BMA Magazine Issue #540 - Feb 2024

ISSUE #540 FEB 2024

BANDS / MUSIC / ARTS

BMAMAG.COM

-INSIDESmith's @ Belco - Basil Hall Russell Howard - Luka Bloom - Best CBR Music of 2023 - Shonen Knife - In Flames

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CONTENTS

[Canberra’s Arts & Music Guide]

#540 - FEB 2024

ES 199 T 2

“Seriously, I got nuttin’...”

A CHAT WITH THE NATIONAL FOLK FEST’S ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

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Mail: 36/97 Eastern Valley Way Belconnen, ACT 2617 Publisher ABN 76 097 301 730 Pty Ltd Managing Editor Allan Sko E: allan@bmamag.com Cover Design Paul Summerfield Article Design Marty Baker & Allan Sko Entertainment Guide Editor Allan Sko Social Media Manager Angel Nash

SHONEN KNIFE

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IN FLAMES

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RUSSELL HOWARD

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LUKA BLOOM

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Columnists Jannah Fahiz, Josh Nixon, Alice Worley, Chris Marlton, Suma Iyer, Tim Byrnes, Allan Sko Contributors Carrie Gibson, Noni Kuhner, Vince Leigh, Jen Seyderhelm ISSUE #541 RELEASE DATE Thursday, 29 February EDITORIAL DEADLINE Friday, 16 February ADVERTISING DEADLINE Wednesday, 21 February BMA Magazine is independently owned and published.

LOCALITY

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METALISE

TIM FERGUSON

COMEDY CORNER PAGE 32

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BASIL HALL PRINTMAKING EXHIBITION

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TEN OF THE BEST: TOP CBR MUSIC PAGE 40

CHRIS MARLTON

SUMA IYER

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[HOT TIX]

UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS

Owen Campbell & Jesse Redwing / Super singersongwriter duo / Sat, 17 Feb / Live at the Polo

Carnival Inna Capital / ft Zed Bias (UK) & Inner West Reggae Disco Machine / Sat, 17 Feb / Reload Bar

Back to the ol’ stomping ground! As you well know, Canberra pride Owen Campbell has built a successful career as a touring musician.

He’s wowed audiences the world over with his smouldering guitar work, gritty yet caramel-like vocals, and sublime rhythm section, with “a well-honed, ageless style, one that never seems to lose its conjuring powers” (BMA; that’s us!). He is joined by Jesse Redwing, a man who has has honed his chops in many-a smoky juke joint for damn near two decades. And a tune from his debut album Crawlin’ Up the Walls was on hit Netflix show Shooter. From 7:30pm, $35 + bf via Humanitix

Five big promoters, four crews of hardy local talent, two thrilling musical guests across two rooms for one massive night on one crazy soundsystem. And it’s all happening in the heart of the Multicultural Festival! Yes, Carnival Inna Capital big ups the UK Sound System culture via a laneway festival resonating with dub, reggae, UKG, drum ‘n’ bass, AMA breaks, and dancehall dubstep, inviting UK legend Zed Bias, a progenitor of breakbeat, and Inner West Reggae Disco Machine complete with their crafted six deep subs on customised sound rig. Irie! From 2pm - 2am, $38.50 - $55 via ticketfairy.com

WHO: Fun Lovin Criminals WHAT: 25th anniversary tour of 100% Columbian WHEN: Wed, 21 Feb WHERE: Kambri @ ANU Fun Lovin Criminals, the iconic multi-genre band know for their electric fusion of rock, hip hop and jazz, are on a worldwide tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary (!) of second album 100% Columbian. With sell-out shows in UK and Europe under their designer belts, fans can expect an electrifying live experience infused with the band’s trademark blend of rock ‘n’ roll swagger, hip hop grooves and soulful melodies. Brian ‘Fast’ Leiser, Frank Benbini and Naim Cortazzi will perform the album in its entirety, along with the band’s hits from their extensive discography. 8pm, tix $70.35 via Moshtix

WHat: FUTURE AV FREE music & arts networking event WHEN: SAT, 2 MAR WHERE: Saraton Lane, 34 East Row (City)

WHO: Mike Nock Quartet WHAT: The Best of Australian Jazz WHEN: Sat, 24 Feb WHERE: tuggeranong arts centre

Pianist Mike Nock first appeared on the Australian jazz scene in 1960 with the legendary Three Out Trio, later establishing a formidable international career as bandleader through copious award-winning recordings and work with many iconic musicians of the 20th Century. For the Canberra show, Mike’s quartet features bassist Jonathan Zwartz, drummer Hamish Stuart and outstanding tenor saxophonist Karl Laskowski, drawing on a large repertoire and worldly experience. Witness how good the best of today’s Australian jazz can be.

Bar open from 6pm, music from 7pm, $45 full / $38 conc. via venue

Future AV is a music, arts, and community networking experience.

This free event features music acts, roving fire performances, workshops, panels, an art gallery, and projection mapping.

Guests of all ages can enjoy hands-on DJing and music production workshops offered by Ableton, Roland, and Better Music. There is a carefully curated panel program, featuring acknowledged industry professionals sharing their wisdom.

These activities are offered in collaboration with MusicACT, as part of its professional development opportunities.

Following the educational part of the event, Future AV will proudly host its music line-up, composed of Canberra’s next-generation artists playing a diverse range of sonic art forms. A unique projection mapping setup, a gallery showing historical poster art from a range of local promoters, and a display of roving fire performers will complete this celebration of Canberra’s amazing creative potential.

City Centre nightclub One22 will host the official post-event program, featuring more talented artists on its internationally acclaimed dance floor.

Come join this wonderful collective experience!

For more info, hop aboard this QR code here --->

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It’s all about puns and laughter. The theme is Date Night, and if you’re packing puns, you can even get up on stage yourself! Free entry for contestants with audience engagement highly encouraged.

LOCAL TY

[THE LATEST ON CBR MUSIC] WITH JANNAH FAHIZ

SEND GIGS AND INFO TO: [JANNAH.FAHIZ@GMAIL.COM]

In fact, the host says: 2024 is here! Hopefully, your January was fab, and this finds you making the most of the warmer days. Feb can be a busy time with kids returning to school (remember to slow down in the school zones!), and work life is definitely back in full swing.

“One special audience member will be designated the Grump Poobah – the ultimate ruler in a chaotic night of comedy and puns.”

Don’t you worry your pretty little head, though. I have some cracking events to ensure your February is fantastic!

Doors open at 7:30pm on Thursday, 15 February. You can grab your $15 ticket via the Smith’s Alternative website.

The first gig I’ve found for you will be on Saturday, 3 February at The Baso (formally The Basement). Best Friends is what the event is titled, and it showcases some of Canberra’s finest bands who happen to be jolly good friends!

Best Friends treats you to an array of genres via alt-punk legends, Parrots With Piercings, soulful Nelly Nova, mesmerising Stella Eve, rhythm-infused Loose Surface, and rockers The Dizzy Ducks. The show starts at 7pm, and tickets are available for $15 via Oztix. You’ll want to bring your best friends to this one.

So there’s that.

Heading into March, International Women’s Day will be on Saturday, 9 March and to celebrate in the finest style, you can head on down to CBR GRRRLS To The Front Vol. 2, once again brought to you by BurntOut Bookings.

Again, the event is raising money for Girls Rock Canberra, which brings young people together to have a go at music and build confidence.

As many of you know, the music scene (and the arts in general) can often lack gender diversity. This day encourages people of all genders to celebrate their talents and raise awareness about gender equality.

This terrific event will take place at The Baso on the day in question, Saturday, 9 March, and you can grab your ticket now.

And to find out more information, seek out the Burntout Bookings and The Baso social pages.

Did ya hear? Rental Snake is releasing your next favourite song soon, and they’re going on tour to celebrate! You can see them perform Defeated live on stage at sideway on Saturday, 10 February from 7pm.

Smith’s Bazaar is an ongoing event you may very well like to participate in or just simply pop along and enjoy.

The ‘Snake excavate the rich mines of punk, grunge and alternative rock to establish a sound that will get you dancing like a fool.

This creatives market is held every Friday from 5pm until 9pm at Smith’s Alternative.

Warming you up on the night will be more local legends in the guise of Setra and Ed York. Tickets are only $20, and they’re available via Humanitix.

That stinky old Valentine’s Day leave you down in the dumps?

Fear not, for Capital Punishment is set to lift your spirits.

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“The Bazaar encourages the handmade and homegrown, the reclaimed and reinvented, repurposed and rejuvenated,” they say.

Wanna sell your art?

Then get in touch via smithsalternative@gmail. com Stall spaces are only $5 per square metre. If you’re a passionate marketgoer, be sure to add this one to your list.

And that wraps up just some of this month’s local events! So, get on out there and use those last droplets of New Year’s energy on enjoying what this city has to offer.

Keep the good vibes going, and see you in the next one!

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Saturday, 3 February is the date to remember, circle in the calendar, set a phone reminder. Make this gig your reward for getting through another week.

You deserve it!

WITH ALICE WORLEY M] OK.CO

Terrifying but beautiful punk powerhouses Private Function will be gracing us with shrieks and shenanigans on Friday, 8 March at The Baso.

[ALICE.WORLEY@OUTLO

Hey y’all! How’s the season treating you? Kindly, I hope.

The summer of 2024 brought me a viewing of legendary punks OFF!. Fantastic. Truth be told, I had plans to bail halfway through their set cos it was getting pretty late for a Wednesday night (sorry, I’m in my 30s now and a dedicated 9-to-5-er). But I just couldn’t leave. I was completely invested.

Plus, I wanted to hear more conspiracy theories about the CIA and free LSD in the stage banter. Or was that a song? I don’t even know. It must’ve been, at minimum, a 30-song set. It was nuts!

Keith Morris is still packing that powerful voice from his Black Flag and Circle Jerk days, and he was SO in his performance.

Miming a shotgun on the drum hits and throwing invisible drugs to the crowd, I couldn’t help but wonder - Am I the only one who has no idea what the hell is going on?

Now, if all that talk of highspirited gig-ery has got you in the mood to get along to a show yourselves, I’ve got some wicked recommendations for Feb and March.

