BMA Mag 303 11 Jun 2008

THREE03 June 12.08

BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE

NO USE FOR A NAME VARIODIVERS

ALSO INSIDE: MARK N, AGENCY DUB COLLECTIVE, STAR ASSASSIN, ACT WRITERS FESTIVAL, SONORCAST AND MORE!

bma magazine

bma magazine

FREE STUFF Oh yes, there's a lot of it this issue, so not time to chatter on. Send your answers through to editorial@bmamag.com and await further instructions.

album that combines meticulous production and clarity of vision with a narration on the darker reality of Australian life, through a melodic mix of jazz, funk, old school hip-hip and drum ‘n’ bass rhythms. The boys are launching the album on July 5 at the ANU Bar, alongside Axe Aklins, Carts2Deadly and loads more, followed by the official afterparty at Transit from midnight. We’ve got a double pass to the launch

California Here We Come Salty tears of joy trickled down the cheeks of many a ‘90s So-Cal punk devotee when it was announced that Strung Out and No Use for a Name would be buddying up for the Strangers in the Outback Australian tour. With both bands based in California and signed to the ubiquitous Fat Wreck Chords, and both at the forefront of the ‘90s punk resurgence, it was only a matter of time before they joined forces to give the kids out in the sticks a shake up! This July they’ll be taking in as many cities as they can squeeze into one month, stopping by the ANU Bar on Sunday July 13. Individually, both bands’ last Canberra shows were a riot, so combined, the octave-chord-fuelled onslaught is enough to make one’s head swim.

We’ve words from NUFAN later in this very issue, but to further add to the excitement, we’ve nabbed a cheeky double pass from the good folk at Blue Murder.

If you want it, tell as an anecdote involving either band. For the rest of you, grab yer tickets via Ticketek on www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849.

Switching it Up The anticipation has been mounting for some time now, and we’re pleased to announce that on June 28, Canberra hiphop dons D’Opus & Roshambo will finally release their muchanticipated full length album The Switch through Shogun.

Since dropping their celebrated EP The Question, which rippled through the national dials of triple j and community radio nation wide, D’Opus and Roshambo have dedicated themselves to producing a sound that would break Australian hip-hop convention. The Switch is an

to dish out to one dedicated local hip-hop head and, to get you in the right frame of mind, a shiny new copy of The Switch too. To nab ‘em, just tell us exactly what ‘roshambo’ means? Be creative, now.

My War Nominated for fi ve Golden Globes, Charlie Wilson’s War unites Hollywood heavyweights Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour-Hoffman in a powerful drama/comedy that has been described by Rolling Stone as “Rude, crude and hilarious…” Set just before the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, and based on true events, the fi lm tells the tale of the big-drinking, skirt-chasing Texan Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks). A professional schmoozer enjoying the good life that his title carries, Wilson has an unexpected attack of conscience when long-time contributor Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts) educates him on the worsening situation in Afghanistan. Wilson helps secure a little more funding for the effort, and so begins a covert war designed at dinner parties and fought on a desert front in The Middle East. Directed

by Mike Nicholls (The Birdcage) and scripted by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, A Few Good Men), Charlie Wilson’s War is fast-paced,

incredibly funny and thoroughly entertaining - “The year’s funniest smart movie,” as Time Magazine put it. It’s just been pressed to Digital Versatile Disc, and we’ve got five gleaming platters to give away. To nab one, tell us what you did on the weekend.

WWE Wrestlemania XXIV The sweat-soaked muscle-bulging pop culture spectacle that is Wrestlemania returns for its staggering 24th instalment, and for the fi rst in its history, it’s calling Orlando, Florida home. This year the main event sees pro boxer and Super Lightweight Champion Floyd Mayweather battle the manmountain of the Big Show. Will it top Donald Trump shaving WWE boss Vince McMahon’s head last year? Thanks to those incorrigible Shock folk, we have fi ves copies to giveaway so you can fi nd out. To win, tell us who the greatest wrestler of all time is and why?

Vision of Division With the aura that now surrounds them, it’s easy to forget that Joy Division were, and indeed still remain, an incredible band. Almost single-handedly laying down the blueprint for any band since who’s had the words ‘post’ and ‘punk’ used as descriptors, the Manchester four-piece created an intense and singular sound, refl ecting the bleak, post-industrial squalor of their hometown in the late ‘70s. Following the band from their formation after the famous Sex Pistols show at the Lesser Free Trade Hall to their tragic conclusion, Grant Gee’s celebrated Joy Division documentary, simply titled Joy Division, has been hailed as the defi nitive documentary of this most important of bands. Pieced together from archival footage - including never-before-seen performance footage, personal photos and newly discovered audiotapes - and featuring unprecedented participation by all surviving band members, Joy Division examines the band’s story through a series

of insightful interviews.

It chronicles a time of great social and political change in England and relates the untold story of four men who transcended economic and cultural barriers to produce an enduring musical legacy. The DVD release also features over an hour of additional clips, interviews and outtakes from the documentary.

Thanks to Madman, we’ve got five copies to give away. To win one, tell us Joy Division’s original name, and who suggested it.

What to do…

A Prisoner’s Dilemma is the latest brainchild of Canberra’s absurdist theatre masters Bohemian Productions. They’ve based the performance around the idea of The Prisoner’s Dilemma, a central concept of game theory. It all sounds very complicated, but the troupe assures us it isn’t. “Game theory has been hugely infl uential in the sciences, in politics, in sociology, in economics over the last half century,” they say. “It’s unfortunate that the general public doesn’t have a greater knowledge of these concepts.

We wanted to share some of that information.” Since it debuted at last year’s Multicultural Fringe Festival, the four have performed the piece in various theatres, schools, conferences and lecture halls, honing it as they went. “A Prisoner’s Dilemma uses various devices to allow the audience to control the action on stage and the course of the games, without leaving their seats - like a live-action arcade game.

Our interactivity is based on electronic control devices, like adapted remote controls.” To grab a double-pass to this intriguing performance, running from June 17 to 21 at the Street Theatre, tell us about the last time you found yourself in a dilemma.

STRUTH BE TOLD There’s never a more vulnerable time in one’s life than when one steps outside the door of the hairdressers. As a guy, the thought running through my head is almost always the same – ‘TOOOOO SSHHOOOORRRRTTTTT!!!’ Having abruptly cropped hair leaves your big goofy head exposed, like your face’s version of being caught with its pants down. With the central HQ of a fringe and straggly side bits gone, there’s nowhere for your forehead and ears to hide. You are destined to wander the streets, cheekbones freezing, trying to subtly peer at yourself in shop windows and jiggle your hair about like a crazed mother setting the dinner table for Christmas.

You could be forgiven for thinking that hairdressers just like cutting hair.

The initial consultation always goes amiably. They ask what I’d like done, while thoughtfully running thumb and forefi nger over the back. I answer them with conviction on par with the lawyer from The Castle – including the word ‘vibe’. They seem to understand. I take my glasses off, and in my short sighted state I miss the split-second glint in their eye as they pick up the scissors, eyes boring into the slice fest that is my plump, ungroomed head, mouth salivating at the thought of sinking their blades into me, like a blackbird arching its toes as it dive-bombs a strawberry patch.

Where does the blueprint go wrong? Part of the problem is the hairdressers insistence on multi-tasking. This involves calculating and implementing precise artistic incisions while padding out inane conversation. You wouldn’t expect your doctor to be halfway through surgery before demanding to know how uni’s going. The verbal screensaver also gets in the way of the relaxing, therapeutic element. With silence I can let hormones and imagination take over and pretend there’s something faintly sexual happening. (With me, getting change at McDonald’s can be faintly sexual; it’s called ‘I’m an art-house film’ syndrome).

HINT: Get your haircut on a Wednesday as it’s too late for “what did you do on the weekend?” and too early for “what are you doing on the weekend?”

The hairdressers most important training comes into play in the closing ‘smoke and mirror’ phase. This involves a complex array of blow-drying, poofing and fiddling with all manner of hyper-paste-turbo-wax-gritputty-factor-fourteen products, which are all made from recycled Ghostbuster slime. These are used to achieve the painstakingly effortless ‘bed-hair’ look that is guaranteed to last up to three seconds after you leave. (I’ve found better results by being so depressed about my haircut I stayed in bed for a week). This leads to the barber’s money shot. The moment when you are reminded how powerless you really are, strapped in a black cocoon, hair littering the floor like a balding shagpile. There is no greater false gesture than the ‘showing of the back’ for approval. As you stare from your bowl head – flat as a burnt match – to the gleaming eyes of the hairdresser, you remember this is one luxury you just can’t afford.

For the last two years I’ve attended one of the fanciest hairdressers in Melbourne, who recently put the price up from $65 to $85. "Is that because of the drought?" I quipped, getting nothing from the girl at the counter. We had been on a good wicket; they didn’t talk much and left my hair at an acceptable Graham Garden/Jarvis Cocker type length.

But last week I made the mistake of including the word ‘shorter’ in my description. That’s it, next time I’m getting my fringe insured. Just call me the indie Merv Hughes.

JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD www.bedroomphilosopher.com

NEWS Crash ‘n’ Burn Last seen passing through town with those wacky kids Operator Please, Melbourne’s Flamingo Crash are now returning in their own right to tout their debut LP Triangle Island. Described by Rave Magazine as a band with “one foot entrenched in the past (Wire, XTC, Talking Heads, The Ex) and another in some ethereal neverland,” the album is an intelligent take on indie rock, with electro beats, rock riffs and colourful pop grooves. Having played alongside the likes of The Go! Team, Maximo Park, Lily Allen, The Bravery, Love is All, The Presets, this time it’ll be Flamingo Crash’s turn to close the night. They’ll swing through town on Thursday June 26 for a free show at the Transit with The Jezebels, Lions at Your Door and The Vignettes.

The Future is Unwritten The ‘90s So-Cal punk influx continues, with word that Australian favourites Unwritten Law will be in town in August – the first show of the tour, no less. After releasing fi ve records on fi ve different major labels, the band have certainly proved their resilience, and their enduring popularity, over the past decade. And, who do y’think is supporting them? None other than So-Cal brothers in arms Sprung Monkey. Get (‘em) outta here, right?

Well it’s true - believe it. Perth’s Elora Danan ‘round out the bill, which will hit The Venue on Saturday August 9 for an all ages show. Tickets are available through www.killrockstar.com.au and Moshtix outlets.

Homelands Once again, Canberra is ahead of the pack. Memories of the mighty Gyroscope and Shihad double-header at the ANU earlier this year still linger in the minds of many a punter, and they can get set to relive it all again this September. The rest of the country’s obviously cottoned on, and so the two bands will reunite for Gyroscope’s aptly-titled Australia Tour, promoting the single of the same name. WA upstarts Sugar Army will bring up the rear.

They’ll hit the ANU Bar on Tuesday September 2. Tickets are $29 plus BF, on sale from Thursday June 26 through www.gyroscope.com.au and Ticketek (ticketek.com.au or 132 849). And if once won’t be enough, they’re also playing a crafty show on September 3 at the Station Resort, Jindabyne.

Dishin’ the Dirt Snappy Perth four-piece The Dirty Secrets are ducking through town for a cheeky Thursday night stand at the Transit Bar on June 12. With word that Five Feet of Snow, the opening track from their debut self-titled album has been added to nights on NOVA Sydney this week, it doesn’t look like these indie-rockers will be playing such intimate shows for much longer.

Fresh off their Come Together appearance last weekend, come and see what all the fuss is about. Free entry, as always.

Known Pleasures Just like late ‘70s Manchester (yes, exactly like!), a depressing, cold, grey, bipolar Canberra inspires a motive for one hell of a night of the only Canberra house party to be held inside a city club. Bar 32 Gangbusters has promised to deliver you live, local, interstate and often distinctive bands that try to open your blurring vision into a world of tight pants and many plaid shirts. Join with us for the coming Gangbusters, on Thursday June 19, with a pre-Newcastle tour show for Jonny Telafone and The Cherry Marines. Then we’ll be swinging back to some great New Zealand pop with Little Pictures and that ex-zealander Popolice on Thursday July 3. Ya got a five dollar bill but your hands up! myspace.com/birdslovefighting .

In the Red In late breaking news, shoegazing sisters theredsunband will be through town on Wednesday June 25 at the ANU Bar. After a mesmerising support slot for Liam Finn late last year, the gals will return to launch their second full-length The Shiralee. So if you’re partial to wistful vocals, guitars that are equal parts delicate and droning, and just generally good songwriting, head on down. Entry is only a tenner on the door.

Travelogue The Australia Council for the Arts, Ceres Solutions and established touring organisation Performing Lines have joined forces to announce the new music touring project Sound Travellers, a two year project to facilitate and promote the national touring of sound art/electronica, improvised jazz and contemporary classical music. This all results in a plethora of experimental and avant musicians passing through Canberra in the next few months, Sydney sax ‘n’ drums duo Peter Farrar and Alex Masso - highly regarded in both Sydney’s jazz and improvised music scenes - being the next in line. They’ll be playing at The Front Cafe and Gallery on June 12 as part of HellosQuare’s Weatherbox Series. This, the first of two nights, also sees locals Spartak performing improvisations and works from their upcoming album Tales From the Colony Room. From 8pm, $10 on the door.

Diesel Power Back in its eighth year, Diesel:U:Music 2008 is now launching a new international platform, providing greater opportunities for unsigned musicians to reach out to new audiences. Bedroom bangers can upload their tracks to www.diesel-u-music.com, and then Diesel will let fans and users tell us who is making the best music. A strong and vibrant community from around the world will; provide a real support network for musicians aimed at discovering and sustaining breaking artists; give artists with the opportunity to organise tours and gigs in some of the world’s best venues; offer information on how to establish a music career without getting overrun and more. Past winners include Mylo, We Are Scientists, Souvenir (a.k.a Tom Vek), Infadels, Duke Dumont and DJ Yoda.

The Power of Song The APRA Awards nominees have been revealed for another year, ahead the annual celebration of Australian songwriters, which will be held on Monday June 16 at the Sydney Hilton. Australia’s most prestigious peer-voted music award, the APRA Song of the Year has secured nominations for some of the nations biggest rock acts, along with one brilliant pop composer. Silverchair, Powderfinger, The John Butler Trio, Thirsty Merc and Sally Seltmann (aka New Buffalo, for her work on Fiest’s 1, 2, 3, 4) will go head-to-head for the hotly contested Song of the Year gong. Elsewhere, semi-ex-locals The Bumblebeez received a nomination for Urban Work of the Year for Dr Love. For a full list on nominees, jump on to www.apra.com.au .

AND ANOTHER THING...

YOU PISSED ME OFF

Has someone yanked yer chain recently? Well, send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and have your sweet vengeance. And for the love of God, keep it brief! ALL ENTRIES CONTAIN GENUINE SPELLINGS.

Once again I am able to type THEY! ARE! COMING! But it’s not about Iron Maiden this time, oh no. The metal gods JUDAS PRIEST are the latest in a long line of genre titans to announce Australian appearances and with this in mind, coupled with the knowledge that you can pick up most of their albums for the price of an alcopop, here, in very strict order, are my top five Priest elpees of all time: 1. Screaming for Vengeance (1982) – still one of the top five ‘trad’ metal records of all time, even a quarter of a century after its release, SFV is quite literally what it’s all about. From the epic opening strains of The Hellion through to the pumping pop sensibilities of You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, there isn’t a duff note anywhere to be heard here.

Guitarists Glenn Tipton and KK Downing mesh incredibly well on the likes of Electric Eye and the title track, whilst singer Rob Halford tops the whole thing off with a faultless performance. Breathtaking.

2. British Steel (1980) – Priest’s first million selling album, BS opened with the startling speed metal attack of Rapid Fire, a track which provided a blueprint for the thrash explosion of the mid-'80s, yet also contained three huge (in the UK anyway) pop singles in United, Living After Midnight and the ubiquitous Breaking the Law. A strange mix, but it worked.

3. Sin After Sin (1977) – The band’s major label debut saw them leaving their prog roots behind for good, fusing the more metallic strains of previous outing Sad Wings of Destiny to a (for its time) sleek production (courtesy of Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover), with pleasing results.

Opener Sinner remains in the set to this day, whilst Dissident Aggressor was later covered by thrash giants Slayer.

4. Defenders of the Faith (1984) – Whilst The Sentinel remains my all time favourite Priest track – the duel guitar interplay by Tipton and Downing here is worth the price of admission alone - its place in the Priest canon as follow-up to the titanic Vengeance means that it has always been seen as something of a disappointing album. But that is bollocks, frankly, as one listen to the ludicrous proto-power metal of Freewheel Burning or the biker anthem Rock Hard, Ride Free will attest – this is the good stuff.

5. Killing Machine (1978) – Renamed Hell Bent for Leather in the US because of the ‘murderous’ nature of the original title, KM was the album that saw Priest adopt its now infamous leather ‘n’ studs image.

Songwise, this is one of the band’s strongest outings, with the likes of Running Wild, both title tracks and the ultimate terrace anthem Take on the World all bringing home the bacon. This was the album that really put Priest on the map, and though it isn’t as overtly metal as what was to come, it was certainly a massive step in the right direction. It’s also the first Priest opus I ever bought – on red vinyl, obviously.

So there you have it. What!? No Painkiller? I hear you scream. No. No Painkiller. And no Stained Class, either, both of which usually find a place in these kind of lists, but you know, I’m a contrary bugger, and for me, whilst both of those albums contain some utter out-and-out Priest classics, speaking to you as an undoubted non-Priest devotee, I think you’ll find these albums more rewarding. Trust me. You can buy me one of those alcopops at the Acer arena in September as thanks if you like.

Hey, Canberra drivers. HAYDEN DRIVE IS A FUCKING 80 ZONE!!

You pussy-footed pack of flaming douchebags who go 60 really PISS ME OFF!!!

I went to the Helmet gig knowing that Page Hamilton was the only original member left... Page Hamilton’s reputation as a taskmaster was why I expected to see a great show.

How wrong I was! How can he be proud of what I saw at that gig?

