BMA Magazine 405 October 24 2012 by BMA Magazine

2manydjs To Play Trinity Bar BMA 405 Cover Artwork: Credit Where Credit’s Due

#405OCTOBER24 Fax: (02) 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko

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Sub-Editor Greta Kite-Gilmour Graphic Design Marley Film Editor Melissa Wellham NEXT ISSUE 406 OUT NOVEMBER 7 EDITORIAL DEADLINE OCTOBER 29 ADVERTISING DEADLINE NOVEMBER 1 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.

In case you were wondering who was behind the spectacular piece of artwork which graced BMA Magazine’s cover last issue (#405), it was none other than Natalie Mather. Mather will be appearing at the Art, Not Apart festival in NewActon on Saturday October 27 to create more artwork before your very eyes. The photograph of the piece was provided by Dean Butters (who, incidentally, has a show opening at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Manuka, on Thursday October 25, 6pm). But this isn’t merely meant to sate curiosity. BMA offers its sincere apologies to Natalie. No artist should suffer the indignity of unrecognised use. That is why BMA has seen fit to adopt the largest dog from the ACT Dog Pound, have its name changed to Recognition, and send the canine (sustained on a diet of laksa and milk duds) to Natalie in a crate. BMA also, more traditionally, offers its unreserved apologies and thanks to Natalie and Dean both. You made an ugly duckling feel beautiful.

Find Out If You’re Australia’s Funniest Teen You’re probably not. Let’s get that out of the way. But you could be. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is starting their hunt to find the funniest teen in the country with the annual Class Clowns competition. Registrations to enter are now open at classclowns.com.au. Starting

Happy Double-Digit Birthday, OzHipHop.com It’s been ten years as Australia’s best-kept online music community secret. They’ve always been the odd cousin of uber-visible sites like FasterLouder and InTheMix, and they’re cool with that. On Thursday October 11, Australia’s largest, longestrunning and original Australian hip hop website, OzHipHop. com, celebrated its tenth birthday. It’s spawned hip hop collaborations, internet memes, beef and love, but the real legacy of such a huge community forum is the knowledge. OzHipHop.com runs the only annual, peer-voted hip hop awards in the country, and is the only online arena dedicated solely to fostering, supporting and featuring home grown hip hop. Kudos to ‘em; here’s to another ten years.

Darren Hanlon Announces xmas Tour After a multifaceted year that included the operating of an underground speakeasy/ venue in Melbourne, living in a bread truck in Portland, and brief jaunts playing his songs for audiences in Europe and America, Darren Hanlon is visiting Canberra again to play his ritualistic Christmas shows. As always, it’s him and a special guest or two. Attendees of last year’s will remember a handful of duets with surprise guest Sarah Blasko. This year the jovial dwarf will be showcasing new songs from the album he’ll be releasing early next year, and yes, the old favourites too. Hanlon will be appearing in Canberra at The Street Theatre on Saturday December 15 at 7:30pm.Tickets are on sale now and are $29/$27/$23 through thestreet.org.au or by calling (02) 6247 1223.

don’t fall, OH GOD, don’t fall by Natalie Mather. Photo by Dean Butters. This time the right way up.

Based on the idea that leukemia is fighting cancer with poison, BMA recommends John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s Christmas album as the perfect gift for cancersufferers this Xmas.

Everyone’s favourite pair of Belgian DJs (because it’s a competitive field) are bringing their mashed-up magic to our doorstep on Thursday November 29. 2manydjs will have jaws on the floor and feet on the move with their hot-damn-do-they-work mashups. Of course, if you (like me) think mash-ups are the devil’s work, you can come along and enrage them by helping set ALL the poffertjes ablaze in front of their decks. ‘But poffertjes are Dutch,’ you say. Yeah, THAT’s how I little I care to know about Belgium. Along for the racist bonfire will be Offtapia, Eldred, Lady Bones DJs, U-Khan (Syd) and Shaolin vs. Skinny. Tickets are available now through Moshtix. See trinitybarcanberra.com.au for more info

in February 2013, professional comedians will be hitting the road to visit towns across Australia, workshopping with wannabe kid comics with the aim of finding the most side-splitting senoritas and facetious fellas. The ACT heat will take place on Friday March 8 at Canberra Theatre Centre, so if you want to be in it and join the likes of Tom Ballard and Lawrence Leung, get online.

FROM THE BOSSMAN Whether you like it or not, we’re barrelling our way through the end of the year, which means the big C word - yes that’s right... Christmas - will be upon us in no time. And with Christmas comes the season of indulgence; a time when we can cast off the shackles of the working year and spend some solid time working on our vice, or vices, of choice. Vices. We all have them. Whether your working week is a painful trudge through a grey malaise or a wild jack-knifing from one crisis to the next, vices help connect the dots through life, offering us the glimmering hope of a yeasty gargle at the end of a trying week. You may enjoy a drink, nip out for a smoke, indulge in a spot of porn or indeed cover yourself tip to toe in gold glitter before sliding tomatoes up your patoot. Or, heaven forfend... You may collect shoes. But one unusual and particularly damaging vice is that of having no vice, choosing to deeply inhale rich drafts of superiority. They’re everywhere. They could be your uncle, or Charlene from work (up yours, Charlene) or - in the spirit of marrying your opposite for genetically sound children and the general good of the species - your partner. But they will lurk, waiting, popping up unexpectedly at your treasured social occasions (or 9am on a Monday morning) huffing, houghting and snorting their derision. ‘Mmmm! Smoking! I don’t understand why you people still do it. Don’t you know all the damage it causes? Ooooo! Another drink? You’ve had two already, surely a third is too much? Don’t you know the damage it’s doing to your liver? Just a wicked nip of sherry at Christmas will do for me, thank you very much.’

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Care to immortalise your hatred in print? Send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and see your malicious bile circulated to thousands. [All entries contain original spellings.] This is for the lardass, insincere, rude twat of an IT Guy that graces (not the right word, I’m sure) my school. During the student holidays, your uninformed decision to format a few of the school computers’ desktops has completely screwed my media project. Utterly screwed. Screwed sideways with a rusty strap on. It has set me back a month’s work of sweat, tears and incoherent screaming at Apple technology, and I don’t even receive an apology? It’s my fault? Oh I’m sorry. Do go on about how I was meant to back up large amounts of data – so much I would need an external hard drive- on computers that require USBs to be authenticated by higher beings. Then there is the endearing fact that you did not give fair warning, or any warning at all. If I didn’t have plans to set your stapler in jelly, I would fashion you a new and modern moustache out of staples. Which, by the way, would be an improvement to the scattering of wheatbix that is currently breeding on your upper lip. Thank you. I’m done.

And on they go, guffing noxious clouds of poisonous smug when you’re simply trying to sip a drink, have a little puff on a reefer and quietly fail to hold down the swirls from the acid tab you scoffed 20 minutes ago. That was one helluva school play. Whether to keep The Blinding Panic at bay or to simply unwind after a long day, everyone needs a vice. They are also the world’s great leveller, allowing us to collectively share a weakness. An altered state of consciousness can be essential to understanding our regular state, providing the context unto which we can learn about how we operate. If done well. But the smug mugs can be right. There is a balance to strike; a vice can become a demon all too easily. As a father (a terrifying prospect, I know) I believe it’s a parent’s sworn duty - in a blind cartwheeling act of pure hypocrisy - to keep their progeny from vices as long as possible. But they are going to indulge and science, genetics, God, whatever pathfinder you believe dictates they are likely going to choose the same as you. That time will come at their 18th birthday, when you’re staring at them with a drink in hand and they’re staring back at you with a drink in their hand and you both realise, in a terrifying moment of temporal-shifting clarity, that you’re staring at the past and they’re staring at the future. It’s a nightmarish version of that Marx Brothers mirror sequence in Duck Soup. Ask your grandparents about that one. Yes, just as bad as the viceless pious prude is the over-indulger who spoils it for the rest of us, a charge, I must confess, I have been guilty of on at least 17 occasions (there’s the 18th birthday of course, and something’s gotta get you through those school plays). So have one for me this Festivus, hell, have two, but maybe stop at 15, Charlene, you wagon-jumping trollop. ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

WHO: Mikelangelo & the Tin Star feat. St Clare WHAT: Debonair delights WHEN: Fri Oct 26 WHERE: The White Eagle Polish Club

Sounding like they barrelled straight out of a classic Tarantino film, Mikelangelo & the Tin Star are all blazing tremolo guitars and thundering drums. Frontman Mikelangelo is part ‘50s crooner, part beast possessed; the debonair bastard love child of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Lux Interior, with a voice deeper than the ocean and the sharpest suit collection this side of the equator. St Clare will be joining Tin Star live for their appearance at The Polish Club as the band return to their old stomping ground for a wild night of rock ‘n’ roll. The show, presented by April’s Caravan, will feature vintage sets and fashions throughout. With The Fuelers. 7:30pm. $15/$12/$10.

WHO: Twisted Audio & True Jungle Souljahs WHAT: Homegrown FreQs National D&B Mixing Competition WHEN: Sat Oct 27 WHERE: THE CLUBHOUSE

It’s time again to uncover the best underground Aussie mixers through this annual nationwide competition. Six live regional heats will give competitors in all Australian capital cities the chance to showcase their skills. Tactical Aspect (Syd), Karton and host, Harlequin MC, will join competitors at the Canberra heat, and the national winner will score a set at Tribe Festival, Melbourne, on New Year’s Day, alongside some of the biggest names in D&B and dubstep. This year, punters can be part of the action with an online voting system, allowing supporters to decide who’ll be the next Homegrown FreQs National Champion. Details at twistedaudio.com.

WHO: Jen Cloher WHAT: mount beauty tour WHEN: Thu Nov 1 WHERE: The Front Gallery and Café

Whether you’re familiar with her name or not, you’ve undoubtedly encountered her music. With songs featured in a bunch of familiar TV series and films (Packed to the Rafters, Underbelly, Winners & Losers), ARIA-nominated artist Jen Cloher returns with her brand new single, Mount Beauty. Taken from her forthcoming album, In Blood Memory, Mount Beauty was recorded live to tape with acclaimed producer Nick Huggins. With her full five-piece band in tow, Jen will showcase her latest release along with her acclaimed earlier material in the comfy surrounds of The Front. Download Mount Beauty free at jencloher.com. 7:30pm. $15 door.

WHO: Sampology WHAT: around the globe tour WHEN: Fri Nov 2 WHERE: Trinity Bar

Following the June release of his debut album, Doomsday Deluxe, and a highly successful Super Visual Apocalypse tour earlier this year, Sampology announces the release of the second single from Doomsday Deluxe – Around The Globe (feat. Serocee) – and a 14date Australia and New Zealand tour. Around The Globe features the vocal stylings of UK vocal don Serocee over high-octane jungle and D&B rhythms. Those who attend what is bound to be a packed out show can expect thick, percussive main-room club sounds with beat-driven pulsing basslines. Best get in early – his last was a soldout tour. 8pm. $15 door before 10pm.

WHO: Los Chavos’s Day of the Dead WHAT: Album launch mini-festival WHEN: Fri Nov 2 & Sat Nov 3 WHERE: The White Eagle Polish Club & ANU Bar

Local Latin/ska band Los Chavos assembled every friend they could get their hands on to create as fan-damn-tastic an album launch as possible. Dubbing it a Dia de los Muertos mini-festival, they have drawn in The Night Café Trio, Los Chirimeros (Syd), Inka Marka (Melb) and The Brass Knuckle Brass Band for a launch lasting two full days. Day one is an all ages pre-launch at The Polish Club from 7:30pm, seeing the Chavos crew cap off the night with an acoustic set. $15/$12/$10 door. Day two, the official launch, kicks off at 8pm at ANU Bar. Tickets come with a free copy of Los Chavos’s first EP, and admission at ANU Bar gets you into the after-party at Digress Cocktail Lounge free. $20 door.

WHO: Make Do and Mend WHAT: National Tour WHEN: Sun Nov 4 WHERE: Tuggeranong Youth Centre

Make Do and Mend’s brand of post-hardcore is as melodic as it is fierce, perfecting a sound that proves aggressive emotion and heartfelt honesty within the punk music scene are far from dead. Their songs are described as ‘crafted’, not written, a feature that is evident in each of their albums. The band’s latest release, Everything You Ever Loved, is no exception. All 11 songs are superbly crafted, demonstrating an audible passion and talent, and hours of dedication. The band enlisted veteran producer Matt Bayles (Pearl Jam, Deftones) to help produce this latest record, which will no doubt be all the more satiating when performed live with Touché Amoré. All ages. Doors at 6:30pm. $35 + bf from Moshtix.

BAZ Ruddick Russall Beattie knows how to make things better. Take Star Wars Burlesque, for example. How else could you improve the already perfect science fiction classic but by introducing a bit of nudity? Beattie’s new production, BATMAN FOLLIES OF 1929, works on a similar principle. Russall took everyone’s favourite superhero and put him in the place he truly belonged: The roaring ‘20s. With an onstage cast of about 30 (including a 13-piece big-band), Batman Follies presents all our favourites characters how they were meant to be: Excessive, showy, loud and wild. With a successful run in Sydney, Russall is now bringing his rollicking vaudeville show to Canberra. Paying homage to the Ziegfeld follies and Busby Berkley films, Russall totally reinvented all the Batman characters to fit the time period. ‘The main influences were silent films, the follies, Batman and just a love of that era. I reinvented the whole Batman history board of all the characters and how they kind of fit into that world.’

from which to improve when tackling Batman Follies. ‘Star Wars Burlesque was a great show, but we also learnt so much doing it. It was the first time we took it from a smaller stage to a larger one and worked out all the logistical problems. It was a great show, but it was kind of broken up.’ Batman Follies of 1929 follows a similar cabaret-style structure – with a difference. ‘I’m kind of sick of that whole burlesque cabaret style, where it’s like five minutes onstage and now five minutes onstage with another character. With this, it will still follow that style a little bit but have a bit more of a narrative as well, breaking out in a spectacle. It feels like an action show that you don’t want to pick apart. The whole show is your favourite part.’ Bringing the show to Canberra was an easy decision for Russall and his Sydney-based team. ‘The only place we are playing outside of Sydney is Canberra. The good thing about Canberra is that it is just down the road and we can drive down, set up and be comfortable. But the best thing about Canberra is the audience. We had a really good experience last year and that’s why it was our first pick to take it on the road.’

That period in history is just so exciting. The media fell in love with people like Bonnie and Clyde, Johnlife Dillinger and all these larger-thanvillains. It was also that age where magic crossed over with science

While working on his own book, entitled Batman Between the Wars, Russall saw how Batman and the world of Gotham City would fit perfectly into the ‘20s. ‘That period in history is just so exciting. You look at things like the media at the time and the classic public enemies. The media fell in love with people like Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger and all these larger-thanlife villains. It was also that age where magic crossed over with science. You had all these magicians like Harry Houdini with people believing he could actually do all these amazing things. This also crossed over with a lot of scientific innovation. People working on the atomic bomb, for example.’ Each character in Russall’s production was crafted to radiate the excitement and thrill of ‘20s popular culture. ‘It is almost as if someone read all this stuff in the newspapers and then put on a show based on this time, if it was real.’ Every character, including Poison Ivy, Mister Freeze, The Scarecrow, The Riddler, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Two-Face are all expressed in true ‘20s vaudeville style. ‘My Penguin is a woman who dresses up as men in classic German cabaret style, while my Batgirl is more like a Harry Houdini escape artist. Our Robin, for example, is only six years old. He’s an acrobat who comes from a circus family. The Joker is like that classic sort of song-and-dance type of guy, Batman is a tap dancer, The Scarecrow is a stand-up comic and The Riddler is a hat juggler.’ To stay true to classic vaudeville style, he also invented his own characters, including the Batettes, a fangirl dancing cheer squad. Responsible for the hugely popular Star Wars Burlesque, Russall’s independent production company used the show as a point

In addition to the challenge of casting such an impressive array of characters, there was also the added challenge of creating a believable and authentic ‘20s scene on stage. In order to do this, Russell placed a 13-piece big-band right in the middle of the action on stage. ‘We have all music from that era as well. It’s all music like Cab Calloway and Helen Kane. A big band was definitely a must.’ Along with the music used in the show, a large part of the show’s authenticity is built from costumes, make-up and hair. ‘The details in the costumes are what have taken the most time. All the costumes are based on vintage cuts. I have been working on it for a big chunk of this year – Batman has a full leather cape! There is a lot of time and love that has been put on the show. Make-up and hair are also a huge deal. The Joker probably has to get ready an hour and a half beforehand. Some of the people get off scotfree as they have full masks. Everything is about the process. Backstage, we try and set the right vibe to put onstage. Everyone is getting into ‘20s mode before the show.’ The result of all of this hard work and preparation? An authentic ‘20s vaudeville experience with a sexy modern superhero twist; a completely unique, bizarre and thoroughly entertaining take on a modern classic. ‘It feels like you are in a time machine, like you are in the ‘20s. It is definitely the best show we have done to date.’ Batman Follies of 1929 will show at Canberra Theatre Centre on Friday November 2, 8pm. Tickets are $68.50 + bf from tickets. canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

ALL AGES Hey folks. I’ve been reading my horrorscope recently, and it said that this Halloween is going to be great (a given for any fan of the horror genre). Now all I have to do is go to the boo!-tique for a costume, prepare some pumpkins and demand candy from strangers (which is ironic, when childhood is spent learning not to take candy from strangers). Oh, and I almost forgot, I’ve also got to tell you guys about all ages stuff whilst torturing you with some good ol’ Halloween pun-ishment. If you were a skeleton, you’d pick up your tele-bone to invite people to see Hot Chelle Rae live with you, and then you’d realise that you have no body to go with. But you’re probably not a skeleton, so make sure you’re free on Sunday October 28 when they play at the Royal Theatre. They’re supported by Cher Lloyd. Tickets are $89.90 + bf and can be bought online or by calling Ticketek. If Touche Amore and Make Do and Mend were American vampires, I’d like to imagine that they’d celebrate Fangsgiving. They are American, but they aren’t vampires. Don’t be disappointed though, their gig would suck if they were. They play at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Sunday November 4. The gig runs 6:30pm-10pm. Tickets are $35 + bf and can be bought online at Moshtix. Q. What is a mummy’s favourite kind of music? A. Wrap music. And what’s your favourite kind of music on a Friday night? The local acoustic kind that they have at LIVE@BAC every month. The next one is on Friday November 9, so pop into the Belconnen Arts Centre for the gig. It costs $5 at the door and runs 5:30pm7:30pm. Details on performers are put up each month on their website: belconnenartscentre.com.au. Here’s one reason why the girls of the Canberra Roller Derby League are better than vampires (and therefore more worthy of your time than watching Twilight on DVD again whilst eating veinilla I-scream, thinking about your ex-ghoulfriend and realising that no one will ever love you. Boys – I know you do this): after the Canberra Roller Derby League Grand Final on Saturday November 17, they could probably handle a celebratory stake sandwich without getting heartburn. Two games will be held at the AIS; the first for deciding third place and the last to decide the winner. Tickets are $14.10 + bf for under 15s and $24.35 + bf for 16s and over. Tickets can be bought through Ticketek. A witch gets stopped by air traffic control on her way to Parkway Drive’s gig at the UC Bar and Refectory on Sunday December 16, because for a moment she’s lost. The inspector looks at the two dead toads she’s carrying and says, ‘Sorry ma’am, only one carrion allowed per passenger.’ They’re supported by I Killed the Prom Queen, Northlane and Survival. Tickets cost $45.90 + bf through Ticketek. And one last terrible joke, just for you. Q: Why don’t witches like to ride their brooms when they’re angry? A: They’re afraid of flying off the handle. Cheers, ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

LOCALITY

The coming fortnight sees the two best weekends of locally produced material since white people first decided this was a great place to do shit because Indigenous Australians just weren’t using it. But before we get to them, Scissors Paper Pen are running a Young Writers’ Drinks and conversation session at Smiths Alternative Bookshop on Wednesday October 24, 6pm. Instructions are to bring paper, a pen and money for a beverage. Also, on Thursday October 25, the ANU Food Co-op are hosting Bite Into Beethoven, offering a chance to hear movements from a selection of symphonies as you enjoy a $4 lunch between 12pm and 2pm.