The most wholesome of wholesome shows - Best Friends @ The Baso - is kicking February off with a line-up of wonderfully talented and big-hearted musicians. We’ve got Parrots With Piercings, Nelly Nova, Stella Eve, Loose Surface, and The Dizzy Ducks.

This will be a magical celebration of extraordinary talent, and I’m anticipating I’ll be front and centre the whole night, smiling like a baby with a set of keys jingling in its face.

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From climbing surrounding scaffolding to crowd surfing in lifeboats to stabbing their guitars with steak knives, I could not begin to tell you what madness lies in store for this show. You just have to show up and find out.

Don’t tell me you’re not intrigued.

But high-functioning ‘Function shenanigans are not all. They’ll be joined on stage by their touring support, Tee Vee Repairman, with hometown backing by locals Box Dye. So, there are two bands to warm you up before all hell breaks loose. Get keen!

CBR GRRRLS to The Front is back for 2024! On International Women’s Day, you can pop along and raise some money for the worthy cause that is Girls Rock Canberra camp.

And it’ll be well worth your time for a line-up like this.

We’ve got the face-melting, spine-tingling Cherish (Gadigal), locals Bad Lunar and Lily Begbie, and to top it all off, the headlining act is the Ngunnawal born, Naarm residing *drum roll* Moaning Lisa!

PLUS you get a DJ set from the angelic Sophie Edwards.

I mean, what’s not to love here?

CBR GRRRLS to The Front is popping off on Saturday, 9 March at The Baso; online tickets are cheaper than the door, so get on that pre-sale train!

To wrap up, I wanted to give Dirt Nap a special shout-out as well as the heartiest of hearty congratulations on playing their first show recently.

Y’all absolutely crushed it, and the whole crowd (myself very much included) had such a blast watching you.

I simply cannot wait to see what you do next, and I’m so keen tco crank your tunes in my little Mazda hatchback one day.

And with that happy thought, I’m off!

PUNK GIG GUIDE Saturday, 3 February - Best Friends @ The Baso - Parrots With Piercings, Nelly Nova, Stella Eve, Loose Surface, Dizzy Ducks @ The Baso Sunday, 4 February - The Butterfly Effect: 20 Years of Begins Here @ The Baso Saturday, 10 February - Rental Snake w/ Sertra and Ed York @ sideway Friday, 16 February - Serial Pest: Hot Breath album launch w/ Loose Cannon and Pingers (Jindabyne) @ The Baso Wednesday, 21 February - D.R.I. 40th Anniversary Tour @ The Baso Thursday, 22 February - Billam & The Split Bills w/ Spouse and more TBA @ sideway Thursday, 22 February - Ignite (USA) @ The Baso Friday, 23 February - Shonen Knife @ The Baso Thursday, 7 March - The Porkers @ The Baso Friday, 8 March - Private Function w/ Tee Vee Repairman and Box Dye @ The Baso Saturday, 9 March - CBR GRRRLS TO THE FRON T w/ Moaning Lisa, Cherish, Bad Lunar, Lily Begbi e, and DJ Sophie Edwards @ The Baso Tuesday, 19 March - Guttermouth (USA) w/ Box Dye and Signs and Symbols @ The Baso Friday, 22 March - The Vanns @ The Baso

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HE Y! HO! DAY -G LO!

by Tim Byrnes

Forty years is a long time to do anything, let alone maintain enthusiasm. However, the three members of Osaka, Japan’s pop-punk outfit Shonen Knife, have spent their careers doing just that.

After forming in 1981, the band have won fans worldwide thanks to the bright-and-bubbly punk-rock they’ve pumped out – including the likes of Red Kross, L7, and Sonic Youth, all of whom contributed covers to the 1989 tribute album, Every Band Has A Shonen Knife Who Loves Them.

Yet their most significant exposure came via Nirvana, who were such big fans that they invited Shonen Knife to open for them in Britain and America. Unlike those bands, Shonen Knife has always continued and recently released their 20th album, Our Best Place.

With sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano and drummer Risa Kawano (who joined in 2015), Shonen Knife continue writing what they know: catchy and fun odes to food and animals. The menu on their most recent album includes Baumkuchen cake, taquitos, and spicy veggie curry.

Before returning for their sixth tour of Australia, singerguitarist and longest-serving member Naoko shares their collective excitement for returning to Australia, their favourite Australian songs, and where her best place is.

Where are you? What are you doing?

I’m in my home town, Osaka, now. I’m preparing for the Australia and New Zealand tour in 2024.

I also play tennis a lot.

You’ve just released your 20th album, Our Best Place, and spent 2023 touring. Do you have any highlights from 2023?

Our nine-week Europe and the UK tour was from March to May 2023. The tour started in snowy Scandinavian countries. It was so cold, but we could have very hot shows there. I was happy to see our EU and UK fans after four years; many of them love our new album.

What made you rerecord your 2003 song Girl’s Rock?

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Girl’s Rock was included as a compilation album released in 2003 in Japan. The compilation album is out of print now. But the song is popular at our [live] shows.

We decided to re-record it for people who can listen to it easily. The new version is more powerful and pop

than before. I would like to dedicate this song to all girls who play rock music all over the world.

Being such a tour-strong band, how did you cope with lockdown? Was it hard? Did you learn to cook any new dishes?

It was easy for me to spend time in isolation. Shonen Knife was very busy for touring in 2019. I needed holidays. I often went cycling. I bought an 88-key electric piano and practised The Beatles songs, like Lady Madonna and Martha My Dear.

I learned new dishes. The churros were yummy!

You recorded Just A Smile by your favourite Scottish band, Pilot. Do you have any favourite Australian songs you would like to cover?

We covered AC/DC songs for Perth Festival’s Highway To Hell in 2020 and a compilation album in Japan a long time ago. It was very fun to play. And I like Bee Gees a lot. I often sing their songs at karaoke. Night Fever or How Deep Is Your Love might be good.

It’s been three years since you were last in Australia. Do you have any plans for fun things while here? Is there any Australian food you are excited to eat?

I’m happy to spend days in Australia with good weather, beautiful towns, and cheerful, friendly people. We have a couple days off. I want to walk around the town. I love to eat fish and chips.

You have been performing for 40 years and released 20 albums. How do you keep yourself motivated to keep rocking?

Our audience’s reaction at our shows motivates me to keep rocking. I can’t wait to go back to Australia and see many cheerful, friendly people at our shows!

And finally... Where IS your best place?

Onstage. I also love an indoor carpet tennis court.

Shonen Knife hit The Baso on Friday, 23 February with special guests Chimers, Ben Ely & The Mungo Fungo Band, and The Glycereens. Tix are $56.10 via Oztix.

Our Best Place is out now via Valve and all streaming platforms.

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On Sunday, 3 March, the USA’s Midnight close out their 5-show tour of Oz at The Baso with doors at 3pm. Flesh kicks things off at 4pm, Blasfemancia at 4:50pm, New Zealand’s maniacs Stalker at 5:40pm, and Midnight themselves hitting the stage at a very reasonable 7pm.

METALISE [THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON [DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]

Happy New “In THIS Economy?!”

Yes, Happy New Year, Can-thrashers. The year is off to a flying start with over 1200 pre-sales hitting the UC Refectory for The Amity Affliction/Alpha Wolf/Terminal Sleep and Run and The Acacia Strain, not to mention OFF! and Witchskull all kicking 2024 off to good crowds in January.

Sunday, but there you go.

So don’t rock up ready to party at 8pm, or you’ll be too late. It is a

Really anticipating the long-awaited return to Australia of London stoner rockers Orange Goblin on Wednesday, 10 April.

I hope that Albo brings the caucus back for an early cost of living crisis meeting, considering how expensive it’s going to be to be a metal fan in Canberra in the following months. We will need support!

After nearly four years of trying to get this show, D.R.I. returns for the first time since their old Transit Bar location show lured many out of mosh retirement and enticed Generation X’s chalky hips to skank once more. Wednesday, 21 February is the date, and joining them this night will be Witchskull making a great concoction of styles with the OGs of crossover, making for a quality killer bill. You can get tickets on the Hardline Media website.

Spain’s best thrash export also comes to Canberra in February, with the ACT leg of the national Angelus Apatrida tour landing on Thursday, 22 February. The Century Media thrashers are touting tunes from their latest opus, Aftermath, as well as the back catalogue.

And they are ably supported by South Aussie thrash lords Hidden Intent, who managed a hectic 2023 with tours supporting Sepultura, a spot on Wacken, and a place in the Bloodstock line-up in the UK. The Baso website for tickets.

Early March sees an early kick-off for one of the metal tours of the year, and it’s worth taking note of this, as I likely would have arrived as the last notes rang out.

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This is a tad left of field for Soundworks, who typically operate in the blastier spectrum of metal, and they’re pulling out all the stops by putting on two of Australia’s best stoner rocking bands in Dr Colossus and Astrodeath as support for the entirety of the tour.

Get yourself a ticket at The Baso website if this is the sort of touring you’d like to see more of in Canberra.

As if that wasn’t enough drag on the wallet, the very same night in The Baso backroom, Gatecreeper from the USA and Kruelty from Japan are playing on a national co-headline tour.

The madness doesn’t stop!

4/20 doesn’t get any heavier than The Baso on Saturday, 20 April. USA’s mighty death metal stalwarts Suffocation hit Canberra, promoting their new album Hymns From The Apocrypha.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Revocation is also on the bill, focusing on the material being their 2022 effort, Netherheaven.

Standard tickets cost about $70, and meet and greet VIP packages are available that include chinwag, a photo with the band, signed A3 tour poster, and early entry to the big show.

Sunburn has announced the line-up for this year’s stoner doom extravaganza to round out your fridge calendar planning, somehow compacting all of the following bands into a single day. It must start early on 27 April, so make sure you are tucked in for an early night on the 26th.

The line-up is <takes deep breath>: Astrodeath Bongcleaner Budd Bifter Clagg Droid Elephant Orgy Ghostsmoker Giant Goat Shaman Hekate Isua Lucifngus Master Leonard Motherslug Mourners Mountain Wizard Death Cult Rocky’s Pride and Joy Smoke Witch Sundowner Zombie Hunger Tickets are on sale through The Baso website now.

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IN FLAMES

By Carrie Gibson In Flames rekindled old flames with the release of the 2023 album Forgone. This fiercely aggressive album ignited in fans the prospect that the traditional In Flames had returned.

