BMA Mag 385 Dec 7 2011 by BMA Magazine

www.bmamag.com

CANBERRA’S NO.1 FREE ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

# 385#325MAY21 DEC07

the year in review

2011 INSIDE: >>The year’s best music, film and TV >>Summer Rhythm Festival Guide >>There’s enough to harden Iggy’s nips

ANDREW MAYO, ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER EXTRAORDINAIRE

And a-one And a-four And a ch

# 3 8 5 D E C 0 7 Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko T: 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Advertising Manager Paul Foley T: 6257 4360 E: sales@bmamag.com

Editor Julia Winterflood T: 02 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Yu Xie T: 02 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Super Sub-Editor Josh Brown Graphic Design Cole Bennetts Exhibitionist Editor Julia Winterflood E: editorial@bmamag.com Film Editor Melissa Wellham NEXT ISSUE 386 OUT JAN 18 EDITORIAL DEADLINE JAN 09 ADVERTISING DEADLINE JAN 12 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.

Long time BMA Mag family member Andrew Mayo snapped our cover shot of Iggy at the Sydney Big Day Out on Australia Day this year. Says Mayo, “It was close to 40 degrees and I was on the verge of vomiting from heatstroke… And there’s Iggy, at the ripe old age of 63, showing the young ‘uns how it’s done.” Mayo, we salute you. Thanks a million mate.

Incubus at Royal Theatre Multi-platinum alt/funk rockers Incubus are heading our way in Feb in support of their seventh album If Not Now, When?. They’ll be playing the Royal Theatre on Saturday Feb 4. It’ll be a greatest hits affair with the likes of Drive, Pardon Me, and Wish You Were Here as well as songs from their latest offering. Frontman Brandon Boyd describes it as “darker, slower, more rich, more refined, and more involved than anything Incubus has birthed to date.” Tix go on sale at 9am on Thurs Dec 8 through Ticketek.

Cavalera Conspiracy at ANU Bar Performing for the first time in Oz, Cavalera Conspiracy are peeling off a Canberra sideshow from their Big Day Out tour. Cavalera Conspiracy was created by Max and Iggor, the brothers who formed the legendarily trailblazing heavy metal band Sepultura. Across six albums they perfected the art of metal while exploring the underbelly of third world political issues culminating with the landmark Roots album in ‘96. Max left Sepultura and formed Soulfly in the late ‘90s, with seven albums under the studded belt. Iggor stayed in Sepultura for a few more albums before splitting himself in ‘06. Less than two years later the metal world was turned upside down by the debut album from Cavalera Conspiracy. You can see Max and Iggor Cavalera unleash Cavalera Conspiracy

The Beautiful Girls down the coast At the precise moment it’s no longer possible to walk across the bitumen barefoot, a ripple effect happens – mangoes fill the esky, seat belts start to scald and The Beautiful Girls hit the highwayto bring their summer glow to the South Coast. Join them for a chilli mojito at Narooma Golf Club on Wednesday December 28.

National SLAM Day On February 23 last year, the SLAM rally saw 20,000 people march through Melbourne in protest against the Victorian Government’s misguided policy link between live music and violence. The SLAM rally was the largest cultural protest in Australia’s history. Now all of Australia has the opportunity to participate in a national event that celebrates our local musicians in our small venues. Music communities around Australia are now invited to unite in support of our thriving live culture by hosting their own National SLAM Day on Thursday February 23. Support your local artists and venues by getting out and experiencing the spontaneous excitement and intimacy you can only get at a small venue. For all the info head to slamrally.org .

MusicACT accepting members from Jan 1 MusicACT is a new peak body providing a voice for Canberra’s music industry. Its current activities include standing up

for small venues on the issue of liquor licensing, pushing for the inclusion of a music presence at the proposed Kingston Arts Precinct, professional development workshops in 2012 covering music production, touring, management and promotion, and delivering a comprehensive ACT venue directory. They’re accepting members from Jan 1 so head to musicact.com.au to get involvedand stay tuned to these pages for regular updates.

