BMA Magazine 396 June 13 2012 by BMA Magazine

#396JUN13

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canberra short film festival callS for entries

Bonne anniversaire to The Front (p. 25) and Knightsbridge (p. 39)! Get drunk at their parties and hit on their mums. #396J U N E 1 3 Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko T: 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Advertising Manager Elisa Sko T: 6257 4360 E: sales@bmamag.com

Editor Ashley Thomson T: 02 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Yu Xie T: 02 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Super Sub-Editor Sophia McDonald/ Greta Kite-Gilmour Graphic Design Marley Exhibitionist Editor Ashley Thomson E: editorial@bmamag.com Film Editor Melissa Wellham NEXT ISSUE 397 OUT JULY 4 EDITORIAL DEADLINE JUNE 25 ADVERTISING DEADLINE JUNE 28 Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd ABN 76 097 301 730 BMA is independently owned and published. Opinions expressed in BMA are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or staff.

More than 500 applications are anticipated for the 2012 Canberra Short Film Festival as the call for entries goes out to aspiring filmmakers nationwide to submit their final cut by Monday July 16. The 17th Canberra Short Film Festival, a three-day showcase of cinematic talent at Dendy Cinemas, Fri-Sun September 14-16, has grown in status and this year adds two new categories – documentary and international – along with open national, Canberra local, and schools. Submissions can be any genre and style and up to 20 minutes in length. Winners of each category compete for a share in $6000 in prize money plus a shot at wider exposure as the festival takes to the road for its first regional tour. Awards are also given for the best director, sound design, script and people’s choice. For entry forms and further details visit www.csff.com.au.

national band campus competition now open UC Live! and CITSA are excited to announce the return of the National Campus Band Competition in the ACT, with the state final scheduled for Thursday August 23 at the University of Canberra’s newest venue: Zierholz @ UC. If Canberra bands want to become part of the action entries are now open via www.aaca.net.au/ncbc. To enter, ACT bands must have at least one member who is a student of UC, CIT or ANU. Winners of the ACT final will take home $500 travel credit to get themselves to the National Final; $1000 cash from UC Live! to live like the rock stars they are; and studio time to the value of $1000 courtesy of the CIT Music Industry Centre to ensure their music gets heard. The ACT winners will go on to compete in the National Final on Friday September 28 in Adelaide and will join the ranks of such NCBC Alumni as The Vines, Jebediah, George, Grinspoon, Frenzal

applications open for australian youth orchestra Musicians in The Australian Youth Orchestra are members of one of the world’s most elite pre-professional training organisations. On Monday May 14 the AYO launched its 2013 application process with a mission to find, inspire and nurture Australia’s most talented and aspiring young musicians. The AYO presents ten tailored training and performance programs for aspiring musicians, composers, arts administrators and music journalists. Successful applicants will work with some of the world’s leading conductors, tutors, industry professionals and musicians. Auditions are open for anyone aged 12-30 who meets the eligibility criteria as specified for each program. For more info visit www.ayo.com.au.

$50,000 int’l space time concerto competition waives entry fee The International Space Time Concerto Competition is a new competition with a total prize pool of $50,000. The competition offers the unique opportunity for six finalists to perform with an accompanying orchestra and another two finalists will have the opportunity of being accompanied by an international internetlinked ensemble spanning five countries. Entries are welcome by any undergraduate, postgraduate or international student or alumni of any

Australian tertiary institution who shares a keen interest in musicianship and cutting edge creativity. The competition seeks musicians from all genres: virtuoso classical instrumentalists, orchestral players, jazz, contemporary bands, electronic, experimental and new media artists. It hopes to encourage creative collaborations with composers, performers, producers and AV/mixing engineers, all working together to produce innovative new works. Entries will be accepted until midnight on July 1 through www. spacetimeconcerto.com.

Julia Stone booked to play the abbey One half of Australia’s sibling darlings Angus and Julia Stone has been booked to appear at the gently lit auditorium of Canberra’s newest venue. On the strength of her new album By The Horns Julia Stone is set to embark on a national tour and is swinging by The Abbey in Federation Square when she comes to Canberra. Featuring the gorgeous songs Let’s Forget All The Things That We Say and It’s All Okay the album is co-produced by Thomas Bartlett and Patrick Dillett, whose combined work includes credits on records by Antony & The Johnsons, David Byrne and The National. After selling out shows in London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, LA and New York, Julia Stone announced a run of dates which will see her play all capital cities and then some. The night of Wednesday September 12 will see her grace The Abbey and tickets for all shows go on sale Friday June 15. For more info visit www.juliastonemusic.com. Before Scorsese was Scorsese his 1967 anti-war short The Big Shave broke ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g5Y_RUDUE0

Rhomb, Augie March and The Vasco Era to name just a few.

FROM THE BOSSMAN All this wild winter weather sure is conducive to extended snugly sessions of movies and TV series, eh? The kind that see you disappear into a room well-groomed one minute only to emerge, five box sets and as many days later, looking distinctly like Tom Hanks in his more desperate moments in Cast Away. Enshrined in our cosy homes while a wicked wind blows wild cold outside, a good TV series feels a warm hug from a close friend. Characters and their plights seep into our consciousness over a binging multi-hour watchfest, forming strong bonds with a viewer that begin to verge on, and then surpass, the weird, sometimes reaching a disturbing point where it wouldn’t feel out of place to dress in black after the death of a completely fictional character. This shut-in viewing experience helps fan the phenomena of Fervent-Fandom you see in people when you admit you haven’t seen their favourite show. Let’s face it, we’re all super busy and important people whiling away in super-busy-and-important jobs so we simply don’t have the time to keep up with every cultural zeitgeist that flickers through the ether of entertainment. Case in point, there are still people who haven’t seen Star Wars, and I speak not of your Miss Havisham disconnected-from-the-world types; I’m talking about engaged peeps who actually want to see it but just haven’t got round to it. Admission to such a seemingly shared cultural oversight is when the Fervent-Fandom kicks in. Fervent-Fandom is not just reserved for uber-geeks and the sun-shy; normal people like you and I can succumb. Pick your favourite show, something that surely every right-thinking consumer of art has gorged upon – has watched and re-watched to the point where they know every character’s birthday and favourite colour – a show that if you portend to be a lover of good stuff you simply must have watched. We all have at least one. Mine, amongst others, is The Wire.

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Has someone yanked yer chain recently? Well send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and have your sweet vengeance. And keep it brief! [All entries contain original spellings] To the ignorant woman I had the misfortune of overhearing at Belconnen Bus Interchange - YOU PISSED ME OFF! You witnessed an accident, where there was at least one scared child and one injury. Yet you were more concerned that your bus was maybe two minutes late? And you were quite rude to everyone around you as a result! What sort of ignorant, self-centred, arrogant, winging, bitchy horsefucker are you? People like you are the reason people like me give up hope on humanity. In a situation like that, there are things that need to be dealt with that are far more fucking important than you getting home on time! Why not show some respect for your fellow human beings? And while you’re at it, a little bit of fucking patience wouldn’t hurt either! If you can’t show those, then this planet has no use for you. - Irritated Bus Passenger Hey Jesus freaks airing love of your Lord and Saviour in public, eat a whole bag of dicks. From a constructive standpoint, getting in my way holding a Bible ain’t hearts-and-minds. Change it up. Eat the homeless. Strip down and grab it. Show some HEART. You fucking piss weak bashers eat shit. Love God? Love fuck. If I did that shit I’d have Eve and Mary suckin’ one on each nut after five minutes. Weak ass fucking god posers. Piss me off.

A time will come where you will learn – perhaps through an overheard snatch of party conversation you have no right to listen in on – that someone hasn’t seen said show and suddenly, without warning, you will be unwittingly propelled into a paroxysm of praise and enter a trance where you espouse a show’s greatness with a flow of frothing fandom peppered with the occasional shocked disgust that the unsuspecting recipient of this tirade hasn’t seen the show. Despite not hailing from America, and regardless of age, for some reason said tirades always seem to start with an impassioned, “DUDE!” “DUDE! You haven’t seen The Wire*? Seriously, you haven’t seen it? Aww, dude, you haven’t lived! It’s like The Best Show in the History of Shows that have been showed, it’s like got a thousand brilliant characters that all interlink over five seasons – like, seriously, you’ve never heard of this show? – and every series is on a different subset of society and it weaves expertly into this macrocosmic overview of society and it’s set in Baltimore but it could be a metaphor for any city and – you sure you haven’t seen it? – and frickin’, frickin’ Omar, man! Dude, seriously, dude…” At this point your cheeks have billowed into an angry bubbling red, you have started frothing from the mouth and are slowly descending to the ground for want of oxygen, “McNulty” being the last word whispered from your lips before you pass out. Our desire to energetically rend the clothes from our bodies, smear our beloved show’s name on our chests in a fluid of choice, and bawl its name to the moon is all in the questionable spirit of sharing that binds us together, and I guess I’m lucky I can hide my Fervent-Fandom behind a spectacularly low-paying job. ALLAN “DUDE, SERIOUSLY?” SKO - allan@bmamag.com *You even pronounce the name of the show as if it’s in important italics. What a plum.

WHO: MOTIF WHAT: JAZZ QUINTET WHEN: SAT JUN 16 WHERE: PETER KARMEL BUILDING, ANU

Motif are a Norwegian jazz quintet. Are you a Norwegian jazz quintet? Nope. Consequently what follows will seem like gibberish but this is awesome gibberish. Like scat. Or Welsh. Motif is Atle Nymo, Eivind Lønning, Haavard Wiik, Ole Morten Vaagan and Hakon Mjaset Johansen. They hail from such household name bands as Bugge Wesseltofts, the Christian Wallumrød Ensemble, Streifenjunko and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. They’ve worked with a who’s-who of Scandinavian jazz: Terje Rypdal, the Jan Garbarek Quartet, Per Jorgensen, Sidsel Endresen, Bobo Stenson and many more. This is so obscure you’ll be the postscript in hipster. 7:30 pm. $30/$20 door.

WHO: Onetalk, Rachel Haircut & Deaf Cat WHAT: track launch WHEN: Thu Jun 21 WHERE: Hippo Bar

Onetalk is the creative partnership of Canberra/Sydney beatmakers Joe Victory and Josh Molony who share a love for electronic music and hip hop and, after years of playing together in live bands, developed their own progressive sound. With a dynamic live show, they’ve supported the likes of Flying Lotus, Gaslamp Killer, Hudson Mohawke, Tokimonsta, Pri Ze, Electric Sea Spider, Paqman, Samiyam and played at the recent underground electronica Braindance festival. Onetalk have recently recorded two fresh tracks to be released for download so get along to the launch. With support from Rachel Haircut (Syd), Deaf Cat and more, it’s a night not to miss! 8pm.

WHO: Paper Arms, The Outsiders, Revellers WHAT: punk rock night WHEN: Thu Jun 28 WHERE: The Phoenix Bar

Adelaide’s Paper Arms are teaming up with New Zealand’s The Outsiders and Canberra’s own Revellers for a night of rollicking punk rock at The Phoenix Bar. Both visitors have kept themselves busy since their recent releases, with Paper Arms picking up a number of high profile supports. The Outsiders have been through Europe so they look forward to swinging through Canberra to promote their new EP Shallow Graves. Revellers is a new punk rock project from a couple of the guys from Lamexcuse. Only a few months in the making, Revellers have been busy getting a stack of songs together and will be smashing ‘em out at this, their first show. 8pm.

WHO: Hudson Arc WHAT: HIP HOP producer + string ensemble WHEN: Wed Jul 4 WHERE: The Front

Hudson Arc is the brainchild of singer/composer/producer Gareth Hudson, who comes with an impressive career producing and recording artists including The Hilltop Hoods. Hudson teams up with renowned string trio Ensemble Arc consisting of Tadijana Ilicic (violin), Jamie Pollock (viola) and Rachel Pogson (cello). The end result is a marriage of lush string lines, driving rhythms, intense dynamics and a diverse mix of styles resulting in expertly crafted compositions. This four-piece are all classically trained musicians and think outside the square. Don’t miss their special blend of climactic string-laden pop. Support by James Fahy. 7pm. $10.

WHO: Fun Machine WHAT: NEW SINGLE TOUR WHEN: Fri Jul 6 WHERE: The White Eagle Polish Club

Colourful Canberra trio Fun Machine are back with their latest offering, Ready For The Fight. Known for their unorthodox punkpop sounds and honeyed harmonies, Fun Machine’s new work is more indicative than ever of the band’s ability to make relevant, raucous records. Beats were born from kicking car hubcaps and the turning of metal handles while the piano was recorded incognito on the ANU’s Steinway Grand Piano after the band snuck into Llewellyn Hall. Fun Machine will be celebrating their new single with a tour to cure even the wildest winter blues. Supported by Mustered Courage, Trendoid and Alphabet. 8pm. $10.

WHO: Def Wish Cast WHAT: Aussie Hip Hop WHEN: Sat Jul 7 WHERE: Transit Bar

Since the days when hip hop first arrived in Australia there are many who’ve become obsessed with the four elements; B-boying, MCing, DJing and graffiti. Def Wish Cast epitomise the whole package. DWC are widely considered true pioneers of the Australian scene. 1992 saw DWC release one of the hallmarks by which all Australian hip hop would be judged: Knights Of The Underground Table. In 2012 their new album Evolution Machine will drop. Expect a diverse album from the kings of Oz hip hop and a performance to back it up. Supported by Celsius, Killawattz, DJ Vame and more. 8pm. $20 + bf through Moshtix.

JUSTIN HOOK When an interview runs way over time due to a rambling discussion about Gregg Allman’s little-heard 1973 solo album Laid Back, you know you’re talking to someone who lives and loves music. Brian Nankervis is the Allman fan in question and when not passing on stories to eager ears about the Jerry Garcia shows he caught over three decades ago, he hosts the wildly popular Saturday night rock quiz show ROCKWIZ on SBS. Or entertains a room full of kindie teachers. As he explains, “I was sandwiched between the local minister and someone presenting a paper on safety issues in early childhood classrooms and they were desperate to laugh. Let me tell you – if all audiences were like that…well.”

It’s amazing how much people know! It’s like they have spent years preparing for that moment

Nankervis, along with Julia Zemiro and human scoreboard Dugald McAndrew, form the nucleus of Australia’s most beloved televised pub quiz night. Right? “Well I don’t know that I’ve ever actually been to a pub quiz night.” They are currently filming the show’s tenth season, which is a lifetime in television language. The host is somewhat surprised himself. “When we started we all just thought, ‘Well, let’s just see what happens’. We were so grateful to be given the opportunity to even do a series. But once we started doing a few we thought, ‘You know, this works’… It’s a good structure and people loved it – those who saw it and those who like music loved it. So we knew there was a passion for it. So it was down to a network like SBS that isn’t so hell bent on figures.” And it’s true, RocKwiz has secured a loyal fan base. The willingness of SBS to let the show find its feet and settle into a comfortable groove not so reliant on ratings has been a godsend for music nerds and snobs who like to yell answers at inanimate objects. Which brings us to the issue of that other music-themed quiz show that ran parallel to RocKwiz for the last eight years. “Yeah, it was a bit weird. We made the pilot in 2003 and always felt the ABC would be the natural home. They saw it and liked it but said no and we took it to SBS and they said yes. Then ironically after two weeks at SBS, the ABC came back and said they wanted to do it. But it was too late – we had already signed [to SBS]. And then suddenly six months later they’ve got another show. I’m certainly not saying it was our idea, but it was sort of slightly frustrating.” If anything the existence of two vaguely similar shows at the same time proves there’s an audience for anything, Nankervis continues, “But they were so different. And look, you can’t deny that Spicks and Specks was incredibly popular and successful. It was amazing

that a small market like Australia could cope with two music quiz shows. It was great.” Ultimately though there was a crucial difference: “Theirs was a comedy show that happened to be about music – whereas ours was a music show that happened to be funny. “Without wanting to sound too wanky, we had a very strong vision. We wanted to have a show focused primarily on music and then we would approach it via the structure of a quiz and it’d be funny along the way. So when we write the scripts we try and have a few jokes in there and Julia is a very naturally funny woman. But it wasn’t the main focus. Music has always been the most important factor in the show.” Which is why it makes perfect sense that RocKwiz has another life outside the studio – on the road, touring. The forthcoming Some Kind Of Genius Tour is the sequel to 2010’s enormously successful 35-show national tour. And it’s far more than pub trivia in a bigger room, as Nankervis lays out the tech specs of the shows. “It’s very expensive show because of, again, the musical snob in us. These guys [the surprise and as-of-yet unannounced musical guests who tour with the show] have done so many shows so we don’t want to go out with a crappy sound system – so we take deluxe equipment and lighting. We want to put on a big night. Having spent years in the cramped Gershwin Room [at St Kilda’s infamous Esplanade Hotel] to actually get on a big stage is really exciting for us. This is the business of show after all.” Free of the constraints of cameras, the live version is a more freewheeling affair where every night is a once-off, never to be repeated event. But like its small screen partner there will be a mix of karaoke performed with the RocKwiz Orkestra, an audiencesourced panel quiz and lashings of music nerdism. “That’s why we’re using the Some Kind Of Genius name. It’s Julia’s catchphrase when she’s amazed at the knowledge of a contestant, but that happens every night. It’s amazing how much people know! It’s like they have spent years preparing for that moment and it means these people who aren’t familiar with being on stage and are very unpredictable are comfortable because it’s in their comfort zone.” Nankervis adds with a hint of danger, “But we don’t know how they’re going to act.” So there you have it folks. Whether you’ve been reading this humble magazine for months or years, and whether you love Enuff Z’Nuff, Lady GaGa, John Fahey or Duane Allman, make yourself known to the RocKwiz wranglers as they pass through town. Win or lose, someone is going to dazzle Canberra with their knowledge of obscure musical curios – it could be you. The RocKwiz Some Kind Of Genius Tour comes to the Canberra Royal Theatre Friday September 7 and tickets are $84.90 + bf through Ticketek, on sale Thursday June 14.

as weird as me, and b) that’s definitely reason enough to be there, not the awesome music or anything… Tickets are $18.40 and can be booked online at Moshtix.

