BMA Magazine 403 September 26 2012 by BMA Magazine

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‘You ever seen a cockatoo? ... You wanna see a few more?’ - Jeru The Damaja, Transit Bar, Mon Sep 17, 2012 #403SEPTEMBER26 Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko

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Headlining Woden Valley Festival’s Lift Off event this year will be House vs. Hurricane and Atlantis Awaits, but the key support slot is being held for the winner of the Lift Off Battle Of The Bands. Registrations opened Monday September 24 and remain open until Friday October 25, with contestants to face off over two days of heats in early November for the support on Saturday November 10 at Eddison Park, Woden. As long as your band are under 25 (not collectively, although that’d be cool) then you’re in with a shot – of heroin. No, drug abuse is serious. Other prizes include a three-day recording session, website design, a professional photo-shoot and advertising in BMA Magazine to the value of $1000. To find out more and apply, visit wodenvalleyfestival.org.au/ liftoff.

Locals Los Chavos Begin Unique Fundraising Campaign Los Chavos, a Canberra eightpiece Latin/ska/reggae band, have been hard at work in the studio with local producer/ engineer Sam King for the past 18 months. The end is in sight and they’re seeking help to see the album through. Taking to Pozible, the Chavos crew are building over the coming weeks to a two-day launch festival at the White Eagle Polish Club and ANU Bar on Friday November 2 and Saturday November 3. With shows throughout October, the highlight will be on Sunday October 21, where Los Chavos will host an afternoon Argentinian Asado (BBQ) at The Front Gallery and Café, with tunes by Los Chavos DJs and percussion jams. To donate or find out more, visit pozible. com/loschavos.

ACT Labor And Opposition Announce Election Arts Policy Promises Last week, ACT Liberals and Labor unveiled their clutch of promises to the arts ahead

The Government Want You To Drink In Moderation Live Solution is an Australian Government-funded concept developed by Mushroom Marketing to challenge the culture of binge drinking among people aged 16-24. And Live Solution definitely does not preach to young people to go dry; instead it aims to encourage people, if they want a drink, because they may not, and that’s fine too, and maybe even better than fine, to enjoy a beer, wine or mixer moderately. That’s why they’ve enlisted people who understand you to impart their message of gently pitched recrimination: Pez, Bliss ‘n’ Eso, Stonefield, Mantra and Illy have all lent their cautionary voices to this important message. And even though this kind of message doesn’t need

incentive to take, prizes are available for your appreciated patronage at facebook.com/ livesolution.

artsACT Offers StartUp Grants For Young Artists artsACT is offering grants of $500 to young ACT-based artists for activities that assist, encourage, develop, or promote the artist and their art. To be eligible you must be aged between 18 and 25 years and have not previously received a grant from artsACT. So George Rose, being a previous recipient, is out. To give you an idea of where this money can go, check out what Rose created with her grant during the You Are Here festival at youtube. com/watch?v=8rO8BrDJbL8. Applications are open now and close midnight Monday October 15. For more info visit arts.act. gov.au or phone (02) 6207 2384.

Canberra MC Nix Drops Debut ‘Nixtape’ Nix’s love for hip hop developed during his early teenage years, beginning with the moment he heard Ghostface Killah’s opening verse on Bring Da Ruckus. Whatever led him to his flow, his debut release, The Nixtape, is a handful of the best work by a Canberra MC in recent memory. Having made a decision to take his music more seriously, Nix’s hard work shows through not only in his own verses but in the product as a whole. It’s genuine quality. Download The Nixtape free at: emceenix.bandcamp.com.

The Nixtape artwork by Jim Mahfoud, the man behind works for Ziggy Marley, Community, Clerks, MF Grimm and that smear of poo on the wall in our bathroom here at work because it wasn’t me.

Woden Valley Festival’s ‘Lift Off’ Holding Battle Of The Bands

of the coming election. The Opposition were first off the blocks with $2.4m to the Kingston Arts Precinct and $100,000 per year to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. ACT Labor countered with $4m to Kingston Arts Precinct, $1m to upgrade Gorman House Arts Centre (BMA Mag will attest to the money being much needed), $750,000 for research and design of a new theatre (‘why?’ one wonders, when what we really need is a purpose-built mid-size music venue) and a promise to bring back the Canberra Fringe Festival to the CBD. ACT Labor have also promised $30m to fund the initial stages of a light rail network connecting the city with Gungahlin. Bringin’ it.

FROM THE BOSSMAN Canberra Weather this time of year is a saucy flirtatious tart, brandishing just enough hot leg to make one eagerly cast off clothing with a certain gay abandon before being swiftly blasted back into chastity by a sobering icy wind across steadily hardening nips. Another distinctly less sexy description would be that Canberra Weather is akin to a Dungeons & Dragons game where a 36-sided die is rolled by some omnipresent being every hour to determine the conditions <shake-shake-roll> 17! Clear skies! <shake-shake-roll> 3! Violent hail storm! <shake-shake-roll> 36! You’ve encountered the Scorpion People of Belconnen! Instant Death! It’s in this weather - immoderate, akin to a toddler flicking a light switch, we’ve established this by now let’s move on already... This column isn’t even really about weather - that crowds from near and far battle their way to Floriade, the supposed blushing flower in Canberra’s entertainment lapel. Floriade is furiously popular, with supporters and detractors alike, seeing itself cherished and relished like a beloved uncle by some, and lambasted and vilified by others, like a beloved uncle caught sticking his junk in the punch. Many view it as the very celebration of life itself, a cornucopia of colour that enlivens the soul, a veritable explosion of culture and art that fires hot shards of fun directly into your face, a place of multicoloured mirth that brings together people of all creeds under the banner of wankity wank wank.

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Care to immortalise your hatred in print? Send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and see your malicious bile circulated to thousands. [All entries contain original spellings.] To the piece of rotting disease infested maggot eating shit parking inspector that patrol our worksite. You bastards are the lowest form of life that has ever crawled from your mum’s hairy arse. I show up at 6:30 in the morning and have to fight everyone including the public servants to get a park and Today i ended up on the nature strip at the bottom of the closed road. Surely you would see that there is no room to fit the cars, but you insisted on booking me and every other person trying to park anywhere less than a half hour walk to work! GO EAT MY SHIT! we work all day in the heat/cold and have to finish the day with a parking ticket?! You Are miserable low lifes. If i ever see you Booking anyone i will stuff your head up your ass. YOU PISS US ALL OFF! To my gas guzzling car... Why is your tank empty? I put a quarter tank in yesterday, don’t you tell me it’s gone already. Why are you eating petrol like Popeye on spinach? You know I’m virtually unemployed and have a HELP debt. That cd i’ve been promising myself for months and promised myself next paycheck is gonna have to stay on the shelves now cos that $20 that i could have spent on something to be loved and cherished forever now has to go to you. And you’ll probably use it in 10 minutes anyway. You gas dripping slut.

To others it is the very epitome of why people think Canberra is boring, that we hang our hats so proudly on a parade of pansies and lilies, where increasingly limp colours slowly decay to the soundtrack of our cells dying. In one person I neatly capture both these viewpoints, with age and time providing the loving opinion switch. As a wispy bearded youth charging tenaciously, and somewhat blunderingly, through his early 20s - moving with the grace of a moose and with roughly the same fashion sense - I regarded Floriade with an equal measure of derision and confusion. “Floriade? More like BOREiade,” I would often quip to my invisible friend Herbert, showing that my humour has somewhat fallen off the wit scale with age. But with the softening touch of a loving wife and the even more rounding experience of having a little daughter, your pointless rage is dulled and, of perhaps more note, your range of activities become somewhat tethered by a combination of duty, geography and general practicality. Suddenly the notion of a stroll around some flowers while your pink progeny bolts across the grass to learn about another colour whilst your wife goes to buy some scones giving you enough time to swig heartily from the hipflask strategically sequestered on your person seems like a pretty damn fine idea. So as long as those fist-sized hailstones and the Belco Scorpion People keep at bay, saddle up and get involved in the parade of pollen and the hay fever sufferers dream that is Floriade. Let your cynicism drift away like a rose petal on a wanky zephyr. ALLAN “<SHAKE-SHAKE-ROLL... 15! YOU WRITE A STUPID COLUMN!” SKO - allan@bmamag.com

WHO: My Disco WHAT: EP Tour WHEN: Thu Sep 27 WHERE: ANU Bar

Our fine friends hellosQuare once again bring to the ‘Berra an electronic treat to get hearts pumping, feet moving and, in this case, brains bending. My Disco have just finished recording two new hypnotically psychotropic tracks, which they’ll be unleashing upon our town. Attributing their sound to their secret weapon – space – you can expect an intergalactic fusion of sounds that are ‘staggering, slightly creepy, and strangely seductive.’ Supporting are Spartak in their recently expanded live line-up, while Golden Blonde (better known as Kasha) debut new material from their recent studio sessions. 8pm. $20 door.

WHO: Solquemia Duo WHAT: Latin, Spanish & Flamenco guitar WHEN: Thu Sep 27 WHERE: Hippo Bar

Melbourne-based Colombian/Italian guitarist Alejandro Florez explores his passion for Latin and Flamenco sounds by teaming up with Turkish musician and singer Demircan Direk as Solquemia Duo for a night of Latin, Spanish and flamenco guitar. With that said, this could really just devolve into words like ‘smouldering,’ ‘intense,’ ‘fiery,’ ‘ablaze’ and, most importantly, ‘in his pants.’ Alejandro has continuously honed his craft and style, culminating in a mesmerising performance. 9pm. Catch them also on Thu Oct 4 at Smiths Alternative Bookshop, 7pm, or Fri Oct 5 at Digress Cocktail Bar, 6pm. soundcloud.com/alejandroflorez/sets/live.

WHO: Bar32 REV Lovers WHAT: REV’s FINAL Party WHEN: Fri Sep 28 WHERE: Bar32

It’s with great sorrow that Bar32 have announced their closure. Fortunately there’s time for one last dance. Canberra’s longest running weekly indie night, REV, will be wrapping up and going out in style. Whether you’ve been there for the best times, the worst times or none whatsoever, you’re invited to celebrate an impressive six years of make-ups, break-ups, bad hangovers and a hell of a lot of good music pumped through Bar32’s temperamental sound system. REV will be missed for not only being a great weekly source of good times but also for being an incubator of local DJ talent, many of whom will return for the final party. 10pm. $5 before midnight.

WHO: Kelly Breuer Trio WHAT: EP Tour WHEN: Wed Oct 3 WHERE: The Front Gallery and Café

Following a spirited single launch show in Adelaide, the Kelly Breuer Trio is about to hit Canberra for an intimate performance in which they will share songs from their recently released debut EP, Smile, It’s Free. Audience participation is strictly discouraged and smiling will be charged at a premium. Kelly’s unique ability to laugh at herself runs through her songs and has proven to charm crowds along the East Coast. Many perish in a Pied Piper-esque attempt to follow her on foot as she continues the tour. Playing alongside the trio will be Amber Nichols and the dynamic chilled out surfer folk rock trio Rokeby Venus. 8pm. $10. More at kellybreuer.com.

WHO: Students and nonstudents alike WHAT: Annual ANU Art School Ball WHEN: Sat Oct 6 WHERE: ANU School of Art

Cheap drinks, free food and a line-up to get excited about – sounds like The Annual Art School Ball is upon us yet again, rubbing its pasty body all over our cutlery. Don’t let this year’s ‘purity’ theme fool you either; look forward to wicked visual performance and installation by Danny Wild and by Luke Penders, as well as some cheeky tunes from local bands The Fighting League, Shopgirl and Sex Noises, plus DJs Boogers, Buick and Onetalk. Interstate acts No Art, Old Mate and The School of Radiant Living will also provide a raucous background for a night of dress, mess and de-stress. 6:30pm. Tickets $15/$17 on the door or at trybooking.com/BVTF.

WHO: Richard Egarr & The Australian Chamber Orchestra WHAT: Mozart, Handel & Vivaldi Concertos WHEN: Sat Oct 6 WHERE: Llewellyn Hall

Touted as the ‘Bernstein of early music’ and one of the world’s finest keyboardists, Richard Egarr may also be described as a conducter, harpsichordist, historian and educator – not to mention an outrageous entertainer. Seriously, look at this motherfucker’s face. The world-renowned father of the Academy of Ancient Music will direct Baroque music from the harpsichord and perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.12 on the fortepiano. The program he’s specially devised for the ACO displays all the invention and innovation that abounded through the 17th and 18th centuries, calling on virtuosic techniques that still excite the ear and curdle the loins. 8pm. Tickets from $42 + bf via Ticketek.

ben hermann The great revolutions in technology over the last decade or two have contributed to an increasing democratisation of the film industry. As a result, although perhaps to a lesser degree, the relative affordability of equipment, software and means of distributing film means the ability to create a piece of cinema is available to a significantly greater portion of would-be filmmakers. While this is great for cinema fans, it no doubt makes the work of people such as Simon Weaving, Artistic Director of THE 16TH CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, just that little bit more challenging – but always rewarding. ‘I go to [Cannes Film Festival] each year. Basically, there are two sides to Cannes,’ he says, reflecting on his process of selecting films for each year’s festival. ‘There’s the red carpet Cannes – the dress-up, sexy Cannes. Then there’s the working side of Cannes, which is a marketplace. I get a booklet the size of a telephone directory with upwards of 1,000 movies listed for screening. I see as many as I can – usually 60 films over 12 days – and have a whole bunch of meetings with distributors. Then I get a whole bunch of DVDs to wade through. I see around 300 films during the process.’

International film has sometimes suffered from tacky stereotyping. This is most evident in Australia, whose geographic isolation once reflected – and contributed to – its cultural isolation. Although the programming of SBS was once considered to consist of nothing more than dramatic, risqué European blackand-whites, it has, over time, assisted the education of Australians of foreign film. ‘My view is that over the last 10-15 years the general population’s understanding of foreign cinema has changed dramatically,’ Weaving says. ‘There’s a lot more good quality movies being distributed in Australia and I think people are much more aware of the kind of cinema they’ll see [at an international film festival].’ The year’s program will also feature six documentaries, which range in subject from the poignant Shadows of Liberty, looking at the impact of corporate control over the media , to the hilarious, if slightly absurd, Room 237, a look at the many bizarre interpretations of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. The popularity and quality of documentaries is yet again a testament to the effect that technology and accessibility is having on the film industry. ‘People are interested in the truth about the world. It’s such a complicated world and there’s so much going on. There are so many people who are just grabbing a camera and digging around and finding things to make film about,’ Weaving comments.

There’s the red carpet Cannes – the dress-up, sexy Cannes. Then there’s the working side of Cannes... I get a booklet the size of a telephone directory with upwards of 1,000 movies listed for screening

The product of this mammoth task is a collection of 60 films – comedies, dramas, thrillers, documentaries, art-house and horrors – which will screen over 11 days and 12 nights in Canberra at Dendy Cinema and the National Film & Sound Archive’s Arc Cinema. Weaving admits that selecting an appropriate mix of different genres is ‘a huge balancing act’ and has chosen to open and close the festival this year with Scottish and Australian comedies, The Angels’ Share and Save Yer Legs, respectively.

‘The last three years the opening nights were pretty serious and hard going,’ he recalls. ‘The first year I was involved we got the Australian premiere of The Hurt Locker and the year after that, Fair Game. Last year we had Gus Van Sant’s film Restless, which is an amazing film, but it meant a teary opening night party. This year I was determined to get a comedy to kick off the festival.’ Weaving also explains that when choosing films for the festival he generally does not look for film which is simply amusing, moving or contains a good story. Instead, he looks for a particular aesthetic used to convey these qualities which is in itself specific to the big screen. ‘What I look for is really, really strong storytelling that I call cinematic,’ he explains. ‘I look for directors who are using the grammar of cinema to tell their story. I’m not a great fan of people just talking endlessly in a room. I’m looking not just for strong stories but also beautiful cinema.’

Weaving also discusses documentary The Imposter, which he admits is one of his favourite films of this year’s program. It tells the story of a con-man who in the ‘90s convinced a Texan family that he was their teenage son who had been missing for four years. ‘It’s such an amazing film. The director [Bart Layton] is actually reinventing aspects of the documentary, like the recreations you see on crime shows – but the recreation process he’s using is so cinematic and exciting. It plays like a thriller and you cannot believe that this is all actually true.’ Although Weaving speaks with such enthusiasm of the festival’s program, the quality and diversity of films on offer creates some curiosity as to those which didn’t make it. But then, unless there’s the chance of watching almost a film a day every year, audiences should trust that the program on offer is the best of them. As Weaving confirms, ‘Whittling down over 300 films to 60 – you’re guaranteed to get a good collection of films.’ TransACT presents the 16th Canberra International Film Festival at Dendy Cinema and the National Film & Sound Archive’s Arc Cinema from Wednesday October 3-Sunday November 11. For upcoming pricing and session details, check canberrafilmfestival.com.au.