Cell Block 69 annual Chrimbo show Cell Block 69 are back! Unbelievably, the band are reforming for the tenth year in a row to perform at ANU Bar on Friday December 23. Once a year Cell Block 69 return for a night of glorious pop rock complete with back-lit Venetian blinds, coloured-smoke machines, sax solos, stadium rock poses and audience members falling to their knees with fists clenched tight in the international rock language for “feelin-it”. Cell Block’s patented Last Ever Show will see the ANU transform into a Rock Stadium, as the band guide the audience through a cornucopia of hits that were ‘tragically stolen’ from them by other, more celebrated, artists. The band, whose stunning ‘80s musicianship is matched only by their wardrobes, will perform their new wave masterpieces, ‘90s mega-mixes and trash rock anthems. This will be a truly unmissable night of retro pop. Cell Block 69 will be joined by legendary Viking rock maestros Knight Hammer. Tix through Ticketek.

Cell Block 69

in Canberra at the ANU Bar on Friday Jan 27. Tix through Ticketek.

This summer is all about

King O’ Malley

Free live music, we’re your local pub DECEMBER • Thurs 8 Dec, Chicago Charles • Fri 9 Dec, Matt Dent (10pm) • Sat 10 Dec, Oscar • Sun 11 Dec, Irish Jam Session • Thurs 15 Dec, Special K • Fri 16 Dec, Top Shelf (10pm) • Sat 17 Dec, TBA • Sun 18 Dec, Irish Jam Session • Thurs 22 Dec, Chicago Charles • Fri 23 Dec, Killing The Sound (10pm) • Sat 24 Dec, Oscar • Sun 25 Dec, Irish Jam Session • Thurs 29 Dec, Dos Locos • Fri 30 Dec, Special K (10pm) • Sat 31 Dec, Oscar JANUARY • Thurs 5 Jan, Chicago Charles • Fri 6 Jan, Heuristic (10pm) • Sat 7 Jan, Oscar • Thurs 12 Jan, Chess Club • Fri 13 Jan, Killing The Sound (10pm) • Sat 14 Jan, Surrogate • Thurs 19 Jan, Chicago Charles • Fri 20 Jan, Killing The Sound (10pm) • Sat 21 Jan, Oscar • Thurs 26 Jan, Dos Locos • Fri 27 Jan, Spruce Moose (10pm) Regular Irish Jam Sessions also on every Tuesday and Sunday. See the exhibition about King O’ Malley himself, Corner London Circuit & Civic Square Canberra, (02) 6207 3968.

King O Malley’s Pub is located at 31 City Walk, Canberra City, (02) 6257 0111. www.kingomalleys.com.au

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Has someone yanked yer chain recently? Well send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and have your sweet vengeance. And for the love of God, keep it brief! [All entries contain original spellings] You Know Youre Too Old When Its Not Loud Enough Last night I went and viewed the Rolling Stones movie Some Girls at Bleconnen Hoyts (thanks BMA for the tix!) The movie was great and it really documented the band in fine form but bloody hell the music was too soft. I could hear the cinema next door clearly through the wall as the band was banging out. I know a fella two rows in front asked for it to be turned up but nothing happened. If I go to a concert movie I wanna feel like Im at the concert and not be reminded Im watching a movie each time someone farts. If its too loud I will put my earplugs in. Turn it up fellas cause the Stones crankin out classic tunes deserves to be experienced with a bit of level. PLaying the sound at minimum volume might be good for a faggot Justin Beiber movie but it just pissed me off!