ALL AGES Hey folks! So much all ages goodness is skating round this wonderful winter but I feel I must disappoint you with a lack of theme for this column. It’s alright, you can take a pause to close your jaw that has comically dropped to the ground. Geez, you look like ET after he saw his phone bill. Take a deep breath; you’re going to be OK. Recovered? Good. You should definitely be in full health for when Thick As Blood, hailing all the way from Miami, USA, make their way to the Axis Youth Centre in Queanbeyan on Tuesday June 19. They are supported by Newcastle band Taken By Force, and if the metal fan in you gave you an awesome gory mental image when you combined the two bands’ names then: a) congratulations! You’re just

Just don’t party too hard at Thick As Blood because Sydney metalcore band Buried In Verona come to Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Wednesday June 20. [Ed: see p. 47 for a feature on these subterranean metalheads.] That’s two awesome bands in a row! Buried In Verona released their new album Notorious and are touring nationally to promote it. Their supporting bands are The Plot In You, In Hearts Wake and Silent Screams. Tickets are $23.50 and can be booked online at Moshtix or at Oztix. Is it Christmas, metal fans? Perth metal band Make Them Suffer are also coming to the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Wednesday July 4. [Ed: see p. 46 if Andie’s jokes don’t make you suffer enough.] Support bands include Signal The Firing Squad and Resist The Thought. The gig starts at 8pm and you can buy tickets at the door. A reminder to all the young and talented musicians out there: you still have time to enter the triple j Unearthed High competition. Upload an original song to their website by Monday July 23 and you could win a lunchtime concert for your school with Bliss n Eso, and the chance to record a song in the triple j studios. Entry info and terms and conditions can be found at www.triplejunearthed.com. Why not embrace the fact that you live in Canberra and it gets very, very cold here? Garema Place is opening its very own 400 square metre ice skating rink again this year from Friday June 29-Sunday July 29. Skating sessions run daily 10am-9:30pm, with late sessions until 11:30pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets start at $12 for concessions and $15 for an adult. Tickets can be booked online at www.inthecitycanberra.com.au. So folks, that’s all I’ve found on the all ages front for now. Obviously no themed jokes for you but recently I bought a pocket-sized joke book, which imparts pure joy. I chose pocket size so that I could have it handy and easily impress everyone in moments of social awkwardness (or so the blurb claims). Try this out next time things get awkward and tell me if it works: Why did the Mexican push his wife off the cliff? Tequila. Cheers, ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

LOCALITY

This Saturday June 16, 8pm, sees the next incarnation of Canberran pop melodrama act The Last Prom take the back room of the White Eagle Polish Club. (Buggery.) Spearheaded by Nick Delatovic (Cracked Actor), the band will attempt to merge the musical lineage of Queen and their ilk with the loosely-interpreted mythology of the Antichrist and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, this time with Pestilence as their specific muse. Visit www.thelastprom.com to find out where punters fit in and what the fuck that all means. They’re all through this issue so if you want to find out more and can’t, drop a toaster in your next bath. The following day, Sunday June 17, 7pm, The Phoenix is having their Short Film Festival. I don’t know what the entry requirements were. I don’t know whose films are showing or how many. I don’t know much but I know I love you.

Thursday June 21, 8pm, holds the next in a series of electronica nights at Hippo Bar. Presented by local enigma Blahnket, the monthly evening has been dubbed Method-B. The launch last month saw Deaf Cat and Kuré take the tables. For $5 I’d bet it’s worth it again. I’ve been wrong before. But not about liquorice. I’ve never been to a silent disco but I imagine them to be fun. Dancing with people with headphones on strikes me as joyful for its shared idiocy, like the enjoyment I derive from patting my dog. ‘Look at this retard,’ I think. ‘She’s loving it.’ Questacon is having one on Friday June 22 as part of an Adults Only SciNight. They’re serving cocktails and food, they have a bar and it starts at 6pm and costs $10. Do the rest yourself at www.questacon.com.au. This year Universal Studios turned 100. You’ve never counted the hours of your life Universal have wasted with all the shit films they’ve bankrolled (Howard the Duck) but I recommend you spend the time you could be counting visiting Arc Cinema at the National Film and Sound Archive. As part of a Universal retrospective Arc is showing a double bill of The Mummy (1932) and The Invisible Man (1933) on Saturday June 23, 7:30pm. The latter does not contain any scenes of Kevin Bacon wearing a flesh-coloured mask or trying to rape people. Take that as you like. Saturday June 30 is a tricky one unless you don’t go to anything. At Charlie Black in Manuka there’s a Winter Party from 3pm. Peking Sheers, The Skronks, Stateovmind, Matt Dent and Paryce are all booked and the event runs late into the night. Bender material. On the other hand M-Phazes is playing at Trinity Bar and it’s free before 10pm. This column is supposed to be local but it’s M-Phazes. If that doesn’t mean much to you refer to Good Gracious by M-Phazes and W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) by Pharoahe Monch. He handled all production on the first and was responsible for the best on the second. But this is also the day The Front Gallery and Café begins its seventh birthday celebrations. The first day, dubbed The Big Day, features Jake Nauta and Ainslie Wells, starts at 7:30pm and costs $18. Birthday events run into the following week. See p. 27 for more. And that’s everything local I care about. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

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

SOCIETY’S SCAFFOLDING’S SOUL BEN HERMANN Since Rafael Bonachela was appointed Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company in 2009, Canberra audiences have been treated to a number of his productions, including We Unfold in 2010 and in 2011 Between Breath and Form, a double-bill of his previously separate works 6 Breaths and LANDforms. However, perhaps the most anticipated of his productions since joining Sydney Dance Company, Bonachela has now remounted his renowned 2009 production THE LAND OF YES AND THE LAND OF NO. The production was produced by Bonachela Dance Company and debuted at the Ludwigsburg Festival, Germany, in 2009. It was Bonachela’s first collaboration with composer Ezio Bosso (who Bonachela went on to collaborate with on a number of productions, including those mentioned above) and toured extensively to critical acclaim through Europe and the UK. However, SDC’s production is not a replica of the original and Bonachela says that he enjoyed being able to re-visit the production. “It was originally choreographed for six dancers and now there are ten,” says Bonachela. “The group sections in particular I’ve taken the opportunity to play with. Having more dancers gives you more opportunities and options. You can change the pace of the work as you have more people to play with. The sections where there is a solo, a duo or a trio I haven’t changed as they are very intimate moments, but the larger group movements I’ve played around with.” Joining Bonachela for the new production are lighting designer Guy Hoare, costume designer Theo Clinkard and, notably, set designer Alan McDonald whose work regularly appears in feature films, most recently The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. He has also designed a number of Kylie Minogue’s touring sets. McDonald’s work has brought one of the biggest changes to the production, which was relatively minimalist previously and is now “bigger and better,” in the words of Bonachela. McDonald’s set is a brilliant display of neon tubing which frames the dancers against a back wall of solid, changing colour which, Bonachela explains, “is essentially like insulation. It’s also a representation of architecture or scaffolding. It’s a huge element of the work.” Bonachela says he and McDonald became close friends when he was in charge of Bonachela Dance Company in London, which was a relatively small scale operation compared to the film work that McDonald was accustomed to.

“Every time I was doing something in London he would come in and help out then go back to making movies,” Bonachela says. “I told him, ‘I can pay you, but not as much as Kylie’. He’s an amazing designer and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to get someone of his stature on board if I wasn’t friends with him.” Working with Clinkard and Hoare, Bonachela says that he and McDonald would discuss their ideas for the show and would then speak to the others about their conceptual suggestions for the costumes or lighting. “Alan gave Theo and Guy very clear directions about what he wanted. Alan and I would have conversations about the set and the production and then we’d speak to Guy and Theo. It was very collaborative,” he says. The production is said to be concerned with the way everyday signs and symbols affect our actions and influence us. Rather than a Baudrillard-inspired comment on meaning and simulation, the work explores the rules, regulations and directions that guide or rule our everyday lives and how unconsciously we are controlled by them. Bonachela explains the title came from Bosso’s childhood home in Italy. Bosso recounted the story during the production’s very early conceptual development when the two were brainstorming themes. His family house had areas called ‘The Land of Yes’ where Bosso and his siblings could “go crazy and mess around,” and areas called ‘The Land of No’ where they had to behave and be quiet. An apt metaphor, Bonachela decided, for society and the way that people’s actions – most notably those actions which they believe they are undertaking freely or even rebelliously – are in fact carried out within a strict framework of conformity and obedience. Bonachela was so taken by this idea that it became the central treatise for the production. “It was a very poetic way of explaining what you’re allowed to do and what you’re not allowed to do,” he says. “Some sort of order is needed but sometimes it can go too far. In some places it’s mayhem; people don’t follow any rules and the government has no control over people. So you do need some signs and rules. But you need the right balance between the two. Nowadays, we get up in the morning and we don’t realise we’re being told what to do every second,” he says. “It is different in every country, for sure. Australia is a country where there are a lot of rules. Soon I feel you won’t be able to breath without permission. It’s when you challenge certain rules that things happen you never thought were possible.” The Land Of Yes & The Land Of No plays at Canberra Theatre from Thu-Sat June 28-30 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available $30$63 +bf through www.canberratheatre.org.au or (02) 6275 2700.

although most people agree that they actually formed in 1915. I think Paramount is just saying that to piss off Universal!”

SILVER SCREEN GOLDEN ERA MELISSA WELLHAM Hollywood’s UNIVERSAL and Japan’s NIKKATSU are the oldest surviving major studios in their respective countries and both were first established in 1912. This year the National Film and Sound Archive will be celebrating the 100th anniversaries of both Universal and Nikkatsu, with screenings from each studio starting this month and continuing into the beginning of 2013. Quentin Turnour, the chief programmer at the NFSA, explains the history of each studio as representing “the birth of modern studio filmmaking. What’s interesting is that although they are the oldest surviving studios, they also have reputations as the least reputable – the dirtiest – in the sense that they survived not by making prestige films, but by appealing to the lowest common denominator.” Quentin adds, “Paramount is also claiming that this year is their centenary,

The 100th anniversary screenings are intended to show films that are ‘typical’ of the studios. “In Universal’s selection we’re concentrating on horror films, melodrama and certain sorts of film noir.” On the selection from Nikkatsu, Quentin says that the studio is most associated with youth market films that allowed artistic expression. “The directors had to make money but they had a lot of freedom with the creation so they often made genre films that looked amazing. A filmmaker named Suzuki Seijun who made gangster films… his films were also blindingly, visually brilliant. Of course, you couldn’t follow the plot of them half the time. One of his most famous films – Branded To Kill – has all of these crazy butterfly motifs. There are gangster-inspired shoot-out scenes with butterflies all over the place. You don’t even know why they’re there.” These upcoming screenings at the NFSA won’t just appeal to audiences with a penchant for the aesthetic, but also film buffs who are interested in how two major studios have influenced modern filmmaking. For example, Nikkatsu’s ‘crazy Japanese film’ influence can be seen in Quentin Tarantino’s productions. Kill Bill, anyone? Universal’s lasting effect can be seen in “the characters, which they effectively created. The Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein. All of these characters as we imagine them today are because of how they were first shown in Universal films.” Even Twilight, with their sexy, sultry vampires, owes a debt to Universal’s Dracula. “In summary, both studios bequeathed an approach to genre filmmaking which showed that you can create extraordinary visual statements within house genres. They’re really interesting to watch.” The 100th anniversary screenings begin Saturday June 23. For more information and screening times check out www.nfsa.gov.au or call (02) 6248 2000.

TO MY GRANDMOTHER, WITH LOVE JULIA WINTERFLOOD Paul Capsis loves his grandmother. A lot. “She’s such an inspiration to me. She was extremely selfless. I’ve never met anyone like her,” he says fondly. ANGELA’S KITCHEN is Capsis’ tribute to the woman who raised him; a one-man show about a remarkable woman who bundled up five children in 1948 and set sail from Malta to start a new life in Surry Hills. It’s now in its second season and, since its debut two years ago, continues to stir up many memories and profound emotional responses in its audiences. “It’s interesting how deeply people have connected to the piece in terms of the subjects of migration, family, home and place. An elderly lady after the show last Saturday was crying in the foyer, so I asked, ‘Are you Maltese?’ and she replied, ‘Oh no dear, I’m English’. There were about five Maltese men in the audience last night and after the show there was this outpouring and sharing of stories. It was quite remarkable.” Angela’s Kitchen is told from the perspective of his grandmother, as well as other significant characters in her long and extraordinary life. The story of Capsis discovering Malta and his heritage is also told. For a one-man show the number of stories, themes and characters is impressive and requires extreme dedication to the craft. This work ethic was given to Capsis, naturally, by his grandmother. “She was a very hardworking woman. Her whole life was about physical work. She was a very active woman as well. If she wasn’t on her knees cleaning and scrubbing or putting down tiles she was off to bingo and hanging out with other Maltese women. She always drilled the whole ethic of work into me. She was always saying to me, ‘No one’s going to give you anything. You’ve got to do it yourself. It’s just the way it is’. So that shaped my life and it affects how I approach my work. My dedication to my work comes from her absolute dedication to hers.” Ultimately Angela’s Kitchen is about the sharing of stories and, through this sharing, catharsis. “I was always questioning my grandmother about her life in this place on this island far, far away from Australia. I was always hounding her for these stories and she was very generous to me. She gave me these stories and she said them over and over and that’s a big part of the show. It’s that sharing. I don’t have children so this is my sharing of the story.” Angela’s Kitchen shows at The Street Theatre from Tue-Sat June 12-23. Student tickets are $25 ($35 full). For bookings call (02) 6247 1223 or online at www.thestreet.org.au .

commercials and the movies have ruined it. I talk about dancing. I talk about all sorts of things but it’s all connected to music because music is like my heartbeat and I don’t think I could live without it.” As Lenny points out, no matter how different two people’s taste in music is, there can exist a universal understanding about the obsession and passion for music and the experiences we share of it. Lenny recalled swapping music with his mates during his formative teenage years and the “whiff of virginity about boys in a room swapping records.” One of his mates was into Dylan and The Beatles and another was into progressive rock. “I remember one afternoon listening very politely to Emerson, Lake and Palmer and wanting to get the hell out of there!”

CELEBRITY MINUS THE BELGIUM ZOE PLEASANTS Even if you don’t immediately recognise the name, the moment you hear his voice something will click in your subconscious and you’ll know who LENNY HENRY is. Growing up in the UK exposed me to many cultural highlights; this iconic British comedian was one of them. Within 30 seconds of speaking to Lenny, he had me laughing – and it didn’t stop there. His one-man show Cradle To Rave is a very personal show about Lenny’s passion, obsession and relationship with music and his thwarted musical ambitions. “I’m doing a show about how much I love music and it’s fantastic because I talk about as many aspects of music as I can fit into the show. I try and explain the concept of vinyl to your children. I talk about classical music and how the

Lenny exposed his own children to music from an early age, which included raising his daughter to the sounds of Bob Marley. “I think her first words were ‘Toots and the Maytals’. My two-year-old has just started singing along to Gotye.” Despite his own hindered musical ambitions, Lenny has always incorporated music into his comedy. “Just because a very big producer sort of told me to take it seriously or bugger off didn’t mean that I stopped doing music. Throughout my career I just did music as often as I could. For me, music has been a part of my life and I’ve never had a record deal – or had to tour Belgium.” He will, however, be travelling to Australia as part of his Cradle To Rave tour in June. So what is Lenny most looking forward to about visiting the country? “The people are very friendly, I like Aboriginal art and everywhere you go there’s a bloody winery!” Is quality comedy like music to your ears? Check out Lenny Henry’s Cradle To Rave Tour at Canberra Theatre on Sunday July 1 at 7pm. Tickets are $89 + bf available from www.canberraticketing.com.au or (02) 6275 2700.

since the ‘60s in a range of mediums. Sidney Nolan, Chris Drury (UK), Bea Maddock, Anne Noble (NZ), Jan Senbergs, Philip Hughes (UK) and Jörg Schmeisser all capture the disquiet, beauty, vastness and fragile ecosystems that make up Antarctica as they have experienced it. In a room tucked away from the main gallery space, Bea Maddock’s Forty Pages From Antarctica lies in wait. The work is a collection of individually framed prints, which flank the better part of two walls, creating an effect similar to the never-ending horizon you might see in Antarctica.

POLAR PICTURES CHLOE MANDRYK ANTARCTICA is a collaborative exhibition at the Drill Hall Gallery that presents seven unique views of the icy landscape captured

From print to print a diluted brown line peaks and falls marking out the landscape. The beautiful and quiet work was created in 1988 using a combination of processes: photo etching, intaglio and relief printing on zinc plates. Jan Senberg’s work Antarctic Night shares Maddock’s personal connection to the landscape but comparisons end there. Senberg’s large scale canvas, painted and collage, towers over the audience. The image is an aerial, almost voyeuristic view of the inside of a cabin encroached by snow. The composition is eerie, like a screenshot from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The cabin’s fleshy tones are built up even more by the artist’s collage of female bodies in erotic and pornographic poses. This may suggest the loneliness in an isolated landscape, or perhaps how basic urges are enacted in warmer climates. Anne Noble’s series of photographs White Noise No. 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are black and white images of snow in flight. The snow has been kicked up by a large tractor, only evident in one of the photos where the packed grooves it has left on the ground hint at the human impact on the land. The core mutations of the landscape from ice to snow to water are explored in Chris Drury’s video installation. Seated in a dark room the sounds of crackling ice, gushing water and wind tunnels surround you. Across three walls we see short black and white videos which zoom in on the three states of H2O. The installation is calming and sparks ideas about the environment as well as the complexity of a landscape. This exhibition complements the timing of the 2012 International Consortium of Humanities Centres and Institutes’ Conference on Humanities and Climate Change. Antarctica will run until Sunday July 1 at the Drill Hall Gallery, ANU, from Wed-Sun, 12pm-5pm. Entry is free.