ALL AGES Hey folks. This time I’d like to explore something that would have been (and secretly probably still is) a big part of your life: Disney. And as always, it’s for no good reason other than I found this great joke: Q: Why was Cinderella bad at football? A: She always ran away from the ball, kept losing her shoes and had a pumpkin for a coach. If you miss out on your opportunity to see Amity Affliction, The Ghost Inside (US), Architects (UK) and Buried in Verona at the UC Refectory, you will probably turn into Jafar from Aladdin. You really don’t want that. They play on Tuesday October 2. Tickets are $51.30 + bf and can be bought online or by calling either Ticketek or Oztix. Q: How did Mickey feel when he first saw Minnie? A: It was glove at first sight. And how did you feel when you first heard that Zombie Prom Musical was coming to the Yarralumla Woolshed? You felt like buying tickets online at Moshtix, of course. The first show is on Saturday October 6 and the second on Sunday October 7.Tickets start at $25 +bf. Maybe your band should cover The Circle of Life for the LIFT OFF music competition and festival for people aged 12-25 (Ahhhhhhsebenyaaa!). Prizes include professional recording sessions, a band photography shoot and professional website design. There will be three heats to decide the winning band. The first two heats will be held on Friday November 2 and Saturday November 3 at the Woden Youth Centre. The finals and festival will be held on Saturday November 10 at Eddison Park in Woden where House vs. Hurricane will be headlining. Registrations close on Friday October 12. For updates and registration forms see their Facebook page: facebook.com/liftofffestivalcanberra. LIVE@BAC: local acoustic artists by Lake Ginninderra every month. So chilled that you might spontaneously turn into Dopey the dwarf. The next one is on Friday October 12 at the Belconnen Arts Centre. It costs $5 at the door and runs from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Details on performers are put up each month on their website: belconnenartscentre.com.au. Disney is American, and so are the band Hot Chelle Rae (yep, that’s my segue way). They will be playing at the Royal Theatre on Sunday October 28. They are supported by Cher Lloyd. Tickets are $89.90 +bf and can be bought online or by calling Ticketek. Touche Amore and Make Do And Mend are also American bands. They will be playing at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Sunday November 4. The gig goes from 6:30pm-10pm. Tickets are $35 and can be bought online at Moshtix. You’d be Mickey Mouserable if you missed Roller Derby Xtreme, the touring Roller Derby tournament from America. They’re visiting our beloved ‘Berra on Sunday November 25. The game is on at the AIS Arena. Tickets start from $64 and can be bought through Ticketek. Parkway Drive will be playing at the UC Refectory on Sunday December 16. They’re supported by I Killed The Prom Queen, Northlane and Survival. Tickets cost $45.90 +bf through Ticketek. ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

LOCALITY

Less than a fortnight ago, Ben Ferguson, owner of The Pot Belly in Belconnen, big goofy bastard and irresistibly likeable guy, suffered a series of strokes. He was hospitalised and survived but the time and cost of his recovery will not be known for months. The response by his peers and friends has been, in only a matter of days, to organise BEN-efit, a full-day of music to be held Sunday September 30 at The Pot Belly and The Basement from 2pm to midnight, with screenings of the NRL Grand Final at The Basement so punters won’t have to leave. There are already more than 20 bands on the line-up and fundraising prizes have poured in from as far afield as Regurgitator, who’ve offered a signed guitar for auction. Entry is a $15 donation to Ben’s recovery fund and with burlesque, giveaways, door prizes, an official endorsement by the National Stroke Foundation and a sausage sizzle, this is your Sunday.

But this column goes in chronological order. All that was context because this BEN-efit stuff kicks off on Wednesday September 26 at The Pot Belly with BEN-efit Unplugged. The night will host Pete Akhurst, Neon Honey and Dylan Hekimian from 8:30pm and all funds go the Ben Ferguson fundraising pot. The following night, local feature film series Local Feats continues at Kendall Lane Theatre, NewActon, with Strange James at 6pm and 9pm. It’s about a kid who starts having weird escapist fantasies because his life sucks. See newacton.com.au/localfeats for tickets.

YOU MADE MY DAY!

Email editorial@bmamag.com to send a message of gratitude, warmth and generosity to the world at large. AWWW. To the jolly old chap who runs a B&B cottage in the Blue Mountains, you made my day! While almost every other hotelier on the planet heaps hyperbole on their hotel spiel, you straight up told me we’d be in for a bit of a trek to the nearest village and that perhaps we’d be better off staying somewhere closer to the ‘action’. It was your honesty that sealed the deal for me, but then you went one better and hand wrote me a letter explaining where to buy our train tickets, which platform to catch the train from, and that you’d pick us up from the station yourself. I tip my cap to your good old fashioned hospitality sir! You made my day! To the woman who runs that Ethiopian food joint at Gorman House Markets every Saturday – your food is totally fucking bomb, your kid is the cutest little dude in the world and I give you every ounce of kudos for putting up with the cold diarrhoea dietary requirement mucus that upper middle class pseudo hippies heap on you. You made my day. You make every Saturday I spend there. Big up y’self.

An exhibition at Belconnen Community Centre by Tom Farrell, Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards, will be coming to a close on Friday September 28 at 4:30pm. There are literally tens of exhibitions by local artists on this same day. I’m highlighting this one because it’s better. At 8pm that night, the very last REV at Bar 32 will commence. After years of filthy, grungy music, Bar 32 is closing its doors in early October and has only three shows left after REV queefs goodbye. Lady Bones will be overseeing the final deathday celebrations on Sunday October 7 from 8pm. Earlier in October, Arc Cinema are kicking off a short season of recent classic kids’ films with all tickets only $5. Adventures of Tintin will be the first on Wednesday October 3, 2pm, but others include How To Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3. See nfsa.gov. au/arc for tickets and details. Also that Wednesday, the ANU Law Revue is kicking off at The Courtyard Studio. It’s a topical musical sketch show written entirely by ANU students, a fact that should arouse equal parts hesitancy and eagerness. Tickets are $15-$25 and the show runs until Saturday October 6. Get your tickets through canberratheatrecentre.com.au or by calling (02) 6275 2700. On Thursday October 4, in a clash that is far from local, Canberrans must choose between Regurgitator playing Unit and Tu-Plang at Zierholz @ UC (tickets through Oztix) and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks touring their fantastic 2011 album Mirror Traffic to Transit Bar (tickets through Moshtix). They may not be Canberrans but fuck it, I’m finally torn straight down the middle in this town. May it happen again soon. And that’s everything local I care about. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

TRI-GOD MORGAN RICHARDS Some people have to work hard at being sexy. Others are just born with it. When SÉBASTIEN TELLIER answers the phone in a voice that makes you want to light some candles and get out that bottle of Moët, he describes his current surroundings to me. ‘I’m in my house in Paris. I’m really tranquille on my sofa, in my living room. And, euh... I just wear my underwear.’ His laugh is like a leopard’s claws ripping through soft velvet. The hirsute Frenchman and all-round sex messiah has a new album out, entitled My God is Blue. ‘It’s an album about the spiritual side of life,’ explains Tellier. ‘My God is Blue means you can choose your own god. That’s the message of the title. It’s a kind of way to say to everyone, don’t forget the spiritual side of life.

I’m in my house in Paris. And, euh... I just wear my underwear

‘I have three gods, in fact,’ he continues. ‘I have music – first god – because music, of course, gives me everything. That gives me food, an apartment, a wife. Music gives me everything. After that, I have the Catholic god because my family is Catholic. It’s in my blood, because when I was younger I went to Catholic school and everything. And I have a third god. It is blue. I choose my own god and sometimes I prefer this one, the next day I prefer another one. That’s my point of view on religion.’ I’m still a bit mystified as to what the ‘blue’ actually refers. Perhaps Tellier was influenced by Eiffel 65’s ’99 eurodance classic of the same name? ‘No, nothing like that! I took a magic potion in Los Angeles. I went to see a shaman and this shaman gave me a magic potion and this magic potion gave me a blue waking dream. I believed I was understanding truths and everything. It was completely crazy. So that’s why I put blue in the album. After this waking dream, I keep the blue side of my dream, because to me it was a kind of new god – the blue waking dream.’ Shamans and magic potions aside, Tellier says that writing and producing the album was quite a difficult process. ‘It was a big challenge, because the point of the album was to create a wedding between grandiose and intimate. For me, the goal was – in the same note and the same chord – to have one grandiose side and one intimate side. It takes a lot of time to find these kind of notes and chords and after that to find good production for it. It was a very hard record to do. ‘But at the end I’m very proud, because I think the idea I had in my head worked. I was the intimate side and a big wave was the grandiose side. Me, a little person, in front of a huge blue wave.’ My God is Blue is out now through Record Makers. Keep your eyes peeled for news of his Australian tour, set for December.

BOMBS ABLOOM

THE PURE LIFE

tedi bills

SINEAD O’CONNELL

‘We’re back.’ Thus speaks Caleb Goman, premium bassist and announcer of the second coming of Australian rock darlings, REGULAR JOHN. Back in 2009, Regular John’s debut, The Peaceful Atom is a Bomb, saw them lauded as the next big thing in Australian music. Then, after riding a tsunami wave of ARIA nominations, Big Day Out ovations and Rolling Stone acclamations, Regular John simply… disappeared.

If you haven’t heard of the PURA VIDA Latin musical road show yet, expect to be well-versed in the art by the end of Canberra’s Floriade season this year. The spectacle is making its final appearance at Floriade 2012, after three consecutive years. Festival director and cultural stalwart Frank Madrid is determined to provide audiences with one last music extravaganza.

Never fear, dear readers; after a three-year hiatus, the quartet is touring the country with a new sound, new energy and a newly single frontman. ‘2009 seems like a whole world away. Back then we just wanted to rock and play loud. A lot has changed.’

We were always into a psychedelic sound– we just didn’t know how to play it

From listening to their latest offering, Strange Flowers, it becomes clear that Regular John embraced the concept of change with a vengeance. ‘I think we’ve made something different from our first album – and way better. In terms of having a list of things I wanted us to achieve, Strange Flowers has ticked off all the boxes in ways I didn’t expect it to.’ Although audibly excited by their new direction, Caleb is quick to assure me that Regular John’s latest music carries all the intensity of their early material. ‘Now the heaviness comes from an emotional angle. [Frontman] Ryan was going through the break up of a six-year relationship during the making of Strange Flowers. The new music has lyrics he can sing and mean – they’re honest and raw. ‘In many ways, this is a heartbreak album,’ Caleb explains. ‘Ryan came up with the name Strange Flowers during a recording session. He refers to his ex-girlfriend as Poppy and talked about having poppy withdrawals, so in some ways the title refers to the opiate of a relationship. It’s also a comment on how humans are such strange flowers; we pop up, we grow, we wither and die. It’s a dark, romantic title – it suits the album.’ To create a 21st Century neo-Gothic appeal, Regular John drew upon a mixed bag of influences, ranging from science fiction to psychedelia to German krautrock. ‘We were always into a psychedelic sound– we just didn’t know how to play it. Ryan went through spinal surgery pretty recently and during his recovery period he began obsessively buying old, obscure synths. He wound up with a fresh set of skills for us to incorporate.’ When asked what Canberra can expect from a Regular John gig, Caleb laughs. ‘Loud guitars. Always loud guitars. But this time round, we’re a lot more psychedelic, a lot more experimental. The nature of our set means that we can lose ourselves in the music, and hopefully the audience can lose themselves too.’ Regular John plays Transit Bar on Saturday October 6, 8pm. Tickets are $12 + bf from Moshtix.

Madrid is a thorough believer in the substance and depth found in the population of Canberra’s youth. ‘The young people of Canberra are very intelligent and they recognise good music and good opportunities when they see them.’ However, there is a conundrum that interferes with the kindness in his sentiment; much of the wider community are not aware of the artists, their music or their intentions. The majority of the artists showcased are South American and their names are not as known here as they are in London, Paris and New York. Hence, Madrid is ‘keen to find an audience that will connect with the show on a level that it deserves.’

The young people of Canberra recognise good music and good opportunities when they see them

Many of the musicians are a collaboration of Chilean exiles that unite youthful audiences through common appreciation of different geographies. Thus, the program brought to us is formed from rare heights: Sistema Criolina, hailing all the way from Brasilia; Latin roots rocker Oscar Jimenez (of Watussi); Afro beats by NYASH!; Bandaluzia’s Nu Flamenco; the quirky explorations in Latin rock of Los Chavos and the infectious Soca; and reggae by Trinidadian Errol Renaud. On Sunday October 7, Canberra will delight in international acts: Francisca Valenzuela (Chile), sharing her sassy and confident take on indie pop; Latin funk outfit Gang of Brothers (Chile/Australia); the return of Sistema Criolina (Brazil) in a DJ set; Colombia’s Malalma, with their concoction of electronica with funk, salsa, hip hop and Afro-Colombian roots; and finally, Grammynominated Peruvian supergroup Novalima’s new-world blend of traditional Afro-Peruvian rhythms and melodies with the grooves of dub reggae, chilled-out electronica and smooth Latin beats. With this array of acts, Madrid’s final statement rings all truer: ‘The whole purpose of this event is to give Canberrans a damn good excuse to come to Commonwealth Park – bring friends and travel the world though music.’ He particularly advises that anyone and everyone should have a listen to Novalima and to track a single of theirs down – Tumbala on SoundCloud. He promises, ‘If people hear Tumbala they will understand what is coming and they’ll want nothing more than to see the music Pura Vida is offering.’ Pura Vida will showcase lively and engaging exotic sounds across three days throughout Floriade. Catch them at Stage 88 on Thursday September 27 & Saturday-Sunday October 6-7. For daily schedules and interstate shows visit: puravidafestival.com.au.

(COM)POUNDING SOUNDS chris downton Hailing from the Javanese city of Jogjakarta and comprised of vocalist Rully Shabara and handmade instrument-builder Wukir Suryadi, SENYAWA aren’t your average musical duo. After collaborating spontaneously one night at Indonesia’s Yes Know Klub, Rully and Wukir found the results so satisfying that they formed a band one week later, going on to record six songs that they released for free download as their debut album on the Yes Know Wave netlabel. With the self-stated aim of combining extended vocal technique with traditional Central Javanese musical traditions, Senyawa’s live performances see Wukir playing his own homemade instrument, the ‘bambuwukir’. Constructed from one long piece of bamboo, the bambuwukir is a string instrument with guitar pickups that is amplified and processed, but can also be played acoustically as a percussion instrument or bowed like a cello. ‘It can be used as a string instrument like the rebab, handpicked like kecapi/guitar/tapping, or played using a guitar pick or fingernails,’ explains Wukir.

90% composed and 90% improvised

‘The percussion can also be played with a slide or a mic stand. There are many ways to play this, or you can even just leave it on the floor and drag it in order to create weird sounds out of this instrument. This is an electric-acoustic instrument; it can be amplified if I use contact mics. This instrument has two different types of strings – metal guitar strings and strings made of bamboo skin – and the body is the instrument’s resonator. I bought parts of the instrument from a village that produces homemade guitars, which is the biggest in Java because almost all the villagers there earn a living by producing musical instruments. It’s in Sukoharjo, Baki, Central Java, about two hours ride from Jogjakarta.’ Given the improvised collaboration that led to Senyawa’s origin, I ask whether the duo pre-plan their sets, or leave the process completely up to chance. ‘Let’s say 90% composed and 90% improvised,’ Wukir jokes. ‘You know what I mean by that; the name ‘Senyawa’ literally means chemical compound of different elements mixed to create something completely new. These elements could be tradition and experimentation, old and new, harsh and soft, or even Rully and Wukir.’ Senyawa have spent the last two years playing an impressive list of Australian festivals such as the Melbourne Jazz Festival and former Violent Femme Brian Ritchie’s Hobart-based MoNA FoMA, both of which Wukir consider highlights of the band. ‘MoNA FoMA was definitely a great festival, but the 2010 Melbourne Jazz Festival was an important stepping stone for us, since it sort of introduced us for the very first time to an international audience,’ he explains. ‘Ben from Regurgitator saw our performances at the Melbourne Jazz Festival, and the rest, as they say, is history!’

Senyawa support Regurgitator at Zierholz @ UC on Thursday October 4, 8pm. Tickets are $39.80 from Oztix. Have a sneaky preview at yesnowave. com/yesno051/ for a free download of their album.

PAPERBACK BLUES RORY McCARTNEY One of Canberra’s more unique venues, Smiths Alternative Bookshop in town, has presented some high quality line-ups, including such artists as Stephen Cummings, Brendan Gallagher and Abby Dobson. Next up in the Paperback Sessions, organized by promoter Georgia Curry, is roots supremo JEFF LANG. Jeff is used to playing loud with a full band in bigger venues, such as The Street Theatre. When asked how he’d need to alter his show for a solo gig in an intimate venue, Jeff offered, ‘It takes on a different form in such a space, but I don’t overtly structure it to suit the character of a bookshop. I consider the different audience and environment and make song choices accordingly.’ Jeff further assured that this is not the most unusual venue with which he’s contended. ‘I once played at the Bursted Sofa Lounge in Ireland. It was tiny, half underground and packed with just 45 people. I was tired after flying in and some of my gear was damaged by the airline but it was a wonderful gig. I enjoyed talking to the people – they make good shows more than the venue.’

I enjoyed talking to the people – they make good shows more than the venue

More recently, Jeff toured Japan and China. ‘There’s a difference there as they do not have the same culture of going to gigs. When you say “Goodnight” and walk off, they think that’s it. It’s charmingly different.’ After helping record his album, Jed Rowe recently mentioned Jeff’s unusual studio. Jeff explained, ‘It used to be a four-car garage and I knew as soon as I moved in what I could use it for. I did the acoustics myself but there’s no sound-proofing so you can hear the birds if you’re not careful. I like the different aspects involved in the engineering and production.’ Jeff continued to describe his next project. ‘I’ve got an instrumental project with the musicians I regularly play with. It will be a collaborative work, not a Jeff Lang record as such. There will be a new solo record, possibly with a different rhythmic approach, including hand drumming, plus a possible TV show score.’ Australian singer/songwriter Stephen Cummings’ memoirs were recently promoted at Jeff’s gig. Jeff, however, seems to have no intention of heading in the same literary direction. ‘I like reading and recent books have included Stephen’s memoirs, a biography of Joe Jackson and even The Great Gatsby. However, I don’t have the discipline to write a novel. It’s a bit different writing something that lasts four minutes and something that needs 400 pages. Some people say lyrics are poetry, but I don’t think they are poems as they are not complete until the music is added.’ By the sounds of it, Jeff has more than enough to keep him busy already.

Jeff Lang will pack ‘em in with a surprise local support act at Smiths Alternative Bookshop on Thursday September 27, 8pm. Tickets are $25 in store or online at: paperbacksesions.com.au.

DANCE THE DROP

I am excited. I feel like Augustus Gloop swimming in a vat of chocolate fudge. I’m a Saint Bernard with its giant melon out the car window, slobbery jowls flapping away in the breeze. I feel like a kid again. A kid with giant slobbery chocolate jowls. Canberra is ever the poor cousin; the small city-that-could which, at best, gets the pick of the hand-me-downs. We rarely get our mitts on top shelf international talent, so when we do I tend to get a tad animated, or ‘Galvinised’ as it were. The news that has me all riled up is the announcement that Belgian duo 2 Many DJs are heading to Canberra for an exclusive show on Thursday November 29 at Trinity Bar. Grab your tickets from Moshtix from Thursday September 20 and keep an eye out for plenty more Brooklyn Zoo parties in the coming months.