FROM THE BOSSMAN And so ends another year and what a tumultuous one it has been, to the extent that those crazy people holding up crudely scrawled signs declaring ‘The end is nigh!’ look slightly less crazy. The earth has been torn asunder by a variety of natural disasters that makes the Mayans’ 2012 prediction of total annihilation look pretty spot on; festivals have been battered and bruised; Charlie Sheen became a thing.* But plenty of good things happened too, and that’s what this edition is all about – a gleeful celebration of the best things 2011 had to offer. I bang on elsewhere in this wrist-splintering bumper dynamite end of year boy howdy wrap up edition about the year in TV, my favourite albums… All that good stuff. But I would like to take the opportunity to use my last column of 2011 to dedicate an article to my little daughter Isla Sophia Sko who will be turning one year old on December 14. But rather than bore you with the daily minutiae of Sko family life dear readers – you who have been so patient with my antics over the year, what with the reports on porn and farting and all general other mature things – instead allow me to dedicate this article to Isla and all you hard-working parents out there (full article online). Stay safe, stay awesome, and see you in 2012 you sexy thangs. 5 Surprising Ways in Which Babies/Children Can Help You 1) You Always Have an Excuse To Leave A Bad Event Early So you’ve had a child. Congratulations! Yes, you have bags under your eyes that say ‘International Luggage’ and you perpetually have a bit of congealed sick on your shoulder, but you made it. Eventually you get to leave your cave after many long months of intensive child-rearing, to delicately re-enter the brave new world of socialising and celebrate the fact you haven’t yet killed your child. Wide-eyed, blinking, looking distinctly like Tom Hanks during his more desperate moments in Cast Away, you get to reconnect with friends that had considered you dead long ago. Much like before you “went away” there are still plenty of events out there you would rather not touch with a ten-foot nappychanging pole. But whereas before you might have been obliged to attend Uncle Rodney’s Late-In-Life-Conversion Live Brisk, now thanks to your little ’un you have the divine advantage of not only picking and choosing the events you go to, but determining exactly when you want to leave the ones you do attend. If you pop your head into an event and discover that not only is there only five people there (four of which you hate) but a disturbing lack of booze to boot, rather than indulge in an awkward hours long conversational dance whilst surreptitiously sneaking glances at your watch and willing, pleading, the time to go faster, instead you can happily declare you must leave, for you have a child. This can be done extremely early in proceedings, even five scant minutes after you’ve arrived. The best part is not only will people refuse to challenge you for fear of retribution, they will actually thank you for taking the time to turn up to their 30th and fill your mouth with as many free snacks as possible before disappearing out of the door with a sextet of their ale. It may seem a git-ish to do, but with the amount of poo you already deal with at home, you now no longer have to deal with someone else’s shit. Full article on bmamag.com. Much love, and see you next year. ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

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WHO: Rapskallion and Mr Fibby WHAT: A night of true mayhem WHEN: Thurs Dec 8, 8pm, $10 WHERE: The Front

Rapskallion will be launching their new EP The Cat and Fiddle in a blaze of sweat, colour, feathers and accordion powered riffage. The EP is a collection of musical vignettes from a realm inhabited by back alley gangster felines, femme fatales, and silver moon maidens, with a soundtrack somewhere between a Chicago speakeasy, a Hungarian hoedown, and a Halloween party at a South Seas pirate haven. Joining them will be Mr Fibby, who on the Dec 10 will be having their fourth listening party at Smiths for their radio play Mr Fibby’s Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time, which you can also hear on 2XX at 9pm or stream on mrfibby.com .

WHO: FOX & FOWL, LAVERS, FUN MACHINE WHAT: FasterLouder Christmas Party WHEN: Sat Dec 10 WHERE: The Front

To celebrate another great year in local music, FasterLouder Canberra is throwing a Christmas bash complete with the finest in local talent and copious quantities of tinsel. On December 10, head down to The Front, grab yourself a cider and jive to the sounds of Lavers, Fox & Fowl and Fun Machine, and help FasterLouder toast a year of fantastic talent and amazing gigs. Leave your inner Grinch at home as it’s time to deck the halls and get all kinds of merry. Tacky Christmas earrings are optional, but encouraged. Bands kick off at 7.30pm. Free.