Page Hamilton did nothing but act like a washed up rock whore trying to enjoy the pipe dream remnants of his once great career.

Whilst insulting the crowd, and ignoring everyone apart from the wheeler-dealer music staff, he kept wasting time trying to get chicks to buy him alcohol. I went to the gig to hear music but it seemed that he would prefer to get drunk and talk more than actually play!

After every song it was another beer and more time wasted talking! What happened to having respect for a crowd that paid $55 each to see a show? Apart from Page himself, it felt like I was

watching a Helmet covers band.

They weren’t the crisp, concise players that Page could have employed. This is probably my fault for expecting that that Page was a professional with enough cred to put together an act which would give authenticity to his jazz playing roots. After seeing them live I feel that no one wants to play with him and these suckers are getting paid a lot of money to be up on stage to be insulted. When the local dancing girls got up on stage any nuance of integrity I had for Page disappeared. I’m sure that what I write will contradict the review at the end of this mag but what I saw on stage wasn’t Helmet but one pretentious wanker who won’t reach any further great heights in his career. It was never going to be the same as seeing the original Helmet at the height of their career, but at least he could have respected real fans.

Page Hamilton you did piss me off!!! But to quote Stevo: I’m not angry... just disappointed... which is always far worse

FROM THE BOSSMAN

Are you in a public place while reading this? Then try this out. Look at the person in front of you. Now look at the person to your right. And now to the one on your left.

Chances are, they’re all ill, and if you’re not, then brother, you’re gonna be. Winter = illness, we all know that, but this year’s veritable epidemic is frankly ridiculous. Educational campuses have become breeding grounds for viral activity, kids swap germs like footy cards (kids still do footy cards, right?) and buses have become shuttles of bacterial warfare. History will speak of this year in the same hushed tones as the Black Death (the Murky Yellowish-Green Death perhaps). And it’s hard to elicit sympathy from people when everyone’s copping it.

What’s worse are the chemists. They who used to be our friends, our courageous medics on the frontline of this vile germ warfare, have turned against us, hording their juicy, juicy pseudoephedrine and instead peddling us pills with the same potency as classroom chalk.

I was asked for photo ID when in need of cold & flu tablets the other day. Pho-to eye-dee. As my trembling hands tentatively moved past the tendrils of snot snaking from my abnormally red nose and to my wallet I thought, ‘what next’?

“Sir, if you could stand by that height chart and hold your name out to the camera <flash> Now turn to the left <flash>. Right, give him a swift kicking, constable.”

SCOTT ADAMS

First our alcopops, now our cold & flu. It’s getting so a guy can’t get loaded in this town. That’s not the Canberra I know, people. That’s not even Queanbeyan.

thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com

ALLAN “HOPPED UP ON VICKS” SKO

bma :: Issue303 www.bmamag.com "bma: ill communication."

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Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne General Manager & Advertising Manager Allan Sko: T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Peter Krbavac: T: (02) 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Fahim Shahnoor : T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com

Super Sub Editor Julia Winterflood Graphic Design Jessica Condi Editorial Assistant Shailla Van Raad Film Editor Mark Russell Principal Photographers (The Flashbulb Posse) Andrew Mayo/Nick Brightman/John Hatfield Issue 304 Out Jun 26 Editorial Deadline Jun 13 Advertising Deadline Jun 19

bma magazine 9

TIDBITS WHO IZAD WHAT INTERNATIONAL ZOMBIE AWARENESS DAY WHERE ANU BAR WHEN FRI JUNE 13

If, like me, you enjoy wrapping your lips around some juicy, juicy brains, then you, my friend, are in luck. Proving that the third time is indeed the charm IZAD – that’s International Zombie Awareness Day to the living – returns once again, with liberal lashings of blood, guts, bands, DJs, films and entrails. There’ll be blood-curdling live performances from Mz Ann Thropik (Syd), Moh Van Wah and Frankenpop. They’ll be ghoulish DJ sets from DJ Metavirus, Dead DJ Joke, DJ Modernrage and DJ Robot. There’s undead themed giveaways to grab, costumed competitions for Best Dead, Dead Sexy, Best Faker and Most Offensive to win, and Zombie Film Screenings to feast the eyes on (not to be confused with feasting on the eyes). It’s a night of connecting local talent and strengthening Canberra’s film industry by raising money for the feature fi lmLocal and the short fi lmGuest House. So don’t be a brain dead moron, get along to MeatLocker FX House's (and sponsor Raven Clothing's) latest rancid, flesh-dripping instalment. ALLAN “GHOULISHLY WHITE” SKO

WHO KNIGHTSBRIDGE HIGH GRADUATING CLASS 1984 WHAT KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE 4TH BIRTHDAY BASH WHERE KNIGHTSBRIDGE, OBVIOUSLY WHEN SAT JUNE 28

Just last night I was stood in the fabled Knightsbridge Penthouse courtyard with the esteemed film critic Mark Russell, feeling terribly undressed in an old hoodie and hoping that no one had noticed I’d just dropped the slice of lemon from my incredibly fancy drink down my front. But enough about my weekend… Knightsbridge, one of Canberra’s most loved purveyors of quality drinks and wonderful music is celebrating it’s fourth birthday with a graduation ceremony of sorts - that is, Prom Night 1984. The Knightsbridge High graduating class of ‘84 is set to come and give you the most memorable night of your very young lives, complete with punch, padded jackets, scrunched and gelled hair, a gaudy colour palette and, of course, suitable music from the Knightsbridge resident DJs. If you were at Yacht Rock Christmas Eve 1977, then you’ll know the mayhem that’s certain to ensue. Happy Birthday Knightsbridge! Woo! Remember; it’s time to break the rules. And if last night's line out the front was anything to go by, you’d best turn up early.

WHO 7 PUNK BANDS WHAT PUNX IN THE VALLEY WHERE TUGGERANONG YOUTH CENTRE WHEN SUN JUNE 15

Canberra’s punk scene will experience something of a resurgence this weekend. Following Capital City Punkfest at The Basement on June 14, Punx in the Valley will serve up seven of Australia’s finest for all the ‘berra’s underage punks on Sunday June 15. Yoko Oh No, Outcome Unknown, newly formed Oi!-style punkers All in Brawl (featuring members of Johno and the Trannies and Eye-Gouge) and family punx (they’re all cousins, y’see) The Toxicmen comprise the local contingent. Making the trek from Wollongong will be Ruckus, playing hundred-mile-an-hour, old-school style punk, and The Throwaway Kids (ex. Darkest Day), trading in hardcore ska-punk that’ll blow your chops right off. Brisbane’s The Black Market, currently touting their brand of punk ska around the country, shall round out the bill. Seven bands, eight bucks, with food and drinks will be available at this real raw punk rock event. So get off your couches and come down to the valley - what else are you going to do on a Sunday, eh?

WHO ERICA SECCOMBE WHAT NANOPLASTICA EXHIBITION WHERE CCAS, GORMAN HOUSE WHEN 'TIL JULY 5

Nanoplastica is a mesmerising cocktail in which art meets science, the mundane becomes the sublime, and high-tech scientific equipment is seamlessly incorporated into the artistic process. The results are intoxicating. The massive crowd who rocked up for the opening on Friday May 23 would no doubt agree that this is an exciting and refreshingly different exhibition. People of all ages and varied interests and professions have been equally entranced in front of Seccombe’s large projections, featuring the humblest of subjects: the small plastic toys that one finds in the hollow centre of a Yowie chocolate. These simple Australian animal toys feature in moving X-rays presented as floor-to-ceiling video projections. The X-ray videos were created with technology developed at the ANU Super Computer Facility. A high resolution, 3D volume rendering program allows the viewer to see inside the toys at cross-sections and travel through their interior spaces. If you like art, science, cutting-edge technology or just pretty colours, then this exhibition is for you.

Image: Erica Seccombe - Nanoplastica (2008) ANNIKA HARDING

WHO ROSETTA WHAT PHILADELPHIAN EXPERIMENTAL METALLERS WHERE ANU BAR WHEN TUE JUNE 24

Philadelphian scene veterans Rosetta will make their first ever and entirely unexpected visit to Australian shores this month. The four-piece first rose to underground global fame in 2005 with the release of The Galilean Satellites, their impressive double-disc debut album.

It showcased a mastery of massive, enveloping delicate and metallic sounds, a sound that journalists around the globe quickly classified as “the perfect soundtrack to space travel.”

Inspired by the likes of Isis, Neurosis, Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, as well as ambient artists and hip-hop in terms of their ever-present layer of sample manipulation, late 2007 saw the release of Wake/Lift. It marked a further full-length exploration into the musical representation of deep space, and a further refinement into their already extremely polished, yet raw and organic sonic mastery. Vocalist Mike Armine comments on his hopes for Australia: “We want the weather to be nice and the people to be friendly. That’s all.This is really just a bonafide vacation for us.” Rosetta play The ANU Bar on Tuesday June 24 with The Surrogate (Brisbane), 4Dead, and Slowburn.

WHO MARCUS STURROCK WHAT GUITAR WHIZ WHERE SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB, WODEN WHEN SAT JUNE 21

Guitarist extraordinaire and vocalist Marcus Sturrock, who has rubbed shoulders with music greats such as Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Phil Collins, and the Moody Blues, will be gracing the Southern Cross Club floorboards. The man’s virtuosity as a string-plucker has seen him heaped with praise from his peers. Robin Lumley (keyboard player for Pink Floyd, Bowie, Collins and Moody Blues) describes Sturrock as “skill and passion weaving eclectic, heartfelt tunes and songs, from Celtic to funk, Middle Eastern and more. Marcus sometimes uses one hand to play melodies or chords, his other hand simultaneously creating drum tones on the guitar body.” Doug Spencer (producer/presenter of The Planet on ABC Radio National) was happy to chime in with “Marcus is not merely an adept guitarist; he has the happy ability to play music rather than just notes and to infect the audience with his own joy.” Marcus will be joined by two folk; Andrew Clermont, whose accolades include touring with six bands world wide, appearing recently on Spics and Specs, Director to the Golden Fiddle Awards, and three time National Flat-pick Guitar Champion; as well as Brooke Schiemer, a unique, skilful, heartfelt vocalist. Bookings: 6283 7288 ALLAN SKO

7 Akuna St

Canberra City

ALL SHOWS FREE ENTRY

PH/FAX 6162 0899 / transitbar@gmail.com | www.myspace.com/transitbar bma magazine

11

E R E H W S ' T I . ..

YOU'RE AT "I wore platform shoes and had an afro in school, so I stood out like some kind of 9 foot tall beacon" Tim Galvin Some people are simply born to entertain, and legendary British comedic icon LENNY HENRY is most defi nitely one of those destined jesters, continually providing us with the chance to expel milk from our nostrils.

Being given two first names at birth foreshadowed the multi faceted nature of his persona, a trait which proved valuable when he was growing up.

“Well, I was a funny guy at school. We had this group of friends Greg, Mack, Steve and Shamus and we basically used to just hang around together taking the piss out of each other and I would do impressions, mostly in a loud voice, to impress girls, really,” he laughs.“You see, when you are young and you want to get the ladies you need game, and I wore platform shoes and had an afro in school so I stood out like some kind of 9 foot tall beacon.

So I needed to have game. Some people are football players; I was the guy who could do a great Scooby Doo impersonation. We would all be together drinking in the bar and these birds would walk in and I would be going ‘I Ruv Rooo Raggy’ in a really loud voice and they would come over and talk to us. It’s not very James Bond but it worked, you know what I mean!”

Not happy to simply be labelled as a stand up comedian, Lenny has worn more showbiz hats than a bald Broadway star. Actor, producer, voiceover man, comedian and TV personality are all bullet points on his resume which led to him receiving a lifetime achievement award at the 2003 British comedy awards.

“I felt really honoured and a bit ambivalent,” Henry says on getting the gong. “It’s weird that they found it necessary to have an awards show for comedians, and for me, getting a lifetime achievement award meant that people were saying ‘You’re finished now, so make way for the younger guys to come through the door’. Well, I’m not going anywhere; I’m blocking the door!” he laughs.

Mainly known as a master impressionist in his early career, Henry came to the conclusion that he was funnier when he was being himself, which led to focus more on traditional stand up and less on some of his more famous characters such as Theophilus P. Wildebeeste or the Guinness supping Grandpa Deakus.

“Most comics will tell you that when they start off they copy someone else. Goofi ng around on stage will last you about fi ve minutes; the essence of a good comic is preparation. I was mates with a guy by the name of McLean who I never saw do a bad show and it was all because he was always prepared. Now I know this. You try things, and if they don’t work you take them out and replace them with things that do work.”

One of his latest TV appearances Lenny’s Britain – only seen by Foxtel equipped Australian audiences – involved the interesting and potentially hilarious concept of the cockney behemoth travelling to all parts of his country exploring the origins of British humour.

“It was something the studio asked me to do. It was a really good show actually, whose point was to show how humour arises in different situations. Basically, it was me getting paid to go around to all these different places in England and have a laugh with people. I got to see a child being born, spent time with the fire brigade, at an old people’s home, as a mortgage salesman, and a whole bunch of other things.

British people have this culture of humour which is really prevalent in their nature but I think it is used as a kind of shield… which helped when they were faced with a huge black guy with a TV camera.”

Being such a well travelled artist, and considering the irreverent uniqueness of English humour, I put forward the ticklish question concerning whether he has ever had a ‘Kramer’ moment on stage.

“Ironically, seeing as I had grown up idolising people like Steve Martin and Richard Pryor, America was really hard to crack. The Americans really thought of me as ‘this black guy from the UK that does voices and was a little bit like Eddie Murphy’. I mean, I was there in the ‘80s, and seeing as I was so influenced by Richard Pryor, why would you go and see a show by someone imitating Richard Pryor when you could actually go and see Richard Pryor!”

Juggling a family with his busy schedule would make you think he was some kind of entertainment robot, and although he isn’t made of metal poly alloy, it’s clear the man is most definitely a machine.

“I do find time to sleep actually, I always said to myself in the beginning that I didn’t want to just be a comedian, I always wanted to do a bit of acting and TV. My next project was to learn how to act, and I think the comic relief series really gave me an insight into how to be a presenter. Comic relief was a real turning point for me, because over the last decade we have raised over half a billion pounds for charity which is in itself amazing.”

During rare downtime, Henry also enjoys the finer things in life such as collecting old vinyl, cuffl inks, as well as rare comics; ironic, seeing as he is one himself.

“Where else can you read about characters that have laser beams shooting out of their backsides?” Henry enthuses. “Iron Man, Superman, Batman… these guys have all been with me since I was nine years old.

It’s hard to explain to my 16-year-old daughter though; she’ll grab one of them and I’ll scream ‘No! That’s rare, don’t touch it!’ and she’ll say ‘Dad, it’s only a bloody comic!’”

Henry’s return to our pro-whale continent, for a series of shows called Where You From?, communicates the message that you should always be proud of your origins.

“I’m really looking forward to it! I have four or five new characters to do. I miss fooling around on stage, so expect more actual stand up in this show.

“It’s called Where You From? because my parents are from Jamaica and I have African heritage, so I see myself as kind of a citizen of the world. It says ‘I’m from Dudley, and if you don’t like it you can stick it up your ass!’”

Shelving aside, Lenny Henry is the human equivalent of a bottomless bottle of nitrous oxide, providing laughter to people all over the world.

And from a man that has put so much of his life into making other people feel good, my final question was simple: what was the payoff ?

“There is no payoff as such; it’s the job that just keeps giving back to you. The joy of a round of applause, making people happy, and being able to entertain is a great way to spend your career. And I’m not close to where I want to be, when you consider someone like Richard Pryor who can make you really really believe in his characters and make you laugh and cry at the same time. To me, that’s what a true entertainer is.”

Lenny Henry’s Where You At? hits the Canberra Theatre on Friday July 11 at 8pm. Tix range from $69 to 75 and can be purchased by calling 6275 2700 or jumping onto www.canberratheatre.com.au .

"I’m hoping that there are people in the world who have their minds made up about the kind of band we are and the kind of music we make and this album gives them some pause and makes them go ‘ah shit, I thought I had these guys pegged and all fi gured out'"

Carlisle Rogers Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to an event I’m sure you’re going to remember: a band reinventing itself for the better. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE just got respect – and it might have something to do with an eight minute single, I Will Possess Your Heart, off their new long player, Narrow Stairs.

ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

Released to stuttering, gushing praise from critics, the real test is going to be whether the new album cuts off the band’s old-time fans for new indie-conscious listeners or simply corrals in a whole new fold of fans. “We really weren’t trying to make some sort of big statement about the nature of the single,” explains Nicholas Harmer, bassist and, incidentally, the most visible member of the band for about the fi rst two minutes of the album. “We released [the song] with the understanding that with an eight minute single, there would have to be some kind of radio edit for it. But when we were listening to the album as it was coming together deciding, which songs were our favourites, I Will Possess Your Heart really came to the front early on. For us, it really feels like it captures the spirit of the entire album.

It’s a nice sonic presentation and appropriate introduction to Narrow Stairs and we hoped it would pique some people’s interest because it sounds different.”

Recorded to tape with minimal overdubs, Narrow Stairs is the musical statement of a bunch of guys who know what they’re doing, both musically and stylistically, and are brave enough to make a fantastic album, rather than choosing to remain ‘in the groove’ in the interest of pleasing anyone other than themselves. And it’s the honesty in that statement which makes it work; they really aren’t making another Death Cab album – they’re making something without a name.

“Everyone who really loves music has experienced that moment when you hear that song or see that band and the hair stands up on your arms and you realise ‘this is incredible, this is the most wonderful thing I’ve ever experienced’. We had some unexpected moments like that on this album, those goosebump moments when you’re like ‘whoa, that was amazing, what happened there, we didn’t expect that’.”

