BMA Mag 323 16 Apr 2009

THREE23 April 16.09

Their postApocalypso vision

SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM

KOTTONMOUTH KINGS

THE DIRTY SECRETS

ALSO INSIDE: EXHIBITIONIST - NEW EIGHT PAGE ARTS LIFTOUT

bma magazine

bma magazine

Free Stuff GFC shot ya straight in the hip pocket? Well worry not! Utilise your hands and a keyboard, send your answers through to editorial@bmamag.com and we’ll do our best to ease the squeeze.

Vampire Weekend Vampire love has taken over the silver screens. This latest release coming to Dendy soon will have your heart strings twisted as you follow two confused 12-year-olds through their tragic and gruesome story. Let the Right One In sees Oskar, the kind of boy that gets picked on in the playground, figure out that his new neighbour Eli is a tween vampire. Oskar’s an anxious and fragile sort with a fascination with the gothic and ghostly who develops a romantic lure to Eli, who has since left bloodied victims slewn about town. Based on the best-selling novel by John Ajvide Linqvist, the story narrates the issues of human guilt and vampire needs, weaving a tale of friendship, rejection and loyalty into a disturbing yet tender journey of adolescence. For your chance to win one of 20 double passes to Let the Right One In, screening at Dendy, tell us about the worst neighbour you’ve ever had.

The She Wendy Matthews pretty much soundtracked every female teen’s relationship in the ‘90s, making many a girl weep into their pillow as they blasted her break-up ballads before picking their

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broken hearts back up with her power-to-women songs. Now well into her second decade of ARIA award-winning acoustic talent, Matthews is back with the release of her new album, She: a tribute to all the inspiring women who have helped her over the years. It’s the debut album from Mathews’ own label, Barking Bear Records, and features songs by Bonnie Raitt, Aretha Franklin, Chrissie Hynde and Joni Mitchell among others.

Matthews will be kicking off her two-month national tour this month with a series of intimate regional shows, including a gig at the Southern Cross Club in Canberra on April 17. To win a double pass to her show and a copy of She, tell us about the most inspirational woman in your life.

New York, I Love You… Synecdoche, New York follows theatre director Caden Cottard (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), whose wife and daughter walk out due to his general failings in life and career. Worried about the transience of his life, he leaves his home behind, gathering an ensemble cast into a warehouse in New York City, hoping to create a work of brutal honesty. He directs them in a celebration of the mundane, instructing each to live out their constructed lives in a growing mock-up of the city outside. The tangle of real and theatrical relationships blurs the line between the world of the play and that of Caden’s own deteriorating reality. The film, Charlie Kaufman debut as a director, has been described by international movie journos as an “instant Cannes classic”,“a miracle movie” and “flat out hilarious.” To win one of ten Dendy tickets to see Synecdoche, New York, tell us which film best reflects your life.

Spooky Spooks: another season, another Islamic terrorist threat. Season seven sees our favourite powersuited MI5 agents protecting a Britain from the ever-present threat of terrorism. But, as if they hadn’t enough to deal with, those

commies over in the Russia have re-emerged as a new superpower.

With the Cold War starting to heat up again, MI5’s Section D faces even more frightening and deadly challenges - old friends must return, new Spooks are introduced and a death will shock all. The DVD of series seven is packed with high-tension spy drama, including all eight episodes of this series seven, uncut.

And it’ll be out before the show runs on free-to-air! To win a copy, tell us who you would set MI5 on.

The Bird is The Word Having kept their heads down for the last little while, Little Birdy recently popped back up at Sydney’s iconic SCG for the historic Sound Relief concert.

Their time out of the spotlight has been well spent however, as they’ve a new record, Confetti, to show for it. Album opener Brother

- featuring guest vocals and harmonica from Paul Kelly - was released as a free download a few months back and became the most played track of the month on triple j during February.

Hot on its heels is lead cut Summarize, an up tempo stomp that’s quickly become a live favourite. The four-piece are stepping out for a bit of a national tour, with quirky Melbourne four piece Oh Mercy

and Perth singer-songwriter Felicity Groom in tow. The band will swing by the ANU Bar on Thursday May 14, with tickets on sale from www.littlebirdy.net, The Music Shop, Landspeed Records, The ANU Bar and Ticketek (132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au). To win a signed copy of Summarize and a double pass to the ANU show, summarize what I’ve just said. Confetti drops on May 8.

Wait a Kotton-Pickin’ Minute Bursting into the music world’s consciousness during the ‘90s when their jam Suburban Life was included on the soundtrack to teen classic Scream 2, Orange County hip-hop collective Kottonmouth Kings have hit it hard ever since. With a defiant DIY attitude and minimal mainstream exposure, they’ve cultivated a heaving underground following, selling over two million records through their independent label Suburban Noize and 1.5 million concert tickets around the world. Releasing an average of one album a year, the self-styled “psychedelic hip-hop punk rock” group are just about to drop their 11th studio LP Hidden Stash IV, which is set to continue the Kings penchant for mashing diverse influences into a cohesive whole. To mark the album release, they’ll be touring Australia for the second time, stopping by the ANU Bar on Saturday May 2 with Sen Dog from Cypress Hill. Tickets from moshtix.com.au and oztix.com.au . To celebrate, we’ve got a bonza KMK/SRH pack, comprising signed Kottonmouth Kings CDs, Kottonmouth Kings t-shirts, SRH t-shirts, Kottonmouth Kings stickers and an SRH cap to give away. To win, tell us where you've hidden your stash. For more info hit www.kottonmouthkings.com .

Struth Be Told I was recently asked to return to Canberra to speak at University of Canberra’s commencement ceremony as an alumnus. (“Alumnus” is Aboriginal for ‘has own wikipedia page but still can’t get on Spicks and Specks.’) After the speech, I performed on the UC’s concourse during the O-week clubs and society’s recruitment celebrations.

What sweet memories it brought back.

Undercooked sausages, Commonwealth Bank girls dressed as bees and my favourite – the doof! How much does Canberra like its doof? There were about ten affiliated dub rave techno organisations working out of one big old Red Bull adorned combie pumping out more same-ish beats than a cafe convention. This’ll sound nuts, but has ANYONE considered that people like listening to beats when they are in a situation where they can dance to them and they’d prefer the sounds of, oh, I don’t know, MUSIC WITH INSTRUMENTS when they are chilling out during the day?

My performance got off on the back foot when the old bloke MC happily announced five minutes before I was to play that there was a breakdance battle happening down at the bar with prize money.

I was so offended by his lack of camaraderie that I challenged the crowd of armfolded, sunglassed first years to a breakdance battle of my own. I offered to play off for my iPhone before trying a headstand on the ground. There were some laughs and an offer from The Christian Society to pray for me but generally my levels of unhinged madcappery were hopelessly out of kilter with the sedate, fresh faced girls holding condom showbags and smoothies. After the performance I was informed that one of the girls had burst out in disbelief: “he’s got no shame.” Hmm – a case of a performer misreading the situation and overcompensating for the nervous energy created by such an unconventional gig, or surprisingly conventional younger generation lacking the ability to appreciate experimental performance or embrace anything too far outside their zone of understanding? You decide.

I wrote a column a few years back called ‘The Musician Beaters,’ giving University Of Canberra lunchtime crowds the gold medal in the ignoring championships. I once played a lunchtime gig in the bar to about ten people and eight of them sat with their backs to me the whole time. At one point I played my single I’m So Post Modern twice in a row just to see what would happen. I asked the audience, by round of applause, who liked it better the first time round (one clap) and who liked it better the second (two claps). Why is this the case? Is it because the university is made up of country kids who haven’t been exposed to the culture of going to see theatre or bands or are they blinded by the ‘me and my university life’ bubble and completely unable to tear themselves away from a chat about their PR exam to listen to one thing the booked performer has to say? Or are the musicians that frequent such lunchtime gigs just a bit shit? You decide. Next time I’m booked for one of those things I’m going to buy that special liquid that stuntmen have and set myself on fire just to test out a theory that no one would bat an eyelid.

Performers love grizzling about poor audiences, but as a guy with one leg said to me once at The Pot Belly – it doesn’t matter who you are, or what you do, when you’re up on the stage you’re putting on a show and it’s your responsibility to win a crowd over and keep them entertained.

I totally agree. Musicians think playing ten ballads while staring at the ground is enough, then wonder why the audience start banging on about Twitter. Rule One: YOU’VE GOT TO BRING THE FREAKING SHOW! Hey UC, I look forward to round two. This shit ain’t finished.

JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD Justin performs as The Bedroom Philosopher and writes for Frankie, Jmag and The Big Issue. www.bedroomphilosopher.com

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News Feathers, Fur or Fins The Frontier Touring Company, one of the key partners behind the Sound Relief benefit concerts, has teamed up with Australian strategy and design company bwired to launch another initiative for victims of the Victorian bushfires – this time for the furred and feathered ones.

Rockin’ Relief for the RSPCA will be an online charity auction to raise money for the RSPCA’s Victorian Bushfire Appeal. Signed memorabilia, limited edition merchandise, money-can’t-buy opportunities and one-off rock’n’roll items from some of the biggest names in music and entertainment will be auctioned via an online website to raise funds for the RSPCA Victorian Bushfire Appeal. Managing Director of The Frontier Touring Company and the Mushroom Group of Companies Michael Gudinski said the inspiration to host the auction came from within the Mushroom Group. “A lot of my staff, including myself, are pet owners and were horrified when the stories started to filter in about the many animals, native or domestic, that had been hurt or made homeless during the Victorian bushfires.” The once in a lifetime opportunity to secure items such as a Billy Joel and Peter Garrett harmonicas, a Kings of Leon signed guitar and Kylie Minogue autographed book are now open for bidding on www.rockinrelief.com.au .

comedian. The cream of the teenage crop will fly to Melbourne in September to hit the main stage at the 2009 Class Clowns National Grand Final with a $2,000 first prize up for grabs. That’s in real money people. In September $2,000 will probably buy you a new house. That’s how shit the economy is. If you like the nets visit www. classclowns.com.au for more information. Class Clowns is coming to Canberra from 30 June to 1 July, with the ACT Final on July 1.

Well I Say, How Splendid!

Think annual festival Splendour in the Grass couldn’t get any greater? Well, they found a way. Splendid is an initiative created by the Lismore Regional Gallery to bedeck the festival in the finest that community art has to offer, and they want you to be a part of it. If you’re a dab hand in visual art, theatre, dance, design, installation, architecture, digital media or sound, this is your opportunity to shine. Applications are due

by Monday May 4, and more information can be gleaned from splendid.org.au .

Flippin' Yeah!

Flipper: the band that wouldn’t die. The seminal San Francisco punk band formed in the late ‘70s at the height of the punk explosion, cutting a couple of LPs and compilations before retreating into the shadows.

Their music, a combination of slow, drawn-out sludgey punk - equal parts Stooges and Black Sabbath – and humourous, observational and biting lyrics made them cult faves throughout the world, heavily championed by the Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra.

They surfaced again in the ‘90s, where their influence on the ‘grunge’ bands of the time was apparent - Nirvana, Melvins, Mudhoney, Soundgarden and even Moby all sang their praises - and signed to mega-fan Rick Rubin’s Def American label.

Then, this century, at the request of Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, the band re-formed with Nirvana’s Kris Novoselic filling in on bass duties for the Nightmare Before Christmas festival in the mid ‘00s. The band hasn’t stopped playing since, and now have both new live and studio LPs in the bag. The two records will be specially packaged together by Fuse Music to commemorate the band’s upcoming Australian tour, which will see them stop by the ANU Bar on Friday June 12.

Class Act You know that jerk at the back of class who mocks the teacher with hilarous voices that sound nothing like them, thinks fart noises are the height of comedy, recites sketches from Perfect Strangers (look it up) and is generally as enjoyable as an open wound - well he works on commercial radio now. Big star. But clearly you are funny and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival wants to make you a star under their Class Clowns program. Since its inception in 1996, Class Clowns has been developing the art of comedy amongst the nation’s teenage comics and is supported by teachers’ notes and online resources, as well as year-round developmental and professional workshops. Tweens and teens will be given the opportunity to work alongside some of the Comedy Festival’s finest comic talent, polishing up their own original five minutes of stand-up, sketch or musical comedy for a live public performance hosted by a professional bma magazine

In Like Fin “Keep an ear out for Sierra Fin because they bring something new and unique to Australia’s music scene” espoused the Sunday Telegraph, and we’re not one to distrust the ol’ ST! The Sydneybased four piece – described as a mix of Something For Kate and Augie March – will be striking out this April as part of their Meet & Greet tour, stopping past Bar 32 with Melbourne’s Plastic Palace Alice and local freshies Hancock Basement. Saturday April 18 is the date that will see the convergence of three bands from three different states so, as the Pope would say at Easter, get involved.

Wooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooooooooo!

The travelling gypsy band is being kept alive and well in the new world by Melbourne six-piece, The Woohoo Revue.

They’re not interested in purses of gold or carnie scams, rather cruising around the country entertaining dance floors with an energetic brand of theatrical music. Their wild arrangements of carnivale tunes combine the arts of musicianship and performance, creating an on-stage celebration for drinking, dancing and forgetting about tomorrow. The Woohoo Revue have established themselves on the festival circuit, getting the big crowds stamping their feet at The St Kilda Festival, The Brunswick Music Festival, Folk Rhythm and Life, Rainbow Serpent Festival and High Vibes. Their debut CD, Dear Animals, has attracted airplay on triple j, ABC radio and community radio stations across the country. It’s an uncompromising, intense gypsy dance album that presents some iconic and powerful versions of traditional tunes. The CD takes the listener throughout Europe whilst staying true to the band’s Melbourne dance floor roots. The Woohoo Revue have brought their fiddle, horns and tambourine-flecked rhythms to Canberra twice before. Back in town with a debut album under their belt, the band will be bringing the caravan to The Front Gallery and Café in Lyneham on Sunday April 26.

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.

I was talking to Stevie Blaze the other day – Stevie, you’ll remember, is the guitarist and main songwriter in American metal legends Lillian Axe (of which you’ll read more about next issue) and we got to talking about a mutual friend, the rock DJ Brian Pithers.

Pithers was a legend. He presented a rock show out of Reading in the South of England on Saturday nights (The Saturday Night Rock Show was what it was called, to avoid any confusion) on local station 210 FM and from the proverbial small Acorn he’d constructed a veritable Oak of a show. There was no side to Brian – what you heard was what you got – but if you’d have been minded to cut him up he’d have bled liquid metal. He lived for the stuff and his programme on a Saturday – to which you’d listen religiously in the hope you got a namecheck – was an oasis of sanity in a world of Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. Somewhat improbably, Brian Pithers’ star rose, so much so that he became A-List in the world of rock, with many stars of the late ‘80s making the trek out to Calcott to be interviewed by the great man. No local gig poster was complete without a starbust featuring the words ‘GUEST DJ BRIAN PITHERS – 210 FM!!’ Indeed at one such show in 1990, where my band at the time, Saffire, was supporting AOR Titans Romeos Daughter, Pithers, who’d been enjoying the backstage hospitality enthusiastically for some while, lurched across the room and started spraying vol-au-vents into my fastidiously coiffeured mane, informing me that ‘Saffire are a great pub metal band’. Praise indeed…

Anyways, I digress. By 1999 Pithers was a bona fide part of the furniture in the world of British rock broadcasting, but he’d failed to stick a recently-wetted finger in the air to see how the wind was blowing and his radio station, which had recently been through some sort of ‘re-energising’ process, was changing. No longer was it run by ‘into the music’ enthusiasts content to play anything their listenership wanted to listen to. Now, ’the new 2-10 FM’ was broadcasting a rigid ‘hits and memories’ format, with no space for the latest White Sister release or an in-studio unplugged set from Little Angels. The men in suits had taken over and they were gunning for Brian, whose bumbling approach to ‘driving the desk’ and yokel accent weren’t part of their plans at all.