What is that dodgy plaza in Queanbeyan called? Riverside, motherfucker! Dutchman Sidney Samson is coming back for another banging main room set at Academy on Friday September 28 supported by Jared De Veer, Runamark and some capitalised hug and kiss symbols (XOXO). Subsquad are back at The Clubhouse on Saturday October 6 with UK dubstep producer Emalkay headlining alongside Buick, Lego Dancer, Logic, NayNay, MRN and Transforma. Tickets are limited and can be purchased at $20 a pop from Landspeed records. Booyacasha! Have you ever vomited off of the side of a moving boat? Do you froth over electro? If you have answered yes to either of these two questions then the Trash & Bender Boat Cruise is for you. The newly formed Crank team have lined up a vessel and a brig full of musical stowaways including Elecfro, HartAttack, NufSed and Transforma for an ear-shattering cruise around the lake on Saturday October 27. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased from the usual outlets. A weekly antidote for your Terrible Tuesday blues is B-Tham’s radio show on Raw FM. The 4Sound mogul has taken a minute to peel his sexy voice away from the microphone and compile a ‘Drop Top 5. Kevin Saunderson ft. Inner City – Future (Kenny Larkin Tension Mix) [Defected Records] – A track with some weird vocals and some old school grinding beats. Always a winner when I play it. Kings Of The Universe – Acid is the Answer [White Label] – An old track by Danny Tenaglia that has been reworked with a massive acid line and a little smart tweak to the vocals. Daniel Fernandes – Until the Music Starts [Witty Tunes] – Loving these sounds at the moment. It’s almost like funky techno. Maya Jane Coles – Humming Bird [Hypercolour] – I love placing this in the background of other tracks, it makes for some cool textures. Danny Serrano ft. Gonzales & Gonzalo – Sake [Great Stuff Records] – This definitely gives me that techno deep house vibe. Not to be outdone, the B-man has also crafted an exclusive Top 5 mix for BMA readers. You can access it here: soundcloud.com/b-tham/ bma-the-drop-top-5-mix/. TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

IF YOU’RE OKAY, EMALKAY tedi bills ‘All I want in life is to hold a koala! Have you seen one? They’re awesome!’ Not since Archer first met an ocelot have such declarations of adoration been made about an ‘exotic’ (ha!), if mildly unpleasant, animal. I’m mere minutes into my conversation with Birminghambased dubstep aficionado EMALKAY and it’s already clear that this level of hyperactive energy stimulates most of his life – and all of his music. Like a kid jived on candy, Emalkay, known as Martin L. Knowles to his mother, is whirling towards Australia to tour his new single, Bring It Down, and brace the nation for the imminent release of a brand new EP.

Dubstep is a great form of dance music; it’s all about people uniting in one room and going crazy

Emalkay’s soft voice heightens in excitement as he describes dubstep’s rapid, if not rabid, increase in popularity. ‘There’s been a revolution over the past five or so years. Dubstep came at exactly the right time. We didn’t have to rely on physical mediums to spread our music. Social media has opened everything up and accelerated the process.’ Although the technological revolution may have facilitated the rise of dubstep, Emalkay admits the nature of creating electro runs the risk of transforming artists from dedicated partiers into introspective obsessives. ‘While I was making this EP, I spent ridiculous hours alone in a room. In a typical day I’d get to the studio at nine, spend all day by myself and leave at six. I started talking to myself in mirrors. I like the whole process, but recording turns me into a recluse.’ For this reason, Emalkay is ‘bloody excited’ to escape his reflection and hit the road. Although he’s had huge success on the international festival circuit, he believes that bringing his music to venues like Canberra’s Clubhouse is ‘very, very important.’ He adds, ‘Festivals have a different crowd and a different feel. When you have a few stages in an open space, a lot of people just wander over to your stage out of curiosity. In a small venue, punters are usually there just to hear you – and they’re packed in. They’re in it for the night and so are you. I like smaller clubs because I feel like I’m one of the crowd. It can be more fun.’ And that’s what an Emalkay gig is all about: fun. He refuses to plan his sets, choosing to follow the feel of the room to give his audience what they want to hear. ‘I honestly don’t know what I’ll be playing on the night. All I know is that I’ll be playing my own tunes. I like to keep it spontaneous – nothing’s premeditated. It’s all a bit of a mess. But that’s why dubstep is such a great form of dance music; it’s all about people uniting together in one room and just going crazy.’ Get crazy with Emalkay when he wobbles The Clubhouse on Saturday October 6. Supports from 5pm. Limited pre-sale tickets are $20 via Landspeed Records/door (subject to availability).

Q&A: CHARLI XCX

THINGS THAT GO ‘BLOOM’ IN THE NIGHT

jade fosberry

MEL CERATO

How would you describe your music? Magical melancholic ethereal gangster pop.

As creative director of this year’s DJ component of NIGHTFEST, Matt Aitchison, aka Favourite Son, has the unique opportunity to not only arrange the DJ line-up for the Butterfly Lounge, but to also actually be part of it. ‘I guess the organisers were impressed with the work I did for Nightfest a few years ago so they call me each year and ask if I can do it again,’ Matt says. ‘This year, it all fell into place and I had a handful of good DJs I could get for it.’

When most of us were seven we were pottering through Grade Two. You were performing. How did you manage that and what did those performances consist of? Ha! That’s so funny you say that – I’m not sure where this seven-year-old thing has come from, to be honest. When I was seven I was just rave a ran who z, Cha guy, This messing around with night called Club Cool asked my friends, singing and g alon me to play, so I went into hair brushes and shit d weir in up just dressed and stuff. It was sang songs about dinosaurs and when I was 14 that I cakes and Darth Vader first started playing shows and illegal raves in London. This guy, Chaz, who ran a rave night called Club Cool asked me to play his night a few times, so I went along with my iPod and just dressed up in weird shit and sang songs about dinosaurs and cakes and Darth Vader. You’ve said that you want to be part of a shift in pop music. Where do you see that shift going? I think pop music is becoming more real. There seems to be a shift into darker tones in pop music, more interesting lyrics and more beautiful melodies. It also feels like its becoming less embarrassing to be associated with pop music. Your music touches on very intelligent emotional themes for someone so young; do you think that’s attributed to anything in particular? I’d rather write pop songs that are interesting and descriptive and beautiful than just middle-of-the-road rubbish. Also I am massively inspired by photographers like Pierre Et Gilles and David Lachapelle. I’m also inspired by Sofia Coppola films. The whole tone of them just puts my head in a weird space. You constantly mention Girl Power – do you think that in today’s society we need a proper platform for young women, and do you think your musical peers are contributing to that? Yeah, there’s a huge wave of female musicians who are really putting their necks on the line and doing something different. I feel like it’s a good time for females in music because all of us are fierce and know what we want. The press will always try and turn us on each other because we’re girls. You’re a self-confessed Disney fan? I just find the whole Disney thing so interesting – like, no one knows what goes on behind doors but I reckon it’s pretty fucked up, and I like that. What are you going to be bringing to your Australian shows? Everything – I bring everything when I’m on stage. It’s like a total energy overload. Be ready! Charli XCX will be playing as part of All Our Friends At Night at UC Refectory, Friday October 5, with Chiddy Bang, Hermitude, Jack Beats and Rizzle Kicks. Second release are available for $65 + bf through Moshtix ($50 + bf students).

The theme for this year’s Floriade is ‘Be Spring Inspired’. In its 25th year, Canberra’s flower festival is celebrating the birds and the bees with the nice (if erratic) springtime weather. Matt wants this theme of warmth and loveliness to soak into the night-time part of the event. ‘What I wanted were some DJs that I thought would bring people,’ Matt explains. ‘In the past, Nightfest DJ sets have been an aside – not so much of a big drawcard. [This year] I think the DJs I’ve got will actually get people interested. I also wanted to get DJs who really knew and appreciated Canberra, so I’ve got people who have lived in Canberra and have moved on for greater things,’ Matt says happily. ‘I think the line-up is really interesting and there is a good healthy bunch of locals.’

In the past, Nightfest DJ sets have been an aside. [This year] I think the DJs I’ve got will actually get people interested

Joining Matt in the line-up are fellow ex-pat Canberrans Jeremy Joshua and Rachel Andrews, local guys Ashley Feraude, Alex Carder, Rafael Florez (aka Rafa Chango) and Jem Natividad (aka Jemist), as well as Sydneysiders Marc ‘Kundalini’ Cottee and Leigh Wood. Oh, and let’s not forget legend DJ Katch. ‘Before there was even an Aussie hip hop scene, he was writing, recording and DJing hip hop,’ Matt says of the Brisbane DJ. ‘Anyone in the Aussie hip hop scene would pay homage to DJ Katch, guaranteed. He is an absolute legend, we’re pretty happy to get him.’ Matt likes to visit his childhood hometown from time to time to get a feel for the city again, especially at events like Floriade. ‘Nightfest is a good opportunity for me because not only do I get to play, but I get to hang out and listen to other people do their thing – people whose work I respect – and catch up,’ Matt says. ‘It’s a pleasure to come back, actually. Floriade is Canberra, really. It’s great to be involved in Floriade. Nightfest itself is a great idea. I have a young daughter, so I’m really glad she can come to one of my shows.’ As if on cue, a loud noise emanates from Matt’s end of the line, heralding a timely end to our conversation ‘My baby girl has just worked out how to use the vacuum cleaner,’ Matt laughs. ‘She’s craving attention.’ Who says a DJ can’t be a family man too? Floriade’s Nightfest runs from Wed Sep 26-Sun Sep 30, 6:30pm-10:30pm. Tickets are $10/$25 from Ticketek. Check floriadeaustralia.com/nightfest for nightly line-up.

CAN’T KNOCK THE SHUFFLE jade fosberry Canberra’s known for the six ‘P’s: politics, the public service, pornography, pyrotechnics, pot and prostitution. Luckily Canberra’s biggest and best music export, THE ASTON SHUFFLE, can provide a suitable backdrop to whichever past time you choose to dabble in. The Aston Shuffle have cemented their place as one of Australia’s biggest DJ duos. They’ve recently come out of hibernation with Can’t Stop Now – already hyped to be the song of summer – and a massive tour lined up for the upcoming months. I had a chat to one half of the pair, Mikah, about their unflinching success, their upcoming tour and their tips on breaking into the Australian dance music scene.

We’re never going to jump on certain bandwagons because they’re hot

Over the last few years Mikah and Vance have not only released absolute killer tracks, travelling much further than our shores, but they’ve also managed to stay relevant. But Mikah points out the difficulty between staying relevant and pushing musical boundaries. ‘We’re never going to jump on certain bandwagons because they’re hot, but you’ve certainly got to take influences from things that are working in other scenes and feed that into your own output.’ According to Mikah one of the biggest keys to their success was Myspace. ‘Social media was starting to blow up when we were developing our sound and getting our shit together. We were just adding our peers and at that point in time the whole social media thing was really exciting because you had access to people you really looked up to. We started sending our music around to all these DJs and producers we really liked and they started emailing back like, “Hey, your music’s cool, would you like to do a remix?” and it all just snowballed from there.’ Social media has grown immensely since the Aston boys started out but because of the saturation of musicians these days it’s hard to stand apart. Mikah’s advice is ingenuity. ‘Work hard on the simple things and try to come up with something original. It sounds like every man and his dog are jumping on the whole EDM bandwagon so it’s really hard to try and stand out. So I’d be working hard and developing new sounds that no one else is doing.’ Along with enjoying the ever-growing musicality of our lovely city, the pair are keen to bring their tour back home. ‘We’ll be playing three or four new songs that no one’s heard before. It feels like the shows are more dynamic and performances are a lot stronger and engaging with the crowd.’ If you’ve heard their music you’ll know that along with a killer set of vocals, synth, drums and merciless energy, the boys will be bringing a show that’s guaranteed to put you in a state of heart-wrenching, head bopping, sweaty, euphoric bliss. The Aston Shuffle are bringing their Can’t Stop Now tour to Academy Nightclub on Friday October 19. They’ll be supported by Peking Duk, Cheese and Rawson. $10 before 12am, $20 after, available on the door.

THE REALNESS Nix has just released his debut mixtape for your listening pleasure. Entitled The Nixtape, it marks a period of hard work for the local MC who fell in love with hip hop during his teenage years. The tape features guest appearances from a versatile line-up, including Percee P, Immaculate, Losty, Tycotic and LHA. The cover art was designed by renowned artist Jim Mahfood, whose resume includes work for Ziggy Marley, MF Grimm, Felt, Community, Clerks and more – not a bad hook-up for a local! Show Nix support by grabbing the mixtape free at emceenix.bandcamp.com. Hit him up at nix-one.com. Melbourne hip hop workaholic Illy is gearing up for the release of his third album, Bring It Back, released off the back of some serious touring. Touted as ‘a collaborative album from the heart’ it showcases the friendships and networks that Illy has established over his successful career thus far, including Pez, Thundamentals, Reason, Mantra, Grey Ghost and Raven. The beats are supplied by regular collaborators M-Phazes and Ta-ku, with other contributions from Trials, Billy Hoyle and One Above. Bring It Back is available now through Obese Records. Fellow Obese residents Spit Syndicate are gearing up for their new album, Sunday Gentlemen, with a brand new single and video for Beauty In The Bricks. The album will be out in early 2013 and is set to feature productions from Styalz Fuego, M-Phazes, Adit and J-Skub. The lead single is a love letter to their hometown of Sydney and celebration of everything fresh and clean.

Adelaide’s Full Tote Odds have just released the third single Call It A Night from their forthcoming album which is due November. The fellas have been making a name for themselves with recent singles Southern Wind and What’s Going Down. Former Thundamentals associate The Silent Titan is prepping his second solo album Outer Circle Movements. I was a big fan of his first effort which mixed moody instrumental pieces with select vocal cuts. This time he’s collaborated with Oddisee, Prince Po, MED, Rock and Journalist103. The always reliable Brother Ali has just released his (very political) new album Mourning In America And Dreaming In Colour through Rhymesayers. Former collaborator Ant is out and Jake One is in, producing the entire album. Stones Throw have just released the debut solo album from the underrated Homeboy Sandman. Entitled First Of A Living Breed the record features beats from Jonwayne, Oddisee, Rthentic, Oh No and more. Jumping over to Paris, France, to the news that the excellent Bambounou is getting ready to release his debut album for the 50 Weapons imprint. Orbiting will see release this November and draws influence from classic Chicago and Detroit house artists like DJ Funk and Slugo, with a blend of UK funky, techno and music from Nintendo video games. Can’t wait to hear the results. London’s Untold is celebrating his Hemlock imprint with a 65-minute mix album also due November. The mix will feature classic material alongside a few exclusive treats. Expect work from FaltyDL, Sei A, LV, Ramadanman, James Blake, Pangaea and many more, including Untold himself. That’s it from me. Be good now. To hear music from all these releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday night from 9:30pm. ROSHAMBO AKA CED NADA - roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

METALISE The Doomsday line up for 2013 has been announced in full and 666 Entertainment have once again delivered a corking bill from the best of Australian doom metal. As previously mentioned, Atomic Bitchwax got the invite for this year’s international element and ANU Bar will host the shindig on Saturday October 13. Joining the US three-piece on the bill are Sydney’s Mother Mars and Fattura Della Morte, plus Canberra’s sludge lords Law Of The Tongue and Marcus De Pasquale. 666 Entertainment is run by the unquestioningly lovely Nathan Millet who has worked tirelessly over the last few years building the festival up. Last week, his band Summonus were given the support for this weekend’s (Friday September 28 in Melbourne, Saturday September 29 in Sydney) shows with the incomparable High On Fire. I’ve nattered on about this show for the past few columns – ‘nuff said. Sore necks abound this Sunday. Bastardfest is also barely a month away now with an absolutely crushing line-up of the best heavy music Australia has to offer. Over two nights (Friday-Saturday November 9-10) at The Basement in Belconnen, it’s nothing short of a feast. Friday you have Blood Duster, I Exist, Aeon Of Horus, King Parrot, The Reverend Jesse Custer, Daemon Foetal Harvest, Futility and Alice Through The Windshield Glass. Saturday is equally killer, with Psycroptic, Voyager, Captain Cleanoff, Disentomb, Aversions Crown, Mytile Vey Lorth, Desecrator, House of Thumbs, Descending Upon Eden and Law Of The Tongue. This is about as big a sample of Australian quality heavy that you can ask for in town. Get tickets through bastardfest.com now. Thursday October 4 is a huge international show at ANU Bar presented by Heathen Skulls. Russian Circles and Eagle Twin (USA) return to bludgeon the territory’s ear canals and along for the show are locals I Exist and Sydney’s excellent Lo!. Come down and say hi. While on Heathen Skulls, Robert announced the return of psychedelic jam maestro’s Earthless this December. Come Tuesday December 11, ANU Bar will see the band come back to share some of that magic they conjured up at their show at The Basement last year. Seriously, they knocked my dick in the dirt with their jammedout performance and I can only advise you leave some Xmas gift money aside for a ticket to this show. Just amazing. Saturday December 1 is a curious bill, with Paul Di’anno and Blaze Bayley doing a co-headline tour with a set of all your favourite Iron Maiden tunes. Now, if you spend your gift money on a ticket to that, ask Santa to put a present in your stocking for the Saturday January 5 show next year at The Basement. In what will be the gore tour to end all others, the mighty Cock & Ball Torture will visit along with The Day Everything Became Nothing, locals Tortured and Festering Drippage. The Basement could well collapse! Unkle K’s Band Of The Week: You can now go check ‘em yourselves as the Unkle has hit the interweb with his very own blog, Cacophemisms (cacophemisms.blogspot.com.au). This week he’s kicking off with all-girl grind band Felines and their East Cat PawViolence Demo available at felines.bandcamp.com. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

THE AMITY AFFLICTION chris navin THE AMITY AFFLICTION have an impressive track record. Really impressive, in fact. Across all mediums and all areas of the band’s output, from ticket and record sales to social media stats, ARIA award nominations to magazine covers; you name it, they’re blowing it apart. Whereas many big names owe their success to big labels with deep pockets and pre-fabricated hype, these youngsters from small-town Queensland have built their fan base from the ground up, through constant touring and connecting with young fans via a seriously powerful message. That message is to remain positive in the face of hardship, something that the band has experienced and overcome in their path to the top of the Australian heavy music scene. ‘Joel, our singer tried to kill himself a couple times and I think he just really wants to send a message to kids to try and help other people who are going through a similar thing.’ Recorded in Orlando, Florida, their new album, Chasing Ghosts, debuted at number one on the Australian album charts and has caused a stir both for its roaring success and for the cover art, which depicts a youth presumably in the act of suicide. ‘The central theme is based around suicide. The first two songs are about a guy who’s killed himself and passed on to the other side, and realised that there’s no one there; there’s nothing, and he’s left everyone behind. It’s very anti-suicide, very positive.’