And then the first weekend starts. At 3pm on Friday October 26, Stone Day will be kicking off at University of Canberra. Check uclive.com.au for details. Tickets are $40 through Oztix and there are more acts than there have been lost geniuses in the collective seminal glands of the human male population. Competition for your attention that night comes first from The White Eagle Polish Club, which is hosting Mikelangelo & the Tin Star from 8pm. $15 or less door. Also vying for attention will be Transit Bar, hosting a Nite Society x Landspeed Records event with Instagram Jam from 8pm. The following day, Saturday October 27, the suburb of NewActon will come alive from 1pm with the Art, Not Apart festival. Live music, live and premade art, books, a suitcase rummage, spontaneous circus, handmade and recycled goods – everything for the express purpose of bringing art together under one sunny roof. The festival runs until 7pm and is 100% free, leaving you time and money to make it to The Clubhouse to catch the Homegrown FreQs National D&B Mixing Competition Canberra heat. It’s $10 from 9pm.

YOU MADE MY DAY!

Email editorial@bmamag.com to send a message of gratitude, warmth and generosity to the world at large. Aww. To the artist who is now much bigger than Canberra, but who still takes the time to come back and support the young local kids. I was stoked to hear that you were visiting a few weeks ago - I wasn’t going to miss your show. I also prepared something of my own, but with no thought that you’d notice it because I’m new at this. But you did notice! You came straight up to talk to me when you got the chance, and your feedback gave me a whole bunch of confidence. Thank you, you have made much more than my day. And thanks for making me laugh by telling stories about Canberra in the early 2000s, before I was connected to the scene. And thanks for keeping in touch. And thanks for making such fucking awesome art. To whoever went gunning along the O’Connor cycle path running over Greens party posters with their motorbike, you made my day. Were it not for people like you, my long-held belief that people on the conservative end of politics express desire to succeed through entirely stupid and underhanded means would not have the validation it needs to be sustained. Huzzah for prejudice!

And so Sunday was a day of rest. And Monday too, because studies have shown that if God had taken an extra day of rest, He/She/It would’ve been happier and probably not fucked up stuff like small dogs, pubic hair, racial turpitude and liquorice. On Tuesday October 30, Joel and Ali return to The Phoenix for Nerd Trivia. Get there early to bag a table. It kicks off at 7:30pm. On Wednesday October 31, Knightsbridge Penthouse will host Frocktails, a Frocktober cum cocktail celebration to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, so don your best sundress (you too, with the cock and balls) and head along from 7pm. And it’s back to weekend chicanery. Locals Los Chavos are kicking it off with a Day of the Dead album launch mini-festival. Part one, an all ages pre-launch, will be at The Polish Club on Friday November 2 from 8pm, and part two, the official launch, will be at ANU Bar the following day from 8pm. Both shows are brimming with supports and all tix include a copy of Chavos’s first EP. See page 16 for more. Also on Saturday November 3, the ACT Final of the Australian Poetry Slam will be held in the NewActon Courtyard from 7:30pm. Further, the Big Record, CD & Book Sale will return to The Tradies, Dickson, from 9am to 5pm on Saturday; Sunday November 4 too. And that’s everything local I care about. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

IN THE COMPANY OF RATS julia winterflood HENRY WAGONS hasn’t quite mastered the whole downtime thing. A few months back, he returned from a long overseas tour and planned on taking two months off, but (surprise) he made another record. Released in late September, Expecting Company? is the brazen country singer’s first solo effort after last year’s rollicking Rumble, Shake and Tumble.

It led to intense waves of biblical pestilence

He recorded most of the album on his lonesome at home, but got by with a little help from his friends, Patience (The Grates), new triple j darling Gossling and Alison Mosshart, the raspy she-devil chanteuse of The Kills and The Dead Weather. Amusingly, an apocalyptic rat plague inspired Unwelcome Company, the track he recorded with Alison, which then spurred him to create Expecting Company?. ‘Allison’s been a friend of mine for a while,’ Henry explained. ‘I was staying at her place in London and she was telling me about this pest problem. There was an underground tube station being built beneath her suburb and it forced up all of the sewer rats from beneath the ground and they invaded everyone’s house. It led to intense waves of biblical pestilence. She had to get people in to poison the rats and then they stank out the joint and then maggots grew and then there was a wave of blow flies. I said to her, “This is the greatest narrative for a song.” So I wrote the song and gave her a buzz and said “Are you up for it?” She said she could do it that weekend, so the day after I was on a plane to London to record the song in the very same house the song was about.’ And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Henry Wagons does business. Expecting Company? is a strange beast. At seven tracks it’s not quite an EP and not quite a mini-album. Henry wanted it to sound ‘pretty schizophrenic and pretty different.’ He got what he wanted. The most beguiling track is I Still Can’t Find Her, a gospel-tinged lament that highlights Henry’s booming baritone and knack for gritty storytelling. Its most intriguing element, though, is a short spoken word section by Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens. ‘Robert is the only guy on the record and he’s the only person I didn’t know beforehand. I sent him the song with a gap in the last verse and wanted him to fill it in whatever way he saw fit. The song is about my aunt giving me a suitcase of crap from my family. Photos and broken key rings – a bunch of junk. The idea of the song was basically trying to make sense of it all.’ Henry’s taking Expecting Company? on the road in November. To perform the roles of his female collaborators he’s invited coquettish Melbourne female vocal group The Nymphs. ‘I’m basically getting to live out all my Elvis-y, Las Vegas-y fantasies,’ he laughed.

Henry Wagons will be joined by The Nymphs at Transit Bar on Thursday November 8. Tickets are $15+BF through Moshtix. Expecting Company? is out now on Spunk.

Nicholson: I do most of the good stuff Chambers: Funny, I was going to say the same thing

WORKPLACE RELATIONS zoya patel Have you heard the old adage that couples who work together tend to break up? Something about too much time together and nothing new to talk about because you both do the exact same things all day? It made sense to me until I chatted to husband-wife duo KASEY CHAMBERS & SHANE NICHOLSON about their second collaborative album, Wreck & Ruin.

hymn, and Adam & Eve is, well, about Adam and Eve. Chambers explained that her religious upbringing made the Bible a natural influence in a way, adding, ‘I’m certainly not doing it to make a point, or to tell people what they should or shouldn’t believe. It’s not about that at all.’ Nicholson further explained that it’s partially because the language of the Bible is suited to the old-timey, country sound they were going for. Not to mention the fact that it’s a cool story, whether you’re religious or not. ‘It’s a pretty widely known story and it serves as a good place to draw from for metaphors and things, because people can kind of understand where it’s coming from.’ As we wound up, I asked them what their writing process was like as a couple. Nicholson replied immediately with, ‘I do most of the good stuff.’ Chambers laughed, ‘Funny, I was going to say the same thing.’ Kasey and Shane will bring their Wreck & Ruin tour to Canberra Theatre Centre on Wednesday October 31, 8pm. Tickets are $61.50/$42 (under 15s) +bf from canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

Chambers and Nicholson just work together (no pun intended) over the phone – they’re laid back and chatty, and their affection for each other is easily apparent through their voices. Their first album together, Rattlin’ Bones, was a runaway success, garnering a number of awards (including an ARIA). Wreck & Ruin sees them change tack, with a slightly more traditional country record sporting all the punch of both of their talents. On whether or not couples can work together without breaking up, Nicholson warily responded, ‘We’re not proof that they can!’ with a scoffing Chambers audible in the background. Nevertheless, the proof is most certainly in the pudding; Wreck & Ruin is a complex, layered and engaging album that combines traditional country tones with vivid storytelling. According to Chambers, it wasn’t a conscious decision to make a more traditional country album. The instrument choice was deliberate – the prominence of the banjo in a range of tracks and the almost absolute omission of electric guitar – but the general vibe just happened naturally. ‘We were just sort of sitting on our back porch [with the band], hanging out and playing music. If you play songs and record them like that, they are going to end up sounding, naturally, fairly traditional,’ she explained. Lyrically, the album touches on a lot of interesting subject matter, with a smattering of biblical references throughout. Opening track Till Death Do Us Part is inspired by a

carrie Gibson THE BEARDS: no words can describe, only the action of a standing ovation. Four men fighting back against the discrimination of bearded folk everywhere have taken Australia to the depths of the kooky, intriguing and entertaining notions behind beards and beardless people. Currently in Brisbane on their latest tour, The End of the World (for Beardless People), the band are not taking any stubbly prisoners. Whilst on tour, the one and only Nathanial discussed the band’s obvious fever for beards, the bearded revolution and the somewhat tyrannical political changes the band would introduce if gifted the opportunity.

A Beard is by far the most beard-related album we’ve written – and we have written some pretty beardy albums. We have brought in a lot more musical styles this time around, more instrumentation. It’s definitely more elaborate.’ Many may have noticed in the past 18 months or so the staggering amount of bearded men that seem to have popped up locally. Could this possibly be attributable to the bearded band itself? ‘I can’t claim credit for that, but I will claim credit for that,’ Nathanial replied. ‘The message that we spread is that beards have always been in and out of fashion and that bearded people must remain strong and focused and not trim or… [gasps] remove a beard for a wedding.’ Nathaniel described one of his first experiences closer to the dawn of the beard revolution. ‘I can remember walking the streets of Adelaide years ago and being called Jesus by, like, every fourth person that I walked past. This was not an anomaly. Yes, we are aware that in the story of Jesus he had a beard and he was treated like an underclass by the end.’

Bearded men have been oppressed long enough! I would like it if a bearded man ran the country and imposed new laws for non-bearded men

Before getting into the musical side of things, it had to be settled: What exactly constitutes a great beard? ‘Just existing, in my opinion,’ replied Nathaniel. ‘It’s not about being thick or luscious – we’re not elitists here.’ Offering a heartfelt apology over a fundamental gender-based inability to grow a beard, Nathanial was comforting. ‘It’s okay, I have made my peace with the fact that females cannot grow a beard and I actually pity you. I think I would seriously consider killing myself if I lost or never had the ability to grow a beard.’ With an evident passion for this particular form of facial hair, Nathaniel explained where it all started. ‘It wasn’t until I grew my first beard that life automatically made sense. You can notice behavior patterns in men with beards and you have a shared understanding. I have come across so many tales of dismay involving bearded men and the discrimination we are faced with,’ he paused for a momentary chuckle – ‘Ha! That’s funny – faced with’ – before continuing. ‘I can remember one in particular; a guy got fired for not shaving his beard. He grew it to come to one of our shows so he wouldn’t be ridiculed. Of course, his boss didn’t share the same passion. He was fired, although still came to the show with his handsome beard.’ That is certainly the kind of commitment the band wants to see: ‘We expect nothing less.’ With the most important questions covered, Nathaniel shared the inspiration for the band’s characteristic and anecdotal tunes. ‘We try to get the ideas from as many views as possible on the beard. It’s easy to repeat yourself with this topic, but just having a beard makes our writing skills better. In fact, musicians with beards are always better songwriters.’ Having evolved from what was intended to be a one-off show, Nathaniel admits that the band had no intention of becoming as lucrative as they have proven to be. ‘We didn’t [intend to]! We just love beards! We didn’t know that so many people loved beards like we do and were so easily convinced.’ Even with subject matter so specific, their songwriting material shows no signs of drying up. ‘Well, it hasn’t so far,’ stated Nathaniel. ‘At the end of the last album, we were all like, “Yep, we have nothing else, that’s it,” but it seriously keeps on going. Beards are limitless for inspiration. [Latest album] Having A Beard Is The New Not Having

Somehow back on what was fast revealing itself to be a topic of central importance, there seemed no point in diverging from the subject, particularly when fuelled by such passion and ardour. Nathaniel continued, ‘Bearded men have been oppressed long enough! I’m not a politician, but I would like it if a bearded man ran the country and imposed new laws for non-bearded men.’ That being the case, it seemed fair to inquire what laws Nathaniel himself would impose if given the opportunity. Perhaps caught a little offguard, Nathaniel nonetheless remained determined, ‘Well, that the bearded man be awarded more privileges than a non-bearded man, such as… er, taxes! Non-bearded men should have to pay a tax for not having a beard, which, of course, would go into the pockets of bearded men. Is that too far?’ Nathanial assured with a laugh, ‘I’m not biased.’ With a clear love for and knowledge of the subject matter, who better than Nathaniel to offer a pro-tip for aspiring beard-growers? ‘I’ll give you one shaving tip: don’t! Do not shave – this is a false claim made by shaving companies for you to buy their product. Trimming or shaving a beard slightly does not make your beard grow any longer or quicker. Just leave it alone; if you are worthy it will happen.’ Next month, The Beards will bring their tour to Canberra, about which Nathaniel had the following to say: ‘Canberra has always been very impressive with the amount of beards, and each time we return there are even more! It’s hard to play one of our shows these days without seeing a beard, it’s fantastic! I mean, I’d rather play to nine bearded than 5000 beardless men, it’s just that simple.’ The Beards bring their End of the World (for Beardless People) tour to the ANU Bar on Thursday November 1, 8pm, with The Snow Droppers and Kim Churchill. Tickets are $24.15 + bf from Ticketek.

People talk about songs coming from somewhere else – that may be so

Creating somewhat of a new frontier in sound through his own custom-made guitars, Wearne told the story of how it all began. ‘When I was about 20 I decided I wanted to have a crack at making a guitar. I grew up on a farm making and breaking things and always using my hands. I guess I had an interest in it and I began chipping away.’

FIRST AMONG EQUALS sinead o’connell He crafts guitars with his bare hands, he’s been writing lyrics for over 12 years and he is a schoolteacher by trade – NIGEL WEARNE is one of a new kind of musicians: an all-rounder. ‘I’m a gleaner – I collect ideas and tell stories through songwriting. I’ll write about anything that takes my fancy or interests me more than usual.’ His upcoming EP, Black Crow, features a collection of tracks that visualise Wearne’s journey over the last few years. In particular, as a sequel, almost, to the song Tracker from a previous album, Wearne celebrates Pelmulwy. ‘I was inspired after watching that show, The First Australians. It was the only recorded story in history where aboriginals waged war on Colonials. I began retelling his story, but it was like writing about a ghost; it was so hard to get any information about this lost hero.’ Wearne becomes sentimental on the subject. ‘The spirituality in aboriginal music, the way they speak… it’s so different to Anglo speech in music. The metaphors are so real.’

Wearne returned to talking of his day job, admitting that teaching has always been his passion, with music as a relief. ‘I find being out in the community as a teacher very important, and I always try and incorporate the music into my teaching.’ It was only a couple of years ago when his wife and he moved to Melbourne and things took a turn professionally. ‘The last two years have been crucial for my music profession. If it hadn’t have been for Melbourne I don’t know that I’d be where I’m at now. Before, it was just an uphill battle, what with distance between gigs and things. ‘My process is filled with ebbs and flows. Everybody has their own experiences in songwriting, but for me it’s something I’ve been chipping away at for a long time.’ His first album was more or less a folk-rock album and Black Crow is far more country-folk orientated, a persuasion that Wearne admits he feels more comfortable with. ‘People talk about songs coming from somewhere else – that may be so but I’ll admit I’m always concerned about my songs, but I’m not critical of them. It’s just about capturing a moment in time.’ Nigel Wearne will play at The Front Gallery and Café on Friday November 9 from 8pm with The Cast Iron Promises and The Wedded Bliss. Black Crow hits stores on Friday November 2.