Minutes before he went on air, Brian (who’d recently lost his mother, the only person that meant more to him than the members of Magnum and the Almighty) was told his services were being dispensed with.

Brian did what only a true pro would do and went on with the show. But he barricaded himself into the studio and, mid-way through the show, announced that he wouldn’t be broadcasting on this wavelength again.

With a wavering voice he started making varied claims and accusations and, as the radio security men broke the door to his booth down, a producer faded Brian out and replaced him with some ‘rock’ music by Queen. He was never heard from again in a broadcasting context. I later found out he’d been unemployed for a while – he sold his huge vinyl collection to get by – and then, very sadly he passed away in November 2001 at the age of 51. I was reminded on hearing the news of Brian’s own phrase that he used whenever one of rock’s greats died – “R.I.P. – not rest in peace… rock in perpetuity.” Let’s hope there’s no radio formatting in heaven.

SCOTT ADAMS

www.bmamag.com "bma: ill communication"

Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd | ABN 76 097 301 730

bma is independently owned and published Opinions expressed in bma are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or staff.

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hands! and to the cunt that has been driving my car around with stolen plates on go suck a dick faggot and to the person who tried to sell my $600 GPS that was in the car i hope you get struck by lightning. I hope that the most horrible things imaginable happen to you and your worst fears come true you fucking motherfucking asshole cunts YOU FUCKING PISSED ME OFF AND I HOPE YOU DIE! To Easter. You suck. I can't contact anyone. They're all gone. While others prance and gallavant about the place for four days like wankers I'm stuck in the office needing to contact people but being unable to contact people because IT'S FUCKING EASTER. Choke on an egg you bastards.

From the Bossman You can have marvellously entertaining weeks in this industry. One moment you’re attending an Iron Maiden film premiere in Sydney, watching your bearded British counterpart Scott Adams (an admirable ten-plus pints to the good) tumble to the tarmac sans trousers*, with Sydney’s finest the Hell City Glamours looking on paralysed with uproarious peals of laughter. The next, you have the joy of your incumbent editor being rushed to hospital during deadline week and just in time for the Easter break, fraying your nerves in more ways than one.

The “life curve ball” is hardly unique to the music industry, although it does tend to lead to more losing of garments. In short, my dear readers, while it has been a bit of a slog getting this issue out, it gives me great pleasure to introduce a brand new regular arts section called Exhibitionist for your reading pleasure. Someone suggested the title Wank!, but we determined it might be a bit too high brow.

So enjoy. And remember; if life’s getting a bit stressful or you’re feeling down, simply imagine someone’s trousers falling comically to their ankles. Works for me every time.

ALLAN “OLD GREY MARE SHE AIN’T WHAT SHE USED TO BE” SKO * I confess to editorialising somewhat; the falling down of the trousers and the tumble were actually two separate incidents spaced about an hour, or approximately four pints, apart.

thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com

bma :: Issue323

To the fucking cunts who stole my Skyline from the labour club i hope you fucking die you fucking assholes, cant even get a real job instead you have to take everyone elses hard work away from them. you are lowlife scum and a pathetic excuse for human beings. Thanks to you mother fuckers the insurance i am getting back is only half of what the car is worth because the premium was so expensive.

So you took my fucking car and on top of that leave me in $1000’s of debt i hope you are fucking proud of yourselves.

And to the person who tried to extort money out of me fuck you cunt you know how to kick someone when they’re down! and to the cops who do fuck all i HATE you - you wonder why ppl take things into their own

Fax: 02 6257 4361 Publisher Scott Layne General Manager & Advertising Manager Allan Sko: T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Julia Winterflood T: (02) 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Fahim Shahnoor : T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Arts Editor Naomi Milthorpe

Advertising Executive Danika Nayna Super Sub Editor Josh Brown Graphic Design Jenny Freeman Film Editor Mark Russell Principal Photographers (The Flashbulb Posse) Andrew Mayo/Nick Brightman/John Hatfield Issue 324 Out April 30 Editorial Deadline April 17 Advertising Deadline April 23

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Tidbits WHO BANDS FROM ALL OVER AUS WHAT GUM BALL FESTIVAL WHERE HUNTER VALLEY WHEN SAT MAY 30

The Gum Ball story started with brothers Matt and Dan Johnston, young lads from the Hunter Valley with a strong taste for music and good times, who came up with the idea of turning the front yard of their parents’ 100 acre bush property into an arena and camping area to host their own music festival. Five years later it’s evolved into a full-scale, one day family-friendly camping festival which showcases some of the best country, blues, rock, world and roots music Australia and NZ has to offer. With headliners The Fumes, one of Oz’s most explosive live acts, along with Maori soul roots songstress Mihirangi, Melbourne based Downhills Home, coastal blues patrol Marshall & The Fro and a sizeable swag of others, plus the joy of market stalls, art exhibitions, children’s playgrounds, charity fundraising, a world of gastronomic goodness and a popular BYO policy, The Gum Ball is set to be a magical day of music amongst the gumtrees. It’s all happening on Saturday May 30 at Belford in the Hunter Valley. Tickets are $70 (children U/12 free) and are available on the website www.thegumball.com.au .

WHO CLINT CRIGHTON WHAT BLUES 'N' ROOTS WHERE ANU BAR WHEN WED APR 22

The Snowy Mountains of NSW has produced many a true-blue Aussie entertainer and Clint Crighton is no exception. When most 14 year olds would’ve been sneaking beers in the park, Clint was strumming his guitar centre stage at the pub before scoring himself a three month residency at a blues club in China at age 16; also the tender age at which he released his first self produced, self funded record. Clint’s complete passion for raw and honest music has brought him a long way in a short time. As far as blues performers go, Clint is considered still a youngen’ at 23, yet the experienced musician has toured the USA, Asia and Australia supporting such familiar names as Olivia Newton-John and Counting Crows as well as achieving a management contract with the same company that handles yacht rock icons, Toto.

Clint has since taken up residency in California, back now to happily cruise around the country promoting his organic blues and roots sound.

WHO FRUITY INDIE SPINNERS WHAT PURPLE SNEAKERS WHERE TRANSIT BAR WHEN FRI APR 24

Purple Sneakers Canberra are like the indie muso friends from out of town that come down from Sydney to your place once a month. You might not hang out all that often, but when you do it’s the most kickin’ party around! Except Purple Sneakers will never leave empty beer bottles on your coffee table and full ashtrays in you kitchen. Like any good party, you need to have your local mates to join in on the fun. This month you’ll catch Architect DJs, Total Mind Fuck (Alistair Erskine and DJ Train Wreck), Will Eat Brains and Talihina Shan laying down a bunch of booty shakers. Plus, making the journey down from the big smoke this month are Purple Sneakers DJs M.I.T and Ben Lucid. Purple Sneakers Canberra will also be launching the brand new album from Modular’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs, called It’s Bliss, on the night. Check out www.boundarysounds.com for more info and giveaways.

Spoonbill has re-emerged after two years of studio toiling with his third album, Zoomorphic.

An audiovisual artist from way back, Spoonbill (aka Jim Moynihan) had his professional WHO beginnings as a creative sound and production designer, developing obscure aural sculpture SPOONBILL both commercially and as art installations. This sort of modern musical high-culture saw WHAT GROOVE-BASED the Melbournian win multiple awards and have his art-based works exhibited in museums around the world. In 2004, Spoonbill was commissioned to create the Mobile Broadcasting SOUND ART Unit; a van equipped with live audio-visual equipment which could bust-out spontaneous WHERE ROSE COTTAGE, public installations in community areas, utilising the urban environment as a concrete canvas.

CNR MONARO DR These days, Spoony creates his music to be more user-friendly and accessible to the average music lover. He melds music with organic and urban sounds, keeping his artsy roots alive by & ISABELLA DR incorporating the odd rattlesnake, siren or crushed eggshell. This latest release was described WHEN by the man himself as “a diverse musical mutant for late-night dance floors, introspective SAT APR 18 train-rides, and everything in between”. You’re certainly in for something special.

UK DJs/producers The Nextmen have put hip-hop in the back seat, bringing about a modern change for their new album. Typically purveyors of funk, soul and hip-hop, the Cambridge WHO natives decided that it was time for a sound upgrade, influenced by their live sets, which THE NEXTMEN usually delve into an array of genres, along with their record collection’s outskirts. Brad Baloo WHAT and Dom Search make up the duo that have played at just about every major club and festival ELECTRONIC SOUL worth flying to on your savings and, since the millennium turned, have produced rappers from WHERE Blackalicious to Public Enemy. The Nextmen’s change in direction has come from their selfish TRANSIT BAR need to hear a variety of music. And hey, if you’re producing your own beats, it’s probably a WHEN good idea to make something you like. Dom and Brad have decided that the neat, little hipWED APR 22 hop box has become creatively confining and are busting out with a brand new turn of the dance music tables. Check out the new sound plain and clear in The Nextmen’s latest track Join the Dots, available on their myspace - www.myspace.com/thenextmen .

WHO ASTROCHEM WHAT FUNK-FUELLED SPACE ROCK WHERE WODEN YOUTH CENTRE WHEN SAT APR 18

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Young bands often get a bad rap. Maybe it’s their red-faced, white-knuckled refusal to cover Sweet Home Alabama, or their bright-eyed inexperience against older, more gnarled competition - competition that will drop the local punters’ much loved twang-fest at a moment’s notice. Maybe they simply are not as good. Enter AstroChem, a tight-knit unit of four fresh young squires that take infinite space as their muse and diversity as their ultimate aspiration. From Daft Punk to Parliament/Funkadelic, AstroChem take influence from an eclectic range of innovators; hoping not to be the proverbial monkey that sees and does.

This group of young men are inspired and influenced by anything that funks, grooves, and amazes them. From rocking Indyfest to wowing audiences at local venues, AstroChem return to annihilate the Woden Youth Centre, Saturday April 18 at 6pm, for a trifle five Australian dollars. Joining them will be local veterans Pleased to Jive You and youthful upstarts Mercury.

With their explosive live show, this is one that the all ages scene will not want to miss.

bma magazine

One More Time Josh Brown

"Next year people probably won't give a shit about The Presets"

Is there much left for THE PRESETS to accomplish? 2008 was quite a stellar year for the insanely popular indie-electro duo. Last time I spoke with Julian Hamilton, engimatic frontman, his band’s sophomore album Apocalypso was on the verge of exploding into the mainstream and he was dialling in from sunny Berlin. Nine months have since passed and the band has enjoyed major successes at the ARIAs, triple j’s Hottest 100 music poll and the enormous charity concert, Sound Relief. This time he’s calling from the other side of the Atlantic – the American capital, Washington D.C – where he is due to take to the stage in just under an hour. So, how’s it compare to Canberra, Jules?

“It’s way bigger,” he responds with a laugh. “We’re nowhere near the White House [but the venue is in] a cool, hip little part of town.” Playing in a city bigger than Canberra, hey? Not a very difficult task to achieve, Mr Hamilton. However, after a little research, I discover that the capacity of the venue that he and sticksman Kim Moyes are playing in Washington, the 9:30 Club, is a mere 1,200. Well, I’m pleased to report that due to overwhelming demand the ‘sets have upgraded their upcoming Canberra show from the humble surrounds of the ANU Bar to the five thousand strong confines of the mighty AIS Arena.

Take that, Washington!

While this upgrade is certainly good news for both band and audience alike, I can see one potential problem here. The word “arena” is pretty much synonymous with “stadium,” the scourge of indie bands the world over. Are the Presets in danger of becoming the next big stadium band, joining the likes of Kings of Leon, Coldplay and, dare I say it, U2? “I don’t think so,” replies a fairly deadpan Hamilton. “I’m pretty sure those bands you mentioned are probably still a bit bigger than us, but that’s just another level in terms of popularity.” He finalises this particular topic of discussion by adding that “I don’t think we’ll be doing [the 21,000 person capacity] Acer Arena just yet.”

That may be so, but the Presets are no strangers when it comes to playing to large crowds. Don’t forget, the band were a part of the out of this world Daft Punk-led Nevereverland tour in late 2007. More recently, they played, quite coincidentally, alongside two of the aforementioned three big stadium bands as part of the recent Sound Relief concerts, organised to raise money for the victims of the dually devastating Victorian bushfires and Queensland floods. “It was a great day,” recalls Hamilton. “It was pulled together so quickly and we weren’t sure what to expect, ‘cause to put on a big festival like that – it’s quite a big job and takes months of planning. When they turned it around in four weeks, we thought ‘oh god’ and were kinda preparing ourselves for shit to go wrong, sound to

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cut out... but it was incredible! When we got on stage, it was so much fun. The crowd was so excited, even though it poured down with rain the whole show, so everyone was drenched. It was probably one of my favourite gigs I’ve ever done – it was really special.”

October 19 2008 surely has to go down as another special night in The Presets’ history, as it was the night the band blitzed the annual ARIA music awards.

Hamilton and Moyes took home a staggering six pointy things, including the coveted Album of the Year award, and were the only group who really posed a threat to emerging pop princess Gabriella Cilmi’s dominance of the awards. I put to Hamilton the question you’re all dying to know: was Cilmi’s poor performance at the podium a result of a little underage drinking or simple incompetence? “I don’t think she was drunk,” he ponders. “I think she’s just young and not super stage polished. Some people can get up there and really crap on and look confident and some people find it a bit more difficult. I think she’s quite sweet actually and people gave her a bit of a hard time that night. She’s just a kid, you know!”

Awful acceptance speeches aside, it must have been a pretty amazing night for you and Kim? “It was pretty horrible actually, to be honest!” replies Hamilton, somewhat surprisingly. “We were quite stressed out because we were performing right at the end of the night, so we had to sit for the whole of the awards without too much to drink and were really nervous. God, when we finally got around to performing it was such a relief. We sat back down at our table and had a scull of a huge glass of red wine to loosen up. Then we won the damn Best Album award which was amazing and then we went and did all this promo backstage. Suddenly the night was over, the place was empty and we found ourselves falling asleep in the back of a limousine going to the afterparty.” Oh, the pressures of the rock star lifestyle!

Hamilton assures me that while awards and accolades are pleasant, what it really comes down to for him is creating music. “Once we make a record – and that’s the thing we really love to do most, sitting down and making music – then you’re happy to play sell out shows, sell hundreds of thousands of records and win awards,” he explains. “All that stuff’s nice, but really we’re happiest when we’re sitting in our studio making beats and making music. That’s the really fun stuff for us. I guess with all the ARIA stuff, it’s nice to be recognised by your peers and of course it’s nice to sell more records as a result, but you’ve got to take a lot of stuff with a grain of salt. Next year people probably won’t give a shit about The Presets and they’ll be moving onto the next thing.” It’s at this point in the conversation that if I could, I would reach through the phone line and slap him for uttering such blasphemous words. Gently, of course.

The Presets will take to the stage at the AIS Arena with Van She on Wednesday May 27 to give Apocalypso one last flogging before starting work on its follow up. It's now an all ages affair, with tickets on sale from Ticketek via their website - www.ticketek.com.au .

bma magazine 11

ALL AGES

Another huge couple of weeks are coming up for Canberra’s all ages scene. It has seemed for so long that the musical gods have frowned upon the underage outcasts who are lucky enough to live in our humble city, but of late it appears that the musical floodgates have finally opened up. So, put out a few extra dog, bird or cat sacrifices (or whatever type of animal takes your fancy - remember though kids, no natives), or write a few more letters to the fairies living at the bottom of your garden (hey, who didn’t do that as a kid…) to keep the shows coming.

A massive thumbs up needs to go to the Woden and Tuggers Youth Centres who have been hosting nearly all of Canberra’s all ages shows of late. But it’s you guys that keep our all ages scene alive, so keep it up and get out and support some of the local acts coming out.