WHO: Aeroplane WHAT: Touring in support of In-Flight Entertainment WHEN: Sat Dec 10 WHERE: Trinity Bar

For the last two years Aeroplane has been carefully selecting the best electronic music released every month to turn it into the Aeroplane Chart Mixes. These mixes have gained a lot of attention on the Aeroplane Soundcloud, with each mix getting between 30,000 and 45,000 plays and quickly becoming blogosphere favourites. The next step was to make it ‘official’. It became a stupidly popular radio show called In-Flight Entertainment, and then a mix CD of the same name. With this history, an Aeroplane compilation couldn’t be anything simple, it needed to be special; experience just how special when he plays Trinity in support of it.

WHO: Fred Smith Band WHAT: Fred Smith’s Orphan’s Christmas WHEN: Sat Dec 24 WHERE: The Phoenix

It’s been a massive year for Fred Smith with rave reviews in the national papers for his album Dust Of Uruzgan, a collection of songs inspired by his 18 month tour of Afghanistan as an Australian Diplomat. After a lengthy tour of Oz, Smith returns for his annual Christmas Eve gig at The Phoenix with the old gang of Pete and Fiete and Gregor Murray (The Fuelers). It’s always a big night as locals and ex-pats catch up and prepare for the days ahead with a little night cap and three sets of rock and roll all for the cost of naught. From 9pm.

WHO: Party By Jake WHAT: A Very Shady Xmas Eve WHEN: Sat Dec 24 WHERE: Transit Bar

The silly season is upon us, and according to Party By Jake, a bender on Christmas Eve is about as silly as it gets. PBJ invites you to throw on some rubbish shades and come on down for a good ol’ romp at Transit Bar. A sack-full of party tunes will be supplied by Party By Jake’s lil helpers: Eddie Shaggz, Chairman Wow, Princi, Chachachar and Celebrity Sex Tape. Throw in a few Christmas surprises and A Very Shady Xmas Eve (sunglasses at night theme) will be the best preparation for your Steve Buscemi eyes come Christmas morning. Free.

WHO: The Architect DJs WHAT: NYE at Transit WHEN: Sat Dec 31 WHERE: Transit Bar

Architect DJs and friends have your New Year’s Eve covered. 2011 saw a massive year at Transit where indie was king, and The Architect DJs are having one last blow out to finish off the year in style. Join them for a night of straight up party jams with a focus on all the music that made 2011 great. The night will feature all your favourite Transit party starters and of course The Architect DJs who have had a massive 2011 on the back of a number of residencies at Transit. In their own words, “get ready for some midnight pashing and dancefloor thrashing.” Free.

Count down the year to the beat of ridiculously talented DJs. Local stars VJ Insan3 and DJ Rush will get the party started at 9pm, before DJ Rawson dominates the dancefloor with his creativity and skills behind the decks. See in 2012 with dance legend Chris Fraser, spinning the biggest dance hits of the year. From 7pm Civic Square will be the place for families and music lovers of all ages to enjoy performances by Ian Moss and Canberra bands The Bridge Between and Heuristic. There’ll be fireworks at 9pm and midnight, with the midnight fireworks set to a soundtrack bringing in the New Year. Both events are free.

WHO: Band, DJs, fireworks WHAT: Bass in the Place WHEN: Sat Dec 31 WHERE: Garema Place

It’s hard to believe it but The Woohoo Revue, the fiendishly talented sextet who always create an adrenalin-fuelled celebration fit for dancing, drinking, and ignoring tomorrow, have not played Canberra this year. In previous years you could have been forgiven for thinking they’re a local band considering the number of times they’ve played here. No, 2011 will not see a notoriously rambunctious Woohoo gig, but 2012 will. Two days before this gig they will have finished recording their second album and will be celebrating their trumpeter’s birthday, so you can be assured of one hell of a party. $10 at the door.

WHO: The Woohoo Review WHAT: Furious gypsy music, with Fun Machine in support WHEN: Thurs Jan 12 WHERE: Transit Bar

The Red Paintings are a progressive rock/theatrical performance group who incorporate costumes, live art, visual projections and human canvases. The bands’ sound and live show is described by fans and press as orchestral art rock. At each show, artists and audience members are encouraged to join the band on stage to express through painting their individual visions and connection with the music. In addition to painting on traditional canvases, the artists also paint on human canvases. Each Red Paintings stage show is a unique collaboration between the audience, art and the band. Tix through Moshtix.