THE THOROUGHBRED OF SIN Justin Hook TEX PERKINS has a reputation as a hardworking, hard living, hard partying man. For over thirty years in The Cruel Sea, Lubricated Goat, Beasts of Bourbon and now The Dark Horses, Perkins has been the embodiment of sinewy, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll. It makes perfect sense, then, that he signed on for all the right reasons. ‘Back then, you didn’t have any expectations. It was just a hustle, really. Music was a good way to get free drinks and meet girls and get 50 dollars at the end of the night. I’d been doing it for ten years before I realised I even had a career.’

Music was a good way to get free drinks and meet girls and get 50 dollars at the end of the night

That was around the early ‘90s when The Cruel Sea were about to become radio, festival and award mainstays. Originally a side project, they became Perkins’s main band for a few years. This is one of Perkins’s defining traits – an obsession to be always making music, drifting in and out of bands, side-projects and guest spots. It’s kept him very busy, but behind it all is a sense of purpose. ‘Well, I’m very proud to call myself a working musician. I feel like I’m very blessed that I’ve been handed a marvellous opportunity, and I feel guilty if I’m just wasting time,’ Tex divulges. ‘Generally you try to give it all to a project and then when you see it through, you simply move on to the next thing. A change is as good as a rest, and time is precious and running out. I do [have] the feeling of time passing by without anything being achieved. I feel very anxious about it, so you try and do stuff. Luckily for me, it’s stuff that I really enjoy.’ Like many people, whether playing in an incendiary rock ‘n’ roll band or becoming an accountant, the twin forces of life and death have defined specific paths for Tex. ‘It took a while before I realised this is what I am – you know, this is the sort of life I am going to lead. Up until then I was just happy not to be working in the factory. Then I had my first daughter and it all came together in my mind. Somehow I’ve managed to keep it together.’ Far from being epically morbid, Perkins is talking about simple things that make us do what we do. He especially doesn’t care that much about how his music is perceived by the industry. ‘This record [Everyone’s Alone] feels the most free of considerations. In the past, when I had a record company, the whole system forces you to look at music differently. This one is completely free of that, not that it’s not going to connect with the listener. Right now The Dark Horses has developed [its] own thing. It’s been a slow process because we only came together to play on my solo records. This is where my music wants to go.’ The Dark Horses play The Street Theatre on Saturday November 3, 8pm. Tickets are $49 + bf from thestreet.org.au.

DANCE THE DROP

There are a few unspoken rules in DJ Land, and at the risk of my own peril I thought I might share a few of them with you lot today. If you play trap, dubstep or moombahton, it is imperative that you never bend the brim of your baseball cap, nor wear it correctly. Only those who can squeeze into skinny leg jeans may stage-dive. Techno producers must present themselves with a beard at all times. Female DJs are obliged to have slutty promo shots. And at the end of the night, thou shalt always play one more.

Back at the beginning of the new millennium, breakbeat was king. Artists such as Plump DJs, Stanton Warriors and Krafty Kuts were plastered all over the cover of glossy EDM bibles like Mixmag and DJ Magazine. Unfortunately, as the years passed, the majority moved on to deeper vibes or angry wives and the genre blasted into the ether like Felix Baumgartner in reverse. Local purist cult Dose have thrust their loving fingertips deep into the dusty bowels of their record collection and emerged with a fistful of rare antiquities to share with you on Friday November 9 at Transit Bar. Your time-travelling guides for the evening will include Peekz, Marky and Phil Jones. Canberra has a distinct lack of non-commercial events. Let’s face it: Most of our popular nightspots are cheesier than Nick Dennet dipping a slimy block of Gouda into a swimming pool full of Cheetos. Belconnen ‘hole in the wall’ La De Da has something to say about that with their event Hauswerk; an evening dedicated to amazing house and techno you’ve probably never heard. The next instalment falls on Friday October 26, so grab your chin and stroke your way north. If you love orgasmic visuals and face-melting audio then you’re probably in the majority of God-fearing earthlings. Trinity Bar is a one-stop shop for both these coveted items on Friday November 2 as Sampology returns to twist your brain like a soggy sponge and expel your grey matter all over the floor – in a good way, of course. Underground overlord Kazuki shares his Top 5 with us in this edition of The Drop. Drunken socialites can get within touching distance of Kazuki at Trinity and Clubhouse, but you unfortunate souls handcuffed to toilets in a Swedish mens’ basements can access his mixes and productions by punching kazuki.com.au into your browser. Monte – True [Jeudi Records] – Really smooth deep house with a bassline and vocal combo that gets under your skin. La Fleur – Tjuvlyssnerskan [Power Plant Records] – Another smooth deep house tune. The perfect opening track. Jaia – Mai Mai [Avatar Records] – A classic Goa trance tune from around 1998, which builds slowly with lush, driving sounds. Monad – Paracelsus [WooDog Records] – Seriously supercharged, full-on psytrance with a dark edge. Download free: ektoplazm.com. Kazuki – Spaceship Earth [Geomagnetic] – The title track to my new EP out later in the year on Geomagnetic Records, featuring melodic leads and samples from a NASA mission. TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

THE REALNESS Big congrats to OzHipHop.com, who turned ten on Thursday October 11! The site has over a million visits a year and a thriving community made up of fans and artists, such as The Tongue, Dialectrix and 360. An integral part of the long, steady climb for local hip hop in Australia, the website has been a place to share and discuss local artists’ releases, live shows, production tips, as well as to enjoy a healthy dose of shit-talk. Long-time contributor and new owner LJ Krooker says, ‘We’ll be relaunching the site at the end of the year, to update our look and feel and to bring content by fans, musicians and experts to the forefront.’ OzHipHop.com is the only online arena dedicated solely to fostering, supporting and featuring homegrown hip hop. Urthboy is prepping the release of his latest album, Smokey’s Haunt. Envisioned as more than just a ‘rap record’, the album showcases Urthboy’s vivid storytelling ability, balancing tales of light and dark. The album was entirely produced together by Hermitude and Count Bounce, with guests including Alex Burnett, Delta, Solo, Jimblah, Daniel Merriweather and Jane Tyrrell. The album is out shortly on Elefant Traks. There are plenty of other excellent albums to keep on your radar and bumping in your headphones too. Rhymesayers representative Brother Ali has just dropped his excellent new album, Mourning In America And Dreaming In Color. The album replaces regular collaborator Ant (Atmosphere) with Jake One on the boards. Jake has done a more than ample job supplying rich and soulful production,

over which Brother Ali waxes lyrical about the state of America and his personal life. This is another deeply personal record in Ali’s canon and one of his best records yet. Also just released, this time on Duck Down, is the new collaborative project from Murs and Fashawn, entitled This Generation. Bolstered by the versatile production of K-Salaam + Beatnik, the album is consistently nice and exhibits an electric chemistry between its two MCs. Changing BPMs now: The news that D&B dons Calyx & Teebee are finally following up 2007’s Anatomy (a personal classic and one that evokes many great memories of time spent with the late great DJ Escha). Their new album, All Or Nothing, will see sunlight on Monday November 5 through Ram Records. The album features collaborations with Kemo, Foreign Beggars, Craze and Beardyman. Chicago resident Chrissy Muderbot’s Loose Squares label is set to release a brand new footwork compilation on Monday October 29 entitled Escape From Chicago. The compilation aims to showcase juke music outside of Chicago (where the dance/music originated) and show how the movement has now travelled worldwide. The compilation features work from LV, 618, DJ Godfather, Actraiser, Cardopusher, Hesk, Nickotine, Atki2 and more. Finally, Lazer Sword’s Low Limit has put together a compilation entitled Ouroboros, which will be released in November on Los Angeles label Innovative Leisure. Low Limit has curated the compilation with an emphasis on the ‘evolution of North America’s underground electronic scene’, and it runs the gamut from house to footwork. It features tunes from Ghosts On Tape, Clicks + Whistles, Obey City, HxdB, Sweatson Klank, Machinedrum and Braille. To hear music from all these releases and more tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday night from 9:30pm. ROSHAMBO AKA CED NADA - roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

METALISE Suicidal Tendencies are making a welcome return to these shores with their December Australian tour dates announced last fortnight. The Sydney show is all ages and hits The Roundhouse at UNSW on Friday December 14. Unwritten Law and The Dudesons are on board for the whole six-date tour. Irrespective of Bill Ward’s shabby treatment by Mrs Osbourne this year, it was welcome news that Sharon of the oft surgical procedures and America’s Got Talent replied to a question regarding a Black Sabbath tour commercial on radio last week with, ‘Of course you are. They are going to be touring here in the spring of next year. Definitely.’ Must be for Doomsday 2013. Bastardfest hit Brisbane and Adelaide since last column and is in Perth and Melbourne over the next issues. The event has once again been showcasing an incredible wealth of talent and Canberra’s turn rapidly approaches in the form of a bill so mighty that we get two shows instead of the one in other cities. Fuck…I’m Dead are particularly brutal, with their original bassist Tom back in the fold and a bunch of new material from their forthcoming album, Another Gory Mess. Seriously, every time I watch that drummer tackle the older material and then up the ante even further on the newer stuff it’s just bag-tearing, face-melting grind delight. Check the record out through No Escape before they play the show. Blood Duster’s newy, KVlt, should be out in time for the show too. For something a bit different, Sydney label Art As Catharsis is celebrating the ARIA nomination of sleepmakeswaves by releasing a downloadable compilation of the best of Australia’s recent ambient, shoegaze and post-rock outfits under the title Stargazing Under Southern Skies. Featuring Dumbsaint, Tangled Thoughts of Leaving, Adrift for Days, We Lost the Sea, Nuclear Summer, Mushroom Giant, sleepmakeswaves (naturally) and more, the collection is available at the Art As Cartharsis bandcamp site for whatever you want to pay for it, even if that’s nothing. But go on – give ‘em somethin’! Speaking of ARIAs, this year’s nominations for the best hard rock/ heavy metal album award go to Buried in Verona – Notorious, Frenzal Rhomb – Smoko at the Pet Food Factory, House vs. Hurricane – Broken Teeth, DZ Deathrays – Bloodstreams and sleepmakeswaves – ...and So We Destroyed Everything. Kudos. I’m hoping to soon release the first list of bands for the upcoming Obscene Extreme Festival, due to hit Melbourne on Friday April 12 and Saturday April 13, 2013. Since the festival started in 1999, over 500 bands have played the infamous grind party in the Czech Republic with many Aussie bands (including Bastardfest acts Captain Cleanoff and Blood Duster) having made the pilgrimage over to play. The three internationals I’ve heard so far will have grindcore fans salivating, so make sure you get in early and put a ticket on your Christmas present list. Don’t forget tickets to Eyehategod are on sale, so avoid missing one of the sludge genre’s absolute kings hitting our own ANU Bar on Friday November 23. Unkle K’s Bands Of The Week are now at cacophemisms.blogspot. com.au so go and hit him up on there and check out all the bands I didn’t get to tell you about. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

CARRIE GIBSON The annual BASTARDFEST tour has kicked off this week with an intimidating amount of misbegottens plaguing Australia with chants and rants of bastardry. BMA were fortunate enough to grab some insight on both the Bastardfest campaign and the Australian heavy metal scene with Jason Fuller, bassist of one of the country’s most renowned grind bands, Blood Duster, as well as Melbourne’s own King Parrot. The extreme stoner rock band, Blood Duster, was spat out from the bowels of hell in 1991 and have been offending both adoring fans and general conservatives for over 20 years. Who better to ask exactly what makes a bastard? ‘Being in a metal band in Australia,’ was the prompt reply, before explaining the band’s credentials. ‘We are absolute cunts. We qualify because we are from Australia and heavy – exactly the thing that makes you unqualified for Soundwave. They don’t like bands that are heavy and Australian.’

missing after the making,’ explained Matt Young. ‘King Parrot aren’t bastards in the general sense of the word. However, that being said, we are definitely a bunch of assholes.’ The band, having created affiliations with the mecca Blood Duster through their latest album (co-produced by Jason Fuller himself), gave the 411 on the liaison. ‘What a cunt,’ was the joking response. ‘We worked perfectly together. All we can say about Jason is that he is very experienced with knobs. We would go as far as saying he is the best knobhandler we’ve ever come across. He loves knobs. We love him. Confused? Neither are we.’ In a similarly abstract vein, Young described what to expect from their show at Bastardfest. ‘We gave birth to the songs and none of us ever want anything to do with them again. It’s illegitimate music living off a sole parent income – the true nature of the bastard.’

He is very experienced with knobs. We would go as far as saying he is the best knob-handler we’ve ever come across. He loves knobs. We love him. Confused? Neither are we

Perhaps this aversion may also arise from the controversial image associated with the metal scene, which, while the band doesn’t set out to create it, is admittedly ‘an added benefit.’ Fuller added, ‘It used to be that you could offend, so there was a point; now no one is getting offended by “gore” or dumb shit like that, but bands continue to do things that are just offensive in stupidity. I mean, there are so many bands that do the sexual violence thing simply as part of a genre – why are people so relaxed about that stuff? Gore grind is bore grind.’

Having included some incredibly confrontational, if not downright offensive, album art in their earlier days (i.e. Yeest), Fuller provided some insight into their actions: ‘Everyone thought we were nuts – and we were – but, you know, now people wouldn’t blink at having a mangled and raped female corpse on the cover for absolutely no reason. I don’t see this as being any kind of social commentary – it doesn’t seem to be clever, doesn’t seem to provoke any response and doesn’t seem to have a point other than “Here’s a rape victim.” Seriously, c’mon people, don’t be so fucking dumb! Hopefully people don’t associate Blood Duster with that dumb muscle-bound metal dog shit. We’ve always tried to do everything for a reason – to either revolt the viewer or listener or to get a response.’ However, Fuller’s description of the soon-to-be-released (download only) EP, SVCK, seemed far from revolting or provocative. ‘It is superior, premeditated and very, very fast and I can’t wait till people get to hear about the new album. It’s something I’m really proud of. I’m probably more proud of the new record than anything else we have done in our 20-something years.’ Another highly anticipated band on this year’s line-up is Melbourne’s King Parrot, who also offered up an opinion or two about being a bastard. ‘It’s not what makes a bastard, it’s what goes

King Parrot have been playing the circuit for only a couple of years and in that time the band have released an EP which fans devoured every copy of almost immediately. Having attributed their success to ‘honest music played by ugly men,’ it’s no surprise that the band also enjoy the more organic style of music. ‘We’re about writing good metal and playing it well at our shows,’ Young explained. ‘We represent the fact that guitars with six strings and bass guitars with four strings can make great metal. There’s no need for all the shit that other sissies need, like 11-string guitars and seven-string basses. When you create something that is familiar, but also add your originality to it, looking back in 12 months you’ll see that we are in fact the trendsetters, the taste-makers… So get fucked.’ Young went on to describe what the band aimed to accomplish with the release of their first album, Bite Your Head Off: ‘We wanted to capture the live sound and energy from our shows on the recording. We think we did that. There’s too many over-produced recordings of bands with guitar and drum sounds that just aren’t realistic these days.’ With the King Parrot national tour set to commence in conjunction with Bastardfest, Young described what punters are to expect from the live show. ‘It is a sight to see! We think we’re putting on one of the best shows out there in Aussie metal. We’re taking away from what the predictable new-school bands are doing. I’ve started pissing my jeans on stage, Slatts has taken to leopard-skin underpants and drawing cocks all over himself. Rizzo, our drummer, is one of the most disturbing individuals you’re likely to meet, and Squiz is the chronicle. We’re just gonna keep evolving and putting on the most entertaining show we possibly can – just don’t get in our way!’ Bastardfest runs over two nights, Friday November 9 from 7pm and Saturday November 10 from 5pm, at The Basement. See bastardfest.com/Bastardfest/Can.html for full line-up details. Tickets are $25 + bf for each night available through Moshtix.

I just want some horrible drunk person to come up afterwards and touch me and tell me that I’ve done good

well, because people like rock songs about drinking and probably dancing and sex, because that’s what people like.’ When asked about career highlights, like many involved in live music it’s the touring that nourishes the soul best.

HOLLYBONERS ALL ROUND chris navin Architecture In Helsinki, Buried In Verona and now GAY PARIS. A conscious nod to the pretensions of other artists, Gay Paris are a strange mix of down to earth, no nonsense dirty rock and a desire to make music that blows the listener away with its party hard attitude. They’ll be travelling the country as part of The Death Of Spring tour promote their new single, The Demarcation Of Joseph Hollybone, an event that promises to be a juggernaut of hard, bluesy, tongue-in-cheek rock ‘n’ roll good times. ‘We are, first and foremost, a live creature. I just want some horrible drunk person to come up afterwards and touch me and tell me that I’ve done good; that’s all the gratification I need in life’.

‘Just touring with bands like Brothers Grim and Snow Droppers, hanging out with dudes who totally get it and aren’t concerned about the mortgage; it’s the suspension of reality because when you’re on tour you don’t have think about anything else.’ The future looks bright for the Sydney noise merchants. ‘We’ve got The Death of Spring tour and then I think we’ll hit another single tour and then release the album and tour again.’ The ethos for Gay Paris is articulated well by singer Luke Monks: ‘I just wish that everyone could quit their day jobs and do what they love instead.’ Gay Paris’s Hollybone tour will hit Transit Bar on Saturday November 3, 8pm. Presale tickets are $12 + bf through Moshtix.