Nicholas says that working straight to tape, within a more live environment, enriched both the experience of recording the album and the final product. “It certainly makes you feel closer to your instrument, but also closer to your bandmates and the music they are making at the same time. You listen a lot more. I find that when I’m talking about it, I try to avoid hippiesounding words like 'energy,' 'vibe' and 'magic' and those kinds of things, but there is just something that happens when you’re playing and everybody is listening really intently and we’re all playing really well. There is a moment that happens when you look at each other and go ‘that’s awesome’, when something unexplained just happened that we didn’t expect. We were trying our best to preserve and create some of those moments on this album.

“Most of the album was recorded as just the four of us in a room playing a song. We really wanted to capture a nice live feel; what it really sounds like when the four of us are playing together. We recorded Plans in digital on a radar system which is pretty much like ProTools.

I think the songs we were writing at the time demanded that we record on a digital format and allowed us to make more specific decisions and enabled us to make sure that everything lined up perfectly. These songs were written for demos and we arranged them together as a band as far more rock songs with more guitars. It made sense to go back to tape and limit the options. When you’re on computer, you have the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want. It was nice to have limitations again.”

Working on the songs that Ben Gibbard brings to the band, sometimes in demo form, some just a few notes on an acoustic guitar, the band found themselves in a position to become themselves. “Our process was just about being calm and comfortable enough as musicians with the music we make to just say ‘look, these are the songs, we’re not going to try to dress them up or change them or trick anybody into liking them’. We wanted to preserve a real sense of authenticity and honesty and that means there are moments where everything is not perfect on the album. There are little happy mistakes that we really struggled with as a band. Do we stop and make everything perfect or do we just let it be on display? In the end, after we got over our initial fear of letting things be what they are, we let the songs exist and not try and over manage them. Our albums are always a very song-by-song project. We take a song and try to make it the best we can and then we move onto the next one and before we know it we have a group of songs that form an album. We don’t sit down as a band with a master plan and a big goal in mind.”

Nicholas says that, while the album is divergent, it shouldn’t necessarily split their audience. “I don’t think that this record is going to be that much of a polarising experience for everyone.

I’m hoping that there are people in the world who have their minds made up about the kind of band we are and the kind of music we make and this album gives them some pause and makes them go ‘ah shit, I thought I had these guys pegged and all figured out’.”

“I’ve always enjoyed it when my favourite artists throw me for a loop. Some of our favourite albums over the years have been bands who have done that. My favourite album of all time is Laughing Stock by Talk Talk and a close second is Spirit of Eden. And those two albums for a synth pop '80s band are just wildly different from where they started and are just incredible.”

Narrow Stairs is out now through Warner. Death Cab for Cutie play at the Enmore Theatre, Sydney, on Monday August 18. Tickets from Ticketek bma magazine 13

ALL AGES

Late nights and early mornings, boys and girls.

Today, time has stopped and the weather provides no indication as to what part of the day it is. Is it feels like eight in the morning but it’s the late afternoon. Lying in bed watching the same DVDs and playing music is occasionally broken up for a swift trip to the kitchen. The perfect Sunday…

How are we all today space cadets?

First off the mark, we have one to get on down to at Woden Youthie, when Escape Syndrome take the stage alongside the guys from Surrender, Afraid You’ll Fall and A December Truth and Room 24 (both of whom reside in Newcastle). The show takes place on Friday June 13 at the family friendly time of 6pm.

The night will no doubt be a barrage of testosterone-fuelled rock, as we all know there is nothing more satisfying than hard-arse songs dripping with male hormones. Don’t forget to pack some spare underwear, a thermos of soup and your favourite fur coat to avoid third-degree frost bite after the show. $6 from the wallet, kiddies.

Moving on up to the 21st of June, we have none other than the UpStep band comp finals at the Parkway Auditorium in Kambah. For those of you who are unaware, UpStep is a band comp which aims to raise money for the Tabitha Foundation Australia, which will provide assistance to the people of Cambodia. Every bit of money donated will go to help fund building materials for water wells and low cost housing.

Basically, it’s a fucking good cause.

There are few things better than a band comp. That primitive call of the wild to battle each other in the form of rock, the event where you go and pour your soul out to cut heads with other bad mother suckers that plan to blow out your brains with their wildest skills. The tension. Oh man. I’m getting hot just thinking about it.

But seriously, these events are great to get on out to, a good chance to see a killer mix bill with a lot of potential. This time the finals feature the likes of MyOnus, who over the past few years have paved the way for high-quality rock, Distance Fallen, Rubycon, a band who has set out to demolish the scene this year from the waist down, The Magic Hands and Alone With You. The show is from 7pm to 11pm, a drug and alcohol free event and if you’re under 16 you must be accompanied by an adult. $18 at the door sees you getting down on the dance floor.

Sunday shows, people. There aren’t enough of ‘em, which is why it’s imperative you get along to Punx in the Valley at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Sunday June 15. It’ll serve up seven of Australia’s finest for all the ‘berra’s underage punks on, including locals Yoko Oh No, Outcome Unknown, All in Brawl and The Toxicmen, Wollongong’s Ruckus and The Throwaway Kids (ex Darkest Day), plus Brisbane skapunksters The Black Market. Seven bands, eight bucks, plus food and drinks available. Do it.

And just as we started, we end with another at Woden Youthie, which I feel is quite fi tting. OnFriday June 27 we have Yoko Oh No, Unknown Outcome and Corporate Takedown, who will undoubtedly take the stage to caress the audience gently, before ripping out there souls in an instant through the medium of punk. If you enjoy ruckus, get on down. This time it’s a $5 note in the hand - get to see some bands. This show has mass potential to party on, so bring all your friends, cousins, grandparents or strangers to fill out this venue, because when Woden is packed out, the vibes are high.

That’s all there is.There isn’t. Anymore.

Love is all.

Peace.

JOSH MOLONY joshmolony@hotmail.com

LOCALITY Yep, it may be scarf ‘n’ mitten weather, but it’s also quite unmistakably CD launchin’ weather. After a mammoth double launch from Alice Cottee and The Andi and George Band the other week, which saw Wattle Street fl ooded with freaky beatniks and Public Servo suits alike, the local music gravy train shows no signs of slowing down. So get on board, I say! There’s room for many a’more.

It’s a little-know fact, but when Paula Cole sang “I don’t wanna wait for our lives to be over,” it was actually in reference to D’Opus & Roshambo’s debut LP. The old girl was overdoing it a bit, really, ‘cause while it has been an agonising wait, in reality it’s only been two years. After months spent slaving over a hot set of decks, the pair have just put the finishing touches to their debut LP The Switch. Due out on June 28 through Shogun, it marks a new chapter in the duo’s career. Pushing decidedly forwards, the pair explore different genres, sounds and themes with the likes of Supastition (US), Axe Aklins, Carts2Deadly, Hancock Basement, Cris Clucas and Minky Faber surfacing for guest slots. In order to give the record the ceremonial casting-off it deserves, a launch date of Saturday July 5 has been set at the ANU Bar. Good mates Axe Aklins with Bagdad, Carts2Deadly, Sydney’s Scott Burns and Newcastle’s Mathmatics will be on hand for support duties. Freshly minted copies of the disc will be on sale, as will limited edition 12”s for all you vinyl junkies, and there’ll also be a fresh new line of D’O & Row shirts for both guys and dolls. Doors from 9pm, tickets are $15, or $10 for Uni students. And when the main event's over, those hooch-pimpin’ fiends over at The Transit will be keeping the partying going, hosting the offi cial afterparty. More next issue, so stay tuned.

While they’ve been kickin’ ‘round the traps for some time now, local larrikins the Variodivers are only just releasing their debut EP. After years spent honing their chops alongside the likes of Grinspoon, Gyroscope, Something with Numbers, Front End Loader, Dallas Crane, British India and Love Outside Andromeda, the lads have finally committed their tunes to tape. And judging by the excellent squid-sporting sleeve alone, it’s been a worthwhile wait. Titled The Battle, in reference to the trials and tribulations the band experienced during its creation, it’s sure to sate all those thirsty for the band's patented blend of rock, highly-infectious pop and sprinklings of electro.

After takin’ out the Jammin’ for Justice comp in 2006, the trio used their prize money to hole up at Modern Music in Brisbane, and the results are now available for your aural, and indeed general pleasure. Joining them to launch the thing on Friday June 27 at The Greenroom will be Melbourne’s Tin Alley and local groove-metallers Spoil. Doors are flung open at 8pm, with customary two-for-one Jagerbombs ‘til 9, plus the fi rst50 peeps receive a free stein, and all shall receive a free copy of the EP. $10 entry - bargain! For more on the Varios, flip over a few pages.

The next instalment of Gangbusters at Bar 32, on Thursday June 19, will be a decidedly local affair. The Cherry Marines, who themselves are due a CD soon, will be doing their squelchy psych-noise-pop thing, while the enigmatic Jonny Telafone will do his lo-fi-hip-hop-droneduffle-coat thing. Crazy names, crazy guys. From 9pm and, as always, whether it’s an international superstar or some local arts students, entry remains a reassuring $5.

A gaggle of young local upstarts, namely Yoko Oh No, Outcome Unknown, All in Brawl and The Toxicmen, will be playing alongside Wollongong’s Ruckus and The Throwaway Kids and Brisbane’s The Black Market at Punx in the Valley on Sunday June 15. I know Sunday’s traditionally your day of rest, but really, all the work’s been done for you.

Four of yer finest locals, plus three interstarers for good measure, all for a measly eight squid. Head to the Tuggeranong Youth Centre from 2pm and catch some raw, four-chords-‘n’-trash-it-out Capital punk.

And like an astronaut who’s returned to earth, we’re out of space...

I’m here all week.

Send any local news ‘n’ info to editorial@bmamag.com and it’ll duly fi nd its way to me.

ARTHUR “TWO SHEDS” JACKSON

bma magazine 15

DANCE: THE DROP What’s up, you gaudy rube bwoys? Been keeping out of trouble? Then for God’s sake, get to a safehouse and lie low for a few weeks. Not again.

So, suitably recovered from Warehouse?

Me neither. I think the debaucheries that played themselves out on that Saturday have safely contributed to the grip of ill health currently seizing the ‘berra populous. Anyone who went to bed earlier than 8am on Sunday morning simply didn’t try hard enough.

Whatever your dance poison, there’s something coming up for you to grind your teeth to. Those wily Sideproject knaves are at it again with a party entitled Cut-Sik on Saturday June 21, held at somewhat of a different choice, the Akuna Club (just down the road from Transit Bar). The previous party held there was a roaring success I’m told, and the way this one is shaping up, it shouldn’t be any different. It’s an early kick off and late finish, spanning 6pm to 4am. Filling this expanse of time will be DJs Darkchild vs Galaktik (T-Quest, Sydney), Black Samurai (3rd Eye Productions), Psyentology, Aneurysm, Stoj vs Disect, Incongruous, Tarik, Miss Riss, freebasstoad, The Duelist, underPSYdead, Stefan Stonker and Triskele. There shall also be visuals

by VJ Insan3 and nature photographer C. Fricker, sound and lighting

by PA Sime, décor by the Sideproject crew themselves, and scones by my mum (possibly untrue). Entry is a slender $15.

Proving he can’t stay away, James Ash of Rogue Traders fame is back to play a DJ set at the Monkey Bar on Saturday June 21. Two weeks later on Saturday July 12 at the same locale, Mark Dynamix makes a stop. DJ Kiz, Tim Galvin and Trent Richardson will be in support for both, and entry is $10 before 11pm, $15 after. Monkey Bar is having a red hot Aussie go at being the Lot 33 of the North, so get in and support the cause.

There’s an article penned by my fair hand on Melbourne-via-Newcastle DJ/ producer Mark N, who graces The Greenroom on Friday June 13 thanks to the True Jungle Rollers. It should certainly prove to be an interesting night of eclectic sounds. In the man’s own words: “In actual fact a lot of the music I play probably sits nervously on the border between drum ‘n’ bass, breakcore and industrial/gabber.” You have been warned. $15 entry.

And then starts the triumvirate of varying D&B @ Mercury (nice ring to it, that). Long-standing Aussie legend Shockone from Perth will make himself known on Friday June 27. On July 11, SPL comes all the way from the USA for your listening pleasure, for a distinct D&B ‘n’ dubstep blend. And then, for a bit of the screaming ear-gouging shade of the genre, be sure to pop along to Muffl eron Aug 22. Good times ahead.

For something a little different, the upcoming ACT Writers Canberra Writing Festival presents a few educational opportunities. On Friday June 20 from 8-10.30pm there’s The Big Damn Turboslam featuring hiphop, funky beats and performance poetry from the likes of Miles Merrill, the one-man word hurler from Sydney (www.wordtravels.info). Open mic from 8pm. Poetry Slam from 9pm. Cash prizes. Cash bar operating. MCs: Hal Judge and Julian Fleetwood. It all happens at the Bogong Theatre, Gorman House, Ainslie Ave, Braddon. Free, dammit, free.

Earlier in day, at 9am-11.30am to be precise, at the same location, MC Karuna will be conducting a hip-hop workshop for ages 12-18. Bookings essential on 6262 9191. Again, bless their generous souls. It’s free.

And that about does it for this frisky fortnight. Two pieces of good news to leave you with: the Raw Vol 2 CD is selling like a bastard (a high selling bastard, that is). A pat on the back to Chris Fraser and co there.

“Massive, huge thanks to all you out there, you truly do ROCK,” the man enthused. “The new CD’s already eclipsed sales of volume 1, and thanks to your overwhelming support in buying volume 2 we’ll be able to make some substantial improvements to the Raw experience.”

And the Aston Shuffl ehave a new promo mix for you, amusingly entitled What Ev’z. You can check it out here: http://www.zshare.net/ audio/12706161b805042c/ .

Now away with you. I have a safehouse to get to.

ALLAN “YOU DIDN’T SEE NUFFIN” SKO

"I remember being instantly dismayed upon my discovery that the 'Fetish' section of one of the porn supermarkets in Fyshwick consisted almost exclusively of 'pregnant porn'"

G N I C U D O R N-T Allan Sko Melbourne-via-Newcastle producer, DJ, and erstwhile label owner MARK N is a man who extols the phrase 'variety is the spice of life,' both through the music he plays and the life he leads.

In 1995, Mark N started up Bloody Fist Records, which enjoyed a steady parade of releases from drum ‘n’ bass to breakcore, experimental to gabber, until its demise in 2004. But the end was far from a sad affair, with Mark N stating the proudest moment of the ten year tenure was “putting a bullet in it at 3pm one sunny afternoon in early October 2004.

People need to learn that letting go of creative projects when they are doing well is sometimes the best possible overall move – kill something rather than let it fade away. I don’t regret it one iota.”

But allowing Bloody Fist a natural death hasn’t stopped the man from his industrious ways.

“I jumped on a plane to Melbourne in 2005 and set up a record store and mail order called Noise-X-Change right in the CBD. The store specialises specifically in new and secondhand heavy electronic music on vinyl – covering industrial drum ‘n’ bass, breakcore, industrial hardcore, gabber, speedcore and associated genres.”

In the performance arena, Mark N is often touted on tour posters as playing a mixture of the aforementioned genres (particularly jungle, D&B, hip-hop and experimental), ensuring you never know what to expect from his steamy musical broth.

“That list of 'genres' looks pretty tame on paper, doesn’t it? It sounds like a crushingly boring night out in Melbourne,” Mark N states. “In actual fact there’s a few other areas of sound which have probably been left off that list on purpose. Whenever I play there’s also a healthy presence of gabber kicks in there which is specifically designed to polarise opinion, especially amongst drum ‘n’ bass purists – a lot of whom will be probably spending a great deal of time standing around scowling into their puffer jackets.

“A lot of the music I play probably sits nervously on the border between drum ‘n’ bass, breakcore and industrial/gabber. I like records from ALL these genres, especially records that combine several of these elements into one track. For me personally, the most interesting records at the moment are the industrial drum ‘n’ bass ones, which appear to be directly infl uenced by a lot of the different styles of hardcore electronic music I have been interested in over the past 15 years.”

As to what we can expect from his imminent appearance at The Greenroom, prepare yourself for “differing combinations of relatively high-speed inorganic snares and bass. Loads of it. With very little let-up.

BYO beards, earplugs and bored girlfriends.”

Yes, make sure you do, as the man’s last visits to our fair capital city saw him experience the kind of variety most of us could do without.

“I have been to Canberra a few times back in the ‘90s. I distinctly remember everyone being in bed by 9pm, but there were also some party animals who stayed up as late as 9.30. I remember also being instantly dismayed upon my discovery that the 'Fetish' section of one of the porn supermarkets in Fyshwick consisted almost exclusively of ‘pregnant porn’. Christ almighty.”

Mark N will hit The Greenroom on Friday June 13 with Buick, Dred, MGO, Skully, Kilojulz, Benjammin and Centaspike. $10 entry, 9pm start. Black/ death/horror theme dress with prizes for best dressed, you ghouls, you.

METALISE

Well, rumors that surfaced around the Iron Maiden gigs about a Halfordfronted Priest tour of Australia have come true. Yes, Judas Priest will play the Acer Arena in Sydney in September and, to further entice the cash from empty thrashers' coffers, they’re bringing The Cavalera Conspiracy along for the ride so that we may fi nally taste the reunited Cavalera flavour in Australia for the first time since Max left Sepultura.

(Note: just before their tour of Australia in 1997 - the Canberra show was on my birthday, bastards). Tickets are on sale June 13 and cost $150 for Gold and $100 for Silver spots in a similar price structure to the Iron Maiden shows. The date is September 12, and in addition to the brothers Cav, Daysend will also lend their brand of melodic death to proceedings. The whole Nostrodamus concept album doesn’t exactly make me sting for 150 buck Gold seats, but that said, Tipton and Downing anyone? Yes please!

Slaughterfest comes to town on August 8. It will feature Blood Duster, fresh from their US tour, Pod People, very possibly using it as a launching pad for their upcoming album, Ebolie applying Sydney grind with lashings of perversion, Space Bong unleashing their down-tempo blackened smoky torrent upon the unsuspecting hordes straight from their Adelaide coven, and Clagg, bringing darkened doom clouds northward with them from Melbourne. It’s at The Basement for a mere 15 bucks. An expanded version of this line-up, including (the band formerly known as) LOG - more on that parentheses next issue - and space rock gods Looking Glass, will take to the stage at Hermann's Bar at Sydney Uni the following night, Saturday August 9.