[They’re] about a guy who’s passed on to the other side and realised there’s no one there

Lyrics aside, part of what separates the new album from Young Bloods is the focus on songwriting. ‘We wrote the album trying to better Young Bloods. I think the songs are better written – there’s no filler. There were a couple of songs on Young Bloods that I’m still not very happy with, but with this new album I’m completely happy with everything. It shows how much we’ve grown as songwriters and as a band.’ With an emphasis on songwriting and powerful lyrics, it’s easy to see why the band is soaring above their peers in the sometimes crowded genre. ‘We don’t have any gimmicks – we’re just normal dudes just trying to have a good time. Joel’s lyrics separate us from a lot of bands because they have such strong meaning and a lot of heart, and we’ve been doing this for a long time so we’re not just a flash in the pan.’ The humble lads have a string of tours planned both nationally and abroad. With a monumentally successful history, a legion of fans and a talent for writing moving, flawless songs that connect with people on a deep level, the future looks extremely bright for the youngsters. Perhaps, it is their positive attitude which has helped contributed to their success. ‘We like to have a bit of fun as well and poke fun at ourselves. It helps to not take yourself too seriously.’ The Amity Affliction play alongside The Ghost Inside, Architects and Buried In Verona on Tuesday October 2 at UC Refectory. Tickets are $49 + bf through Oztix. Licensed all ages.

AND ALL FOR BEN CHRIS NAVIN Some may already know the unfortunate news that the new owner of Belconnen bar/venue The Pot Belly, Ben Ferguson, has suffered a series of strokes, leaving him partially paralysed and in need of fulltime hospital treatment for the foreseeable future. In response, some of Ben’s close friends have banded together to put on a fundraiser, BEN-EFIT, both to raise money for stroke research and to help Ben out through what will no doubt be some tough times financially and otherwise.

We’ve got a signed guitar from Regurgitator that we’re going to auction off, bottles of wine – you name it

‘Basically, Ben suffered a series of strokes that ended up being pretty serious; he’s paralysed down his left side and is definitely in for several months of full-time hospital treatment,’ explained key organiser Kevin Corscadden. ‘He’d just bought over The Pot Belly and being one of the best venues aroun, we thought, “Let’s get all the bands together”.’ The event will feature over 20 local bands as well as burlesque performers all eager to show their support by playing all weekend, spread across two stages at The Basement and The Pot Belly. There’ll also be competitions, vintage makeovers from Rhubarb & Me, free merch from Kustom Kulture, sausage sizzles and more, with the festival continuing to grow as the date approaches. Within a short space of time, the scope of the event has grown dramatically and continues to do so as more and more people jump on board. ‘We’re looking at doing a webcast for fans overseas and obviously for Ben because he’s in hospital. We’re going to record it, so there’ll be video footage after it’s done and a digital download of music from the show.’ It’s a credit to the people that make up the Canberra live music community that so much support has been offered. ‘Once we put it out there, we had an overwhelming response – we actually had too many bands! Things keep popping up too; we’ve got a signed guitar from Regurgitator that we’re going to auction off, bottles of wine – you name it.’ The event has come together incredibly quickly, leaving organisers wondering what they could accomplish given months instead of days. ‘We’re aiming for it to feel like a mini-festival. We’re already looking at making it a yearly event because there’s been a bit of a vacuum for these sorts of events in the last few years in Canberra.’ The event promises to be a massive day of music and entertainment all in the service of a good cause. Anyone who’s met Ben knows how much of a good sort he is. We’re all proud to be showing our support for a person and cause that deserves all we can give. ‘It’s a venue that supported bands forever so we should support Ben.’ BEN-efit will run from 2pm long into the night on Sunday September 30 across The Basement and The Pot Belly Bar, Belconnen. The event will feature over 20 local acts for only a $15 donation for a damn good cause. For more, visit the Facebook event page. The Pot Belly Bar will also host a Pre-BEN-efit fundraiser, BEN-efit Unplugged, on Wednesday September 26, 8:30pm, featuring Pete Akhurst, Neon Honey and Dylan Hekimian.

E X H I B I T I O N I S T

CHEEKY BIT OF FUN? loretta masango It seems that every gig I go to now features some form of burlesque. In between bands, a beautiful girl in a corset and high heels strips, fan dances then shimmies off stage. It’s become the ‘in’ thing; de riguer for the trendy set. It’s no wonder, then, that a lot of punters regard burlesque as nothing more than striptease. While burlesque certainly contains a lot of flesh, its true definition clearly points out: it’s all intended as a joke! Choosing the lazy route, I turned to my good friends at Wikipedia: ‘Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects. The word derives from the Italian burlesco, which itself derives from the Italian burla – a joke, ridicule or mockery.’ If you ask me, ‘burlesco’ sounds like a cheeky Italian rose-blend designed to be served chilled. But maybe that’s just how producer and director Jorian Gardner might describe his new show, opening at the Courtyard Studio on Wednesday October 10, aptly titled CANBERRA’S COMIC STRIP. ‘To me, burlesque is comedy,’ says Gardner. ‘But not all burlesque is comedic. Confused yet? Since the mid-‘20s, [in which it was] an art form, it’s become more closely associated with salaciousness and striptease in a variety of contexts and that’s what we are doing with this show – but I want the comedy well and truly front and centre. My aim is to ensure the audience leaves with a very big smile on their face.’ Jorian Gardner was, of course, Director of Canberra’s Fringe Festival for seven years (and rumour has it that it’s making a comeback in 2013), including the highly successful A Stacked Deck burlesque festival, which played to nearly 2,000 people in just three days. It showcased some of Australia’s best burlesque and comedy acts, and featured a series of forums and workshops on the burlesque art form and lifestyle. Some acts performed right out the front of the ACT Parliament and certainly ruffled a few feathers (pun intended) – especially those of the minister at the time. There was a public outcry and backlash against Gardner for putting near-naked performers in Civic Square. He’s still not apologetic.

‘There were a bunch of whingers with their own agendas who got on their soapboxes because they were dead against these sorts of acts in the middle of town,’ he says. ‘Mind you, none of them came to the show and have probably never been to a burlesque event in their lives. With our Comic Strip it’s simple really; if you don’t like near-naked people or comedians with colourful language, don’t book a ticket to the show!’ There have been major burlesque-based shows that have come through the capital over the last few years, but they’re ‘just blow-ins’, Gardner says, booked by uninspired and tired local artistic directors who are cashing in on the burlesque bandwagon. What he believes the local audience is really interested in is the amazing amount of talent we have right here in Canberra. ‘Canberra is simply bursting with talent,’ he enthuses. ‘Our MC comedian Jay Sullivan is a stand-up I have worked with for many years and it’s great to see him making his mark nationally. He’ll be joined by Kale Bogdanovs, another great act making waves, and well-known to BMA readers. ‘The ACT burlesque talent is breathtaking as well – a great deal of them helped on their way by local teacher Miss Kikta, who has really done amazing work in putting Canberra on the burlesque map. From the more traditional performers like the wonderfully exotic Miss Tiffany Blue, the beautiful Chocolate E. Claire and Ivy Ambrosia, through to more modern takes on the art form with Seker Pare, Jordan Best, drag queen Tammy Paks and a special three-part performance by Sparkles – local actress Ali McGregor (recent Short + Sweet best actress winner). We’ve also got theatrical performers like Cameron Thomas doing The Bards Man and musicians the Penkethman Twins. That’s just the start too!’ Promising a surprise at each show, the team for Canberra’s Comic Strip is re-imagining the space within The Courtyard Studio at the Canberra Theatre Centre, creating a nightclub atmosphere with the show presented in a relaxed cabaret setting. ‘I could try and say something wanky and profoundly artistic about what we are trying to do with this show, but at the end of the day we’re doing it for fun,’ says Gardner. ‘And that’s essentially what an audience can expect; a good ol’-fashioned fun night out!’ Canberra’s Comic Strip will be generating giggles at the Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre from Wed Oct 10-Sat Oct 13.Tickets are $27.50/$32.50 through canberratheatre.com.au.

LEAP OF FATE mel cerato Ruth Osborne has had a long and illustrious career in the dance industry. Performer, choreographer, teacher, director, mentor; she’s done it all. Now she is about to start her second year as the Artistic Director of the annual Australian Dance Awards. This year’s Perth event was a resounding success and Ruth is excited to bring the 2013 awards to Canberra next year. ‘We haven’t gone into planning mode yet,’ Ruth says. ‘But one thing we are sure of is that we are going to really highlight Canberra’. This will be the first time Canberra will have the pleasure of hosting the awards. Beginning in the early ‘90s, they were held at the Sydney Opera House for a number of years before Melbourne had a turn. After Brisbane and Perth, the nation’s capital is now set to have a go. ‘The beauty of the dance awards being held in different places is that the dancing industry and arts community is different in every place,’ says Ruth. Since becoming involved with Canberra’s QL2 DANCE INC. years ago and creating the organisation’s award-winning youth dance ensemble, Quantum Leap, Ruth has seen what dancers here can offer. ‘There’s a huge amount of dance activity that goes on in Canberra, as far as dance schools and people dancing in community groups,’ Ruth says. ‘It’s a smaller community in comparison to Sydney or Melbourne, but we have some fantastic independent artists here who develop projects and things.’ She is quick to point out that QL2 is not a dance school. It is an organisation dedicated to developing dance programs that support and encourage dancers in Canberra who may want to reach for a professional career. ‘The dancers may be going to dance school a few times a week so they come and audition for our programmes and do a few classes with us as well. Then as they get older and into more advanced work they might decide to give dance a go as a profession, so we encourage and support them auditioning for tertiary dance courses.’ Not a fan of competition, Ruth is committed to giving her kids the best chance of realising their dreams. ‘In QL2, I’m trying to create an environment where everyone is supported in giving it a shot,’ she says. ‘I don’t think anyone can really say “You are never going to make it in dance”.’ Ruth is proud of her company’s success. ‘QL2 has won an award in the Australian Dance Awards and now I’m not only the Artistic Director but I’m also the Canberra representative on the selection panel,’ she explains delightedly. ‘The awards are going to be really exciting for Canberra. It will bring people in and the Perth one went so well so we want to build on the energy and the climate of it.’

QL2 Dance Inc. run programs for ages 8–26 that focus on igniting and developing young people’s creative energy and dance skills. See ql2.org.au for class timetables, prices, auditioning information and further details.

ONE WORK OVER THE LINE karen radford ‘All drawings use lines, but not all drawings are about lines,’ says Hannah Quinlivan, emerging Canberra artist and ANU School of Art 2011 graduate, of her current exhibition DRAWN IN. ‘These drawings are about line and its abundant potential. Using shadows and steel, I let lines loose from the prison of the frame and send them tumbling onto the wall and dancing out into space.’ It sounds beautiful – and it is. Hannah’s striking mix of drawing and sculpture is captivating and magical, where lines indeed dance with shadows and light. Hannah’s art explores how experience and memory inform perception and transformation, with works having evolved organically in response to their subject matter and in reaction to each other. ‘My lines do not sit passive upon the page, waiting for an audience to approach. They have a presence that cannot be ignored, a physicality that cannot be denied. They attend to their viewers and draw them in; enveloping them within the drawing, surrounding them with line.’ Hannah has been the graduate-in-residence at the ANU School of Art Sculpture Department since July after graduating in 2011 with an impressive swag of prizes, including the Peter & Lena Karmel Award for the highest honours grade and The Front Gallery Exhibition Award from School of Art alumni Paul Jamieson, both awarded as part of the ANU Emerging Artist Support Scheme. Established in 1988, the scheme supports artists who have either recently completed their education at the School of Art or who are in their final years of study. ‘The ANU Emerging Artist Support Scheme is incredibly helpful for artists taking their first steps beyond the art school,’ says Hannah. This month she will hold her first solo exhibition with a threedimensional spatial drawing that’s been created especially for The Front’s gallery space. ‘The Front has been very generous to award this exhibition to me – I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to create this site-specific installation otherwise. Over the last few years I’ve been experimenting with pushing the boundaries of drawing, moving into three-dimensions. This spatial drawing builds on that foundation; instead of making a drawing on a page in the gallery space, I’m trying to make the whole gallery space itself the artwork.’ Hannah breaks down some of the traditional barriers between the artwork and the viewer: ‘Instead of the viewer being on the outside looking in, I’m trying to embed the viewer into the artwork itself and make them active within it.’ Drawn In will show at The Front Gallery and Café, Thu Sep 27-Sun Oct 7. The official opening is at 6pm on Thursday September 27, when all are invited to take in the work and meet the artist. Free entry.

film. Somersault picked up an unprecedented 13 AFI Awards out of its 15 nominations and propelled Shortland to national and international acclaim. Eight years on, Shortland has returned with LORE, a film adapted from the second of three short stories which make up Rachel Seiffert’s novel The Dark Room, which addresses the psyche of Germany’s population during the Second World War. A monumental change of subject matter and pace for Shortland, to say the least.

ONE SOMERSAULT LATER BEN HERMANN It’s been eight years since former Canberran Cate Shortland’s Somersault – the story of a young Canberran girl running away to the frosty streets of Jindabyne – renewed the Australian cinemagoing public’s faith in the world-quality potential of Australian

‘As soon as I read The Dark Room, I was very attached to it, to the ideas and the images,’ Shortland says. ‘I loved the way the story was incredibly intimate but commented on big 20th century questions. Not only for Germans but for all countries dealing with past atrocities, Australia included.’ The film is set in Germany in the spring of 1945. Lore is a young girl whose Nazi father and mother have been imprisoned by American and Russian force. With her younger brothers and sister, Lore travels 900km from Bavaria to Germany’s north to reach the safety of her grandmother. ‘I was really scared of the material as the prospective of the story is so different. We are telling the story from the perpetrators’ perspective,’ Shortland says. Shortland also explains that the difficulty of Lore initially made her hesitant to approach it, originally preferring one of the other two stories that make up The Dark Room. ‘Actually I fought to make the last story, Micha, because it felt safer,’ she explains. ‘It is a contemporary story and Micha is a ‘good German’ fighting to find out the truth. There is the familiar triumph of good over evil. Of redemption. In Lore it is far more complex’. In stark contrast to Somersault – a film written by Shortland and filmed on home soil – Lore was shot in Germany, in German and with German actors whom Shortland communicated with only with the help of translators. Shortland undertook extensive research before making the film, holding workshops in Berlin with former members of the Hitler Youth and the German Girls League. She also spoke to her husband’s German Jewish grandmother, photos of whom as a young girl in Berlin were used in the film. However, Shortland explains that the hardest part of Lore was the sheer proximity of the filming to its subject matter. ‘The difficult part of making this film was that the story felt so real, the victims very close to us. At times it did feel overwhelming as we shot in Jewish houses taken off their families in the 1930s. The armaments factor was manned by slave labor, many of whom were children. This is always around you.’ Lore is currently screening at Greater Union Manuka.

now I’m here and living it,’ said Flip. ‘It’s really a big family for me. I tour and travel the world with my friends and get paid for it!’ But of course, Flip does have to perform acrobatic feats and stunts that are, well, dangerous and would make most of us feel uncomfortable to say the least. So how does she deal with fear? ‘Ooh, I’ve been doing it for twenty years and I still don’t think I’ve conquered the fear! You sort of have to trust who you’re working with really and trust that they’ll catch you. You’ve got to bond and build the trust to conquer the fear.’

A FLIPPIN’ GOOD SHOW zoe pleasants Circus Oz is bringing its latest show, FROM THE GROUND UP, to Canberra in October. It promises to be an entertaining feast of highly skilled acrobatics, irreverent comedy, good old-fashioned clowning around, a bit of politics and live music. So roll up, roll up – who doesn’t love a circus? I spoke to Flip Kammerer, one of Circus Oz’s talented acrobats. Flip discovered her love of flipping, tumbling and flying at the tender age of seven. ‘I was bouncing on my trampoline and one of the trainers from the Flying Fruit Flies Circus saw me and told my Dad that he should enrol me,’ she said. He did and she then spent the next ten years travelling around Australia and overseas with the Fruit Flies. Not a bad way to earn your pocket money. Flip joined Circus Oz four years ago. ‘Being in Circus Oz was a dream from when I was little and

One of Flip’s characters in From the Ground Up is Fantaysia Fitness. ‘She’s a fitness freak. She comes up with her own fitness regime like roller aerobics and pre-natal pole-dancing Pilates. She’s kind of a bogan – a bogan brat that tries to interrupt the show a lot,’ explained Flip. Sounds like she’s a definite highlight. From the Ground Up uses a construction theme and the story of a great Australian song competition to explore the issue of racism in Australia. Circus Oz has always incorporated politics and social commentary into their shows but, judging from the reviews, this show seems to be generating more of a reaction than usual. Flip agreed, ‘This year there is a lot more politics in the show and it’s a bit confrontational for some viewers, I think.’ However, Flip added that Tony Abbott went to see the show in Sydney recently and appeared to enjoy it. ‘I think he might have been a bit blown away by Fantasia’s rudeness because she’s a bit crude. But I think he liked it.’ If that’s the case, it sounds like the show offers something for everybody – find a kid or grandmother to take along and enjoy! Circus Oz will be tumbling about inside the Canberra Theatre Centre from Wed Oct 3-Sun Oct 7. Tickets range from $39.50-$58. Check canberratheatrecentre.com.au for details.

other rock operas including The Wall, has been working away at bringing the spectacle to the capital: ‘It has been my idea for a long, long time. It was always a problem of availability. It wasn’t really a show that you could do. And then Jeff Wayne, given that he had the original concept of the album, devised a touring production. Basically we are trying to realise that touring production here in Canberra on stage.’