Photo by Alex bell moffatt

O, FOR IT’S A JOLLY GOOD CAFÉ KAREN RADFORD A young artist returned from Europe looking for the next chapter – looking for an opportunity. It’s not an unfamiliar tale. But in Paul Jamieson’s case, this was the setting in which he created what has become one of Canberra’s most loved artistic institutions: THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ. “It was to be a place to gather with friends, display art, have music and have fun. Canberra was lacking in art and music spaces and I wanted a space to exhibit my own work and give other artists an avenue to exhibit their own work.” With the shopfront found – an old bakery – the café was fitted out by Paul with his original business partner, Rose Osborne, and the help of many friends and voila: on Friday July 1, 2005, The Front was born. The seven years since have seen it embraced by all walks of life: hippies, hipsters, musos, artists, students, parents, kids and pets. “Art is art, after all, so I guess The Front has naturally attracted artists of all types. At the end of the day it’s the staff, clientele and artists that make The Front. The relative intimacy of north Canberra provides a wonderfully diverse bunch who are thankfully receptive to new and local art and musical acts, as well as the travelling artists who grace us with a visit.” Although music was not the original focus, The Front has become a thriving music venue with bands booking months ahead to play in the famously warm and welcoming setting. Add to this the parties, poetry and comedy evenings and it’s understandable why it’s rare to pass The Front of a night without sighting an event of some kind inside. According to Paul, there have been too many incredible events to pick favourites. The real joy is to have seen The Front develop and grow, to develop a community. “It’s an exciting and rewarding thing to be doing and I’m always eager to see what’s next. The Front is always accepting exhibition proposals from individuals and groups and I’d like to see the visual arts crowd assert itself some more.” As for the future? “In the coming years, I’d like to see The Front continue its agenda of supporting local art and music. Attracting interstate and even international artists is a great thing and a privilege to host, but it’s the local stuff that needs the most support.” This month in celebration of its seventh birthday The Front will be throwing a seven-day party, featuring seven nights of local and interstate bands, a collaborative art exhibition and the launch of The Front’s long-awaited website. Share the birthday love at The Front Gallery and Café from Saturday June 30 – Saturday July 7. Tickets vary and will be available on the door each night. See www.frontgallerycafe.com for details.

IN REVIEW Brecht: Bilbao and Beyond The Street Theatre Fri-Sat June 1-3

REST, RESIDE, SURVIVE CHLOE MANDRYK Rachel Bowak’s exhibition RESIDE walks the line between installation, sculpture and assemblage art. Despite creating images of the tools we use in DIY jobs like ladders, rollers and paints, these objects are “objects that replicate the illusion of perspectival drawing… What appear to be drawings of functional objects turn out to be non-functional objects that look like drawings,” explains Rachel. Trained as a silver and goldsmith, it comes as little surprise that her steel mirrors the line your pencil would take. The artist pairs real world objects with her cutouts. Next to a bag of cement a wheelbarrow takes shape in Abide, the skeleton made from stainless steel. By doing so she creates an absurd relationship between the two objects. Obviously this wheelbarrow couldn’t cart cement – being hollow, two-dimensional and hammered into an art gallery wall. Rachel delights in these impracticalities and sees the dysfunctional object as a metaphor for social dysfunction in contemporary life. She has said the works act out the “experiences that underlie our actions – striving, destroying, consolidating, envisioning, ending, retreat, control, freedom and creation.” Rachel found the tools we use to tinker with our homes (as if it would have an impact on our lives) in a Bunnings catalogue. A lot about this show stems from reality but Rachel also indulges in fantasy. Take for example Control Again, which features a stainless steel domestic broom leaning against the gallery wall, as if exhausted from collecting lolly pink fluff heaped like autumn leaves. Reside is unique because it mimics reality without representing it directly. The sense of playfulness you might notice in Rachel’s work finds a counterpart in the approach of Claes Oldenburg. Oldenburg’s sculptures appropriated objects we use in everyday life. He recreated them at a monster scale and in materials you would never associate the original with. For example, a fabric hamburger sewn together the size of your head. Like Rachel’s these pieces forced the viewer to look back on the relationship we have with the object in the first place and consider its function. Another of her wall pieces, a larger than life gas cylinder, is formed using stainless steel to appear like a tracing of the real-life object. Oomph bites its tail in the discussion of art ends in installation. On the gallery wall above are burn marks and bubbling paint. Rachel came in and used a gas cylinder to set the wall alight. In other parts of the show you will find a wall hammered through. These, as well as all of the other pieces in the show, are testament to the artist’s ability to find splendour in the ordinary. Reside runs at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House, until Saturday June 23. Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm, and Sat, 10am-4pm. Entry is free.

Some musical or theatrical performances require no knowledge of the production’s subject or context to be understood, enjoyed and remembered. Others require so much prior knowledge that anyone lacking a complete anthological understanding of the subject matter shouldn’t even bother. Brecht: Bilbao and Beyond lies halfway between these extremes. Knowledge of the plays, poems, stories and songs of Bertolt Brecht – the eccentric German writer and theatre director of the early 20th century – grants viewers vastly greater appreciation of this production than their less informed counterparts. Yet, either way, the sheer talent, charm and effortless charisma of Chuck Mallett and John Muirhead keep the audience submissively enthralled as the duo recount, in cabaret-like fashion, the life, times and artistic highlights of Brecht. Mallett (a Detroit-born pianist and former vocal student of Sergei Rachmaninoff) and Muirhead (a Melbourne-born actor) met and worked in London’s West End for almost half a century before moving (returning, in Muirhead’s case) to Australia a decade ago. After assembling shows comprised of songs and stories chronicling the lives and works of Noel Coward and Irving Berlin for private audiences in South Melbourne and Bermagui, the pair undertook a similar project for Brecht. The production follows, more or less, the course of Brecht’s life; his birth in Bavaria, his most prosperous and successful years in Weimar-era Berlin, his travels throughout Europe during the early years of Nazism and later to the US during WWII, and finally his return to Berlin during the Cold War. Unsurprisingly for an artist living through such an epoch, Brecht’s eccentricity and avant-garde theatrical methods are underpinned by his Marxist politics and pessimism towards humanity. A majority of the production’s music is written by Mallett, whose piano compositions accompany Muirhead’s part-musical, partspoken word performance of a miscellany of Brecht’s work. Muirhead switches regularly between the character of Brecht or one of Brecht’s own characters, while Mallett remains behind the piano, regularly addressing the audience (or Muirhead) to recount a particular event or period of Brecht’s life. While Muirhead and Mallett’s performances are irresistibly enthralling, the disjointedness between Muirhead’s character changes, excerpts of Brecht’s work, Mallett’s music, and overall chronology of Brecht’s life can become disorientating. Yet, whether intended or not, it is this effect of which Brecht would have been most proud. A vanguard of theatrical deconstruction or ‘defamiliarisation’, Brecht sought to amuse and provoke audiences by challenging audience’s traditional expectations of, and relationship with, theatre performances. Regardless of their intentions, at the end of the day, it is through Muirhead’s perfect caricatures and Mallett’s musicianship that the pair ultimately do great service to a 20th century icon. BEN HERMANN

ARTISTPROFILE: Alex Lewis

What do you do? I am an artist who makes etchings, drawings and other prints including lithographs and 3D printed objects. I use fragments from architecture and the city in my pictures. When did you get into it? I’ve always been into drawing but it was art school that taught me how to make etchings and got me into printmaking. Who or what influences you as an artist? My influences are reasonably diverse. I am always looking for source material in architecture and the built environment. I also love artists that use architecture in their work. This includes well-constructed paintings by Jeffrey Smart and Edward Hopper and the impossible architecture of MC Escher. What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? Producing a strong portfolio of editioned prints at the end of last year. I really get a kick out of a well-printed print! What are your plans for the future? First and foremost it is to finish my Honours year at the ANU School of Art. What makes you laugh? A good old-fashioned pun and anything kind of absurd. What pisses you off? A messy print studio! Oh, and bad driving. What’s your opinion of the local scene? I think it’s full of potential

and often under-recognised outside itself. There are a lot of great artists, supporters, venues, educators and institutions in our town and there is also a wealth of people and places to be tapped into. Upcoming exhibitions? Fragments, with Elaine Camlin Martin James, Jake Silvestro and Rebecca Stapledon at CCAS gallery, Furneaux Street Manuka. Opening 6pm, Thursday July 5 and continuing until Sunday July 15. Contact Info: alexlewis@hotmail.com.au

But should we ask for the leading figures of our creative community to stay, as some kind of service to us, the audience? ‘Course not.

UNINHIBITED Spend a little time in Canberra and soon enough you’ll find yourself at a farewell. The farewell is to our city what the beach party is to Sydney and the baby shower is to the 30-plus posse: a familiar social outing. A recent spate of significant departures got me thinking about this issue… All in the space of a month we’ve lost: the former editor of this very rag, Julia Winterflood, (to the NT and beyond); the irreplaceable raconteur Adam ‘Hadley’ Hadley (to Brisbane – a poor choice for someone who seems to live in polyester and tweed, but digress I shall); and two leading lights of the musical community, Gemma Nourse (of Ah! Pandita and Shopgirl fame) and Peter ‘Kranky’ Krbavac (of almost every Canberra band 2008-2012, plus a writer of note for BMA and the Times), a chap correctly described as ‘the heart and soul of Canberra music’. Gemma and Pete are off to Adelaide. Fair enough. Will this quartet return? I’m told they plan to. Can they be replaced? Absolutely not. Should we care? Well, yes and no. On a personal level, of course we should and do. These are faces you’re always happy to locate when entering The Phoenix and their contributions towards creating, promoting and supporting the arts in this town will leave a significant crater.

Canberra’s reputation precedes itself for its inhabitants as much as the wider world and when someone leaves town the town can take it badly. It goes to the mirror looking for a blemish and finds nothing but flaws. The amount of people passing through this place does nothing for the city’s self esteem. Self-help books are written about troubles like these. One could scribe a pamphlet entitled: ‘Canberra – they’re just not that into you’, and it’d sell. The problem with this defeatist angle is that it ignores an eternal truth within the creative classes; that migration is part of the artistic fabric. Forget the clichés about art and sufferance and the road, but as a rule makers take heart from the world and should propel themselves as far into it as possible. So let it be. For the city of Canberra, those who leave need to become a motivator. Like the jilted and freshly single dumpee, Canberra needs to renew its gym membership, have the hair remodelled and get some new interests – learn that language, take the jazz flute lessons. In short, Canberra could work a little harder at becoming the kind of place to which those who leave might want to return. Of course, the other truth is that the holes created by those who have left need to be filled. There’s room in this city to do something interesting and good. Who’s up? GLEN MARTIN glenpetermartin@gmail.com

bit PARTS WHO: Filmmakers of Horror & Ice WHAT: Winter Solstice Film Night WHEN: Fri Jun 22 WHERE: National Film and Sound Archive To mark the Extreme Film and Sound Exhibition, the centennial of Australia’s engagement with the Antarctic continent and the traditional polar explorer’s Longest Night festivities, the NFSA will become the ultimate chill-out zone for one night only – and it’s going to be the longest night of the year (in a good way). From 5:30pm their theatrette will screen a selection of filmic experiments from the Antarctic and the Arctic. From 7pm the courtyard will hold the Australian premiere of Monolith – a new work by Austrian artist Werner Dafeldecker featuring live soundscapes captured in Antarctica. And from 8:30pm in the Arc cinema there’ll be a screening of the chilling and sublime, featuring The Thing From Another World (1951), the classic Arctic paranoid horror thriller. Admission to the film is $5/$3 for those wearing tuxedos or a penguin suit! Otherwise free.

WHO: Cultural Enthusiasts & PuppetOOdle WHAT: Night Market Festival WHEN: Fri Jun 15 WHERE: National Museum of Australia The Silk Road remains the greatest trading route in history. For centuries goods and ideas moved along it. The Silk Road Night Market Festival will transform your senses with traditional music and dance, market stalls, children’s entertainers, crafts, artist demonstrations and more. The Canberra Astronomical Society will turn their telescopes to the heavens and answer questions about the stars. PuppetOOdle have been asked to perform their Silk Road Puppet Show again so if you missed them you have a chance to see what everyone was raving about! The festival also includes jewellery, delicacies, teas and spices, storytelling, poetry and free entry into the NMA’s exhibition Travelling The Silk Road. 6.30pm-9.30pm. Free. WHO: Children & Children At Heart WHAT: Kids In The Shed Day WHEN: Sun Jun 17 WHERE: Old Bus Depot Markets Canberra’s Old Bus Depot Markets will be bustling with excited littlies at the special ‘Kids in the Shed’ theme day. With lots of entertainment, face painting, yummy things to eat and stacks of products especially for kids, the place will be teeming with little ones having loads of fun. ‘Kids in the Shed’ will include an additional 30 stallholders focusing on things just for children: bright, funky, wearable handmade clothes for boys and girls, handcrafted toys, art works for kids’ rooms, specialist gear for newborns and more. Plus there’s Milo the clown, pony rides and a jumping castle. For more information visit www.obdm.com.au. 10am-4pm. Free. WHO: ANU School of Art Graduates WHAT: Fragments WHEN: Thu Jul 5 – Sun Jul 15 WHERE: CCAS Manuka Fragments are incomplete or isolated pieces of something. They are essences which are detached from an original context and given new meaning. Fragments represent an undercurrent uniquely translated in each of the artists’ work and by using a system of identically sized work the theme is brought to the surface in this exhibition. Fragments is a group exhibition of local artists Alex Lewis, Jake Silvestro, Marty James, Rebecca Stapledon and Elaine Camlin. The artists involved in Fragments graduated from the ANU School of Art in 2011. They explore the possibilities of printmaking and drawing through their investigation, reflecting on the notion of fragmentation within their own and each other’s practices. Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm. Free.

WHO: African Culture WHAT: Dance/drumming workshops WHEN: Mon/Tue/Wed evenings WHERE: The ‘burbs Canberra is extremely fortunate to have two incredible, world renowned artists here on our doorstep. Mory Traore and Mohamed Bangoura are famous in their respective fields and are masters of their amazing disciplines: African dancing and drumming. They are a dynamic team that bring an amazing energy and light with them wherever they go. Mory and Mohamed are utterly passionate about sharing their heritage with anyone and everyone and now they’re here to teach and perform a craft they know to be challenging, exhilarating and confidence building. Want to get involved? Dance and drumming workshops are held at various inner north and inner south suburbs. For more information visit www.africanculture.com.au or email admin@africanculture.com.au.

WHO: Renowned graffiti artists WHAT: MAY’S: The May Lane Street Art Project WHEN: Fri Jul 6 – Sat Aug 11 WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre MAY’S: The May Lane Street Art Project is a survey of the artworks created at May Lane in St Peters, Sydney, between 2005 and 2010. Tugi Balog, Director of the May Lane Arts Association, has been documenting the project since he turned the walls of his business into an outdoor gallery. Consequently MAY’S has a collection of over 100 panels by celebrated Australian and international street artists incorporating all those who have created work there. “With street art gaining ground as a legitimate contemporary art form… the MAY’S tour is prescient,” says the Director of Bathurst Regional Art Gallery. Talented local Canberra street artists will be artists-in-residence at the Belconnen Arts Centre during the exhibition. Tue-Sat, 10am-5pm.

BEN HERMANN When THE LAST PROM first appeared as part of 2011’s You Are Here festival at Smith Dick – the appropriately-named, then-empty shopfront in the bus interchange (formerly home to Dick Smith) – the concept of both the band and the event had not fully crystallised. At that show, punters were encouraged to dress up in the twin themes of ‘Prom Night’ and ‘The End of the World’ and a host of local acts performed, with the evening being closed by the eponymous group The Last Prom. A little over a year on, founder and helmsman of both group and event, Nick Delatovic (The Missing Lincolns, Cracked Actor) reflects on the subsequent conceptual development of The Last Prom.

It was designed to be supereclectic and super-abrasive

“We were blessed at that show. The crowd was great in developing their characters. The bill was all excellent Canberra bands but it was designed to be a super-eclectic mix and super-abrasive. Although I’d sat down and fleshed out the concept beforehand, that first show was very much a gig with a costume theme and a slight narrative. Since then I’ve wanted to keep pushing it.” ‘Pushing it’ is a slight disservice to Delatovic’s development of The Last Prom from its 2011 inception to its 2012 manifestation. In 2012 The Last Prom will stage four events, each themed around one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. A famine-themed show took place earlier this year and this month’s show at the White Eagle Polish Club will be pestilence and ‘nuclear winter’ themed. According to Delatovic, the third show – warthemed – will most likely take place in September at The Front, with the final show – “a huge cross-art theatrical pop-opera” – being held in November. The Last Prom’s blog (www.thelastprom.com) sets the scene for each show in the form of dramatic, sweeping narrative; not only a means of promotion and entertainment but, as Delatovic says, a means of “getting the audience excited and being part of the story before the show.” As before, audience members are invited to dress in theme and they should prepare themselves for a show where they will be subjected to a duet of grandiose pop music and immersive narrative. “We’re ultimately moving towards our final show where there won’t be any support acts. It will go for an hour and will completely delineate the concept,” Delatovic says. “The one thing that worked for [the You Are Here show] was that it was very short. I want intense emotion again at all these shows. Not only from the band but also from the crowd.”

Intense emotion, you may have guessed, is a pivotal element of The Last Prom. The idea of the band and its narrative concept – the latter born “close on the heels” of the former – both sprung from Delatovic’s desire for a grand emotional venture where there would be no place for restraint, inhibitions or hipster-esque irony. “I wanted to put a band together that was very melodramatic and did melodramatic pop music in big, sweeping ballads. I needed an excuse to go over the top with emotions,” he says. “It was a very cherry-picked band. I had an idea of the music I wanted it to be and I went to the people I knew could do it. Luckily they all said ‘Yes’ and once I had that all locked down I just needed lyrical and musical content that could take me to the required level. I just came up with the two most melodramatic concepts I could, which were high school and the end of the world, and I put them together.” The aforementioned “cherry-picked” members include Julia of Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens, together with notaries from a number of other local groups. The premise for the group and their shows is that the Antichrist and the Four Horsemen have joined forces to end the world. In the words of the group, “since the Antichrist is a fixated pop music fan and a hopeless romantic, he has recreated the Horsemen into a pop band and combined the world-ending ritual into his idea of the ultimate life-affirming experience, the high school dance.” Delatovic explains that the pop focus has taken centre stage this year, with all shows now purely pop-music driven and with all support acts being “accessible, fun and dance-oriented.” In the same vein, The Last Prom is designed to encourage people to completely lose their inhibitions; to submit to the physical enjoyment of the music for the time of the show. “While you’re there, you’re there to fully engage with the event,” Delatovic says. However, the physical submission to celestial pop ballads is coupled with the ongoing narrative of The Last Prom. Delatovic admits he’s fan of musicals but denies The Last Prom could be described as such. “At the heart of it, the band is playing a set,” he says. “But the audience members can engage with it as music and performance and costume, or the story as well.” He cites a number of concept albums and rock operas but concludes there aren’t many from which you can discern a clear story just by listening to the lyrics. “For years I’ve wanted to see if you could write stories that express themselves purely through pop songs. We’re concentrating on making sure the songs are strong enough but we’re also trying to write a show where even if you don’t speak English you can follow the character story.” The Last Prom’s Nuclear Winter Ball will be held at the White Eagle Polish Club, Turner, on Saturday June 16 from 8pm-11pm, with Space Party and more supporting. Tickets $10 on the door.