Speaking of Blood Duster, I received a text from Fuller to rub in the fact he was currently watching Macabre at Maryland Death Fest where Blood Duster, The Day Everything Became Nothing and Fuck…I’m Dead were impressing all with their respective brands of Aussie grind.

Fuck…I’m Dead in particular have been receiving the lion’s share of the praise on the message boards.

Now don’t get too hopeful, grind freaks, seeing what I thought was exciting news this week in the form of Japan GRIND gods Realized announcing an Aussie tour for August including Canberra on Friday August 15 at The Green Room, with Dad They Broke Me, Inappropriate Tough Guy Behaviour and Assassins. Of course it’s not the awesome GRIND version, it’s the still excellent Japanese HARDCORE band. I’ll be down for that show though!

Pod People’s new record will be called Mons Animae Mortuorum and will be out on Goatsound records in late July. The album title is Latin for ‘mountains of the dead’, which I assure you will make sense once you’ve seen the stunning artwork by Sydney’s Glenn Smith. There will be an extremely limited double gatefold vinyl run of the album, released on Rise Above Records in the rest of the world later this year.

STOP PRESS: At the less-extreme, larger-haired end of the spectrum, Sheffield’s own NWOBHM alumnus Def Leppard will be making their way to town at the end of the year. With 65 million plus album sales to their name, the lads recently added another LP to the canon - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, their first new material in six years. The LP’s lead single Nine Lives, a collaboration with, er, country music superstar Tim McGraw, is currently shredding the charts in the US. Adding to the excitement is the announcement of Cheap Trick as support. My fists are already raised aloft in anticipation. Naturally, it all goes down at the AIS Arena on Tuesday November 11. Tickets go on sale Friday June 20 through Ticketek on ticketek.com.au or 132 849.

JOSH NIXON - doomtildeath@hotmail.com

DEF LEPPARD

JUNGLISTS "Our music is very positive because we want people to forget the daily grind. The music we play, I like to think, helps people forget that they have worked all week and just lets them relax.

Shailla Van Raad Sometimes we all experience a primal urge that can’t just be ignored by sheer will. It starts as an insignifi cant tingle but then becomes an involuntary spasm, which requires you to satisfy the want to take everything off and even nibble away at the breast implants you so desperately wanted last Christmas. “What you are experiencing,” the doctor will politely tell you, “is an acute attack of Jungle Fever.” This incursion is just a remnant of when monkey-humans used to dance around a campfire, coupled with droning drums. SONORCAST tap into this place of primal and riff with it.

“People who have never heard us before are surprised. When someone brings a new person to a gig, we always have them come up to the band in the end with positive feedback.” Described as funk-rock, Sonorcast are still relatively new on the scene, but have been in formation for years.

The band consists of Melissa-Jayne (vocals), Tyler (Bass), Andy (Guitars), Rab (Keys, Samples, Vocals) and Eddie (Drums).

“The current line-up is about two years old,” says Andy. “The stuff we used to play was old school. Rob uses the keyboard now to produce more of a funky electro-sound and make the music have a party vibe.”

Sonorcast casts raw primordial energy into the audience, “We like to think we have a different take on the rock genre. We want our music to stand out, and we try to do this by being original through our music.”

The Sydney based five-piece’s latest studio release is a four-track EP titled Jungle Blood, which they are currently touring. When asked about their ambitions for overseas, Andy says he believes establishing a fan base in Australia is more important.

“We haven’t toured overseas, and it’s not in the immediate plan but it’s in the long term plan. Websites and the internet are useful though, in getting people and other bands from overseas interested in us and our style of music.” Sonorcast is making sure the incentive of knuckle dragging and throwing-woman-you-find-attractive-over-shoulder is spread.

So, where does their mystical sound spring forth from? “Normally someone has an idea for a song, comes in and we all run with it. We spontaneously jam until we get something interesting going. If it’s got a good vibe, we’ll keep it. We’re always tape-recording in the rehearsal room, so we can pluck out the good stuff afterwards.”

The good stuff is something that feels inherent. Sonorcast has an antiself-deprecation policy. Enthralling, butt-cheek-clenching guitar based music does that to you. “Our music is very positive because we want people to forget the daily grind and focus on positivity. The music we play, I like to think, helps people forget that they have worked all week and just lets them relax.”

Originality exists in the fusion Sonorcast sports; it entrances you and transports you to that place with the drums and spontaneous twitches.

Andy thinks that, “there are different levels on how I feel with music.

When I play music it helps me relax, it’s part of my downtime. On stage, the energy comes through as massive waves and after the show you’re on a high for a couple of days. It’s an amazing feeling.”

You too can participate in a ritual funk-metal session when Sonorcast hits Canberra on Saturday June 14 at the Greenroom, supported by Moh Van Wah and Na Maza. From 8pm, $10 entry.

rn o b s i a STAR "It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes, having someone with the funds and the ability to support you. I mean, they organised this interview! We used to do that" Erin Cook Sharing their time between Albury and Melbourne, STAR ASSASSIN are not unaccustomed to commuting. Which is lucky for them, since the tour the boys are about to embark on to celebrate the immanent release of their debut album, Bleeding To The Circle, will spread 14 dates far and wide across the country.

Described by their fans as “chemical rock”, a term singer Simon Hynes suggests merely means “there’s a fusion of lots of different styles in the band, it has a new chemical feel.” He cites American and Canadian hard-rock and punk bands as Star Assassin’s greatest influences. Billy Talent, Smashing Pumpkins, and particularly Three Days Grace make up as Hynes’ top three, and in terms of Australian bands, the Butterfly Effect and Grinspoon both get a tip of the cap.

After a number of shows on rural festival bills, Hynes gets noticeably awe-struck at the thought of the band playing their Groovin’ the Moo set late last year. “Festivals can get really crazy, 4,000 to 5,000 people!” As a band divided by the country and city scenes, does this effect the venues Star Assassin try to include in tours? “We just tried to naturally progress through Victoria - you just mark your territory and do it,” Hynes says.

It’s this dedication to the constant developing of an already avid fan base that truly puts Star Assassin in a league of their own. After playing hundreds of dates over the many years since their inception, Star Assassin have completely sold out of their independently released EP. All this hard graft lead to the to the band claiming the gong for Best Unsigned Rock Act at Sydney’s Music Oz Awards a couple of years back.

The award is judged by people working within the industry specialising in the particular genre.

The interest thrust upon them by this high profile achievement has led to the band’s signing with Vemma Records, for which Hynes is thankful for. “It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes, having someone with the funds and the ability to support you. I mean, they organised this interview! We used to do that.”

However the underground community is not something Hynes will forget, instead embracing all that he can do to support independent bands now that he is an position to do so. “All the support bands on this tour are locals. We have to support this community of up-and-coming bands!” The Canberra show will feature Tonk and Escape Syndrome.

The rest of this year will see Star Assassin playing anywhere and everywhere in this country, including a massive 30 date tour from October to December. Then, next year, it’s off to the US to “just get out of the country, really.”

So what can audiences expect from Star Assassin’s first show in the capital? “I’m trying to avoid clichés, but it’s just a good, rocking, hard show!” Hynes laughs.

Star Assassin play at The Greenroom on Friday June 20 with Tonk and Escape Syndrome. From 8pm, $10 on the door. Hey Kid, the first single from their Debut LP, is out now on Vemma Records.

S E U G A E L 20,000 T C A E H T R E UND

COMING SOON: THURS June 26th

JIM BEAM ON CAMPUS PARTY

Luke McGrath

SAT July 5th

D'OPUS & ROSHAMBO

“I suppose you’ve got some questions and I’ll try to answer with some wit and humour.” So begins my chat with Justin Heuhn, throat and axesmith for local luminaries VARIODIVERS. The ’Divers have been around the Canberra scene for many a year now; their chunky guitar pop style has been heard sharing stages with acts like Grinspoon, Dallas Crane and End Of Fashion. Surprisingly, their forthcoming EP will be their fi rst. Why so long?

SUN July 13th

STRUNG OUT & NO USE FOR A NAME SUN July 20th

PETER COMBE

“Just, I s’pose, a comedy of errors – it’s kind of the reason we called the release The Battle, because it has been. We would’ve been releasing it this time last year if everything had gone smoothly – and even that would have been a long time for us to release a debut EP. I s’pose life gets in the way, doesn’t it? In terms of this release, we thought something was amiss when getting up to Brisbane the car broke down in Goondiwindi. I’d flown up and so I get a call from the guys saying they don’t know if they can make the first day of the recording. And that was just the start of it,” Justin says. So it nearly became your solo album then? “It nearly did, and I would have stepped up to the plate!” he laughs.

FRI Aug 8th

THE HERD WED Aug 20th

PETE MURRAY

While this fi rst release may have taken a while to get off the ground, the band is wasting no time on a follow-up, roping in an internationally renowned producer to step behind the boards. “We’ve got another one coming up in the next couple of months, ’cause we just got an ArtsACT grant. We’ve got Phil McKellar lined up to do that and so are hoping to release it later this year.”

For those unfamiliar with the sound of the band, they pride themselves on their eclectic influences and goosestepping their audience (hence their name: “it’s a play on ‘various’ and 'diverse’” explains Justin). “We’re all big music fans – we like all types of music. It goes from heavy to light; some of it is kind of dissonant heavy, through to bubblegum pop. It’s all pretty energetic,” Justin says, before adding, “and, hopefully, catchy!”

This eclecticism also extends to their choice of supporting acts. “That’s another reason why we’ve got the bands we have supporting us for our launch. Obviously Spoil are quite heavy and then Tin Alley from Melbourne are more of your pop-rock with a cool Melbourne sound. I really like gigs I’ve gone to where you’ve got a hip-hop act followed by a rock act followed by a DJ followed by someone like Casual Projects, all mixed up together. I think that makes for a great night.”

The first song to be heard from the new EP is The Pace, currently streaming from the band’s Myspace site. The track’s vocal harmonies and warm sound recall banana-benders Intercooler; I suggest to Justin that perhaps that is a reflection of their time spent recording in Brisbane. He admits it may be a subconscious influence but, “having said that, I don’t think too hard when coming up with a song, something normally just comes into my head while I’m driving. I’ve got one of those little Dictaphone things that I pull out of the glove box ’cause there’s so many songs I’ve lost – I’ve gotten back to work and it’s gone. Actually Josh the bass player gave it to me for my last birthday so he’s to thank for the last couple of songs we’ve recorded.”

Finally, do any of you lads actually have any diving experience? “Of course!” laughs Justin.“I grew up in Batemans Bay, I grew up in the water, I love it.”

Catch Variodivers surfacing at the Green Room on Friday June 27, supported by Spoil and Tin Alley from Melbourne. Don’t forget to pick up a copy of their EP The Battle as well!

"We called the release The Battle because it has been. I’d fl own up [toBrisbane] and I get a call from the guys saying they don’t know if they can make the fi rst day of the recording.That was just the start..."

June FRI June 13

INTERNATIONAL ZOMBIE AWARENESS DAY feat. MZANN THROPIK, MOH VAN WAH, FRANKENPOP + DJ METAVIRUS, DJ ROBOT, DEAD DJ JOKE & DJ MODERNRAGE $10

SAT June 14

CHRIS PICKERING + THE MORNING PAPERS, MARDI LUMSDEN & THE RISING SEAS. $10 MONOLITH TOURING & DEATH BEFORE

TUES June 24

DISHONOUR MAGAZINE present

ROSETTA + 4 DEAD & SLOWBURN. $15

WED June 25

THEREDSUNBAND with special guests. $10

*Tickets thru Ticketek. Transaction fees apply.

Pre-purchase tickets & guarantee entry!

HAPS C , A E D I L A CAPIT "There haven’t been a lot of punk shows in Canberra, so this is my attempt to reignite the scene"

Spencer Lee As winter tightens her icy grip on Canberra, most of our fair citizens scuttle back into their domiciles, huddle ‘round the radiator and dream of summer. Canberra’s punk fraternity, however, will be doing just the opposite and shall be steppin’ out ahead of CAPITAL CITY PUNKFEST, which hits the Basement on Saturday June 14.

Organised by the local label Ruff n Ready Records, the day-long fiesta is sure to provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the local scene.

“There haven’t been a lot of punk shows in Canberra, so this is my attempt to reignite the scene,” Craig, Ruff n Ready head honcho, explains. “If all goes to plan I will be trying to put on regular shows, possibly not as big as this one, but smaller ones at least once a month. [Capital City Punkfest] will become an annual event - that is for sure.” Which is excellent news.

They’ve certainly set the bar high, with a 16-band-strong line-up, taking in groups from all corners of this fine land. No matter what your musical poison, there’s sure to be something for you amongst a bill that features everything from hardcore to rockabilly to psychobilly to good ol’ fashioned punk. Headlining are NSW’s The Casino Rumblers (pictured), whose rabble-rousing horns and propulsive punk backbeat ensure they’re always a favourite with Canberra crowds. Then there’s a whole host of local and interstaters to contend with, including The Black Market, Charlie Greaser, Throwaway Kids, Rust, Checkered Fist, Ebolagoldfish, Bladder Spasms, Lamexcuse and, well, the list goes on…

As anyone who’s put on an event knows, they’re a bugger to organise, and so Craig is especially keen to tip his cap to all the fine folk who’ve sponsored the fest, namely Lucky 13, Swamp Industries, Troy Horse, Miss Kitka, Creepshow Promotions, Raven and sound-manipulation extraordinaires Metalworx. And with raffles running throughout the day, there’s a good chance you could plunder some free gear from one of the above mentioned companies. Lucky 13, purveyors of fine punk/ rockabilly wear, are leading the way. They’ve raided their warehouse and put together two main raffle prizes, one for the guys and one for the girls, each to the value of around the $400 mark. They’ll be bringing up a whole range of sizes, so winners will be able to claim their spoils of the day!

Aside from the music, there are many other incentives to head along.

The troupe from Miss Kitka’s House of Burlesque will be on hand throughout the day, providing a glamorous distraction from the parade of angry young men on stage. There’ll also be a free BBQ to help keep the energy levels up, and the first 200 eager punters to stroll through the door will nab themselves a free festival CD - so they can relive CCP in the comfort of their own home.

But enough blabbing. It’s cold and it’s miserable, so don’t get stuck at home watching Gilmore Girls re-runs, no matter how enticing that prospect may sound. Head along to Capital City Punkfest - it’s a guaranteed ticket to beat the winter blues. And, as everyone knows, nothing gets the blood circulating like a bit of circle pitting.

Capital City Punkfest hits The Basement in Belconnen on Saturday June 14, kicking off at 12 noon and raging late into the night. 18+, $15 entry. For more info, check either Ruff n Ready’s offi cial website (www. ruffnreadyrecords.com.au) which is still under construction, or the label’s Myspace (www.myspace.com/ruffnreadyrecordsaus).

“I see this form of expression through self-publishing as an obvious reaction to an age in which multinationals and marketing departments control what is published and how long it stays on the shelves for”

NES I L E H T N E BETWE Peter Krbavac A Writers Festival. It might conjure up images of jaded academics in tweed coats waving around coffee-stained manuscripts of their latest sci-fi novels, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Between the zine fairs, workshops, seminars, poetry slams and talks by best-selling authors including thriller writer Michael Robotham and speculative fi ction author Garth Nix,THE CANBERRA WRITERS FESTIVAL really does, at the risk making it sound like some flaccid Baz Luhrmann compilation CD, offer something for everybody.

Picking up where the biennial Word Festival left off in 2003, the Canberra Writers Festival, organised by The ACT Writers Centre, has grown from a small, self-funded one day event at the National Library into the multi-day extravaganza it is today. “The bookings for this is year’s fest indicate that we may finally have hit the jackpot,” Anne-Maree Britton, director of the Writers Centre, says delightedly.

A welcome addition to this year’s festival will be the zine fair on June 21 - which will also include cartoons, graphics, badges, posters and related stuff - where over 20 self-publishing locals will be able to tout their wares. In this age of mobile phone video blogging and the like, it’s heartening to hear that there are still kids who are prepared to break out the foolscap, scissors and Clag and create something tangible from scratch. “I was blown away by the number of creators there were here and in Sydney,” she enthuses, “and the way they saw themselves as a community - swapping and also on-selling each others’ work. Just as the screen book technology cannot replace the comfort of curling up with a book in bed, I think there will always be a place for hand-made objects.

“These creators are far more than writers,” Anne-Maree continues.“I see this form of expression through self-publishing as an obvious reaction to an age in which multinationals and marketing departments control what is published and how long it stays on the shelves for.”

The Centre has had a long association with Canberra’s hip-hop community, hosting workshops and helping foster up-and-coming talent, and this year’s festival will see noted local MC Karuna (pictured above) host a workshop on June 20 from 9am. “This is a quick taste of what you can expect from our longer workshops,” Anne-Maree says.

“Kids aged 12 to 18 will see how to lay down some beats, come up with some original rhymes and perform for their fellow students.

“Our most successful festival guest last year was the Canadian Baba Brinkman,” Anne-Maree notes, “who had reworked Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales into rap." Miles Merrill, featured guest at the Turboslam, and MC Karuna are sure to elicit a similar response this year.

And of course, no local literary event would be complete without an everpopular Turboslam. It’s basically a high-octane poetry slam, “where poets and rappers perform within a three minute time limit. It will showcase Canberra’s best slammers, as well as Sydney-based word hurler Miles Merrill.” It’ll run from 9pm on Friday June 20.

“My hopes - apart from my annual hopes for lots of people attending, the sun shining and events going smoothly - are that the professionalism of writers increases, ACT region writers are more competitive for the limited publication opportunities, and that writers also enjoy the social aspect and feel part of a supportive community.”

The Canberra Writers Festival runs from June 19 to 24 across multiple venues at Gorman House. For the program, including a full list of events, times and prices, jump onto www.actwriters.org.au or phone 6262 9191.