WAYNE’S WORLD WAR BAZ RUDDICK In 1938, H.G. Wells’ book, War of the Worlds, was adapted into a radio play. Narrated in the style of a radio bulletin, the play resulted in widespread panic across middle America. Farmers grabbed their pitchforks and headed to the barn. The Martians were a-comin’ to burn good God0fearing folk with a laser. In the style of Jeff Wayne, Supa Productions are bringing the Martians to the ANU Arts Centre. I spoke to hard working producer Ron Dowd about the music, the lights, the CGI and the culturally iconic production. Composed by Jeff Wayne in 1978, the MUSICAL VERSION OF WAR OF THE WORLDS concept album marked the most revolutionary and innovative adaptation of the H.G Wells classic. In 2006, the success of the album was celebrated with the creation of a touring production. For the past two years, Ron Dowd, who had produced

Directing a stage production is hard enough, but with 27 musicians, a full cast, a CGI movie reel (sourced from the original footage used by Wayne) and lights to contend with, Ron has faced a steep learning curve. ‘The CGI runs concurrently throughout the show, which has provided us with a whole series of headaches we wouldn’t normally have in a production. The cast, the band, any sound effects, plus the movie all have to run simultaneously and arrive at precise points. We have actually been rehearsing with a time stand and a click track so that we all know when we have got to certain points. It’s timed right down to the actual bar. It’s fairly complex. The old theatre adage “She’ll be right on the night” is just not true in this case.’ Ron Dowd’s production is not merely a recreation of Jeff Wayne’s, but rather a celebration of all adaptations. ‘Throughout the show there are little nods to the other adaptations... Each production – maybe not the Tom Cruise one – has been iconic. People of the ‘80s don’t need to read the words. They see the alien and they know. It’s that entrenched in people’s minds. We have been very conscious of not trying to emulate but creating our own version... It’s an extravaganza, the whole thing: the light, the sound, the concert. It’s way more than a musical. It’s a spectacle! If anyone wants me I’ll be in the barn, pitchfork at the ready. Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version Of War Of The Worlds will be showing over 12 performances from Fri Oct 12-Sat Oct 27 October at the ANU Arts Centre, $25-40. See thewaroftheworldscanberra.com for tickets and times.

CANBERRA REPERTORY WANTS YOU michael quincey o’neill There’s often the tendency to disdain amateur dramatics. This is largely because the word ‘amateur’ has connotations of someone being unskilful or inexpert in their chosen field. But an amateur in the arts is that wondrous creature who loves their craft to such a degree that they pursue it regardless of any chance of pay; it is in their blood, an undeniable part of who they are. To watch amateur dramatics is to watch people driven solely by their passion. It is a tradition embedded in Australian theatre – the first Western plays performed upon our sunburnt continent were performed by so-called amateurs – and it is a tradition that the CANBERRA REPERTORY SOCIETY has upheld and thrived upon for the last 80 years. For those who can navigate the endless roundabouts and swarms of public servants, there are sundry opportunities in this ramshackle little capital for one to find a creative outlet or even just the chance to find amusement in one’s leisure time. The Canberra Repertory Society is just one opportunity and now they want more young people to join the fray and share their passion for the stage. As President Helen Drum notes, a theatre company is a long-evolving vibrant and real thing, and so the Rep needs a new generation to join its ranks. ‘It’s like a family. A community,’ she explains. ‘But not a closed shop,’ she hastily adds, assuring me that there are opportunities for anyone of any stripe or inclination to participate, whether it be in sound design, lighting, stage management, costume design, set design, acting or even ushering – so long as they bring the quintessential element of passion. Perhaps the best way to understand the Rep is that it functions very much like a community – a community united by their passion for drama – with always something for someone to do. Helen informs me that older members are always willing to pass on their skills and knowledge onto any curious individual and that the opportunity is there for those who want to acquire the skills and practice to go onto grander stages in the theatrical sphere. The Rep can boast such alumni as Tony Llewellyn-Jones (who even has his own IMBd page). Yet probably the best thing that the Rep can provide to a young, aspiring thespian is the opportunity to mingle with people of a like mind, who share the same interests and can offer their support. In a city that can sometimes seem stifling and backwards, it’s good to have people who can help give your dreams focus and direction. It should be added that the Rep has now started offering a special under-30s discount rate of $20 per ticket, so at long last students can have their culture and their pints. To get involved with Canberra Repertory Society or find out more, visit canberrarep.org.au, call (02) 6247 4222 or email office@canberrarep.org.au.

UNINHIBITED It’s springtime in Canberra and that means it is time for Floriade: the festival of flowers. Thousands of men and women will flock to see them but it will be a different experience for the sexes. Men will come knowing it is a chance to atone for past failures. As they walk through the gate they can be heard declaring to a partner, ‘Sweetheart, this is what all our anniversaries would have looked like… if I had remembered them.’ Some of the ladies might be surprised to know that the men do actually enjoy Floriade, even if they have a caveman attitude towards remembering important dates in a relationship. You see, when the flowers stay in the ground, they don’t end up costing you the same as two tickets to the footy. It’s the expense of buying a bouquet of flowers that make them an outrage. Gents, think of the last time you bought flowers. It’s was probably a Saturday and you just finished filling the car up with petrol. You’re a romantic so you go to pick a bunch of flowers for Jill/ Betty/whatever from the plastic bucket under the shop window. But then you notice that some funny bastard has put a $15 price tag on them. Fifteen bucks for flowers! You are never going back to that florist again. The price doesn’t even justify the Flybuys. Some of the outrage stems from the fact that it is not yet acceptable to give a woman a watermelon to show her you love her. Most men would spend a lot of money on a watermelon if they could buy a really big one, just to be able to tell their mates, ‘It was so big she couldn’t lift it. It was huge! I had to carry it everywhere for her. Best wedding anniversary ever.’ If sense prevailed, the intangible beauty of flowers would never compete with the critical mass of a giant fruit. But we have a way to go to get to this utopia. So with the giving of flowers still being the fashionable trend, men are grateful for the public service that Floriade performs. For a month of Saturdays someone else takes care of the chrysanthemums and prints their name in a brochure so you don’t have to pronounce them. Blokes need to find some way of showing their gratitude for Floriade. Volunteering to help out would be a good idea. Like getting involved in pollination. And this wouldn’t be weird if they volunteered as a working bee. Grown men running around between flowers caked in pollen is perfectly normal under the guise of being a bee. As is going ‘bzzzzt!’ and flapping your arms wildly. Context is important. Well, that’s about it. Except I forgot to mention why women go to Floriade. I asked around, and it’s pretty much because, out of the two festivals held in Canberra, this one’s not Summernats. Enjoy. PADDY HORNBY - Paddy is part of the ComedyACT collective. For information on their gigs go to comedyact.com.au.

Most people don’t know Morrissey was runner up in a Canadian bad teen poetry contest. As news spreads of his imminent return to Australia, it’s time the former frontman of The Smiths receives his rightful props. The year was 2005 and I was working in a Vancouver safety products distribution centre. The job was okay, but I didn’t have a lot do. One day, as I sat flicking through the local street press in my windowless office, I came across an ad for a bad teen poetry competition. I was never a teen poet myself, but I knew a contender: one Steven Patrick Morrissey. Now, before you fans track me down and beat me senseless with fistfuls of gladioli, let me make it clear I have also had the misfortune of relating to his work. However, I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed that, taken out of context, Smiths lyrics can come across as, well, bad teen poetry. You may stroke your quiff and mumble, ‘That’s the point,’ but please, allow me to proceed. I set up an email account for one ‘Steven Patrick’ and appropriated the lyrics of lesser-known Smiths’ number, Death at One’s Elbow, and fabricated a back-story: Hello, My name is Steven Patrick. As a teen I struggled with my sexuality and spent most of my time listening to the New York Dolls and obsessing over biographies of James Dean. These were my main interests until Glenn came into my life. He was my new obsession, but although we were great friends he wasn’t that way inclined. In the end I wanted to spend time with him and wanted not to as well - the love that couldn’t be. I penned these words as a means of therapy. Embarrassing now but they helped at the time: Ooh Glenn don’t come to the house tonight Ooh, Glenn don’t come to the house tonight because there’s somebody here who really really loves you stay home be bored GOODBYE MY LOVE, GOODBYE MY LOVE Belch I waited nervously for the results, but needn’t have worried: Dear Steven, Congratulations! We had tons of entries and yours was truly one of the stars. You’re a runner up! Morrissey was truly an outstanding bad teen poet! Albeit an equal second best bad teen poet. As runner up, the Mancunian was to receive, amongst other things, ‘publication and fame’ in a local alternative weekly and an invitation to read his poem at a festival. But then: Hi Steven, I just sent your poem to [the alternative weekly] so they could run it this week. The editor happens to be a Smiths fan. Maybe you forgot that it was from Death at One’s Elbow? Editor Alas, foiled. But, in my heart, Morrissey will always be the runner up in a bad teen poetry competition. And no one can take that away. Pete Huet petehuet@yahoo.com

bit PARTS CANNED WHAT: Art/Design Competition WHEN: Submissions open now until Sun Oct 14 WHERE: Subfluent Facebook Page Subfluent brings to you a competition intended to inspire creative minds to break away from the mundaneness of day-to-day work. Local creatives (designers/photographers/street artists/ musicians/whatever) are welcomed and encouraged to free their minds from the guidelines and criteria which often restrict the potential for wild, controversial and personal artistic creations. For this reason, the competition has only two simple guidelines: 1.Your creation must tell a story; 2. Your creation must make reference to a colour palette (see Subfluent Facebok page for further details). Submissions will be posted on the Subfluent Facebook page and left for the world’s wandering eyes to vote on for one month. The winner will receive a new iPad 3 and the top three finalists will receive free entry to The Swag House, the online profile site for freelance and employed artists to display their finest to the world. For entry dates and submission details see: subfluent.com.au.

BELCO PRIDE WHAT: Photography Exhibition & Book Launch WHEN: Fri Sep 28-Sun Oct 14 WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre Lee Grant’s Belco Pride showcases a series of photographs that explores how belonging, connection and identity can emerge from a specific place. The ‘place’ depicted in this instance is the precinct encompassing the 25 northernmost suburbs of Canberra, known as Belconnen, or, to locals, ‘Belco’. Within this body of work Lee Grant seeks to reveal the intricacies of living in suburbs that may be dismissed by many but dearly cherished by some. Lee will launch her Belco Pride book on opening night, Friday September 28, 6pm. Tues-Sun, 10am-5pm. Free entry. VINNIES FASHION SHOW WHAT: ‘Upcycled’ Clothes Fashion Show WHEN: Fri Sep 28 & Sat Sep 29 WHERE: Look ‘N’ Learn Marquee, Floriade Vinnies are presenting a professionally styled and designed fashion show and art installation at the Look ‘n’ Learn marquee at Floriade during Nightfest. The concept for the fashion show is simple: Gerard Wilton, a freelance fashion stylist who has worked with some of the country’s greatest talents, has joined forces with Vinnies and had unrestricted access behind the scenes at Vinnies Stores. He has come up with a fashion line completely compiled of ‘upcycled’ garments. The final product promises to represent everything that is on trend for spring with a fair splash of vintage inspiration. On the night, locals Strangeway DJs are set to pump out beats during the show. 7pm Friday, 8pm Saturday. ROOM TO MOVE WHAT: Inclusive Community Dance & Movement WHEN: Last Saturday of the month (Sep 29, Oct 27 & Nov 24) WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre (Dance Studio) The Radiance Dance Project in partnership with The Belconnen Arts Centre (BAC) present monthly inclusive (open to adults living with and without disability) community dance and movement theatre sessions with a focus on improvisational movement led by a variety of skilled and experienced dancers and movement artists. The physical theatre workshops aim to create a positive learning environment, rich with the creative possibilities each valued participant brings with them. Experience the freedom and joy of improvisation in a welcoming and supportive environment. No previous dance/movement/acting experience required. 2:30pm-4:30pm. $10 contribution (support workers/carers free). Bookings: (02) 6173 3300 or belconnenartscentre.com.au/classes/ inclusivecommunitydance.html.

INTERNATIONAL TENANTS’ DAY ART COMPETITION WHAT: Art Exhibition WHEN: Mon Sep 24-Fri Oct 5 WHERE: Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, Civic

OUR SHADOWS PASS ONLY ONCE WHAT: Theatre & Live Feed Video Performance WHEN: Thu Oct 11-Fri Oct 19 WHERE: The Street Theatre

‘Tenants – the hearts of many homes’: this is the message for International Tenants’ Day 2012 and the theme for an art exhibition showcasing the creativity and contributions of Canberrans living in rental housing. To celebrate this year’s International Tenants’ Day in Canberra, Tenants’ Union ACT is hosting its annual art competition and exhibition open to anyone living and renting in the ACT. The exhibition will feature the art works created by ACT tenants, in preparation for the Awards evening at which first, second and third place winners will receive cash prizes. Tenants and non-tenants welcome to attend and vote.

Taking almost three years to get to a production-ready stage and moving through a constant re-writing process, Our Shadows Pass Only Once is an open text, mixing multiple timeframes, relationships and perspectives through live performance and video feed. The piece is told through a series of 15 separate vignettes, surrounding the degradation of two relationships, the falling in and out of love, and the shifting apart. Textured sound by Shoeb Ahmad of hellosQuare recordings underscores this unique ensemble performance by Canberran playwright and reluctant genius David Temme. Thu Oct 11-Fri Oct 19, 8pm, Sun Oct 14, 6pm. Tickets $20/$22/$25. Bookings: (02) 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au.

ARTISTPROFILE: Walrus What do you do? Drawing, print, paint, street art. When, how and why did you get into it? My art was ultimately the result of an existential crisis I went through during early adulthood. I became obsessed with the idea of the meaning of life and the grand scheme of the universe, searching for answers and clues to these mysteries. My thoughts and discoveries became too much for me to express and I found art to be my release. Now I feel art is my life; I have this constant urge to create, to throw my soul upon a page. My street art came about accidentally. I was walking through Civic after buying some art supplies when I came across a length of particle board in a back alley. I took it out into Garema Place and let my new pens writhe and swirl all over it. After I was done I just left it there. This idea of ephemeral street art (sans vandalism) was inspiring; I found new boards and objects and just left them around the city. I moved on to using pallet wrap: wrapping the space between two poles. I just want to create something strange and different, to inspire people’s imaginations through their daily lives. Who or what influences you as an artist? My art follows themes of philosophy, spirituality with a dash of elementary physics. I have always had a passion for learning about the universe – inside and out. When I was young I immersed myself in the literature of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. I used to muse over the idea of Descartes’ duality, and Kant’s idea of the noumenal existence (existence without any physical attributes). I was always inspired by artists like Brett Whitely, Van Gogh and Picasso. Alex Gray is one artist I share a common idea with. His works are his artistic expressions of the hidden energies that are bound within existence. It is incredible to see, and terrifically inspiring. Of what are you proudest so far? Winning the People’s Choice award in the Clifton’s Art Prize. I was a finalist alongside some of Canberra’s best artists. I entered the competition for the hell of it

but when my name was called I was left stunned. The exhibition Hung at Soju Girl was a triumph and a great affirmation of where I stand in the local art community. It was an honour to be commissioned for BMA’s 400th issue – much love for BMA was felt that day. What are your plans for the future? My plan is to have a solo show in the coming year – I look forward to seeing my works hung where they can be appreciated for what they are. So far I have concentrated on drawing still, expressionless faces, but now I feel I want to express more emotion in my subjects, as emotion is the flavour of life and we all love to grab a bite of it. I’m also looking for some new ephemeral street art ideas. What makes you laugh? Radical silliness, I love it when people let go of their maturity, let their inner child erupt. I feel so much joy when I’m being crazy and sharing that craziness with friends. What pisses you off? Ignorance. People who are unwilling to let their mind wander free – it concerns me that people are taking life too seriously. Nobody chose to live this life, no one was given a book of instructions as soon as they left their mum’s vagina. This place, this life, is an incredible thing – we all need to step back and realise it. We are given the freedom to explore and create, to make of this life whatever we feel to be awesome. It saddens me that people don’t see this and they let their lives go to waste. What about the local scene would you change? Canberra lacks a beating heart – I want to see more people following their passion and sharing it. We have a great city, but it is full of closed-minded, self-obsessed people-herders. I want the youth and the new generation to take this place and make it something awesome. Canberra is a blank canvas; we need to fill it with colour and culture. Upcoming exhibitions? A 20m² mural for Art Not Apart. A collaboration with Abyss .607 for his show Index Fossil at Hippo Bar. A solo show in the beginning of 2013. And lots and lots of street art. Contact Info: artbywalrus.tumblr.com/, facebook.com/walrusarts.

the word

on albums

AESOP ROCK SKELETHON [RHYMESAYERS ENTERTAINMENT]

album of the issue

AMANDA PALMER AND THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA THEATRE IS EVIL [8 FT. RECORDS]

24,883 people gave Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra $1,192,793 to make their debut album, Theatre Is Evil. They broke all the Kickstarter records without anyone knowing what they would sound like. Well, those lucky 24,883 can finally relish the opportunity to say ‘I told you it’d be good!’ Amanda and the band (who, side note, can collect their award for Coolest Pun-Based Band Name anytime they like) have released an album that is at once energetic, enthusiastic, and absolutely heartbreaking. Taking the orchestra title to heart, songs like the lead single, Do It With A Rockstar, are multi-layered walls of sheer sound; crashing, banging, jangling, laughing, screaming delights, custommade for singing while jumping up and down in a crowd. Palmer is joined by a full band for the first time in her career and deftly blends her tendency to pen sad songs with enthusiastically

thrashing guitars and dramatic synth preludes. Long-time Palmer fans will be comforted by the dulcet sounds of songs like Trout Heart Replica and The Bed Song. These songs predate The Grand Theft Orchestra and present themselves in the form of piano solos by Amanda. The Bed Song in particular is heart-wrenching, beautiful and could have been taken straight out of an earlier Dresden Dolls album. Theatre Is Evil is not really an album; it’s more of a massive, collaborative art project.

It’s been five years since we last got a solo jaunt from Aesop Rock – 2007’s None Shall Pass – and in the intervening years, he’s pretty much sat out the process of his long-time label Def Jux’s hiatus. While this highly anticipated sixth album arrives through Rhymesayers, the change in outlet hasn’t altered Ace Rizzle’s signature dense production and verbal style one iota. As is customary by now for ongoing listeners, there’s simply so much elliptical wordplay packed into the 15 tracks here that you’re hard pressed to take everything in on the first pass. While the new maturity found on None Shall Pass is still evidenced here, it’s tempered with Aesop Rock’s underlying restlessness – something reflected perfectly by his impressively intricate beats and backing production.