But the band dismissed this speculation quicker than I have just written it, stating that fans have been on a different leg of their musical journey over the years and that the staples of In Flames were never extinguished.

The band has undergone multiple line-up changes over the years. Not uncommon.

With changes come different styles, techniques, and approaches, which are also not uncommon. Yet when a band is pressured to veer away from the styles of previous albums, it’s safe to say the fans were right.

And boy, are we eating it up.

BMA caught up with In Flames’ latest recruit, drummer Tanner Wayne, to chat about the band’s monstrous 2023, Forgone’s success, and the future.

“What the fuck did we do?” Tanner ponders in disbelief. “It’s crazy that we’re

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returning to Japan and Australia twice in one year. That is unheard of.

“We usually frequent America and Europe, so it’s nice to be able to ‘frequent’ Australia and Japan.

“Mind you, we’re also heading to China, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and India - we’re going all over the place.

“And I’m such a foodie!” he beams. “It will be an incredible time. Funnily though, I’m naming all these Asian countries, yet I’m most looking forward to Australian food!”

Yes, there’s nothing like a 7-11 pie…

Finding a nutritionally passable and fiscally responsible meal is harder than

getting a smile out of a Mayhem fan. After all, touring is brutal. Long days, longer roads, and physically demanding back-to-back shows. Yet Tanner approaches this a little differently than your average touring muso.

“For years, I was into this show called Bizarre Foods,” he declares. “The host ate some real gnarly shit. This fueled my fuck-it-ness approach to food on tour.

“The weirdest thing I ate was probably a 1000-year-old egg in China, apparently buried underground for that long, I think.

Who knows. It comes out of the ground purple. It’s really weird.”

And the culinary crazy doesn’t stop there.

“We ate Guinea Pigs in Ecuador about ten years ago. I didn’t order it! But I was like, well, I’ve got to have a bite of this little girl’s pet.

Right, that’s fucking weird.

to a fault; I was doing what was expected of me for the first eight months: commit the material to memory, master every snare, roll and beat, and stay on script.

So yeah, I’m definitely down with the weird, exotic shit. And as much as it will be delicious, I want to remember that I ate that thing there. Even if you’re a big drinker, you will never look back and think, ‘Oh my god, that Gin and juice blew my mind’.

“At that time, too, I didn’t know what they wanted - the band were still trying to gauge who I was as a person and musician. So, I stayed within the lines. There are horror stories of musicians coming into a fold where expectations were not defined. I played how it was recorded; this is music I have loved my entire career; these are core musical moments I love so much.”

“So we’ll be hitting up the street vendors on the Asian leg of the tour, that’s for sure.”

Talk turns from morsels of the past to music of the now. Forgone represents In Flames’s past, present, and future. With Tanner’s place in the band solidified, his goal is to create freedom.

“Bjorn is the sole writer of all the music”, Tanner begins. “There was pressure on him to write something more aggressive for this record. And for me, I like that - I like to go in and throw my own seasonings on everything. I was lucky to have no one in the recording room except the engineer and me, so I had a tonne of freedom to do whatever the fuck I wanted.

“I like to do my thing, get into a flow where I’m not in charge of what comes out. I’m honoured that I wasn’t dumbed down and was allowed to show myself on this record. I was excited and proud to be a part of this record instead of just being a puppet or keeping the drums super vanilla.

“I tried to push the pace and the aggression, but at the end of the day, I’m shooting for tastefulness. Bjorn provided a lot of guidance. He would edit my drum tracks, which was great; I was a pitbull off the leash and had no idea where the fuck I was going.

“I was learning the tracks on the way to the studio every day, so I only had a little time to plan, create, critique, and refine - I just went for it. There was a lot of shit on that record,” he laughs. “So I was stoked that Bjorn had a vision and was able to pinpoint what he needed, and from that, I’m really proud of what we made.”

Integrating, influencing, adapting: Tanner Wayne has slotted into the Swedish troupe with the right amount of crazy and control.

Life for a professional drummer is no easy feat.

“I have mentioned to people in the past that I’ve had to learn to become a metal drummer with In Flames; the closest I’ve been in previously was Metalcore, which was more breakdowns, so I’ve had to learn how to go faster on my feet, faster on my hands, maintaining a blast beat.

“Weirdly, I was nominated for best metal drummer of the year,” Tanner states humbly. “Which is fine, I guess. But I’m not just a metal drummer. I’ve developed new styles throughout my career, so I can bring in all types of fusions right now, which is rad.”

Given his evolving style, will Tanner commit to metal drumming long-term?

“Yeah, for sure,” he quips. “The only downfall in metal drumming is keeping it physically viable. Health is a significant factor. I can’t headbang anymore. The money I’ve spent on massages and physical therapy alone would make your eyes water. Destroying yourself on stage, sleeping four hours a night and then flying ten hours; balance and even compromises are necessary.

“That bang-over? Wow.”

Tanner confesses he isn’t a seasoned metal drummer, making the trust placed in him with Forgone an enriching experience. But with freedom of creativity must come a degree of self-discipline.

“It’s about the project as a whole, as one piece of art - it isn’t my time to shine, go crazy, go off,” he exclaims. “It all has to fit. I will be pushed to the breaking point of this creative freedom for future albums. I’ll go super weird with it if needed!

“The freedom to be your own musician, though... I mean, when we’re live, the band allow me to do whatever the fuck I want. We’ve been having a blast. In Flames on stage is the band in our rehearsal space, but we’re taking risks, doing stupid shit, and going off-script. Bjorn and Chris are known to rewrite a harmony just before we hit the stage; I’m doing fills I’ve never tried before.

It loses that rigidity that creates negative vibes.”

What influence do you feel you have had on In Flames?

“The past drummers of the band were absolutely incredible, but I feel like they did what was necessary, both when recording and live. I’ll give it to anyone who can do that - because I don’t have it in me. I don’t know how to explain it without sounding like a prick - let’s say I’m a Michelin Star Chef at a McDonald’s. I want to throw some micro greens on that burger, you know. I don’t have it in me to cookie cut.

“I’ve always been a drummer who wants to mix it the fuck up, especially on stage. I’m constantly learning, and I’ve been given the freedom to do that. As such, the band can push towards a vast place in music.”

And with the style you’ve mentioned - how did you approach integrating within the band?

“Yeah, so I can come here and scream about being let off the leash and claim I’m a Tasmanian Devil. But fuck that. You go into an established band with respect. Absolute respect. I was compliant

In Flames join Kreator for the epic double-header that is Klash Of The Titans. It’s going down on Thursday, 15 February at The Basement. Tix are $99.90 (with VIP options) via Moshtix.

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The Folky Nexus: Brid Music, Tradition, With a commitment to blurring the boundaries between performers and punters, the 2024 National Folk Festival’s collaborative approach has resulted in a slew of new initiatives (Hello Electro Trad Rave) snuggled up alongside annual favourites and an appropriate amount of mystery around the potential return of bygone traditions – Bass Olympics anyone?

You know the sign of a passionate festival programmer when they can’t utter a sentence without dropping at least three program items.

I had the pleasure of catching up with the talented trio of locals who share the Artistic Director’s role this year – Holly Downes (H), Chris Stone (C) and Michael Sollis (M). Between them, it’s an endless list of recommendations. Too many to fit in this word count, so I suggest checking out the Folky website pronto.

This year’s festival is marked by a dedication to the team’s core ethos, emphasising the empowerment of artists, communities, and audiences through collaborative engagement.

The festival’s guiding principles – Excellence, Inclusion, Integration, and Sustainability – have created more opportunities for audience-artist collaboration, cross-artform integration, and community participation.

These fundamental elements have always been the bedrock of the festival’s distinctiveness; this year, they are being embraced and amplified, including a long overdue expanded programming for First Nations artists.

Each day presents numerous opportunities for engagement, ensuring that everyone can find a meaningful way to be involved in this year’s vibrant celebration of artistic collaboration.

Let’s get into the chat!

What was your favourite moment in the last 24 hours?

(M) Searching for treasure in a canoe captained by my 2-yearold son on Wallagoot Lake.

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(H) I’m connecting with the folk family at Newstead Live this weekend in Victoria, where I perform with Canberra’s folk treasure, Fred Smith.

What is your earliest memory of the Folk Festival?

(M) Trying to get as close to backstage as possible to check out behind-the-scenes in between cleaning toilets!

(C) Playing for a Scottish Dance with Australian fiddle icon Bob McInnes when I was 14.

(H) Staying up all night playing tunes with new-found folk friends when I was 15.

Are we calling it The Nash? Folky?

(M) We are a broad church, although we’ve noticed that Canberrans tend to call it to the Folky; interstaters tend to call it The Nash, and the stalwarts from the foundation days tend to call it the National Folk Festival.

(C) Maybe it’s time for a new abbrevie: how about The Nasho?

(H) In Victoria, at least The Folkie tends to refer to the Port Fairy Folk Festival, so I typically say The Nash…

Why do you think Canberra audiences will enjoy the festival? Is it an essential part of our cultural pride?

(H) The festival is multifaceted, so there is something for everyone, regardless of age and stage! Younger people can be inspired by Young Folk showcases in the morning and then can get on stage themselves at the Youth Blackboard sessions each day after a workshop on performance skills with Tassie songstress Claire Anne Taylor to calm their nerves. At the other end of the spectrum, you might enjoy our octogenarian all-stars, 80’s Folk. You can join them for a singing session or get your boogie on with the Canberra Dance Theatre Gold Dancers, who pride themselves on growing old disgracefully!

(M) As a proud Canberran raised on Ngunnawal country, I’ve always maintained that the National Folk Festival is Canberra’s most significant and important cultural event. It reflects a diversity of perspectives and worldviews. It is a place where curious minds can go and experience both the familiar and the new – a wonderful reflection of Canberra’s vibrant and eclectic nature.

dging Hearts through and Participation

Words by Chenoeh Miller Illustration by Paul Summerfield

How does it differ from other festivals in the country?

(C) Our festival stands out for its participatory nature. We encourage active engagement, from playing in sessions to attending workshops and interacting with artists. This year, we’ve focused on enhancing these opportunities, ensuring a more immersive experience for our audience. Rather than passive consumption of art, we have designed this festival to offer transformative experiences for everyone.