The new single is a forerunner to a new album to be released later in the year. The new material marks a change on direction into more blues and rock-inspired territory. ‘We tried to err on the side of caution; it’s more accessible but I still sound like a drunk Cookie Monster, which puts a stop on anyone calling it pop music. It’s more rock ‘n’ roll, and I think we’ve done something that lines up more on the rock side of things and not metal, which we’ve been called in the past.’ The band melds a number of influences, drawing on stoner rock and hip hop, to name a couple. ‘My influences come from lyricists and writers, so I’m interested in hip hop. I hope that doesn’t come through too much in the music; god forbid we’re ever called a rap rock band. We’re riff geeks – put the grit on it put the grime on it, put it in a bag and carry it around.’ The lyrics are unique and interesting, fluctuating between serious spiritual themes and basic sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll staples. ‘I’ve only ever written concept albums. I think what I’ve done is written about some kind of crisis of faith but it’s all dressed up in fanciful characters wearing animal masks and drinking as

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

WODEN YOU LIKE TO JOIN US? rory mccartney Interested in free (that’s right, FREE) entertainment, food stalls (usually not free, but very yummy all the same) and a carefree, everloving community vibe? If so, the WODEN VALLEY FESTIVAL is for you. There are several facets to the festival, including Woden Alive, The Carnival and the Lift Off Music Festival. I spoke to Rafe Morris, organiser from the Woden Community Service and jazz muso about town, who offered valuable insight into the logistics of the event. ‘This is our fifth festival and a show this size does not come cheap. We’re grateful to our corporate sponsors and to the ACT Government for a grant.’ Woden Alive brings alternative culture to the valley, with original music, comedy, poetry and more. Events are comprised of the funny, the lovely, the nurturing, the creative and the little bit naughty. Sunday November 4 kicks things off with the Woden Word War Comedy Debate at the Woden Tradies Club, which you don’t need to be a member to attend. The topic of discussion will be: ‘Should the Woden Bus Interchange be heritage listed?’ Does this mean we should expect the attendance of some serious shambles-preserving nuts? ‘Unlikely,’ assured Rafe. ‘The emphasis is on humour, with ComedyACT and Impro Theatre ACT battling it out.’ A Night at the Circus will amaze audiences with bizarre circus-themed acts. The Next Gen Poetry Slam showcases some of the music, drama, poetry and creative writing produced by youth during the smARTS October holiday program. ‘It includes works by high school and college students, produced with the aid of Voiceworks Poetry.’ There will be more than coffee and muffins on show when A Bite To Eat Café hosts the adults only Forbidden Fruit. Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School presents an enticing mix of burlesque, life drawings, music, dance and poems that you should definitely keep from your kids. Other treats are a Seniors’ Morning Tea and Mental Health Out Loud, including a performance, Dramatic Recovery, by Imperfectly Sane Productions. As Rafe described, ‘This shows the alternatives of how people either take action, which makes things worse, or make choices to achieve the best possible results. It includes audience participation.’ The big Carnival at Eddison Park on Saturday November 10 offers events to cover all ages and interests, with face painting for the kids, a dog show for the animal-lovers and belly dancing with Buasavanh

for the otherwise-unconvinced blokes. Also, you can spill all sorts of stuff over your favourite shirt. ‘There will be lots of sweet treats and hot stuff too, with the menu including fudge, ice cream and Turkish.’ For all the spirits amongst us, there are tours of the local cemetery conducted by ACT Heritage (mourning dress optional). But perhaps of most interest to beloved BMA readers is the music – and there is plenty to choose from, between Home Made Jam, the main Carnival and Lift Off. Home Made Jam is a solo singer-songwriter competition for original music. Winners take home some great prizes, including a studio recording at CIT, a photo shoot or a scholarship to the CIT Music Industry Centre. All contestants get a video and audio recording of their performance, so it’s a little bit like those dodgy ‘every child wins a prize’ stalls at the Royal Show – you can treasure or destroy the recording, according to your degree of talent or lack of shame. The play-off is at Woden CIT, Thursday November 8 at 7pm. Just rock on up if you want to catch the talent; however, if you wish to compete, get in early. Rafe advised, ‘Registration forms are on the website but we only have 18 places. Registration starts at 10am on Thursday November 8 and it’s first in, best dressed.’ Free music on Carnival day includes an impressive line-up of local talent, with Owen Campbell, Los Chavos, Brass Knuckle Brass Band, Dr Stovepipe and Drew Walky. The biggest musical event is the Lift Off Music Festival and under-25s band competition on Thursday November 10. The winner gets a recording session in the local Trusound studio under the experienced eye of Dene Burton. Even our own Bossman has splashed out, offering free advertising in BMA (must have been a weak moment). Want to be in it? Psyche! Too late – entries have closed. ‘We had 25 applications and just 12 slots for the heats on November 2 and 3, with three bands from each heat going through.’ The festival will be MC’d by Fallon Nicole, the founder of Miss Ink Australia, who herself sports more ink than The Canberra Times. Punters can look forward to a finale featuring heavy hitters Atlantis Awaits and progressive, post-hardcore heroes House vs. Hurricane. Lastly, there’s the online Art in the Drain display of graffiti decorating the stormwater drain behind Woden Youth Centre. ‘The website shows 140 panels that comprise almost a kilometre of drains. The works, some over a decade old, feature the efforts of some of the ACT’s finest graffiti artists, with one of the panels being the Woden Valley Festival logo. This is a genuinely inclusive community event. ‘We want to encourage neighbours to socialise and bring people together.’ The Woden Valley Festival runs from Sun Nov 4-Sat Nov 10. Entry is free throughout. Check wodenvalleyfestival.org.au for individual event details.

IN REVIEW

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of War of the Worlds ANU Arts Centre Fri-Sat October 12–27 If the only version you’ve known of H.G. Wells’s classic story is one starring a certain Scientologically™ inclined hero actor, you’ll have missed out on much of the character of the original story, including the late-19th-century technological development that has been wonderfully re-imagined by steampunk writers of the calibre of Mark Helpren and Neal Stephenson and something of the moral sophistication that continues to inspire readers of Jane Austen. Supa Productions’ interpretation of Jeff Wayne’s remodelling of the story, though it may not fully convey the moral dimensions of its time, uses present-day technology fabulously in capturing the atmosphere of late-19th -century English technology, society and philosophy. Thus is the stage set for the invasion of Earth by Martians (using appropriately imagined 19th -century SF technology), their chaotic mariforming of Earth botany and massacre of humans, and the conflict’s eventual outcome and surprising victor. A gigantic digital display of appropriate images and animations frames an even larger orchestra, before which a narrator and eight actors play out their individual roles, substituting song for speech throughout. To add to the atmosphere, the lighting is superbly coordinated with the background graphics to include the audience as participants. It conveys superbly the atmosphere of alien threat imaginable in Wells’s time. Consider that Orson Welles’s radio adaptation (delivered as a mock news broadcast 40 years later) caused widespread consternation and even, reputedly, suicides,

and it becomes evident that Wells’s blood-drinking heat-ray-firing aliens would have seemed to entail plausible advanced technology in 1898. It’s an achievement to have conveyed the same thing almost plausibly in 2012. What was surprising was the sweet balance and fine tuning and timing of the orchestra, which comprised four keyboards, three drummers, three guitarists and no fewer than 17 string players. The only sour note was that the sound intensity was out of control. Some in the audience, I learned, found it positively painful and were unable to stay. Otherwise, it was a good sound, nicely balanced, and it came from a combined orchestra playing superbly against up to three actors and three backing singers, all of whom were clearly audible at all times. It’s difficult to imagine conveying through song any passionate emotion except a desire to serenade one’s beloved. But the actions of our singing players, in their faultless costumes, drew the audience’s belief and sympathy. Naïvely curious about their alien visitors’ craft, then disbelieving, and finally terrified and without hope, they showed us the mistakes we too might have made in the face of unimaginable heat-ray machines. This rare glimpse into Wells’s world is a treat. Having billed it as a musical, you can’t, to my mind, justify a heartless sonic assault on the audience on its being a rock concert. But go with earplugs, and you’ll love it. JOHN P. Harvey

IN REVIEW

focuses on two couples, who simultaneously perform their separate storylines on the same small stage, and as the play unfolds the anxieties of the two couples overlap. At times I was not sure if they were meant to be different people or if they were the same couple at different times – a nagging thought that was never clarified.

You enter the theatre and this is what you see: four people, two men and two women, seated in a row on the far side of the stage. The floor is strewn with little white notecards, each with a single word written on them, illegible from this distance. You can’t tell exactly what is going to happen; some of the actors tilt their faces to the light and smile delirious smiles, others hide their faces and stare at their shoes. The house lights fall and the audience holds their breath. A long moment passes and then a sudden movement, expected but still startling when it finally happens. A woman rises, plucks a card from the floor and pins it to the wall. A camera somewhere is trained on it and projects its image onto the back wall of the theatre, the screen for the evening. You can finally read what it says.

This is the central difficulty with Our Shadows. Temme’s script occasionally sacrifices clarity for the sake of poetry and the lost actors lapse into their lines like high school students reciting Shakespeare. The unnamed characters sometimes deliver fractured lines a word apiece, a technique which emphasises the parallels between the couples but also make delivery awkward. This tendency for purple prose is offset by the masterful use of lighting and visual elements. Lighting designer Gillian Schwab creates a subtle, ever-shifting lighting display that unobtrusively draws your gaze to elements that may otherwise be overlooked. Close-up shots of the actors’ faces are interspersed throughout the play and projected onto the screen, allowing the audience to see what the limitations of stage-acting normally hide.

Our Shadows Pass Only Once The Street Theatre Thu-Fri October 11-19

Our Shadows Pass Only Once is an experimental play created and performed by an almost entirely local cast and crew. Playwright David Temme separates the play into fifteen vignettes, each heralded by an actor pinning another card to the wall; they read ‘LOVE’ or ‘HOPE’, and sometimes darker things like ‘BLOODY WATER’. These cards thematically unify the play, drawing it together with a significant word rather than distinct acts. The play is slow-paced, sometimes painfully so, though ultimately the way the actors move as though they are underwater carefully builds tension and cleverly emphasises the importance of each action. Every embrace, every turned head, every quivering hand, has meaning, and the actors physically convey this without ever overplaying it. The play examines the difficulties of intimacy, communication and love. Its characters are suicidal, violent, uncertain and afraid. It

Our Shadows is a dark and unhappy reflection on love and language, grappling with the difficulties of honesty and communication within a relationship. In the end it only hints at these broad and complex themes without resolving anything for the characters – or for the audience. lauren strickland

TURNING IN THE SKIVVIES zoe pleasants [Ed: Read the full version of this interview online at bmamag.com.] At the end of the year, Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt and Greg Page, three quarters of kids entertainment phenomenon THE WIGGLES, will be hanging up their skivvies and getting out of the Big Red Car to make room for three new Wiggles. It will be the end of an era. The new Wiggles may go on to be just as engaging and loved as the original guys, but there will be something missing; they won’t be the bunch of guys who started out in ‘80s pub band The Cockroaches and then formed a kids group which went on to become one of the most successful Australian music acts of all time and made them multimillionaires. It’s a great story. I caught up with Murray Cook (the red Wiggle) between Sunrise appearances recently and enquired as to when The Wiggles realised they had something special. As he explained, an early indicator came just after they’d recorded their first album. ‘Anthony was teaching pre-school and he took [the album] along and gave it to some of the kids. One parent came back and said that their child had played the Dorothy the Dinosaur song twenty times in a row!’ I asked Murray what he was personally most proud of amongst their many achievements. ‘I think one of the things we keep hearing is the impact we’ve had on the lives of children with special needs. We hear quite often from parents with children with autism that [their children] responded to The Wiggles and they didn’t respond to anything else. We’ve had parents with tears in their eyes telling us we’ve made such a huge difference in their children’s lives. That, for me, far outweighs any awards or sales – that we’ve made a difference in someone’s life.’ At their best, The Wiggles provide an education in the love of music and, for many young fans, the first experience of loving a song and hearing it performed live on stage. I asked Murray if he’s ever heard from a musician that they got their first taste of music from The Wiggles. Laughing, Murray told me, ‘Yeah, we did. The guy from Papa vs. Pretty, Thomas, said that when he was a kid his Mum took him to see The Wiggles and he got right up the front and was watching me play guitar and that was his real introduction to guitar-playing. That was a huge thrill for me because they’re a great band. To think that I might have helped him along his way a little is amazing.’ I asked Murray what he’ll miss most. ‘I’ll miss the audiences. The actual live performances is what I’ll miss the most. Just looking out there and seeing those kids having fun. And the parents too, enjoying themselves. Just the joy we see in the audience. And on stage, there’s a lot of joy on our side as well. I’ll really miss that.’ And the red skivvy? ‘It won’t be so hard to give up [wearing it]. I’ll probably wear red a bit more in everyday life than I do now,’ laughed Murray.

The Wiggles will perform their final two Canberra shows on Wednesday December 5, 10am and 1:30pm, at AIS Arena. Tix are $38.50 from Ticketek.

ARTISTPROFILE: Annika Romeyn

What do you do? I’m an artist, printmaker and illustrator; essentially, I draw. Sometimes I draw on paper with pencil and watercolour, other times on an etching plate or lithographic stone. When, how and why did you get into it? I enjoyed drawing as a kid (mostly mermaids and dolphins) and was encouraged by some great teachers in high school/college, but university was the turning point. Originally recruited for the softball team, I travelled to Morgan State University (Baltimore, USA), where I discovered that art was my greatest passion. I soon swapped softball for illustration and upon returning to Canberra I did an Honours year in drawing and printmaking. Pursuing art as a career is always a challenge, but it opens my eyes and mind to the beauty and possibilities in the world, it allows me to share my perspective and it consistently helps me to make friends with people who speak a different language. Who or what influences you as an artist? Particularly natural forms and structures. My starting point is often an object collected, or photograph taken, in the landscape. This source material pushed, pulled and studied from multiple perspectives allows me to revisit and reimagine the environment while exploring connections between the humble and the sublime. My current solo exhibition is based on the elemental power of the mountains and canyons of the Spanish Pyrenees. A few favourite artists include Julie Mehretu, Vija Celmins, Jörg Schmeisser, Shaun Tan, Mary Tonkin, Frida Kahlo and Francisco Goya.

travels in the USA – especially the amazing, surreal landscape of the Grand Canyon – and am eager to take on this subject matter while the memories are fresh. In general, refine my ideas and technique, seek out adventures and share work with people around the world. What makes you laugh? I just started a beginner’s swing dancing class, which is so much fun and makes me laugh a lot (mostly at myself). It’s a great dance style because it revolves around not taking yourself too seriously (one of the moves involves pecking like a chicken). I decided to see what Canberra-style swing was like after being exposed to country swing at nightclubs in Albuquerque (their unreal saddle-shaped disco ball also made me laugh). What pisses you off? When people get pissed off over petty things and/or take their frustrations out on others. I try to look on the bright side, but puppies, sunshine and rainbows are pretty terrible. What about the local scene would you change? I would just like to see a little more support and involvement from the broader community. I see a lot of the same crowd at exhibitions/gigs etc. so I’d challenge people to get out and try something new and different. Upcoming exhibitions? Barranco (Ravine) is on display until Sunday November 4 at PhotoSpace Gallery (ANU School of Art, 9:30am4:30pm). I’m also part of a group exhibition, The Green Room, opening Thursday October 25, 6pm, at M16 Artspace, Griffith. Contact Info: annika-romeyn.com, annika-romeyn.blogspot.com, annika_romeyn@hotmail.com.