A blues song one minute, an old country song the next…then Beyoncé’s latest hit!

schedule, he answers, “Not really. You’re only ever playing one or two hours a night so there’s a lot of dead time. If you make it a priority there is plenty of time to write.”

BUBBLING WITH PANACHE ZOE PLEASANTS I’m not quite sure if it’s a champagne lifestyle but singer-songwriter and guitarist DANIEL CHAMPAGNE is certainly living the dream. After finishing high school four years ago Daniel thought he would head out on the road with his guitar for a month or so and see how things went. He had a few gigs booked and a few spots at festivals to keep him busy.

So there you have it. Life according to Daniel: do what you love, prioritise what is important and give things a go because you never know where it might lead. Canberra almost has a claim on Daniel; his sister and grandparents live here and he’s got friends going to uni here. He loves playing at The Front – “I’ve been playing at The Front heaps and heaps, I really love the room and it always works” – so catch him while we have this spurious claim on him because his future plans will probably see him spending time in the US. Catch him while you can on Thursday June 14 at The Front Gallery and Café with triple j unearthed artist Sui Zhen for her debut album launch tour, or on Friday June 15 launching his own album with support from Daniel March.

But, as they do, one thing led to another and as Daniel explains, “You play a few gigs and meet a few people at all the different festivals. You keep doing it and then a year later you’re playing overseas and you’re going to heaps of different countries.” Is it really that simple? Well, probably not. But Daniel’s approach to life certainly has a simple elegance to it. Daniel’s gigs are just him and his guitar, playing the music he writes and whatever else he wants to play. Notoriously bad at describing his music, he tells me it is “The music you can play when you’ve just got a guitar and you’re singing and you’re in control. You can play a blues song one minute, an old country song the next, a jazz song the next… then Beyoncé’s latest hit the next!” Daniel didn’t always dream of being a musician but it was the thing he enjoyed doing most growing up so he thought he’d give it a try. Daniel’s life is now comprised of gigs, aeroplanes, hotel rooms and writing songs – and he loves it. He’s addicted to performing and basically hasn’t stopped touring since leaving school. “There hasn’t been a good reason to, and there are plenty of good reasons for me to keep going because it’s a lot of fun and I’m getting a lot out of it at this stage.” When asked if it’s difficult to find time to write with such a busy

ALL AGLOW FOR WINTER MORNING GLORY RORY Mccartney

BAZ RUDDICK

The front man of the Victorian roots three-piece THE JED ROWE BAND attributes his musical inspiration to roots of his own: his dad who plays in a cover band and his mum who plays sax in a funk band. While their record collection gave early exposure to rock in the guise of Pink Floyd, Midnight Oil and Hendrix, Jed’s more recent muses include Robert Johnson and country siren Lucinda Williams.

Starting out as a simple two-piece acoustic act touring in a shitty Barina [Ed: as opposed to the other kind], Melbourne-based outfit THE HELLO MORNING have snowballed into a whopping six-piece folk-infused rock ‘n’ roll wall of sound. With their brand new selftitled album recently released, the boys are about to commence a six-week tour around the country.

Jed has been busy making arrangements for his forthcoming tour. The band will be showcasing their second album The Ember And The Afterglow, which was recorded using a very different process from that of their debut Midnight Sun. “The new album was recorded on tape with the band all playing together instead of recording instruments individually. This gives it more of a live feel and the special sound that tape provides. You have to listen to the recordings and commit yourself to one take.”

I spoke to lead vocalist and front man Steve Clifford about being part of a travelling band of musical troubadours, recording with Aussie legend Jimi Maroudas and recording in the beautiful isolation of the Victorian bush.

I woke up at 3am with the melody and the bulk of the lyrics in my head

Song themes come from real life, people Jed knows and novels. “Some songs have a Victorian setting. While songwriting does tend to reflect your surroundings, the Victorian influence was not a conscious thing. Sometimes it’s hard to say what the origin of a particular song was.” Blues and roots great Jeff Lang played a big mentoring role in this album. “Jeff’s experience in recording was a great help, taking the pressure off me and creating the right frame of mind in the band to make the playing flow.” Other touches came from Liz Stringer and Suzannah Espie. “Liz added the banjo that was so essential to Across The Water. Suzannah’s backing vocals provided harmonies that varied from a sensitive country flavour to some funky soul.” The track This Love Divine has a spectacular string arrangement, the inspiration for which came to Jed in his sleep. “I woke up at 3am with the melody and the bulk of the lyrics in my head. So I got on the computer to put it down and grabbed a guitar for a quick demo.” The string section was put together by Michael Arvanitakis, who “knew a few good string players and assembled a few friends. I didn’t even know if the string arrangement, my first, would even work.” I asked Jed about his most unusual show. “I was playing upstairs in a restaurant. The management kept asking me to turn the sound down to the point that I switched the PA off and played pure acoustic. Then this incredibly loud rock band started up at a wedding reception venue below. I was drowned out but the management didn’t bat an eyelid.” The Jed Rowe Band will warm your heart when they play at The Front in June. Jed likes the venue, as “It reminds me of some bohemian hangouts in Melbourne.” Hang out with The Jed Rowe Band on Thursday June 28 at The Front Café and Gallery. The show starts at 7:30pm and entry is $10 at the door.

There are a lot of dickheads in music

Over the years, The Hello Morning have made room for keen musicians along the way. “We started the band with this whole ideal of including people in it who only really cared about it and really wanted to be in it. That’s how we did it. We slowly picked up people one by one. People actually came up to the band instead of us going out and looking for people.” In order to get the sound they wanted, Steve and the boys employed the help of Aussie recording legend Jimi Maroudas (Eskimo Joe, The Living End). “He’s the best guy for just getting good takes. You have two or three chances to do a song and if you don’t get it then he just moves on. It’s great like that because it doesn’t sound laboured and you get that really great live sound. “There are a lot of dickheads in music. But he is such a sweet guy who is really open to everything. He recorded the album with it in mind that we would take it away and finish it later. A lot of guys wouldn’t do a record like that, but Jimi was ace.” In order to get away from the distractions of the city to record their album, the boys isolated themselves in the beautiful bushland of Daylesford, Victoria. “If we’d set up camp at a little recording studio in Fitzroy, it would have just been at the epicentre of every vice we have. We would have had mates dropping in every day and a million pubs around the corner. So we removed ourselves from it. “We just got this big old cottage, filled it with gear, made a control room and decked it out. We lived up there for a couple of months. Heaps of our friends came up to sing and play on the album. “It was really cool just to be able to have that much space in the middle of the bush. We were recording feedback guitars at phenomenal volumes at four in the morning! We were just on a holiday recording.” The Hello Morning will be rocking out alongside Busby Marou and Leader Cheetah on Saturday June 23, 8pm, at Zierholz @ UC. Tickets are $20 + bf through Moshtix.

LOST AND FOUND JUSTIN HOOK It’s no exaggeration to say CAN were one of the most influential bands of the twentieth century. Referenced in songs by everyone from LCD Soundsystem to The Fall to Primal Scream their influence is exponentially larger – without Can the experimental art-rock, post-punk, underground rock and alt-rock scenes could have all developed very differently.

What we did was quite strange, quite aggressive, quite brutal

Correctly or not they were bundled with Kraftwerk, Neu! and Faust as part of the krautrock movement, a neat handle for journalists but not entirely helpful in explaining what made each band so unique or groundbreaking. In Can’s case, it was a freewheeling exploration rooted in dense jazz-like rhythms and structured improvisation. As founding member Irmin Schmidt explains, “We knew very well what we were doing because at least three of us were professional musicians at that time [and] already had a career of ten or 15 years behind us. Jaki [Liebezeit] is very experienced jazz drummer and Holger [Czukay] and me had a long education of classical music. And even though Michael [Karoli] was ten years younger... he was an extremely gifted rock guitarist. We were very conscious with what we were doing but we left space to spontaneity.” By the time the band came together in 1968, both Schmidt and Czukay had already studied under Karlheinz Stockhausen, one of the true giants of contemporary classical and improvisational music. As such, despite the boundary pushing chaos on their records (Tago Mago, Monster Movie and Ege Bamyasi are essential) there was a clearly defined structure. “Improvisation didn’t mean we were just aimlessly jamming around. We came together and tried to create a very concentrated atmosphere in the studio. Very soon there was always one idea showing up or something and then we focused on the nucleus of those developing pieces. We always were trying to create form. Not just whatever came into our heads.” Since the slow dissolution of Can in the late ‘70s Schmidt has worked almost exclusively in classical, compositional music and soundtracks. However, over the last twelve months Schmidt and collaborator Jono Podmore have remastered a swag of master tapes discovered while their old studio was being dismantled. The resulting three CD box set, Can: The Lost Tapes (EMI/Mute) is out this week and even though it collects discarded tracks they are far from lo-fi throwaways. “I was not surprised about the quality; I was more surprised by some wonderful pieces where Malcolm [Mooney] was singing and I didn’t know it existed.” Trawling through 50+ hours of tapes reminded Schmidt of what Can were capable of. “What we did was quite strange, quite aggressive, quite brutal. And when we were on stage we were quite fierce. But we could be nice.” Can: The Lost Tapes is out Friday June 15 on EMI/Mute.

DEADLY NON-BELIEVERS RORY McCARTNEY Tom Busby, one half of the duo BUSBY MAROU, was having a good Thursday. It’s not surprising; planning an upcoming tour and preparing for a weekend party doesn’t sound too bad at all. However, good things don’t often come without hard work and, in this case, a lot of talent. Busby Marou’s break came in 2009 as a recipient of an award from the Government’s ‘Breakthrough’ program for new Indigenous contemporary musicians. “It gave us the cash to kick off our album, a lot of confidence and contacts with the right people.” They released their debut album as the first signing to Warner Music Australia’s Footstomp Records. “Luckily, we’d already put the album together independently and we were encouraged that Warner wanted to grab it without changes. They were very supportive and helped with marketing.”

We’re just a black fella and a white fella who are friends playing music together

They have a long-distance arrangement as Tom currently resides in Brisbane, though both are originally from Rockhampton – breeding experiences which have manifested in the album’s lyrics. “My themes come from family, friends, sweethearts and growing up in Rocky. The second album may be different though, as I haven’t lived in Rocky for a while.” Their musical style is more difficult to explain. “It’s been described variously but I like to think of it as folk-inspired pop with a little of Jeremy’s country guitar in the mix. My musical inspiration comes from The Beatles, Springsteen and Crowded House.” Busby Marou received a 2009 Deadly Award for ‘Most Promising New Talent in Music’. “It means a lot to Jeremy [of Torres Strait Islander heritage]. However, we don’t make a big deal of it. We’re just a black fella and a white fella who are friends playing music together.” The deluxe version of the album contains both originals and covers, showcasing the duo’s thematic and musical diversity. Of the politically-engendered Lhasa, Tom states, “We were shocked by what we saw during a visit to Tibet and surprised by how much we didn’t know about what goes on there. We really felt for the Tibetan people.” Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, on the other hand, was included for different reasons. “I got the idea from hearing Megan Washington sing the tune on Spicks and Specks. I was inspired by the melody and we used it for [triple j’s] ‘Like A Version’.” Their versatility carries right through to their roles within the band. “I strum a bit but my main role is singing. Jeremy is great on the bass, with an incredible sense of rhythm. He also plays drums, piano and harmonica.” The boys played their first Canberra gig in 2011 and will be playing again in June as part of their I Still Don’t Believe tour. Sooth your soul with Busby Marou at Zierholz @ UC, Saturday June 23, 8pm. Supported by The Hello Morning and Leader Cheetah. Tickets are $20 through Moshtix.

There’s just great disco and shitty disco; it doesn’t matter if it’s old or new

THE GHOST OF DISCO PAST

LUCAS masango

It’s been a double-edged sword lately, disco. The form of music that witnessed vinyl-burnings in the early 1980s has been rebirthed over the last few years by way of a marriage with more current trends – ‘indie disco edit’ is well and truly part of the music vernacular. A further testament to that time having passed is the recent death of some of its more iconic personalities. Much of the imagery and hazy clubbing stories of that era originated from a club called Studio 54 and it’s from this mythologised club that Braddon cocktail bar KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE takes a page from for its annual birthday bash. “Knightsbridge is in its eighth year. It opened in the height of cocktail and mixology culture. Back when Mojitos were new, Caprioscas started having strawberries. People don’t just come in for two drinks, they’ll come in at eight at night and leave at 3am in the morning.” So says Minky Faber, an essential part of the Knightsbridge team. “Studio 34 is of course a play on the Studio 54 thing – 34 being the Knightsbridge Penthouse’s street number. It also just happens that Studio 54’s prime was 34 years ago. It’s

Jerry Hall, Michael Jackon, Bianca Jagger. Studio 54 was the pinnacle of disco. People spent their whole night at Studio 54 in the same way they spend their whole night at Knightsbridge.” Minky further encourages people to get into the mood properly and hints at something extra special for the night. “There’s a scene in Saturday Night Fever with a particular sort of dancefloor. Expect that at our birthday.” All this would be naught if it wasn’t accompanied by appropriate music and this year it will be provided by Knightsbridge luminaries DJ Soup (who recently played to a private party hosted by Elton John!) and Cam Brown. Cam Brown, a long time DJ, has been a constant purveyor of disco. He breaks disco and what music to expect on the evening down to this – “There’s just great disco and shitty disco; it doesn’t matter if it’s old or new. What divides these two discos is commercialism. Any new sounds or ‘nu disco’ getting produced today that takes it’s inspiration from the great original disco joints, or what I define as ‘proper disco’, is all good in my ears and will definitely be getting a spin.” Any advice from the DJ on how to get into the Studio 34 swing? “Always tell your mummy where you’re going, talk to all the strangers, don’t annoy the DJ with ridiculous requests, don’t play the piano (I don’t care if you’re fuckin’ Mozart), drink, dance and be merry, be quiet and respectful as you’re leaving the scene of the crime, don’t drive drunk. Oh and have fun!” Knightsbridge Penthouse celebrates turning eight years old on Saturday June 30. Entry is free all night. Dress disco!

DANCE THE DROP

The term ‘underground’ was bandied about like a fluffy ball of string by pre-internet era music scene cats – but is it still relevant today? This particular topic is something you could write a short thesis about; that is, if your university is a smoky room full of lasers and teenage alcoholics.

Well, as a graduate of that particular educational institution, Nightclub University (or NCU as my homemade sweater attests), I can provide you with a few words of wisdom as I puff intelligently on my corncob pipe. In this day and age we are all so connected that in order for something to be considered ‘underground’, it would literally have to be buried under several feet of earth, and even then with today’s advancements in ground-penetrating radar, it wouldn’t be long before your left-field idea is unearthed, wiped clean and thrown onto the mainstream heap. One event that has managed to avoid the radio waves pulsing through the subsurface of the music scene is The Underground Project, which is so buried in secrecy that the event organisers are not even disclosing the location until 24 hours before the event. This massive semi-festival showcases much of Canberra’s top local DJ talent including Ashley Feraude, Offtapia, Cheese, Bobby Rush, B-Tham, Peekz, Tori Mac, Tim Galvin, Kimosabi, Team Wing and many, many more. Tickets are a paltry $25 from Moshtix, so get back into rave mode and support something completely unique in our city. I’ve managed to track down the elusive promoters for this event and will have some more information in the next edition of the ‘Drop. Trinity Bar keep directing punches at my liver like a rabid heavyweight boxer, with an endless array of amazing parties in June. The biggest event of the month kicks off on Friday June 22 with tiny Frenchman Surkin making his long-awaited Canberra debut. Remember ‘fidget’? I don’t mean that twitchy guy in your math class whose parents owned a coffee shop. I’m of course referring to the ball-tearing electro-house sub-genre, which dominated club land in the late naughties. The king and co-creator of the genre, Switch, is returning to the main room at Academy on Friday June 15 alongside local ‘next big thing’ Peking Duk. Three words: Do. Not. Miss. I have a huge soft spot for the Effigy lads and it’s very sad news to hear that the brand is about to enter a hiatus for the foreseeable future. To say goodbye, the team have organised a monster party at The Clubhouse on Friday June 15. It’s no surprise that the headliner is Bedrock superstar Guy J (Israel), as he perfectly sums up the Effigy mantra: emotional, unique and timeless. All the best guys, it’s been a great ride! TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

DO THEY LOOK LIKE RAPPERS? MORGAN RICHARDS “Very sunny and hot” is how Felix Martin of the UK synth-pop superstars HOT CHIP describes the current weather in London. In London-talk that probably means it’s 19 degrees with patchy sun. Martin is spending a relaxing morning at home in Hackney, London’s northeast. We continue to talk about the weather while a small part of my mind wonders why I so frequently begin interviews with such boring questions. It doesn’t make for particularly engaging reading, does it? Deciding to skip the second question on my list (‘As a musician, do you have a hard time doing your tax return?’), I ask Martin about what he actually gets up to in the band.

I’m more of a midfielder; I can roam around and do what I like

“Well,” he answers, his tone friendly and engaging, “I’m more involved in the live side of things. I sort of help translate the music from the album into the live version of what we do. But I also help out with production and stuff. I don’t really have a specific role in the band. I’m more of a midfielder; I can roam around and do what I like.” Hot Chip’s new album In Our Heads has been wowing reviewers. First single Flutes has been receiving special attention, with its hypnotic vocal samples and clubby vibe. “Dance music in general has always been a big inspiration for us. In tracks like Flutes you can hear that influence coming through a bit more. It’s a bit of a departure from the usual Hot Chip sound. The breakdown in particular is a reference to those kinds of techno tunes where everything gets really discordant and then it all comes together again.” In Our Heads marks the band’s departure from long-time label EMI. Martin emphasises that there were no hurt feelings involved in the move – unlike, say, when EMI and The Sex Pistols went their separate ways in 1977 and the band wrote a song decrying them as ‘useless fools’. “It was nothing that dramatic,” laughs Martin. “Basically, all the people we knew there had left. We didn’t really feel like there was anyone left there who we had a personal relationship with. It just made sense to us and to them. It wasn’t going to work for this album, and they were okay with the fact we wanted to work with someone else.” And what’s it like being on Domino Records? “We feel like we’re part of the family. We’ve known a lot of people who’ve worked there for many years. We’re very familiar with [Domino] and some of the artists they’ve supported. It feels like coming home.” It does feel good coming home. But what about coming back to Australia? Well, there’s good news for fans: Martin enthusiastically reports that the band will be touring here “towards the end of this year or the start of 2013.” Chip chip, hooray! While you sit tight for their tour, tune your ears to Hot Chip’s latest album, In Our Heads, released Tuesday June 12.

aka his Super Visual Apocalypse Tour.