WHO: The Red Paintings WHAT: Prog/theatrical rock WHEN: Thurs Jan 12 WHERE: Tuggeranong Alliance Youth Centre

“Maniacal”. “Brilliant”. “Belligerent”. “Legendary” – these are some of the words used to describe the utterly intoxicating Juke Baritone and his rascally troupe of noisemakers, who assault audiences with tall tales of bad love, good times and the evils of the world. They’ve played The Famous Spiegeltent, they’ve played The Sydney Opera House, they’ve played Woodford, Harvest and Corinbank, and now they’re set to play The Front. Horns will scream. Guitars will screech. The audience will go wild as they dance and chant along to this uniquely Australian sounding “psycholonial stomp”. Supported by Cat Dog Monkey. 8pm, $10.

WHO: Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs WHAT: Psycholonial stomp WHEN: Sat Jan 14 WHERE: The Front

Beth n Ben have been getting a bunch of love off the back of the first single Back of the Line from their recently released sophomore EP Economy Class. It’s been picked up by radio and attracted the attention of festival directors and venue bookers. Having only ever toured as a duo, Beth n Ben are looking forward to taking the band on the road for a series of festival slots and gigs including Summer Rhythm Festival, Peats Ridge, venue gigs around Northern NSW and South East Queensland in Jan and the brand new Northern Beaches Festival in Sydney in February. For all the dates head to myspace.com/bethnben .

WHO: Beth n Ben WHAT: Summer of Balmy Bandy Festival Fun and Tour Times WHEN: Various dates WHERE: Various locations

Relax and enjoy Summer Sounds in the Gardens, Canberra’s popular outdoor summer concert series running every Saturday and Sunday from 5.30pm – 7.30pm throughout Jan. Bring your family and friends, a picnic and enjoy a sensational line-up of live music in the beautiful surrounds of the Eucalypt Lawn. A new feature for 2012 will be the vibrant dance demonstrations, featuring everything from salsa to swing. Bar sales will be provided by Friends of the Gardens and sizzling BBQs by Rotary and Lions Clubs. Entry is by donation to Friends of the Gardens. For the full line-up head to anbg.gov.au/gardens .

WHO: Summer music lovers WHAT: Summer Sounds in the Gardens WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays throughout January WHERE: Botanic Gardens

ashley thomson “Before it was just a low-key thing in a little pub with friends… I’m so grateful that people keep coming to see it. I just want it to be good, to keep people coming back.” It was towards the end of our interview that DARREN HANLON showed his nerves. He was talking about his upcoming Christmas tour, now a popular annual tradition. He laughs. “It’s become a monster.” Before our interview I knew a little about Hanlon but not enough. I knew he was short, for instance, and that he wrote indie ditties that toed the line between cogent and cute. My first stop for research was PirateBay, a dead end. If they had ever been alive, torrents of Hanlon’s music weren’t anymore. I went to his website. It says he’s a country boy from Gympie, Queensland. He’s worked a decade as a musician and toured with Billy Bragg and The Magnetic Fields. He’s hung out with Eli Wallach, the actor best known as the Ugly in Sergio Leone’s masterpiece, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. And he writes his own biographies. “Hi,” it says. “Well who else is gonna do it?” Finally, I read Hanlon’s press release. It proudly declares him homeless.