How have you addressed marginalised groups in the 2024 program? First Nations, LGBTQI+ (H) Part of our responsibility is to represent the diversity of our applications and engage groups facing barriers to festival application and participation. LGBTQI+ representation includes performances by artists and advocates like Grace Petrie from the UK (check her out – you won’t be disappointed!) and an all-inclusive dance ball led by LGBTQI+ Irish Set Dancing Group Queer The Set with a cameo from our own Canberra Qwire.

(C) First Nations programming has been foundational to this year’s Festival, with musicians like Radical Son, poetry workshops by Us Mob including a tribute to First Nation icon Kerry Reed Gilbert, dancing with Wiradjuri Echoes, and cultural Ngunnawal interactive workshops with Richie Allan.

Additionally, we are featuring various artists from the Australian National University’s excellent Yil Lull Studio, integrating First Nations culture across the festival.

What’s missing from the Australian festival landscape?

(M) A deeper focus on bridging the gap between artists as ‘performers’ and audiences as ‘consumers’. Music, dance and spoken word should be an organic part of everyone’s life and community. We all love being inspired, soothed and motivated by watching professional performers share their craft on the big stages. However, this should never feel like a barrier to participation in these creative practices in our own lives.

(H) Festivals can foster and encourage active participation and empower everyone to live more prosperous, expressive and connected lives through engaging in the arts. Our nation loves

to watch professionals play sports, but that doesn’t stop us from playing sports ourselves. It should be the same with music - be inspired by excellence in the arts rather than let it put you off from making music and art yourself!

You all have a music background. Previous years have brought vital elements of dance, poetry, and performances to the Folky. Have you expanded any of these elements or returned to a music-focused event?

(C) We’ve reinforced the presence of Dance and Spoken Word, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with other festival elements. This year, all dance events feature live music, and we’ve introduced new key events that see dance, music and spoken word spill out of the marquees and take over the Festival grounds. These include an Acoustic Street Dance Competition with Canberra dance studio Project Beats, an Argentine peña, and Greek rebetiko – bringing culture and creativity together for a total party. We’ve also programmed dance acts across our major stages, rather than only having dance at ‘dance’ venues.

Who is your primary audience? Is there a community that you would like to see more attendance from?

(H) Our audience comprises a diverse mix from Canberra and around the country. We aim to mirror this diversity in our programming, celebrating various folk traditions and creative cultures. While we already have a strong family presence, we’re looking to grow this further, building on our family-friendly program that has evolved over the years – for example, we will have a daily family dance, with opportunities to build a Scandinavian village or learn folk song and dance from Aceh and Sumatra with Suara Dance. Additionally, take the kids along to try out different folk instruments facilitated by the young tradition-bearers of Ceoltóirí Naarm.

What will you be doing during festival time? Partying?

Still organising? Troubleshooting? Picking up garbage??

(M) Whether troubleshooting or checking out the artists, we will be having fun! It’s a privilege to be involved in a Festival that we all grew up with and to work with such a strong community that cares deeply about it.

(H) At some point, you’ll find me planted in the bass forest in the session bar with Mortimer (my double bass) for the annual Bass Clef Jam. Bass-identifying musicians and bass-adjacent instruments are welcome. The Bass Olympics may even happen again this year!

What can’t you live without?

(C) John Craigie’s album Opening for Steinbeck (Live). The opening song, Dissecting the Bird, has kept me going when things have felt hard. Make sure you catch him at the Nash this year; I’ll be requesting he sing this song for us!

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Exhibitionist | Comedy in the ACT

“Perfect,” she grins, “I’m no good either.”

We play 17 games of chess over the next eight hours before the chess board light comes on, and I have to return to my seat for landing.

We spoke at length about a great many things during that flight, but it’s all off the record.

What happens in the air stays in the air.

The next day, we meet in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt and make our way back to the El Dorado International Airport for afternoon tea. When we arrive, instead of heading for the premium lounge, Decibel says: “Follow me.” So I do.

And we walk through the main thoroughfares of the airport. She has sizeable sunglasses and a scarf on, concealing her wellknown appearance. We stroll up to a regular food court, where she orders for both of us.

Around the World in Six Decibels Decibels 4-6: Bogota to Moscow

No one is more representative of the people than the world’s most favourite actor, Decibel Beaumont. In Part Two of this extensive (and, frankly, excessive) interview, Chris Marlton asks the questions you’ve all been dying to know about the loudest and proudest ballerina turned model turned singer turned actor of the last century. Buckle up!

Afternoon in El Dorado: Empanadas & Tamales

Moments later, we sit at a typical, slightly sticky food court table bolted to the brown and cream-tiled ground. The twisty seats are also affixed to the ground, though I can not imagine anyone possibly trying to steal them.

“Eating at places like this reminds me of when I was young,” she says, with a giant shared tray of empanadas sitting between us.

She takes one and dips it in sauce before taking a sloppy bite. I join her in celebrating this everyday food.

“How young are we talking? Was your life ever normal?” I ask, as I bite an empanada.

“I danced from when I was 12, at an international standard, so no, never normal,” she takes a final bite and then a giant slug of Mountain Dew Energised (the version with caffeine) from a large plastic tumbler.

“You know some countries don’t serve caffeinated Mountain Dew? It’s crazy.”

“I didn’t realise you drank that kind of stuff,” I accuse.

She blinks twice. “There’s a lot about me you don’t realise.”

“Like what?” I delve, cracking my knuckles and leaning forward to hear her soft reply in the loud food court.

“Like the fact that I divorced Gordian five days before this interview,” she says with a deadpan expression.

Three hours into our twelve-hour flight from Switzerland to Colombia, I was taken aback to have the flight attendant inform me that Ms Beaumont had requested that I come and sit next to her in the spare seat she always reserves so she could have a peaceful flight with no one bothering her. So, I walk up the aisle to sit next to her.

“Oh,” I say dumbly, unsure how to respond to the revelation I’ve just heard. This is the breaking piece of news that will make the article I’m writing about Decibel into must-read journalism.

However, something has changed between us. The same thing making her confide this information has made me uneasy about including it in the report.

“Are you testing me,” I ask carefully.

“What would the test be?” she asks.

“Do you play?” she asks.

“Whether or not we’re friends,” I answer.

“Play?”

“Chess,” she gestures down at the magnetised board before her.

I shake my head and say,

“We’re not friends,” she says. “I don’t have friends anymore, not at my age.” She sipped more Mountain Dew, and a slurp punctuated her refreshment. “Besides, you wouldn’t want to be my friend anyway.”

“Only a little when I was a kid, I’m not any good.”

“Why not?” I ask.

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@bmamag

“Why not - why aren’t we friends, or why not - why wouldn’t you want to be my friend?” she enquires.

“Why wouldn’t I want to be your friend?” I repeat to her.

“Because all my friends are dead of old age or long dead from drugs,” she says, eyes wetting again. Touched, I reply, “Yes, but…”

“Shhh,” she stops me. “It doesn’t matter; I just like you too much for you to die any time soon.”

IF YOU ARE FLYING WITH AVIANCA AIRLINES FLIGHT AV305 TO OSAKA, JAPAN, BOARDING FOR PRIORITY GUESTS HAS NOW STARTED AT GATE C94

The

next day was long, and I had not heard from Decibel. We had agreed to meet at the Aeroflot members’ lounge for a late supper, where she had called ahead from Japan more than 24 hours earlier to order our meals.

This was strange, but many things this woman had done were strange, and I dared not question her.

When I arrived, I was greeted and taken to a particular table in a luxury suite inside the member’s lounge. I was told that Ms Beaumont would join me later but that I should eat when the food arrived.

Dinner in Kansai: Himeji Oden & Ikanago no Kugini

A cabbage soup and a beetroot soup were the opening courses, both tasting better than I thought possible.

Located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, Kansai International Airport is the most expensive piece of engineering in human history.

Our travel time from Bogotá was essentially an entire day. We both slept extensively on the flight, so it was almost time for dinner by the time we got to the ANA premium lounge.

After my interview subject was still not present, I was served a large plate of Beef Stroganoff. I slowly ate my way through the delicious meal, but it was like sawdust in my mouth without Decibel sitting with me.

“Have you ever thought you’d just stop getting married one of these days?” I venture, emboldened by the five days we’ve been travelling, eating and talking together.

“Haven’t you ever thought of not telling stories?” she retorts.

“I don’t understand,” I reply.

I sit for another half-hour, then begin to worry. I had been messaging her with no response. Eventually, I asked an attendant to check for messages from her; there was nothing. I got up and made my way into the main lounge area.

On the television on the wall, there was a shocking image…

Decibel Beaumont’s face is plastered across the screen. I run across to the service desk.

“What is that news program saying?” I ask, unable to understand a word of Russian. It was then that I realised that the whole terminal was beginning to turn chaotic around me.

“It’s breaking news…” the attendant says in broken English, eyes half on the screen, half on me. Her face turns white. “

”

“Look, it’s in my blood. Acting, feeling, expressing. For me to stop falling utterly and completely in love with someone would be akin to an astronaut refusing to travel into space or a goat trying to give up eating grass. I feel deeply, and I act accordingly. It’s not something I’m ever going to stop doing.”

“Don’t you worry that these men are taking you for a ride and hoping to get some of your fortune?” I argue as the waiter brings us a serving of Himeji oden and ikanago no Kuni, which looks as tasty as anything I’ve eaten this trip. She starts to pick at her food, “Do you worry that your partners are doing that to you?”

“Well, no,” I begin.

“Then neither do I!” she says aggressively. “Now eat your food; we’re boarding in fifteen minutes. And she was right. As we finish eating, the announcement is made to board the ANA Boeing 767-300 for Moscow.

Supper with Pushkin: Shchi, Borscht & Stroganoff We are in Russia ten hours later at the Sheremetyevo Alexander S. Pushkin International Airport.

We say our temporary goodbyes as we head for our final hotel rooms of the trip, and I realise now how much I will miss talking to Decibel Beaumont when this is over. facebook.com/bmamagazine

Chris Marlton is a comedian, writer, and painter. His comedy special Mephisto Waltz is on YouTube. Upcoming shows are available at linktree.com/chrismarlton. Follow @ chris.marlton and @laserfirecomedy on Instagram and @ ChrisMarltonComedy on Facebook.