WANNA STAY ALIVE? STAY WITH ME SOPHIA Mcdonald He’s not afraid of the end of the world – in fact he uses it as creative inspiration. Who is this fearless man that will lead us into the apocalypse with party tunes and comic videos? None other than SAMPOLOGY. Hailing from Brisbane, the audio-visual DJ is currently celebrating the release of his debut album Doomsday Deluxe and touring around Australia and NZ with a wicked live extravaganza,

I’ll be dropping an iPhone app that lets you put Bruce Willis’ face and explosions over your photos

Sampology has a distinctive creative approach with an emphasis on reconfiguring whatever takes his fancy into something fresh and fun. His remixes includes tracks from S Mouse, Resin Dogs, PNAU and The Wiggles. Why turn dark themes like doomsday into a reason to celebrate? “I think pretty much everyone stresses out way too much for their own good, and the whole doom and gloom ‘2012 End of the World’ theme would be cool to flip into something ridiculous and funny.” For the Super Visual Apocalypse, his turntables and drum machine are hooked up to a widescreen showcasing custom animations, video clips, news images and Bruce Willis films. “The visuals came from heaps of different sources but at the core the Golden Age Bruce Willis save-the-day type flicks are definitely there. There is a lot of wacky stuff thrown in there, as well as recent real news items. “At the start, production for me was more about taking things that existed, chopping them up and putting them back together... One of the biggest things I fell in love with when I started listening to hip hop music really young was the fact that people took existing work, flipped it on its head and created something completely new. At the core, this is what I see as my creative style.”

Doomsday Deluxe covers a spectrum of styles including some heavy synth layers influenced by electro-icons Hudson Mohawke and Rustie. “Their sound is really big but it’s more overwhelming to you in an uplifting way through their big and lush chords, rather than being super dark or twisted.” The record is also flavoured by feature artists Spikey Tee, Danielsan (Koolism) and Hannah Macklin. Sampology’s audio-visual shows have earned him some big festival gigs – including this year’s Splendour In The Grass – and his show is sure to shake the roof of Trinity Bar. “It’s quality not quantity for me. I’m stoked that in a small room with a big projector screen people can go crazy to it and enjoy the show.” Oh, and his Bruce Willis mania continues. “In a week or so I’ll be dropping an iPhone app that lets you put Bruce Willis’ face and explosions over your photos.” For an Armageddon-good-time, head to Sampology’s Super Visual Apocalypse, Trinity Bar, Saturday June 23, 8pm with DJ Rush,

THE REALNESS A few issues ago I worded you up on the new Rebirth of Detroit posthumous Dilla album that is due out on Ruff Draft late June. Well, news has also just surfaced of another EP collection of unreleased music by Dilla entitled Dillatroit. It’s going to be available exclusively on vinyl through Moodymann’s Mahogani Music. The tracklist that has surfaced on the net has raised speculation that some of the beats will also be found (with emcees over them) on the full Rebirth of Detroit album. No doubt this one will be a collector’s item for vinyl heads, so don’t sleep on this one and grab a copy before they’re all gone. Dillatroit is available now. Stones Throw has unveiled details for Oh No’s third solo album proper (not counting his many beat-tapes and collaborative adventures with The Alchemist as Gangrene). Ohnomite is set for release this June and follows Oh No’s access to the Rudy Ray Moore/Dolemite audio archives in which he was allowed to sample and manipulate at will. Aside from his always amazing and innovative production chops, the album will see Oh No take the mic alongside an amazing line up of MF Doom, Evidence, Phife, Sticky Fingaz, Erick Sermon, MED, Guilty Simpson, Roc Marciano, Chino XL, Roc C, Prozack Turner, Termanology, Frank Nitty and more. Another Stones Throw sureshot? Most definitely. Underground mixtape legend Big K.R.I.T. is finally set to make the jump to the big leagues with his Def Jam debut Live From The Underground, which was released on Wednesday June 5. The talented MC/producer has assembled a great line-up for his album which will no doubt balance his keen social observations against that ‘Dirty Ol’ South’ attitude. The album features 8Ball & MJG, 2 Chainz, Ludacris, Anthony Hamilton, Bun B, Big Sant, Devin The Dude and B.B. King. R&S just keep on delivering fresh talent and news has just surfaced for the sophomore Teengirl Fantasy record due in August. Tracer follows hot on the heels of their brilliant 7AM debut. The album features collaborations with Panda Bear, Romanthony and Laurel Halo. It will be interesting to see how the development of the legendary label is reflected within their lo-fi take on ambience and house music. Grab a copy from Monday August 20. The Hyperdub giant just keeps moving forward and, following the amazing album from Laurel Halo, the label is set to release the debut album Playin’ Me from long-time signee Cooly G. The album features collaborations with Sinbad and Karizma alongside a versatile set of new tunes, in which she continues to utilise her own voice as a primary part of her smooth, yet rhythmic productions. Taking influence from ‘80s R’n’B, classic house and jungle, it should make an interesting mix. Playin’ Me drops on Tuesday July 17. Finally this month, details have emerged for the next solo album from Matthew Dear. Beams arrived, like most of Dear’s records, on Ghostly International. Recorded in Brooklyn, the album reportedly exercises Dear’s different personal and musical identities. Beams is out late August. To hear music from all these releases, artists and much more, don’t forget to tune in to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday night from 9.30pm. Stream at www.2xxfm.org.au. ROSHAMBO AKA CED NADA - roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

CHRIS DOWNTON Officially released just a few weeks ago, EL-P’s third solo album Cancer 4 Cure is already well on the way to becoming one of this year’s most talked about and highly touted hip hop records. If the former Company Flow founder’s preceding 2007 album I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead saw him adding an epic level of depth and verbal detail to his vast-sounding production, Cancer 4 Cure takes things to an even more cinematic level, with a broader range of influences than ever.

I’ll probably let it rest in peace. I always felt bad for Frankenstein’s monster

When I put this cinematic comparison to the man behind the ElProducto moniker (Jaime Meline) it’s something that he seems to immediately agree with. “I guess I just want these records to feel like a journey, like there is a beginning, a middle and an end,” he explains. “I am hugely inspired by film scores and film, so it’s not crazy that I might think that way. That said, a film can have a very different quality depending on the music used, whereas music can be ‘cinematic’ without a visual image. Maybe I’m just doing my best to make films with a limited tool box.” When I remark that he’s previously spoken of deliberately putting himself in musical situations that scare him, he admits that his new album “scares him,” adding, “at this point I’m just as interested in the music expressing my ideas as I am the lyrics.” Given that many of the tracks on Cancer 4 Cure highlight the alienation and constant barrage of living in New York City (a recurring theme in El-P’s lyrics) as well as a sense of Meline having to put up barriers and mechanisms just to deal with it, I’m curious to find out whether living in that specific city exerts a particular influence upon his music. “Absolutely,” he responds. “It’s the place where I was born and have lived my whole life. I’m greatly affected by it. Those walls that we construct are defensive walls we had to learn to build at a young age just to tune out the chaos and walk from point A to point B. Then we spend our adult lives trying to undo those same structures. In a lot of ways I think that’s what my records are about.” At this point I ask why he settled on Cancer 4 Cure as the title for this new album. “There are a few reasons,” he suggests. “One of them is the idea that we are ultimately fighting internal battles. It’s the idea that the things we are up against emanate from within us. Another perspective on it is summed up on [album track] True Story when I

say ‘they want to cure you, you’re the cancer, the fucking problem/ You’re the pollution, you’re the issue and they want to solve it’’.” Given that numerous Philip K Dick-esque lyrical references continue to pop up on this latest album, I also ask Meline whether science fiction exerts a big influence on his lyrics, specifically pointing to references to “chips under the wrist skin” on single The Full Retard. “Truth be told, chips under your wrist are not science fiction,” he responds. “It’s just science now. That’s the fucked up thing about science fiction, blink twice and it’s here.” There’s perhaps a grittier sense of realism and minute detail than ever before packed into Meline’s lyrics on Cancer 4 Cure, with one of the album’s darkest and most confronting offerings arriving in the form of For My Upstairs Neighbour, a track that appears to centre around the murder of an abusive neighbour in his own apartment complex. Are these harrowing experiences drawn from his own life? “[That track] is based on a truth,” he confirms. “I did in fact hear horrible arguments coming from above me during the recording of this record. I did in fact pass this woman in the halls a handful of times. The rest is fantasy.” Given the critical acclaim and attention that’s already begun circling around Cancer 4 Cure and El-P’s recent impressive live performances in some unexpected venues (including a recent appearance on Letterman of all places), I venture that it’d be great to see Meline in these parts again and ask whether he’s got any plans to tour Australia in the foreseeable future. “None yet, but I would truly love to,” he replies, a response that’s likely to deflate the hopes of a veritable boatload of local hip hop heads. “If all goes well, then hell yes.” Until the recent past, as well as being a formidable MC and producer Meline has been known as the founder and CEO of the Definitive Jux label, one of the first true heavyweight forces in the US independent/underground hip hop scene and home to such pivotal albums as Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein. Given that he put Def Jux on indefinite hiatus a couple of years ago, I’m curious to find out whether it’s much easier for him to just focus on his own songwriting, production and touring these days. I also can’t resist asking whether he has any foreseeable plans to reactivate the label in the future. “It is much easier, and no, I very much doubt it,” he replies (cue second sigh from massed local hip hop heads). “The label is for all intents and purposes a corpse. We have yet to see if I can Frankenstein that motherfucker or if I would even care to. I’m thinking I’ll probably let it rest in peace. I always felt bad for Frankenstein’s monster.” Cancer 4 Cure was released in Australia on Friday June 1 and is available at all good record stores. The ones that don’t have it are the worst thing since cot death.

METALISE First off this week: a big ‘Get well soon!’ to my mate, Blackie, from The Hard-Ons, and a big ‘You Pissed Me Off!’ to the little thug that beat him over the head with a skateboard from behind. The result has left Blackie (added only a few days before the assault to Australian Guitar Magazine’s ‘Top 50 Australian Guitarists of All Time’) with a cracked skull, a brain injury and about 16 stiches in his mouth from when he hit the ground unconscious. He is on the mend and even managed to strum a few chords on the acoustic since returning home, but dizzy spells and recuperation has meant the cancellation of The Hard-Ons extensive Australian tour for all but two dates, which will see his role filled by former member Keish De Silva to serve as a benefit concert for him. Looking Glass’ axeman and mate Marcus Pasqualle took part in an acoustic benefit show that raised around $3000. Blackie’s been blown away by the support and he deserves it. All the best and hope to see him chucking a riff soon. Earth, not the Melbourne death metal band, not the original band name precursor to Black Sabbath, but the instigators of drone doom, have announced some dates for Australia in September. Dylan Carlson, credited for forging the genre amongst other feats (including supplying Kurt Cobain with the shotgun he used to end his life), and his band will bring their new country-flavoured drone to Sydney’s Hi Fi on Thursday September 13 and Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Sunday September 16. Bastardfest has released the first announcement of festival acts hitting The Basement in November for two nights this year. I mentioned last week that Blood Duster are set to play. Joining them will be fellow Melbourne grindcore syndicate band Fuck... I’m Dead as well as Aversions Crown, Voyager, Disentomb and Aeon Of Horus. Speaking of Fuck…I’m Dead, they’ve FINALLY begun on the follow-up to the Bring On The Dead album, with tracking underway down in Melbourne. I last saw them in Melbourne towards the end of last year and they were in jaw-dropping form with the addition of second guitarist and a live drummer who absolutely nails it and brings a real extra element to the proceedings. Look out for that later in the year. Evil Invaders IV is just around the corner. It’ll be held over three days in Sydney at the Bald Faced Stag on Friday June 8 and Sunday June 10 and at the Manning Bar on Saturday June 9. The line-up: Inquisition, Mournful Congregation, Assaulter, Cemetary Urn, Astriaal, Detruktor, Denouncement Pyre, Maniaxe, Demonreigh, Mongrels Cross, Chaotic Impurity, Rituals of the Oak, Vomitor, Hobbs Angel of Death, Stargazer, Impetuous Ritual, Innsmouth, Lord, Hellbringer, Grenade, The Corps, Backyard Mortuary, Kromosom, Johnny Touch Villifier and Content Guilt. Phew! Awesome show announced at Pot Belly Bar in Belconnen on the Saturday August 11 with Adelaide’s doom terrorists Space Bong, The Reverend Jesse Custer, Battle Pope, the awesome local Law Of The Tongue and the amazingly named Fat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt from Sydney. Unkle Kronoz’ band of the week: Pilgrim. Disciples of true doom from Rhode Island, USA - http://hailthepilgrim.bandcamp.com/ JOSH NIXON - doomtildeath@hotmail.com

A SYMPHONY OF SUFFERING DUNCAN BEARD ‘Symphonic deathcore’ band MAKE THEM SUFFER are coming to Canberra as part of a two-month national tour in support of their debut album, Neverbloom, recently released on Roadrunner Records. Having never visited Canberra before, the band are excited to see how the audience reacts to their blend of modern extreme metal, neo-classical strings, dark piano lines, razor-sharp riffing, blast beats and roaring vocals. With comparisons being made to such bands as The Acacia Strain, Behemoth and Bleeding Through, the band has a great sound: contemporary, but with an expansive feel that’s often lacking in a lot of modern metal. This spacious ambiance can partially be attributed to the band’s generous, innovative use of keyboards, not an instrument traditionally associated with metal.

I’ve gotten influences from Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allen Poe, Lord of the Rings and Warcraft

As vocalist Sean Harmanis argues, “Music is interpretive; holding a bias towards a particular genre’s sound isn’t legitimate. You may not like it but you have no authority in what can and can’t happen in music.” The band has strong conceptual ties, and named the album in honour of a song that “we feel encompasses all the influences we explore on the album. The song itself, and the album in its entirety, is lyrically conceptual. To put it as succinctly as possible, it’s storytelling lyrics. “It’s not a message like veganism or anything like that. I just try to paint a picture and use a lot of imagery that compliments the music. It’s written in the first person point of view and it’s almost like telling different stories with metaphorical meanings.” Lyrical content is obviously important to the band and their lyrical influences are diverse. “When I first started writing I was influenced by a lot of black metal lyrics,” continues Harmanis. “I’ve gotten influences from Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allen Poe, Lord of the Rings and Warcraft.” Formed in 2008, Make Them Suffer took some time to evolve musically, conceptually and as a unit, having gone through three different keyboard players and a number of guitarists before finding their feet in the thriving Perth metal scene. A boost occurred when their Law of Woe EP ended up on the desk of someone at Roadrunner. “He must have liked the album art and decided to try it out,” says Sean. With the ball really starting to roll shortly after, they’re now in the position of having played alongside such international acts as Between the Buried and Me, The Black Dahlia Murder and The Acacia Strain; a big accomplishment considering their debut album was only released a week ago. Make Them Suffer are playing at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre, Wednesday June 4, 6:30pm, supported by Resist The Thought. And yes, the show is all-ages. Tix are $12 +bf through Moshtix or $20 on the door.

[The song] was named after I counted up all the expletives in the lyrics

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.V. RORY Mccartney Shakespeare isn’t the first thing one might think to associate with Sydney metalcore specialists BURIED IN VERONA. According to vocalist Brett Anderson, however, the band’s name is derived from thespian origins. “We didn’t want a random name but were drawn by the brutality contained in the classic plot of Romeo and Juliet.” In fact, their title is about the only thing which has remained stable within the band’s recent history. 2011 was a year of change for the band, with a new line-up that contained only two core members after others left due to career plans, ‘artistic differences’ and as a result of injury. “We intended to head in a new direction and the change in the line-up just accelerated what we’d intended. Songwriting has changed from Mick and me to a more organic group writing method.” Both Saturday Night Sever and Notorious were recorded in Sweden but their styles are very different. “Notorious is more stripped back, with less crazy riffage than Sever and more of a rock flow and a greater emphasis on the lyrics.” Brett hopes the change in style will broaden the band’s appeal – though performing to a highly varied age range poses its own difficulties. “Under 18s venues are easy to come by but there aren’t enough venues willing to run combined under 18s and licensed shows. Those venues are really needed to appeal to more patrons.” The band clearly enjoy performing, owing largely to the highly physical crowd response characteristic of hardcore and metalcore shows. “Seeing the effect of the music on the crowd feels great and makes the band return that energy.” At its most extreme, such energy is literally tangible. “Our most unusual show was in a barge on a river in Paris. The moshers made the boat move – a surreal experience!”

2011 also saw a label shift from metal specialists Riot Entertainment to UNFD. Brett sees this as a major plus. “UNFD’s broader experience enables them to provide better advice on promotion and the business side of music.” Such guidance certainly won’t go astray if the process involved with choosing songs to include on Notorious is any indication. “We had to drop two songs from the final disk and argued for two and a half weeks over which ones would go.”