It’s such an abstract lifestyle, this writing about your life and passing through other people’s

“It’s the necessity of a touring musician,” explains Hanlon. “I did have a house I was paying rent on in Sydney but… I put an ad in the paper to get a sub-letter. I got this British guy… I came back to get something one day and he had five other Brits living in my room on mattresses, so I gave up on that idea.” Years ago, I had seen Hanlon play the first Corinbank Festival. There had been technical difficulties and he had played unplugged on the lawns in front of the stage, handing out tambourines to hippies adjacent. He had made a good impression and he was doing it again. I was glad. With a YouTube playlist of Hanlon’s music in the background, I had been picking away at his website the previous day when I stumbled on his blog/travel diary, Friends & Fables. I damned selective research and read it end to end. It’s completely engrossing. I asked him why he writes it so diligently. “It’s an antidote to songwriting,” he explains. “I can’t write songs all the time because I need to live life… Songs, I don’t really understand – it’s still a mystery where they come from. It’s such a joy when you finish one. They take a lot more staring at the wall, a lot more pain.”

In 2010, Hanlon released what most agree is his finest album, I Will Love You At All. Though he has no career arc in mind (“if the songs keep coming and the albums keep coming and the people keep coming, I’ll keep doing it, I guess”), Hanlon does plan to spend next year alone, a writing/recording year. This could make the upcoming Christmas shows the last chance to see him for a while. It’s understandable that Hanlon would want a break. His touring is built on hitchhiking, long car rides, tequila and old friends. His blog captures it in photos that have the beautiful tinge of the SLR. “I have bad luck with cameras,” Hanlon reveals. “Three years ago now I toured through Norway and Europe, but I’d had my camera serviced before we went away and they’d put in one of the mirrors back to front so everything was just one stop out of focus. I had all these photos of touring with Daniel Johnston, I had photos of Sufjan Stevens in Norway, these great lakes, portraits I’d taken of people, and they were all ruined. It broke my heart... but if I get one classic photo out of a roll I feel like it’s worth it.” I’d never heard that he toured with Johnston (see film: The Devil and Daniel Johnston). “It was hell,” he summarises. “I was invited to play in this [supergroup] and the bass player from Yo La Tengo... I got there to play and he said I wasn’t famous enough to be onstage with him.” There is no bitterness in Hanlon’s voice, either, just a coy curiosity. And for every trial there is an occasion that Hanlon warms to remember. “It still feels like it was all made up,” he says of meeting the legendary Eli Wallach. “Every time I go to New York I call him. Last time he pulled out his scripts, like his script for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I got to see these scripts with Sergio Leone’s margin notes. Tennessee Williams had written in some of them.” My jealous wonderment was causing me pain. Hanlon threw me a bone. “He thinks I’m a lot more famous than I am. Every time we’re out somewhere and we talk to someone he always says,” Hanlon affects a hoarse whisper, “‘He plays to thousands of people!’” Lacking my own, I asked Hanlon to choose a term that best describes him now that he sports a decade of work. “I don’t know... It’s such an abstract lifestyle, this writing about your life and passing through other people’s. I mean, everyone’s life’s weird but this is a really weird one.” I laughed. Hanlon was encouraged. “I mean, when you think about it, life’s weird, isn’t it?” I couldn’t disagree, and suddenly felt lucky that life had been weird enough to give me 20 minutes on the phone with him. BMA Magazine Presents Darren Hanlon at The Street Theatre on Wednesday December 14 with support from David Dondero (USA). Tickets are, as per ushe for a Darren gig in Canberra, sold out.

chosen line-up of bands to set the mood, including Drapht, The Screaming Jets, Children Collide, Nat Col & the Kings, Syndicate, Atlantis Awaits, Heaven The Axe and Night Train. Please go to the Summernats website for ticket prices and purchases.

ALL AGES To raise money to go tour over in New Zealand, one of Canberra’s most adored pop punk acts, Drawing North, will be holding a Christmas party at Alliance Youth in Calwell. Joining them on their mission and Christmas celebrations will be local acts Martha Moxley, The London Town Fire, When Giants Sleep, Ameliah Brown and Flynn. The boys have also instructed their audience to come dressed in anything Christmas themed, and by doing so you have a chance to win a number of great prizes. The party starts at 6.30pm on Saturday December 10. Tickets cost $10 (+ bf) online or $15 at the door. From Saturday-Sunday December 10-18, Australian stand-up icon Carl Barron will hit the capital with all his comedic force on his latest tour A One Ended Stick. You can laugh ‘til you cry. Doing a huge eight shows at The Canberra Theatre Centre due to popular demand, you know that you are in for a great time. Tickets cost $49.50 through Canberra Ticketing. Each show starts at 8pm. Coming up in the heat of January is the annual Summernats Car Festival at Exhibition Park. This festival has become an icon of Canberra, attracting car lovers from all over the country for this three day event starting Thursday January 5 at 12pm. Alongside the array of car-related competitions, there will also be a well