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Exhibitionist | Comedy in the ACT

I had a brilliant summer break, and travelled to unwind as well as broaden my horizons. This summer I went to a few different places during a road round trip to Melbourne.

I believe that travel is essential to broadening the mind.

It helps one become more attuned with nature and the lives of others, and encourages the trying of new things.

This was no less true on my vacation, because I played the PC roleplaying game Baldur’s Gate 3 for the very first time. Here are some highlights from my travels.

Melbourne: A Food Tour Hopetoun Tea Rooms/Bakeshop The original tea rooms were in the Block Arcade for nearly 130 years, and in its place for the moment is the Hopetoun Bakeshop, which will do for now.

I had a pear tart and an éclair, and while the genteel Edwardian feel of the old tea rooms was lacking, I was still able to enjoy the quality of these old-school baked goods in comfortable surrounds.

To honour the setting while enjoying my tea and treats, I started to play Baldur’s Gate 3 on my laptop.

I chose to play a half-elf bard and was not disappointed with the choices offered for my character build.

I named my character Hopetoun Tea Rooms, in honour of the place where she should have been born if they had kept the lease agreement instead of breaking with 130 years of tradition.

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Donnini’s For dinner, I ate on fabulous Lygon Street, and was thrilled to be able to eat fresh gnocchi at Donnini’s.

I also had their cannoli, and upon eating it I realised that not only is cannoli my favourite dessert, but also that the controls for zooming and panning the camera in Baldur’s Gate 3 allowed for a truly expansive view of the landscape.

This capability gave me the opportunity to be more tactical in my planning for upcoming fights in-game. This was especially useful in the first encounter to get off the mind flayers’ ship, when I was still getting the hang of gameplay and how to use Hopetoun Tea Room’s combat abilities.

Very Good Felafel I always make the journey to Brunswick to enjoy their truly delicious felafel and pita, which features the best tahini that I have ever eaten. It is so good that it reminds of when Hopetoun Tea Rooms in Baldur’s Gate 3 acquired some Spidersilk Armour, an amazing magic item considering how low level she was.

Wagga Wagga: A Bird Tour On my way to Melbourne, I stopped at Wagga Wagga, which I will simply refer to as Wagga, despite song-based warnings about calling Wagga Wagga Wagga.

Contrary to stereotypes about regional towns in Australia, Wagga is a lively place with a rich history and an immersive cultural life. Not as good as Baldur’s Gate 3, but very few things are. @bmamag

Not the Place of Many Crows ‘Wagga’ is the Wiradjuri word for dance, so ‘Wagga Wagga’ refers to the act of dancing or celebrating. For a long time it was thought that ‘Wagga’ meant ‘crow’, and ‘Wagga Wagga’ the ‘place of many crows’.

This is a pervasive myth put about by the crows to entrench their hold over the area. When the Firefly Mafia went bust following the introduction of electric lights (further detail below), both The Crows and The Magpies attempted to dominate Wagga.

However, crows have struggled to maintain dominance over the area because magpies kick ass.

While I was enjoying a pie and sitting on a bench on Baylis Street, I saw maybe three crows. They did not impress me greatly.

is truly remarkable about these columns is that they are naturally occurring, animal refuse-based stalagmites that have grown into mighty pillars.

The pigeons themselves are humble about their contribution, but show no signs of ceasing their work on the upkeep of these monuments.

The Worst Thing About Wagga Wagga While I was playing Baldur’s Gate 3 in my motel room, my laptop battery died and I realised that I had left the cable in my Airbnb in Melbourne.

Jindabyne: It Sucks Why Jindabyne sucks: 1) My laptop continued to be dead, so I couldn’t play Baldur’s Gate 3.

The Pigeon Columns There is a salubrious building on Fitzmaurice Street in Wagga that is known only to locals, and that building is home to Lifestyle Lighting, which was the very first place in the town to be blessed by electric lighting in 1979.

Before that, the town was run by Mafioso fireflies who extorted locals for money and trinkets in exchange for their luminescence.

Even if Wagga was the Place of Many Crows, pigeons have made a more lasting contribution to the life of this town. Sitting proudly above the awnings for Lifestyle Lighting are two columns of pigeon poo, deftly crafted by generations of Wagga pigeons.

These columns are so strong that they are a vital part of the structural integrity of the entire building. What facebook.com/bmamagazine

2) I couldn’t find a replacement cable for my laptop at the ski shop.

3) I was driving so I could only sample two things at the Wild Brumby schnapps distillery.

Don’t go to Jindabyne.

Suma Iyer is a travel writer and charlatan, and will be performing at the Canberra Comedy Festival in a show with Felix McCarthy, The Burden of Excellence on Sunday, 17 March at 8pm. Tickets are available at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. Follow her @sumaiyercomedy on socials.

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NEEDS MORE BASIL

stop press! it’s printmaker basil HALL Canberra’s Basil Hall has been running workshops and teaching since he graduated in Printmaking from the ANU in 1986. Now In 2024, he has curated a new exhibition at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre in which he draws from his vast boxes of Printer’s Proofs and mementoes.

With prints by Mandy Martin, Jorg Schmeisser, Paul Peisley, George Gittoes, Raymond Arnold, Garry Shead, Pamela Challis, Bob Russell, GW Bot, Chris Denton, Dianne Fogwell, Julie Bradley, Sylvia and Tony Convey and many, many more (!) we thought we’d have a with Basil about it!

Tell us about the benefits, joys, and other aspects of prints…

Occasionally I have have made my own work and exhibited, but my main focus to date has been on running various printmaking workshops and businesses, teaching and printing editions for others.

What’s your Arts origin story?

When I was at Art School in the early ‘80s, Head Lecturer Jorg Schmeisser employed some of us to assist with his editions, as did Theo Tremblay, the Lithography lecturer.

I ended up printing on and off for Jorg for nearly 25 years, and working with Theo at Studio One for a few years too.

With these guys, and the amazing Mandy Martin and Toni Robertson as mentors and guides, I was on my way as a collaborating printer.

Dianne Fogwell and Meg Buchanan then gave me my start at Studio One in 1985, and a couple of years after their partnership broke up, I found myself Co-Director at Studio One with Marion Hambly.

Tell us about this exhibition: The exhibition has come about because I have a pretty healthy collection of Printer’s Proofs and memorabilia from those ten years at the studio.

I have tried to bulk out the gaps in the show by borrowing back a few pieces, but a large number of the important artists, printers, workshop and class attendees and resident artists had something in my collection and are represented by a small piece they made at the time.

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Many have gone on to great things, and a good many have sadly passed away now.

This exhibition isn’t about my art, although I have two pieces in there that I made after a year in the UK. They poke fun at the strange land we found ourselves in after I left art school.

Influences?

I am most influenced by events that affect me personally or political events which arouse a response. In recent years I have done more of the latter: posters, t-shirts, and prints about refugees, Adani, and esteemed political leaders.

Of what are you proudest so far?

I have had a long career working with Indigenous artists since leaving Studio One in 1996. I was based in Darwin for 16 years and since returning to Canberra in 2012, I have continued to travel up north to run workshops and then edition for literally hundreds of First Nations artists from over 50 communities in NT, WA and SA, primarily.

Plans for the future?

I am hoping to continue my collaborations with artists on a more individual basis from my studio in Ainslie, as well as write a book on my northern printmaking adventures over the last 35 years.

Following the Tuggeranong Arts exhibition, my wife, Pam, and I are travelling to Virginia for the launch of the first of several exhibitions of my work with First Nations artists and a symposium and panel discussions in Charlottesville.

In 2023, I donated my entire Basil Hall Editions archive of Workshop Proofs - over 1300 prints from the years 2002-2022 - to the Kluge-Ruhe Collection at the University of Virginia, USA. The Kluge-Ruhe has the largest collection of Australian Indigenous art outside Australia, and this gift will form the nucleus of a Works on Paper collection for use of student and staff research and future touring exhibitions.

PRINTS FROM STUDIO ONE, 1987 – 1996: FROM THE COLLECTION OF BASIL HALL is on at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre from 2 February – 28 March. There’s also an afternoon tea with Basil on Saturday 24 February, 2-3pm! @bmamag

O TAPE SEALING YOUR BUM WITH CELL IES with...

AND OTHER STOR

By Carrie Gibson UK comic Russell Howard gave us the cliff notes of his schedule—200 gigs in the UK, 30 gigs in the US—with a bucket load of sold-out Aussie shows to come. And the show has changed a lot, he says, with various iterations, which intrigued this live music fan. Adding to your material throughout a tour? How novel.

"It's the great thing about stand-up," he enthuses. "You can have an idea; that night, you can try it, and the audience will help you mould it. You can kick it around, and it either solidifies or doesn't become anything.

"It's like a sculpture," he continues. "You're constantly slinging clay into it. The audience helps you make a bit of pottery. It's so different to music. Music is created irrevocably in a dark room; you sit there, create, and mix it. But it's your thing, and you present it to the world.

the circuit in the UK and was always the young kid. I was really, genuinely happy just bombing around doing that, and it gradually just got out of control, and various offers came my way.

"Honestly, telly is not my thing - I love writing jokes and performing. It's the perfect job for me."

How does Russell find the funny when approaching a topic, let alone lacing it with multiple layers of commentary?

"You've got to listen to yourself to find the jokes, then you've got to listen to the audience to find the funny. And just be honest - if it isn't working, it isn't working. It's such a live thing, right - nothing is real. You can do all the writing you want, all the prep you want, but only until the audience agrees does it step into the world of 'this is a bit now'.

What aren't people laughing enough about?

"Stand-up is created with the audience, not for them. And if you were to do old stuff at a stand-up gig, your audience would be mortified, whereas if you do new stuff at a music gig, the audience is mortified. But it has to change for me; otherwise, it feels like Groundhog Day."

"People laugh at everything, don't they?" Russell asserts. "I remember having this conversation with Tim Minchin. If you've been doing standup for long enough, you can make anything funny; you learn to manoeuvre around it.

A world-renowned comic, Russell is also a savvy interviewer. However, whilst thoroughly enjoying this aspect of his show [The Russell Howard Hour], he admits it was a learning curve.

“Recently, I was chatting about knife crime in the UK, which has gone up to, like, 75% in kids aged nine. Really brutal and upsetting.