Of what are you proudest so far? I’m proud to be pursuing my dreams, creating artwork on a daily basis and embracing each opportunity that comes my way. In 2011, I was granted the fantastic opportunity to travel to Spain and I’m currently very proud to be exhibiting my artistic response to the trip, Barranco. This year I was also delighted to receive an Australia Council ArtStart grant, which enabled me to develop my printmaking skills by attending the Tamarind Institute of Lithography Summer Workshop in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What are your plans for the future? I’m really looking forward to my first exhibition with Port Jackson Press (Fitzroy, Melbourne) in May 2013 and I’m keeping busy making new work for that. I’m feeling pretty inspired at the moment thanks to my recent

UNINHIBITED When does self-promotion become shameless self-promotion? The other day a friend wrote a long, frustrated, possibly malt liquorfuelled Facebook post about the amount of self-promotion his friends were engaged in. Between their advertisements for shows, displays of artwork, gig photos and so forth, there apparently wasn’t much room for anything else in his feed. ‘There are other avenues for these things,’ he wrote, making it clear he thought people should make stand-alone pages for their creative projects so that those who aren’t interested don’t have to continually hear about their friend’s eight-piece klezmer explosion. This would then mean there was a better chance of staying connected to people without that connection seemingly being treated as a chance to sell one’s wares. He’s posted about similar trends previously, and well before others started grumbling about the same, so I consider the guy to be the canary in the coalmine when it comes to such things. Subsequently, I decided not to plug our band’s shows on my personal page anymore and posted words to that effect to let people know. (Ironically, this turned out to be a good bit of self-promotion, as it got a few more folk to follow the band page.) I think it would have been harder to make this decision if we were just starting out, though. Self-promotion is necessary for budding creative types, simply for the fact that no one else is going to do it for you. I know from experience that when you’re getting yourself established and your audience is mainly comprised of your friends, it can take several posts (on both band and personal pages) to ensure those with a genuine interest make it to a show. I’m sure it looks excessive to those who aren’t interested, but you’ll only be playing to the bar staff if you don’t. I employ a ‘do unto others’ attitude when it comes to Facebook, and I like to know what my creative friends are doing. If they’re in a band and have a show coming up, I enjoy hearing about it (even if the band sounds like Winger). If they’re creating triptychs or cakes in the form of a Thylacine, I like hearing about that too. I also enjoy hearing they’ve had a kid and about what they’re reading. I could do without platitudes over photos of frangipanis, though. Although the things that annoy my friend don’t much annoy me, I don’t have his Facebook feed, full of young punks as it is. And no one self promotes like young punks, a tradition going back to the days when Black Flag covered Los Angeles with hundreds of those Raymond Pettibon-designed posters. Add to this the ever-growing paid ads and I can understand where he’s coming from. So if you’re a frequent self-promoter, maybe there comes a time to let the folk who are interested choose to receive your selfpromotional material. And they will. Pete Huet petehuet@yahoo.com

[Ed: For the full, unedited version of this article, visit bmamag.com.] I walked out of my house and, thinking as I walked, I realised how boring my life is. It is the most painfully shitty and stupid life filled with stupid people and objects. I wish the shops could talk and the walls would disintegrate. I want to bore myself by making stupid phone calls to Pizza Hut and bore myself with the facts of their paltry wages. I want to shit all over my dog and... Here are some facts: 1. The Olympic Games were boring. The ceremonies were boring. There were boring dancers, boring speeches and a boring Queen. Usain Boring won his two races and the boring official did the correct timing. 2. My engagement with police is boring. They have never shot their guns, they grapple with gloves, they are paedophiles and they drink beer and have sex. They earn $70K and I get about $18K from Centrelink for doing abso-bloody-lutely nothing. 3. All the ‘beautiful’ women are boring. They speak about the weather, sales, product-wares, charity and call security if I ask them, ‘Are you in a relationship?’ I masturbated over one of them last night with my piddly scrotum but managed to ejaculate. I smeared myself with boring semen and bored myself listening to the same old tracks and getting piddly tracks from India (world music). [...] 6. I want to buy a boring old elephant and bore myself with fake people pretending to cry and suffer in the streets. I want the reality of my boring life splayed out in 1000 boring pages and people to worship my boring indecision. 7. I want to buy a gun and shoot the elephant and bore myself with fake tales of where it has shat. Then I want to bore myself with the truth of my stupid life, with not enough to buy a boring old house and have a stupid relationship with kids and a boring Weetbix meal every morning. [...] 11. If I learn how to stop being bored I will chuck the solution in the boring wastebasket. I will bore myself again with stupid quotes like, ‘I was made for boredom’ and ‘I like being bored this way’ and stupid people will turn up and buy my boring magazine and bore me with their stories about rabbits and boring sleep patterns. 12. Gardening is boring and the more I think about it the more it seems that gardening is for weeds to grow better. If I can get down to the sexual position and bore myself maybe I’ll be bored to believe in a more boring Canberra and Legislative Assembly. Boring food and boring ideas bob past me and make me think of stupid people populating the earth and fucking each other up the boring bum. 13. I want to start a chain reaction and if I get reincarnated into a hippopotamus I want to bore myself with boring Bible passages. 14. In the boring time that I have spent typing this, 100 million people will have got bored and shat in 100 million toilets. My boring ideals will bore people into a boring social revolution and satellites will bore into my brain and make it numb. Then I will become senile, bored and tired and fall into a long boring sleep. 15. Boring work is done by my dentist and the boring fact is that I’m still living. I wish that I could jump off a bridge and hit my boring stupid head on the rocks or the asphalt below. Silly clowns from emergency will rescue me and give me my boring life back and I will bore myself with telling of my stupid adventures. I’m bored.

SAD MARC - Sad Marc is a generally maligned genius.

bit PARTS GREEN VALLEY FARM WHAT: Painting/video exhibition WHEN: Fri Oct 19–Sat Nov 24 WHERE: CCAS Gorman House Ever wanted to see a five-legged sheep? Look no further. Clare Thackway’s latest exhibition showcases paintings and documentary video inspired by her visit to Green Valley Farm, a regional holiday park located in northern New South Wales. She exposes the freakish specimens sited at this peculiar ‘bush oasis’ that’s home to playgrounds, waterslides and... deformed animals. The most interesting attraction of all is the Smith Museum, the first registered private gallery in Australia. Here the country curator showed Thackway the unique memorabilia collected over the years. Dead specimens are bottled up and preserved in methylated spirits: Two-headed kittens, a headless lamb, an albino echidna and legless lizards. The list goes on. The highly detailed realism of Thackway’s paintings brings to life the cramped creatures, preserving them in paint, as the country curator has in metho, the stories and mysteries of these oddities that once lived. 10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat. Free. See ccas.com.au for more info.

MARLEY (M) WHAT: Canberra Film Premiere WHEN: Thu Oct 25 WHERE: Coombs Theatre, Acton The ANU Film Group is once again proud to be hosting the Canberra premiere of a highly acclaimed new biographical documentary, Marley, chronicling the life of late reggae musician Bob Marley. Marley features rare footage and revelatory interviews, produced with the assistance of the late musician’s family and directed by Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland). The movie will be projected on a full cinema-sized screen using professional 35mm and 16mm film projectors and a state of the art surround-sound system. 8pm. Memberships begin at $15 and can span from a week to a year. Check anufg.org.au/filmlist for the full ANU Film Group programme. THE METROPOLITAN OPERA 2012-2013 SEASON WHAT: Opera film season WHEN: Sat Nov 3–Thu May 23 WHERE: Dendy Cinema Captured live in HD, Met Opera season kicks off at Dendy with a new production of L’elisir D’amore starring Anna Netrebko. This comic gem of Donizetti’s is directed by Bartlett Sher and conducted by Maurizio Benini. Anna Netrebko makes her Met debut as the beautiful landowner Adina with Matthew Polenzani as Nemorino, the simple peasant who falls in love with her. Mariusz Kwiecien sings Adina’s arrogant fiancé, Sergeant Belcore, and Ambrogio Maestri will sing the role of the magic potion-peddling Doctor Dulcamara. 10:30am. Tickets are $23-$27. For the full Met Opera line-up details and session times visit dendy.com.au. BARE WITNESS WHAT: Acclaimed combat journalism play WHEN: Sat Nov 6 – Wed Nov 10 WHERE: The Street Theatre

A TOUCH NAÏVE WHAT: Exhibition by Michael Ashley WHEN: Fri Oct 19–Sun Nov 4 WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre Canberra-born artist Michael Ashley has always loved his city. His new exhibition presents a celebration of images commenting on a life which Canberrans sometimes take for granted. Ashley’s Canberra-centric artwork includes vibrant and humourous works, many of which contain hidden messages aiming to evoke in viewers the same sense of pride from which they were born. Ashley’s work is mostly done in a naïve style, but includes a new form, Cafea, in which he uses coffee-inspired colours to explore Canberra’s ever-increasing coffee culture. Meet the artist on Sunday October 28, 1pm, for a talk about the works. 10am-5pm Tue-Sun. Free. See belconnenartscentre.com.au for more info.

Set in the Balkans, East Timor and Iraq, Bare Witness delves into the world of the foreign correspondents and photographers who risk their lives to report from war zones. It follows a team of photographers; complicated, imperfect and human characters who share the unbreakable bond of those caught together amongst conflict and chaos. Inspired by real events, audiences are taken on a personal journey into the disintegrating mind of Dannie (played by AFI Award Winner, Daniela Farinacci) as she relives her experience at the front line of the media. Created by playwright Mari Lourey and directed by Canberra native Nadja Kostich, Bare Witness has united audiences in praise for exposing a world that exists behind the lens, a world of personal danger and moral greys. Tickets are $40/$37/$29 through thestreet.org.au or by calling (02) 6247 1223. 2012 M16 ARTSPACE DRAWING PRIZE WHAT: Annual competition WHEN: Fri Nov 16, 5pm, deadline WHERE: M16 Artspace M16 Artspace invites artists to submit work for the annual M16 Drawing Prize. This prize is for works on paper or other surfaces using traditional or non-traditional drawing materials and techniques, including digital media. $1500 worth of prizes is up for grabs and short-listed entries will be exhibited at M16 Artspace from Thu Dec 6–Fri Dec 21. The award will be announced at the opening of the M16 Drawing Prize on Fri Dec 7, 6pm. All entries will be featured on the M16 website. Entry fee is $30/work. Entry forms and details through office@m16artspace.com or (02) 6295 9438.

the word

on albums

album of the issue

tame impala lonerism [modular]

In the wake of the release of Tame Impala’s sonically retrospective, ‘70s psychedelia-dredging debut, Innerspeaker, it was noted that Kevin Parker, the band’s creative godhead, toured with three musicians simply because he was unable to play all the instruments at once. When it came to the album’s recording, he was the man behind every sound. Not much has changed. Much like The Strokes’ Room On Fire, Parker’s sophomore record finds him perfecting his sound, not changing it. Lonerism is aptly and deliberately decorated and titled. Album opener, Gotta Be Above It, fades in with Parker muttering to himself in a looped vocal, ‘I gotta be above it, I gotta be above it, I gotta be above it,’ and Parker continues to address his own insecurities throughout. Innerspeaker’s enchantingly dark wandering through peoples’ psyches (Jeremy’s Storm) and anguished demands for answers (Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?) have been replaced by problems addressed and surmounted in his own mind: fame, love, loneliness,

death. The only party privy to Parker’s introspection is an unnamed woman to whom he sometimes addresses himself, but the woman only reinforces a sense of isolation when you realise she’s left after taking a not insignificant toll: ‘But please understand/ It was never really was love,’ he sings on highlight Keep On Lying, the title giving all too much away. Despite its intimately pained subject matter, Lonerism is sonically warmer and more confident than its predecessor. Parker has less hesitation drawing out fantastic riffs, the instrumental interlude that takes up half of track Elephant being its highlight. He has become a master of making one riff sound like four or five by changing the instruments playing it, understanding the effect on the listener of a thick, crunching bass kicking in a half-second after an elastic, bouncing electric guitar leaves off. What began as a successful experiment in psychedelia/ early metal revival, Tame Impala has become a fully fledged and utterly brilliant force in alternative music. ASHLEY THOMSON

STEVE BUG NOIR [POKER FLAT RECORDINGS]

BALL PARK MUSIC MUSEUM [STOP START/EMI]

Revered German producer Steve Bug is no stranger to house, with Noir clocking up his fifth LP. Originally intended as a concept album built around the film genre, Bug reportedly found this framework too rigid, so instead we have a noir-themed long-player that broods like a smoky black and white crime score, fuelled predominantly by driving, slow-building prog-house. Departing from his more dancefloor-oriented work, Bug’s deceptively simplistic ethos creates memorable hooks and a pulsing atmosphere that keep tracks in the head long after they have finished. Layers of sound are gradually added – a gentle hi-hat after 30 seconds here, a pulsing bassline after two minutes there – culminating in a crescendo that builds so deftly and gently that you find yourself in the middle of an anthem without realising it. Step forward, Those Grooves, a track that has the same pulsing synth-line throughout its entire duration, slowing down by 50bpm towards the end before picking up the pace for the finish. It’s so simple it should be dull, but in Bug’s deft hands it takes on a sharp energy and urgency. Album highlight Serve Your Mistress also exudes this quality; the slow coupling of sparse, tinkling percussion to a sinister bass growl is an exciting beast to behold. Noir is nothing utterly astounding or dynamically new but succeeds as a well-crafted piece of patient, mood-creating prog-house that will have you donning a trenchcoat and peering out of the corner of your eyes in no time.

If you’re expecting Ball Park Music to have fallen prey to the sophomore slump, think again. Following their debut in a little more than a year, Museum is the product of six months of tour-based recording. They simply haven’t had the time for second album syndrome. The raucous delight of opener Fence Sitter is followed by the sweet melody of Surrender, which, along with the joyous Great Display of Patience, is a focal point. Displayed throughout are the usual jaunty guitar riffs, blatant enthusiasm and quirky sing-along lyrics about love, idiots and fruit (!). Yet the introspective lamentations of Cry With One Eye highlight newly evident darker complexities. The album travels well, each song blending smoothly into the next. It finishes noisily with What’s On Your Mind?, alternating between gentle verses and a heavy chorus.

ALLAN SKO

The changes are subtle. Seemingly indeliberate, the guitar has a more upfront presence. Bassist Jen Boyce exhibits her sweet vocals solo on High Court and What’s On Your Mind?. Gone are the yells of their earlier single, iFly; Sam Cromack’s vocal abilities have been refined by experience. As mentioned, their subject matter has taken a more serious and reflective path. Museum isn’t an incredible contrast to its predecessor, but by tweaking a formula that works, Ball Park have added new substance to their sound. Whilst listening to Museum, adopt Ball Park’s attitude to recording and jump right in. ANGELA CHRISTIAN-WILKES

CAT POWER SUN [REMOTE CONTROL/ MATADOR] Try as you might, no amount of willing will bring back the Cat Power of the past. That trembling, trill and enigmatic singer who’d crumble midway through a gig? Very much gone. Replacing her is a risk-taking, streamlined version, unafraid to execute some hilariously out-of-place, discography-wise auto-tune in the middle of a neo-soul rave up (3,6,9), or allow Iggy Pop to almost derail a perfectly fine ten-minute plus electronica drone (Nothin’ But Time) with his low-bellied growling warble. Honestly, his cameos have been fatuous for years. All power to Chan Marshall for experimentation but it’s beginning to feel like a contractual obligation, having an Iggy cameo. As the title incorrectly suggests, Sun isn’t Marshall’s breezy pop album. Whilst it doesn’t suffer from a lack of pop hooks, they are instead burrowed in layers of keyboards, electronic treatments, glitches and manipulations, rather than billowy strummed major chords. At times this has the disorientating effect of making Sun sound like a test drive of new technology rather than an officially released album. It also means there’s a sameness that borders on suffocation. It’s as if a switch flicked in Marshall’s head that reminded her she didn’t have to be the guitar-slinging exemplar of the broken, hipster crowd. Through it all her voice is stronger than ever and this is her real weapon; husky, feminine, detached, forceful, accusatory but always emotional and melodic. JUSTIN HOOK

YEASAYER FRAGRANT WORLD [SECRETLY CANADIAN/EMI]

EXPLOSIVE HEART LIGHT DOUBLES EP [INDEPENDENT]

OWEN CAMPBELL SUNSHINE ROAD [INDEPENDENT]

Yeasayer’s Odd Blood album represented a breakthrough to the mainstream for the Brooklyn psychedelic pop band, with their Australian fanbase growing substantially after appearances at Laneway and Splendour in the Grass.

Each track on Explosive Heart’s new EP, Light Doubles, collects the sounds and semblances that decorate the ongoing collaboration between the musicians responsible (Luke Costelloe and Roni Francois); from Younger Longer, which vibrantly pays tribute to youth and its enigmatic beauty, to Out of Hibernation, an anthem that champions the evolution of man (or just a man venturing out of his own cave of existence). Crafted sonically and lyrically in such a way that the listener glides alongside Costelloe’s voice, it is also majestically laden with the soft ensemble of guitars, iridescent synth components and lyrical mediations. The vibe is at times jagged in a redemptive fashion, where the darker melodies arrive alongside pop in an exceptionally cooperative space. This allows the delivery to be discernibly sincere. In many ways, it’s as though the tracks have decided for themselves which direction they’ll take, while Explosive Heart braves the wrath, endures and nurtures.

Artists who appear in shows such as Australia’s Got Talent rarely appear in these review columns, as such shows are no more about the music than Masterchef is about cooking. It is also usually a bad sign when a person is almost as renowned for an on-screen barny with judges as he is for his voice. However, sometimes you have to take the blinkers off and listen to the man, not the hype.

Two years on, this third album, sees the core trio paring back pretty much all of the obvious guitars and going for a predominantly electronic collection of songs built around twinkling synths, sheeny electro influences and retro drum machines. There’s also a discernibly bigger sense of bottom-end injected into tracks, such as first single Longevity, which wields a booming R&B-indebted backing track with Chris Keating’s processed indie-soul harmonies and wavering layers of strings. Elsewhere, Blue Paper’s fusion of MPC beats and white boy soul calls to mind Hot Chip more closely than anything else. It’s easily Yeasayer’s most lushly produced album so far. But at the same time, there’s the continual nagging sense that many of the 11 tracks here would be pretty unremarkable if stripped of their intricate synthetics and rhythmic trickery. As it is, there actually isn’t all that much here that really sticks hard. While preceding albums often distracted listeners from the cornier lyrics with the sheer amount of stuff going on, their increased prominence here means that the levels of painful self-awareness crossed with vague affirmations are likely to be the most divisive factor for many listeners. CHRIS DOWNTON

The opening Uncanny Valley, the safety net Punch in the Face and the baroque high of the flagship track, Fading Out, assure us that an upcoming solo artist can, and has, tamed the elusive musical scope in only a handful of tracks. To quote Explosive Heart’s blog, ‘Sometimes an appropriate response to reality is to go insane’ – a statement which encapsulates the nature of the EP at hand; it is both a relaxing vent from reality and an appropriate response to a common insanity. SINEAD O’CONNELL

Sunshine Road swiftly shows that this is an artist with a talent that goes much deeper than the commercial TV gloss. Local lad Owen Campbell’s voice and musicianship are striking, to which those Canberrans who recently packed out his show at The Abbey could attest. The guitar playing is great and his style, demonstrated in Thirsty Now, projects the power of every pick or strum. Owen has even gained high praise in Ireland, where they know a thing or two about singing. The bluesy title track, embossed with yowling guitar and a fitful organ, shows there’s some real roots soul in this boy’s marrow. The songwriting is at its most potent in Glory Boy, about the tragedy of war. Holy to Me, full of emotion in the pleading lyrics, kicks off with a honkytonk trilling on the piano keys. Other highlights are A Mountain Home and the instrumental War in the East, with its eastern ring that captures the menace of lurking violence. RORY McCARTNEY

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

That awkward moment when you have to review a few mediocre films (please imagine some kind of appropriate meme pictorial here). Reviewing good films is satisfying, because you can take it upon yourself to convince the general public to watch something they might otherwise never consider seeing. Reviewing bad films is fun, because you can neg the shit out of them (except without wanting to sleep with them. Okay, that’s just run-ofthe-mill criticism). But what to say about adequate, but fairly dull films? Read my reviews of Arbitrage and The Words to find out.

quote of the issue ‘Do you want to be the richest guy in the cemetery?’ – Ellen Miller (Susan Sarandon), Arbitrage

arbitrage

killing them softly

the words

Arbitrage is a thriller that follows a troubled hedge fund manager, Robert Miller (Richard Gere), as his trading empire crumbles, along with his family and his morals.