In 2012, the Alliance Youth Hall will have the pleasure of hosting a unique act all the way from Los Angeles. The Red Paintings will bring to Canberra what they call orchestral art rock, which will take you on an unforgettable journey from the second you step through the door. They will pass through the capital on their Black Paintings tour at 5pm on Thursday January 12. Tickets cost just $22 (+ bf) through any Moshtix outlet, and believe me, it is worth every cent. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is on the hunt for Australia’s funniest teen as part of the 2012 Class Clowns competition. Think this could be you? Registrations are now open for anybody between 14 and 18 years old! All you need to do is create an original five minute stand-up, sketch or musical parody routine, and make it through the heats! You could then find yourself at the 2012 Class Clowns competition grand final in Melbourne. So register now for your chance to perform your routine in front of a real audience live at The Canberra Theatre Centre on Friday March 2, after a workshop with a professional stage comedian. You can register and perform as a solo act, a duo or even a trio. For more information or to register go to the Class Clowns section of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival website. With 2011 coming to a close, I hope that it has been a great year for all of you. This being the last issue of BMA until 2012, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year! NAOMI FROST allagescolumn@gmail.com

LOCALITY

“Well with this and stonefests “re-organization” I think we can pretty safely say goodbye to music festivals in Canberra. Dam Shame.” (sic) This was one of the comments made in response to Mission to Launch’s announcement on their Facebook page that the NYE festival had been cancelled. 2011 was the year for it, with Great Southern Blues, Funk n Grooves (rural NSW), Rewind ‘80s and Perth’s One Movement suffering the same fate due to poor ticket sales. Sydney’s Good Vibes sent out a last minute SOS offering half price tickets, Splendour failed to sell out for the first time in years, and at the time of writing not one leg of Big Day Out 2012 has sold out despite being on sale since mid-October. When you’ve grown accustomed to virtually instant sell outs that’s gotta put a furrow in your brow. ‘Festival fatigue’ is the term most often employed when discussing the downturn of major festivals. Audiences have contracted because as they’ve grown and their ticket prices along with them, they’ve failed to grow better. Headliners are recycled and have become ho hum, and Southern Cross tattoos and borange brigades (bronzer + orange fake tan = borange – thanks to Chanel Cole for that one) reign supreme. When I went to my first BDO in ’04 I doubt The Festival Bogan even existed, and it was honestly one of the best days of my teenage years. I’ve been to ten since, and this is the first year as editor I’ve gladly offered up my media accreditation. When I was halfway through penning this column I received a PR with the subject “Festival of the Sun sells out”. FOTSUN is a two day, 3,000 capacity, 18+ BYO festival held at Port Macquarie. I shot an email to their PR person asking if their programmer could answer a quick Q. Now that the majors are starting to struggle, is the time of the boutique festival now? Says Scott Mesiti, “I think festivals need to think like the bands that play at them… people fall in love with you on their own terms. Fan loyalty goes a long way and I think is a big key to having a sustainable event in this current climate. We’ve found with FOTSUN, not only do we want loyalty from our customers but they also expect loyalty from us in ensuring that we continue to offer a unique and intimate experience.” Goodbye to music festivals in Canberra? Far from it. We’ve got two unique and intimate festivals of our very own. Summer Rhythm Festival and Corinbank have been two of the shining stars in my lengthy list of fests. If you long for stimulating music in gorgeous, environmentally conscious surrounds, with a friendly and considerate atmosphere that is, in my experience, devoid of the clientele that trashed the Parliamentary Triangle at the end of November, you needn’t look further than these two. I hope you enjoy our end of year issue, dear readers. I said in my end of year column last year that it would be the last time I ever put together a 72 page street rag. I guess I kept that promise to myself as this edish is a whopping, record breaking 88. Oof. It’s been a right royal laff, believe me. For the hundredth time this year: I love my job. JULIA WINTERFLOOD - julia@bmamag.com

