiths on keys and harmonies, Steven makes his Canberra debut with this acclaimed show that has dazzled audiences all around the country. 8pm, $45/$40 via venue
BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE
Greece Lightning An overzealous idiot attempts to perform all of Greek Mythology in less than 60 minutes in order to save his Hellenic homeland from economic ruin. 7pm, tickets via the venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
FRIDAY 6 MAY East Row Rabble Live & free. 8pm
CANBERRA IRISH CLUB Bigger and Blacker You might know Steven Oliver from being sexy on ABC’s Black Comedy or from hosting Faboriginal on SBS. But his talents don’t end there; get ready for a bit of a rap, a bit of a sing, a bit of a tap and a lot of shaking his ring. With his good pal Michael Griffiths on keys and harmonies, Steven makes his Canberra debut with this acclaimed show that has dazzled audiences all around the country. 8pm, $45/$40 via venue
BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE facebook.com/bmamagazine
SMOKEY HORSE BRAIDWOOD
Run to the Jungle Show 2 of Sydney’s most notorious tributes are being unleashed for a one-off show in Canberra. 7pm
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Haiku Hands We Got Vinyl Tour Haiku Hands brought their singular, rebellious, and outright fun sound across multiple continents over the past four years. On the heel of their breakthrough performances at the UK’s Great Escape. 7pm, tix via Moshtix
UC HUB
Stewart D’Arrietta: Tom Waits for No Man D’Arrietta has a long relationship with the music, and an affinity deeper than most having developed the hit show. 7:30pm, tix via venue
THE STREET THEATRE
Bigger and Blacker You might know Steven Oliver from being sexy on ABC’s Black Comedy or from hosting Faboriginal on SBS. But his talents don’t end there; get ready for a bit of a rap, a bit of a sing, a bit of a tap and a lot of shaking his ring. With his good pal Michael Griffiths on keys and harmonies, Steven makes his Canberra debut with this acclaimed show that has dazzled audiences all around the country. 8pm, tickets $45/$40 via venue
BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE
SUNDAY 8 MAY Pachamama: Mother’s Day Concert Come celebrate the day in Latin American style! 1pm, tix via venue
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
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@bmamag