Theatre Is Evil is an experience all of its own: not just songs, but a story; not just how, but why; not just for dedicated fans, for everyone.

After opening track Leisureforce hits you straight in the face with its brooding rock undertones and dense wordplay, Cycles To Gehenna ushers in this album’s almost filmic sweep, packing in the barbed ‘does not play well with others’ imagery amongst its meditative flow. Ruby 81 tells the story of an infant who almost drowns in a pool, only to be saved at the last moment by the family dog, a perhaps true tale that wouldn’t be nearly as vivid in the hands of many other MCs. He’s amazingly consistent, and Skelethon could easily be Aesop Rock’s most cohesive album so far.

LAUREN STRICKLAND

CHRIS DOWNTON

Songs were written from Twitter suggestions from fans, accompanying artworks have been produced and each song has a film clip (no one should listen to The Killing Type without watching the alarmingly bloody film clip – it will unutterably alter your experience of the song, if you can stomach it).

JULIA ROSE STAIRWAY TO THE MOON [HUMAN RECORDS] The musical Cottone family just keep on casting up impressive talent. Bassist and vocalist with reggae rockers Anarchist Duck, Julia Rose Cottone, has branched out from those waterfowl revolutionaries. A year after launching her selftitled debut, she’s back with Stairway To The Moon. This EP is a real family affair, with support from her sisters Louise (who plays in the Australian Youth Orchestra) on violin and Claire (who has released her own songs as CC The Cat) on mandolin. It’s a departure from the Anarchist Duck style, but still heavy on the roots vibe, transcending the whole genre with colourful flashes of folk, jazz and world music. The songwriting is fresh and down-to-earth, with tales including a famous local cook and a bloke who blocks the boat ramp all day with his car. Julia Rose’s vocals come across with the strength of Diana Anaid and she displays some of the three octave range of her voice in the title track. For the keen ear, there’s a spooky Seekers feeling there too, with a tone that carries the crispness of Judith Durham with a deeper shade. This comes across particularly in Broken Wooden Chair. The opener Melbourne Town is the CD highlight, with its seductive guitar, backdrop of a lonely whistle and gypsy violin creating an atmosphere of melancholy beauty. The influence of Julia’s international touring experience dominates Gina, with flamenco guitar, castanets and cries of ‘Olé!’ RORY McCARTNEY

THE GO-BETWEENS QUIET HEART: THE BEST OF THE GO-BETWEENS [EMI] The title of this lovingly crafted compilation album suggests how The Go-Betweens went about becoming one of the most creatively exciting bands in Australian music. When it came to self-promotion in a music industry sense, the group used a quiet approach, yet always remained confident as highly literate and emotionally engaging performers. So too was the music often quiet, such as the band’s landmark 1983 single Cattle And Cane that was carried forward by a plaintive beat, acoustic guitars and the gentle voice of Grant McLennan. This song emerged amid a cacophony of new-wave synthpop and full blown post-punk experimentation with bands like The Birthday Party at the sonic extremity. Like them, The Go-Betweens took off for the UK in the early 1980s but found the music scene, the horrible weather and the fickle English music press disillusioning. Nevertheless, this band did some of its best work in the UK and Quiet Heart kicks off with Spring Rain from the classic 1986 album, Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express. The 18 featured tracks include the early, stripped back 1978 single, Karen, and selections from two of three excellent albums recorded in the noughties. McLennan’s sad passing in 2006 wound things up for the band, but the eight albums surveyed on this beautiful release encompass a compelling body of work. DAN BIGNA

THE SKRONKS INTO THIS [INDEPENDENT]

WILD NOTHING NOCTURNE [CAPTURED TRACKS]

BOB DYLAN TEMPEST [COLUMBIA RECORDS]

From the local stable of Infidel Studios in Struggletown come The Skronks. The mysterious name could arise from any one of half a dozen dodgy meanings, varying from grating music to a pig snorting. A compendium of members stolen from other bands (including Bill Bostle from King Snake Roost), the lads pay homage to Detroit rock in the MC5 style. After launching their EP in March, the guys have recently been strutting their stuff at The Basement and The Phoenix.

Nocturne is Jack Tatum’s second album as Wild Nothing. With it, he seeks to flesh out and expand the shimmering, eddying sound cultivated on his debut, Gemini. The result is a full and enjoyable dream-pop gem. Throughout Nocturne, Tatum displays an intuitive knack for melody and structure. Each track is carefully shaped, with driving bass lines providing a muscular backing that spans the length of the album, knitting verse to chorus with practised ease. Tatum’s song-crafting nous is crystallised at specific points during Nocturne. One such point occurs halfway through Paradise, where Tatum peels away the drumbeat and a deep, absorbing bass line, leaving a chaotic flutter of ambient noise that extends for a full two minutes but feels as if it is barely there. In Midnight Song his voice drops away at the edge of the verse and as the music ebbs to a few echoed beats before crashing into a crisp, shimmering chorus, the moment is near-perfect.

I’m no Dylanologist. These folk who worship at the cranky/ croaky one’s every phlegmy hiccup seem frightening. But I am a fan – one who knows enough Dylan to state that this record, contrary to some fevered opinion, is not classic Dylan. It is, however, very good and worth adding to an existing collection. The sound here is proto-rock; the shuffling ‘50s bop that pre-dates his own extraordinary emergence. It does sound like a museum piece at times, but it’s so effortless, played so beautifully, that one can ignore this revitalisation Dylan has offered throughout this decade. Amongst the gems are Duquesne Whistle, however, there are some missteps; Roll On John, his eulogy for Lennon, is dire. Much will be written of the 14-minute exploration of the Titanic (though it’s no Radicalisation Of D, let alone Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream), but the strongest tunes are those that showcase cranky Bob, the version railing against the dying of the light, such as Pay In Blood.

Out of Yourself kicks off their debut CD with a little blues riffage in the vein of The Vasco Era. It’s a throaty foot-tapper with some psychedelic licks twisted in for good measure. Tip Toe gives the curious impression of having been both carefully structured and thrown together, with a creative collection of riffs and licks that sound great individually and might just work as a package. And work they do, complete with a touch of the Middle East in the licks, snaking in and out like belly dancers. It’s this casual randomness that gives The Skronks’ work its real character. The variable Oooh Baby advances tentatively with a slight stagger, curling the lip one moment and keeping ultracool the next. But the CD highlight is undoubtedly the closer, Age Of Jardine, a real scorcher with an underlying structure which, intentionally or otherwise, draws on classic ‘80s Aussie garage band sounds. RORY McCARTNEY

Lyrically, Nocturne is understated. During opener Shadow, Tatum states, ‘I try to feel something for you, but that’s all that I can do.’ On Counting Days, he is similarly matter-of-fact: ‘I haven’t lost you, I just misplaced you.’ In isolation, this minimalistic lyrical approach could have resulted in hollowness, a dearth of feeling. But immersed in Tatum’s swirling, rich musical realm, it completes the feeling of dreamy, nostalgic detachment that lies at the heart of Nocturne’s charm. DAVID SMITH

If you’re new to the flock, save Tempest for another time. Go get everything from 1963-68: The Basement Tapes, Desire, Oh Mercy, Time Out Of Mind, Love & Theft and most of all Blood On The Tracks. That’s the rare gold. Tempest will sit nicely near the top of the next category. His ability with a turn of phrase, and the phrasing thereof, remain undiminished. Tempest isn’t essential Bob, but ‘very good’ Bob is very good indeed. GLEN MARTIN

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

You know what I love about kid’s films (aside from the bright colours, frequent musical interludes and appearance of adorable animated puppies, obviously)? The fact that you never need to have seen all the films in the franchise to understand what’s going on. I only sporadically watched some of the Shrek films and yet when it came to the fourth I was far from confused. Sure, I was bored – but that’s a different teapot of mackerel altogether. Anyway, I’d never seen any of the Madagascar franchise before now. And I still somehow managed to follow the complex storyline.

quote of the issue Iris (Emily Blunt): ‘There’s no TV, there’s no internet, it’s just you.’ Jack (Mark Duplass): ‘Do they have forks?’ Iris: ‘It’s just you and...We do have a couple of forks.’ Jack: ‘I might need to stab myself in the face.’ - Your Sister’s Sister

MADAGASCAR 3: Europe’s most wanted I didn’t see the previous two Madagascar films, but I did see the trailers. Same thing, right? From what I gathered, these films followed a troupe of comical animals – Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) – as they attempted to make their way home to Central Park Zoo after some sort of misadventure found them stranded in Madagascar. In the third film in the franchise, the group are still trying to make their way back to New York – this time while travelling through Europe. Unfortunately, they attract the attention of the terrifying French animal control officer, Captain Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand), who will stop at nothing to put the animals behind bars – or hanging above her mantelpiece. And so the wild animals go undercover at a circus (of course), which leads to all sorts of neon, polkadotted fun. Madagascar 3 has a relentless pace, jumping from one overthe-top incident or chase scene to the next, with barely any exposition or explanation. The subtle humour is not quite as advanced as can be seen in some other children’s films, but there’s enough dry wit to entertain adults anyway. Madagascar 3 is, in a word, gleeful. It’s stupid, to be sure, but also childishly entertaining. MELISSA WELLHAM

THE WATCH

YOUR SISTER’S SISTER

Sometimes – just sometimes – the result of sticking to a film formula is an adequately entertaining couple of hours with some authentic belly laughs. That’s just what I got with The Watch.

Your Sister’s Sister is a sweet, sharp film that will go some way to salvaging the reputation of the much-maligned romcom genre. Directed by Lynn Shelton, the film is a mix of improvisation from the actors and scripted action, which sets up a love triangle – of sorts.

It contains a good round-up of the usual comedy suspects (Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn and the added joy of Richard Ayoade), who band together to form a Neighborhood Watch and kinda end up saving the world from aliens (sound familiar?). The Watch is directed by SNL-er and Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer and Seth Rogen also had his hand in the writers’ pie. The result is decent sci-fi comedy fare that sadly doesn’t offer much in the way of originality but does the job well enough through some good one-liners. In this team of misfit nitwits, Stiller plays an uptight and upstanding citizen trying to keep control as things unravel; Vaughn barges about as his usual loudmouthed jackasswith-a-heart; Hill is a (sort of) bad seed who talks big; and Ayoade the token fop who gets some of the best lines. Vaughn has certainly carved out a niche for himself and Stiller seems to be getting more likeable and pleasantlooking with age (weird). Some surprising supports (Billy Crudup, what’s your angular jaw doing here! ?) add to the cast, and everyone seems to be having a good enough time. A palatable enough comedy nugget, but no head-turner. MEGAN McKEOUGH

Jack (Mark Duplass) is still struggling to keep it all together a year after the death of his brother, Tom. His beautiful best friend Iris (Emily Blunt) suggests that he takes a trip to her isolated family home on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. Once he’s there he unexpectedly meets Iris’ sister Hannah (Rosmarie DeWitt), and an evening of tequila shots leads to an incident of incredibly awkward sex, which complicates everything. Your Sister’s Sister doesn’t exactly provide anything unexpected or new – but that doesn’t make it any less refreshing. It’s very much a mumblecore film in that it focuses on natural dialogue, but the production value is higher than you’d expect. All three of the leads turn in assured performances and for a guy who is most often behind the camera, Mark Duplass gives a superb performance. The script is also solid and although the twists are very visible up the road, the dialogue is fast-paced enough to keep it interesting. Add warmth, poignancy and genuine wit into the mix, and you’ve got yourself an indie crowd-pleaser. Basically, it’s delightful. MELISSA WELLHAM

the word on dvds

THE RAID: REDEMPTION [MADMAN] A SWAT team is sent to the headquarters of a local drug lord in the Jakarta slums. It’s a grimy, foreboding residential tower with gated security, extensive CCTV and an army of eager thugs sworn to defend their patch at all costs. The officers are outnumbered as soon as they make their entrance and sure enough the casualties begin. Despite being an elite squad, there are hints that the SWAT team aren’t there on official business and have no clearance and, therefore, no backup. They are alone in the pits of hell and the plan is simple – take down the boss on the top floor. Before Welsh-born, Jakartabased director Gareth Evans turned on a single camera, he made sure his core cast (Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim and Chris Cornell-Badmotorfingerdoppelganger Yayan Ruhian), some of whom were already seasoned martial artists, knew what they were doing. So they trained with the Indonesian police force and practiced the native form of martial arts, pencak silat, for about six months. Come production time they all moved, acted and looked like professional fighters. Given The Raid is one long fight scene set to an admittedly simple plot, this is critical. It also means that there’s an air of fluidity that approaches the elegance of dance. It’s a violent film but not in the guns blazing, explosive faraway nature of most action films. It’s framed tightly and, as a result, terrifyingly intense. A Hollywood remake is on the cards but the extensive pre-production training will be a luxury scarcely supported by the big studios. The value of non-Hollywood films is more than dexterous storytelling and a unique perspective. The constraints and freedoms of the production environment are important; The Raid is the perfect example of using what you have. JUSTIN HOOK

INDIANA JONES - THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES [PARAMOUNT]

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: SEASON FOUR [UNIVERSAL/SONY]

Rumour has it Steven Spielberg wanted to direct a James Bond film, but after his friend, collaborator and owner of the world’s flabbiest jowl/neck combination, George Lucas, presented character ideas for the rough-and-tumble archaeologist Indiana Jones, he gave up on the British spy for good. It would be a new decade before those ideas turned into film but by then both Spielberg and Lucas had built the necessary studio goodwill, financial support and technical skills to pull off what was probably the last great cinematic trilogy of the 20th century. The fourth instalment has been left out of that metric – for good reason. On the 30th anniversary of the first film (Raiders of Lost Ark) the entire series was remastered for hi-def nerds and a whole generation of excitable kids who have not yet witnessed melting Nazis. For the most part, Indiana Jones films are designed purely to entertain. The historical elements (Arc of the Covenant, Holy Grail, ever-present Third Reich goons) colour the films, but they don’t give them intellectual heft. This isn’t a complaint, merely recognition that Spielberg/ Lucas work well when they focus on well-structured set pieces, frenetic adventure and crazy-ass improbable action.

At the end of season three, Friday Night Lights was a show in flux. Dillon, Texas, was split right down the middle. A rezoning of districts meant the football team, the one thing that essentially held the place together, would be torn apart. Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) had been sacked, taking over coaching at East Dillon – a school without a football team or money. And with the obligatory graduation episode completed, old characters exited and fresh blood was on the horizon. This is always a tricky period for a show. It can’t stray too far from what made it great, but neither can it coast, riding goodwill into faded glory. Shifting focus to ‘poverty,’ Dillon is rebirth personified; new faces and places mean a whole new set of challenges. But the foray into ghetto territory has disaster written all over it. It could sound like white folk preaching about fixing ‘black’ problems; the figurative knight in shining armour. This is alluded to in an episode dealing with unused floodlights at a local park populated by gangbangers and hookers. Coach Taylor’s white guilt is questioned and deftly deflected; bravo for not sidestepping the issue and refusing to sermonise.

These are popcorn, big-budget films and, in their genre, they are deservedly regarded as classics. What is noticeable when viewing the films in succession is how the action complements narrative and plot development. It’s all tossed sand, poison darts and bluster, but it makes absurd sense and the Blu-ray remastering is phenomenal – these ancientfeeling films burst from the screen with remarkable clarity. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) is a disappointment. However, within the context, it’s a forgivable mistake, as this collection proves. JUSTIN HOOK

But why should you care about this football show when all those other great shows remain unwatched? OK, it doesn’t redefine TV drama. It’s not attention-grabbing. It’s mature and confident, free of gimmicks and flashy plot twists, where actors are encouraged to underplay emotion and let the plot breathe. It also has the best soundtrack of any show in living memory, including a Heartless Bastards cameo during an indie-rock Austin road trip. It’s stealthily hip and doesn’t pander to the chattering classes. Friday Night Lights: Season Four doesn’t reinvent the wheel – it just chips away at perfecting it. JUSTIN HOOK

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

Black Mesa Platform: PC Developer: Black Mesa Mod Team Length: 5-10 hrs Verdict: Worth checking out if you’re an old-school PC player In 2004, Valve put out a remake of their classic 1998 title Half-Life using their latest and greatest game engine. Entitled Half-Life: Source, the game was a rather lacklustre reboot. After being slightly criticised for their efforts, Gabe Newell, Valve’s larger-thanlife co-founder, a man apparently valued at $1.5 billion, rather ingeniously (or at least lazily) claimed that fans would eventually do the job for them. Eight years on and his prophecy has finally come true. Black Mesa is an entirely fanmade remake of Half-Life (albeit without Zen). The level scenery and model have received a complete overhaul, whilst staying remarkably true to the source material (nerdy in-joke intended). Given how archaic the development tools are, the amount of effort involved in creating this boggles the mind, which may explain why it’s taken eight years to finally come to fruition. As testament to their efforts, the game is very entertaining and of extremely high quality. Whereas with Half-Life: Source, in which there just wasn’t enough to sustain more than a curious peek, this attempt should see you playing through to the end. In doing so, it’s interesting to note how the retro gameplay compares to the modern, balls-to-wall-style shooters. Most noticeably, the pacing is a fair bit slower, with the first two chapters moving along at a geriatric pace. Back in the day, this was fine. But that was at a time where a movie could show a well-rendered dinosaur’s head for half the film because it looked ‘sweet’. These days, little Johnny can create that kind of stuff whilst he plays with himself in his bedroom, thereby somewhat diminishing its impact. I realise that the goal of this game is to be faithful to the original and there’s no doubt a cohort of gamers would be offended (and would possibly cry) if they had done it any other way. However, this safe approach is ultimately a little boring. I would have preferred to see them give their own take on the series. There’s a real skill and risk in reimagining something so well-loved; injecting it with something new, yet still honouring the old. At times, the game does this well, with the outdoor areas looking particularly impressive. For the most part though, the game feels constrained by the limitations of yesteryear. A good way to put this game into perspective is by considering whether I would pay money for it. I concede that I would – but realistically, not much. Their eight years of effort have essentially translated into an elongated trip down memory lane, seeing a 14-year-old game engine being replaced with a five-year-old one. That said, I haven’t forgotten that this is a fan-made project and for that reason – it’s freaking impressive. torben sko