Saturday April 18 will see psychedelic space funk masters Astrochem emerge from their respective laboratories to present us with their imaginary mixture of eclectic styles. Having taken Canberra’s all ages scene by the throat and given it a fair slap across the face, Astrochem are an experience not to be missed. Wild, dangerous and explosive are just a few of the words you could use to describe this truly epic band. So sit back, close your eyes and prepare to be transported to the intergalactic universe that is Astrochem. Joining them will be fellow Canberrans Pleased to Jive You, whose success has skyrocketed since 2008, with a steadily climbing fan base. Pleased to Jive You don’t take themselves too seriously and put on a raging show, so don’t miss this dawgg. Also featuring on the bill are local boys Mercury. So get on your bike, scooter, bus, or just tell your mum you’ll clean your room if she gives you a lift and get your stinky little selves down to the Woden Youth Centre on April 18 at 6pm. But it’s strictly no drugs or alcohol guys, so leave it at home.

bma magazine 12

Canberra’s very own alternative funk rock boys Slovac are taking the stage at the Woden Youth Centre along with fellow locals Mercury and threesome Hot Pink Sky on Friday May 8. Also joining the quaternary will be 2008 Youth Rock winners Bleached Academy, straight from my beloved hometown of the Sutherland Shire. Featuring powerhouse vocals and shredding riffs, these guys have performed with the likes of Horsell Common, Dead Letter Circus and The Mission in Motion and take it from me; they put on an inspiringly energetic performance.

Against Me’s very own Tom Gabel will be rolling into the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Sunday May 10, joined by Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music.

These two are sure to make an amazing couple, both matching each other’s lyrical and melodic awesomeness. So for all you little indie and folk kids out there, don’t miss out as it’s not often two musical geniuses come together like this.

You kids just can’t get enough of the deliciously dark electro stylings of The Presets, can you? Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that the boys have upgraded their show from the ANU Bar (which was over 18s, sad face) to the AIS Arena (all ages, happy face!).

Tickets for the show on Wednesday May 27 are on sale NOW. Get to it, all the cool kids in Canberra will be there!

TOM GABEL

That’s all from me this fortnight dudes. I’ll see you in two weeks, but until then, get out and support some of the few bands who do make the effort to put a show or two on for us.

LIZ ROWLEY elizabeth_rowley@live.com.au

LOCALITY Locality is a fickle beast with voracious and eclectic tastes, so count humanity lucky that Canberra is such a hotbed of musical variety.

This fortnight offers gigs in every genre you could shake an autumn leaf at.

We know that common custom is to save the best for last, but we can’t contain our excitement over The Super Best Friends CD Launch, at the ANU Bar on Friday April 24. Anyone who attended the launch of their previous disc will remember a packed out venue and a cracking show and we expect little different this time. If you aren’t familiar with the ’Friends, they’re a stomping mix of math rock and pub rock, distinctly Australiansounding, with scathingly politicised lyrics. They’ll be ably supported by Sydney’s Death Mattel and our own Hoodlum Shouts. They always go the extra mile to create a memorable gig, so don’t miss out.

at Hippo on Friday April 17, alongside out-of-towner Sarah Humphreys. Wolf’s star has been on the rise since he won a triple j unearthed comp last year, so catch him in an intimate venue while you still can.

On the subject of Hippo, the crowds for the weekly Domus Adultus bill have been steadily growing, with an array of local musos taking advantage of the refined surrounds. Thursday April 16 features the stellar alllady line-up of Rachael Cooper, Bec Taylor and Friends, Cathy Petocz and Chanel Cole, all

brought to you by the handsome pairing of Cardboard Charlie and the Canberra Musicians Club. The ‘Charlie are hosting another awesome line-up at the Phoenix Bootleg Sessions on Monday April 20 featuring Andrew Walker, The Amazing Brainboy, The Blue Ruins and The Bluffhearts. Soak up the broad vista of Canberran original song with these two scrumptious musical tasting plates.

Mr Fibby blew our skulls off back in February with their full-length theatre show Little Girl Lost in the Devil’s Black Beard, a

perfectly chilling union of music and narrative, and overwhelming demand will see them reprise said show from the 24th to the 26th of April. This time it will be the C Block Theatre at Gorman House that will vainly try to contain the unsettling thrills of this extraordinary group. Mr Fibby have a musical bicycle.

What do you have?

As always, you can send all your local gig and band info to locality.bma@hotmail.com .

NICK DELATOVIC AND KITTY JAMES

Also playing the posterity game are folk-rock four-piece Freyja’s Rain, who’ll also be launching their EP on Friday April 24, in the wholly appropriate surrounds of The Merry Muse. Their rootsy, harmony-driven sound has been beguiling crowds for a couple of years now, so anticipation is high for both the gig and the fruits of their studio labours. The fabulous Clare Lawlor and Friends will be supporting, making it the perfect gig for an autumn night.

You may or may not be aware that Filthy McFadden’s in Kingston’s Green Square is the foreshore area’s new home of original music. Every Tuesday night the plucky young duo Bridge Between host a full bill of local talent and Locality can attest that production is slick and the atmosphere welcoming.

Those looking to sample might well head along to see Locality favourites Second Sun on Tuesday April 21.

That swashbuckling rogue PJ Wolf will be employing his sultry pipes and affecting songcraft bma magazine 13

DANCE: THE DROP Good Morrow young people of the night!

Those of you swathing around in your post-weekend haze, attempting to focus your smoky eyeballs on these tiny words while stuffing a greasy hangover hamburger into your gobs will no doubt have survived the extra long weekend - which, lets face it, these days is more about how many sleepless nights you can cram into a four day spell rather than the amount of bunny born eggs your stomach can accommodate before sending the contents back towards the sun.

Even Grover told us that ‘E is for Easter’ - what kind of scathe mental conditioning were the producers of Sesame Street aiming for there? But enough semi-relative incoherent banter, lets talk about what you are doing next weekend.

Following on from last issue, the four wise men from Friction and Lexington Music have released the first round of artists for the Warehouse Winter Music Festival and I can say it is an extremely impressive roster of national and international talent. The first round includes Armand Van Helden (USA), N.A.S.A (USA), James Zabiela (UK), Laidback Luke (Holland), John 00 Fleming (UK), Kissy Sell Out (UK), Dirty South, London Elektricity (UK), Justin Martin (USA), Guns N Bombs (Canada), Riva Starr (Italy) and Catchdubs (USA). Don’t forget to get your tickets early as this will definitely sell out, just like the Black Eyed Peas after their first album.

For those that love getting PANG’d up at Lot 33 on the weekends, Friday April 17 see’s Swedish ‘Get Physical’ tech house guru Tiger Stripes lay down some groovy electronica with local backing from Legodancer, Nolly, Offtapia, Johan Strauss, Bruisa and Biggie. Saturday April 18 promotes the return of ex pat Canberran Steve Lind supported by DJ Kiz, Hubert, and Dave Norgate. The ominous return of Australia’s #1 DJ TyDi with Hubert, Peekz and Enerv8 on Friday April 24 rounds off a stellar month of self-imposed insomnia.

TIGER STRIPES

Quirky beat purveyor Spoonbill promotes the release of his third album with the inaugural Spoonbill Olympics event at Rose Cottage on Saturday April 18, where contestants vie for the magnificent Wooden Spoon trophy. Supports for this momentous occasion will be provided

by Brainstorma (SYD), Biggie, C.L.I.Mate, Close? and Apply Steve with the action kicking off from 5pm.

Although it may sound like a protein supplement scientifically manufactured for long journeys, Transit Bar is in fact a popular Canberra nightspot. The much loved beat basement plays host to UK Hip Hop/Reggae and DnB Maestro Spikey Tee on Saturday April 18 (wow, this date is really filling up quick!) and returns with definitive party starters The Nextmen (UK) filling your Hump Day with tantalising turntablism on Wednesday April 22. The deadly duo are joined by locals The Crunch, Dubdeckerbuss, and Rowan Marsh-Croft (aka Faux Real).

Finally, I would like to remind all the screaming teenagers that Sneaky Sound System will soon be returning from a year long Canberran hiatus. The cheeky trio have just kicked off their International Poptronica tour which will see them return with their full live band to rock the UC Refectory on Saturday May 2, presented by Friction and Lexington Music. Tickets can be purchased from the usual outlets.

Wow, its almost May, which is funnily enough the month of my birth so start thinking of cool things to buy and cover in shiny paper to leave mysteriously on my doorstep with a vague and amusing note. Oh and just so you know, flaming dog poop is sooo 2008. Ciao TIM GALVIN bma magazine 14

tim.galvin@live.com.au

IIceberg Shailla Van Raad

Dead Ahead!

SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM are a band that has risen up through the

contentious wank of dance slash pop slash electro music and held their own - both in the Sydney pop-dance scene and nationally. Rising stars since 2006, the core trio of Black Angus (Angus McDonald – chief songwriter and producer), MC Double D (Daimon Downey) and Connie Mitchell (vocals), augmented by Peter Dolso (guitar), Jono Sloan (bass) and Felix Bloxom (drums), are musicians that simply can’t be ignored. Especially when they are repeatedly ghetto-blasted every weekend through the streets of Civic and every other city centre throughout the country.

Daimon drawls down the phone line; “What colour is your hair? Mmm… brunette, that sounds nice… and your eyes? Maybe we’ll cross paths someday… I’ll look forward to it.” Male-elevated bravado or schmoozing tactics? Either way, I don’t think he needs it, as he’s part of a band that’s on it’s way to becoming a household pop icon for the new century.

Sneaky Sound System have toured with the likes of Robbie Williams and played at the biggest music festivals around Australia. “I think one of the most memorable moments that I’ve had with the band is walking on stage at the Robbie Williams concert,” remembers Daimon. “There were about 70,000 people present and to the band, and me, it was like a fucking dream come true. Playing at Good Vibrations was also amazing, because we were louder than the PA.” For all their fame, Daimon still points out that the guys in the band are just normal people who like to chill out and dance silly. “As I get older, I like to watch a little bit of television after a gig. I don’t dance my age and that’s probably a good thing.”

Australia has some fucking It all started at a dress up party, as good music in the dance scene.

MC Daimon explains. “Mr McDonald We are just the tip of the iceberg (Angus) and I met at a friend’s party. It was a Cowboys and Indians theme. I was wearing chaps and Mr McDonald had this little flute which I stole. We became friends and the rest was history.”

From the loins of this man-love friendship sprung forth Sneaky Sundays.

“Initially, it was just Mr McDonald and I. We were a party band, he would DJ and I would MC,” explains Daimon. “We had a studio in Bondi Beach. We were called Sneaky Sundays back then.” This band was the first incarnation of the saccharine-synth-pop candy that was to come.

“Angus and I have been around in the music scene for quite some time, some nine or ten years, so we’re not really a new band. We’ve had experience in dealing with the music industry - we’re not a naïve band.”

Sneaky Sound System is now three eclectic individuals who are held together by their notoriety and love of catchy hooks. Their music is all subsequently mashed together, as if through a musical mincer, into a distinct Sydney style to achieve the final globular mass product of melodic pop and bass-injected music.

But it has obviously been a long journey for the band. As Daimon describes his own beginnings in Sydney we can see each member has an interesting story to tell: “I came to Sydney as an artist. I completed art school, I haven’t studied music but Connie and Angus have both had musical training. Connie went to music school and Angus has been playing the guitar since he was a little boy. He composes and writes most of the band’s music.”

Sneaky Sound System have won the Best Dance Release and Breakthrough Artist awards at the 2007 ARIA Music Awards and more recently have been nominated for several other trophies: one for MTV Australia and another for the ARIA Artisan awards. But the ego trip that usually comes with such massive success hasn’t altered the band at all, least of all Daimon, as he claims. ”I think I’ve coped with the ego trip that comes with fame. Nothing really has changed because since I was a child I’ve always thought I was famous anyway, so the fame associated with the success of the band hasn’t really made me change my attitude.

Nothing is really any different in the way that I view things.”

Tooting the dance music horn, Sneaky Sound System believes that “Australia has some fucking good music in the dance scene. We (as a band) are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s some amazing talent coming out of this country and there’s more to come.”

Zooming confidently into the future, Sneaky Sound System are preparing for a jetsetting lifestyle to match their rising status. “We’re just about to release our new single Sixteen then pack our Samsonite suitcases and jet plane off to London. Then we’re off to New York where we’ll spend the rest of the year.”

So what’s next: an experimental album? Daimon denies musical diversification with a snort. “I think we’ll stick to the genre that we know best, electronic pop music, and not experiment too much with others. I’m sure there will be surprises along the way but first we’ll have to surprise ourselves before we surprise you.” I’m sure we, the adoring public, will be looking forward to the next jack-in-the-box dance slash pop slash electro music success around the corner.

Catch Sneaky Sound System at the UC Refectory on Saturday May 2.

Tickets available through Ticketek, Landspeed Records, Parliament Clothing and inthemix.com.au .

Daimon, when questioned, is obviously a ladies man. Though he declares it was easy to resist the charms of their gorgeous lead singer, Connie, even when they first met, because he prefers blondes to brunettes. “We met Connie in Hyde Park, of all places. She looked really interesting and very cute, sitting there, playing her guitar. Angus and I went up to her and asked her to join our band and the rest is history…

I’ve never been romantically involved with Connie. I like to keep it professional. In any case, I prefer blondes. There’s nothing sacrilegious about liking blondes when you are one too.”

This was a denial which I would have believed if Daimon hadn’t tried to make an impaling-your-eyeballs-on-hot-poker-sticks mistake: by trying his hand at sweet-talking the interviewer. Crooning contradictorily, bma magazine 15

Rollin' High R Peter Krbavac Brad X, MC and spokesman for Orange County, California hip-hop collective KOTTONMOUTH KINGS sounds understandably distracted. My call catches the group on their tour bus during the final week of their Bring Tha Noize American tour. In fact, I’ve literally caught them at the tail end of the gruelling cross-country slog. “We’re wrapping up our tour here,” Brad says with an understandable air of relief. “We’re about half an hour from home right now, we’ve been gone for about six weeks. It’s definitely been a great tour but we’re happy to get home.”

As mobile reception drops in and out intermittently, Brad admits that the grind of the gigging circuit can sometimes get a little too much.

“You get 12 people on a bus for six weeks, probably 100,000 miles, 38 shows - something crazy like that - and it wears you down, but that’s the life we chose. But the fans, the shows make it worth it,” he says vehemently.

“It does take its toll, no doubt about it. All the wear and tear on your voice, being away from home, not getting a lot of sleep - all of those things.”

It’s upon this dogged work ethic and an unflinching independent stance that the Kottonmouth Kings empire was built. Since they exploded forth from the boom boxes of teenagers everywhere in the late-‘90s via the Scream 2 soundtrack, which featured their jam Suburban Life, the self-styled “psychedelic hip-hop punk rock” group have simply not let up. Despite their avid enthusiasm for the sweet leaf - a topic covered frequently and extensively throughout their discography - the group’s ludicrously prolific output suggests anything but a bunch of sluggish stoners messing about with some drum machines. Since their debut LP, 1998’s Royal Highness, Kottonmouth Kings have release an average of one full-length a year - setting a pace perhaps only rivalled by often misguided studio dedication of alt-country poster boy Ryan Adams. And all these releases through their own record label, Suburban Noize.

"Some of the topics that we sing about obviously aren't too popular with the mainstream" “We do what we do,” Brad says simply. “We just put out the releases we like to put out and kids get it, whether they get it from the internet or wherever. Word of mouth just kind of spreads on this band. We don’t get a lot of mainstream media - we’re definitely an underground band. We have our own record company, Suburban Noize records, and we’re pretty much self-empowered and we do our own thing. We write our own rules.”

But despite this, Brad maintains Kottonmouth Kings are by no means wilfully obscure. “We put our music out there, we have music videos if the stations wanna play them,” he points out. “We’d be happy if they played them, but we just pretty much assume that they’re not going to,” he laughs. “I don’t know why - some of the topics that we sing about obviously aren’t too popular with the mainstream. We sing about personal freedom, stuff that’s important to us, smoking weed and having a good time and partying and sometimes that doesn’t sit well with the advertisers that are paying their bills.”