"There are bands that are even infl uenced by Yellowcard now. I mean, being infl uenced by Yellowcard? I don’t even know what that means"

ENDLESS, NAMELESS Ben Hermann “We get a lot of people that like to get drunk. Yeah, we get a lot of drinkers.” At first, I hardly think twice about this seemingly bland and unpresumptuous comment by NO USE FOR A NAME lead man Tony Sly. However, I gradually detect the strong cynicism in many of his comments. After 20 years leading the seminal So-Cal skate-punk group, it’s understandable that he might view a large proportion of contemporary punk music as manufactured, commercial and, well, downright soft, in comparison to his 1988 standards. After all, even Fat Mike, the founder of record label Fat Wreck Chords, who NUFAN have been signed to since 1993, declared almost eight years ago that “the kids who used to live on beer and speed now want their fries and coke.”

“Every time a band gets influences from another band, there’s a trickledown effect and the scene seems to become saturated,” Sly says. “There are bands that are even infl uenced by Yellowcard now. I mean, being influenced by Yellowcard? I don’t even know what that means.”

However, unlike the plethora of groups that are willing to admit defeat and retreat to the occupation of armchair critics, NUFAN are continuing to do what they’ve been doing for the past 20 years with, if anything, even more determination than ever before. Returning to Australia again this July to promote the release of their 9th and latest album, The Feel Good Record of the Year, Sly suggests that their fan base, like their musical style, is still evolving, with most shows a good mix of older and newer fans. “We get a good mix of people,” Sly says. “With old songs, usually it’s just one old person yelling out to hear the old songs, and the other 500 people don’t know what they’re talking about.”

The group’s last effort, 2005’s Keep Them Confused, had a strong political leaning to it - a presence not often felt on many NUFAN albums. Sly admits that, while writing fresh music is still challenging, the age and experience of the band lends itself to a much greater wealth of musical inspiration. “On that album [Keep Them Confused], a lot of songs were written during the 2004 election campaign and in the context of an escalating war in Iraq. A lot of our older albums were not socially or politically charged. We realised that it’s pretty easy to write about things that make you angry. Bad Religion has always done it, and they have some of the greatest lyrics I’ve read.” However, Sly also notes that this type of discontent is not a purely exogenous force, with personal circumstances also contributing to his changing perspectives on the world. “We have kids now, so you begin to think about their life instead of yours. You become more worried about that future than ever before, because you feel more worried and sorry for them than you do for yourself.”

Over the past 20 years, NUFAN has fluctuated in their So-Cal punk style between both poppy and hardcore oriented songwriting. However, it could well be their allegiance to, and honing of, their core skate-punk style, which they helped forge during the early ‘90s, that has allowed them to remain relevant during the various trends in punk music during the past two decades. “I can’t help it, really” Sly concedes. “When I write something and sing it, it seems to sound a certain way. It seems you can never get away from yourself, no matter how hard you try.”

No Use For A Name will be joining fellow So-Cal punkers Strung Out at the ANU Bar on Sunday July 13. Tix from Ticketek.

BLACKBOX

The big news this week is that Sesame Street icons Bert and Ernie will reveal their legs in a new claymation series from the folks at The Children’s Television Workshop. The nerdy pair, with a penchant for rubber duckies, will star in Bert and Ernie’s Great Adventures (ABC, Wed Jun 25, 8.35am).

OK, there is one bigger piece of news - Dr Who: Voyage of the Damned (ABC, Sun Jun 29, 7.30pm). Britain loves a panto at Christmas and there’s been no bigger Christmas draw than ‘our’ Kylie. So this little Christmas offering, with the space ship Titanic and Kylie, had all the trimmings for the sci-fi series not scared to laugh at itself.

All those of you still at home mooching off your folks, stand up. You are to blame for yet another observational doco The Nest (SBS, Sat Jul 5, 7.30pm). Apparently two thirds of those between 20 and 26 are still at home - and they called Gen-X the slacker generation.

Flight of The Conchords (SCTEN, Sun, 10.40pm) is a grower. On the first watch the subtlety of the deadpan humour can be lost, but give it a second go and it will soon be on your must watch list.

While The Gruen Transfer (ABC, Wed, 9pm) has many of the hallmarks of the ABC’s comedy panel shows (such as Good News Week (SCTEN), Spicks and Specks (ABC Wed 8pm) and Wil Anderson’s televisual launch pad, The Glass House), it burrows into a profession that’s managed to keep its tactics to itself for a long time - more incisive and creative than World’s Greatest Ads and more entertaining too.

The networks are squarely aiming at their girlie audience (women and the boys that like girlie shows) with the ‘new Sex and the City’ Lipstick Jungle and Grey’s Anatomy spin-off Private Practice due to make Prime’s primetime list this month. The former is based on the best-selling book by Sex creator Candace Bushnell and the latter is the star vehicle for McDreamy and McSteamy ex Kate Walsh. Scheduled timeslot TBC. Nice to see the Top Gear guys are pumping the money back into the show rather than extending their own garages - in Top Gear Botswana Special (SBS, Mon Jun 23, 7.30pm), they race each other across Africa in 30-plus-year-old cars. Look out for the Stig on the London tube and Hammond on a bike the following week.

While binge drinking appears to be a modern problem, The Seven Sins of England (SBS, Tue Jul 1, 10pm) takes us back through the UK’s 1000-yearold drinking problem, discovering the first law to control binge-drinking was passed in 616AD and other tidbits. It’s followed by Attack of the Happy People (SBS, Tue Jul 1, 10.55pm) which charts the history of ecstasy.

While Auntie’s mantra might be to provide us with quality entertainment, SBS, aside from their second language responsibilities, seem to be tasked with fi nding the weird and wonderful.The Fabulous Flag Sisters (SBS, Fri Jul 4, 7.30pm) a doco about an Italian TV trio of drag queens, including an Australian, is certainly that.

If you’ve ever dreamed of being Australia’s Next Top Model (girls and guys), you’ll have to drive to Sydney this weekend for the audition (details at www.yahoo7.com.au/supermodel). Apparently Canberrans aren’t pretty (or interested) enough to rate a local audition.

What is it with the networks and movies? How many times have we seen Bridget Jones’s Diary (Prime, Fri Jun 13, 9.30pm), America’s Sweethearts (Prime, Fri Jun 20, 9.30pm) and My Best Friend’s Wedding (SCTEN, Fri Jun 27, 9.30pm) in the past six months? Isn’t it about time for some new movies or even a re-hash some much older movies? The viewing public can probably recite Bridget’s snow in her undies speech easier than Hamlet’s soliloquy.

New to the box are a new series of Futurama (SCTEN, Thu Jun 19, 7.30pm), Ice Road Truckers (SCTEN, Sat Jun 28, 6.30pm), the return of Psych (Sat, Jun 21, 7.30pm) and Calling all Aliens (SBS, Sun Jun 22, 8.30pm).

Don’t miss Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Concert. Just because.

TRACY HEFFERNAN - tracyheffernan@bigpond.com *Bma does not indorse Wikipedia as a reliable source of research. Oh fuck it, yes we do. Why do the work when other people can do it for you? That’s our motto, kids.

TALES FROM URBAN BOHEMIANS

"It’s surprising how concrete and intelligible Game Theory and the Prisoner’s Dilemma is. These are not esoteric, hand-waving concepts you’ll need a maths degree to comprehend"

Caitlin Croucher For those of you thinking “well, it’s rather obvious what a prisoner’s dilemma is, I mean, they’re in PRISON, not exactly trying to decide what sort of cheese they’d like…” it’s a concept a little more complicated than that. Jack Lloyd and David Finnegan, from Canberra’s resident absurdist theatre masters Bohemian Productions, have based their latest performance A PRISONER’S DILEMMA on this very concept. Before going any further, it’s probably wise to explain what the ‘dilemma’ actually is. Jack sums up the whole concept with the skill of man who’s clearly been in prison (or, you know, is in the play).“The Prisoner’s Dilemma is a central concept of game theory…”

Oh Crap, quick interjection, I’m just going to explain Game Theory.

Wikepedia* sums it up as a way to “mathematically capture behavior in strategic situations, in which an individual’s success in making choices depends on the choices of others.” So if anybody actually understood that, good on you. Back to Jack… “…and describes a situation where two players are rewarded for betraying each other, but the best outcome between the two players is for them both to cooperate.” Of course, humans will be humans and everyone knows we’re all seedy bastards. “Any situation where you are tempted to do something, but you know that it would be bad if everyone did it, is likely to be a variation on the Prisoner’s Dilemma.

The performance addresses these concepts and other Game Theory concepts from the perspective of the players.”

Sounds complicated, but absurdist theatre is always about challenging the audience in unconventional ways. “As for the content of the show," David explains, "Game Theory has been hugely influential in the sciences, in politics, in sociology, in economics over the last half century. It’s unfortunate that the general public doesn’t have a greater knowledge of these concepts. We wanted to share some of that information.”

Since its first performance at the Multicultural Fringe Festival in 2007, the four cast members of the show have since performed in various theatres, schools, conferences and lecture halls. Each performance has allowed them to develop the show, mainly because the audience plays such a huge role in the game itself. “A Prisoner’s Dilemma uses various devices to allow the audience to control the action on stage and the course of the games, without leaving their seats - like a live-action arcade game.” If this all sounds a little confronting to those who had their 13th birthday party at Time Zone, David promises it’s not. “It’s surprising how concrete and intelligible Game Theory and the Prisoner’s Dilemma actually is. These are not esoteric, hand-waving concepts you’ll need a maths degree to comprehend - these are real life, actual situations that the audience will be very familiar with.”

Also, they’ve got a “morbid dislike of the kind of interactive theatre which drags audience members out of their seats and humiliates them on stage. Our interactivity is based on electronic control devices, like adapted remote controls.”

Sounds like A Prisoners Dilemma will intrigue a variety of backgrounds ranging from theatre, interactive digital media, music and science, or just maybe just your average philosophical hack. Also, it’s a far more intellectually stimulating way to spend your night then watching Home and Away. “For me, the great thing about absurdism is that it undermines reality and it changes the rules, and you’ve got these unlucky characters who have to try to be rational in this irrational world,” David says. Sounds slightly like a Home and Away plot line, but we get what he means.

A Prisoner’s Dilemma runs at The Street Theatre from June 17 to 21 at 8pm.

Tix $20/$15 conc. from The Street Theatre on 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au .

THEATRE COLUMN Theatre Column is back to the ho-humhumdrum-daily-grind-stone plodwork of Canberra and postgraduate dissertations after the dizzying heights of country music and conference proceedings… but thankfully, the light that shines at the end of, and sometimes very faintly in the middle or two thirds of the way along, the tunnel is blinking slowly and surely.

O, Theatre!

Free Rain managed to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear with Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, a vacuous “Pygmalion” rip-off disguising itself as a serious meditation on art/temptation/ truth. Director Soren Jensen paced the production, including integrated multimedia video elements, with precision, and Hannah Meredith and Pat Gordon sparkled in supporting roles. Shame about the script.

But theatrical goodies come and go ever so quickly it’s hard to feel anything but elation.

Keating! has passed by once again, leaving audiences feeling like an escort after a charity ball, drunk with rich, suave, out-of-your-league,honey theatricality.

In a cocklewarming bit of news, Warehouse Circus president Steve Goodman has been named A.C.T. Arts and Heritage Volunteer of the Year for his commitment to the arts, to the survival of Warehouse, and to the support and encouragement of young humans. Big, hearty congratulations are due.

And there’s only a few sleeps until Moonlight’s second show of 2008...

The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

Edward Albee (you know: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Zoo Story, all those famous ones. C’mon, you do.) won the Tony for this play.

And while Big Name Awards are never entirely a guarantor of quality (Best New Artist Grammy Award Winner 2006: Carrie Underwood. Quoi?),

Albee’s pedigree (see above) should be. Also take to heart the lovely group of theatricals involved: Bridget Balodis (The Eisteddfod) directing, with Jerry Hearn and Christa de Jager in lead roles. Now that this blurb has as many parentheses as it could (possibly) possess, here’s the details.

Moonlight presents Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?, directed by Bridget Balodis. ANU Arts Centre Drama Lab, Thursday June 18 to Saturday June 28 @ 8pm. Tix $15/$12 at the door.

Cabaret Crème no.6 The date has changed but the show still goes on. The sixth in the Street’s Cabaret Crème series on Monday night cabaret is Steve Ross, the “Crown Prince of New York Cabaret”. Ross will perform songs from the likes of Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Lorenz Hart, et al. Originally scheduled for the first Monday of June, the show will now hit the Street on the 23rd.

The Street Theatre presents “Cabaret Crème No. 6: Steve Ross” at the Street Theatre, Monday June 23 @ 8.30pm. More info and ticket bookings can be gotten at the Street website www.thestreet.org.au or call the B.O. on 6247 1223.

Everyone Can See What’s Going On Oooooh, it’s The Emperor’s New Clothes. Sadly no Sinead, just a good ol’ fashunned show-for-kids from perennial panto purveyors Ickle Pickle.

Directed by maestro Jordan Best, I am assured it will be a “fun school holiday show”. Whee!

Ickle Pickle presents The Emperor’s New Clothes at the Street Theatre from July 4 to 19. For more info on the show or to book tickets, check out their website at www.icklepickle.com.au or else you can book with the Street B.O. on 6247 1223.

Finally, it’s not ‘til August but if you want to hear songs about things that are “luvverly” and where the rain in Spain falls, you might want to consider booking your tickets for Opera Australia’s My Fair Lady. It’s at the CTC. It’s on the website. It’s gonna be big. www.canberratheatre.org.au .

NAOMI MILTHORPE - princessnaea@gmail.com

bma magazine 25

DISCOLOGY SINGLED OUT

WITH DAVE RUBY HOWE Bliss N’ Eso Woodstock 2008 (Illusive) What are people thinking? Why is this terrible shit popular? I don’t understand it. This is garbage. Complete garbage. I feel like I’ve stepped into some bizarre backyard BBQ full of dudes who prove how awesome they are by engaging in embarrassing freestyle rap battles and roofying chicks.

Crystal Castles Courtship Dating (Shock) This is about as ‘pop’ as Crystal Castles get. Yeah it’s still some fantastically glitchy 8-Bit madness with warped, unintelligible vocals and stuttered beats.

It’s not something that’s going to hit the top of the charts and get played by lame DJs at a Year 8 social, but still there’s something undeniably bubbly and, well, poppy about this. Dig in.

Cut Copy Hearts On Fire (Modular/Universal) I’m not a huge fan of reheating past singles for another shot at mainstream glory, but all the same, Hearts On Fire was pretty much the biggest single of last year and will be ranking right up there again this year.

Pete Murray Pick Me Up (Warner) Can’t review. Asleep.

Ratatat Shiller (Remote Control) I love Ratatat. Seriously. Love love. Love in the way that I think everything they’ve ever done is pure gold. Love in the way that Ratatat could handcuff me to a pole and drop a steamer on my chest and I’d probably keep the log in an airtight box next to my Ratatat shrine. But to choose Shiller as the fi rst single off their new album is a pretty puzzling move. It’s a slow, shuddering track, its twinkling casio parts offset with blasts of guitar noise. Yes, it’s a perfect introduction to the new, vastly expanded sonic palette of Ratatat. Guys, I love youse, but it’s no Wildcat. Jus’ sayin’.

The Futureheads Radio Heart (Liberation) Kaiser Chiefs, Maximo Park, Editors.

Big neo-wave bands from the UK who basically suck a whole lot of shit a few years down the track. It seemed like a curse which was sure to strike down others from that graduating class. But no! The Futureheads have broken the cycle. Radio Heart is an infectious slice of agitated pop. It’s still fast, still cool and still very fresh.

Blood Red Shoes Box of Secrets (Shock) Ah yes, but is it worth opening the box? What secrets does it contain?

There could be a severed head, a half-eaten Bounty, or 11 songs of bass-less rock ‘n’ roll. Which, of course, is what is does contain - although the

blood seeping out of the box on the cover does suggest otherwise. Anyway, this boy-on-drums, girl-on-guitar duo from the Mother Country have released a mostly likable album that blends lovely harmonies with quick riffs over moody drums. The music snob in me thinks one or two of the songs and most of the lyrics to be as boring as the cover of the Beatles 1968 self-titled LP, but the young rock and roller in me knows that this is not what Blood Red Shoes are about. They are about that teenage rock ‘n’ roll dream and they’re reaching for it, knowing that there is plenty of time to turn weaknesses into strengths. With Box of Secrets, they are just showing the world what they can do and why they are doing it. With songs like Take the Weight and This Is Not For You, the world can see what they are doing, and that they are doing it well.

TIM BOCQUET Communic Payment of Existence (Nuclear Blast) Norway’s Communic return for a third stab at the big time with Payment… and, whilst they still aren’t top drawer material yet, they’re getting there. This album is an improvement on its predecessor, 2006’s Waves of Visual Decay, in every department.

The songs, despite all clocking in at between fi ve and nine minutes long, have a sharpness and directness about them that was missing last time out, whilst vocalist Oddleif Stensland sings with far more command and conviction here. Guitars batter rather than caress, surely a good thing, and overall, if you have a soft spot for prog metal, there’s much to enjoy here. Good stuff.

SCOTT ADAMS Genghis Tron Board Up the House (Relapse/Riot) There’s a good chance you’ll be asking the authorities to board up your ears if you unsuspectingly put this on without fully appreciating the awesome kill power residing within its grooves. If, however, you’re a little more hip to the beat than your average Mix 106 listener you’ll find there’s plenty here to enjoy. “RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE MELT BANANA!” screams the little ticket on the cover of the CD, and, whilst that’s true up to a point (I don’t, for instance, like Melt Banana at all, but I quite like this), it’s also the case that fans of any form of extreme music, from the Amebix to Zombi, will find something to whet the whistle during the three quarters of an hour Board… will spend in your death deck. This isn’t for everyone, but then again those who don’t like this kind of schtick are probably happier stabbing one another in the eye for a ha’porth of crack and a chance to listen to the new Skitz mix to worry too much.