If you like female characters and don’t like slow-motion brain splatters, Killing Them Softly is probably not for you. There’s certainly plenty of gunfire and not a lot of females, but every bit of flying grey matter services the story, which is set against the backdrop of the Obama/McCain election.

Oh dear. The Words wants so much to be clever. It wants to appeal to the literary crowd.

The word ‘arbitrage’ means: the simultaneous buying and selling of commodities in different markets, in order to take advantage of differing prices for the same asset. Or something like that. In the case of this story, the arbitrage is in the different areas of Miller’s life – his professional life, his family life, the life he leads with his mistress – and the way he makes trade-offs in some areas to prop up others. Eventually, however, his bad deals catch up with him. Arbitrage has received fairly positive reviews from most critics so far and I can see why. Richard Gere turns in a convincing performance, for one thing, and it’s a thriller and a character study, which lends it greater depth than most corporate thrillers. Unfortunately, it all feels a bit same-same; the veritable smorgasbord of films about corruption in the corporate world post-GFC has left me feeling frankly gluttonous for consuming so many. Arbitrage isn’t the worst (although it certainly isn’t the best), but it brings nothing new to the dinner table. Worse, although the film aims for intensity (and borders on melodrama), it also feels staged so it’s impossible to feel anything – including trepidation – while watching. I wasn’t thrilled by this thriller. I was barely tickled. melissa wellham

Two small-time lackeys (Ben Mendelsohn and Scoot McNairy) find themselves at high risk of getting rubbed out after they hold up a high-stakes poker game. Gradually the food chain of crime is slowly revealed as Brad Pitt rolls into town to take care of things. Some of the usual suspects make an appearance in this slightly off-kilter crime story, such as Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini, and the clever direction by Andrew Dominik (Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) makes this a stand-out of the genre. The dialogue is sharp and infused with humour – and there is certainly plenty of it. The extended monologues may turn some people off, while for others it may be the violence that doesn’t appeal (stand warned, some scenes are pretty graphic). The aforementioned male cast is exceptional, especially Pitt and Mendelsohn. Quite funny in many parts, thought-provoking and enjoyable (though the slower sections and general style might not sit right with some), I found Killing Them Softly to be highly entertaining and interesting. megan mckeough

It likes to imagine that writers like John Banville and Julian Barnes (and other Booker Prize winners who write novels about old men filled with regret) will go watch this film and walk out of the cinema thinking, ‘They really captured the essence of life and fiction, and the overlap between the two, in this cinematic creation.’ But Banville and Barnes will not think that. If they know what’s good for them, they will avoid this film altogether. The Words opens with a writer (Dennis Quaid), telling the story of another writer (Bradley ‘baby blues’ Cooper) who, at the height of his literary success, discovers the price he must pay for stealing yet another writer’s (Ben Barnes) work. The Words, being a story within a story within a story, is built upon a fairly contrived literary device – except unlike Inception, it’s not even cool. Rather, it is melodramatic, over-plotted and (being a fable) a tad morally heavy-handed. This is unfortunate, because The Words is actually decently acted. I could have done with a little less Quaid, but Cooper has a magnetic screen presence. Its greatest offence, however, is the flat script. If you want to write a movie about literary fraud and appeal to a bookish crowd, you better make damn sure you have some strong words to back you up. MELISSA WELLHAM

the word on dvds

UNDERBELLY: BADNESS [roadshow]

MARLEY [roadshow]

From the beginning, Underbelly has had problems with storytelling. Drawing from real life cases, it’s a show that revels in titillation, flashing its norks and sticking its tongue out – figuratively and literally. Week in, week out, it recreates or fictionalises scenarios that drive plot but offer little in the way of character or motivation. When an episode ends – that’s it. Nothing really lingers. The broader issue of crime, society’s obsession with criminals or morality are rarely dealt with. It’s a successful template but that doesn’t make it good television and it’s especially hamstrung by hideous overacting, ropey moustaches, narrative exposition for dummies and production design a decade or two in arrears.

Kevin McDonald got the idea of making a documentary about the life of Bob Marley whilst he was filming his 2006 Idi Amin quasi-biopic, The Last King of Scotland. Taken by the reverence by which local Ugandans held for the long-fallen reggae star – cancer claimed Marley in 1981 – McDonald knew there was something more to the man than just a reefer and rasta.

Badness redresses some of these issues, offering the first glimpse of proper balance by making law enforcement the heroes. For ten years, Detective Gary Jubelin (Matt Nable) pursued Anthony Perish (Jonathan LaPaglia), constantly behind the eight-ball. Perish was a real life Kyser Soze, spoken of in hushed fearful tones by hard men. Whilst flashy crime wars were making the evening news in Victoria, up in New South Wales, Perish went about his trade as an invisible man. But the standout performance of Badness, and probably the entire series, is Aaron Jeffry as bikie-turnedsnitch Frank O’Rourke. Nursing a sizable stunt gut and paranoid intensity, Jeffrey clearly threw himself into the role and his relationship with Nable offers plenty of spark and bristle. As informant and copper, theirs seemed like the only real relationship to which the writers would commit and when O’Rourke exits an episode it all deflates. Badness fails to overcome the now trenchant issue of depth suffered by the Underbelly series but it is the most enjoyable of the lot and, despite not reaching Blue Murder or Wild Side heights, it’s a step in the right direction.

Beyond the mythology, Bob Marley remained inscrutable and unwilling to be crippled by the political, social and religious expectations thrust upon him – from within his inner circle and the entire nation of Jamaica. Clocking in at a sprawling two and a half hours, this is a long documentary, but there are still gaps. Reggae’s place in musical history (emerging from ska and morphing into two-tone, dub and hip hop amongst others) is neglected and, though his formative years are addressed in a structured and logical manner, analysis of the latter years begins to fray at the edges. The reasons are obvious: the first half of Marley’s career was spent around some truly inspiring characters: Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Lee Perry and Jimmy Cliff. Each worthy of a doco in their own right, when they’re in the picture things sizzle. Bunny is so entertaining he almost derails the whole show with some theatrical memories and dancing. The latter parts of Marley’s career are commercially explosive but less interesting. Fatigue and in-fighting took their toll on the musician and the subject looks and sounds notably weakened but unprepared to accept reality; the number was up. Despite its faults, Marley is a major achievement, unparalleled in scope and access. Weaving Marley’s story through Jamaica’s independence struggle adds further depth, and the involvement of his family and friends give the impression of completeness. But, like the man himself, the result is elusive.

justin hook

COMMUNITY: The complete ThirD season [Universal/Sony] Shortly after this third season of Community finished, it was announced that Dan Harmon –showrunner, exec producer, creator and life-force of this highly regarded but littlewatched show – was fired by studio higher-ups. On the surface, it looked like the classic case of studio execs meddling with creative genius and ruining a misunderstood program. But by many accounts, Harmon was a bully and had a reputation for pushing staff, writers and actors beyond what most consider fair. Free passes were given because he produced one of the funniest shows on television. It didn’t make a jot of difference in the end, because the studio were dealing with a recalcitrant producer who ignored them at every step, engaged in public slanging matches with the show’s biggest names (Chevy Chase) and routinely turned in 23 minutes of meta jokes wrapped very loosely around the rough sketch of a plot. Looking at Community through the prism of prime-time TV, it’s an unmitigated failure and deserves to be cancelled. All this behind the scenes chaos clearly exacted a toll; this is the worst season the show has turned in yet. Admittedly, they were great heights from which to tumble, yet it still manages to dazzle with absurdity, offkilter wit and finely executed set-pieces. But things were damp this time around. Even the highlight – a memorable and pitch-perfect Ken Burns pastiche – was more a wellresearched, knowing gag than clever or cutting-edge comedy writing. And this is Community’s major problem: limited scope. It appeals almost exclusively to culture addicts and plays it safe within this construct. Maybe Harmon’s replacements will make a fist of it, but with the recent announcement that the next season will be delayed, things aren’t boding well. justin hook

the word

on games

DayZ Platform: PC Developer: Bohemia Interactive Length: 5 hrs+ Verdict: Worth trying if you’re a dedicated PC player (plus it’s free!) A few issues back, I reviewed The Walking Dead, commending it for its entertaining storytelling. Staying on the zombie theme, yet taking a completely different tack, this week sees the review of DayZ, an open-world and frankly brutal take on the zombie genre. Where The Walking Dead can be considered a great example of interactive narration, DayZ is nothing short of a social experiment, providing a novel take on the saturated genre. Devised by New Zealand soldier Dean Hall, the game is built upon the true-to-life army game, ARMA II. Continuing this focus on realism, DayZ is extremely punishing. A single bite from a zombie, a minor fall or an untreated wound will all spell certain death. Additionally, players need to keep hydrated and fed for fear of fainting or going into shock, while also looking for shelter and weapons as a way of protecting themselves against the wandering hordes. Through this comes the most interesting aspect of the game: other players. The game is only available in a multiplayer mode, meaning you’ll find yourself inhabiting the fictional island of Chernarus with nearly 60 other people. Supplies are tight and the frailty of your character is very much apparent, so most players are hostile, taking a kill-or-bekilled approach. The victor gains loot, while the other player is left to start from scratch on a random piece of beach. In an amusing example of how players have taken to this scenario, one used a bicycle to lure a pack of zombies into other players, using the bell to sound their demise. In other cases, players have teamed up, with one group setting up a secure trading area which frequently comes under attack by a similarly organised group of bandits. Often a group recruits players to their ‘community of survivors’ by collecting potential inhabitants in a bus before making them fight to the death. Through its unconstrained, objectiveless and confrontational nature, the game does more to explore the nature of humans and our response to social decay than any other zombie game or film out there. The game illustrates the way in which the provision of the building blocks of play and enough freedom can lead to a truly innovative experience. Even during its more routine moments (scouring between buildings in the hope of finding a way in) this feels like the most authentic zombie experience out there. That said, do not expect it to be a refining gameplay experience. The controls feel pretty clunky and the game features a number of glitches, including the ability of zombies to pass through doors. However, with work already underway to convert this into a standalone game, this is definitely one for which it’s worth keeping an eye out. TORBEN SKO

MOBILISING CIFF

torben sko

It seems these days you can’t consider yourself a proper festival unless you have an app. This year, you can add to the list the CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL APP. Suzi Josefrom TransACT explained the motivation. ‘This is our fifth year sponsoring CIFF and we thought, “How can we make it a bit more innovative and a bit cooler?”’ Fellow TransACTian Lu-Wee Koh added, ‘The idea was to create an interactive guide so that people could find out about all the great films on show and plan their filmgoing experience.’

We thought, “How can we make it a bit more innovative and a bit cooler?”

The CIFF app was to be TransACT’s first foray into app development, with Lu-Wee openly admitting, ‘We didn’t know how to go about it.’ However, no sooner had the plan been devised did app developers Andrew Clapham and Zakaria Bouguettaya literally walk in. The two were looking for office space for their software startup, Imagine Team, as well as potential sponsorship for their Community ProTag app. A few days later, the pair found themselves developing the CIFF app. As a testimony to the duo’s proactive nature, Andrew and Zak’s own first foray into app development came a few years back. Living nearby two bus stops, Zak often found himself waiting at the wrong one, only to be mocked as the other bus drove past. ‘At that point I thought, “What would be great is if I could not only see the timetable, I could see it in real time so I could see where the bus was.”’ Thus, the two created MyBus, an app downloaded 12,000 times to date – an impressive number given Canberra’s population. However, the app remained a project of passion, generating income only in the form of the odd award or two. Through word of mouth, the two had already started to build quite a reputation for themselves. As Suzi noted, ‘When we were in a meeting with CIFF, talking about our idea for an app, we mentioned that we’re going to these local guys who have done other apps like MyBus and one of the CIFF people piped up and said, “MyBus! I use that every day. Are you serious?”’ Through their ongoing commitment, the two have managed to forge themselves a highly successful business in under two years. As for CIFF, the TransACT team have a few exciting things up their sleeve themselves. Explained Lu-Wee, ‘We’re also looking to extend the idea of the app onto a large touchscreen.’ The interactive display will set up in the Dendy Cinema foyer for the duration of the film festival, allowing people to browse the films on offer. Alternatively, you can get your own copy of the app on your iPhone or Android device now – a must-have addition for any self-respecting CIFF-goer. The CIFF app is now available for free download for Apple or Android devices at canberrafilmfestival.com.au.

7, 9:30pm) from the beginning. Still waiting for The Jetsons, which turned 50 this year, and a flying car.

BLACKBOX

An Australian version of The Street, with six stories of Indigenous inner-city life, Redfern Now (ABC1, Thu Nov 1, 8:30pm) is the first drama series written, produced and directed by Indigenous Australians. And a moving series with loads of humour. And it features the magnificent Kelton Pell. Don’t miss it. Other new shows this week include Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong 2 (SBS1, Thu Oct 25, 8pm), Outback Truckers (7Mate, Thu, 9:30pm), the Aussie version of the inimitable Ice Road Truckers, UK drama Blackout (SBS1, Sat Nov 3, 8:30pm), about a corrupt councilman looking for redemption, I Just Want my Pants Back (Prime, Tue, 11:45pm), an MTV comedy based on the David Rosen novel, Melbourne 1880s period drama The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (ABC1, Sun Oct 28, 8:30pm), based on the Fergus Hulme novel, House of Lies (One, Mon Oct 29, 9:30pm) a US comedy about a bunch of cutthroat management consultants, telemovie Dangerous Remedy (ABC1, Sun Nov 4) about Dr Bertram Wainer, and UK drama Hit and Miss (ABC2, Mon Nov 5, 9:30pm), starring Chloe Sevigny as a transgender contract killer. Not content to take over the world Gangnam-style, Asian pop is about to have its own Eurovision: the Asia Broadcasting Union TV Song Festival (SBS1, Sun Oct 28, 9:30pm). The good news – Australia’s represented. The bad news – no voting. The broadcast is hosted by PopAsia (SBS1, Sun, 8:30am) hostess Jamaica dela Cruz. As regular readers are no doubt aware, Chez Blackbox is a sucker for the retro smorgasbord multi-channel programming has brought but Auntie has hit the jackpot, replaying Red Dwarf (ABC1, Wed Nov

Docos to check out include the ultimate observational doco (before there was a name for it), 56 Up (SBS1, Tue Oct 30, 7:30pm), The Hunt for AI (SBS1, Sun Oct 28, 8:30pm), Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket (SBS1, Thu Nov 1, 8:35pm), which follows a free range food advocate working with UK supermarket Tesco, Foreign Correspondent: Goin’ Up Around the Bend (ABC1, Tue Nov 6), Annabel Crabb’s journey through Florida ahead of the US election, Louis Theroux: The City Addicted to Crystal Meth (ABC2, Mon Nov 5, 8:30pm) and Opening Shot: The H Bomb (ABC2, Sun Nov 4, 9:30pm), the first in a series from young Australian doco makers. This one’s about herpes. Best news is that Auntie has commissioned a third season of Rake (ABC1, Thu, 8:30pm), although the man who created it and plays Cleaver Green has suggested three might be the end. The really disturbing news – there’ll be a US version. We know how that goes. Just in case you don’t have a Christmas countdown app or didn’t notice the Christmas puddings in the supermarket, the TV signs that Christmas is around the corner have arrived. There’s new comedy, A Moody Christmas (ABC1, Wed Oct 31, 8:30pm), which features the dysfunctional Moody family’s Christmases over six years, Christmas specials – That ‘70s Show – An Eric Forman Christmas (7Mate, Tue Oct 30, 6pm) – and the summer telly details have started to arrive, but more about that next ish. Don’t miss Kitchen Cabinet: Barnaby Joyce (ABC2, Wed Oct 31, 9:30pm) and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (ABC2, Sat Nov 3, 8:30pm). It’s also time for the next instalment of Celebrating 25 Years of rage: 1999-2002 (ABC1, Sat Oct 27, 11pm). TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

the word

TZU, Sietta Transit Bar Friday October 12

on gigs

The first time I saw TZU I was 19 years old. Along with my friend Little Alice, a lady even tinier than myself, I ventured into the dark belly of Transit Bar late one weeknight to find it crammed with a forest of boys in baseball caps. We struggled through the trees to the front of the bar and perched on stools like diminutive daisies, downing Coronas, stoically determined not to be uprooted before our time had come. When TZU took the stage, we shot upright, kneeling on our seats to bounce and wave and whistle over a seething wave of kids who knew every lyric to every song. We got up, we got down. It was fantastic. After a four-year hiatus following 2008’s Computer Love, TZU returned to Transit as part of their Millions of Moments tour. Needless to say, I was pumped. Opening for TZU were New Zealand-born electronic soul duo, Sietta. Lead singer Caiti Baker’s smoky voice added delicious texture to Sietta’s almost sinister electronic bass and drums. The duo fused electronic soul, hip hop and dubstep into a sound fit for a menacing underground dance party, while somehow ensuring that their powerful, and at times devastating, lyrics were constantly projected to the foreground. Caiti danced like a sexed-up funk-puppet, and if watching a grown woman genuinely groove isn’t the key to a good time then I don’t know what is. Although he may be more naughty puppy than sexy puppet, TZU’s frontman Joel Ma (aka solo artist Joelistics) inspired adoration the moment he took the stage. When he sheepishly admitted he had forgotten the lyrics to his first song, the entire bar erupted with raucous cheers. Every Transiteer was rooting for TZU, and with that kind of power buoying their performance the sextet were bound to succeed. Although classics from their canon made brief, bright appearances, including the summer anthem, Summer Days, and the ode to the modern world, Computer Love, TZU’s set focused mainly on highlighting their new and, in many ways, greatly divergent direction. Whereas their earlier work was inspired by ‘80s electro and classic funk, with joyful beats and peppy turns of phrase guaranteed to ignite god-awful dance moves, their new music exists on some kind of futuristic, post-dubstep, experimental plane. Case in point: Millions of Moments centres around a female time-traveller, Persephone, as she hurtles through Australia’s convict past. While their updated sound isn’t completely removed from the hip hop jams of the past, songs like The Beginning of the End and Beautiful possess a radical near-rock feel, with a heavy focus on chord progressions overlaid with vintage synths. Although TZU’s new music remains as energetic as always, their Canberra set proved the Melbourne boys are capable of drawing from their roots to push themselves forward. Honestly, I would have loved to have heard more songs from their back catalogue (especially She Gets Up, a feminist anthem exposing librarian hypersexuality, and Wild Stylee, a celebration of the type of woman my grandmother would have labelled a strumpet. Which sounds like a breakfast food. Oh Nana, you cray cray, STOP EATING THE WOMEN).