To mark their impending 11th LP, Hidden Stash IV, Kottonmouth Kings are jetting over for their second Australian jaunt, this time joined by similarly chronic-fuelled hip-hop legend Sen Dog from Cypress Hill.

“I can’t wait to get there!” Brad exclaims. “It’s kinda like a vacation for us.

Obviously we work, we’ve got 15 shows over there, so it’s not really a vacation, but it’s always great to go to another country. You guys have a really relaxed demeanour; everyone seems to just pretty much enjoy life. Australians are pretty easy going, like to party, like to have a good time and they seem to appreciate the music we put out so that makes it worth coming over there.”

bma magazine 16

Kottonmouth Kings, Sen Dog and Recoil hit the ANU Bar on Saturday May 2.

Tickets are available from www.moshtix.com.au and www.oztix.xom.au .

EXHIBITIONIST bell shakespeare's The Alchemist

THE CON Naomi Milthorpe “They’re all greedy in one way or another, they all want to get ahead,” If this sounds like an analysis of the bankers and stock brokers and loansharks that have brought our world to its knees with the GFC, then you’d be right – which just goes to show how relevant 17th century satirical theatre is, even in the computer age.

Following from last year’s crackingly radical Anatomy Titus, Bell Shakespeare’s latest coproduction with the Queensland Theatre Company is Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist. Jonson’s satire exposes the scammers, charlatans and con-artists of the Jacobean era but, agrees actress-comedian Liz Skitch, things are much the same now.

“It’s happening on a much larger scale now,” says Skitch, relating a by-now familiar tale of a family member targeted by an internet scam.

And whether they’re taken in by ‘lottery winnings’, Nigerian trust funds, or penis enlargements, Jonson’s satire points out that the people conned are as much to blame as the con-artists. “The characters that are gulled kind of deserve to be,” Skitch says.

“They want to take the fast lane.”

The Alchemist (not to be confused with the Paulo Coehlo novel) centres on a trio of scammers – Subtle, the supposed alchemist, his partner, the butler Face, and a prostitute, Dol Common. Face’s master flees London due to plague and the three take over the house, putting about that Subtle has discovered the philosopher’s stone (which supposedly turns base metals into gold). Subtle and Face are forced into a series of convoluted, hilarious scams as they try to con as much cash as possible out of their gulls, and outwit their patrons, the clergy, and the law.

The Bell-QTC co-pro, hitting the Canberra stage from April 24 to May 9, has been directed by John Bell himself and features Patrick Dickson as Subtle, Andrew Tighe as Face, and Georgina Symes as the saucy Dol. Skitch, a

Brisbane actress and stand-up comedian, plays Dame Pliant, a beautiful widow that throws “a spanner in the works” of the trio’s swindle-job.

“I like to say it’s for my looks,” jokes Skitch.

It could be as much for her comic timing. Jonson’s play is high-speed satire, full of zanies and gulls, vice and folly. Jonson – a contemporary of Shakespeare’s and one of the fathers of comic theatre – creates a world peopled by comic types who represent the worst of the worst, hypocrites, criminals, and bottom-feeders. A vision this dark requires perfect comic ability not to send the audience into a spiral of hatred.

Lucky then, that Skitch is such an adept.

“I did my training in theatre, but I gradually specialised more and more in comedy,” says the stand-up, one half of triple j Raw Comedy finalists The Gooney Girls. “After years of doing stand-up, turning up to audition for John Bell is nothing,” she jokes.

EXHIBITIONIST Despite Bell’s daunting standing in the Oz theatrical world, his enthusiasm for both the theatre from page to stage was, says Skitch, infectious.

“I was really nervous at first […], but he’s really not intimidating as a director. Being an actor-director, he’s very on his feet. Even when he’s sitting down watching you on stage, his whole body is moving, because he’s so connected to what’s happening on stage.

“He’s a gorgeous, passionate soul, which creates a lovely energy […] we’ve all really made the characters our own,” One of the major roadblocks presented by the Jacobean theatre for any 21st century actor – or audience – is the language. Jonson’s play is filled with double - and triple- meanings, archaisms, and convoluted argumentation, designed to confuse the gullible characters and dazzle the audience.

bell shakespeare's The Alchemist

THE CON cont'd

“When you sit around a table reading it, it’s quite hard,” agrees Skitch.

“Some words have double meanings when spoken aloud.

“But the minute we started moving it, we understood it.”

This, of course, is one of the things to remember with theatre. It’s all very well to read these classic plays in the comfort of your lounge room, but until you mosey into an auditorium and see the words spoken by a flesh’n’blood person, a human being who can transform the text into real words, you can’t get what any play is really on about. The meaning of the theatre lies in the ways in which actors and their director push the play into a tangible, living production. And the audience is as much a part of the process, especially with a comedy like The Alchemist.

“Rehearsing a comedy without an audience, it gets quite challenging,” says Skitch, who is looking forward to the Canberra leg of the Alchemist tour. “You think it’s funny, but you don’t know until an audience arrives.”

bma magazine 18

Bell – and the audience – needn’t worry. From the reception the show has gotten in other cities, we in Canberra should be in from a good time. Skitch agrees.

“It’s a real romp,” Bell Shakespeare and the Queensland Theatre Company present Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist, directed by John Bell. There are preview performances on April 24 and 25 with the season opening at The Playhouse on Tuesday April 28 and running to Saturday May 9. Tickets $60/$50/$30 for U27. For info and to book call Canberra Ticketing on 6275 2700 or head to the website at www.canberratheatre.org.au .

bma magazine 19

EXHIBITIONIST Poets can sign up from 7pm, with the performance starting from 7.30, but the twist of the night is that punters can also sign up to be judges.

Judges should “preferably hate poetry”, says Hadley, “but they get 10% off their beers.”

“They can yell abuse,” adds Galan.

“Maybe we can arrange party hats,” suggests Ellis.

SLAM DUNK (DA POETRY) Courtney Boot

“One person, one microphone, and the audience.” This is the basic idea of performance poetry, and the main principle of Canberra’s new slam night opening at the Phoenix on Tuesday April 21: BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! But if it sounds daunting, it shouldn’t.

The night’s organisers, Adam Hadley, Andrew Galan, and Michael Ellis, are getting back to the roots of poetry slam: inclusiveness, encouraging individuality and creativity, and much silliness.

B!S!N!B! is, in essence, an open mic night. Ten poets will perform over several hours, with sacrificial poets drawn from Canberra’s performance poetry community and a featured interlude performer. There are prizes donated from Smith’s Bookshop and Impact Comics, and a scoring system that ranges from ten (the highest) to negative infinity. The first BAD!SLAM! night will feature BMA’s Locality Columnist Nick Delatovic performing custommade songs for the audience, and a sacrificial performance from Julian Fleetwood, the organiser of The Front Gallery’s Canberra Poetry Slam night.

bma magazine 20

Talking with the BAD!SLAM! boys, you get the distinct impression that the off-putting cliché of performance poetry – that it’s a massive wank – won’t be a danger on these nights. Humour – and making an arse of yourself in the name of good performance – seems to dominate every principle of BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! And while the one major rule for slammers is “no instruments or musical backing” (there’s that principle: one mic and the audience), performers can use the allotted two minutes of performance time to do pretty much “whatever,” says Hadley, “monologues, poems, rants, hip-hop, rhymes, stories.”

“But no props,” says Galan.

“I want to be able to get up and do whatever the fuck I want,” says Ellis.

Apart from sharing MC duties, Ellis, Hadley and Galan will also do regular performance pieces. The idea is, says Hadley, “to step out of your comfort zone and do something ridiculous.”

And no matter how ridiculous, performers will be given good feelings.

The idea behind this slam night – and the basic impetus of slam, begun in Chicago in the '80s as a reaction to the wanky exclusivity of poetry readings – is “hate the poem, love the poet,” says Hadley.“All poets get free hugs after the performance. Poetry slams are really inclusive things.”

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! is held at The Phoenix Bar from 7pm on the third Tuesday of every month, starting from April 21. Poets and judges sign up from 7pm and the slam kicks off at 7.30pm. Entry is free but donations to the Phoeno chamber pot are encouraged.

OUR HOUSE Naomi Milthorpe

to go with your art – five hundred smackers a week, to be exact – is a good thing, first and foremost because it allows for oodles of creative freedom. Open House has always been about developing something new, something different and challenging.

Last year’s Open House recipient, Cathy Petocz, is a perfect example.

The 2008 residency saw Petocz create an installation work titled The Booth. The work used cardboard to create disposable constructs in order to explore the way the body inhabits space. The initial installation of The Booth at the 2008 Open House has grown into something greater, which will hopefully appear at Newcastle’s This Is Not Art festival in October.

Says Petocz: “Open House was the perfect testing ground - we failed, we succeeded, we discovered new ideas waiting for us.”

It’s been a fixture on the young’n’emerging scene since 2005, but this year Canberra Youth Theatre’s OPEN HOUSE scheme, aimed at emerging artists aged 18 to 25, has gotten bigger and better. In 2009 the residency at C Block Theatre will be offered not once, but twice, and will be open to both ACT and interstate emerging artists. Each selected artist will receive two weeks, uninterrupted, rent-free access to C Block, the support of CYT’s staff, and access to resources in order to develop and create a work of theatrical art. Even better in these times of GFC, this year the residency has a stipend attached.

“The last two years it’s become apparent that the artists want to commit to staying in the space and commit to taking theatrical risks,” says Pip Buining, Artistic Director of Canberra Youth Theatre. “The thing that has been holding them back is the reality of having to pay rent and having to eat.” And even though it’s smashing a perfectly acceptable starving artist cliché, there’s little doubt that having a little bit of moolah

Applications have closed for Open House #1 in June, but there is still time to apply for the second residency in December. Emerging artists should contact CYT for details on how to apply.

Buining hopes that this year’s applicants will strive to achieve similar artistic highs, to explore and develop and create something different from the usual theatre arts fare we see in Canberra.

“Open House isn’t really about someone coming and rehearsing a project that’s already in existence. It’s not about coming and doing a straight-laced production of Romeo and Juliet,” Buining stresses. “It’s really about supporting artists who want to take theatrical risks, and who have a unique voice. There are a lot of opportunities in Canberra for young people to engage in conventional theatrical practice. [Open House] is about looking at the other side of theatre arts.”

Canberra Youth Theatre invites young independent artists aged 18-25 to apply for Open House #2. The Open House #2 residency will take place from December 1 to 13. Applications for Open House #2 are due on Wednesday July 1. To apply, contact Pip Buining on 6248 5057 or pip@cytc.net .

bma magazine 21

EXHIBITIONIST UNINHIBITED Holy artwank! BMA’s newest baby is birthed into the world, an eight page editorial indecent exposure of all the wacky, trad, underground, overground artforms you can handle.

Yes, Exhibitionist is long overdue in a town which has in the past few years defenestrated local arts coverage.

Anyone’d think, from reading the rags, that nothing arty happens in this town.

Well, Uninhibited is here to say that anyone is wrong.

There’s plenty on, as you will see. This lil’ town of ours is filled to busting with art. On any given day you could, free of charge, mosey over to CCAS at Gorman House or in Manuka, or to the Front Gallery at Lyneham shops, or to ANCA in Dickson or the Drill Hall Gallery at the ANU to see painting, sculpture and photography from budding young artists or living legends. Theatre abounds, from the babysteps brilliance offered up by ANU Drama Honours students, to traditional perfectionism from any of Canberra’s pro-am companies, to professional work from The Street or any one of the major tourists that travel here, and there are theatres in every district (yes, even Tuggeranong…).

Opportunity knocks for anyone who wants to give creation a try: from annual artsACT funding to programs that encourage emerging artists (see our story on CYT’s Open House scheme). This is the thing: we think, because Canberra is a public service, bourgeois town, that nothing is created here. But it’s because we in the N.C. are so public service, so stridently middle-class, that we have this wealth of beauty on offer. In this town, anyone – and probably everyone – is an artist. Canberra is a smorgasbord. Go on. Taste it.

A few changes: the nappy-trained Theatre Column has been put to its dry bed, replaced by this editorial column. No doubt Uninhibited will echo TC’s mindless gonzo ranting, but the reader can now expect vilification and abuse directed at all art forms: high art, low art and whatever happens in between. And this is what the section will set in its sights. Exhibitionist will cover everything from theatre, visual art, dance, performance art, stand up, poetry, panto, cabaret, classical and oddball music, to the artists who create them. Articles and artist profiles, reviews and tidbits, Exhibitionist aims to cover local and touring arts, major shows and those tiny, mind-blowing back alley works whose audiences can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

For the first issue, we’re covering as many bases as possible, from a major touring theatre production (the Bell-QTC collaboration on The Alchemist) to poetry slam (BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! at the Phoenix) and music-theatre mashup (Mr Fibby). Meet our first profiled artist, theatre-maker Jordan Best, who is directing The Three Musketeers for Ickle Pickle at the Street Theatre 'til April 25, and check out Bit Parts for a taste of what else is on in the ’berra over the coming weeks. The possibility of filling every night of the week with art, canapés and questionable wine is becoming a probability.

Come on. Join us for one.

NAOMI MILTHORPE princessnaea@gmail.com

TELLING FIBBS Tom Barebones-Abraham Fringegoers at the 2009 Festival would recognize the name of MR FIBBY’s recent project, which they are remounting at C Block this fortnight: Little Girl Lost In The Devil’s Black Beard. Mr Fibby frontman Hadley spoke to Exhibitionist about the show and the band’s plans for the future.

Mr Fibby – Hadley, guitarist Sam King, violinist Emma Kelly and cellist Grahame ‘Spike’ Thompson – play a style of music unique in Canberra, a blend of gypsy-folk music and spoken word story cycles. With influences ranging from Hoffman, Gogol and Edgar Allan Poe to Mojo Juju and Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, Mr Fibby’s sound has engrossed punters around our Nation’s Capital. A definite flavour of the theatrical imbues the band’s sound, a darkly Gothic cabaret focused through Hadley’s performance of the stories. “We always did theatre in music venues,” says Hadley, but the idea with Little Girl Lost... was to do “music in a theatre venue, and theatre in a theatre venue.”

The show, for anyone who saw it, was a massive success, a cycle of stories centred on the ugliest little girl in the world. The little girl’s biscuit-tin violin is stolen by the devil and in order to get it back she travels through hell, meeting a succession of ghoulish creatures. The narrative is underscored by charming, haunting music created by King, Kelly and Thompson. The show, as the band describes it, is “a fist in the air for the unlucky, the unloved, and the ugly. It is music, it is theatre, it is neither. It is a whirling dervish of despair.”

The show grew from “a whole bunch of different stories that slowly knitted together,” says Hadley, and which were influenced heavily by fairy tales and folk tales. The aim was “to frame story telling in a theatrical and musical context.” The “long-form story” of the little girl lost in hell works both through Hadley’s compellingly idiosyncratic embodiment of each character and of the narrator, No Imporant, and through King, Kelly and Thompson’s creation of musical personae that focus the theatricality of the band’s musical style.

The group will perform Little Girl Lost... at C Block this fortnight, but have other irons in the fire, such as running collaborative workshop, as well as performing at Folkie this year, mixing their EP, and taking their material on the road to the Crack Festival, part of this year’s This Is Not Art festival in Newcastle.

Mr Fibby present Little Girl Lost In The Devil’s Black Beard at C Block Theatre, Gorman House, from April 24 to 26 at 8pm. There may also be matinee performances, maybe. Tickets can be pre-purchased from The Front Gallery and Café or at the door. For info and ticket enquiries call Hadley on 0422 977 315, and check out the website at www.mrfibby.com .

bma magazine 22

ARTIST PROFILE: JORDAN BEST

What do you do? I am an actor/director. I also do a bit of singer/ songwriting, a bit of costume, set and sound design and I have been know to operate lights and sound on occasion...