Brett finds it just as difficult to name his personal favourite Notorious track, settling on Miles Away, written for his girlfriend. In complete contrast to the song Couldn’t Give 34 Fucks, “[which] was named after I counted up all the expletives in the lyrics. The song was written about a night out in London, when we were all highly stressed and needed to break loose.” Buried In Verona will shatter eardrums when they join Reigner and local supports When Giants Sleep at an all ages show at Lanyon Youth Centre, Wednesday June 20. Tickets are $20 + bf through Moshtix.

the word

on albums

album of the issue

SLEEP DOPESMOKER [SOUTHERN LORD]]

When heavy hitters Kyuss took their Marshall amps to the desert in the early 1990s to jam a sonic maelstrom, a few hallucinogenics were most likely packed into the overnight bag. The effect on the music was the summoning of an earthy heaviness that happened to be intensely psychedelic. And so it went for fellow travellers Sleep who, as the story would have it, collectively pursued a state of heightened consciousness during the recording of Dopesmoker. When putting their sound together Sleep drew on significant ancestry in the form of Black Sabbath, who began churning out those magical riffs in the late 1960s to remove the gloss from the sunshine and flowers vibe then on the road to nowheresville and plug the listener into a starker reality – albeit with the psychedelic good bits locked in place. When bands like Monster Magnet, Cathedral and Sleep started on their respective Sabbath-inspired trips in the late 80s/early 90s a

potent blend of lysergic vision and monster riffage popped up once again. With this in mind, Sleep’s 1993 album Holy Mountain is the beautifully formed offspring of Black Sabbath’s majestic 1972 classic Vol. 4. But around this time Sleep also began working on their magnum opus, Dopesmoker, conceived as a celebration of psychedelic delight wrapped in intense bowel-quaking grunge to make all those halfarsed imitators run for cover. Presented in 1996 to the major label that had unwittingly funded this extraordinary experiment was one hour-long track with a slow moving riff cluster achieving total heaviosity, mantra-like vocals and lysergic lead guitar shaped by a pulsating, hazy logic and shrouded in a total no-compromise aesthetic. London Records subsequently freaked out, refused to release the album and the band parted ways shortly after. The always reliable Southern Lord label has now lovingly resurrected this long mistreated masterpiece and made it available to all. It’s about time. DAN BIGNA

LIZ STRINGER WARM IN THE DARKNESS [VITAMIN RECORDS]

GRAHAM COXON A&E [PARLOPHONE/EMI]

A cross-country trip out Tarago way was the perfect backdrop for soaking up the third album from folk/blues warbler Liz Stringer. This collection takes on a more contemporary sound coupled with a pleasing emphasis on stronger guitars, as seen in Colourblind. There’s a meatier sound delivered by a bigger backing band and the injection of horns and organs into the mix. Tracks In Anybody’s Language and Glutton (both album highlights) feature melodies that are catchy and hard-driving. There’s a lot of alternative country vibe in the LP too. Songs such as Heart’s Been Trembling serve up tastes of the tension that exists between city and country and the pull of the big smoke, while Matt Walker’s lap steel work in Angela adds a special rural spice. Lyrics carry strong waves of emotion and struggle, in relationships and against the bottle. The passionate realism of their delivery hints that Liz has drawn some stories from her own hard knocks in life.

Blur guitarist Graham Coxon seems to be one of those artists who reacts against his preceding work, with this eighth solo collection A&E being no exception. While Coxon’s last album The Spinning Top saw him operating in acoustic folk-based territory, the ten tracks here see him getting considerably more spiky and distorted, with processed guitars being thrown to the forefront alongside synths and drum machines. It’s this increased gritty edge that perfectly suits the seedy, late night territory that much of the tracks here inhabit lyrically.

She also contributed some banjo work in a recent Jed Rowe Band record [Ed: go right four reviews]. Warm In The Darkness delivers country-style music with street cred.

The self-explanatory Meet And Drink And Pollinate fuses Bauhaus-meets-garage-rock guitars with a deliberately dead-sounding vocal that perfectly suits the monotonous drum machine rhythms. While there’s sheer despair lurking at the heart of What’ll It Take’s bright electro synths, the hook adds a hollow undertone to the deceptively danceable beats. Elsewhere, the dark throbbing The Truth charts brooding electro-goth territory as chugging processed guitars growl alongside spooky synth tones, while the jagged, Wire-esque Running For Your Life recounts a night out at a house party in London gone sour, complete with threats of violence. Coxon’s rough-edged and frequently distorted production approach acts as the perfect counterpoint to these grimy snapshots of the darker side of UK nightlife, with Blur’s self-titled 1997 album popping up as an obvious sonic comparison point.

RORY Mccartney

CHRIS DOWNTON

Her work is distinguished by graphic song writing, all conveyed by a voice of incredible depth, with its vast huskiness that is so suited to the subject matter. Liz’s musicianship impresses too, as she cuts the air with acoustic, electric, baritone, 12-string and Nashville guitars.

THE HELLO MORNING THE HELLO MORNING [OUTPOST] The Hello Morning has become to me exactly what its name suggests; the blisteringly uplifting opener Poolside Lover now wakes me up, walks me out the front door and follows me all the way down the road. Grass seems greener; air seems fresher and magpies less annoying. Musically, they balance slow, homesick and heartfelt country ballads with foot-stomping rock ‘n’ roll anthems. There’s an array of instruments on display here, with three guitars, organs, string sections and horns. They love to experiment with different sounds but under all the layers of production these songs could be played with one guitar and have the same effect. Vocally, lead singer Steven Clifford croons and yelps in a heart-on-sleeve fashion reminiscent of The Replacements’ front man Paul Westerberg and the iconic Neil Young. As a person who grew up listening to the likes of Wilco and Ryan Adams, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia listening to this record. However, despite the immense familiarity The Hello Morning have produced a record that feels fresh. All the songs have been expertly written and crafted in a way that adds new light to the alt-country genre. Standouts include the grand sweeping Stone Cold Lover, the solemn Don’t Wait On Me and the Big Star-sounding Heat. This is a stunning debut and I know exactly how I will be greeting my mornings for the next 50 years. TIM O’BRIEN

GARBAGE NOT YOUR KIND OF PEOPLE [STUNVOLUME/LIBERATOR] It’s been seven long years since Garbage last delivered a new album, in this case 2005’s Bleed Like Me, a collection that received mixed reception and saw them split during their ensuing tour. This comeback effort, Not Your Kind Of People, sees Garbage continuing the shift towards more alt-rock grounded territory in evidence on that preceding collection and this is some of the most hardedged and confident sounding pop they’ve crafted in some time. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the 11 tracks here see Garbage continuing to hone the fusion of layered electronics, howling guitars and Shirley Manson’s barbed relationshipcentric lyrics that’s served them in the past. It’s a proven combination that works best when deployed on the heavier tracks such as Control’s dark grunge-meetsgoth guitar fuzz, tribal drums and Reznor-esque electronics, and I Hate Love’s descent into bleeping synths and clattering breakbeats. It’s the more downbeat, ballad-oriented tracks that often feel like filler here, with the title track’s wander down into wailing seventies soft-rock guitar and gauzy backing vocals straying on the wrong side of tepid, while Manson’s attempt at a more ‘urban’ pop vocal style on first single Blood For Poppies also provides one of the more lightweight moments here. While Not Your Kind Of People probably won’t convert nonfans, it’s easily the strongest album Garbage have released since their self-titled debut. CHRIS DOWNTON

THE JED ROWE BAND THE EMBER AND THE AFTERGLOW [FUSE MUSIC GROUP]

BEST COAST THE ONLY PLACE [POPFRENZY]

Bloodlines is a highlight with its Jeff Lang-inspired barbed riffs and turbulent wah-wah guitar. Indeed, Australian blues legend Jeff Lang had a major role in delivering this baby. It was recorded in his studio, produced by him and he also plays guitar on some tracks including Good Thing Gone. There’s much to like here. Across The Water is a blessing delivered as a gentle alt-country foot tapper with gospel elements. This Love Divine carries the most bewitching melody on the CD, with a tune that came to Jed in his sleep. He left his bed at 3am to write it down before the moment was lost. The track combines the richness and impressive range of Jed’s vocals with the haunting melody spun by a string quartet. Rowe’s lap slide guitar playing rules in I Wonder Why You Hide. This release combines musicianship to die for with beautifully crafted songs. It’s roots magic!

If the interviews leading up to the release of The Only Place were to be believed, Best Coast were really planning to push the boat out with this, their second album. There were eyebrowraising comparisons to The Eagles and mentions of leaving the bored-and-heartbrokenslacker-stoner shtick behind. But despite some superficial differences, not too much has changed. The slick production is the most notable switch up, lifting the veil of reverb on Bethany Cosentino’s voice and pushing it even more to the fore. The lyrics, which rely less on Cosentino’s fallback lazy/ crazy rhymes, tread familiar second-album territory, dealing with newfound fame, its associated pitfalls, life on the road and the subsequent disconnection to life back home. Perhaps because of the duo’s lovelorn lyricism, Best Coast have long drawn comparisons to ‘60s girl groups. On The Only Place the band lives up to those references: the influence of The Ronettes is clear on the slow waltz of No One Like You which, with its layered vocal harmonies, mines classic tearjerker territory. But while the songwriting on their debut Crazy For You was basic, there was a sense of effortlessness in the way Cosentino and Bobb Bruno turned out their pop gems. Here, the tunes feel laboured. It seems somewhat ironic then, considering how much Cosentino has complained about being bored in her songs, that The Only Place emerges as, well, kinda boring.

RORY Mccartney

PETER KRBAVAC

Picture this: a harmonica as soulful as the whistle of a distant train, wood-smoked vocals and fiery guitars. So begins Castlemaine, the country-folk opener to Jed Rowe’s second release. The songs have a comfy, living room feel but the themes are overwhelmingly dark, with tales of lust, lies, infidelity, early death and domestic violence. Although Jed hails from northern NSW, the lyrics have a parochial Victorian flavour, with a mix of country towns and big city starkness: “Harsh light of the 7/11 shining in your face.”

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

Canberra plays host to a number of film festivals throughout the year: from the well-known, like the Canberra International Film Festival; to the less prolific, such as the French or German film festivals; or the ones that unfortunately pass right under the radar, such as the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival. The films screened during the HRAFF this year were affecting and inspiring – it is definitely a program to keep an eye out for, this time next year.

quote of the issue General Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen): What are Civil Rights? Head Nuclear Scientist (Jason Mantzoukas): They’re hilarious, I’ll tell you about them sometime. - The Dictator

THE DICTATOR This is the story of a dictator (Sacha Baron Cohen) who, after an attempted assassination attempt, must ‘save’ his country from the plague of democracy. Baron Cohen’s latest effort sees the comedian move away from his unscripted satirical approach that made Borat so popular, to an entirely scripted effort that is a glorified rom-com. Of course, it’s not his fault that he can no longer parody as an inflammatory character on the street – he has simply become too recognisable. However, what is Baron Cohen’s fault is that so many of the jokes in this film fall flat. They’re not that funny. I’m not even speaking from my feminist, politically correct high horse, either. You go into a film like The Dictator expecting the jokes to be racist, sexist, gross, over-the-top, sensationalist and provocative. What I didn’t expect, however, was the complete lack of wit. This so-called ‘poli-slapstick’ is no politics and all slap-in-the-face.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’re EXPECTING Yet another film consisting of several story threads around a theme, featuring a selection of Hollywood A-listers (and quite a few B-listers), all connected in some obscure way. Sadly, this film is closer to the New Year’s Eve end of the scale rather than Love Actually. What To Expect When You’re Expecting follows several different couples all dealing with pregnancy, adoption and the trials that come with it – famous fitness guru Jules (Cameron Diaz); determined shop owner Wendy (Elizabeth Banks); young chef Rosie (Anna Kendrick); retired Nascar driver Ramsey (Dennis Quaid); photographer Holly (Jennifer Lopez) and a mishmash of comic relief characters.

Unfortunately The Dictator is neither incisive nor intelligently hilarious; it’s basically just ignorant nonsense.

What To Expect is, as you would expect, pitched as a comedy with heart – but unfortunately it’s a shallow collection of clichés and only mildly funny and clever. The plot situations are mostly too contrived to be touching and several of the stories aren’t properly explored or explained, which would be frustrating if I actually cared about any of the characters. Also, the women are portrayed as a bit too baby-crazy for my liking, dragging hapless men around by the balls. Sadly, while this could have been a sweet and moving affair, What To Expect falls short. It is entertaining enough, but personally I think Knocked Up had more genuine humour and heart. And that’s saying something, as that film had people fake humping each other’s heads.

MELISSA WELLHAM

MEGAN McKEOUGH

There are few amusing moments and fewer still genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. There is a great monologue from Baron Cohen at the end of the film about how much better America would be if it weren’t a democracy (he then lists a number of atrocities that could be committed against citizens under a dictatorship… that the US already commits) – but this is one of the only moments that stands-out in my memory.

HOME BY CHRISTMAS The New Zealand film Home By Christmas, showing for a limited time in Canberra at the National Film and Sound Archive, is a film ‘memoir’ about director Gaylene Preston’s father and mother’s experiences of being separated during WWII. The story is based on recorded interviews with Preston’s father, Ed, which are reenacted for the film by Tony Barry. This interview footage is interspersed with a dramatic recreation of the era, starring Martin Henderson as a young version of Ed and Chelsie Preston-Crayford (Preston’s daughter!) as a young version of her mother, Tui. It’s a family affair, then. The film is an interesting melding of fact and fiction, archival footage and dramatic recreation, which makes for compelling viewing. Tony Barry is a standout as Preston’s deceased father, acting out the ‘interviews’ with restraint, composure, and the gruffness that one usually sees from veterans when they talk about the carnage of war. PrestonCrayford and Henderson also turn in affecting performances and the chemistry between them is palpable. The greatest feat of the film, however, is in the interweaving narratives – told from present and past, using various forms – for which all credit must go to Gaylene Preston. A moving memoir that reminds the viewer about the sacrifice that New Zealanders made by fighting in the war, Home By Christmas is well worth trying to get along to one of the few screenings available. MELISSA WELLHAM

the word on dvds

PRINCE SIGN O’ THE TIMES [VISIONS/MADMAN] By all accounts Prince’s recent Australian tour was a timely reminder he still has ‘it’. The shows were textbook displays of his mastery of the stage and proof that an inflated ego when corralled can deliver astonishing results. Always a highly ambitious artist, the 1986 Sign o’ The Times album was the point where Prince’s ambition, ego and talent gelled in their most perfect form. It was a paradox – a double album in the era of excess that was intimate, humble and extremely personal album. A dense and intense epic. Audiences were right to be sceptical about Sign o’ The Times – The Movie; Prince’s foray into celluloid the preceding year (the scripted noir-ish Under The Cherry Moon) was a messy and understandable flop. Then the live footage he shot in Europe was unsuitably rubbish so the concert was re-staged in Minneapolis at his sprawling studio which explains the decidedly non-European looking crowd. It’s a small wonder then that the concert with such a strained background is so universally brilliant and enjoyable. Given that so much attention is given to his height, on-stage antics and vaudeville lasciviousness, Prince’s skills as a guitarist are easily overlooked. Sign o’ The Times makes a strong case that Prince is one of the great forgotten guitarists of his generation sliding effortlessly between genres and mashing up riffs way before it was fashionable. Most of the namesake album is covered with Little Red Corvette and an apt Charlie Parker cover (Now Is The Time) thrown in. The remastering job is revelatory. There is a crispness and depth that belies its near three decade vintage and specifically, the blu-ray release is undoubtedly the best available version of an already incredible concert film. JUSTIN HOOK

SHAME [PARAMOUNT] This is Steve McQueen’s second film, the first being the harrowing and excellent Hunger, billed as the story of Bobby Sands’ leadership of hunger strikes in Northern Irish prisons. It was actually a portrait of the conditions prisoners endured, the toll enforcing them took on guards and the role Sands (Michael Fassbender) played – a greater portrait being the goal. McQueen made bluntly unconventional stylistic choices and they made his debut an international hit and Fassbender a critical commodity. Shame also has a portrait feel and is also told in a captivating, unconventional way. The film’s been billed as the story of a sex addict in New York but it’s not that simple. It’s a portrait of Brandon Sullivan (Fassbender), a businessman with deep emotional scars. Brandon Sullivan’s environs reflect his desires; they’re expensive, detached and austere. Then his sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) appears in his apartment. As damaged as Brandon, she projects every ounce of her damage outward where his exterior remains a granite constant. Subtext is integral throughout but McQueen gives us insight by showing us the role sex plays. That role is complicated. It’s hateful, ecstatic and subtle but ever-present. Like alcohol or drugs, sex is the means by which Brandon deals with some intangible broken part of himself. Fassbender and Mulligan carry this film. Fassbender is capable of projecting extraordinary masculine energy, the likes of which maybe only Brando surpassed. His every scene is electric. Mulligan too gives a fragile, powerful performance. Without ever being predictable McQueen chose his scenes carefully, teasing something deep and important from every scene. This is confronting, intelligent filmmaking. ASHLEY THOMSON

outnumbered: SEASONS 1-4 [ROADSHOW] Despite all the signs of being a safe and obsequious comedy – the sort the BBC churn out with mind-numbing regularity – Outnumbered is actually a sincere, witty and thoroughly engaging show. Partially adlibbed and partially scripted, it’s a warts ‘n’ all account of what families are actually like and a backdoor celebration of the freedom of youth. Claire and Peter live in the inner suburbs of London and are bog-standard frustrated middle class parents of three – Karen, Jake and Ben. Their careers and lives are not spectacularly interesting; the kids just go to school and bicker but somehow Outnumbered is much better and bigger than the sum of its parts. And like most UK comedies each season is brief – six episodes – so there is little need for detailed character or plot arcs. It’s the moments where they stray into bigger issues that derail momentum and deliver little dramatic or comedic tension. The real stars of the show, though, are the kids. Having confidence in the child actor’s ability to add their own dialogue and deviate off-script is its largest charm – especially Ramona Marquez as Karen the curly-haired non sequitur gag machine. So good was her first season performance that she won Best Female Newcomer at the 2009 British Comedy Awards; for a little context, the acid tongued columnist/ presenter/screenwriter Charlie Brooker won the equivalent male award. Outnumbered isn’t the best show to watch in prolonged stretches, the shouting and overlapping dialogue can be draining and frankly Ben gets on my nerves a bit, but that’s a procedural issue because when taken as designed… in short, sharp doses… it will restore what little faith you might still have in the family unit and British family comedy. JUSTIN HOOK