"Remarkably, I prepare very little," he reveals. "For the telly show, I'll generally have five bullet points that I'll hit, and with my new project, my podcast called Wonderbox - which, summed up, I chat to people about the things in their lives that they adore. I jump in and riff off my guests.

"It’s a different skill set," Russell continues. "It took me ages to understand the art of interviewing and listening to people. It's so tricky as a comic because your brain is like, Say this! Say that! It’s a constant battle with this demon in my head, and I gradually learned to turn him off.

"If you're doing a panel show, it's all about getting your word in and getting the timing right, whereas an interview - is all about listening and asking a question based on what they've just said."

Would you believe Russell declined media training? "I think it's better when it's warts and all," he affirms.

Russell had no aspirations of transitioning to the 'telly'. From a young lad growing up in Bath, he wanted to be a stand-up comic; an "insane dream", as he describes. Once it became a reality, it just snowballed.

"When I started at 18, everything was exciting," he recalls. "The idea of being a circuit comedian when I was 21 was so cool. I was this child on facebook.com/bmamagazine

"I recall when I was nine years old - me and my brother once put cello tape over our arseholes to see if we could fart out our mouths… THAT'S what you should be doing when you're nine.

"So it's taking something unfortunate and illuminating what kids should be doing at age nine. The job is to convey your feelings with okes rather than stating the obvious: 'Isn't it a disgrace?' Well…yeah. Of course. The skill of a comic should be to make you laugh and make you think.

"I think, particularly with the speed world and the heaviness of the world, there is something really beautiful about going to a comedy show and laughing your arse off about stupid things, just getting lost in the societal orgasm of having a laugh with a room full of strangers.

"There's a lot to be said about taking people away for a couple of hours and just being a dick."

And so we end this happy chat by posing the most important of all the questions... CAN you fart out of your mouth?

"You can't."

Russell Howard hits the Royal Theatre on Tuesday, 20 February. Doors 8pm, tix $91.90 via Ticketek.

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@ S ’ H T SMI BELCO

O W T N WHE E N O E BECOM

By Noni Kuhner

When it comes to nightlife, many think the city centre is the only option in Canberra, especially for live music. One of the venues that has fostered that inner city scene is Smith’s Alternative, which has garnered a reputation as one of the best locations to see local, national and international artists.

grant, and we made an application. The application was successful [which is] so marvellous.

“It means that once we finish these six months of funded shows, our plan is to keep them going.”

The process is a well-oiled machine driven by experience, enthusiasm, and a strong desire to succeed in the long term.

“The way it’s working is Nigel is acting as the convener of all the acts. He’s had - I don’t know - maybe it’s 30 years of experience in really understanding what Canberra audiences want, and he’s completely hooked to the Australian live music scene.

While you might think that might be enough for the team at Smith’s when approached by Belco Arts about the possibility of a collaboration, owner-operators Nigel McRae and Beth Tully jumped at the chance.

Belco Arts’ Production and Venue Hire Manager, Anni Doyle Wawrzynczak, says that the Smith’s @ Belco gigs are a heavenly match that benefits the entire community. “When we were chatting about it, Nigel told me: Collaboration amongst the arts community is the accelerant that makes it go boom,” Anni recalls. “This project is all about collaboration. It’s about bringing more music to Canberra. It’s about creating new opportunities for local artists to work with seasoned professionals.

“So Nigel and I talk about who we’d like to have, and then Nigel puts together those acts and chooses the support to match, so that they work together beautifully. And then I manage that process [from there],” Anni explains.

“And it’s really about providing an alternative live music experience and diversifying the offerings already available in Canberra. It’s a way to further pump up the North Canberra music scene.”

The bringing of live music to the suburbs is already having a considerable impact, with plenty of big names having already taken to the stage and plenty more to come.

“We’ve already had the extraordinary Daniel Champagne in the theatre in November, and he was supported by our local Alec Randolph. There’s Tim Rogers in a solo show, supported by Cathy Diver…” Anni says before rattling off all those yet to come: “And then in March, we’ve got the Gadflys; in April, we’ve got Charm of Finches. In May, we’ve got Shortis and Simpson doing Under The Influence with Fred Smith... And then in June, we’ve got the amazing master guitarist, Paco Lara, an Andalusian guitar master player. Excitingly, he will be working with his troupe and some locals.”

audiences a terrific time.”

“It’s all about giving the

The resounding success the events have seen so far seems a testament to the quality of that idea.

“We had fantastic audiences for the first one, and Tim [sold] very quickly. And we’re anticipating full houses for the full run, which is wonderful for the artists,” she says glowingly.

This program is about quality and variety in its acts, bringing an experience to the Belconnen Arts Centre that would otherwise likely be kept within Civic’s limits. Still, that transference of culture to Belconnen has been Anni’s passion since she took up the position. Getting Nigel involved was the first item on her to-do list.

“I started here last year, and we’d been talking about wanting to have a live music program in our fabulous theatre,” she enthuses. “And I went to Monika McInerney - our Artistic Director - and said, Look, I’d really love to collaborate with Nigel from Smiths.

“She said she’d always wanted to work with Nigel. So Nigel and I met to chat, and off we went.”

And when did it come to the financial aspect of the program? Belco Arts wanted to make a big splash with the line-up of events, which meant it needed to be more than a once-off.

“We decided on six shows over six months, and we needed to find a way to fund that,” Anni explains. “So Monica found the Live Music Australia

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It seems the fuse has been lit; now we, the lucky audience, can see it go ‘boom’.

Information and tickets for all the Smiths@Belco gigs can be found at belcoarts.com.au. @bmamag

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@bmamag

50

50

SONGS

YEARS

By Jen Seyderhelm

In November 1992, Luka Bloom embarked upon his first tour of Australia. This trek was built off the back of a gently blossoming career and two recent releases, Riverside in 1990 and The Acoustic Motorbike in 1992. Born on 23 May 1955 in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, after a musical career under his name Kevin Barry Moore (including three albums, a move to the Netherlands in 1980, and a son) in 1987, he moved to the US. His early ‘90s albums reflect both countries and their people.

They also introspectively explore the changes in Bloom, which included his name.

His first gig at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney was fully booked. Bloom had never had a capacity audience before. Before social media, we'd found him. His love affair with our nation had begun.

2024 sees Bloom's 15th visit to our shore and his most extensive tour to date.

The near three-month extravaganza will take him from Albany, WA, to Cairns in Far North Queensland, including many other venues he's never visited.

His last time in Canberra was almost five years to the day before his upcoming event at The Street Theatre on Friday, 8 March 2024. He spoke fondly of previous gigs at places like Tilleys and watching with horror as we went from Black Summer Bushfires into COVID. "You got the greatest double whammy and I was conscious of that," Bloom says, reflecting on that dark chapter. "I feel a connection to this country unlike any other place and felt so aware of what you were going through."

Subsequently, Bloom wrote Who Will Heal the Land about the fires and impact on the environment for Bittersweet Crimson, one of the four albums he has released since that last visit and recorded in the tiny window early in 2020 before lockdowns. He never got to tour it.

He followed with Out of the Blue in 2021, a purely instrumental album featuring I Hear You, a song he would play over the phone

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to a beloved friend dying of COVID-related symptoms in a hospital Bloom was unable to visit.

"To me, with what I call the 'long pause', which is what COVID was, I couldn't find the words," Bloom recalls. "The only thing I felt like I could do was reengage with that 14-year-old boy, at home, with just a guitar.

"A time before gigs and promoters. Just me.

The result was that album."

That same young boy wrote a song called Wave Up To The Shore in 1972. It is the 50-year milestone that Luka Bloom comes to celebrate this tour (with a triple CD of the same name), featuring the vast array of his original music and lyrics, which I shall put into the genre of "observational storysinging" rather than just "folk", where he is usually neatly tucked away.

There will also be the eclectic cover versions Luka collects in his spare time.

He stumbled across Hunters and Collectors' Throw Your Arms Around Me many years ago and decided to play it for a Perth show. He was soon astonished when the audience sang along, having no idea it was an Australian standard.

He is learning Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan numbers at present.

"I like the challenge of reinterpreting unexpected songs that connect with me and walking in another writer's shoes for a while," he says.

Bloom's great gift as a songwriter and storyteller is to make people feel seen and heard on the big (climate change) and the small (riding a bike – one of his favourite pastimes).

He thinks of that skill as an Irish thing.

"There's a young man that I chat to in my village," he says, the storytelling instinct kicking in once more. "The other day, I told him to start writing his thoughts down; they were beautifully and uniquely articulated."

And so 50 Songs in 50 Years will arrive without expectations or even a set list.

Luka smiles as he says: "I'm aware I'm getting closer to my last visit now, and so I've decided that all I'm bringing to Australia, and this tour, is my gratitude.

"I've asked for no opening acts so I can come on stage, say hello, sing a song and tell a story. I'll sing whatever comes. That's just my way of saying thank you."

I affirm that we, too, will come and book out The Street and the many other familiar and unfamiliar Australian venues for the exact same reasons: To say thank you for the many ways in which Luka Bloom understands us through his music, both with and without lyrics.

Luka Bloom’s 50 Songs in 50 Years happens at The Street Theatre on Friday, 8 March. Tickets are $68.50 + bf via the venue.

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ARCHIE Out Of The City

[IT’S THE VINCE LEIGH TOP TEN The lead track from Archie’s EP revealed a refined indie pop-rock direction with emotionally potent hooks and a strong lead vocal performance.

This shift in style, departing from their previous funk influences, positioned them for greater success and resonance with fans, potentially indicating a new musical path.

As keen readers of BMA Magazine can attest, Vince Leigh has been an absolute workhorse. The Pseudo Echo sticksman and co-writer is one of the best music writers I - Bossman Allan Sko - have had the pleasure of working with. As such, I charged him the noble task of proving something we already know all too well:

Big Reef Only Wanna Rock Big Reef’s fifth single continued their genreblending artistry, combining new wave, 80s postpunk, and post-rock elements.

Glitoris Lickity Split Glitoris returned with Lickety Split, a dynamic first single from their second album, produced by Anna Laverty.

Celebrating sex workers and sex positivity, the track mixed humour, quirkiness, and theatricality with operatic vocals and subversive lyrics. Its intricate composition and witty content demanded multiple listens, while the chorus offered a catchy yet thought-provoking twist.