How did you get into your discipline? I was in Year 11 and I played Harpagon in a school production of Moliere’s The Miser. It was directed by a bloke called Terry Brady, who treated me like a real actor, not like a kid. I guess that was a bit of a defining moment. When I moved back to Canberra a good mate of mine, Matt Thomas, told me he wanted to start a theatre company and wanted me to direct. We started Centrepiece Theatre and I directed my first show (Moliere’s The Miser) and I haven’t really looked back. While I think I will always be tempted to take on acting roles, it’s directing that really makes my heart beat faster.

Who or what influences your work? I love a good story, which I suppose is what will draw me to a script, but I also find other people’s passion and talent amazingly inspiring. The cast will influence what I end up doing with a show, no matter what preconceived ideas I have.

What’s your opinion of the local scene? I love Canberra. I have lived and worked in Melbourne and Sydney and they are fantastic cities with amazing arts scenes, but I could never have done what I have done here anywhere else. It is an amazing training ground for all artists. I wish there was more money to go around, but that is a problem wherever you go.

The diversity of theatre you can see here is amazing for such a tiny city.

What makes you laugh? Monty Python. Cycling gear. Jay Sullivan.

People being swooped by magpies in spring. The Belconnen Mall. My son. Oh, and farts. Farts are always funny.

What pisses you off? The politics involved in this industry. Paying six bucks for a punnet of strawberries and finding that half of them are moldy. The pushy ladies at the front desk of the gym.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far?

I suppose my little boy, William, who just turned 2. Apart from growing an entire human being, I would have to say the production of Wolf Lullaby our company did in 2006. Hardly anybody saw it, but it was a blinder of a show. The cast was amazing, the design (by Gillian Schwab) was perfect and I did a pretty good job, I think.

What are your plans for the future? Gulp. I would love to be able to make enough money from directing to be able to focus on that.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions?

I’m directing The Three Musketeers for Ickle Pickle Productions, which opens at the Street Theatre on the 15th of April. In October/November I’m directing Cat on a Hot Tin Roof for Free Rain. Apart from that, I am open to suggestions.

Describe you/your work in one word: Heartful (is that a word?

It should be...)

Contact info: jordanbest@homemail.com.au 0417 900 409 bma magazine 23

EXHIBITIONIST WHO: Belconnen Community Arts WHAT: In2CHANGE Festival WHEN: April 20 - 24 WHERE: Belconnen Bus Interchange In2CHANGE is a youth arts festival celebrating the end of an era: before the decommissioning of the Belco Bus Interchange in May, Belconnen Community Centre will host a week of art activities and installations centred in and around the interchange.

Opportunities abound for young performers, who can join in Flash Point Theatre workshops with theatremaker Robin Davidson, graffiti workshops, or perform songs, stand-up, or poetry at the lunchtime concerts. Check it out before the interchange gets stripped and Canberra loses an icon of its disaffected youf. And the best part is, everything is free! For info on the festival and if you want to perform, contact Belco Arts and Cultural Development Officer Simone Penkethman on 6264 0235 or Simone.Penkethman@bcsact.com.au . NAOMI MILTHORPE WHO: Derek O’Connor WHAT: Exhibition While You Were Art WHEN: Until May 2, 11am - 5pm, Tues to Sat WHERE: Helen Maxwell Gallery, 42 Mort St, Braddon Derek O’Connor is without doubt one of Canberra’s most interesting and well-known artists, and if you’re not familiar with his work then I suggest you fix this toot-sweet.

While You Were Art, his latest exhibition, is a truly awesome collection of prints created using deconstructed collages of found images, photographs and text. It’s the kind of art that everyone wants to make, but few people make it this well. YOLANDE NORRIS WHO: You! WHAT: artsACT Funding WHEN: Applications due May 27 WHERE: www.arts.act.gov.au artsACT opened the 2010 ACT Arts fund for applications on April 1 2009. The fund is open to “all artists, groups and organisations for projects or programs of activity in any art form that support, promote, present, develop or provide access to high-quality arts in the ACT in 2010”. Basically this means that you can sing, dance, act or write for a government-subsidised supper. Get cracking, because applications for

BIT PARTS

Program Funding, Project Funding, Community Arts Funding, ACT Creative Arts Fellowships, ACT Poetry Prize and the ACT Book of the Year Award categories are due by 5pm on Wednesday May 27 2009. FIONA ATKIN WHO: Megalo’s 2008 printmakers-in-residence WHAT: Exhibition In Residence WHEN: Until April 18th, 9.30am - 5pm, Tues to Sat WHERE: Megalo Print Studio & Gallery, 49 Phillip Ave Watson The un-creatively named In Residence is a group exhibition of artists who were printmakers-in-residence at Megalo Print Studio last year. Group shows like this are a great way to introduce yourself to forms of art that you might not be familiar with, so this is your chance to wrap your head around the world of print-making. It is also a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the massive collaborative prints made by Canberra group Culture Kitchen, who have paired up with artists from legendary underground art collectives in Indonesia and Timor Leste. Another politically-charged highlight from the show is Alison Alder’s series of screenprints that deal with issues surrounding the Northern Territory Intervention. YOLANDE NORRIS WHO: Stacks of artists WHAT: Exhibition Phoenix Prize for Spiritual Art WHEN: Until April 25th, 10.30am - 5pm Tues to Fri and 12 - 5pm Sat WHERE: ANU School of Art Gallery, Ellery Cres, ANU. Note: Do not be put off by the title of this show! This exhibition includes the work of 26 artists who were finalists in the Phoenix Prize for Spiritual Art, and in this case, the definition of ‘spiritual’ is as broad as they come! Ultimately, this is just an amazing collection of artists in all sorts of media who make artwork about ‘that which is intangible’. Local sculptor Kensuke Todo was awarded the prize this year, and when you see his incredible steel sculpture in the School of Art Gallery you’ll know why.

(Pictured: Takashimaya By Kensuke Todo). YOLANDE NORRIS WHO: Canberra Repertory WHAT: Amy’s View by David Hare WHEN: May 1 to 23 WHERE: Theatre 3, Ellery Crescent, ANU. David Hare, if you don’t know the name, is pretty much kingshit of the British stage. His writing is taut, beautiful, devastating, and it’s a pleasurable prospect to see another Hare being produced on the Canberra stage. Rep is performing Hare’s 1997 play Amy’s View, "a tribute both to the power of theatre and the survival of moral integrity in a deeply hostile environment." Tickets are $35/$27 at Theatre 3 or book on 6257 1950.

For more info about Canberra Repertory’s 2009 season, check out their website at www.canberrarep.org.au . NAOMI MILTHORPE

bma magazine 24

What they do is SECRET SECRE ECRET Katy Hall There must be something in the water in Perth. The slew of top notch Australian bands that emerge from our country’s most isolated major city has been begrudgingly recognised by the rest of us living in other parts of this wide brown land for years. With a lineage that begins with the likes of seminal rock band The Triffids, moves on to icons like the Hoodoo Gurus and, in more recent years, alternative darlings including Little Birdy and Eskimo Joe, THE DIRTY SECRETS are the latest and greatest that Perth has to offer. Like many emerging bands on the scene they follow the classic rock formula: after meeting gradually through different bands and being on the local scene together, eventually this foursome got together and started to make records.

We’re like vegetables rather than McDonalds The Dirty Secrets self-titled debut saw them working with production heavyweights Nick Terry and Alan Brey, of Klaxons, Franz Ferdinand and the Libertines fame. “That was great,” says frontman Jarrah McLeary. “They were really professional and we had a lot of fun with them, even though we were pretty nervous. They got a lot out of us and we made an album we were all really happy with.” Songs such as Five Feet of Snow and My Heart is on Fire were huge hits in 2008 and the album was received with open arms both in Australia and internationally. Their brand of pop rock smashes through what a lot of bands attempt to do but fall short of.

It seems that big things are to come as tales of broken barriers and screaming fans precede the band. In 2007 when supporting Muse on their Australian tour, the band was forced to leave stage mid-set after the fans broke down the barrier. “It wasn’t actually that bad,” Jarrah explains.

“The screws were loose. We had to go off stage while security fixed it but then we continued to play. It was pretty scary though being up on stage and watching all of these people surging around.” Despite such mishaps, McLeary says that playing live is what the band loves the most.

“It’s cool knowing that we’re helping the crowd have a good time. We’re like good clean fun. Wholesome,” McLearly states thoughtfully. “We’re like vegetables, rather than McDonalds.”

Taking a break from recording new tracks, The Dirty Secrets have just embarked on an east coast tour with Melbourne up-and-comers The Skybombers. I ask what it’s like to be on the road with each other for such long periods of time. “You have to learn how to respect people’s boundaries," Jarrah says. "You become really involved with the people you’re touring with and when you play music together it becomes less about the music and more about the relationships you make. But we haven’t come to swinging any punches yet.”

Transmission is the latest single from The Dirty Secrets and presents a faster pace and a slightly harder-hitting sound from the band - with a collection of other new songs to be heard at upcoming gigs. If it’s anything to go by though, their second album is set to be just as successful as the first and should position The Dirty Secrets as the most promising thing to come from way out west in a long time.

The Dirty Secrets are playing at the ANU Bar on Thursday April 16 with The Skybombers and local guests. Tickets are $10 on the door, from 8pm.

bma magazine 25

Chocolate Starfish Hill Catherine Woods Blue M&Ms and 14 different types of beer. According to STARFISH HILL, these are the backstage essentials that will be on the rider once they graduate to stadium shows. Citing influences including U2, it would seem that stadium performances are the ultimate destination for these energetic up-and-comers. Their recent triumph at the University of Canberra Battle of the Bands competition has ensured they are certainly closer to the bright lights.

Starfish Hill have been performing since 2008, after forming their original line-up - including ex-guitarist Lachlan Thomas - during their final school year. In 2008, they won the UpStep band competition and this year were required to make more space in the trophy room after winning the UC's band competition.

Upstep is a community-focussed music competition, designed to give local bands an opportunity to display their talent, network with other bands and inspire young musicians in the belief that they can ‘make it’ in the music industry.

The competition embraces all music genres and plays an essential role in raising awareness of local talent and providing a stepping stone to further exposure and commercial success.

Boasting a confident and crowdwinning approach to live performance, Starfish Hill have won over the music scene in Canberra and future plans involve broadening their national

bma magazine 26

A classic scenario before a gig is Richard and Brendan arguing about who has the biggest muscles and Frank running late fanbase. Unsurprisingly, they namecheck bands who rely on mindexpanding, theatrical live performances to showcase music made for the stadium as key influences - U2, The Mars Volta and Red Hot Chili Peppers amongst others.

BMA's David Butler said their UC band comp win celebrated Starfish Hill’s way of “genuinely, unashamedly enjoying themselves on stage, which is really captivating for an audience.

It was the mixture of good music and a good stage show that won them the competition,” he said. “Some bands did the music thing well but didn’t do enough performance-wise. Others did great stage shows but the music wasn’t quite there. Starfish Hill managed to do both better than anyone else on the day.”

Butler describes their music as “a joyous breed of indie pop that weaves guitar melodies and vocal hooks around with skill.” He applauded Tim Dyer’s strength as a singer and his presence as a live performer.

Dyer says the band doesn’t think over their performances prior to getting on stage. “A classic scenario before a gig is Richard and Brendan arguing about who has the biggest muscles and Frank running late.” Dyer is usually seeking a bit of liquid confidence at the bar before taking the stage.

The focus for the band is to continue to perform live and share their music with audiences nationally. “Because we are all studying, making extensive travel plans can be hard,” Dyer admits. “There’s a few plans in the works for Sydney and Melbourne shows in the coming months.”

The boys are also working on the release of an EP later in the year, having just finished recording a four-track demo. Dyer encourages fans to visit the Starfish Hill myspace page throughout April to get exclusive access to the recordings and to stay informed of upcoming live performances and band news.

You can catch Starfish Hill at 3.30pm in Garema Place on April 18, later that night at the ANU Bar, and again at the ANU on April 25. For more details, keep your eyes glued to www.myspace.com/starfishhill .

Kind of Blue Justin Hook As usual I find myself interrupting musicians ordering desert. Well, what I thought was Gary Louris ordering ice cream was actually Gary Louris ordering his children to finish their after-dinner delights so the family can all get back to this week's Rockology lesson: The Who. “He’s watching them on an old Smoothers Brothers show. It’s just reminded me how much I love Pete Townsend. He was so aggressive.”

Aggressive is not an adjective normally associated with Gary Louris, the on/off/on co-leader of alt-America stalwarts THE JAYHAWKS. In the early '90s they seemed destined for stardom, the organic antidote to the nascent grunge epidemic. On the back of the soaring Gram Parsons-tinged kitchen anthem Blue, lifted from the universally acclaimed Tomorrow The Green Grass, they were an MTV buzz-band and a RAGE guest programmer favourite pick. But with the departure of coleader/songwriter Mark Olsen, the band took a few detours and fell from attention, despite the more experimental releases easily standing up with the early '90s classics.

"Maybe because we didn't sell millions of records we've got a bit of a chip on our shoulder and have something to prove" Louris is pragmatic about the band's evolution. “At the time it was a bit of a leap of faith on my part. I didn’t care what other people thought; I just wanted to do what was musically interesting. But I had no choice – he left the band and we still wanted to play.” With Olson otherwise engaged, the mantle of leader fell easily on Louris. “I really felt free. The worst thing the crowd could do was boo me off stage. But they didn’t. There is a freedom in not caring about what anybody thinks and I think that’s basically been our approach ever since. We certainly care about quality songs – but were not trying to figure out how to become the Jonas Brothers.”

That unshackling of audience expectation, coupled with a comfort and ease in performing all the old material, eventually led to a renewal of the partnership, explains Louris. “We just make the music that feels and hope there’s enough interest to sustain a tour, we don’t think much beyond that.”

Yet this is where the line between Gary Louris/Mark Olson touring to promote 2008’s Ready For The Flood and a full Jayhawks reunion began to blur, particularly in light of last week's announcement of full Jayhawks reunion dates in Barcelona and Minneapolis. For Louris, there are scores to be settled. “I think maybe because we didn’t sell millions of records we’ve got a bit of a chip on our shoulder and have something to prove.”

Wondering if this is an off-the-cuff remark Louris promptly corrects me.

"It matters. There was always this feeling that the Jayhawks were this amazing band but then… who were they again? It’s always been a band that was very well respected but under represented out there.”

That’s about to change though. Sony are releasing box sets, greatest hits packages, DVD editions and re-issues with extra tracks in coming months, but this happened in a round-about way. “I got contacted by Rhino to help put together the best of Golden Smog and I thought 'What the heck am I doing here? This is my side band!' My main band has never had a compilation record out. Never had a live album. Never had a box set.

Never had a DVD package. Our records were out of print. So I got in touch with Rick Rubin and since then everybody’s been working their asses off.”

But for the moment Louris is giving his ass a break to focus on a brief Australian tour with Olson, “We’re trying to get the old fans and the new fans together. We enjoy the old songs, but we also have new ones. We kinda got cut short a little bit.” And with that I promptly hang up.

Gary Louris and Mark Olson play The Annandale Hotel on Thursday May 21. Tickets from www.annandalehotel.com .

bma magazine 27

METALISE Ticketek’s website if you want a taste of one of death metal’s undisputed masters in the live arena. WELL worth it!

Greetings. Morbid Angel tickets are selling very fast for their May/June tour presented by Soundworks. The Sydney show is Friday June 5 at The Metro in Sydney so get yourself to

MORBID ANGEL

Melbourne band Dreadnaught have been working hard on their new LP which is impossible to type accurately as it’s made up of a series of characters that I can best represent thusly, “[D->0]”. The guys had the album recorded in Melbourne and then sent to New York for mastering at Masterdisc by Reggie Bowman.