The big ticket shows may have already engulfed your flatscreen but there are some hidden gems among the second string shows premiering in the next few weeks, including Killing Time (Prime, Sun Oct 7, 8:30pm), starring David Wenham as notorious Melbourne criminal lawyer Andrew Fraser, Strikeback (Prime, Sun Sep 30, 8:30pm) a thriller about a British counter terrorism unit from HBO/ UK Sky and Black Mirror (SBS1, Mon Oct 8, 9:30pm), a black dramedy set in three different future universes. The Big Bang Theory (WIN, Tue Oct 2, 8:30pm), Covert Affairs (Prime, Mon, 9:30pm), Two Broke Girls (WIN, Tue Oct 2, 9pm). New Girl (SCTEN, Mon Oct 1, 7:30pm), NCIS (SCTEN, Tue Oct 2, 8:30pm) and Kitchen Cabinet (ABC2, Wed Oct 10, 9:30pm) also return. Docos to check out include the best ever Sunday Best: Strummer (ABC2, Sun Oct 7, 8:30pm) a biopic of The Clash lead singer from punk doco legend Julien Temple, Barack Obama: Great Expectations (SBS1, Wed Oct 10, 9:30pm), Jerusalem: The Making of a Holy City (SBS1, Fri Sep 28, 8:30pm), which looks at the history of the city through the prism of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, Battle Castle (SBS1, Sun Sep 30, 7:35pm) the tale of six medieval castles and Living with the Amish (SBS1, Wed Oct 3 8:30pm), which follows six British teenagers living in US Amish communities. The new season premieres continue in the US, including Nashville, a dramedy with a country music flavour, Arrow, the Green Arrow series, and returns of Community, The Walking Dead, Homeland (SCTEN, Sun, TBC), Revenge and finals seasons of Fringe and Gossip Girl. Whether Fox’s strategy of airing shows such as Sons of Anarchy (Showcase, Wed, 3:10pm) and 666 Park Avenue (Fox 8, Mon Oct 1, 9:30pm) almost immediately after the US will actually have any effect on illegal downloading remains to be seen. But it will at least mean looking at the interweb without covering your eyes. Let’s hope all the free-to-air networks will follow suit. Even superb local content isn’t going to save you. Skins USA (11, TBC), which has already aired in the US and here on Pay, will get another run on free-to-air and US comedy The B*tch in Apartment 23 (Arena, Mon, 7:30pm), starring Dawson’s Creek’s James Van Der Beek as himself, is airing on Pay. The best part of First Tuesday Book Club (ABC1, Tue Oct 2, 10pm) is often the guests and with Marieke Hardy, Dave Graney and Indira Naidoo in the mix it’s sure to be a good one. And don’t miss The Muppets All-Star Comedy Gala (SCTEN, Sun Sep 30, 6:30pm). It’s anybody’s guess how Roberta Williams goes down in the UK, Europe and the Middle East but the original series of Underbelly has been sold to CBS who plan to broadcast it in those markets, starting with the UK in the next couple of weeks. Rake (ABC1, Thu, 8:30pm) certainly started with a bang, prompting former NSW premier Kristina Kenneally to tweet “ah, the hair has a life of its own”. The West Wing cast have reunited – not for a movie – but for a political ad (YouTube, walk and talk the vote). A great grab bag of flicks coming up including Donnie Brasco (Go, Thu Sep 27, 8:30pm), Sherlock Holmes (Go, Thu Oct 4, 8:30pm), Revenge of the Nerds (Go, Fri Oct 5, 8:30pm) and A Fish Called Wanda (GEM, Mon Oct 1, 12am). TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

the word

Rhyme Intervention 5 Zierholz @ UC Saturday September 8

on gigs

After a three-year hiatus, Canberra’s biggest hip hop extravaganza, Rhyme Intervention, made a stellar comeback. With more than 30 acts on the day across two stages, as well as open mic and graff demonstrations and the quintessential Aussie sausage sizzle, Canberrans were once again treated to a smorgasbord of hip hop delights. Of particular note was the unmistakeable community vibe that resounded throughout the course of the day; with the intent of raising money and awareness for the Cancer Council ACT, the generosity and contribution of fans and artists alike was truly inspirational. What started its humble beginnings as a CIT project and brainchild of Dan Simpson (better known to his fellow constituents as Danoz) has morphed into something of both cultural and community significance for Australia’s hip hop artists and fans. To attest to this, artists came from near and far to show their support and shape the day to make it a resounding success, all for minimal personal incentive. L-Fresh the Lion and Omar Musa impressed everyone with a tenacious performance, as did Stick N Move. Local hip hop duo Poeticianz with Collossus, Matty D & Deon aka Odeon, House of Reps (HOR) crew and Words Eye View all showed us why they have been in the scene since the Green Room days and continue to masterfully bang out wickedness. Danoz and Hugh, although unable to perform, filled the all-important task of hosting and keeping the crowd ramped up over the course of the day. Broken Tooth Entertainment provided their portion of entertainment, with Ciecmate, Newsense, Maggot Mouf and Gutz smashing out some killer tunes. There was a standout performance by Smashbrothers, Melbourne’s own grime scene legends, who worked the masses into a feral frenzy. As for Reason, the show was his last and he certainly didn’t disappoint, with a performance delivered with frenetic energy. Reason’s album Solid was the first album released on the Obese Records label, Australia’s most successful hip hop label, that which has provided a springboard for many artists in recent history. Never too far in the back of everyone’s minds was one of Australian hip hop’s pioneers Robert Hunter (aka Hunter). Having lost his battle with cancer last year, it was great to have Layla and Dazastah, who are fellow West Coast artists, travel the long distance to deliver a stellar and moving tribute. You could almost feel his presence on the day and I believe he would have been beaming with pride. Def Wish Cast, as always, demonstrated why they are the pioneers of Australian hip hop. The founding fathers of the scene delivered a well-orchestrated, energy fuelled and iconically tight set for which they are renowned, much to the delight of the audience. Of particular significance was BRB, who hosted, performed and freestyled with the best of them. BRB is in the middle of a long battle with cancer and the determination that was shown to make the day a success was inspiring to say the least. It was a sobering reminder to those who are battling, those who have been lost and those who have conquered such a widespread illness.

PHOTOS BY AHARON STAFF

A documentary is due to follow on Rhyme Intervention 5, of which all proceeds will be going to the Cancer Council. I speak for many a fan when I say that, after this year’s efforts, I suggest you block out your calendar for the same date in 2013. ALICE ADRIAANSE

the word

on gigs

America, Rick Price Canberra Theatre Sunday September 9 When America recently played in Canberra, the concert was attended chiefly (but not only) by those who will have heard the band not long after it began in 1970. However, the band was supported by the appearance of somebody whose name rang no bells: Rick Price. Rick Price turns out to be the singer-songwriter of a range of hits, most of which many of us have enjoyed, including Not a Day Goes By, Heaven Knows and Ain’t Nobody Knows My Name (irony noted). The man has talent to burn and he had us from the first song; there were moments when you could have heard a pin drop. His bracket, ranging in pace and style from the driving six-eight Bridge Building Man to the exquisitely melodic Love Never Dies, set a high standard. He demonstrated great vocal control and interesting technique, with an unwaveringly accurate pitch. His songs were all eminently singable and 99% danceable, and, in those respects at least, he seemed hard to top. Fans of the venerable folk–rock band America will need no introduction to their characteristic harmony. The vocals’ major sevenths and ninths and characteristic one-three-six harmonic shape almost define the band’s sound. They’re tight harmonically and especially rhythmically and if the very rarest of notes may have been a tad off-key, it wouldn’t have bothered anybody who’s familiar with live performances. In this case in particular, I’d have expected even looser control of pitch, given what looked like minimal stage monitoring. The ‘70s casual look, complete with cowboy boots, was there. The comfort of band members with one another was obvious through their body language – at one point they even salaamed their drummer. And if the music wasn’t enough to take you back to the ‘70s, the many film clips screened behind the performance certainly were. Disappointingly, the harmonies all sounded identical. You’d be forgiven for wondering whether basic melodies may have simply been recycled over the course of their ‘70s and ‘80s discography. Clearly, America hasn’t refurbished instrumentation of its songs. What have changed are the voices and the look. The two leads in the band have been there since the beginning, for 42 years, and the drummer for 39, so the line-up has been pretty stable. However, almost any singing voice is liable to change over time and these voices no longer carry quite the nasal mountain-dwelling sound they once did. Yet they do manage to take you back to the ‘70s, both by including many of their best and oldest songs unchanged, and through the often amusing synchrony of the film clips. The energy was quiet despite the music’s high volume and the quiet enjoyment of the older members of the crowd was evident. For anybody without hearing loss, however, the intensity of the high end was liable to be painful, marring the enjoyment and inevitably leading the increasingly deaf sound man to raise the volume from concert to concert. America’s strength lies in the subtlety of its harmonies. As it happens, what may be harmonically the band’s least characteristic song, Sister Goldenhair, came closest to moving me emotionally and appealing to me musically.

PHOTOS BY MARTIN OLLMAN

Possibly you can have a characteristic that is a tad too well-defined, and Sister Goldenhair breaks the mould nicely. The ‘70s inspiration was certainly evident in this concert and, thankfully, the music itself proved timeless. JOHN P. HARVEY

the word

Xavier Rudd, Yeshe The Playhouse Sunday September 9

on gigs

If you’re not transported to another place when you see Xavier Rudd, even for just a moment, you’re not listening. I’m pretty sure I even felt an odd need to join some kind of cause at one point. I can honestly say, of the hundreds of gigs I have been to and watched over my years, his show is one of the best. Before I start banging on about the musical divinity that is Xavier Rudd, I have to make mention of Yeshe, Rudd’s peculiar skinny German support artist with a passion for exotic instruments. He shared songs in three different languages and a rendition of Summer Time played on a stringed ball from Zimbabwe that looked like a miniature emu on his lap. He was truly interesting and I highly recommend looking him up. The crowd was beginning to get restless after a 45-minute interval. However, it was as if the stage was never empty the moment Xavier Rudd, sans shoes, sat amongst his jungle of instruments on centre stage. Never one to miss promoting the causes he supports, his set was highlighted by a collection of flags: Aboriginal, Sea Shepherd, Mohawk Nation and the Iroquois Confederacy. Rudd settled, took a sip from his teacup and the sound of kookaburras came cackling over the theatre as a sunset struck the backdrop. He blew his first note into the didge and kicked off a mind-blowing show with Lioness Eye. It’s a piece that immediately showcased his boggling coordination, simultaneously playing the drums and two didgeridoos, vocals and bird sounds he had personally collected from the bush in the Kimberley. Rudd changed through five different lap-steels throughout the show, beginning with something resembling a sitar (forgive my complete stringed-instrument-from-other-country ignorance), accompanied by whale sounds for activist fantasy song Creating a Dream. The kookaburras returned and the audience found its voice during Come Let Go. Rudd could hardly hide his amusement of the crowd’s choir voice raining down on him in the theatre. I’m usually against theatre gigs – being confined to a seat while a musician known for beats perfect for wild dancing plays below can be a frustrating experience – but this was very special. You could close your eyes and feel the smile spread across your face through one of Rudd’s most softly beautiful arrangements with a 22-string slide guitar from India, Soften the Blow, and not have a worry in the world that anyone can see you losing yourself in the dark theatre. In the middle of the show, Rudd jumped back into his instrument jungle with the double didge, drums and bird soundtrack arrangement and gave us a rendition of a storm (complete with scary storm lighting, of course). The storm cleared into a birdsong morning and his big new track, Follow the Sun. He told us the incredible story of how his album came to be; after an incident with a red-tailed cockatoo in the Kimberley. There were visions involved and something about activism against gas mining. I’m sure the two weren’t related. The cockatoo inspired his Spirit Bird album and the song, which he played following the story, was that much more special.

PHOTOS BY DAVID BURKE

Xavier Rudd is an extremely rare performer. Not only is he flawless (despite the tens of instruments he plays throughout his show), he makes you feel every bit of what he wants his music to make you feel. Through seven albums he never lost the reason for which he writes, and through ten years of performing he still has a clear direction for his music: unity. DANIKA NAYNA

the word

Julia Stone, Lavers The Abbey Wednesday September 12

on gigs

Local band Lavers were picked up as support for the night, a brotherly duo who warmed up the crowd with duelling guitars. They played around with incorporating a honky-tonk piano sound into their song Love and Addiction, which didn’t quite take, and performed their new single, Our Little Empire. While their brotherly banter was sweet and it’s nice to get locals involved in big-name acts, singer Sebastian’s voice was just not quite strong enough. Similarly, Julia Stone has always had one of those voices – forgive me for saying this – the appeal of which I never understood. Babyish and irritatingly coy, lacking in impact. On a rainy Wednesday night I, among many others, shuffled into the grand Gold Creek venue and curled up uncomfortably on the ballroom floor, suppressing primary school assembly flashbacks along with my surprise (so many people! But it’s a school night! ?). Julia herself was another surprise; she was so small she didn’t look old enough to be on stage. And then she started singing. For the first few minutes my mind was completely emptied out by the sound of it. I watched her fingers curl and twist with her voice. I watched her stretch up on to the tips of her toes as she hit her high notes, as though she were reaching up to catch the sounds that had just escaped her lips. I was dumbstruck. I was – completely unfairly, it seems – simply not expecting such a powerful sound. She opened the show with The Shit That They’re Feeding You, a breakup song that bordered on performance art. She followed it up with her famous cover of Bloodbuzz Ohio, getting it out of the way, almost, before returning to her chosen pursuit of ‘depressing songs’. It became a joke throughout the evening, as she sipped her white wine between songs, for her to tell the audience her embarrassing failed love stories. Attempts to serenade lovers at airports. Sending someone a love song written just for them (the appropriately named For You) and having them respond with a song about their fear of death. Telling those stories changed what you heard when you listened to the song that followed, the way good betweensong banter should, and as we sat gathered around her feet I kept thinking of campfires, folk tales and folk songs. By The Horns, a revenge song written about a cheating lover, revealed her dark, angry side, her voice dipping to threatening lows. She stepped neatly from this to a cover of You’re The One That I Want from Grease to I’m Here, I’m Not Here, a song written from the perspective of a child watching their parents’ marriage implode. For the duration of that song, it was as though she was possessed; her movements and her smile became more childlike as she sang. Through the show Julia would frequently glance down at her setlist and decide against playing a particular tune, and her cheerful callingout of her changes in direction made the evening feel whimsical and unique, like you were getting a glimpse of the real Julia.

PHOTOS BY CRIS SAEZ

She jumped between different guitars, piano, trumpet and just plain singing her heart out. Each song completely took her over, like a demon possession or a simple mood swing; at the end of each song she’d smile again and happily sip her wine as though nothing had happened. It was mesmerising to watch. If you’ve only ever heard recordings of Julia Stone then you’ve never truly heard her sing. LAUREN STRICKLAND

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Sep 26 - Fri Sep 28 wednesday september 26 Art Exhibition – Bilk on Tour

Something Different

Karaoke

Something Different

Nightfest Floriade

Karaoke Night!

Nightfest Floriade

6:30pm-10:30pm. Tix through Ticketek. COMMONWEALTH PARK

Incinerator Gallery and Mooney Ponds exhibitions. 11am-5pm.

Trivia

Exhibition - Crucible Showcase

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential! 2 for $20 pizzas. 7:30pm. Free.

BILK GALLERY

Moraig McKenna. 11am-5pm . CRAFT ACT

Exhibition - void/Walking Blank/Unique State Tue-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition Opening - Flow

Paintings/ceramics by Angharad Dean and Caroline Reid responding to a concept of flow. 6pm. ANCA GALLERY

Exhibition – Urban Forest

Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Landscapes and Place

An international exchange project with the Tree Museum, Canada. Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition - afterLandscape 11am-5pm CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards Atmospheric, detailed, human scenes by Tom Farrell. 9am-4:30pm. BELCONNEN COMMUNITY CENTRE

Transit Trivia

TRANSIT BAR

thursday september 27 Art Exhibition – Bilk on Tour

11am-5pm. (11am-4pm, Saturday.) BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Crucible Showcase 11am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT

Exhibition - void/Walking Blank/Unique State Tue-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition Opening – Convergent Worlds

Four artists: Juan Davila, Fiona Foley, Petr Herel and Guan Wei. 6pm. ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Exhibition – Urban Forest

Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Landscapes and Place

Karaoke

Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free.

Karaoke

From 10pm.

Exhibition Opening – Secret Aerodrome No.2

Live Music

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Sing For Your Supper

11am-5pm (12-4pm)

THE DURHAM

Book your slot for a free meal! (02) 6230 2484. 6:30pm. THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

BEN-efit Unplugged

Pre-BEN-efit fundraiser with Pete Akhurst, Neon Honey and Dylan Hekimian. 8:30pm. POT BELLY BAR

CRAFT ACT

An exhibition by Katy Mutton. 6pm.

Exhibition - afterLandscape CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards 9am-4:30pm.

BELCONNEN COMMUNITY CENTRE

Film

The Stillsons

Fig Leaves (1926, u/c18+)

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

ARC CINEMA

With Cilla Jane. 7.30pm. $10.

Silent comedy from the 1920s. 7pm.

On The Town

Local Feats: Strange James (2004)

Latino Wednesdays

$8 cocktails. 9pm. Free. MONKEYBAR

Canberra feature films w/ director’s talk. 6pm + 9pm. Tix/info: http://newacton. com.au/localfeats KENDALL LANE THEATRE

1st place wins cash prize! Plenty of bar vouchers to be won too. 8pm. P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

‘Tuggies Idol’ Karaoke Competition

$5 before Fri Aug 31 to win $1000 JB HIFI gift card. 8pm. See facebook.com/ events/512928288733928/

Live entertainment, cocktails, DJs, comedy and night markets. 6:30pm10:30pm. Tix through Ticketek. COMMONWEALTH PARK

friday september 28

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

Art

Live Music

Exhibition - void/Walking Blank/Unique State

Thursdays At The Bar

Tue-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Exhibition - Flow

With uniVibes. Beers, bands and DJs jamming in the afternoon sun. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Solquemia Duo

12-5pm.