NAMBUCCO ‘ERGOT’ DELIRIA Kaki King Dreaming Of Revenge (Velour/Top Shelf Productions) Kaki King is a name that’s been tossed around a bit recently, what with her supporting Tegan and Sara on their recent Australian tour and dueting with the Foo Fighters on their latest release. She’s that girl and a

guitar you’ve been hearing about, and on her latest album, her playing remains very impressive. Dreaming of Revenge is just that; dreamy, hazy pop songs with something eerie and slightly sinister hinted throughout.

Only a few of the tracks contain vocals, the stand out being Pull Me Out Alive with it’s deliriously catchy chorus sung with breathy vocals. In the middle, Open Mouth’s subtle sadness lends an atmospheric turn to the album, which is especially carried on to the second last track, Can Anyone Who Has Heard This Music Really Be A Bad Person?.

Although rid of vocals, Can Anyone… shimmers its way through just over 5 minutes of a beautiful sprawl of sound, the electric guitar steadily steering emotions about.

CHIARA GRASSIA Liquid Liquid Slip In And Out Of Phenomenon (Domino/EMI) New York City in the late 1970s was an amazing place for its music alone.

The first wave of New York punk that included such seminal acts as Television, Patti Smith and the Ramones had set about rewiring rock ‘n’ roll and paved the way for a more experimental second wave, revealing a fascinating diversity. The no-wave scene set the pace, containing some of the most intense punk clatter and screech on record, and was soon followed by a bunch of bands that began to incorporate things like minimalist funk and the studio-as-instrument manipulations of dub reggae in their music. One of these bands was Liquid Liquid, and this fantastic compilation pulls together four EPs the band recorded between 1980 and 1982. Earlier tracks such as Rubbermiro showcase sparse rubbery funk grooves on which a variety of percussive instruments are added. Over time, the polyrhythmic workouts became fuller sounding, but remained just as intense as the startling earlier experiments. A variety of bonus live and unreleased tracks makes this an attractive package from this influential group.

DAN BIGNA Sparkadia Postcards (Ivy League/Ark) Sparkadia. Sydney’s latest alternative darlings. Innovative and refreshing quartet, or boring self-indulgent foursome? I’ve yet to decide. Their debut album is not unlike a postcard, you receive it and it has the clichéd boring bits, the weather reports and the wishyou-were-heres, and then there are the interesting parts - the ‘I got drunk

and married a 78year-old nun’ bits.

Yes, it is a debut, so certain low points can be excused, but it also took four years to write and is produced by Ben Hillier (Blur, Clinic, Doves etc), which should make up for most defects. It is, in all honesty, an ‘I’m not too sure album’. The third track Morning Light is so full of predictability, yet it’s catchy and the bass is fantastic. This is followed

by Help Yourself, a song whose superb music can only be described as a waltz for the disenchanted intelligentsia, but whose lyrics really let it down. A very rare event it is that I am in two minds.

It’s like a little brother that you can pick on, but you’ll stand up for it if anyone else tries, just because you know that amongst the boring bits there is an equal amount of talent. You will just have to decide for yourselves… (One last point, which may or may not sway you: it is just me or does Sleeping Lion sound suspiciously like Parsley’s Song in the first episode of The Mighty Boosh series two…)

TIM BOCQUET Wyclef Jean Carnival Vol. II – Memoirs of an Immigrant (Capitol) Wyclef’s new album, his seventh as a solo artist, demonstrates that, whatever you think of him, the man doesn’t run out of energy or inspiration. This particular album is a very strange collection of sounds - each track has an odd mixture of rhythms, with main lyrics, back-ups and harmonies fading in and out all over the place. A lot of the tracks also crescendo wildly, like someone’s kid was in the studio playing with the knob labelled ‘record level’. The guest vocalists are an eclectic bunch: Akon, Norah Jones, Shakira, Will.I.Am, Mary J. Blige, Paul Simon and Serj Tankian from System of a Down all appear among a veritable rent-acrowd. If these artists seem so diverse that you expect a diverse album, think again. Every song is very similar, a tinny concoction of beats and vocals in the style of an African choir, insert-guestvocalist-here who does very little.

Maybe it’s one of those ‘love it or hate it’ pieces of high art. Maybe I hate it because it’s self-indulgent rubbish.

STEVIE EASTON

SIN-

Coue Method To Mock a Vapid World (Resist) Those of you familiar with Melbourne hardcore stalwarts One Inch Punch will doubtless know already about the delights of the Coue Method; however, for the rest of you ignorant to these particular delights, I have a piece of advice - invest in this now. You can thank me later. I don’t really get excited about ‘punk’ or ‘hardcore’ these days - there are too many posers and pretenders swanning about both genres, to the extent that it is very diffi cult most of the time to differentiate the safety-pinned wood from the trees. Coue Method, then, is a veritable breath of fresh air. Sincere, fresh of approach and straight to the point they have, in TMAVW, created a record that strikes right to the heart of punk as it should be played, in the process conjuring visions of pre-Kasbah Clash with such aural delights as William’s Breech and the utterly marvellous Arsonist de Profundis. This is proper music, and should be treasured as such. Wonderful.

SCOTT ADAMS

"We went through a lot of different directions and we’ve come back to where we were in the first place"

AGENts of dub Stevie Easton After close to a decade of continual evolution spent exploring elements of rock, hip-hop, funk and Latin music under the influence of countless line-up changes, AGENCY DUB COLLECTIVE (ADC) are returning triumphantly to their home town to launch their newest album $O$.

Guitarist Elrond ‘Rondos’ Vaness has been there from the start, so he volunteered to speak to BMA on the band’s behalf about how far they’ve come, and the exciting times the Collective now find themselves in. $O$ is the first nation-wide release for the group, having signed up with brand spanking label Foreign Dub in March. Elrond is particularly excited about this because it makes their music much more accessible than it has been previously. “Signing up (to Foreign Dub) and getting this album properly released has been good because we’ve been doing everything independently for so long. It’s nice to just have the album in stores and be able to promote it.”

ADC have become a far more professional outfit over the last two years since they recorded the EP Insurgency, and Elrond assures me the new album is their most accomplished release to date. In fact, he himself was surprised at just how good the final mix, completed by the band’s singer, came out. “With this album, we feel like we’ve reached an excellent level of production, and we’ve really found our sound.”

ADC chose to record much of this album to analog tape first, because they liked the authentic sound that it gave them in the past. “We had the best of both worlds; we had that analog sound, but in a format we could mix in the digital realm.”

The album is definitely a new height of success for ADC. It represents the realisation of a dream that began in our cold little city in 1999 and found expression over the years in live shows at festivals and reggae nights around the country, and of course through their independent releases.

After all this time spent exploring and evolving, in many ways the group has come full-circle. “We went through a lot of different directions and now we’ve come back to where we were in the first place, but we understand the (dub) style better, and our music is more refined.”

A key principle held by the original band members, and still present in ADC’s music, is a strong left-wing political message, inspired by the Jamaicans who started the dub style in the 1970s, but applied to modern problems. Listening to the album, it is clear that the members of ADC are not only influenced by their heroes, but also faithfully reflect a truly authentic combination of uplifting music and defiant grass-roots politics. “We rebel against consumerism, capitalism and all these huge global companies (that are) running everything now.”

ADC have remained a part of the Canberra music scene since moving to Melbourne and continue to build up the connection between artists in the two cities. In the past they were behind the dub/reggae nights called Fire Inna Capital and still maintain relationships with local folk they helped inspire like Capital Dub Styles, whose DJs Hieronymous and Brujo will lend support at the show. It should be a top night for ADC’s Canberra fans, who haven’t seen them around since March last year. They plan to play two sets, punctuated by the two local DJs, who’ll be “dropping the classic Jamaican records” in between. Elrond for one is predicting something big: “It’s back in our home city so I think the Canberra gig is going to be one of the best. Our Canberra gigs always go off.”

Agency Dub Collective drop da riddims and bring da rhymes at Transit Bar on Saturday June 28, supported by DJs Hieronymous and Brujo from Capital Dub Styles. As always, free entry.

bma magazine 27

Cell Out

With Mark Russell; his life is all about sex and the pity.

Sex and the City jumped the shark, huh? It’s a shame. The trail-blazing early seasons gave us a whole new direction in television – namely fi nding whatever line of sexual taboos prime time was afraid to cross, then nuding up and having a cosmo-fuelled orgy on it. Without the show we might never have been able to enjoy Entourage, or sneer at Desperate Housewives; as they could have failed the production green light. It lost me in the later seasons, round about the tenth time they used the “At a more appropriate cocktail/tale hour,” pun, but it’s unfortunate to see a flaccid finish rather than the money shot we’d hoped for.

Sex and the City Ever heard the expression “Quit while you’re ahead”? The makers of the Sex and the City movie sure haven’t – otherwise they would have stopped trying to fl og this (albeit lucrative and well-dressed) horse.

Sex and the City is a saddening mix of cliché, corniness and shameless designer name-dropping – with too little substance, style and emotion.

The worst thing is, it takes characters and stories that a lot of people love and drags them through a shredder of pathetic symbolism, lame puns and depressing plot turns.

Once again, we join the foursome that made threesomes and blowjobs acceptable café conversation – Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cyn-

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian When they divvyed up the talent pool for fantasy epics, one can’t help but feel the C. S. Lewis estate drew the short straw. Tolkien gets a cast of lesser known but powerhouse dramatists and the gritty and twisted Peter Jackson at the helm; while The Chronicles... are portrayed by some newbie kids and the guy behind the gritty and twisted, um, Shrek.

To be fair, Narnia is a more well-lit world than Middle Earth and calls for a happier hand, but director Andrew Adamson is fi rmly stuck in his animated pedigree. He has no flair at all and the characters suffer dramatically because

The Counterfeiters The Counterfeiters needed better publicity. It’s a film that is definitely worth seeing, does almost everything right - and yet I knew practically nothing walking into it and had little to no interest before that.

Sally Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics), an exceptional counterfeiter caught just short of perfecting the American dollar, is imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp. Here, he is forced to become part of a counterfeiting ring consisting of other prisoners selected for their artistic, printing and photographic skills. They are forced to practice and master the art of counter-

Quote: Jerry Jerrod (Jason Lewis): “You seem distant.”

Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall): “Distant? You’re still in me.”

Sex and the City

thia Nixon), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis), four fabulous and successful New York women just trying to be happy. It’s a few years on from the series fi nale, and the people and stories have grown - each woman faces an issue or fear that she has to overcome, Carrie and Miranda in particular. However, instead of an inspiring conclusion, Carrie’s final words are just a little bit too lame, and (coupled with one too many infuriatingly blatant attempts at tear-jerking) the whole thing seems far too forced.

Sex and the City takes a slightly harsher look at the lives of these four – the more upbeat tone of the show (which gently lightened the sadder plot moments) takes a darker turn, and the high, happy moments don’t even

things out enough to please. At times, it feels like one long episode – and not even a particularly good one at that.

What used to be sassy is now sappy, and the sex scenes that seemed completely necessary now seem odd additions that are slightly out of place. Add on some seriously bad music scoring to highlight some almost offensively clichéd moments and this whole affair ruins all the good work of season six.

Harsh? Perhaps. Nonetheless, I kind of wish I’d never seen this film. The series ended on such a perfect high – only to be ruined by this absolute farce. I hate that I didn’t like this.

of it. Like the first couple of Harry Potters, we end up with a film that plays like a monotone reading of the book. This blandness is accompanied by stuttering pacing and more plot than they know what to do with; so proceedings jump about as Adamson ticks his checklist of what will keep the fans happy. But Lewis planted the story tree strong and deep, and a few pine cones of entertainment still drop serendipitously on Adamson’s head as he swings his bludgeoning creative axe.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian offers sword fights, magic and sweeping epic at its core. It kicks off in a Narnia that lacks the enchantment of the days since Peter, Susan, Edmund

and Lucy first rescued it from the icy clutches of The White Witch. A race called the Telmarines have taken over and banished the more mystical creatures into the dark woodlands. The prince of the title is a hunted man who must join forces with the four English siblings to win the day with an arsenal of computer-generated imagery and cheesy lines.

Overlooking the severely uninspired direction, there’s enough in Prince Caspian to keep you happily in your seat for nigh-on two hours. Unfortunately, it runs for almost two and a half.

feiting pound and dollar notes for the Nazi movement, struggling day to day with the knowledge of what they are helping to do, but doing it because it’s the only way to survive.

The Counterfeiters is an extremely engaging fi lm, executed with class and subtlety. Shot in a very observational style, it is understated and realistic while still being powerful and moving.

It’s infuriating, inspiring, and above all a different sort of war fi lm than any I’ve seen for a while. The Counterfeiters shows the realities of that period in German history without being too blatant in its execution, and expresses the different views of the prisoners with

empathy and consideration. Overall, director Stefan Ruzowitzky provides a fi lm that is sad without trying too hard to be emotional, and gritty and thought-provoking without being too confronting.

The Counterfeiters is a war fi lm that isn’t full of itself, that isn’t trying too hard to get a point across, look a certain way, or fi t into a certain genre. While it isn’t a cinematic masterpiece, or necessarily a fi lm to be remembered years on, it does what it sets out to do - telling a unique story very well.

MEGAN McKEOUGH

MARK RUSSELL

MEGAN McKEOUGH

bma magazine 29

GIG REVIEWS

DJ Krush/Bec Paton @ ANU Bar, Thursday May 22 Chilly nights are always warmed with the promise of lush hip-hop and electronica, and my expectations were high for this one to both warm my feet and satisfy my longing for music a bit more abstract than the fare often served up by the bigger touring electronic artists and DJs. We arrived to find the lush sounds of ex-Canberran Bec Paton doing a warm-up set that, had it been louder, and she not a support DJ, would have been more than enough entertainment for one night. Her sublime mixing of records that would pose problems to the most talented of selectors formed a beat-laden, diverse, bass-y and beautiful introduction to the night - which was only slowed by quickly rectified turntable problems - and seemed like a tribute to all Krush is about: gorgeous sounds juxtaposed by drums-of-death.

The crowd swelled and with it, the atmosphere, so when DJ Krush took the stage an almighty cheer erupted from the crowd. For the next hourand-a-half, we were presented with a wonderfully diverse display of track knowledge, manipulation and mixing skills. Happily, the Canberra crowd were appreciative - I’m sure roars of approval would emanate anytime, anywhere Krush started doing his live rendition of DJ Shadow’s Organ Donor, but cheers were elicited (deservedly) at the dropping of any of his own tracks, and any time some wizardry occurred. I couldn’t see exactly what he was using - it looked like two decks and some type of fancy effects unit - but make no mistake, he was controlling the machines and therefore the music; not making the job easy for himself.

For music that, to the punters, was often beautiful and relaxing, the level of movement Krush exerted between implements to create it was mesmerising and somewhat exhausting to watch.

A satisfactory wash of amazement followed us out of the Refectory that night, so glad that we again had the pleasure of seeing a true master of his craft - and introduced by one of the more appropriately selected support acts for this type of show. If Krush ever comes to town again, make sure you get along!

DARCY WIGRAM The Chaser's Age of Terror Variety Hour @ Canberra Theatre, Friday May 23 Everyone had a class clown at their school; you know, the guy who would throw dusters into the fan or moon the substitute teacher. The guys from The Chaser are all from this mould - they have no shame and look at life with the refreshing mantra ‘how can we do this again, but naked?’

I was a tad worried when entering the packed Canberra Theatre for their final show as the guys are renowned for their masterful practical jokes, and I half expected to have Licciardello suited up as WA Opposition Leader Troy Buswell pleasurably sniffing my chair.

The show started with the guys running through the crowd parodying the inevitable latecomers to any theatre show, with a musical number ending in the eternal isle-shuffling question “would you rather have my bum or my testes in your face?” From here, the show never lost momentum, with several more musical numbers and an extremely amusing piece on product placement that involved Craig Reucassel showing more ass than a tanked party girl exiting a stretch hummer on the strip.

You can tell the guys have a live performance background, with stunning impersonations of everyone from Al Queda to Francis Forde, Australia’s shortest serving prime minister, who was only in office for 8 days - which the guys pointed out was longer than Peter Costello.

There were several audience participation segments with one involving the audience (ie. the drunkest guys) yelling out random subjects that Chas and Andrew had to create segues between, in tribute to Today Tonight’s queen of the random link Anna Coren. For me, the most amusing part was their case study of on-line dating, which hilariously highlighted the shallow nature of prospective keyboard Romeos. It exposed the fact that you can be devoutly Christian, rude and evasive or suggest applicants ‘not be worried if my kids walk in during sex while my husband is away dying of cancer’, but for God’s sake people, if you want to meet someone, just never be ‘normal’.

DJ KRUSH @ ANU BAR. PHOTOS BY COLE BENNETTS

You can laugh at everything in life and The Chaser’s variety hour is proof that life ain’t all about bowser blues and international natural disasters.

TIM GALVIN

Kisschasy/The Donnas @ ANU Refectory, Tuesday May 27 The last time I saw The Donnas they were being supported by The Cops at the Metro Theatre in 2005. At that time, they were out here promoting their Gold Medal LP - it was heralded as their “mature album”, mainly because they had extended their palette to include piano (shock!) and acoustic guitars (horror!). They were still so enamoured with these new sounds that they even had a piano on stage so they could play the one song off the record that included the instrument. I remember it being a solid, if unremarkable gig; after last Tuesday, it’s clear they were only going through the motions.

Things have certainly changed in the Donnas camp in the intervening years. No longer on a major label, they seem hungry again, digging their heels in, and eager to impress. On their first visit to Canberra, they are now the support act for an Australian band (up and comers Kisschasy).

They seem unlikely touring partners: Kisschasy’s topical angsty poppunk clashing with the ladies’ more timeless sensibilities. That’s not to say that The Donnas aren’t topical, but all their musical references are at least pre-1989. Of course, you can never be out of touch when all you sing about is boys and partying - good times never go out of fashion.