The production is said to be amazing and I’m certainly keen to hear it. The boys are making a long overdue visit to town at The Basement in Belconnen on Saturday May 9 with locals Kill For Satan, Spoil and Johnny Roadkill. Now, the poster caused

a little confusion around town as the show was billed as “Mayhem”, which got a few black metal fans feathers ruffled when they realised it wasn’t the infamous Norwegian’s playing, but suffice to say the bill is superb and the album will doubtlessly contain the killer musicianship that Dreadnaught have long been known for.

I’m hearing rumours of a metal mini-fest late in the year with Daysend and Lord for Canberra.

The Australian Metal Awards have staged an interesting coup.

Now, I’ve discussed the awards a few times in recent columns - I was very surprised to see that the awards that had a cut off date of February for the 2008 awards are not to be staged until November in Sydney. Curious organisation aside, the live show has been generating some very unexpected and exciting rumours that none other than Australia’s all time sikkest act, Sadistik Exekution, have agreed to perform. The show is at The Forum down near the Horden Pavilion and tickets go on sale March 1 through Moshtix.

They’re retired now, but Melbourne black thrashers Gospel Of the Horns have reissued their early works onto a number of stunning looking vinyl packs. If you’re a fan, you gotta at least check the packs here - www. myspace.com/gospelofthehorns .

Ruins are on a national tour and yet are snubbing us. If you’re keen for the blackened arts of Mr Healy, check the Manning Bar on Friday May 29.

Blood Duster’s new album has the working title, Cocktard, and the writing is complete ahead of a pretty short window to record ahead of their June/July European tour and performance at Obscene Extreme. Including Psycropticmocking song titles Ob(sandwich) to welcome drummer Dave Healy to the recorded output of the band, the album is said to have a much heavier grindcore focus compared to the rockier albums of the recent past. Captain Cleanoff are also performing at Obscene Extreme and the bands will be doing a highly limited split 7” to commemorate their trip.

JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com NP: Shotgun Boogie – Church of Misery – Houses of the Unholy

bma magazine 28

Besties For Life

Shailla Van Raad

Politically able, crunching, screaming guitars holler into a Canberran night. Who else would it be other than local band, SUPER BEST FRIENDS? And yes, you guessed it: “the name Super Best Friends came from a South Park episode,” Matthew Roberts (bass/vocals) describes, with a small sigh, at the obvious predictability of the guess.

The trio of young men – comprising John Barrington (guitars/vocals/ synth), Adam Bridges (drums/vocals) and Matthew – converged at the gateway of young adulthood, a favourite meeting place for the enlightened. “John and I met at uni,” Roberts explains. “He was a dreadlock-wearing Rage Against the Machine fan and I was just a mainstream music lover. We eventually found a drummer in Adam. Our first gig was in 2005, so we’ve been around for a while.”

“Over time your influences change and evolve. Your tastes change,” Roberts philosophises. “We wanted our music to be something along the lines of fast, pumping rock but not as generic as pub rock and not as fiddly as folk rock.”

"John usually brings the lyrics along, ready to go, and we tell him to get off his high horse" "Our new EP is much more straight up and down than our previous recordings,” Roberts continues.“We tried to produce a more stripped-back sound, more of a rawer style similar to Mclusky, for example. It’s great that these days bands don’t have to have a perfectly produced sound anymore.

We wanted this time around to make the music feel a bit more live.”

Super Best Friends’ music is interlaced with crunching guitars, vocals pushing a social message and a chorus that slams you down. A concoction of this live musical conniption isn’t easy to find a recipe for.

“We all bring some ideas to the table,” reveals Roberts.“John does all the lyrics to some songs. He usually brings them along, ready to go, and we rip them to shreds only to tell him to get off his high horse. He’s a very strong viewed man who’s become mellower over the years, if you can believe it.”

Believe it you will, once you hear Super Best Friends. In fact, it’s hard to believe they were once young and flawed, too. “When we first started out, we were playing so many gigs around Canberra,” recalls Roberts. “It was a process required for ironing out the kinks in the band, so when we hit the bigger cities we sounded more polished. Time has passed and now we’re much more selective where we play gigs in Canberra.

We want to make the shows we play more like ‘events.’”

Steps for a band, even laden with such talent, are sometimes hard to make due to other pressures. “At the moment, practice is few and far between for the band, as our rehearsal room has gone. John and I are both going overseas after the launch of EP, but once we come back we hope to hit some other capitals.”

And perhaps someday soon, the Super Best Friends' Canberran conquest will be complete and the red flag of victory will be ready to ride away.

“There always has been talk of moving the band to a bigger city, but it’s such a big move to make and it requires some massive thought.”

You can catch Super Best Friends at their CD launch at the ANU Bar on Friday April 24. Supports include Death Mattel and Hoodlum Shouts.

Tickets are $10 on the door.

bma magazine 29

SINGLED OUT

WITH DAVE RUBY HOWE 3oh!3 Don’t Trust Me (Warner) Snotty, D-bag sneers, jaw-droppingly awful lyrics and a dreadful beat that should never have left GarageBand, this is 3oh!3. That’s dickishly unpronounceable, so just call them what they are, the new Milli Vanilli.

Or, the death of music. That’ll do.

Britney Spears If You Seek Amy (Sony BMG) Less annoying than Womanizer and less balls-up shit than Circus, this latest single achieves a resounding meh.

She’s back alright.

Calvin Harris I’m Not Alone (Sony BMG) This is pretty huge. I for one never knew that Calvin was capable of something as interesting as this. It’s always been party tunes with him. But this is party and more. This distills the rush and euphoria of youthful late nights into three-and-a-half minutes.

Flashing colours mixing with self doubt and isolated dancefloors before that trance synth kicks in, both cheese and gold at the same time.

Passion Pit The Reeling (Sony BMG) Passion Pit are going to have an immense year, nobody is going or will dare to dispute that. But this is not single material. It’s not bad – it’s good, fun synth-driven quirk-pop. But compared to Sleepyhead or Better Things from their first EP, it’s pretty weak. And it won’t make you fall in love with them. Yet. Just wait.

The Horrors Sea Within A Sea (Remote Control) Who expected this? After the bratgoth of their first disc, The Horrors have come back in stunning form. With the assistance of Portishead’s Geoff Barrow they’ve reeled in their manic tendencies for some sprawling, structured kraut-rock. And you know what? It’s really, really great.

The Mary Onettes Dare (Labrador) The devotees to this column (hey you two!) should recognise Sweden’s Mary Onettes as one of my major swoon bands, whom I originally fell for back in 2K7 when they brought out their thrilling Echo & The Bunnymen inspired album. Returning with Dare, the band still display their deep love of trench-coated ‘80s post-punk, but with a twist of pop-drama. It’s brilliant stuff.

David Eastwood Past Astro (Independent) When is comes to music, Queanbeyan is better known for cover bands at the Royal Hotel. However, local singer-songwriter David Eastwood has recently recorded his new acoustic pop collection there. His singing is a

bma magazine 30

DISCOLOGY bit rough in places, but then so is the voice of greats like Neil Young, and his delivery adds character to the album. The CD reflects the flavour of Struggletown - a bit rough round the edges, with uncomplicated tunes and themes drawn from urban domesticity. There’s a simple beauty to a lot of his lyrics. Homespun philosophy such as “Throw me a line and I’ll patch up the world by tea time” and “She gets angry, I’m just the messenger” are sure to strike a chord with some listeners down the pub.

RORY McCARTNEY Endless Boogie Focus Level (No Quarter) I once asked a girl why she always entered into relationships she knew could never last. She replied that the concept of the ideal relationship seemed like such a good one, she was unable to come up with a suitable alternative and it was therefore best to keep trying for the best outcome. The perfect relationship might one day happen, but for the meantime, near enough was good enough. I was pondering such things as I listened to this debut album from Endless Boogie in its 79-minute-basement-jam entirety.

I’ve spent much time looking for that perfect alternative to the Stooges’ run of genius across three albums all those years back and although Endless Boogie never quite reach those lofty heights, I am nevertheless content that near enough is indeed good enough.

I stumbled upon this album only recently, but it was in fact released last year and barely rated a mention. Damn that mainstream press. When will it ever learn? This is exactly why discerning readers will always turn to the likes of BMA! Across ten tracks, the New York four-piece, led by an obsessive record collector - it figures strives for sonic nirvana that might just occur when a standard guitar/drums/ bass line-up looks to early 1970s AC/DC when conjuring a plethora of hard rockin’ riffs, but also reaches for the hypnotic and supremely psychedelic strains of post-Stooges bands like Spacemen 3 and Loop.

Endless Boogie also offers plenty of gut-bucket blues blasting to match the Beasts of Bourbon in fully ragged groove. When the rock solid rhythm bed is laid down and freely fuzzed guitars kick in, Endless Boogie approach Detroit circa 1969 once again. Bring it on, I say.

DAN BIGNA Lucie Thorne Black Across The Field (Little Secret/Vitamin Records) Hailing from a miniscule village on the far south NSW coast (population: four), Lucie has delivered an album in the girl 'n' guitar genre.

With her soft, breathy voice, she spins gossamer tales on a fabric of ethereal folk music. Amongst the otherworldly melodies, there are a couple of songs where the injection of an electric guitar adds a harder edge, such as Over in Threes. Alice, with its combination of biting and ghostly guitar sounds, is also an album highlight. There’s a lot of emotion invested in this record, as demonstrated by the intricate guitar

work and heartfelt entreaties of Please Don’t Let’s Begin. This album cannot be appreciated with just a casual listen. It needs, and deserves, a concentrated effort to be fully respected. You can catch her live at the Ainslie Hall in May. RORY McCARTNEY Peter Bjorn and John Living Thing (Almost Gold) When listening to Peter Bjorn and John’s debut album, Falling Out, you wouldn’t have expected them to end up here. The slick, Beatles-like, nonchalant (and at times ordinary) approach was understandably overlooked in its lack of experimental play. By the time the single Young Folks was released, the trio had shaken off their safe approach in favour of melodic accessible pop, which everyone soon got sick of. Sadly this prevented the rest of the album reaching listeners’ ears.

Tricked out with rhythmic vocal-play, the album had plenty more to offer.

Peter Bjorn and John strike it third time lucky with Living Thing, taking another strategic step from both the lacklustre debut and Young Folks, relying more on their delivery of heavy percussive rhythm. As Peter Morén bemoans the ambivalent feelings associated with relationships, the band bust out their best dark danceable beats.

PETER ROSEWARNE Sunstorm House of Dreams (Frontiers/Riot) The Sunstorm name is merely a convenient hook on which former Deep Purple/Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner hangs his hat. More of a ‘project’ than a bona fide band, Sunstorm is actually just an excuse for Turner and his cronies (notably Jim Peterik, the man behind Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger amongst others) to dust off their collective back catalogues and trot through a few of their undiscovered ‘classics’ from the ‘80s. Which, for an old rockist like me, is all well and good (indeed, if you are over 35 and a fan of any of Turner’s work, you’ll be lapping every last minute of this up), but it’s hard to

see the point if you’re an uncommitted yet curious bystander. Opening with the TITANIC hard rock of Divided, the class and quality doesn’t let up for a moment, ranging from heads down mayhem (the faintly ludicrous Gutters of Gold, wherein Turner howls “Mos-Cow is burning!!” to hilarious effect) through classy ‘80s AOR sheen (the marvellous Spirit Inside) to the obligatory tear-jerking ballads (including Turner’s own take on Walk On, a song he himself co-wrote, which found glory on Jimmy Barnes’ seminal Freight Train Heart) – it’s always good to hear professionals at work and the sometimes maligned Turner puts in some great performances here. Well worth the money.

SCOTT ADAMS Yeah Yeah Yeahs It’s Blitz! (Modular) While it doesn’t break any new ground, fans of the YYYs wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It’s Blitz is more of the edgy, punk and electro-flavoured goodness from the US trio who established their angular, arty disco sound with the wellreceived Fever to Tell in 2003. Karen O returns to the YYYs after some unusual collaborations with avante-garde musicians, designers and film producers. Maybe it’s the broader experience or just the cliché of “maturing,” but she is much more confident in her voice. Rather than the punk screech that defined her, she parades the flexibility in her vocals that was so impressive on Fever To Tell’s Maps and got more of an airing on Show Your Bones. It’s Blitz is a digital smorgasbord of samplers, fuzzy guitars, delay pedals with the defining lynchpin: Karen O’s infectious, snarling energy. There’s a disco-pop dancefloor filler in Heads Will Roll, synthy atmospherics in Skeletons and first single Zero already has sing-along status. So we’re safely still in the YYY playground we know and love, with Nick and Brian hanging out with the arty kids in the shadows and Karen O in her crazy party dress creating a whole lot of riotous fun in her own little world. Dance, dance, dance ‘til you’re dead!

CATHERINE WOODS

Napalm Death Time Waits for No Slave (Century Media) Another year, another album for Napalm Death. Which, as a stand alone statement, looks like something of a condemnation – it’s not. Because in 2009 the surprising truth is that Napalm Death are as good as they ever were. Indeed TWFNS, whilst not quite as uproariously manic as last album Smear Campaign, is certainly up there amongst the best this most venerable of bands has to offer.

The regular edition features 14 prime slabs of grind and death, but the more committed amongst you will surely be looking out for the digipack version that comes equipped with a couple of bonus tracks, one of which – the splendid Omnipresent Knife in Your Back – whilst not your average Napalm noisefest, is possibly one of yer old Uncle Nambo’s favourite ever tracks. Whilst many of their contemporaries have either imploded or contented themselves with hacking out their ‘greatest hits’ sets on tour once a year, it’s good to see ND coming up with the goods time and again with integrity and dignity. Wonderful.

NAMBUCCO ‘DIKTAT’ DELIRIA

BLACKBOX

Here’s an idea for a new comedy – let’s call it The Pitch. A group of network programming directors leaf through women’s magazines and come up with the next great reality TV idea. After lunch at the hip new sashimi stand – the one where they catch and gullet the tuna right in front of you – they ask a focus group to tell them what they did yesterday and turn the answers into new observational documentaries. Get the Working Dog crew to write the script – that way it will be so close to the truth everyone outside the industry will think it’s hilarious.

Just when you thought the subject matter for seeing everyday life on the box had dried up, a new slew of them is about to infest the schedule.

We can probably blame the Packer withdrawal from the small screen for adding fuel to the fire. While good old Kerry was alive he was having none of this palaver on his network. Not even if Bert hosted it.

Sadly, 10 Years Younger in 10 Days (Prime, Tue Apr 21, 9.30pm) is an Australian version of Extreme Makeover, hosted by Sonia Kruger.

Except it’s given an Aussie spin – instead of tears, it’s a competition between the stylists. The much-promoted Masterchef Australia (SCTEN, Mon Apr 27, 7.30pm) also starts up.

In the observational doco stakes there’s You Saved My Life (WIN, Mon Apr 20, 7.30pm) where people get to thank the heroes who saved them and Missing Pieces (WIN, Mon Apr 20, 8pm), another find my missing friend/relative/person-who-decided-they-would-be-betteroff-without-me show.

On the upside, there’s a new series of My Name is Earl (Prime, Wed Apr 22, 9.30pm) and there’s no more of that jail stuff or the coma stuff.

They’re back to the list. It’s followed by new episodes of Family Guy (Prime, Wed Apr 22, 10pm) and Russell Brand’s Ponderland (Prime, Wed Apr 22, 10.30pm). Whether you like Ponderland rather depends on whether you like Russell Brand’s style of comedy. The same goes for Rock + Roll Nerd: The Tim Minchin Story (ABC1, Thu Apr 30, 8.30pm) Maybe the programmers think the winter weather requires comedy or maybe it’s on the back of the Melbourne Comedy Festival but the comic relief quotient has been raised in the schedule. The world’s funniest Scotsman adds his touch with a tour through Canada in Billy Connolly: Journey to the Edge of the World (Prime, Sat Apr 26, 6.30pm).