Diverging from their punk style, Lickety Split is a call for Glitoris’ bold and eclectic creative direction.

Jannah Fahiz Brokenhearted Jannah Fahiz’s third single marked a departure from the energetic post-punk pop of her earlier work, embracing a reflective tone and focusing on the nuances of her voice.

Brokenhearted showcased Jannah’s rapid evolution as an artist, blending contemporary production with confident vocal and songwriting skills.

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The track shines with its Talking Heads-inspired rhythm, a mix of spoken verses, and a memorable chorus, further enriched by a prog rock-infused arrangement with dynamic guitar and keyboard segments.

This single not only showcased Big Reef’s evolving talent but also artfully incorporates irony into their compelling musical style.

Catholic Guilt Live For The Rush Within the span of three minutes, the song masterfully combines brevity and precision with a wild sense of discovery.

And all the while, a consistent, powerful current of emotion flows through it, distributing its intensity with elegance.

Many would argue that these elements together form the ideal blueprint for a flawless ‘pop’ song. Catholic Guilt comes impressively close to realizing this ideal in its unique genre, which smartly blends a diverse array of sensibilities. @bmamag

CANBERRA TRACKS OF 2023!]

NORA feat. Viktor Rufus Pretend Pretend’s foundational influences might echo the ‘90s postBritpop emo pioneers such as Radiohead.

That Canberra fucking rocks.

And so here we have but ten shimmering examples of enthralling, beguiling, heartbreaking, uplifting, and toetapping brilliance from some of Canberra’s finest. Enjoy - ALLAN SKO

MUESLI Tonight?

Muesli has been rapidly gaining prominence since November 2020, performing alongside notable acts and earning many an accolade along the way, including the 2022 Independent Debut Single of the Year.

But NORA branched out here, marking a bold departure towards a thrilling and richly creative landscape, bringing Canberra’s musical everyman, Viktor Rufus, along for the ride.

Aya Yves White Flag Aya’s introspective contemplation is beautifully transformed into a sequence of delicate, reflective melodies that echo the overarching theme of the song.

Their single, Tonight?, was a bold step forward, featuring funk-infused melodies and engaging vocals which further showcased the band’s evolving and adventurous musical style.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Lights Out Taken from the band’s debut album I Love You, Canberra’s punk pop superstars track Lights Out kicks off in postgrunge style but soon transitions into a blend of highoctane rock, carefully laden with hooks that don’t cross the cliché line and compel with a series of stirring performances.

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This theme appears to revolve around a soft, healing awakening, marked by moments of tenderness and emotional clarity.

Gia Ransome Boots From early in the year, Gia Ransome’s debut track revealed an instantly captivating fusion of introspective folk and poprock.

Boots showcases a keen musical intuitiveness that is as engaging as it is wise.

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE THU 1 FEBRUARY Jamie Hutchings A New Album Launch

Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss/Infinity Broke et al) launches his new LP A New, in full solo mode. 6:30pm, $20 or $15 concession via venue

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE Kids Screening

Kids run amok in New York, with all the sex, smoking, drinking, skateboards and baggy jeans of the mid’90s. But this typical urban adolescent culture has far more sinister issues lurking.

7pm, $14/12 via the NFSA

ARC CINEMA @ NFSA

FRI 2 FEBRUARY Vinyl Lounge

Bring your records, share your stories, and hear what else is spinning on the NFSA turntables. Proceeds go towards developing the NFSA Sound Collection.

5:30pm, $5 via NFSA

THEATRETTE @ NFSA

The Golden Cord Film Screening

The Golden Cord tells the story of 10 artists from Urapuntja/Utopia, Central Australia, who travel to the Brahma Tirta Sari batik studio in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Part of Art Meets Film, presented by the NGA and the NFSA. 6pm, free event (bookings essential)

ARC CINEMA @ NFSA SoundOut 2024

International festival of free improvisation, free jazz and experimental music. 7pm, $35 waged, $25 unwaged per session (approximately 4-5hrs of music) via Humanitix

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Lo$t in Grey New Hip Hop Night

Immerse yourself in the hip hop vibes at The Baso!

Get ready for a night of pure fire with Kaspar Kron, undergroundherb, Doherty, Tony M, lonez, and TrevorWayne. It’s gonna be lit.

7pm, $15 via OzTix

The epic songs of Meatloaf performed note-for-note!

7pm, $30 plus bf thru Eventbrite

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

The Blues Kids (Bryn and Charlie) @ Haig Park

THE BASO

Come on down to Haig Park for a fantastic birthday celebration! Featuring Australian Busking Championship winners The Blues Kids (Bryn and Charlie).

12pm, free

Stranger By The Lake Screening

Dean Haitani

HAIG PARK, BRADDON

At a remote lakeside, desire takes young gay man Franck to the extremities of danger.

In this licentious romantic thriller, French writer/director Alain Guiraudie forces audiences to confront the lengths we will go to for lust and love. 8pm, $16/12 via NFSA

ARC CINEMA @ NFSA

Band Out Of Hell - A Meatloaf Tribute Show

SAT 3 FEBRUARY

DJ Paisa Salsa Night

On the first friday of the month, Old Canberra Inn host a Salsa Night. Get your sassy grooves ready and be prepared to hit the dance floor. 8pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN

With his unique fingerstyle and soulful earthy vocals, Dean Haitani draws inspiration from blues & roots music, and his love of funk and old school R&B rhythms. 2pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN

Music In The Mountains featuring JD Band & Wildstraw Music

Chill out with an afternoon of blues, roots & fresh mountain air at Corin Forest. JD Band & Wildstraw Music are bringing you a mix of covers and originals amongst the trees.

3pm, $15 via venue

CORIN FOREST

FEBRUARY 2nd

71 Model Band

9th

Zambesi Sounds

16th Snake Oil Preachers 23rd The Leanne Castley Band

MARCH

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1st

Urban Drover

8th

Mega Beige

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Best Friends @ The Baso

A packed night of good friends, good vibes, and bloody good music. Join Parrots with Piercings, Nelly Nova, Stella Eve, Loose Surface & Dizzy Ducks for an eclectic night featuring a diverse array of sounds. 7pm, $15 via OzTix

THE BASO

The Virgin Suicides Screening

In this subversive cult classic from director Sofia Coppola, four young boys become fascinated with the wealthy but confined Lisbon sisters.

Their infatuations follow a perverse series of events with tragic consequences. 7pm, $14/12 via NFSA

ARC CINEMA @ NFSA

SUN 4 FEBRUARY Bromham and Bamford

The musical community of Bromham is returning to Smiths! A raucous folk group made up of 14 friends from Kaurna land/Adelaide. 3pm, $20 via venue website

SMITHS ALTERNATIVE Inez Hargaden

Inez Hargaden is an Irish singer-songwriter from County Cavan. She draws from folk, pop, rock, and jazz to commonly reflect on the joys and tribulations of life. 4pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN Dean Haitani

With his unique fingerstyle and soulful earthy vocals, Dean Haitani draws inspiration from blues & roots music, and his love of funk and old school R&B rhythms. 4pm, free entry

DICKSON TAPHOUSE

The Butterfly Effect 20 Years of Begins Here

Catch the beloved Australian rockers performing the album in FULL for the first time plus more from their iconic discography. 7pm, $79.90 via OzTix (be advised; likely sold out. Check venue foe details)

THE BASO

WED 7 FEBRUARY John Stokes

Conqueror hump day with solo acoustic artist John Stokes.

Relax and enjoy an hour of deep tones and rhythmic strumming with vocals influenced by alternative, grunge, and soul styles. 7pm, free entry

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

FRI 9 FEBRUARY Post Human Demo Release feat. Thantu Thikha, Chain Tombstone, & Born 2 Lose In the beginning, heinous creatures were spat out of a fissure in time along with our galaxy. Great wars were fought for galactic peace. One man is destined to undo all of this and one band is his herald: Post Human! 7pm, $18.40 via OzTix

THE BASO

Ian Moss Rivers Run Dry Tour

Ian Moss in acoustic mode tours new studio album Rivers Run Dry, playing songs from the new album plus a few surprises.

8pm, $77.50 – $108.50+ bf via Canberra Theatre

THE PLAYHOUSE, CANBERRA THEATRE

Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley - Up, Down and Sideways Tour

Australia’s favourite country music duo are kicking off their extensive 2024 tour and will be playing songs from their ARIA nominated album Up, Down and Sideways. 8pm, $48 via Eventbrite

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Heath Cullen & Kevin Welch - In Concert

A musical conversation, showcasing adept songwriting and musicianship in an intimate and impromptu song-swap setting. 8pm, $49 + bf via venue

THE STREET THEATRE Sneaky Jeremiah

Canberra-based feel-good, good time band delivering soul, blues, RnB, popular anthems, Americana, and classic rock.

8pm, free entry

DICKSON TAPHOUSE facebook.com/bmamagazine

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE SAT 10 FEBRUARY Manchild & The Blues Kids

Dunked rather than steeped in the tradition of the blues, this family knows how to get funky, dirty, bluesy, and still be in bed by early eve. 2pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN

Rental Snake Defeated Single Launch

Canberra rock trio Rental Snake are on tour to tout their energetic new single Defeated produced by Nathan Sheehy (DZ Deathrays, Dune Rats, The Vanns). Their hometown headline show features locals Sertra & Ed York. 7pm, $13 $20 + bf via Humanitix

SIDEWAY

Mamma Mia! The Ten Sopranos Sing The Very Best of ABBA

An epic concert featuring ten outstanding singers and the songs of ABBA. 7pm, from $49 + bf via Eventbrite

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

The George Ellis Orchestra Celebrate the Silver Anniversary of the Best of the Bee Gees and the George Ellis Orchestra with special guests Colin Petersen and Roslyn Loxton. 7:30pm, $99 – $119 + bf via venue

SUN 11 FEBRUARY

FRI 16 FEBRUARY

Eden Plenty

Tijuana Cartel Alectura Album Tour

CANBERRA THEATRE

Eden Plenty is one of Australia’s most beautiful original voices, his talent is matched only by his love of creating and sharing music.