The set began with the opening track from their new album Bitchin’ (also fabulously titled Bitchin’), betraying a distinct Sabbath influence, an indication of the heavier sound they are now pursuing. Forgoing the piano and mature considerations of their last tour down under, the set list almost exclusively came from their third (Spend The Night) and latest albums, save their best song of recent times, Fall Behind Me. It was a shame they didn’t treat us to a few earlier classics from albums like Turn 21, such as the archetypal 40 Boys In 40 Nights. Notwithstanding, it’s refreshing to see a band so comfortable with on-stage banter - not rushing from one song hurriedly to the next like they’d rather be somewhere else. Lead singer Brett Anderson was positively chatty between each and every song, talking about how touring partners Kisschasy are “gentlemen” (obviously code for “must be gay ‘cause they haven’t hit on any of us”), and describing the night’s gig as their “hump” show, falling as it did right in the middle of the tour. It was left to Ms Anderson and drummer Tory Castellano to rev up the crowd and provide the entertainment factor - axe-wielders Allison Robertson and Maya Ford were too focussed on their instruments from behind their fringes to glance up more than occasionally. Let’s hope next time they visit our fair city they are headlining and can treat us to a longer show.

LUKE MCGRATH “I want a song that gets attention, this is the way it goes…” I defy you not to sing along to Kisschasy’s Do-dos & Whoah-ohs. The nearthousand-strong crowd at the band’s recent ANU gig certainly didn’t hold back. And justifiably so - the Melbourne four-piece are riding high at the moment on the back of the success of their second album, Hymns for the Nonbeliever. More importantly, they kick it live.

While the front stalls were made up largely of 18-to-20-year-olds, there was no shortage of fringe-dwelling older folk singing along or nodding their heads in sage approval. But Kisschasy don’t have anything to prove to old farts like me. They do what they do well and rarely fail to deliver.

The ANU throng certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Punters enjoyed a healthy serve of tracks from Kisschasy’s debut record, United Paper People, lapping up everything that came their way. Nobody was able to stand still during tunes like This Bed, Face Without a Name and Do-dos & Whoah-ohs.

And yet material from the band’s latest record attracted the strongest response. Opinions Won’t Keep You Warm at Night and Spray on Pants had the crowd - from the stage all the way to the mixing desk - shimmying, gyrating and bouncing along with hands aloft, much to the band’s pleasure. If this show was any indication, don’t expect any tickets to be available at the door of the next Kisschasy show.

ANDREW MAYO

KISSCHASY & THE DONNAS @ ANU REFECTORY. PHOTOS BY ANDREW MAYO bma magazine 31

I Killed the Prom Queen, Bring Me the horizon, The Red Shore, The Ghost Inside, Dead Kings @ University of Canberra Refectory, Tuesday May 27 Opening up the show were recently formed locals Dead Kings. While this was only their second gig, you wouldn’t know it from their solid performance. Offering up a uniquely heavy-yet-still-melodic sound, they managed to hold their own on a bill of much more well known and experienced groups. It’s great to see a young group that isn’t just trying to be another breakdown metal copy of these bands.

Californian natives The Ghost Inside provided the most straight-up hardcore sound of the night. With that modern tough-guy hardcore sound and those big gang vocal choruses that just seem to scream crowd participation, they whipped the masses into a frenzy of circle pits and two stepping. While not the most original band around, they do what they do well - and a lot better than many of the other American bands of this genre.

The tragedy that affected Melbourne’s The Red Shore last year is well known - losing their singer when their tour bus crashed. Yet the surviving members have managed to continue on delivering the same level of brutality they were known for. What makes me appreciate this group even more is the fact that while every other recent, so-called death metal band takes the Swedish melodic approach, they are clearly rooted in the classic death metal sound with a slower deeper roar - and without a single lyric understandable to my ears. It’s great to see this music popular with the long-fringed teenagers that made up the majority of the audience.

The UK’s Bring Me The Horizon on the other hand are the reason the previous band were such a breath of fresh air. That’s not to say I don’t like their music, it’s just that there is a lot of it around at the moment.

BMTH are not let down by their musical ability or their vocals, but it’s their juvenile lyrics that make you think they’re just a pop-punk emo band putting on an act. Maybe that’s why every teenage girl in the audience wouldn’t stop screaming vocalist Oli Skye’s name. Anyway, an energetic stage show including stage dives and a wall of death made this a fun band to watch, despite their shortcomings.

Since they broke up over a year ago, I Killed the Prom Queen had always promised to do one final tour of Australia. So now, after a year of speculation about when and who would be singing for them, IKTPQ embarked on their much anticipated Say Goodbye tour with original vocalist Michael Crafter. As the band took the stage, the main question on everyone’s mind was how would Crafter, who hadn’t sung on a record since 2005’s Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You, handle the vocals of the recent Prom Queen frontman Ed Butcher. After the second song, I think everyone’s doubts were laid to rest: while the band’s later material sounds completely different on CD, Crafter managed to match Ed’s approach yet still make the songs his own.

Opening up with When Goodbye Means Forever, IKTPQ then proceeded to blast through a relatively short set of ten songs, made up evenly of Crafter’s back catalogue and songs from the last album. Maybe it was just me, but after seeing the band fronted by Ed three times, there was always a lingering thought in my mind that they couldn’t match their records on stage. Maybe it was the nostalgia of seeing Crafter back in the band, but that thought never crossed my mind during this show.

Ending with the crowd pleasing encore of Sharks in your Mouth, IKTPQ managed to provide a final tribute to their fans, and while I’m sure they will perform again sometime in the future, this was a fitting end to their time as a band.

JOHN HATFIELD

I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN @ UC REFECTORY. PHOTOS BY JOHN HATFIELD

The Small Poppies Think Inside the Box @ Street 2, Saturday May 31 Fresh from a successful run at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, local comic troupe The Small Poppies recently brought their savvy satire to the intimate surrounds of The Street Theatre’s Street 2 with their debut hometown season of Think Inside the Box. The daunting experience of going head-to-head with tough Melbourne crowds has certainly paid off - Think Inside the Box is a skit show high in honest laughs, and one that signals the arrival of a renegade force on the Australian comedy circuit.

Head writers Adam Brodie-Mckenzie and Simone Gubler offer intelligent contemporary social commentary, lampooning everyone from preppy scenesters to existentialist philosophers. Kevin ‘Chairman’ Rudd is envisioned as a bungling communist touting a revolution of red laptops for every student, and Jesus is a Woody Allen-esque Jewish New Yorker casually announcing Armageddon. Meanwhile, the UN discusses the ‘stupid people’ issue and Beijing Olympics spectators enjoy the inaugural panda shooting event.

The slick script is presented with superb timing and idiosyncratic quirk

by Brodie-Mckenzie, Gubler, and fellow Poppies Caitlin Croucher and Andrew Nichols, whose combined law revue, stand-up and musical backgrounds make for an eclectic mix of talent. Brodie-Mckenzie’s John Safran impersonation is particularly hilarious, capturing the whiny neuroses of the wee man with such nuance that Father Bob Maguire invited him to repeat the performance live on triple j’s Sunday Night Safran in Melbourne.

Yet the troupe’s secret weapon may well lie in the oddball charm of Nichols. His rubber-faced Barack Obama and pant-bulging Reasonable Man recall the kook of pre-Hollywood Eric Bana, and signpost some of the finest moments in a show that is full of them.

A witty and pointed romp trimmed of fat and full of promise, Think Inside the Box is a remarkable debut from the most promising comic troupe to come out of Canberra since the Doug Anthony All-stars.

NICK CRAVEN

KISSCHASY & THE DONNAS @ ANU REFECTORY. PHOTOS BY ANDREW MAYO

bma magazine 33

"Bangarra helps take us into the commentaries of Indigenous Australia.

In telling the stories we are helping Indigenous Australia reclaim [its voice]"

BANG ON! Erin Hill “It’s Erin from BWA on the phone for your interview,” the reception kid tells Stephen Page. “BWA what? I didn’t know we were talking to WA,” Page yells out. Stephen Page is the artistic director of Australia’s performing arts company dedicated telling the story of Indigenous Australia. Page would not be expecting to talk to WA, because the BANGARA’s 2008 production Mathinna has just finished up in Sydney and Melbourne and the team is now back in Brisbane before making its way to our fair city.

“Hi Stephen, I am actually calling from BMA Magazine in Canberra.” Page pauses, “BMA you say? What does that stand for?” And suddenly this is not so much an interview as it as a time warp back to the primary school quiz’s of 1992.“Bands, Music, Action.” I pause: "So my guess would be that you guys at Bangarra are in the action end of town." "Music too," Page points out. "Don’t forget the music. All the music in Bangarra is an original score."

For those unfamiliar with the work of the Bangarra Dance Theatre, Page explains that the core of its work is story telling, and “through the story telling, achieving integrity in Indigenous culture. Story telling is such a big part of life; it’s a great part of life. And it’s essential that we maintain the integrity in old stories as well as tell new stories.” Bangarra achieves this through the collaborative efforts of a team of talented individuals; musicians, choreographers, performing artists and artistic designers who produce a performance annually.

Bangarra’s acclaimed production of 2007, True Stories, looked to South Australia and Murray Island for inspiration. Page explains that along with Elizabeth Walsh and Lola Greeno, the 2008 production Mathinna had been brewing for three years and is the product of working with Tasmanian elders. It involved “doing a lot of research and gathering the story from the black perspective. Mathinna is a depressing and beautiful journey. In the production I really wanted to inject her ancestral spirit into it, and use it as a way of guiding the story.”

And in what proved to be a considerably lengthy, though not entirely unrelated tangent, Page quickly jumps to discuss Obama 08 - “How about Obama? I never thought we’d see the apology and now this.”

Some time passes and we go back to discussing Mathinna. “When we took the show to Melbourne, it was still raw, as it always is when it’s our first stop. So we were still trying to fine tune it. And for Elle McChrist (who plays Mathinna), it’s a big one for her theatrically. There is no text on stage, it’s all choreography and it requires a lot of support, physically, psychologically, artistically to put it all together.”

Not an unfamiliar experience, Bangarra has struggled with small audience sizes over the years - “With inflation, people are just trying to survive.

They can’t afford to go to the theatre.” And yet, the work of Bangarra remains ever important. Page explains, “Bangarra helps take us into the commentaries of Indigenous Australia. In telling the stories we are helping Indigenous Australia reclaim [its voice]. There’s a sensation that comes with experiencing live theatre that can’t be beat,” he summarises. And that’s clearly the overarching lesson of the day - don’t miss Bangarra in 2008.

Now, whilst I’d failed to alert Page that I’d called him from Melbourne, I’ve clearly picked up the accent of the Nation’s Capital. “You can always tell when you’re speaking to someone in Canberra,” Page muses. “There’s always a bit of politics. It’s great. I love it.” Better not let him down. Pack your placards and head to Bangarra’s Mathinna.

Bangarra’s Mathinna runs from June 19 to 21 at the Canberra Theatre.

Tickets from Canberra Ticketing (canberratheatre.org.au or 6275 2700).

FIRST CONTACT

Write your band’s name as well as the name and phone number of the person to contact (limit of two contacts ie. phone and email) and send $5 (cheque or money order made to Bands, Music, Action) to bma: PO Box 713, Civic Square, ACT, 2608. For your $5 you’ll stay on the register until you request removal. Changes to listings also cost $5.

Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Annie & the Armadillos Annette 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone singer/songwriter(guitar), sax & flute Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Kingswood Factory Sharon 0412 334 467 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Bastards Jamie 0424 857 282/ www.bastards.altpro.net Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 Casual Projects Julian 0401 016 885 Catchpenny Nathan 0402 845 132 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 CD and Website Design Brendan 0404 042 574 Chuffs, The Glenn 0413 697 546 Cold Heart Projects Andrew 6294 5450 Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 087 833/colebennetts@gmail.com Colourful Racing Identities Josh 0410 135 605 Cool Weapon Luke 0410 983 450/ Josh 0412 863 019 Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Cumulonimbus Matt 0412 508 425 Dahahoo Rafe 0416 322 763 Dance With Amps Marcus 0421 691 332 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 DayTrippers, The Reidar 0414 808 677, daytrippers@grapevine.com.au (dp) New Media Artists Mal 0414 295 297 DOGACT dog-act@hotmail.com, Paulie 0408287672.

DJ & the Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/karismakatz@yahoo.com.au DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 DJ/MC Bootcamp Donte 9267 3655 DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208 DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835 or moises_lopez@hotmail DNA Vic 0408 477 020 Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323 Dubba Rukki Jim 0409 660 745 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com, myspace. com/easymodeband Entity Chris 0412 027 894 Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com EYE eye@canberra.teknet.net.au Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Dan 0410 480 321 FirePigs, The Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Funk Shui Dave 0407 974 476 Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com Guff Damian 6230 2767 HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594 Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375, hancockbasement@hotmail.com Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096, Melinda 0400 405 537

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703 Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650 Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884 Jacqui Seczawa 0428 428 722 JDY Clothing 0405 648 288/ www.jdyclothinging.com Jenn Pacor singer/songwriter avail. for originals & covers, 0405 618 630 Jennifer Versatile singer looking for band; 0422 158 362 Jim Boots 0417 211 580 Kurt's Metalworx (PA) 0417 025 792 Lenders, The Tim 6247 2076 Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075 Los Capitanes Tim 0421 842 247 Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462, contactus@manillagreen.com, Martin Bailey Audio Engineer 0423 566 093 Malumba Dan 6253 5150 MC Kayo Marbilus 0405 648 288 kayo_101@hotmail.com, www.myspace. com/kayo_marbilus, Meatbee Ben 0417 492 560 Murder Meal Combo Anthony 0419 630 721 MuShu Jack 0414 292 567, mushu_band@hotmail.com Myriad Kath 6253 8318 MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/ www.myspace.com/myonus Neptune's Necklace Mark 6253 1048 No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680 Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580 OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448 Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027 Para 0402 277 007 Petra Elliott Petra 0410 290 660 Phathom Chris 0422 888 700 The Pigs The Colonel 0422 412 752 Polka Pigs Ian 6231 5974 Premier Audio Simon 0412 331 876, premier_audio@hotmail.com Quagmire Jason 0409 802 543/ Ben 0401 442 099 Queanbeyan Music & Electronics 6299 1020 Redletter Ben 0421 414 472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527 Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680 Roger Bone Band Andy 0413 483 758 Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041 Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776 Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350 Sara Vancea Sara 6247 9899 Seditious Intent Toby 0419 971 547 Sindablok Duncan 0424 642 156 Simone Penkethman (Simone & The Soothsayers, Singing Teacher) 6230 4828 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401 588 884 Stalker and Liife Darren 0413 229 049 strong like sam Luke 0423 762 812 Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748 Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853 Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479 System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556 Taboo Bamboo Greg 0439 990 455 That ‘80s Band Ty 0417 265 013 The Morning After (covers band) Anthony 0402 500 843/ myspace.com/themorningaftercovers Tim James Lucia 6282 3740, 0413 609 832, LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514 Tripitide Jason 0409 802 543/ Cam 0412 553 842 TRS tripstate@hotmail.com Udo 0412 086 158 Undersided, The Baz 0408 468 041 Using Three Words Dan 0416 123 020, usingthreewords@hotmail.com Voodoo Doll Mark 0428 650 549 William Blakely Will 0414 910 014 Woden Youth Centre Jeremy 6282 3037 Zeitgeist www.zeitgeist.xwave Zero Degrees and Falling Louis 0423 918 793 Zwish 0411 022 907

GIG GUIDE June 12 - 14 THURSDAY JUNE 12

THURSDAY JUNE 12

ARTS _____________

LIVE _____________

Act Up Sing Out Youth Music Theatre Info sessions and auditions.

6230 7190 AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE Icon and Archive Photography and the world wars. 10-5pm. 6243 4211 AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL Learning the Land Until the June 20th BELCONNEN GALLERY Pursing Up Rae Harvey’s handbags CANBERRA MUSEUM Nanoplastica

By Erica Seccombe CCAS GORMAN HOUSE Touching Space

By Ellis Hutch CCAS GORMAN HOUSE We Three A Participatory Storyboard by Carla Cescon CCAS GORMAN HOUSE Luminoza

By Denise Higgins, 'til June 15th CCAS GORMAN HOUSE Damon Kowarsky Free. Until June 15th IMPRESSIONS ON PAPER Prints From Duckprint

By Steve Lopez and Trevor Weeks, until June 15th IMPRESSIONS ON PAPER GALLERY Constructing Beijing From 6pm. Until July 4th MANUKA ARTS CENTRE Making Waves

By Peter O’Brien. Mon-Sat: 9:305pm. Until June 14th MEGALO PRINT STUDIO Max Dupain on Assignment Until June 22nd. Free NATIONAL ARCHIVES Bridging the Distance 9-5pm, free. Until June 15th NATIONAL LIBRARY 10th Women’s Arts Prize The Meroogal Arts Prize, until June 15th TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

The Dirty Secrets A slab of pop rock, with Hancock Basement and guests. Free entry TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC The Best of British Rock With The Spencer David Group and The Manfreds. Tix $79.90/89.90 from 6275 2700 CANBERRA CENTRE Bridge Between From 9:30pm DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Triptide 9pm-midnight KING O’MALLEY'S Peter Farrar/Alex Masso Duo With Spartak, 8pm, $10 THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM

DANCE _____________ Trash Thursdays Featuring DJs Troy Wade and Esscue. $5 entry ACADEMY Paper Scissors Rock Challenge Beat the barman to get your drinks for free. 6295 8866. 9pm MINQUE, MANUKA

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Old Time Music Hall Old timey classics for all ages. Tix $44.50, $40.50 conc, $30 child from 6275 2700 CANBERRA THEATRE McFadden's McComedy From 8pm. Free entry FILTHY MCFADDEN'S, GREEN SQUARE, KINGSTON Carry On Karaoke PJ O’REILLY'S Pool Comp Starts 7:30pm, prizes and cash to be won. $5 entry THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Golden Hour 2-4-1 golden ale schooners from Monday to Friday, 12-2pm.