PHOTOS BY DALE WOWK

That said, I had a damn good time. In the end, the whole night descended into a bit of philosophical rumination on temporality. Ultimately, children, we cannot live in the past. Instead, like Persephone, we must hurtle through time and space in an endless, hopeless quest to break through that final frontier – even if this quest inevitably lands us in the same old bar we’ve loved for five years, with the same old friends we’ll love forever. And that’s Canberra, kids. TEDI BILLS

the word

Sidney Creswick, Lavers, The Folks The White Eagle Polish Club Friday October 12

on gigs

When you next find yourself tossing up between heading to a gig or staying in and catching up on uni or sleep, remember: In ten years’ time, you won’t be fondly recalling that night you researched your biology assignment or surrendered to your bed sheets (possibly excepting the Egyptian cotton billion-thread kind – that sheet cray). Friday night at The Polish Club, on the other hand, offers a limitless source of warm, fuzzy (in more ways than one) experiences that are guaranteed to stay with you long after the stale Polish beer fumes have left your favourite sweater. Such was my reasoning when I cast aside my responsibilities in favour of what proved to be a morethan-worthy occasion. Greeted by soft, dulcet vocals floating into the entrance room, I couldn’t help but picture the doll-faced, waif-like body from which they emanated. Following their beckon into the main hall revealed the angelic, elfin-like source, almost eerily befitting of my mental depiction. In a manner consistent with their name, The Folks meandered through a number of covers at their own chilled pace, with an added indie edge. This being their premiere performance, the nerves of the youthful trio were apparent only during betweenset dialogue, otherwise delivering a faultless set with humble poise. After months of feeling increasingly bombarded by gushing appraisals of the next band, I was keen to finally hear what all the hype was about. I couldn’t help but anticipate Lavers with the same sceptical intrigue I felt after finally conceding to read the Harry Potter books. As it turns out, both occasions resulted in my hangdog adoration. Every one of the bizarrely mic-mac crowd seemed equally consumed by the infectiously upbeat, toe-tapping rhythms, which skilfully walked the indie-folk/country tightrope, gingerly dodging hillbilly territory. Even the cool kids who staunchly maintained their composure through the first song or two eventually caved to the rhythmic ‘box drumming’ of the recently acquired third band member, which added an organic, tribal element and even induced a wave of that so-corny-it’s-fun audience clap-along. And FYI: it’s not actually a wooden box – it’s a Cajon. Duh...

PHOTOS BY ADAM THOMAS

Each time I attend a Sydney Creswick gig, I find myself asking the same questions: How can one group be so bursting with talent? How long will it be before the rest of the world discovers them? How does Tom get his beard so lush? Tonight these thoughts buzzed particularly vigorously in this fangirl’s giddied head, as the audience were swathed in a skin-tingling catharsis for the ears and soul. All seven musicians offered a uniquely aesthetic stand-alone sound – from Callum’s lullaby keyboard notes, to Arlene’s incendiary double-bass thrashing – yet each eclectic instrument effortlessly intermingled to create a seamless symphony of hi-tempo jazz and soaring melodies. Vocalist Liam’s unwaveringly strong, soothing voice delivered each story-like lyric with the perfect balance of delicacy and passion. Ever deserving of adulation is trumpeter Tom who (aside from sporting a truly glorious chin-fro) never fails to induce an enchanting sensory experience with his visual, evocative notes. Combined with Florence-esque rolling drumbeats and deep basslines, the result is a musical dreamscape as diverse and magical as the mini-worlds of Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree. Such a sound can only fully be absorbed live – though that’s not to dissuade you from pouncing on their free online EP before they inevitably get snapped up by industry bigwigs and slap on a well-justified price-tag. Adjourning home, sleep-deprived, to an unfinished assignment, I couldn’t help but feel more mental and physical content after a truly memorable night than any amount of As or Zs could have provided. GRETA KITE-GILMOUR

the word

Doomsday Festival ANU Bar Saturday October 13

on gigs

When ANU Bar is full and the bands are rocking, there are few venues in Canberra that can touch its mixture of iconic historical status and intimate small club atmosphere. When it’s empty, however, you can risk having your soul destroyed simply by entering the joint. And this time, on a typical Canberra Saturday night, circumstance tipped the scales in favour of the latter scenario. Blame it on anything you like – the threatening weather, a Rugby League International on the telly, the lack of anything resembling decent advertising, a combination of all three, perhaps – but the turnout was woeful, with what can only be described as a handful of punters on hand to witness an interesting amuse-bouche from Looking Glass alumnus Marcus De Pasquale. As it goes, De Pasquale turned in the most interesting set of the night, purely because it was not a set comprised entirely of heavy doom. His fleet-fingered acoustic offerings set the ears up nicely for what was to come, but –I can’t say it enough – it’s a tragedy there weren’t more folk on hand to soak up the man’s undeniable talent. That’s not to say the rest of the evening’s entertainment was dull – far from it. However, programming a set of bands all bent on giving us their take on the doom template (the clue is in the name of the festival, ladeez an’ gentz, and not since MCing at the ‘Boorish Englishmen Loving the Sound of Their Own Voices’ evening in Warracknabeal a couple of years ago have I witnessed a group of artists so hell-bent on doing what it says on the tin) did lend itself to a certain amount of ear fatigue as the evening wore on, even though every band commendably gave everything they had to those dedicated enough to have turned up. So, this sameness may be a bit problematic, but its happiness incarnate we are to report that, on the night, Canberra’s own Law of the Tongue are first amongst equals. Their muscular brand of sludge, stoner and doom cut through the room like a baseball bat through the face of an over-tenacious shopkeeper defending his week’s takings (the effect on our ears being somewhat more pleasing than on that man’s features, it has to be said). It’s still comparatively early days for this mob, but initial findings say that Brad, DD, Kim and Ben have a bright future ahead of them. Not to mention a loud one. Sadly, space prevents us from looking too closely into the rest of the underbill, save to mention that Fattura Della Morte, despite the unsettlingly hipsterish ginger beard/checked shirt juxtaposition of singer Benny, almost rivalled the local heroes in terms of sheer unforgiving heaviness. As (thankfully) a few more dishevelled beards had found their way to the venue (though not, it seemed, to the merch stand, which remained deserted all night despite some tasty looking shirts from the headliners, retailing to you, squire, at just 15 dollars), it was time for the headliners themselves: The Atomic Bitchwax.

PHOTOS BY ADAM BOURKE

It’s easy to dismiss TAB as another of those hipster prog-metal bands that seem to be everywhere you look these days, even though they predate the likes of Mastodon et al. by the best part of a decade, and they were certainly the most accessible band on offer to any untrained ears that might have wandered in by mistake on this evening, despite sensibly concentrating on the heavier end of their oeuvre. But they always deliver, this evening being no different, and it was a happy bunch of doomsters that made their way home at the end of the band’s set at the close of Doomsday 2012. SCOTT ADAMS

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE October 24 - October 26 wednesday october 24 Art Exhibition – Five Exhibitions

By Leah Bullen, Karin Hanssen, Clare Thackway, Liz McNiven, Lyndy Delian. 11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Bush Medicine

Something Different Young Writers’s Drinks

Bring paper, pen and money for a beverage. More info: scissorspaperpen. wordpress.com. 6pm. SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

Theatre War Of The Worlds

One in the ‘Piece of Mind’ series. Photography and sculpture by Stuart Anderson. 9am-4:30pm.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version! Bookings at (02) 62571950 or canberrarep.org.au.

Exhibition – Re-Connections

The Wharf Revue

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

ANU ARTS CENTRE

Annette Minchin’s works on life in the outback; Beverley Bruen’s life in Canberra. 10am-5pm.

Red Wharf: Beyond The Rings of Satire. Bookings: www.canberratheatrecentre. com.au or (02) 6257 2700.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

THE PLAYHOUSE

Exhibition - Barranco

Trivia

Art by Annika Romeyn. 9:30am-4:30pm. ANU SCHOOL OF ART

Exhibition – A Touch Naïve

By Michael Ashley. Images commenting on the life Canberrans sometimes take for granted. 10am-5pm.

Transit Trivia

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

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Convergent Worlds

thursday october 25

Four artists from four continents: Juan Davila, Fiona Foley, Petr Herel and Guan Wei. 12pm-5pm.

Art

Exhibition – Earrings

9am-4:30pm.

BILK GALLERY

Exhibition Opening – Two Exhibitions

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

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

Exhibition Opening – Crossing The Rubicon New media work by Erica Seccombe and Ellis Hutch. To be opened by Dr Denise Ferris. 6pm.

Exhibition – Bush Medicine

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

The Green Room by 20 artists, What A Lovely Crowd by Canberra Art Workshop artists. 6pm. Free. M16 ARTSPACE

ANCA GALLERY

Exhibition – Five Exhibitions

Karaoke

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Karaoke

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Live Music Sing For Your Supper

Singers, poets, musicians! Feeling hungry? Book your slot for a free meal! (02) 6230 2484. 6:30pm. THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

The Nugs

With UF Homous, The King Hits. 9pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

Exhibition Opening – au.to/graph

Art by Dean Butters, Aimee Fitzgerald, Elly Freer, Holly Granville-Edge. $3 drinks. 6pm. Free. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – Re-Connections 10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – A Touch Naïve 10am-5pm.

12-5pm.

ANCA GALLERY

Film Local Feats: The Last Resort (2007)

The Austerity Project

Opening night. Dance/photo/music collab w. Rachel Sweeney, Marnie Orr and Michael Norris. 5-7pm. LONSDALE STREET TRADERS

On The Town Thursday Ladies Night

KENDALL LANE THEATRE

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

Karaoke

4Some Thursday

Canberra film w/ talk. 6pm + 9pm. Tix/ info: newacton.com.au/localfeats

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Karaoke Night!

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

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

Talks

1st place wins cash prize! Plenty of bar vouchers to be won too. 8pm.

‘Tuggies Idol’ Karaoke Competition

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Prof. Krzysztof Zanussi

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

Polish film director/producer discusses social/political/cultural dilemmas of Europe. 11am-1pm.

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

ANU CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN STUDIES

Live Music

Theatre

The Preatures

To Kill A Mockingbird

THE PHOENIX BAR

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

The Shaking Hands tour. With Jeremy Neale Band. 9pm. Info/tix thru thepreatures.com.

Free Rain Theatre presents one of the most powerful stories ever told. $2835. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

Ashley Feraude

War Of The Worlds

9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Sydney Blues & Roots Festival Live music over 4 days. Ian Moss, Lanie Lane – over 70 acts! Tickets: sydneybluesfestival.com.au WINDSOR, NSW

Thursdays At The Bar

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

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version! Bookings at (02) 62571950 or canberrarep.org.au. ANU ARTS CENTRE

The Wharf Revue

Red Wharf: Beyond The Rings of Satire. Bookings: www.canberratheatrecentre. com.au or (02) 6257 2700. THE PLAYHOUSE

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

friday october 26

Spit Syndicate

Beauty In The Bricks tour. With Semantix. 8pm. Presale $15 + bf thru Moshtix.

Art

WDGAF

12-5pm.

THE CLUBHOUSE

Exhibition – Five Exhibitions

TRANSIT BAR

$5. 10pm.

Hat Fitz & Cara

The Wiley Ways album tour. For more details contact the venue at (02) 6295 9853. 8pm. $20. HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Dos Locos KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Exhibition – Crossing The Rubicon

ANCA GALLERY

11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – au.to/graph 11am-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Convergent Worlds

9pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

Bite Into Beethoven

10am-5pm.

On The Town

12pm-5pm.

Latino Wednesdays

Exhibition - Barranco

MONKEYBAR

ANU SCHOOL OF ART

$8 cocktails. 9pm. Free.

Exhibition – Crossing The Rubicon

9:30am-4:30pm.

Movements from Beethoven’s 2nd, 5th, 7th and 8th Symphonies. 12-2pm. Free (with lunch for $4). ANU FOOD CO-OP

Exhibition – A Touch Naïve BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Re-Connections 10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE October 26 - October 29 Exhibition - Barranco

Poetry Slam

Live Music

Theatre

ANU SCHOOL OF ART

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Love Saturdays

War Of The Worlds

With The Fuelers. $15/$12/$10. 8pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

ANU ARTS CENTRE

Diesel

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

9:30am-4:30pm.

7pm.

Exhibition – Convergent Worlds

Mikelangelo & the Tin Star

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

THE WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB

12pm-5pm.

Exhibition – Once More, With Love 11am-5pm (Sat 12-4pm). BILK GALLERY

6:30pm doors, 9pm main act. $55/$125 w. dinner through theabbey.com.au.

Exhibition – Bush Medicine

THE ABBEY

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

On The Town

Film

Friday Freedom

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011, MA15+)

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

9am-4:30pm.

Mark Cousins’s weird history of cinema. Parts 1-3. 6:30pm. See nfsa.gov.au/ nfsa for tickets/details.

Because it’s 5pm. Your happy place. Free BBQ from 6pm.

Something Different

With Jono Fernandez. 9pm.

Goji Berry Jam

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

Faux Real

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Black Mustang

THE PLAYHOUSE

Red Wharf: Beyond The Rings of Satire.

With Maids, Hence The Test Bed. 9:30pm.

sunday october 28

THE PHOENIX BAR

Crystal Barreca with The Wanninashvilles

Weaving their way through traditional jazz and reggae grooves. Bring your dance shoes! $10. 8pm.

Short: Seasons Short Film Festival

THE STREET THEATRE

Killing The Sound

Circus for Life: De Barri’s Bizarre

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

By Warehouse Circus. $18/$15. 7pm.

Free Rain Theatre presents one of the most powerful stories ever told. $2835. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

The Wharf Revue

HIPPO BAR

ARC CINEMA

Showcasing short dramas, docos and animations from Canberra. 7pm. Free. (Booking: (02) 6248 2000)

To Kill A Mockingbird

9pm.

Circus for Life: Fourplay

By Pants Down Circus. $25/$20. 9pm.

(02) 62571950 or canberrarep.org.au.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

10:30pm.

The Resident Program: The London Circuit

Art Exhibition – Index Fossils Art by Abyss .607. 6pm-10pm. HIPPO BAR

Exhibition – The Green Room 12-5pm.

M16 ARTSPACE

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NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVES

THE STREET THEATRE

Live Music

Theatre

With Crash The Curb & Elisha Bones. 8pm.

Foreshore Sound Search Finals

War Of The Worlds

NYASH!

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011, MA15+)

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

ARC CINEMA

Alliance Presents. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Alex Carder 9pm.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version! Bookings at (02) 62571950 or canberrarep.org.au. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Princi

Live Music

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Sunday Best: Amber Nichols

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Nite Society x Landspeed Records Instagram Jam. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011, MA15+)

The Wharf Revue

Strangeways DJs

Jemist

Homegrown FreQs

Parts 10-12. 1pm.

$28-35. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

HIPPO BAR

TRINITY BAR

Live Afro-beat jazz.

Film

National DnB mixing competition: Canberra heat. Presented by TJS. Info at twistedaudio.com. $10.

To Kill A Mockingbird

With Hazan, Tit For Tat, Danny Clapp, Offtapia. Free before 10pm.

TRANSIT BAR

Red Wharf: Beyond The Rings of Satire. Bookings: www.canberratheatrecentre. com.au or (02) 6257 2700. THE PLAYHOUSE

THE CLUBHOUSE

9pm.

music, coffee

Bass, violin, looped vocals or something similar. 10am-11am. MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

Parts 13-15. 4:30pm. ARC CINEMA

A voice to set your soul dancing. Tapas from 5pm, happy hour from 6pm. Free. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Irish Oktoberfest

DJs Karma/Jswiss/ Hypnotic/MC Tee

With Dahrnoir, Borderers and an Irish jam session. Starts 1pm. Free.