4pm, free entry

Creedence Clearwater Collective

TUE 13 FEBRUARY

A night of Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty awaits, a celebration of one of the world’s most iconic bands – from the songs they wrote, songs they covered, and the songs they wrote for others. 7:30pm, $45 - $69 via TicketSearch

GOULBURN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Ralph McTell The Streets of Oz Tour

English musical legend Ralph McTell will be armed with his guitar and the much-loved songs from his illustrious career. 8pm, $75 + bf via venue

THE STREET THEATRE

DICKSON TAPHOUSE

Kate Miller Heidke Catching Diamonds Tour with Georgia Mooney

This is a special opportunity to see Kate in intimate, strippedback mode, accompanied by her long-term collaborator Keir Nuttall on guitar. 7:30pm, $79.90 via venue

GOULBURN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

WED 14 FEBRUARY Nate Griffin Trio

Three-piece, Canberra based jazz outfit performing only the smoothest jams and intricate solo sections. 6:30pm, free

OLD CANBERRA INN

Once again, Tijuana Cartel is poised to make waves in the music scene with their unique blend of organic house music infused with rhythms and sounds from around the world, as they embark on a nationwide tour. 7pm, $40.30 via OzTix

THE BASO

Serial Pest EP Launch w/ Loose Cannon & The Pingers

Serial Pest launch their debut record Hot Breath w/ local hoons Loose Cannon and Jindabyne punx The Pingers.

7pm, $10 via OzTix

THE BASO

Garry Starr Greece Lightning

Having single-handedly saved the performing arts in 2023 with his multi-award winning debut show Garry Starr Performs Everything, comic

Best of The Bee Gees and

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE wunderkind Garry returns with another anarchic masterclass not to be mythed. 7:30pm, $30 $35 via theq.net.au

THE Q

Back Tracks Concert Starring John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew

Back Tracks includes the classics, sure, but it also explores tracks and singles that people love but don’t get to hear live.

8pm, $79 + bf via venue

THE STREET THEATRE

Dreams - The Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks Show

Dreams pays tribute to one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, and to the solo career of their leading lady, as performed

by Nikki Canale (Las Vegas). 8pm, $45-65 via theq.net.au

THE B, QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

SAT 17 FEBRUARY Capital Inna Carnival feat.

Zed Biask (UK) & Inner West Reggae Disco Machine (Syd) Two rooms, one big day of reggae, dub, D&B, UK garage, and dancehall featuring a stack of locals, right in the middle of Multicultural Festival. From 2pm, $35 + bf via Ticket Fairy

RELOAD BAR (VERITY LANE ENTRANCE)

SUN 18 FEBRUARY CBS Monthly Pro Blues Jam hosted by KillWater

KillWater kicks off the first Pro Blues Jam of the year. A fantastic afternoon of live blues music awaits. 1pm, CBS members $10 / general $15 / under 16 free

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Chamber Classics: Beethoven Septet

The CSO Chamber Ensemble performs Septet in E-flat major for clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, and double bass, Op. 20. 2pm, $16 - $52 via CSO Direct or at the door

ALBERT HALL, YARRALUMLA Inez Hargaden

The Irish singer-songwriter from County Cavan draws from folk, pop, rock, and jazz to commonly reflect on the joys and tribulations of life. 4pm, free entry

DICKSON TAPHOUSE Lewis Delorenzo

Lewis is a singer-songwriter inspired by music that tells a story, while expressing the beauty and challenge of the human experience. 4pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN

WED 21 FEBRUARY

Divine Devilles

D.R.I. - 40th Anniversary Tour w/ special guests HIRAX

OLD CANBERRA INN

THE BASO

Two well-travelled souls, each with a suitcase full of songs and hearts filled with a love of that sweet, swinging, shuffling, grooving place where jazz & blues meet. 2pm, free entry

Tribute Show - Rage Against The Machine + Korn + System Of A Down + APC Come and enjoy an amazing night of live music as these four acts smash out hit after hit from some of the most iconic bands to come out of the ‘90s/’00s!

Featuring full sets from each band. 7pm, $29.60 via OzTix

Hardline Media proudly presents a deadly double, crossover thrash bill! D.R.I. make their long-awaited return, and welcome, for their first time to Australia, HIRAX. 7pm, $54.95 via OzTix

Fun Lovin’ Criminals

They of Scooby Snacks, Love Unlimited, and Up On The Hill fame, the Fun Lovin’ Criminals embark on their 25th Anniversary tour.

8pm, $73.35 via Moshtix

KAMBRI @ ANU

THE BASO

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE THU 22 FEBRUARY

FRI 23 FEBRUARY

Ignite

John Stokes

THE BASO

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

Hailing from Orange County in the US of A, hardcore punk institution Ignite announce their first tour of Australia in 16 years.

7pm, $42.35 via OzTix

Angelus Apatrida Aftermath Tour 2024 w/ Hidden Intent

For their second time down under, Spain’s most highly successful thrash metal act grace our shores once again!

Supported by Hidden Intent.

7pm, $34.69 via OzTix

THE BASO

The Necks - In Concert

An immersive, hypnotic concert experience, The Necks slowly conjure luminous soundscapes that will leave the audience mesmerised. 7:30pm, $42 - $55 + bf via venue

THE STREET THEATRE

Relax to the deep tones, rhythmical strumming, and vocals influenced by alternative, soul, and grunge. Embrace the ambience. 6pm, free entry

Shonen Knife In Their Best Place

As punk as pink can be. Naoko, Atsuko, and Risa make the sugar rush for the stage as the gigantors of Japanese punk-pop fire up their quarto, decade-plus power packs, and rocket to their best place. Hey! Ho! Day-Glo! 7pm, $56.10 via OzTix

THE BASO

The Australian Tenors The Spirit of Australia

Enjoy the romance and excitement as the finest tenor voices in Australia present a thrilling new show with songs that have inspired generations.

7pm, $75-$89 + bf via venue

GOULBURN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

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Royel Otis Pratts & Pain Tour

Join in at Kambri ANU for an electrifying performance

by Royel Otis, Sydney’s indie sensation and 2023 ARIA nominees. Celebrating their debut album, Pratts & Pain, the duo embarks on their Australian tour, with a special stop in Canberra. 7:30pm, tix from $39.90 via Moshtix

MANNING CLARK HALL, KAMBRI AT ANU The Arc Riders @ The Zeppelin Room

Join us for a fantastic night with The Arc Riders from Sydney with guest support The Wildfires (acoustic). 8pm, CBS members $22 / general $25 via CBS website or $30 at the door

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Chris Harland Blues Band

Every CHBB set remains a memorable, musical event, revisiting the best of the Blues standards: B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters. 8pm, free

OLD CANBERRA INN

Moondog Trio

Moondog performs solo and as frontman of the Moondog Blues Band. He is a master of the blues harmonica and a formidable guitarist, singer and songwriter. His voice holds a deep authenticity reminiscent of the great Blues singers of the old. 8pm, free

DICKSON TAPHOUSE

SAT 24 FEBRUARY OCI’s End of Summer Beer Bash

A celebration of the end of summer at the Old Canberra Inn with Live music, Fresh beers and Special food being slung all day! 2pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN Italian Night Show and Dance

Popular traditional Italian music from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s - molto divertente!

6:30pm, tix from $20 + bf thru Eventbrite

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Carnival Road Live

Canberra based folk-rock original band Carnival Road return to Yazzbar, bringing a new show including songs from their upcoming 3rd album, in an exciting, emotive and engaging night of entertainment. 7:30pm, free

YAZZBAR, YASS NSW

NISSAN: Unstoppable, Mangrove, The Absentee + Upper Body Denim

Be prepared for a huge night of local original music featuring the manic melodics of ‘NISSAN: Unstoppable’; the electrified stylings of ‘Mangrove’; time signature instrumentalists ‘The Absentee’ and legends ‘Upper Body Denim’. 7:30pm, $15 + b/f via Oztix; or $20 on the door

THE BASO (ABYSS ROOM) Viva Italia!

Italian Show and Dance

Enjoy a fabulous evening of entertainment, show and dancing to all the wonderful music of Albano & Romina, I Ricchi e Poveri, Toto

Cutugno, Gianni Morandi and more. Performed by Jay & Gisele and backed by their Innamorati band. 8pm, tix rom $20 + bf via Eventbrite

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Get Fake and Uncle Doss at Smith’s Alternative Strap yourself in for a night at Smith’s Alternative with Get Fake and Uncle Doss! Two young Canberra bands come together to entertain your ears with magical melodies and stunning stagecraft. 9:30pm, $15 Full Price, $10 Concession via smithsalternative.com or at the door

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

SUN 25 FEBRUARY Gia Ransome

Gia Ransome is a singer/songwriter, who with her band will make you feel like you’re living a great romance in an old school dive bar. Described as a marriage between Nick Cave and Lana Del Rey, you can expect

an experience of suave, bluesy rock. 4pm, free entry

DICKSON TAPHOUSE Eden Plenty

Eden Plenty is one of Australia’s most beautiful original voices, his talent is matched only by his love of creating and sharing music. 4pm, free entry

OLD CANBERRA INN

TUE 27 FEBRUARY NJK Vibe in The Capital

Featuring Neetesh Jung Kunwar, Sambriddhi Rai and DJ Sushil, after party with DJ Sushil. 5pm, $35.20 via OzTix

THE BASO

WED 28 FEBRUARY Flynn Marcus Trio

Three-piece blues/jazz outfit performing some of the smoothest jazz you can wrap your ears around! 6:30pm, free

OLD CANBERRA INN

THU 29 FEBRUARY Future Classics

Kill the fat calf, Luke Heggie and Chris Ryan are back! And they’ve got a new bunch of new jokes to run by you. No weird sh*t. 7pm, $25 via theq.net.au

B BAR, QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE The Sunshine Club

The Sunshine Club is a gloriously energetic, thought-provoking and above all entertaining night of theatre. Written and Directed

by Wesley Enoch Music by John Rodgers Producing company HIT Productions. 8pm, $57-$65 + bf

GOULBURN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

FRI 1 MARCH Jack Botts Australian Summer Tour 2024 with special guests Jordy Maxwell & Neptune

Fast becoming an annual staple of the Australian Summer, Jack Botts will bring his sun-soaked jampacked live show to an abundance of venues along the East & West Coast. 7pm, $51.76

UC HUB

Bohemian Rhapsody starring Thomas Crane

Australia’s longest-running Queen Tribute, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” led

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