THE SOUL BAR, WODEN Too Hot To Handle $15/$12. Political cabaret for kids. Until June 14th THE STREET THEATRE FRIDAY JUNE 13

ARTS _____________ The History of Music 10am-12pm, 6257 2320 HUGHES COMMUNITY

DANCE _____________ Ashley Feraude Spinning a soundtrack of soulful tunes as you sip your after work drinks. From 6-9pm BINARA ONE (CROWN PLAZA HOTEL)

FRIDAY JUNE 13

SATURDAY JUNE 14

ARTS _____________ Mark N (Melbourne/Newcastle) A night of D&B/breakcore/gabber madness, with supports Buick, MGO, Skully, Kilojulz, Benjammin and Centaspike. $10, 9pm kick off THE GREENROOM, PHILLIP After Work Beats/Exposed DJ Jemist warms you up, then the Exposed DJ competition knocks you down. Free entry TRANSIT BAR Souled Out Fridays Hip-hop and R&B every Friday night. 6295 8866 for more info MINQUE, MANUKA Havana Nights Tropical rhythms, passionate dancing, 8:30pm MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC Dance Sessions With Jemist 9pm (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

LIVE _____________ International Zombie Awareness Day A ghoulish evening of deadthemed debauchery with Mz Ann Thropik, Moh Van Wah, Frankenpop and a slew of DJs. Prizes for costume. $10 ANU BAR, ACTON Rev Indie/alternative/rock/pop/punk madness every Friday, $5 entry BAR 32, CIVIC Rubycon With Vera Cruise, Minari and The Playback. 5:30pm, $5 CIVIC YOUTH CENTRE Mr Lincon From 10:30pm DURHAM CASTLE ARMS The Cool 10pm-midnight KING O’MALLEY'S, CIVIC Heuristic KINGSTON HOTEL Jacksons PJ O’REILLY'S, CIVIC Soma With supports from Stigmata, Moots and Annie Fennell THE POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN Key Grip From 6:30pm THE SOUL BAR, WODEN

Collaborative Workshop From 10am-4pm M16 ARTSPACE Nije Crna (Not Black) From 2pm. Until July 13th MANUKA ARTS CENTRE

DANCE _____________ Ashley Feraude BINARA ONE, CROWN PLAZA HOTEL Rockout Rockin’ house and electro every Saturday, doors open 8pm MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC

DAY PLAY _____________ Gorman House Markets Mmmm… …stuff GORMAN HOUSE Burley Griffi n Antique Centre Open every weekend, selling groove retro furniture and much, much more KINGSTON FORESHORE

LIVE _____________ Capital City Punkfest With Casino Rumblers, Black Market, Charlie Greaser, Throwaway Kids and a heap more (see page 22 for details).

Sponsored by Lucky 13, Metalworx, Raven, Swamp and Troy Horse. $15, noon start THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Chris Pickering With supports The Morning Papers, Mardi Lumsden and The Rising Seas, $10 ANU BAR Rock Zone From 10pm, $8 cocktails from 4-10pm DURHAM CASTLE ARMS The Remnants 10:30pm-2:30am KING O’MALLEY'S The Cool KINGSTON HOTEL Sonorcast With Moh Van Wah. 18+, $10, 8pm kick off THE GREENROOM, PHILLIP Mikelangelo 8:00 Free THE PHEONIX, CIVIC Casual Projects Vs. Jemist TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

GIG GUIDE June 14 - 25 JUNE SATURDAY 14

TUESDAY JUNE 17

THURSDAY JUNE 19

FRIDAY JUNE 20

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________

ARTS _____________

ARTS _____________

Labyrinth The Bowie sporting Jim Henson classic (replacing The Dark Crystal). 4:30pm ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON Stroszek Bruno S in Werner Herzog's dark vision of the American Dream.

New print. 7:30pm ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON Carry On Karaoke PJ O’REILLY'S, CIVIC

A Prisoner’s Dilemma How far do you trust your friends? Until June 21st.

6247 1223 THE STREET THEATRE

Bangarra Dance: Mathinna Until June 21st. Following a girl’s journey between two cultures.

6275 2700 CANBERRA THEATRE The Eloquent Bureaucrat $84 conc, $105 members, $140 non-members. 6262 9191 QL2 THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE Got Words, Need Readers 6:30-7:30pm, free entry QL2 THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE

Vocation, Profession or Hobby?

5:30-6:30pm. Free GORMAN HOUSE Opening Night Writers Festival 6:30pm. Free GORMAN HOUSE The History of Music 10am-12pm, 6257 2320 HUGHES COMMUNITY Getting to Grips with Grammar $84 conc, $105 members, $140 non-members. 6262 9191 QL2 THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE

DANCE _____________

DANCE _____________

Trash Thursdays Featuring DJs Troy Wade and Esscue. $5 entry with two free drinks, plus $2 drinks ‘til 2am ACADEMY Paper Scissors Rock Challenge Beat the barman to get your drinks for free. 6295 8866. 9pmMINQUE

Ashley Feraude Spinning a soundtrack of soulful tunes as you sip your after work drinks. From 6-9pm BINARA ONE (CROWN PLAZA HOTEL) Knife Machine (Lost Valentinos) and Jono Fernandez $15 on the door, 10pm LOT 33, KINGSTON Souled Out Fridays Hip-hop and R&B every Friday night. 6295 8866 for more info MINQUE Havana Nights Tropical rhythms, passionate dancing, 8:30 MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC Cheese Feat. Pornstylus and more TRANSIT BAR

SUNDAY JUNE 15

DAY PLAY _____________ Old Bus Depot Markets Find that thing to make that other thing work KINGSTON Burley Griffi n Antique Centre Open every weekend, selling groove retro furniture and much, much more KINGSTON FORESHORE Tuggeranong Homestead Markets Home of the hard to fi nd TUGGERANONG HOMESTEAD

LIVE _____________ Punx In the Valley With Black Market, Ruckus, Throwaway Kids, The Toxicmen, All in Brawl, Outcome Unknown and Yoko Oh No. From 2pm, $8 TUGGERANONG YOUTH CENTRE Irish Jam Session From 5pm KING O’MALLEY'S MONDAY JUNE 16

DANCE _____________ Hospitality, Retail, Backpackers et al night Feat Mikah Freeman and Vance Musgrove of Aston Shuffle fame TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Bootleg Sessions With Tabitha Omaji, Marrianne Mettes, Dubba Rucki and more.

Free from 8pm THE PHOENIX Metalog THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Fame Trivia From 7:30-10:30pm, book early 6295 1769 DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Pot Belly Trivia Every Tuesday POT BELLY BAR Carry On Karaoke From 9pm TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC WEDNESDAY JUNE 18

DANCE _____________ Caribbean Vibes Recharge, doors open 8:30pm MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ The Understudy With Pegs Adams and Tim Adams. 8pm, free THE PHOENIX Sono-Perception A Concert by JOLT. From 8pm. $15/Conc $10 ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Trivia Night From 7.30pm ACT RUGBY UNION CLUB Carry-On Karaoke From 9:30pm-1am, grand prize $1,000. $5 Coronas DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Kremlin Cocktails Special $6 cocktails menu KREMLIN BAR Fame Trivia PJ O’REILLY'S Comedy Night From 8pm, free THE PHOENIX $5 Night TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Mitch DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Naked KING O’MALLEY'S Live From the Underground Feat. Peregrine, David Eastwood, The Amazing Brainboy and Aria Stone and the Groovers. 8pm TRANSIT BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Contempt Brigitte Bardot stars in Godard's refl ection on love and Hollywood. 7:30pm ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON Pool Comp Starts 7:30pm, $5 entry THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN FRIDAY JUNE 20

ARTS _____________ Turbo Slam Open Mic 8-10:30pm BOGONG THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE The Poets Lunch 12:30am. $40. 6262 9191 BOGONG THEATRE Editing For Excellence $15 non-members. Free for members 6262 9191. 3:30pm GORMAN HOUSE

LIVE _____________ Star Assassin Hard rock with Tonk and Escape Syndrome. 18+, $10, 8pm THE GREENROOM Rev Indie/alternative/rock/pop/punk madness every Friday, $5 entry BAR 32 Hueristic From 10pm DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Miles Merrill Open mic from 8pm. Poetry Slam from 9pm. Free entry GORMAN HOUSE Casual Sets 10pm-2am KING O’MALLEY'S 3RDXIT KINGSTON HOTEL Triptide PJ O’REILLY'S Chris Harland Blues From 6:30pm THE SOUL BAR, WODEN

FRIDAY JUNE 20

SATURDAY JUNE 21

SUNDAY JUNE 22

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________

DAY PLAY _____________

ARTS _____________

Hip-Hop Workshop With MC Karuna, ages 12-18.

Nice 'n' early 9am start GORMAN HOUSE SATURDAY JUNE 21

Gorman House Markets GORMAN HOUSE Burley Griffi n Antique Centre Open every weekend, selling groove retro furniture and much, much more KINGSTON FORESHORE

Crime Writing With Micheal Robotham.

6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE What Publishers Want Certainly not you with the state of your unpolished manuscript.

Find out what you're doing wrong. 11am, 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE Three Pitches and a Synopsis 3:30pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE

ARTS _____________ Zine Fair Over 25 tables of creativity GORMAN HOUSE So You Want To Be An Author?

9-10am. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE How Traditional Book Publishing Works 10-11am. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE How To Get Published 11:30-12:30pm 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE Pitch Your Proposal 1:30pm. 62629191 GORMAN HOUSE Getting Published in Newspapers and Magazines 3pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE The Light From the Dark House 4:45pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE We Need To Talk About Motherhood Camilla Noli, 6:45pm, Free.

6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE Pitching Competition Selected Writers pitch their ideas. 8pm. Free. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE

DANCE _____________ James Ash (Rogue Traders) With supports DJ Kiz, Tim Galvin and Trent Richardson. 8pm. $10 B4 11pm, $15 after MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC Cut-Sik Sideproject are at it again, bringing you a night of hard dance, trance and more with Darkchild vs Galaktik (T-Quest, Sydney), Black Samurai (3rd Eye Productions), Psyentology, Aneurysm, Stoj vs Disect, Incongruous, Tarik, Miss Riss, freebasstoad, The Duelist, underPSYdead, Stefan Stonker and Triskele. From 6pm to 4am. $15 entry AKUNA CLUB, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Ashley Feraude BINARA ONE, CROWN PLAZA

LIVE _____________ Lithium Indie Club Night TRANSIT BAR Bruce Mathiske Guitar Genuis. 8pm. $35 at door, $30 Prepaid, $15 Kids TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE Marcus Sturrock Guitar whiz, 8pm, 6283 7288. See Tidbits (page 10) for more SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB, WODEN Rock Zone From 10pm, $8 cocktails 4-10pm DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Nick Charles Two first names, one great act.

From 8pm FOLKUS ROOM, MAWSON Max Power 10:30pm-2:30am KING O’MALLEY'S, CIVIC Roger Bone Band KINGSTON HOTEL Penguin and Friends $10 entry, from 8pm THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN 3ofmillions With Adrian Klumpers, Abel Cross, Finn Ryan. 8pm, $10 THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM The Love Skulls The Sundance Kids, Special Guests. 18+, Free, 8pm THE GREENROOM, PHILLIP

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Speedy Harold Lloyd's silent comedy classic aaaaaaall the way from 1928. It even comes with ol' timey live piano accompaniment. 4:30pm ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON Black Cat, White Cat A hilarious cocktail of gangsters, music and dance in former Yugoslavia. 7:30pm ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON Carry On Karaoke PJ O’REILLY'S, CIVIC

DAY PLAY _____________ Old Bus Depot Markets KINGSTON Burley Griffi n Antique Centre KINGSTON FORESHORE Tuggeranong Homestead Markets TUGGERANONG HOMESTEAD

LIVE _____________ Irish Jam Session KING O’MALLEY'S, CIVIC MONDAY JUNE 23

ARTS _____________ Super Sessions 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE Opportunities in Erotic Romance Fiction With Alexis Rowland. Don't pretend you don't want to go.

1-4pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE Not Afraid of Romance 5:15-6:15pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE

DANCE _____________ Hospitality, Retail, Backpackers et al night.

With Mikah Freeman and Vance Musgrove of Aston Shuffle TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Bootleg Sessions With Glen Harvey, Tim Jacquier, Dr Stovepipe and Leettuce Play.

Free from 8pm THE PHOENIX

TUESDAY JUNE 24

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Trivia Night DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Pot Belly Trivia Every Tuesday POT BELLY BAR

ARTS _____________ Super Sessions With Lesley McFadzean. From 9am 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE How to Write an Eff ective Media Release 5-6:30pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE Literary Competitions 7-8pm. 6262 9191 GORMAN HOUSE

LIVE _____________ Rosetta (US) With The Surrogate, 4Dead and Slowburn and Surrogate. $15 ANU BAR Battlefi eld Band THE BURNS CLUB Pheonix Phunnies Free comedy night from 8pm THE PHOENIX WEDNESDAY JUNE 25

LIVE _____________ theredsunband With special guests. $10 ANU BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Fame Trivia DURHAM CASTLE ARMS Carry On Karaoke TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

DANCE _____________ Caribbean Vibes Doors open 8:30pm MONKEY BAR, BUNDA ST, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Trivia Night ACT RUGBY UNION CLUB Carry-On Karaoke From 9:30pm-1am DURHAM CASTLE ARMS

DVDEVOTEE

Charlie Wilson’s War (Universal)

No Country For Old Men (Paramount)

Paul Kelly: Live Apples (Capitol)

There is something extremely ominous about the re-telling of America’s covert war against communism, in particular the war against Russia. The film is taken entirely from the perspective of Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), a senator from Texas who convinces the rich around him to pledge more money to the war effort. Aided by CIA Agent Gust Avraktos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), he travels into Afghanistan to fi nd out the truth about the conflict. With Julia Roberts' Joanne Hemming as one of his major benefactors, the stage for political intrigue is set. Charlie Wilson’s War is solid brain fodder, with a punchy script from obvious political animal Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) and competent direction from Mike Nichols (Working Girl, The Birdcage). The problem with this film rests in its potential to be so much more. Instead of thoroughly exploring many of the themes and reverberations from actions, it merely glosses over, giving most things a cursory glance and nothing more. There were opportunities to talk and explore corruption, arms dealing, and the very nature of covert war, all of which are looked over for a short running time. The performances are certainly enjoyable; Roberts is only in for a short cameo, Hoffman stands out by doing a great impersonation of John Goodman and chewing through scenery. The film certainly focuses on Tom Hanks, who still has excellent comedic timing and can take a dramatic turn. With political intrigue so successful in both Sorkin and Nichol’s (director of Primary Colors) past, this film represents something of a missed opportunity.

Unfortunately there were no extras on the copy supplied.

This bitter tale of dark characters and amoral actions is splashed onto the silver screen with a reverberating gong announcing: ‘The Coens are back!’ Did we dare to dream? Had these character masters veered away from the watered-down comedy of Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers to once again traverse humankind’s inherent brutality? Before the collective drool of the world’s critics could even hit their keyboards it was confi rmed; this film’s bloody brilliant. Hunter Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds a whole bundle of money at the scene of a drug deal gone wrong in the prairie lands. An act of humanity (the worst mistake any Coen Brothers’ hero can make) puts the bad guys hot on his tale, with Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) showing particular gusto. Bardem’s nightmarish portrayal of a singularly evil psychopath without a trace of hamminess would be enough to prop up near any cross-country chase film. This could never be enough for Joel and Ethan, however, and they throw in a whole bunch of nous for Llewelyn and a quiet tragedy for Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones); a lawmaker who sees himself pulled inexorably towards the black hole of society’s slide into wickedness and anarchy. Jones’ gravely drawl is the perfect pitch to deliver endless examples of the dialogue pearls these filmmakers are so famous for. The DVD translation loses a hint of the cinematic epic but ‘making of’ featurettes and other bonuses ensure no one feels cheated. Worth every golden inch of the Best Picture statuette it took home from this year’s Oscars!

Brian Wilson with Pet Sounds. Love with Forever Changes. Lou Reed with Berlin.There has been a spate of concerts (and subsequent DVDs) of artists performing albums live in their entirety.

Paul Kelly, no stranger to novel performances himself (eg performing all his songs alphabetically at the Opera House), has added a slight twist to the formula. Instead of reaching backwards and playing one of his many acclaimed earlier albums, he has chosen to serve up his latest platter Stolen Apples from start to fi nish. What’s on offer is a polished stew of country, blues and roots stylings, a slick amalgamation of many of Kelly’s influences. It’s sophisticated male music, played by a crack band of dab hands; it’s not a supergroup, as Kelly himself told me last year, but it does include Dan Kelly, the mighty Ash Naylor from Even, and the drummer off Rockwiz. Call it what you like, the band is tight and plays everything well. Perhaps a little too proficiently, actually – while the songs are a delight on record, live the band treat them too reverentially, diligently recreating their parts without flaw. I can’t speak for the Toowoomban audience who politely clap after each song, but a little less refi nement and control would have made this a more exciting at home viewing. Still it’s a fi ne line, and I appreciate not seeing any undignified Jaggeresque hip shaking or finger-pointing all the same. Following the performance of Stolen Apples, we are treated to a generous rummage through Kelly’s enviable back catalogue. The pressure off, the band loosen up considerably, playing crowd favourites including How To Make Gravy, To Her Door and Dumb Things.

Being only the second Paul Kelly DVD available (after 2004’s Ways And Means) will make this a must-have for many Kelly fans, but taken on its own, it’s a worthy if not quite essential addition to the Kelly canon.

GEOFF SETTY

SOOOO MUCH EXCITEMENT!

MARK RUSSELL

next issue LUKE MCGRATH WE'VE GOT: S, ISOBEL THE FUTUREHEAD LANEGAN, CA MPBELL & M ARKbo, M A MM AL, d'opus & roshamSO MUCH STRUNG OUT AND 6 MORE. oUT jUNE 2