There’s also new BBC3 comedy Massive (ABC2, Fri May 8, 9.30pm) about a couple of wannabe record producers but be warned it counts Johnny Vegas (of Ideal fame) amongst the cast – so if you don’t like Vegas, don’t watch.

Hip-hop fans and aspiring music promoters should not miss Rock the Bells (ABC2, Wed Apr 29, 9.20pm) which follows promoter Chang Weisberg as he and his crew put together the first day-long Rock the Bells festival in California, featuring the Wu-Tang Clan.

To make way for all the new programming this fortnight sees final episodes of (sadly) Dexter (SCTEN, Sun Apr 19, 10.10pm), RSPCA Animal Rescue (Prime, Tue Apr 28, 7.30pm), Life (SCTEN, Wed Apr 29, 9.30pm), (thankfully) The Biggest Loser (SCTEN, Mon Apr 27, 8.30pm), So You Think You Can Dance (SCTEN, Sun Apr 26, 7.30pm) and Bondi Rescue (SCTEN, Tue Apr 28, 8pm).

Docos to keep an eye out for include The Growing Anger of Hunger (SBS, Tue Apr 28, 8.30pm) about food riots, And Brigitte Created Bardot (SBS, Fri May 1, 7.30pm) and Lost in Flanders (ABC1, Thu Apr 23, 8.30pm) where two young Aussie historians visit the Western Front.

Also watch out for six-part drama Dirt Game (ABC1, Apr 19, 8.30pm) set in Australia’s mining industry.

And in one of the funniest pieces of casting in a long while, the oldest of the Daddos, Cameron, takes on the role of US Vice President in 24 (Prime, Sun Apr 19, 11pm) and Gretel Killeen will host the Logies.

TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyheffernan@bigpond.com bma magazine 31

Cell Out

With Mark Russell; his boat rocked till he got the ballast properly adjusted.

There’s another film out and about this week that unfortunately couldn’t make this page. Elegy stars Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz in the story of an aging cultural connoisseur who becomes infatuated with a gorgeous young student. This film gives a study of the male artist’s psyche that will rarely be equalled in celluloid. It’s full of biting but bitterly funny dialogue, but I’ve chosen one of the more philosophical nuggets for our quote of the issue. Get out and see it.

The Boat That Rocked It’s 1966 and the spirit of rock n roll rules the hearts, minds and waterways of Britain. A governmental frown on pop music has driven it to the high seas – broadcast offshore, away from the powers that be. It’s Radio Rock, a pirate station through which a motley crew of degenerates play the devil’s music 24 hours a day.

The Boat That Rocked is the latest offering from Working Title Productions – the English film company that’s enjoyed a steady boom since Four Weddings and a Funeral first put them on the map.

It’s a journey into <ahem> unfamiliar waters for these guys as it features very little lovey dovey stuff and not

Knowing Knowing is ridiculous. At one point, Nicholas Cage actually falls to his knees in disbelief disbelief.

It’s one of those apocalyptic sci-fi movies where a mystical somethingor-other predicts some horrifying future event, and an everyday man (usually a scientist or historian of some sort) has to unravel the mystery and rush off to stop the impending disaster/s. In this case, John (Cage) must decode a set of numbers containing the dates of every major disaster from the past 50 years, chase down the next predicted disaster and stop it (apparently with the power of his bare hands). Bucket loads of Biblical symbolism, an annoying, doe-faced

Summer Hours Although marketed here as the ‘new Juliette Binoche film’, Summer Hours (or, in its original French, L’Heure d’ete) is actually a rather fine ensemble piece looking at the way in which three siblings deal with the death of their domineering mother and the inevitable financial wranglings that follow.

The mother, Helene, played superbly by Edith Scob, has turned the family home into something of a shrine to her uncle, a minor figurative artist with consequential financial problems for the inheritors – there’s a lot of good stuff in the house. The film, by Olivier Assayas, deals sensitively with issues such as the death of childhood memory and how we reconcile ourselves to the end of the past when the more pressing

bma magazine 32

"When you make love to a woman you get revenge for all the things that defeated you in life" David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) Elegy

even a wisp of Hugh Grant’s foppish hair. This new territory may be the reason why the film is a little below their usual standard.

The pacing is jilted to say the least.

We’re constantly told about terribly important events happening in a few weeks’ time, setting up a ticking clock.

Then in the next scene we’ve suddenly skipped straight to said event – defusing the tension.

The film also features an absolutely horribly antagonist in Kenneth Branagh. He’s the government stiff desperate to get them off the air but he’s made so square as to become a total caricature. He’s ridiculous rather than threatening and merely seems to curse out these rapscallions.

The radio DJs, for their part, are all great. Philip Seymour Hoffman is perfectly cast as is Rhys Ifans. Bill Nighy also steps in to regularly steal scenes as the ship’s captain.

There are a lot of well-played lines and the sordid characters keep us interested, but in the end The Boat That Rocked has overstayed its welcome when the two-plus hours are up. It’s a pleasant ditty you’d bop along to, not a life-changing stadium anthem.

sidekick (Rose Byrne) and some creepy premonitions are also included.

Very rarely have I cared less about a story or set of characters. Byrne is totally irritating and completely cardboard, and looks as though someone has hit her over the head with a pylon. Cage spends the whole film either looking bemused and perplexed, or lumbering around looking bug-eyed and frantic.

Director Alex Proyas also seems to think that his audience are idiots. The heavy-handed exposition in the opening scene is nothing compared to what is to come – incredulous, overexaggerated exclamations every five minutes that hammer home even the most basic of plot points.

All that aside, there are indeed some creepy moments here, and the effects on some of the disaster scenes are quite effective. The plane crash in particular is suitably horrifying - though Cage’s stunned codfish expression pretty much ruins any part of Knowing that had potential to be affecting, emotional or disturbing.

Overall, this film is completely forgettable, useless, and insulting in its entirety. A thorough waste of time – although thankfully, by starring in this piece of dribble, at least Cage isn’t out there soiling decent films.

matters of the present, and expectations of what the future will present, come calling. Eldest brother Frederic (Charles Berling) clings to memories of his childhood – the house has a powerful nostalgic pull on him - and finds it hard to believe that his brother and sister (the excellent Jeremie Rainier and Binoche) are so insouciant in their willingness to sell up and move on.

Things become more complicated when their lawyer announces that death duties will wipe out any profit on the sale of the many desirable artworks contained in the house, and suggests that Helene’s wish - that the objects d’art are bequeathed to the Musee d’Orsay in Paris (from where, in real life, the objects were lent for

the production), be implemented. The house is systematically ransacked by the Museum’s curators, leaving a home empty of things but still crammed with meaning. The film concludes with Frederic and his wife having to queue up in the museum to view the pieces that made up such a big part of Frederic’s childhood, leaving the viewer to wonder how they would react under the same circumstances.

Performances are strong throughout (especially Berling, Binoche and Isabelle Sadoyan as Eloise, the families faithful retainer) and this is a poignant, at times moving film.

MARK RUSSELL

MEGAN McKEOUGH

MARCEL LE SINGE

bma magazine 33

FIRST CONTACT:

BMA BAND PROFILE

EARWIG MANTRA Where did your band name come from? ear·wig –verb to fill the mind with prejudice by insinuations. man·tra –noun Hinduism. a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.

Group members: Andrew Coll (vocals and guitars), Ian Reuter (guitars), Daniel Robertson (drums) and Peter Menzel (bass).

Describe your sound: Progressive heavy rock.

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise?

Tool, Rage Against the Machine, Incubus, Ill Niño, Staind, Alice in Chains, Killswitch Engage, Helmet, Faith No More, Spinal Tap, curries and so much more.

What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing?

Inducing birth at a gig.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far?

Coming together in a creative outlet to produce our new Nested album.

What are your plans for the future?

Continue to write more music, record another album and play many more gigs.

What makes you laugh?

This link is very funny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0zDXlrJK0I&feature=related What pisses you off?

Fixed vehicle cameras, revenue greedy politicians, ultra-conservatism and erosion of civil liberties in an apparent 'free society'.

What’s your opinion of the local scene?

Too many good venues lost to poker machines paying tax to greedy uncultured and non-transparent government.

What are your upcoming gigs?

We are proud to announce a CD launch for our Nested album at the ANU Refectory on Friday May 1, 2009.

Contact info: earwigmantra@hotmail.com www.myspace.com/earwigmantra Dan – 0421 050 193 Andrew – 0437 992 830

Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 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 Amplif5'd Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@ hotmail.com.au 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 Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 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 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/ stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com 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 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 0408 287 672 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com 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 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com 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

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 Infra Retina Kyle 0437 137 775/Michael 0430 353 893/www.infra-retina.com 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.jdyclothing.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 Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/dj@ karismakatz.com Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus Kurt's Metalworx (PA) 0417 025 792 Lenders, The Tim 6247 2076 Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075 Los Chavos Jules 0413 223 573 los.chavos@yahoo.com.au Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462, contactus@manillagreen.com, Mario Brujo Gordon world/latin/reggae/ percussionist and DJ. 0405 820 895 Martin Bailey Audio Engineer 0423 566 093 Malumba Dan 6253 5150 Meatbee Ben 0417 492 560 Mercury Switch Lab Studios mercuryswitch@internode.on.net Missing Zero Hadrian Brand 0424 721 907/hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots aspwinch@grapevine.com.au Huck 0419 630 721 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 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 Rob Mac Project, The Melinda 0400 405 537 Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041 Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776 Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350 Sara Vancea Sara 6247 9899 Sindablok Duncan 0424 642 156 Simone Penkethman (Simone & The Soothsayers, Singing Teacher) 6230 4828 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401 588 884 Solid Gold Peter 0421 131 887/ solid.gold@live.com.au Stalker and Liife Darren 0413 229 049 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, LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514 Transmission Nowhere Emilie 0421 953 519/myspace.com/transmissionnowhere 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 April 16 - 18 THURSDAY APRIL 16

THURSDAY APRIL 16

ARTS _____________ Mug's Game A celebration of the humble drinking vessel. Until Apr 27 WATSON ARTS CENTRE, ASPINALL ST, WATSON John Mawurndjul Survey 1979 - 2009 A major survey exhibition of paintings and etchings by the internationally known indigenous artist. Until May 24 DRILL HALL GALLERY, ACTON Cotter Heritage Story, Containing Pasts - Sustaining Futures: Works Inspired by the Cotter Running until May 27 CANBERRA GLASSWORKS, KINGSTON Desert Devils Recent paintings by Graham Eadie and Frank Thirion. To be opened by Ruth Waller, head of painting at the ANU School of Art. From 6pm. Until April 19 ANCA GALLERY, DICKSON Gabrielle Powell: New Works in Crucible Showcase Runs until May 2 CRAFT ACT GALLERY, CIVIC SQ Jay Kockel: Touch Me Gertrude Stein Exploring object-making with an emphasis on tactility and interaction. Until May 2 CRAFT ACT GALLERY, CIVIC SQ An Act of Surrender Celebrating two ACT anniversaries; 20 years of selfgovernment, and the centenary of the survey for the city of Canberra by Charles Robert Scrivener. Until Jun 14 CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY, LONDON CCT, CIVIC A is for Animals Exhibition The A to Z of animals in warfare AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, TRELOAR CRES, CAMPBELL Shell-Shocked: Australia After Armistice Follow journeys of repatriation and resettlement after WWI. The exhibition combines government records with personal stories. Runs until Apr 27. Free NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, KING EDWARD TERRACE Alexandra Gillespie: Collars/ Dionisia Salas Hammer: A * C Odyssey/Mat De Moiser: Damaged Goods An exhibition triple bill. Til May 22 CCAS, GORMAN HOUSE

Spectrum: New Paintings Featuring new works by 2008 honour graduates from the ANU School of Art Painting Workshop.

Runs until Apr 18. 6125 5841 ANU SCHOOL OF ART FOYER GALLERY, CNR ELLERY CRES & LIVERSIDGE STREET If I Were a Squirrel, and Other Stories

By Amy Nguyen. Runs 'til Apr 19 CCAS, FURNEAUX, MANUKA Tiffany Parbs: cosemetic Run until May 2 CRAFT ACT GALLERY, CIVIC SQ

LIVE _____________ Grafton Primary The fruits of electro return with the fruits of electro for your listening pleasure. Free entry TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC The Dirty Secrets With Skybombers and The Trivs. $10 on the door ANU BAR, ACTON, CIVIC Naked From 9pm to midnight KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

DANCE _____________ Ashley Feraude From 9pm (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Vamp Dark alt/pop/electro/industrial/ gothic/EBM/heavy stuff with DJ Robot and guests. 8pm KREMLIN BAR, N'BOURNE AVE Rowan Marshcroft KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE Trash Thursdays Cheap dranks and tunes from DJs Adam and Esscue ACADEMY, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Free Salsa Lesson C'mon twinkletoes, learn how to light up a dancefloor with your hotsteppa. From 6:30pm KOKOLOCO DANCE STUDIO, COLBEE CRT, PHILLIP Carry On Karaoke PJ O'REILLY'S, CIVIC Karaoke With Grant PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Karaoke CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC

FRIDAY APRIL 17

saturday APRIL 18

DANCE _____________

ARTS _____________

Fiesta!

End of term party with group performances and music from DJs Angel and Brujo. From 7:30pm til late RAIDERS CLUB, GUNGAHLIN Tiger Stripes Swedish tech house guru LOT 33, KENNEDY ST, KINGSTON Crankee From 9pm (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Cheese '80 and retro-a-rama. Free entry TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Jemist He of the silky fingers spinning up a maelstrom of tasty beats KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

ARC: Two By Les Blank J'ai Éte Au Bal & Yum The master of the musicological, Les Blank celebrates the flavour and rhythms of America's deep south. 7:30pm (u/c 15+) ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON

LIVE ____________ Emergenza Battle of the Bands The ongoing comp continues ANU BAR, ACTON After Work Jazz From 5 to 8pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC The Cool From 10pm to 2am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC Lord Lord Tim's purveyors of brewtality return, with local legends Tonk, Aeon of Horus and Lust in tow. $10 entry THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN The Sally Greenway Project As part of a new jazz night. From 7-9pm ALLIANCE FRANCAISE, TURNER Cyndi Boste (Melb) With The Chris Harland Blues Band. $15/$12 (conc) Doors 6pm MERRY MUSE, POLISH AUSTRALIAN WHITE EAGLE CLUB, TURNER Rev Canberra’s weekly alternative club night with two levels of DJs playing rock/indie/dance/punk/pop BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Sydney Hotshots Men wearing not a lot at all singing, dancing and even indulging in some comedy, all for your cladestine pleasure.

From 8:30pm, tix 6297 6222 KANGAROOS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB, QUEANBEYAN

DAY PLAY _____________ Gorman House Markets GORMAN HOUSE Burley Griffin Antique Centre KINGSTON FORESHORE

DANCE _____________ Emily Scott With Ashley Feraude, Sean Kelly, Staky and DJ Rush ACADEMY, BUNDA ST, CIVIC Spoonbill Launching new album Zoomorphic, an iconic mix of improvised electronica, antiquated Australiana and live instrumental recordings. With Brainstorma (Syd), Biggie, C.L.I. Mate, Close? and Apply Steve in support. Tix $15 presale from Greentix, or $25 on the door. From 5pm-2am ROSE COTTAGE, CNR MONARO HIGHWAY & ISABELLA DRIVE Cocoa - Afrolatin Night With tropical music guru Mario Brujo Gordon. From 9pm HIPPO BAR, GAREMA PL, CIVIC The Crunch (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Shakedown!

Indie/alt/dance action.