Exhibition – The Green Room

MONKEYBAR

Sydney Blues & Roots Festival

M16 ARTSPACE

Tickets: sydneybluesfestival.com.au

saturday october 27 Art

Urban Playground Presents. 10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

12-5pm.

Sydney Blues & Roots Festival

sydneybluesfestival.com.au

Stuart King Trio

Exhibition – Five Exhibitions

WINDSOR, NSW

On The Town

CASINO CANBERRA

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Newfangled

With Bobby Rush, Fake N Switch, Cannon, Halfcast, Charlie. $10. THE CLUBHOUSE

Live music.

Night Potion/Awesome Source 5pm/10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Stone Day

Four stages, one day and too many acts to mention. Tickets $25/$40 through Oztix. See uclive.com.au! UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA

Sydney Blues & Roots Festival Live music over 4 days. Ian Moss, Lanie Lane – over 70 acts! Tickets: sydneybluesfestival.com.au WINDSOR, NSW

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

Mumford & Sons

Australian Stopover tour with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Willy Mason. Sold out! ROYAL THEATRE

Havana Nights

Canberra’s hottest Latin night. With DJ Trent Richardson & DJ Spink. 9pm. MONKEYBAR

Moment of Truth

From 7pm-9pm, followed by resident DJ Craig with dancefloor classics/hits. P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

Exhibition – Once More, With Love 11am-5pm (Sat 12-4pm). BILK GALLERY

---Section abridged----Full listings @ bmamag.com-Dance Room To Move – Inclusive Community Dance

Dance sessions for people with and without disability, focusing on improvised movement. 2:30-4:30pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Old Skool Saturdays

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

Something Different Circus for Life: Fourplay

By Pants Down Circus. $25/$20. 4pm & 9pm. THE STREET THEATRE

WORDLAB

Part of Art, Not Apart. For a gold coin, tell our writers what to write + where to send it. All day!

Sangria Sundaze

$15 sangria jugs, $5 coronas 4-6pm. Food specials 3pm-late. Tunes from DJs Runamark & Mitch. THE LIGHT HOUSE PUB

Talks Meet the Artist – Michael Ashley

Ashley talks about the making of his ‘Coffee inspired images’ in A Touch Naïve. 1pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Theatre

Film

NEWACTON PRECINCT

To Kill A Mockingbird

Art, Not Apart Festival

Pause & Play at the NFSA

NewActon comes alive! Books, music, art, records, handmade, recycled, art, everything! 1-7pm. Free.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Celebrate UNESCO World Day for Audiovisual Heritage w. activities & Storm Boy (G). From 1:30pm.

NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVES

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011, MA15+)

Parts 4-6. 4pm. See nfsa.gov.au/nfsa for tickets/details. ARC CINEMA

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011, MA15+) Parts 7-9. 7:30pm. ARC CINEMA

On The Town

WINDSOR, NSW

NEWACTON PRECINCT

Canberra Nara Candle Festival

2,000 candles, martial arts, origami, lantern making, ikebana and Japanese cuisine. 5pm-9pm. Free. LENNOX GARDENS DISTRICT PARK

$28-35. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

monday october 29 Live Music Playwright & Pocket Fox

8pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

Circus for Life: De Barri’s Bizarre

The Bootleg Sessions

THE STREET THEATRE

THE PHOENIX BAR

By Warehouse Circus. $18/$15. 2pm & 7pm.

CIT presents Kiss For Kash, Poeticians, Myronlzlnfektious, Citizen Kay feat Medskii. 8pm. Free.

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE October 30 - November 2 Biscuits

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

On The Town Mojito Monday

Live Music

Comedy

Special K

Samuel Cole

Hot Five Comedy Competition

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

With Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens. 7pm. $5.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Trivia

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

The Phoenix Quiz

2-4-1 Steak and Schnitzel Night

PJ’s Trivia Tuesday

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Exactly what it says.

April’s Caravan presents Joel and Ali’s Nerd Trivia! 7:30pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

THE DURHAM

1st place cash prize with Bar and Kitchen vouchers to be won! 7pm.

Trivia

Trivia Tuesday

King O’s Trivia

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

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

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

Fame Trivia From 7:30pm.

tuesday october 30 Art

THE DURHAM

wednesday october 31

Exhibition – Five Exhibitions

Art

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Crossing The Rubicon

11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

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12-5pm.

ANCA GALLERY

Dance

Exhibition – au.to/graph

No Lights No Lycra

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

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

Karaoke Karaoke Love 9pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

11am-5pm. Free.

Exhibition - Wednesdays at the Wall

Lyn Norton & Tess Norton: That’s What She Said. Photo media & installations. HONKYTONKS

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Tickets at comedyact.com.au. 7pm. CHARLIE BLACK

Film Horror Movie Night 8pm.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Space Party

With Dahrnoir. 9pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

Oceanics

With Rockets and Salvador. 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Faux Real 9pm.

Karaoke

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Karaoke

From 10pm.

An indie rock tapestry that may just surprise you. 7:30pm. $15.

THE DURHAM

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Live Music

On The Town

Sing For Your Supper

Thursday Ladies Night

Jen Cloher

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

Free champagne for ladies til 11pm

Kasey Chamber & Shane Nicholson

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

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

Wreck & Ruin tour. 8pm. $61.50 + bf. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

On The Town Frocktails

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

4Some Thursday

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Theatre To Kill A Mockingbird

$28-35. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

A Frocktober & Cocktails Celebration supporting the Ovarian Cancer Research fund. 7pm.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Latino Wednesdays

Art

MONKEYBAR

Exhibition – A Touch Naïve

friday november 2

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

$8 cocktails. 9pm. Free.

Trivia

10am-5pm.

Transit Trivia

Exhibition – au.to/graph

TRANSIT BAR

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

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

thursday november 1 Art Exhibition – au.to/graph 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition - Domestic renewal: a table re:set

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

11am-5pm. Free.

---Section abridged----Full listings @ bmamag.com-Live Music David Ross Macdonald

A guitar aficionado and tunesmith. 8pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Henry 5pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

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

Jemist

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Karaoke Karaoke Night!

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

‘Tuggies Idol’ Karaoke Competition

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

9pm.

Sondrio 9pm.

HIPPO BAR

Funkin’ Gonutz

Buick and his hand-selected DJ crew. 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Habstrakt (France)

Subsquad Presents. 10pm. THE CLUBHOUSE

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

Los Chavos’s Day of the Dead (Part One)

Live Music

Pre-launch all ages show. $15/$10/$8. 8pm.

THE WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB

Ray Beadle

Sampology

With Jill Barber. 6:30pm doors, 9pm main act. $25/$65 w. dinner through theabbey.com.au.

Around The Globe tour. Doors 8pm. $15 before 10pm.

The Beards

Film premiere w. Paul Kelly & director Ian Darling. 7:30pm. $42.49 + bf @ paulkellythemovie.com.au.

THE ABBEY

End Of The World tour (for beardless people). With many guests! 8pm. $24.15 + bf thru Ticketek. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Thursdays At The Bar Beers and bands. Free.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

9pm.

TRINITY BAR

Paul Kelly: Stories Of Me

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Havana Nights

Canberra’s hottest Latin night. With DJ Trent Richardson & DJ Spink. 9pm. MONKEYBAR

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE November 2 - November 7 Moment of Truth

From 7pm-9pm, followed by resident DJ Craig with dancefloor classics/hits. P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

Suzie Stapleton (Melb) 9:30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Digress Dual Friday

Tex Perkins and the Dark Horses

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

THE STREET THEATRE

Funk/live 6-8pm (Happy Hr 5-7pm).

‘90s Rhythm Is A Dance Party

With SNAP! (‘Rhythm is a Dancer’, ‘The Power’). 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

On The Town Friday Freedom

Because it’s 5pm. Your happy place. Free BBQ from 6pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Something Different Circus for Life: Cabaret in the Sky

Love Saturdays

To Kill A Mockingbird

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

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

“Batman Follies” of 1929

If Batman was real in 1929 and he put on a vaudeville show in the world of the Dark Knight. 7pm. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

saturday november 3 Art Exhibition – Convergent Worlds

12pm-5pm.

ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY

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Biscuits

Old Skool Saturdays

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

Featuring 60 Acts in 60 Minutes. Entry by gold coin donation. 6pm. CHIFLEY HEALTH & WELL-BEING HUB

Big Record, CD & Book Sale

Over 50,000 records, CDs and books for sale. Bargains and collectibles for all. 9am-5pm. Free entry. THE TRADIES (DICKSON)

Australian Poetry Slam

ACT Final. 7:30pm. See australianpoetryslam.com for more. NEWACTON COURTYARD

Theatre To Kill A Mockingbird

Free Rain Theatre presents one of the most powerful stories ever told. $2835. Tix: (02) 6275 2700. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

sunday november 4

Declan Kelly & The Rising Sun THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

As Famous as the Moon Live music.

CASINO CANBERRA

DJs Karma/Jswiss/ Hypnotic/MC Tee

Urban Playground Presents. 10pm. MONKEYBAR

Jemist 9pm.

HIPPO BAR

Chavos Sound System

Los Chavos album launch after party. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

music, coffee

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

Live Music Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish music. 5pm. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Mechanical Pterodactyl

With Hashemoto, Munro Melano. 8pm. $5. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Sunday Best: Key Grip Ultralite

A restrained frenzy of blues, old school R&B and funk. Tapas from 5pm, happy hour from 6pm. Free. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

On The Town Sangria Sundaze

Princi

$15 sangria jugs, $5 coronas 4-6pm. Food specials 3pm-late. Tunes from DJs Runamark & Mitch.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Sangria Sundaze

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

9pm.

THE LIGHT HOUSE PUB

Gay Paris

$15 sangria jugs, $5 coronas 4-6pm. Food specials 3pm-late. Tunes from DJs Runamark & Mitch.

Holly Bones tour. With Teen Skanks Parade and more. 8pm. Presale $12 + bf thru Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Blaztrip & Surecut Kids

PJ’s Trivia Tuesday 7pm.

P J O’REILLY’S (TUGGERANONG)

THE LIGHT HOUSE PUB

Woden Alive: The Great Debate

The Phoenix Quiz

monday november 5

On The Town

Live Music Based in reggae and Pacific harmony. 8pm. $10.

Trivia

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Live Music

Theatre

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

THE STREET THEATRE

$28-35. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT

Circus for Life: The Juggling Ball

$28-35. Tix: (02) 6275 2700.

8pm. Tix @ thestreet.org.au.

Goji Berry Jam

Something Different

To Kill A Mockingbird

Bare Witness

THE TRADIES (DICKSON)

Theatre

With Runamark. 9pm.

Theatre

Over 50,000 records, CDs and books for sale. 9am-5pm. Free entry.

8pm. Tickets through thestreet.org.au.

By Warehouse Circus. $12/$7. 7:30pm. CHIFLEY HEALTH & WELL-BEING HUB

Big Record, CD & Book Sale

7:30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Trivia Tuesday

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

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

The Bootleg Sessions

Fame Trivia

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

TRANSIT BAR

CMC presents The Gordons, Jake and Ange, The New Gods of Thunder, Buck et al. 8pm.

From 7:30pm.

On The Town

Karaoke

THE DURHAM

THE PHOENIX BAR

wednesday november 7

Mojito Monday

Karaoke

$10 Mojito’s, $7 Nojitos. $7 entry w. free drink.

From 10pm.

2-4-1 Steak and Schnitzel Night

Live Music

THE DURHAM

Sing For Your Supper

THE DURHAM

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Exactly what it says.

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

Something Different

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

Circus for Life: A Night at the Circus

Cleveland Blues

Dirty rockin’ swamp blues. 8pm. $5.

Woden Alive Presents. 7pm. Free.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

CHIFLEY HEALTH & WELL-BEING HUB

Mojo Juju (Melb)

With The King Hits. 9pm.

Trivia

THE PHOENIX BAR

King O’s Trivia

On The Town

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

Latino Wednesdays

$8 cocktails. 9pm. Free. MONKEYBAR

tuesday november 6 Dance

Something Different

No Lights No Lycra

Woden Alive: Mental Health Out Loud

7:30pm-9pm. $5.

7pm.

CORROBOREE PARK HALL

BEYOND Q

Karaoke

Theatre

Karaoke Love

Bare Witness

9pm. Free.

8pm. Tix @ thestreet.org.au.

TRANSIT BAR

THE STREET THEATRE

Live Music Melbourne Cup @ Trinity

Trivia

With Coldroom, Offtapia, Strangeway DJs, Celebrity Sex Tape and more. 4pm. TRINITY BAR

OUT

NOV 7

Transit Trivia

Bookings essential! 7:30pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

2manydjs fuck buttons corinbank [take 2] E.L.K.

Supported by November Charlie & Nick Riviera + more TBA. 10pm. $15.

7pm.

Los Chavos’s Day of the Dead (Part Two)

Something Different

jeff martin

Circus for Life: The Circus Olympics

...and more!

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

$5 per participant.10am-4pm.

THE CLUBHOUSE

Album launch w. Brass Knuckle Brass Band, Chirimeros + more. 8pm.

THE TRADIES (WODEN)

CHIFLEY HEALTH & WELL-BEING HUB

FIRST CONTACT

SIDE A: BMA band profile

Jenny Spear

Where did your band name come from? At the moment we don’t have a name but we’re trying to think of one... Not easy! Group members? Jenny (vocals and guitars), Chris Holly (bass) and Ian Johnson (drums) are the core members, but we also utilise the talents of some very awesome musos, including Bruce Callaway (ex-Saints, New Christs), Sandy Pollard and Chris Johnson. Describe your sound: That’s a tough one – we like so many things and cut across genres like no one’s business! We like to keep it tight, melodic and interesting. There’s a mix of steel and electric guitars and lots of cool harmonies. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Heaps and too many to mention here. Really broad, but I would have to mention You Am I, Jeff Lang, Nick Cave and, dare I say it, Led Zep. Oh yeah, and I love flamenco. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? Playing a variety show in between a contortionist and the Doug Anthony All Stars. Of what are you proudest so far? My new album, Black is a Colour (available on iTunes and from my website). What are your plans for the future? Heaps! I want to keep recording music and playing it out loud. What makes you laugh? Noel Fielding & Co. (Mighty Boosh). What pisses you off? Bigots. What about the local scene would you change? The segregation of the scene – it’s very easy to get labelled as indie, non-indie, mainstream, etc. Not helpful, particularly when you’re an artist who likes to go genre-surfing as an extreme sport. What are your upcoming gigs? Fri Nov 2, Jerrabomberra Hotel; Thu Nov 18, Beyond Q Bookstore, Curtin; Sat Dec1, Bungers and Mosh Music Festival @ Bungendore Memorial Hotel with my brand new band The Rip. Contact info: jennyspearmusic.com or spearjenny@aol.com

Aaron Peacey 0410 381 306 Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@hotmail.com Adam Hole 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@hotmail.com Annie & the Armadillos Annie 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/ songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 Capital Dub Style - Reggae/Dub Events + DJs facebook.com/CapitalDubStyle Rafa 0406 647 296 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 982 662 /colebennetts.com Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402 845 132 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208 DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835 or moises_lopez@hotmail DNA Vic 0408 477 020 Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com Entity Chris 0412 027 894 Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Lachlan 0400 038 388 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com Groovalicious Corporate/Weddings/ Private functions 0448 995 158 groovalicious@y7mail.com Guy The Sound Guy live & studio sound engineer, 0400 585 369, guy@guythesoundguy.com HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594 Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375, hancockbasement@hotmail.com Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096 Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703

Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650 Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884 Jacqui Seczawa 0428 428 722 JDY Clothing 0405 648 288/ www.jdyclothing.com Jenn Pacor singer/songwriter avail. for originals & covers, 0405 618 630 Jim Boots 0417 211 580 Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408 287 672, paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/ dj@karismakatz.com Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417 025 792 Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075 Los Chavos Latin-Ska-Reggae facebook.com/loschavosmusic Rafa 0406 647 296 Andy 0401 572 150 Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462, contactus@manillagreen.com, Mario Brujo Gordon world/latin/ reggae/percussionist and DJ. 0405 820 895 Martin Bailey Audio Engineer 0423 566 093 Words for You: writer/publicity/events Megan ph 6154 0927, Mercury Switch Lab Studios mercuryswitch@internode.on.net Missing Zero Hadrian Brand 0424 721 907 hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots aspwinch@grapevine.com.au Huck 0419 630 721 MuShu Jack 0414 292 567, mushu_band@hotmail.com MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/ www.myspace.com/myonus No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680 Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580 OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448 Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027 Phathom Chris 0422 888 700 The Pigs The Colonel 0422 412 752 Polka Pigs Ian 6231 5974 Premier Audio Simon 0412 331 876, premier_audio@hotmail.com Rafe Morris 0416 322 763 Redletter Ben 0421 414 472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527 Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680 Rob Mac Project, The Melinda 0400 405 537 Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041 Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776 Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350 Simone Penkethman (Simone & The Soothsayers, Singing Teacher) 6230 4828 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401 588 884 Solid Gold Peter 0421 131 887/ solid.gold@live.com.au STonKA Jamie 0422 764 482/ stonka2615@gmail.com Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748 Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853 Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479 System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556 The Morning After (covers band) Anthony 0402 500 843/ myspace.com/themorningaftercovers Tiger Bones & The Ferabul-Zers Danny feralbul@aapt.net.au Tim James Lucia 6282 3740, LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514 Transmission Nowhere Emilie 0421 953 519/myspace.com/ transmissionnowhere Udo 0412 086 158 Undersided, The Baz 0408 468 041 Using Three Words Dan 0416 123 020, usingthreewords@hotmail.com Voodoo Doll Mark 0428 650 549 William Blakely Will 0414 910 014 Zero Degrees and Falling Louis 0423 918 793 Zwish 0411 022 907