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

The Walking Dead (Part One) Platform: PS3, xBox 360, iOS, OSX, PC Developer: Telltale Games Length: 2-4 hrs Verdict: Play/buy it First there were wizards, then there were vampires. Now it seems zombies reign supreme, with the both the games, film and even TV industries wanting a fat slice of the undead pie. With this movement previously being led by the hugely admired Ramero, it seems the new Governor in town is Robert Kirkman. Back in 2003 – yep, that’s almost a decade now – Kirkman first penned The Walking Dead comic series. What set it apart was its unique take on the age-old zombie apocalypse scenario (namely, what if the story just keeps going?) combined with its sheer brutality. (Without wanting to spoil too much, someone has their knob nailed to... well, I’ve said too much.) As the comic nears its 100th edition and the TV adaption heads into a third series, now comes a five-part game, the first of which I’m reviewing. The game has similar gist to the series (Asian guy called Glenn, farm owned by a guy call Hershal – that kind of thing) but without necessarily being the same universe. With Rick being a distinct absentee, you instead play Lee Everett, a black history teacher arrested for the murder of his wife. The game takes on a classic point-and-click style of play, which as an old-school player I found very cool. From the very get-go – as you find yourself scrabbling to click on the single shell lying in front of you as a zombie officer slowly clambers towards you – I found myself sighing a breath of relief knowing this wasn’t just a Resident Evil clone. The story in the game holds up to the quality of the series, no doubt a testament to Kirkman’s involvement. While at times it does feel a bit stilted, the inclusion of a branching story and timed responses keeps things interesting. That said, the game does get a bit bogged at times. While point-and-click titles are known for the moments where you find yourself pulling your hair out wondering what to do next, in the case of The Walking Dead the answers are almost always frustrating, be it because you hadn’t quite moused over the right part of the door or because that object that looks like scenery is actually able to be picked up. (Hint/spoiler: it’s a pillow.) The game also suffers from stuttering issues, at least on the OS X, which also help to undermine some of the action sequences. Overall though, if you’re a Walking Dead fan, this is a title worth getting. For those who have somehow missed the whole Walking Dead phenomena, I would instead indoctrinate yourself with the comic series before getting stuck in. Torben Sko

Let’s face it: the one thing Aussie TV has honed in recent years is producing stories of important characters or events in our recent past. Think Ita, the soon to be released Packer biopic, Bastard Boys, the original Underbelly, Hawke and Keating (who fittingly got a musical instead). These were stories filled with characters we knew well. Mabo (ABC1, Sun Jun 10, 8.30pm) is something else altogether. Despite his name being synonymous with the struggle for Indigenous land rights, this beautifully shot and detailed story of Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo is an informative tale of a determined man, a tender love story and a revealing look at Australia’s recent past. Dollhouse (ELEVEN, Mon Jun 11, 9.30pm) is almost the complete opposite of Mabo and has slid quietly into the TV guide without a peep. Penned by the revered Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly and The Avengers), the sci-fi series is about a corporation programming ‘actives’ with temporary personalities and skills for wealthy clients. Like Firefly, it was cancelled while airing, this time during the second season. Myf Warhurst’s Nice (ABC1, Wed Jun 13, 8pm) is a personal trip through the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s looking at music food, fashion, photography, art and design. It’s Australian pop culture through a Gen-X lens. By the time you’re done you’ll recognise the girl in the Chico Roll ads and be singing love duets with the best of them. The first episode features Kenny Rogers and Paul Gray from Wa Wa Nee. And it gets better from there. Jennifer Byrne has been busy of late. When not appearing on hubby Andrew Denton’s Randling (ABC1, Wed, 8.30pm), she’s been compiling a series of bookworm specials for winter shut-ins: Jennifer Byrne Presents: Punchlines (ABC1, Tue Jun 12, 10pm); Erotica (ABC1, Tue Jun 12, 10.05pm) and Books That Changed The World (ABC1, Tue Jun 26, 10.15pm). There’s heaps of other new stuff hitting screens this fortnight, including Ricky Gervais’ mockumentary Life’s Too Short (ABC1, Wed Jun 13, 9.05pm), amateur photo comp Photo Finish (ABC1, Thu Jun 14, 8pm), HBO comedy Bored To Death (ABC2, Mon 9.30pm), BBC dramedy Death In Paradise (ABC1, Sat Jun 9, 7.30pm), Hamish and Andy’s Euro Gap Year (WIN, Thu Jun 14, 8.30pm), new Man vs Wild (SBS1, Mon Jun 18, 8.30pm) and reruns of The Wonder Years (ABC1 Sat Jun 9 5pm) and Kojak (7TWO, Mon-Fri 12pm & 3.30am). Docos include Dumb, Drunk and Racist (ABC2, Wed Jun 20, 9.30pm), in which Joe Hildebrand gives Indians a look at Australian culture, Utopia Girls (ABC1, Thu Jun 14, 9.30pm) on how women won the vote, Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters (ABC2, Thu Jun 7, 9.30pm), Ross Kemp: Extreme World (ABC1 Wed Jun 20 10pm), Death Unexplained (SBS1, Jun 19, 8.40pm) and Foreign Correspondent Presents: 20 Years (ABC1, Tue Jun 19, 8.30pm). Plenty for the foodies too, including Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking (ABC1, Sat Jun 9, 6pm) and Island Feast with Peter Kuruvita (SBS1, Thu 8pm). There’s a raft of ‘80s films including Mystic Pizza (ABC2, Sat Jun 9, 8.30pm), Pretty in Pink (WIN, Sun Jun 10, 8.35pm) and Teen Wolf (ABC2, Sat Jun 16, 8.30pm). Finally, fans of The Wire should check out Maxim’s interview with the creators and stars of the show, which features some great insights for fans www.maxim.com/tv/ maxim-interrogates-the-makers-and-stars-of-the-wire. TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

the word

The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Raveonettes ANU Bar Friday May 18

on gigs

It’s always a relief to round the corner of the ANU Bar on a show night and see punters spilling out across the decking. Of course it is a Friday night so there really is no excuse, and thankfully Canberra has done itself proud for The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s first visit. We aren’t too long inside before, at the very civil hour of a-quarterto-nine, Danish duo The Raveonettes emerge, flanked by a touring drummer. With their flashy light show, the ‘nettes leave their US tour-mates in their wake in the performance stakes. Sune Rose Wagner’s searing guitar work is sharper than his bandmate Sharin Foo’s fringe: fuzzed out; treble-heavy; loud enough to dislodge fillings; equal parts Mary Chain’s William Reid and The Cramps’ Poison Ivy. While the pair still share vocal duties, Foo takes the lead on most of the new songs and makes a commanding frontwoman. As the crew prepares for The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s entrance, the side stage area looks like a Vox showroom from the ‘60s with all kinds of bizarrely-shaped six and 12-string artefacts sitting about on racks. When the group do arrive, they file onstage and get straight down to it with Stairway To The Best Party In The Universe from their latest LP, Aufheben. From there the band go about their business with minimal fuss. Any rubberneckers who’ve come along in hope of something kicking off will have left disappointed. As anyone with a passing interest in the band would know, their infamously unwieldy days are long gone and The Brian Jonestown Massacre are now a reliable live proposition, more likely to break the venue curfew with a marathon set than any bystanding sitars. Granted, a piece about a band who troupe onstage, stand fairly still and flawlessly run through a wide-ranging selection of their best songs doesn’t exactly make for the most gripping reading, but on the ground the band never sound any less than riveting. Tonight, ordinarily chatty frontman Anton Newcombe seems content to let his songs do the talking, though early on in the piece he does pause to wryly remark, “Did they just throw Tony Abbott out?” when a more ‘refreshed’ member of the audience is ejected. Later on he mumbles a brief, somewhat indecipherable diatribe into the microphone which ties in both the Kardashians and the electoral process. As with the banter, the jamming is kept to a minimum and, by the night’s end, the band have powered through 21 songs. With founding member and contributing songwriter Matt Hollywood and magnetic tambourine player Joel Gion both back in the fold, this eight-man, four – on one song five – guitarist incarnation could well prove to be the band’s definitive line-up. Certainly, rendered through that wall of guitars, tonight’s versions of early tunes like That Girl Suicide and Vacuum Boots sound streets ahead of their studio counterparts. The band do allow themselves to stretch out on closing number Straight Up And Down, jamming out the track until it slowly morphs into a hybrid of Sympathy For The Devil and Hey Jude.

Photos by martin Ollman

The members depart the stage one by one, leaving Newcombe behind on the keyboards, conjuring up an unholy noise coda to the near-two-hour set. For a brief moment it appears an encore is on the cards but neither the audience nor Newcombe seems to commit. Perhaps he knows, like we do, that it’d be a tough ask to top what had gone before. PETER KRBAVAC

the word

Boy & Bear, The Jungle Giants, Tin Sparrow ANU Bar Friday June 1

on gigs

It was a cold evening in Canberra but I can guarantee the city was flooded with warm souls and blissful smiles following Boy & Bear’s performance on Friday night. The show at the ANU Bar was part of the Sydney band’s almostsold-out-at-every-venue Remember The Mexican national tour. Walking in I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of the crowd and was definitely shocked with the turn-out. The varied audience was amazing. To be honest I was anticipating a lot of uni students, buns, bangs and red lipstick. I wasn’t wrong but the crowd was also made up of much more – including people old enough to be these kid’s parents and grandparents. It was incredible to see the array of faces and to realise that this young band’s music crosses decades and resonates so strongly with fans of all ages. The band was supported by indie darlings Tin Sparrow and The Jungle Giants. Both bands have recently earned well-deserved triple j praise and were both received surprisingly well for an opening act. They managed to pull their fair share of fans and most surely left Canberra with a few hundred more, myself included (especially because The Jungle Giants reminded me of a calmer Vampire Weekend, which was as delightful as it sounds). Boy & Bear took the stage a little while later, opening with Rabbit Song, and as expected it was lovely. It set the mood for the rest of the show, musically and more so performance-wise. As I watched them perform that first song it really struck me how unpretentious they were. Before they started playing I was waiting for a somewhat flashy entrance and the ‘HEY, WE’RE HERE!’ impact most bands try so hard to achieve. But the boys didn’t need that. It was a quiet entrance, straight into the music. Even though it was an almost seamless transition on stage, I’m sure no matter what you were doing you would have stopped and listened. I even saw a couple midway through a break-up and as the music started they stopped, reconciled and hugged it out…That’s a lie but I’m sure it could have happened. Boy & Bear have that kind of impact on people. A charming surprise came a few songs later when the band performed their cover of Crowded House’s Fall At Your Feet. Coming out of nowhere, it was enough to stop everyone in their tracks. Frontman Dave Hosking’s voice, while always luminous, really took flight during this song. It was one of those serene music moments where you could just close your eyes and be transported anywhere. The entire show carried on much the same: restrained yet powerful vocals accompanied by beautiful folk melodies, almost like a modern day Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I was in a trance for the majority of the show, completely overcome by the band’s haunting exquisiteness.

Photos by martin Ollman

A while later the crowd braved the harsh Canberra conditions, shivering not due to the crisp winter air but to the haunting, beautiful music of Boy & Bear. JADE FOSBERRY

the word

Seekae, Ced Nada, Celebrity Sex Tape, Eldred Trinity Bar Saturday June 2

on gigs

On a cold and rainy Saturday night, the kind Canberra does horrendously well, Trinity Bar was host to a special show. Courtesy of PANG! the three-strong, electronic, multi-instrumentalist group came to town for the first time ever. The group had recently played a well-received show at the Sydney Opera house as part of the acclaimed Vivid festival, and local expectations for the guys’ sweet, ambient sounds were high. Trinity seemed like an appropriate intimate venue, tickets were well-priced and around 4,000 people had joined on the Facebook event page. It was set to be a good night. Despite all this and the exciting sight of Seekae’s gear set up at the ‘stage’ in Trinity, there were a few factors that set the show off kilter. The weather probably didn’t assist the cause. More importantly, the supports were individually impressive but didn’t provide a suitable lead-up to the main act. Eldred got things started early with some house and bass. Celebrity Sex Tape dropped a nice mix of tunes including a favourite by recent Trinity visitors Flume. A crowd started seeping inside, filling up seats and mingling on the floor. Drinks were flowing but not as fast as they could, probably due to the prices and student crowd. Next up, Ced Nada’s confident, unique style was a pleasure to listen to and got some people moving instinctively. His set was a varied pack of genres – bass, dub step, some club tunes, a juke classic Footcrab from Addison Groove (aka Headhunter) and of course HudMo’s Cbat, which went down well with the crowd. As midnight approached the room was split in two. A crowd getting down to Ced Nada’s tunes filled up one side and especially eager Seekae fans squeezed themselves into rows at the other end of the room. The problem presented itself here – Ced Nada’s set was fresh and heavy… maybe too much so. There was a small part of the crowd that looked like they wanted to be in Civic by now getting hammered on vodka Redbulls and what came next made them tilt their heads and say, ‘Well… this is weird’. Direct quote. Seekae played a combination of old tunes (The Sound Of Trees Falling On People) and tracks from their new album (+DOME). These tended to have more vocals and a less-electronica moreindie flavour to them. Their sound was clever and weaved together with keyboards, electric drums, melodica and live vocal sampling. However, a few things didn’t click. The set seemed a little stilted, played track-by-track and hard to differentiate from the recorded versions – these guys would surely know how to improv in the nicest ways so why didn’t they? There wasn’t a lot of energy happening by this stage – it was a bit wet and a bit late for Seekae’s loose, dreamy vibes and the fact you couldn’t see the band behind the fourth row made it feel even less immediate. Still, things peaked for Seekae’s killer, beat-laden tracks like Void and they ended on a high note with the crowd-pleasing 3. After Seekae, Offtapia vs Cheese jumped in with some techno and bass which kept the crowd for a while.

Photos by martin Ollman

I wouldn’t have minded seeing Seekae supported by something lower key like experimental electronica or even a chilled indie band. That way they would have headlined as a sonic peak of sorts and their precision, subtlety and mellow romantics could have been better appreciated. Nonetheless, all the acts were good, the vibe was enthusiastic and Seekae delivered something new and thoughtful to the Canberra crowd. I hope they come again. SOPHIA MCDONALD

GIG GUIDE June 13 - June 15 Wednesday June 13 Arts

Hippo Live

Live

Jon Stevens & Nick Barker

Daniel Champagne

HIPPO LOUNGE

Home By Christmas

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Album launch with special guest Sui Zhen. 8.00pm. $15.

Comedy

SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB

Special K

The Chuckle Hut

Exhibition - Handful of Stew

Something Different

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Transit Trivia

The Underground Ark

A play by Bruce Hoogendoorn. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Art by Andrew Moynihan.

Aussie rock legends live. Book thru www.cscc.com.au. 6:30pm/8:30pm. $35 show/$69 dinner + show.

Table bookings essential! 7:30pm. Free.

Exhibition – Beside

TRANSIT BAR

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Beer or no beer? 7:30pm

By Jan Berg and David Keany.

Trivia at The Duxton THE DUXTON

Exhibition - unDisclosed

2nd national Indigenous art triennial. Visit www.nga.gov.au for details. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Angela’s Kitchen

One-man show w. extraordinaire actor Paul Capsis. Bookings 62471223 or www.thestreet.org.au. $25-$35 THE STREET THEATRE

Corpus et Anima

By Tanya Myshkin. Art on the naked body and the human soul. 12pm-5pm.

THURSDAY june 14

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA THE STREET THEATRE

Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

Encounters with abstract art. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Exhibition - Alphabet

Curated by Mel George. Exhibition of glass works. Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Wednesdays at the Wall

Andy Mullens, Charles White, Steven Morrison exhibit typography. Free. HONKYTONKS

Live Trio Agogo with special guests

Three of Australia’s finest exponents of Brazilian music 7.30pm. $10/$5 conc. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Reside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Alphabet CRAFT ACT

Home By Christmas

Gaylene Preston’s new film about WWII. Call (02) 6248 200 for info/to book. ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Dance Thursday Ladies Night

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

Cube Thursdays

9pm ‘til 5am with DJ Pete. Two for one drinks ‘til 11pm plus free pool all night long. CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Trash Thursday

$3 Drinks 10pm-Midnight ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

Live Festival 15

Open Decks

THE CLUBHOUSE

Matt Dent

All genres welcome.

Breaking Orbit (Syd)

MIC Comedy Night

Featuring Canberra’s best comedy talent. 8pm, $15. For info and tix head to www.comedyact.com.au. CIT MUSIC INDUSTRY CENTRE

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows BILK GALLERY

Fiona O’Loughlin, Cameron Knight and Ben Darsow. Tix through Moshtix.

Charity gig. 15 bands get 15 mins, w. Wretch, Clay Pigeons, Toxicmen and more. 8pm. $15.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Something Different

2nd national Indigenous art triennial. Visit www.nga.gov.au for details.

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Supported by Ology, Simon Pampena. 9pm.

Exhibition - unDisclosed

By Tanja Taglietti, Enrico Taglietti, Brett Lowe, Erika Gaggia, Gianmatteo Romegialli

Art by Rachel Bowak.

Science in the Pub

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Corpus et Anima

Exhibition - Reside

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

TRANSIT BAR

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Faux Real

The Underground Ark

Angela’s Kitchen

Art by Josephine Starrs and Leon Cmielewski

Live music.

Mudd Music Presents. Supported by Clay Pidgeons & Septimus Prime. 8pm. Free.

Arts

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

BILK GALLERY

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

FRIDAY june 15 Arts The Underground Ark

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Exhibition - Handful of Stew

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition – Beside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Angela’s Kitchen THE STREET THEATRE

Corpus et Anima

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Reside

THE BASEMENT

Live music. 8pm.

P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Daniel Champagne

Album launch with guest Daniel March. 8.00pm. $15. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Heuristic

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Ashley Feraude

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Steve Play

With Daron K, Bobby Rush and Ritmo. $10 before 10pm. TRINITY BAR

Matt Dent

Singer/songwriter au naturale for your listening pleasure. 8pm. Free. P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Ced Nada

HIPPO LOUNGE

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

Kiss My Brass

Feat. Los Chavos, Brass Knuckle Band, Pocket Fox, Rocksteady, 8pm, $15/$12 conc/$10 CMC WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB

Obsessions

Local rock powerhouse. 8:30pm til late. CALWELL BAR N BISTRO

JindieFest

The Snowy’s premier indie music festival. www.siestavilla.info SIESTA VILLA

Mitch & Awesome Source Live music.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

Eargasm presents, from Club Cartel Records and Simma Records/Vicious Bitch

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Exhibition - Alphabet CRAFT ACT

J-Trick and Kraymer

THE CLUBHOUSE

GIG GUIDE June 15 - June 20 Cheese/Retro

Your favourite and most hated 60s, 70s, 80s, and, ahem... 90s classics. 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Alliance @ Academy

Presents Switch + Peking Duk ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Leisa Keen Trio Live music.