Free before 10pm BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Frankie Madrid Madness As hot as the spanish capital KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE Candy Cube With DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse. From 10pm til 5am CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Kokoloco Boot Camp Try your hand at Michael Jackson style salsa dance, and mixed reggaeton. From 11am - 4:30pm.

More details: kokoloco.com.au KOKOLOCO DANCE STUDIO, COLBEE CRT, PHILLIP

GIG GUIDE April 18 - 29 saturday april 18 Tradies Impro Throwdown Improvised comedy in a battle arena. Doors 7pm, $10 THE TRADIES, DICKSON Record Store Day Australia Celebrate independent records stores, with Wendy Matthews signing copies She from 1pm SONGLAND, TUGGERANONG Local Band Showcase With Lee Answers, Teddy Conrick, Donald McKenzie, John Milton Project, Cartesian Discotek, Sunchaser, Sunnyvale High and Starfish Hill THE MUSIC SHOP, GAREMA PL, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Astrochem With Pleased To Jive You and Mercury. All ages, from 6pm. $5 WODEN YOUTH CENTRE The Red Vest With Super Best Friends, Tres Terros Cuntos and Inside the Exterior. $10 THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN Sierra Fin With Plastic Palace Alice and Hancock Basement. From 8pm BAR 32, N'BOURNE AVE, CIVIC Capital Dub Styles Featuring Spikey T (UK) TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Emergenza Battle of the Bands ANU BAR, ACTON Rubix Cuba & Just Like Josiah THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC sunday april 19

DAY PLAY _____________ Tuggeranong Homestead Markets TUGGERANONG HOMESTEAD

DANCE _____________ Tom Tomz & Hubert From 7pm and 10pm respectively (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Cube Sunday With DJ TJ. From 10pm 'til late CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ $10 Schnitzel Sunday THE DURHAM CASTLE ARMS, GREEN SQUARE, KINGSTON

sunday april 19

tuesday april 21

Thursday April 23

LIVE _____________

LIVE _____________

Canberra Blues Society Jam Bring an instrument and your voice and join in the fun. From 1 - 4:30pm THE ITALO-AUSTRALIAN CLUB, 78 FRANKLIN ST, FORREST Irish Jam Session From 5pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

DANCE _____________

Chuse Jazz Tuesdays With the Mike Price Trio (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Musical Madness @ Filthy's With Sean Smeaton, Second From the Sun and Amax.

Free entry FILTHY McFADDEN'S, KINGSTON

Bicipital Groove From 9pm (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Trash Thursdays ACADEMY, CIVIC Downtown Brown Bats, bowls and fields, or so it says. Probably plays music too KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

MONDAY april 20

LIVE _____________ Bootleg Sessions THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Cheech & Chong Dave's not here man. The Mexican masters of stoner comedy bring their live show to town. Tix $89 from Ticketek 132 849 ROYAL THEATRE, CIVIC In2Change Celebrating the closure of the Belconnen Bus Interchange with a festival of the most awesomely random locale. Runs til Apr 24 BELCONNEN BUS INTERCHANGE Hospitality Night feat Univibes Come and supple from the brand new Tiger beer on tap TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Trivia in the Trams From 7.15pm TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON Meat Raffle Every beer bought scores you a raffle ticket THE DURHAM CASTLE ARMS, GREEN SQUARE, KINGSTON TUESday April 21

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Poetry Slam With new kid on the block Bad! Slam! No! Biscuit! You read that right. From 7:30pm THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC Fame Trivia From 7:30-10:30pm THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Pot Belly Trivia POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN Carry-On Karaoke TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Trivia Night PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Trivia Night HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON

wednesday april 22

DANCE _____________ The Nextmen (UK) The hip-hop heavyweights touch down for a free show, with Assembly DJs and Faux Real providing ample support TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Clint Crighton $5 on the door ANU BAR, ACTON Wednesday Lunchtime Live From 12:40-1:20pm. $2 WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE, FORREST Live Entertainment Complete with Happy Hour PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Fame Trivia PJ O'REILLY'S, CIVIC Carry-On Karaoke From 7:30pm. $1000 grand prize THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Karaoke Night HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON thursday april 23

ARTS _____________ ARC: The Decline of Western Civilisation Wayne's World director Penelope Spheeris' cult underground doco gets down and dirty in the '80s L.A. punk scene. 7:30pm (u/c 18+) ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON

LIVE _____________ The Basics Playing a special intimate Canberra show to support their new single With This Ship TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Aktion Unit (VIC) & Cougar Flashy (VIC) With Michael from Archaeopteryx. Gold coin donation entry, doors 8pm THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM Shoe Levy From 9pm 'til midnight KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Karaoke From 9-11pm. Cash prizes and 2-4-1 basic spirits and tap beer CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Swing Dance Class Free taster for kids 9 - 15 years, run by Jumptown Swing SPACE STUDIO, EAST ROW, CIVIC Le Chat Noir A cabaret and burlesque inspired club night featuring a fashion tableau vivant, a burlesque show, live music and guest DJ Kasdeja (Syd). $10 KREMLIN BAR, 65 NORTHBOURNE AVENUE, CIVIC Karaoke With Grant PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG friday april 24

ARTS _____________ The Alchemist Bell Shakespeare and Queensland Theatre Company combine for this new play written by Ben Jonson and directed by John Bell. Running until May 9. Tix 6275 2700 CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE Fiona Little: Primary Colours 'til May 3 CCAS, FURNEAUX ST, MANUKA

saturday april 25

saturday april 25

tuesday APRIL 28

DANCE _____________

ARTS _____________

LIVE _____________

LIVE _____________

Pang Presents: Tydi The top polled ITM DJ for 2008 arrives, launching new album Closer. With Peekz, Enerv8 and Hubert in support. $20 before midnight, $25 after LOT 33, KENNEDY ST, KINGSTON MasQUEERade With carnivale performers and DJ Peter Dorree. Come wearing a mask for free entry. From 9pm CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Live Funk Band & Jemist From 7pm (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON D'Opus The production and deck wizard behind D'Opus & Roshambo KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

ARC: Frontline Filmmaker David Bradbury joins us to present his Oscarnominated doco on legendary Australian war cameraman Neil Davis. 4:30pm (PG) ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON ARC: The Man Who Fell To Earth Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie plus Rip Torn in director Nicolas Roeg's (Walkabout) hallucinatory sci-fi oddity. 7:30pm (R) ARC CINEMA, McCOY CCT, ACTON

The Black Swans of Trespass THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC Bastian CD Launch $10 on the door ANU BAR, ACTON AWOL (Wollongong) An evening of punk rock, with Toxicmen, Bloody Humans, Outcome Unknown and Pirate Satellite. $5, 8pm start THE POT BELLY, WEEDON CLOSE, BELCONNEN Ironwood With Sobrusion and Tranquil Deception. $10 THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN The Remnants From 10.30pm to 2.30am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

Chuse Jazz Tuesdays With Leigh Miller (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Musical Madness @ Filthy's With Leigh, Jonno Zilber and Alice Cottee. Free entry FILTHY McFADDEN'S, KINGSTON

friday april 24

LIVE _____________ Purple Sneakers The indie night returns, with Architect DJs, Total Mind Fuck, Talihina Shan, Will Eat Brains, Ben Lucid, M.I.T. From 8pm, free entry TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Rev DJs playing rock/indie/dance BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Super Best Friends Album Launch Launching Ready, Aim, Fire! with Hoodlum Shouts and Death Mattel (Syd). $10 on the door ANU BAR, ACTON Pleased To Jive You With Turbulence, Astrochem and Alto Valente. $10 THE BASEMENT, BELCONNEN After Work Jazz From 5-8pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC Curious Fate From 10pm to 2am KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Open Mic & Poetry Slam Showcasing new Canberra band ah, pandita! $3, or free for performers THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM Impro ACT: Respect A three day mini festival of improvisation, comprising shows The Wishing Tree, The Rise and Fall of Man and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. All tix $20, bookings on 6147 1223 THE STREET THEATRE, ACTON

DANCE _____________ Act Yo Age! With Ashley Feraude, Sean Kelly, Staky and Michael O'Rourke ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC Shunji The Sydney-based erstwhile Canberran retuns; as talented as he is handsome KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE Exposed Get a bit of doof-doof up ya!

Free entry TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Shakedown!

Indie/alt/dance with all your favourite spinners. Free entry before 10pm BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC Dubdeckerbus From 9pm (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Candy Cube With DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse. From 10pm til 5am CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC DJ Marty Faux & DJ Adam Miller From 9pm KREMLIN BAR, 65 NORTHBOURNE AVENUE, CIVIC Lighter Massive's Hard to the Core With Matrix, Fenix, Tempa, Spinout and Selby and locals Nomad, Nasty, Loose Cannon, Enerv8, Peekz, Haks and Cotts.

Tix $30 + bf from Landspeed CANBERRA INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING CENTRE, MITCHELL

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ '80s Music With DJ Craig PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG

sunday april 26

DANCE _____________ Nathan Frost & Lilova Diskow w/Scottie Fisher From 7pm and 10pm respectively (TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON Cube Sunday With DJ TJ. From 10pm 'til late, with free pool CUBE NIGHTCLUB, CIVIC

LIVE _____________ Woohoo Revue: Canberra Gypsy Party An evening of gypsy tunes. $10, doors 8pm THE FRONT CAFE, LYNEHAM The Bridge Between Playing blues and roots GINNINDERRA LABOUR CLUB Dos Locos From 5pm KING O'MALLEY'S, CIVIC monday APRIL 27

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Out In Canberra Race & Taste Food & Wine Festival Dress: casual. Entry: free THOROUGHBRED PARK, MITCHELL Hospitality Night feat Univibes You there! Come and supple from the brand new Tiger on tap TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Trivia in the Trams From 7.15pm TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Jumptown Swing: Lindy Hop/Swing Classes Beginner classes start tonight.

No experience or partner required HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB, NARRABUNDAH Carry-On Karaoke TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC Fame Trivia THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Pot Belly Trivia POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN Trivia Night PJ O'REILLY'S, TUGGERANONG Trivia Night HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON Trivia Night Free entry THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC WEDNESDAY APRIL 29

LIVE _____________ Vorn Doolette With Andrew Walker THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC Wednesday Lunchtime Live From 12:40-1:20pm. $2 WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE, FORREST

SOMETHING DIFFERENT _____________ Jumptown Swing: Lindy Hop/Swing Classes Beginner classes start tonight.

No experience or partner required WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB, TURNER Fame Trivia PJ O'REILLY'S, CIVIC Carry-On Karaoke THE DURHAM, KINGSTON Karaoke Night HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON Wednesdays at Transit 2 pizzas and a pint for $15 running all day TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

DVDEVOTEE

Blue Murder (Reel Entertainment)

Man on Wire (Madman)

This high point of Australian drama came bursting onto ABC screens in 1995. It tells the unbelievable but true story of Neddy Smith (Tony Martin – not the comedy one), his relationship with Roger 'The Dodger' Rogerson (Richard Roxburgh) and the corrupt world these two inhabited. The centrepiece of their story is the investigation into this corruption

by Michael Drury (Steve Bastoni). Blue Murder deserves added attention as the thematic and stylistic prelude to the two Underbelly series - it even features Marcus Graham as Alan Williams, whose family were prominent in season one of Underbelly. The fact that Blue Murder is written

by Ian David, who so obviously studied and obsessed over the source material – Neddy Smith’s autobiography – illustrates not only the importance of thorough research, but also goes some way to explain the brilliance of this program. There is not a wasted word, glance or expression and as things head to a brutal conclusion for all. The cast are all superb too, even those with smaller roles like Alex Dimitriades and Bill Hunter. But really the series belongs to Roxburgh and Martin.

Roxburghs’ portrayal of Rogerson lends a simultaneously ominous and friendly air, and his relationship with Smith is violent, funny and loyal all in one. Martin as Smith features in one of the most disturbing scenes on television and yet, as with Underbelly, these characters still remain in some ways likeable.

Credit must be given to the cast, writers and crew of this program to make something so dark and so interesting. A warning though: if you don’t like foul language or violence, you may wish to avoid Blue Murder. This wasn’t screened in NSW for a number of years because of Neddy Smiths’ murder appeal - Melbourne aren't the only ones that can lay claim to having programs blocked - so if you haven’t caught it yet, watch this one.

I’ll be watching it again. Extras include makings of and other things of interest.

I honestly wish there was more Blue Murder to come, but what we had was so very good.

When you hear that this film about Frenchman’s Philippe Petit’s successful attempt to walk across a wire between the two peaks of the World Trade Centre buildings does not have any actual filmed footage of the event, it starts to sound a little boring. Wrong.

With the actual walk being the easiest part of the whole endeavour, the film is essentially a heist movie, focusing on the years of preparation it took to plan what was dubbed the ‘artistic crime of the century.’ It comprises interviews of the key players involved - people from all over the world who wanted to help Philippe make the walk - re-enactments of the conspirators getting into the tower on the night, still photos of the walk and an enormous amount of archival footage of the preparation that went into the project - which saw Philippe and co disguising themselves as journalists and interviewing the construction workers at the very tops of the towers. Despite knowing the final outcome, the film manages to create a surprising amount tension and suspense leading up to the walk, helped by the enthusiastic interviewees who still seem amazed today at what they achieved. His team essentially planned something as complicated as a bank robbery - not only did they have to get to the top of both buildings in secret, but they had to get nearly a tonne of equipment up to the roof and secure a wire between two buildings while they were still under construction. While, thankfully, September 11 is never mentioned or alluded to - as it could have very easily been used to exploit people’s emotions - it is an ever-present subtext which the audience brings to the film, especially as the team discuss the ways they were able to bypass the security and secretly make their way to the tops of both towers. There is also a surreal sense to the feat itself, given that the buildings themselves are no longer there.

The DVD also includes a fairly informative director’s commentary, an archive interview with Philippe about wire walking, as well as a short film about Philippe’s 1973 walk over the Sydney harbour bridge.

GEOFF SETTY

Rush Snakes & Arrows Live (Shock) Some things just don’t make the transition to this part of the world. The whole jam band thing of the 1990s passed us by entirely - welcome back Trey et al! - we dodged the Asian financial meltdown about 10 years ago and as far as I can tell, skronk drummer/ lyricist/legend/communist Robert Wyatt has set neither foot nor wheel in this country.

And then there’s Rush. Rush are enormous in some parts of the world - the parts that don’t end in “ustralia”. It seems that back in the ‘70s, Sherbet, Skyhooks and Spectrum gave us our fill of hilariously over-the-top prog rock theatrics, intricate squiggly guitar noises and shrieking vocals, and in the process held this inimitable Canadian trio off the charts and out of our consciousness. For shame. As a Rush neophyte I waded warily into this three-disc set - I knew vaguely they were highly regarded yet critically dismissed. I also pretty much understood all the pop-cultural references in Judd Apatow films and Pavement songs, but they still remained elusive and possibly a little unnecessary. Despite the 35 million records they’ve sold. Like I have a clue. In fact they are insane, inspired and impenetrable in equal measure. Songs are rhythmically complex and dense with surprising melodic flourishes and hooky riffs darting out all over the place, thanks to guitarist Alex Lifeson treading the right balance between bludgeoning riffolla and textural sound scaping. Vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee’s celebrated high-pitch screech delivery is an acquired taste for sure, but the same could be said of Young and Dylan so the measurement is utterly futile. Drummer Neil Peart is also responsible for the lyrics - and really, someone has to be held responsible for them. Rush enter their fourth decade together as the ultimate power-prog trio and far from being the punch line to an unheard joke they are tighter, leaner and better than most of the uninspired and insipid outfits masquerading as rock nowadays. The overlooked gold standard.

JUSTIN HOOK

JOHN HATFIELD

THE GRATES, BOB EVANS, CHILDREN COLLIDE, QUAN, DREADNAUGHT, RATATAT AND MORE! OUT APRIL 30