Colombian/Italian guitarist Alejandro Florez joined by Demircan Direk, a Turkish musician. 9pm.

ANCA GALLERY

Pura Vida: Oscar Jimenez (Watussi)

Exhibition - Crucible Showcase

HIPPO BAR

Latin American sounds. With Sistema Criolina. 7pm. Tickets through Ticketek. STAGE 88

Faux Real

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

The Medics

‘Foundations’ Tour. With I, A Man and Sincerely, Grizzly. 8pm. Tix $12 + bf from Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Rebecca Moore

Songs with vibrant imagery and universal stories. With Alice Cottee (No Hausfrau). 8.30pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Bilk on Tour

11am-5pm. (11am-4pm, Saturday.) BILK GALLERY

11am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Convergent Worlds 12pm-5pm.

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Exhibition – Landscapes and Place

Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Urban Forest

Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2

By Katy Mutton. 11am-5pm.

Paul Kidney Experience

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

THE PHOENIX BAR

11am-5pm (12-4pm)

With Silver Spine Arkestra. 9pm.

My Disco

hellosQuare Presents. Supported by Spartak + Golden Blonde. 8pm. $20 door. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Charles and Dave 9:30pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

David Christopher Solo from 9pm. THE DURHAM

On The Town 4Some Thursday

Drink Specials. 9pm. Free entry. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Thursday Ladies Night

Free champagne for ladies til 11pm + iconic tunes by ladies all night from female DJ Pumpin

Exhibition - afterLandscape CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards 9am-4:30pm.

BELCONNEN COMMUNITY CENTRE

Exhibition – Belco Pride 10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Film Mantrap (1926, u/c18+)

Screwball silent comedy from the 1920s. 7pm. ARC CINEMA

Live Music Sidney Samson

The Rock Houze. Kicks Presents! ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri Sep 28 - Sun Sep 30 Jemist 9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

David Christopher 9pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

saturday september 29 Art Exhibition - Flow

Timothy Weston

12-5pm.

HOSTAGE BAR & TAPAS

Princi

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2

Oh Mercy

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Exhibition – Belco Pride

5pm-10pm. HIPPO BAR

With Millions. Tix through Ticketek. 8pm.

REV’s Final Party

DJs past and present saluting 7 years of Bar32 indie nostalgia. 8pm. BAR 32

Moment of Truth From 7pm-9pm,

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

Digress Dual Friday

Funk/live 6-8pm (Happy Hr 5-7pm). Resident DJ + more play allsorts 9:30pm on. $8 J/bombs 10-11pm. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Nite Society

Doors open 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

Something Like This

ANCA GALLERY

By Katy Mutton. 11am-5pm.

10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Film

Nightfest Floriade

6:30pm-10:30pm. Tix through Ticketek. COMMONWEALTH PARK

Poetry Slam 7pm.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

3rd Exit

9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Celebrity Sex Tape HIPPO BAR

Lionheir

Byron Bay-based rock-pop animal. 8pm. $5. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

With Skippy’s Brain. 9:30pm.

The Girl With The Hat Box (1927, u/c18+)

Silent comedy from the 1920s. 4:30pm.

Melbourne funk launching their Haptics LP, supported by Brass Knuckle Brass Band. 8pm. $10 door.

So This Is Paris (1926, u/c18+)

music, coffee

ARC CINEMA

10:30pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Solquemia Duo

Colombian/Italian guitarist Alejandro Florez joined by Demircan Direk, a Turkish musician. 7:30pm. THE ARTISTS SHED

TRANSIT BAR

Bass, violin, looped vocals or something similar. 10am-11am.

Art Exhibition - Flow

12-5pm.

ANCA GALLERY

Exhibition – Convergent Worlds 12pm-5pm.

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition – Belco Pride By Lee Grant. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Film

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

Naughty Baby (1928, u/c18+)

On The Town

ARC CINEMA

Old Skool Saturdays

Mix of Old Skool R‘n’B, 80s & 90s. Free entry. $5 vodka original & flavours 10-11pm. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Something Different

Goji Berry Jam

Nightfest Floriade

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

COMMONWEALTH PARK

A five-piece funk band to ease in your afternoon. 2pm.

sunday september 30

DJ Katch (Resin Dogs)

Cactus Channel

Silent comedy from the 1920s. 7:30pm.

CANBERRA REPERTORY SOCIETY

THE DURHAM

ARC CINEMA

A comedy about duty, devotion, trust and love. See canberrarep.org.au for tix. 2pm & 8pm.

From 10pm.

Silent comedy from the 1920s. 2pm.

Oscar

Something Different

With Pred. 9pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Special K KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Neil Simon’s Lost In Yonkers

Love Saturdays

The Grasp of Greed/The Gift Girl (u/c18+)

Live Music

4pm.

Theatre

HOSTAGE BAR & TAPAS

10pm.

Jarek

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

B-tham

6:30pm-10:30pm. Tix through Ticketek.

Silent comedy from the 1920s. 2pm.

Show People (1928, u/c18+)

Silent comedy from the 1920s. 4:30pm. ARC CINEMA

Live Music Solquemia Duo

Colombian/Italian guitarist Alejandro Florez joined by Demircan Direk. 4pm. BEYOND Q

Ced Nada 9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sun Sep 30 - Thu Oct 4 Irish Jam Session

Karaoke

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Karaoke Love

Karaoke

Traditional Irish music. 5pm.

Ashley Feraude With B-tham. 3pm.

HOSTAGE BAR & TAPAS

Croon your way to the grand final prize (first Tuesday of October), inc. a Sony LED TV and PS3. 9pm.

‘Tuggies Idol’ Karaoke Competition

From 10pm.

$5 before Fri Aug 31 to win $1000 JB HIFI gift card. 8pm.

THE DURHAM

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

TRANSIT BAR

Live Music

From 2pm-12am, a full day of music to raise money for Ben Ferguson. Also at The Basement!

Live Music

Sing For Your Supper

Thursdays At The Bar

Sunday Best: Fred Pilcher

With The Ghost Inside, Architects, Buried In Verona. Tickets through Oztix.

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

BEN-efit

POT BELLY BAR

12-string guitar impresario. Tapas from 5pm, happy hour from 6pm. Free.

The Amity Affliction UC REFECTORY

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Talks

Something Different

Spectra

Nightfest Floriade

6:30pm-10:30pm. Tix through Ticketek. COMMONWEALTH PARK

monday october 1 Live Music The Bootleg Sessions

CMC presents Reptile Park, Big Score, Billy Demos, Drew Walky. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

A symposium exploring the currency of images. See spectra2012.com.au for paid and free events. CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE

Trivia The Phoenix Quiz

Every week a special Phoenix brand trivia. 7:30pm.

Book your slot for a free meal! (02) 6230 2484. 6:30pm.

Kelly Breuer

With Amber Nichols. 8pm. $10.

Colombian/Italian guitarist Alejandro Florez joined by Demircan Direk. 7pm.

On The Town

Nathan Kleyn

Latino Wednesdays

$8 cocktails. 9pm. Free. MONKEYBAR

Something Different ANU Law Revue

A musical sketch show written entirely by ANU students. $15-25. Tix: canberratheatrecentre.com.au

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

THE DURHAM

$100 cocktail party as first prize. 7:30pm. Free.

THE DURHAM

wednesday october 3 Art 10am-5pm.

King O’s Trivia

Exhibition - Wednesdays at the Wall

Art Exhibition – Belco Pride

10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Dance No Lights No Lycra

Dance where no one’s watching. 7:30pm-9pm. $5. CORROBOREE PARK HALL

CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE

Transit Trivia

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential! 2 for $20 pizzas. 7:30pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Exhibition – Belco Pride

Trivia

tuesday october 2

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Australian Tour 2012. With Bear Hug + Waterford. Tickets through Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Spectra

Trivia

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

Fame Trivia Trivia Tuesday

Free entry and bar prizes. 6:30pm.

With Senyawa (Indonesia) and Hedgehog (China). Tix thru Oztix. 8pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

On The Town

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Regurgitator

Talks A symposium exploring the currency of images. See spectra2012.com.au for paid and free events.

$10 Mojito’s, $7 Nojitos. The best latin DJ’s & Music in Canberra. $7 entry w. free drink.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

1st place cash prize! 7pm. From 7:30pm.

Mojito Monday

9pm.

Sub Detonator

PJ’s Trivia Tuesday

TRANSIT BAR

Exactly what it says.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

THE PHOENIX BAR

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

2-4-1 Steak and Schnitzel Night

Solquemia Duo

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Biscuits

Free pool, 2-4-1 pizza, 9pm. Free.

With uniVibes. Beers, bands and DJs jamming in the afternoon sun. Free.

thursday october 4

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Sophie Gabrielle Pigrim, Bonnie McArthur & Emily Boyd: Dreamcatcher. Photography, painting & more. HONKYTONKS

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Art Exhibition – Belco Pride

Supported by Eagle Twin and I Exist. Tickets through Ticketek. 8pm. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Royston Vasie

Channelling the spirit of Anton Newcombe and doing it well. 8pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

On The Town Thursday Ladies Night

Free champagne for ladies til 11pm + iconic tunes by ladies all night from female DJ Pumpin DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

4Some Thursday

Awesome 4Some Drink Specials. 9pm. Free entry. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Something Different

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2

ANU Law Revue

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

An exhibition by Katy Mutton. 11am-5pm.

Karaoke

Adventures of Tintin (2011, PG)

Karaoke Night!

ARC CINEMA

Russian Circles

10am-5pm.

Film The best in recent 3D kids cinema. 2pm.

The Kingstons. 9pm.

1st place wins cash prize! Plenty of bar vouchers to be won too. 8pm. P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

A musical sketch show written entirely by ANU students. $15-25. Tix: canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Talks Spectra

See spectra2012.com.au for paid and free events. CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri Oct 5 - Wed Oct 10 friday october 5 Art Exhibition – Belco Pride

10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Film Toy Story 3 (2010, G)

The best in recent 3D kids cinema. 10:30pm. ARC CINEMA

Live Music All Our Friends At Night

Featuring Chiddy Bang, Hermitude, Rizzle Kicks, Charli XCX + more. $50$65 + bf thru Moshtix. UC REFECTORY

Solquemia Duo 6pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Jemist 9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Steve Kilby (The Church)

See smithsbooks.com.au/smiths for more. 7pm.

Exhibitions – Earrings

Live Music

BILK GALLERY

Sticky Fingers

The Eastern (NZ)

Live Music

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

11am-5pm. (11am-4pm, Sat.)

Emalkay

With Buick, Lego Dancer, Logic, Naynay, MRNP, Transforma. Presale at Landspeed and Clubhouse. 10pm.

8pm. $10.

Promising a rambling, shambling, spiritraising atmosphere. 8pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Pura Vida: DJ Dante Rivera + Sol Que Mia

The Stage Door Johnnies Doors 6:30pm, main act 9pm. $55/$125 with dinner.

12pm. Free. STAGE 88

THE CLUBHOUSE”

Irish Jam Session

THE ABBEY

Mozart, Handel and Vivaldi Concertos

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Trivia

Musical firebrand Richard Egarr directs the Australian Chamber Orchestra. See aco.com.au. 8pm. LLEWELLYN HALL

Pura Vida: Bandaluzia

With Nyash!, Los Chavos and Errol Renaud. 12pm. Free. STAGE 88

Goji Berry Jam 2pm.

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

Solquemia Duo

Colombian/Italian guitarist Alejandro Florez joined by Demircan Direk. 6pm. CHARLIE BLACK

The Gold Standard: Cam Brown 9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Regular John

‘Spring Flowers’ Tour. With Super Best Friends and Mornings. Tickets through Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

B-tham

Jaytech

HOSTAGE BAR & TAPAS

Traditional Irish music. 5pm.

Lady Bones

The Phoenix Quiz

The last ever show at Bar 32. Come along and drink its good passage. 8pm.

7:30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

BAR 32

PJ’s Trivia Tuesday

B- tham

7pm.

With Kylie Minotaur. 3pm.

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

HOSTAGE BAR & TAPAS

Sunday Best: The Dreamlanders Tapas from 5pm, happy hour from 6pm. Free.

Fame Trivia From 7:30pm. THE DURHAM

Trivia Tuesday

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

7:30pm. Free.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

monday october 8

wednesday OCTober 10

Live Music

Comedy

Biscuits

Free pool, 2-4-1 pizza, 9pm. Free.

Comic Strip

TRANSIT BAR

Tix thru Canberra Theatre Centre. 7:30pm.

The Bootleg Sessions

2xx LnL presents Crash The Curb, Lavers, Xav Ier, Alice Cottee. 8pm. Free.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

THE PHOENIX BAR

Film

10pm.

On The Town 2-4-1 Steak and Schnitzel Night

2pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Shakedown

Moment of Truth

BAR 32

THE DURHAM

Karaoke

‘Multiverse’ Tour. 9pm.

The second-last show at Bar32. 8pm.

Exactly what it says.

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

Love Saturdays

Mojito Monday

System Segue & B-tham

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

From 7pm-9pm. 5pm-10pm.

With Runamark. 9pm.

HOSTAGE BAR & TAPAS

Si Claros

Digress Dual Friday

THE PHOENIX BAR

Funk/live 6-8pm (Happy Hr 5-7pm). Resident DJ + more play allsorts 9:30pm on. $8 J/bombs 10-11pm. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Tiger Town

Rich harmonies, colourful percussion and charm. With Ben Kemp. 8pm. $10 + bf online/$12 door. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Special K

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Something Different ANU Law Revue

$15-25. Tix: canberratheatrecentre. com.au THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Talks Spectra

See spectra2012.com.au for paid and free events. CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE

With guests. 9:30pm.

music, coffee 10am-11am.

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

Benjalu

Kicking crowds alive one show at a time. 8pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Spruce Moose

Mix of Old Skool R‘n’B, 80s & 90s. Free entry. $5 vodka original & flavours 10-11pm.

Free entry and bar prizes. 6:30pm. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

tuesday october 9

7:30pm-9pm. $5.

CORROBOREE PARK HALL

Karaoke

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Karaoke Love

Something Different

TRANSIT BAR

9pm. Free.

ARC CINEMA

Karaoke

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Live Music Sing For Your Supper

Book your slot for a free meal! (02) 6230 2484. 6:30pm. THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

Microwave Jenny

Tessa and Brendon Boney playing what they call Pop/Folk/Love. 8pm. $15 + bf (presales)/$18 door. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Theatre Pirates of Penzance

The Gilbert & Sullivan classic direct from the UK. Bookings at (02) 6275 2700/canberratheatre.com.au CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

ANU Law Revue

A musical sketch show written entirely by ANU students. $15-25. Tix: canberratheatrecentre.com.au THE COURTYARD STUDIO

sunday october 7

Exhibition – Belco Pride 10am-5pm.

10am-5pm.

Exhibition – Secret Aerodrome No.2

King O’s Trivia

No Lights No Lycra

Art

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Trivia

On The Town

Art

11am-5pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Dance

saturday october 6

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

$10 Mojito’s, $7 Nojitos. The best latin DJ’s & Music in Canberra. $7 entry w. free drink.

WALSH’S HOTEL

Old Skool Saturdays

Coraline (2009, PG)

Exhibition – Belco Pride

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

OUT

oct10

ben harper tzu richard clapton iranian film festival ...and more!

FIRST CONTACT

SIDE A: BMA band profile

Beneath The Tides

Where did your band name come from? It was a name that came from about 150+. It can be left to interpretation, the word ‘tides’; it doesn’t have to be a reference to the ocean. Group members? Heath (vocals), Sean (Guitar), Adrian (Guitar), Tony (Drums), Turk (Bass). Describe your sound: Modern heavy metal with progressive technical riffs, complex drumming and an all round in-yourface brutal sound that’s new to the Canberra music scene. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Everyone in the band comes from a diverse musical background. From old school metal like Pantera, Metallica to more modern metal including As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, In Flames and DevilDriver. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? On one of our first gigs, we had just finished playing the first song of the set when Kazzy Kage from Tensions Arise looked up and said, ‘How the fuck are we supposed to get up and follow this?’ Of what are you proudest so far? Not killing the singer! Nah, the way the band pulls together, the recognition we’ve received in a short time. The work we put in is paying off. What are your plans for the future? Focusing on recording our upcoming album that will be released in February. Doing an east coast launch and working on new material. What makes you laugh? Sack-whacking the singer is pretty amusing, and being around each other as we all have a very similar sense of humour. What pisses you off? People who are just in the scene for their own egos, not for the music. What about the local scene would you change? More live venues that are diverse insofar as who can play gigs there. What are your upcoming gigs? BEN-efit at The Pot Belly Bar/The Basement on Sunday September 30; The Basement on Saturday October 13; NYE at The Basement. Contact info: beneaththetides.com, btt.band@gmail.com, facebook.com/beneathtides, soundcloud.com/ beneath-the-tides.

Aaron Peacey 0410 381 306 Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@hotmail.com Adam Hole 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift 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 Annie & the Armadillos Annie 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/ songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com 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 Capital Dub Style - Reggae/Dub Events + DJs facebook.com/CapitalDubStyle Rafa 0406 647 296 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 982 662 /colebennetts.com Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402 845 132 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 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 Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Lachlan 0400 038 388 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com Groovalicious Corporate/Weddings/ Private functions 0448 995 158 groovalicious@y7mail.com Guy The Sound Guy live & studio sound engineer, 0400 585 369, guy@guythesoundguy.com 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 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 Jim Boots 0417 211 580 Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408 287 672, paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/ dj@karismakatz.com Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417 025 792 Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075 Los Chavos Latin-Ska-Reggae facebook.com/loschavosmusic Rafa 0406 647 296 Andy 0401 572 150 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 Words for You: writer/publicity/events Megan ph 6154 0927, 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 MuShu Jack 0414 292 567, mushu_band@hotmail.com MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/ www.myspace.com/myonus No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680 Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580 OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448 Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027 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 Rafe Morris 0416 322 763 Redletter Ben 0421 414 472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527 Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680 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 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 STonKA Jamie 0422 764 482/ stonka2615@gmail.com Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748 Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853 Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479 System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556 The Morning After (covers band) Anthony 0402 500 843/ myspace.com/themorningaftercovers Tiger Bones & The Ferabul-Zers Danny feralbul@aapt.net.au 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 Zero Degrees and Falling Louis 0423 918 793 Zwish 0411 022 907