CASINO CANBERRA

SATURDAY june 16 Arts The Underground Ark

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Exhibition – Beside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Angela’s Kitchen THE STREET THEATRE

JindieFest

The Snowy’s premier indie music festival. www.siestavilla.info SIESTA VILLA

In Winter’s Grasp

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Subsquad presents. 100% live drum ‘n’ bass, grime, hip hop THE CLUBHOUSE

Sunchaser & The Wayward Orchestra EP Launch

Supported by Lavers and Putty. 8pm. Presale tickets from Moshtix.

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

Live Kooky Fandango Live music.

CASINO CANBERRA

Datura Curse

With Not Another Sequel Just Another Prequel & Godomination and more. 8pm. $10 on the door. THE BASEMENT

Empty Suitcase

Alt indie trio. Supported by the lovely acoustic tunes of Amber Nichols. 7pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Sunchaser

With the Wayward Orchestra and guests. 8:30pm. $15 Moshtix w. CD. TRANSIT BAR

Princi

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Flat Earth Confederacy

Supported by Senza Sole, Howboy Cat. 9:30pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Cheese

HIPPO LOUNGE

Killing the Sound Live music.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

The Last Prom

Arts The Underground Ark

Acclaimed Norwegian jazz quintet on tour. 7:30pm. $30/$20 conc. door. ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Reading tables and coffee for this exhibition of rare, diverse books. Sat/ Sun 12pm-4pm. THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

SUNDAY june 17

Exhibition - Handful of Stew

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Reside

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Home By Christmas Live

Exhibition - Handful of Stew

Mojito Monday

Exhibition – Beside

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

The Phoenix Short Film Festival

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

Us Folk Magazine presents The Bootleg Session Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens, Elisha Bones, Bumface, Ellie Jade Thurston. 8pm. Free.

Corpus et Anima

Biscuits

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

THE PHOENIX PUB

BILK GALLERY

Post-weekend sounds from Ryz, Peekz, Kimosabi, Steve On Weekends! Free pool, 2-4-1 pizza, 9pm. Free.

Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

Something Different

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Reside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Karaoke Karaoke Love

Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Live Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Something Different Every week a special Phoenix brand trivia. 7:30pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Trivia Tuesday

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

Fame Trivia From 7.30pm. THE DURHAM

TRANSIT BAR

Trivia at King O’Malley’s

Monday night trivia. Be in it to win a $100 bar tab. KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

TUESDAY june 19

Home By Christmas

Wednesday june 20 Arts Home By Christmas

Gaylene Preston’s new film about WWII. Call (02) 6248 200 for info/to book. ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Fantastic short films in everyone’s favourite inner-city drinking hole. 7pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Gaylene Preston’s new film about WWII. Call (02) 6248 200 for info/to book.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

The Underground Ark

A play by Bruce Hoogendoorn. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Angela’s Kitchen

One-man show w. extraordinaire actor Paul Capsis. Bookings 62471223 or www.thestreet.org.au. $25-$35 THE STREET THEATRE

Exhibition - unDisclosed

2nd national Indigenous art triennial. Visit www.nga.gov.au for details. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition - Alphabet

Curated by Mel George. Exhibition of glass works. Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 12-4pm. Free. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Reside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

Encounters with abstract art. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Arts

Live

The Underground Ark

Karaoke

Canberra Blues Society’s Monthly Blues Jam

Exhibition - Handful of Stew

Wednesday Karaoke

A great afternoon of blues hosted by Canberra’s leading blues bands. $5/$3 members. 1pm-4.30pm. STATESMAN HOTEL, CURTIN

Country Keys & Strings

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Home By Christmas

The Phoenix Quiz

Arts

JindieFest

ITALO AUSTRALIAN CLUB DAMIANO HALL

MONDAY june 18

Motif

Where Were You At Lunch

Get them boots on and dance to your heart’s content. Booking essential: (02) 6295 1588. 8pm. Free

THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

The Antichrist takes over a high school dance. With Space Party + more. 8pm. $10 door. WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB

Reading tables and coffee for this exhibition of rare, diverse books. Sat/ Sun 12pm-4pm.

With Matt Nukewood

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Old Skool Saturdays

Exhibition - Important Photography Books

Love Saturdays

Home By Christmas Dance

Food, Bollywood dance, lessons and prizes. Funds children’s lit. Details: www.outincanberra.com.au

TRANSIT BAR

Exhibition - Important Photography Books

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

THE DUXTON

Kobra Kai 5-Piece

THE BASEMENT

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

Live music from 3pm. Free.

Bollywood Bonanza

Something Different

BILK GALLERY

Sunday Sessions at The Duxton

Engage The Fall, Not Another Sequel Just Another Prequel, Godomination + more. 8pm. $10 door.

Corpus et Anima

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Something Different

Album launch with Cracked Actor and Peter Henry Emptage. 7pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

The Snowy’s premier indie music festival. www.siestavilla.info SIESTA VILLA

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Sing your ugly heart out.

Angela’s Kitchen

Live

Exhibition - unDisclosed

Urbantramper

THE STREET THEATRE

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition - Alphabet CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Reside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Three-piece electricUTOPIA band from NZ. Supported by Mornings + Readable Graffiti. 7.30pm. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Hippo Live

HIPPO LOUNGE

Bad!Slam!No!Biscuit!

The now-infamous poetry slam to end all slams. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX PUB

GIG GUIDE June 20 - June 23 Something Different

Trash Thursday

The Underground Ark

Mario Gordon

Karaoke

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Angela’s Kitchen

Matt Dent & Heuristic

Australian Burlesque Festival

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Transit Trivia

$3 Drinks 10pm-Midnight

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE THE STREET THEATRE

Live

Be’lakor

THE BASEMENT

Don, Rob and Dave

Trivia at The Duxton

Ned Collette

Live

THE DUXTON

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Charles and Dave

Ministry Of Sound Addicted To Bass

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

TRANSIT BAR

Beer or no beer? 7:30pm

THURSDAY june 21 Arts Home By Christmas

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

The Underground Ark

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Exhibition Opening: Sediment By Rachael Freeman. 6pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Angela’s Kitchen THE STREET THEATRE

Exhibition - unDisclosed

THE DURHAM

Mary Ocher supports. 8pm. $15. Live music.

Nathan Kleyn

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Method-B

Blahnket presents a new night of glittering electronica to weather the winter. HIPPO LOUNGE

Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss)

Supported by locals Waterford. 9pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Swindle (UK), Crushington (NZ) Eargasm Presents. THE CLUBHOUSE

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

FRIDAY JUNE 22

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Arts

Dance

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Thursday Ladies Night

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

Exhibition - Reside

Home By Christmas

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

The Venetian Twins THEATRE 3

Live music.

The biggest celebration of tease in the Southern Hemisphere.

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential! 7:30pm. Free.

From 9pm.

HIPPO LOUNGE

ERINDALE THEATRE, WANNIASSA

With Kid Kenobi

SciNight

Adults only at Questacon. Silent disco, food, bar and cocktails. Tix thru Questacon only. $10. 6pm. QUESTACON

Stuart King Trio

‘Of Breath And Bone’ Australian Tour. Be’Lakor, Futility, Mytile Ley Vorth and Okera. 8pm.

Wildlife

THE CLUBHOUSE

DOSE: Classics

A new night of classic dance, as selected by Peekz, Marky and Phil Jones 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

SATURDAY june 23

Live music.

Arts

Something Like This

Exhibition - Alphabet

THE DURHAM

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

CASINO CANBERRA

From 10pm.

Surkin (France)

CRAFT ACT

PANG! and Our Sound Present. With Eldred, Styles & Hyde, Shaolin and more. $15 before 10pm.

BILK GALLERY

Mark Wilkinson

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

TRINITY BAR

Mark’s lyrics echo the untold stories of so many. 7.30pm. $15. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Jemist

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

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

Exhibition - Reside

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Home By Christmas

Gaylene Preston’s new film about WWII. Call (02) 6248 200 for info/to book. ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

The Mummy/The Invisible Man Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Universal Studios. 7:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

GIG GUIDE June 23 - June 30 The Venetian Twins

Play by Nick Enright/Terrence Clark. (02) 62571950 for info/bookings or visit www.canberrarep.org.au THEATRE 3

The Underground Ark

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

SUNDAY june 24 Arts

Activate Jetpack, M.A., Stev Kretney, Tom Woodward. 8pm. Free.

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

Biscuits

Exhibition – Sediment

BILK GALLERY

Angela’s Kitchen

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA THE STREET THEATRE

Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

Exhibition - unDisclosed

Home By Christmas

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Dance

The Venetian Twins

Old Skool Saturdays

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

CIT presents the Bootleg Seesions THE PHOENIX PUB

Post-weekend sounds! Free pool, 2-4-1 pizza, 9pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Something Different

Exhibition – Sediment

Be in it to win a $100 bar tab. KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

TUESDAY june 26 Arts

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition - Alphabet

Live

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

Tantrum Desire (UK)

Irish Jam Session

Exhibition - unDisclosed

THE CLUBHOUSE

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Subsquad & Citykid Present

Waterford

Supported by Yes/No, Andy Star. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

CRAFT ACT

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Traditional Irish music.

Something Different

Love Saturdays

Sunday Sessions at The Duxton

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential! 7:30pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Trivia at The Duxton

Beer or no beer? 7:30pm THE DUXTON

Wednesdays at the Wall

Jess Mess: Design and Live Art. HONKYTONKS

THURSDAY june 28

Trivia at King O’Malley’s

(02) 62571950 for info/bookings or visit www.canberrarep.org.au THEATRE 3

Transit Trivia

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Karaoke Karaoke Love

Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free.

Arts The Invisible Man (PG) All tickets $5.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

The Venetian Twins THEATRE 3

Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Dance The Land of Yes & The Land Of No CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

With Ashley Feraude

Live music from 3pm. Free. THE DUXTON

TRANSIT BAR

Thursday Ladies Night

Smokin’ Salmon Trio

Exhibition - Important Photography Books

Live

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Irish Jam Session

$3 Drinks 10pm-Midnight

Live music.

CASINO CANBERRA

Busby Marou

Supported by Leader Cheetah and The Hello Morning. Tix through Moshtix.

Reading tables and coffee for this exhibition of rare, diverse books. Sat/ Sun 12pm-4pm. THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

MONDAY june 25

Jenny Biddle

A blistering guitar attack. Supported by Kellie Gray. 8pm. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Gold Standard: Shunji

Knightsbridge classic DJs return to the fold for one night only! KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Oscar

Something Different Exhibition - Important Photography Books

Reading tables and coffee for this exhibition of rare, diverse books. Sat/ Sun 12pm-4pm. THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

Two of Australia’s hardest working singer songrwiters deliver the goods. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Fame Trivia

Album launch of ‘The Ember And The Afterglow’ produced by Jeff Lang. 7:30pm. $10.

THE DURHAM

Faux Real

BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Reside

THE PHOENIX PUB

$100 cocktail party as first prize. 7:30pm. Free. From 7.30pm.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Exhibition - Incompatible Elements

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Live Mojito Monday

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

Wednesday june 27 Arts Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

Encounters with abstract art. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm.

Jed Rowe Band

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Open Decks

THE CLUBHOUSE

Dos Locos Live music.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Paper Arms

Supported by The Outsiders (NZ), Revellers. 9pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Friday june 30

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

The Venetian Twins THEATRE 3

Exhibition – Sediment

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Karaoke Wednesday Karaoke Sing your ugly heart out.

Arts Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition - Alphabet CRAFT ACT

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

The Venetian Twins THEATRE 3

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Dance

Live

The Land of Yes & The Land Of No

Hippo Live

HIPPO LOUNGE

Something Different Karaoke

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Carus & Owen Campbell

Trivia Tuesday

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

THE PHOENIX PUB

The Phoenix Quiz

Live

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

Faux Real

Live music. 9:30pm.

Something Different

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

7:30pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Rattlehand

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Trash Thursday

Arts

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC HIPPO LOUNGE

Traditional Irish music.

Free champagne for ladies til 11pm.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Live Surecut Kids

Feel The Noize Presents THE CLUBHOUSE

GIG GUIDE June 30 - July 4 Israel Cruz & The Twins The Body Tour

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Nite Society

Purple Sneakers presents Softwar (Syd). 8pm. $15 door/$10 FB promo TRANSIT BAR

Chris Harland Blues Band CASINO CANBERRA

Matt Dent

Live music. 6pm.

M-Phazes

PANG! Presents. With DJ Rush, Buick, Strangeway DJs. Free before 10pm. TRINITY BAR

With Dubba Rukki, Genevieve Chadwick, Beth n Ben, The Burley Griffin. $15/$12 conc/$10 CMC WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB

Knightsbridge 8th Birthday Studio 34

Live music.

Digress Dual Friday

Winter Party

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

CHARLIE BLACK

Special K KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Live music from 3pm. Free. THE DUXTON

Rock vs. Reggae!

Come celebrate a Canberra institution - disco style! Featuring Cameron Brown and DJ Soup

MOOSEHEADS PUB

Sunday Sessions at The Duxton

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

MONDAY july 3 Arts Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

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

Feat. Peking Sheers, The Skronks, Stateovmind, Matt Dent, Paryce. 3pm-late.

Live

Jemist

Princi

Tit For Tat

Sub Detonator

Post-weekend sounds from Ryz, Peekz, Kimosabi, Steve On Weekends! Free pool, 2-4-1 pizza, 9pm. Free.

Isaw

THE PHOENIX PUB

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE HIPPO LOUNGE

HIPPO LOUNGE

Supported by The Kingstons. 9:30pm.

Further details TBA. Or maybe not. Call 000 for details.

B-J Fest

Ian Moss

THE BASEMENT

Call (02) 62302905 or visit www. theabbey.com.au for bookings. $55/$125 w. 3-course dinner + more. THE ABBEY, FEDERATION SQUARE

SATURDAY july 1 Arts Exhibition - Alphabet

CRAFT ACT

Murder In The Rue Morgue 4:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

Thrashed, Reign Of Terror, Futility, Wretch, Toxicmen. 8pm. $10 door.

Spruce Moose

A dynamic 4-piece band fronted by singer/guitarist/all round good guy Mr Mark Thompson. OLD CANBERRA INN

Something Different Exhibition - Important Photography Books Sat/Sun 12pm-4pm.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

7:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Buy good scribbles on the cheap (potentially). 6pm-8pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Sunday july 2 Arts Exhibition - unDisclosed

The Venetian Twins

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Dance

BILK GALLERY

THEATRE 3

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows

Old Skool Saturdays

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Comedy

$5 vodka original & flavours 10-11pm.

The Land of Yes & The Land Of No

Sydney Dance Company production. Tix through Canberra Theatre Centre. 62752700. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Lenny Henry

Cradle To Rave. Lenny’s life in music. 7pm. Tickets www.canberratheatre. com.au or (02) 62752700 CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Live

Dysphemic and Miss Eliza

Irish Jam Session

Eargasm Presents THE CLUBHOUSE

Love Saturdays With Jared de Veer

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Live Fkn Bands

New night dedicated to local music kicks off. Elisha Bones, London Cct, The Streetlight Pde. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

DJ Gosper Band

Traditional Irish music.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

The Front Birthday Bash

Day 2: Henry Fraser. Blend of simplicity and sophistication in dark crystal structures. 4:30pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Evil Ways

Supported by Disavow, Outcome. THE PHOENIX PUB

Live music.

Something Different

The Front Birthday Bash

Exhibition - Important Photography Books

CASINO CANBERRA

The Big Day: 7 years in one night. Jake Nauta + Ainslie Wills. 7:30pm. $18. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

TRANSIT BAR

Mojito Monday

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

CMC Presents The Bootleg Sessions

Ungus Ungus Ungus & three more TBA. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX PUB

Something Different Trivia at King O’Malley’s

Monday night trivia. Be in it to win a $100 bar tab. KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Art Monthly Auction

BILK GALLERY

Dracula (PG)

Biscuits

Sat/Sun 12pm-4pm.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

tuesday july 4 Arts Exhibition - unDisclosed

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition - Alphabet CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – In Light of Shadows BILK GALLERY

Exhibition - Word of Mouth

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Karaoke Karaoke Love

Croon and wail your heart out on the Transit stage. 9pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Live The Front Birthday Bash

Day 3: Ungus Ungus Ungus. Progressive funk rock gypsy pop psychedelia outfit. 7:30pm. $8. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Something Different Fame Trivia From 7.30pm. THE DURHAM

The Phoenix Quiz

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

Trivia Tuesday

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

FIRST CONTACT

SIDE A: BMA band profile

Magic Rob Universe Photo by guy barton

Where did your band name come from? Some fans started calling Rob ‘Magic Rob’ in his solo days and it stuck. Then the Magic expanded into the Universe one day when he was munching on some Grain Waves. Group members?Rob Burgess (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Nathan Rowlands (electric guitars, vocals), David Bath (bass, sound effects, vocals), Glen Stewart (drums). Describe your sound: Rob reckons it’s psychedelic-folk rock with a medieval twist and a space-rock vein. I’d say on a good day it’s a mix of Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie and some Led Zep. I’d like to believe that anyway. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? My mum but err, musically, for us it’s Beatles, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin. Classic rock pretty much. Also I spent a lot of time watching Rage as a kid waiting for the good stuff to come on. What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? Probably Rob busting lights bulbs with his high notes. What are your plans for the future? Rob has been very prolific by himself so far with three albums he produced himself, a rockumentary and he is working on a sci-fi book. But this year we’d like to make our first album as a band. And get on the bill for something big like Corinbank or the Folk Festival! What makes you laugh? Myself mostly. My mistakes and my own sense of humour. What pisses you off? Arrogant/snobby people. What’s your opinion of the local scene? It may not be is as big as Sydney or Melbourne but it is fully alive. Plenty of gigs and venues if you look properly. A lot of activity thanks to the CMC and places like The Phoenix and Pot Belly that support local, original music. What are your upcoming gigs? We have an out of town party coming up, but we’re going to have a short break to work on some new songs and get gigging again after that. Contact info: ‘The Magic Rob Universe’ on Facebook rowlandsnathan@hotmail.com

Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@ hotmail.com Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@hotmail.com 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, megan@wordsforyou.com.au 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 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