DANCE THE DROP

One minute you are sailing through the Bahamas with the lingerie football league champions and the next a piercing buzz fills the air. The intense shriek rattles around in your sinuses causing your eyes to snap open like a mousetrap and the harsh fist of reality delivers a swift uppercut to your frontal lobe. There are few things on this earth that can rival the awful shock of a post festival hangover when your soul is as muddy and decrepit as the dirty fluoro singlet in the corner of your wardrobe. There is only one cure: some call it ‘hair of the dog’, others ‘manning up’, but I like to refer to the long heralded art of social stamina as ‘doing what we do best’. If you are in your teens, you probably think ‘vinyl’ is some kind of cheap floor covering, although to all of us who are a little north of childhood it conjures up images of fresh black records and dusty needles. The art of analogue music manipulation is a rarity in dance music these days, with most modern day artists preferring the comfort and convenience of digital gear. LLIK LLIK LLIK are bucking the trend with a fab Vinyl Only party on Friday December 9 at Transit Bar. The night features a swag of locals including Biggie, Anjay, SVRT, Radar, SamAKA, Pete Canell and Gabewanious. Get in and relive the glory days of house music! After releasing one of my favourite local albums of the year, Karton are back at The Clubhouse on the very same night along with

Crooked Sound System, Faux Real, Shifty Business and Bricksta. This is the first in a series of parties presented by City Kid Music and it will only set you back a meagre $10 on the door. Trinity Bar, we need to talk. Every time I think I’m out you just pull me back in! December is meant to be a quiet month where you sit in front of the TV and save your pennies for New Year’s Eve but not if the Dickson dance hall has anything to say about it. Friday December 9 features house maestro Oliver$ (GER), Saturday December 10 brings Aeroplane (BEL) and Moonchild back to the fray, Saturday December 17 welcomes Sam La More and The Loops of Fury and before you can say “Christmas Day hangover!” Xmas eve features a double headline extravaganza with Ajax and The Stanton Warriors. Boys and girls, Santa does exist and he is eight feet tall and named Hugh Foster. The New Year period always breeds exciting new club music and if I had to pick two new releases destined for anthem status, it would definitely be this duo; the first is Avicii’s monstrous tune Fade Into Darkness and the second is Fedde Le Grand’s amazing remix of the latest Coldplay single Paradise. Have fun, stay safe and a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all you crazy party people. See you all in 2012! TIM GALVIN - tim.galvin@live.com.au

E X H I B I T I O N I S T Altobello Melone Portrait of a gentleman (Cesare Borgia?) c.1513 oil on wood panel (detail) 58.1 x 48.2 cm Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, legacy of Guglielmo Lochis 1866

The Renaissance emerged from the Gothic era. With the benefit of hindsight, shifts in ways of thinking run with changes in art itself. First to go was the excess of the “glitz and glamour of Gothic gold and flat colour – but it was not entirely lost,” says Simeran. Neroccio de’ Landi’s Madonna and Child c.1470-1475 is saturated in gold and can also be a starting point to think about the changing face of the Christ child and Madonna, changes of Benjamin Button proportions!

A GLANCE AT THE RENAISSANCE Chloe Mandryk A few days after this issue hits the streets the National Gallery of Australia will pull back the curtain on RENAISSANCE, 15th & 16th Century Italian Paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, an exhibition of over 70 works of art created more than 500 years ago picturing the early to high Renaissance of northern and central Italy. The paintings and altarpieces have never travelled outside Europe and resurrect an epoch of rapid social, intellectual and artistic growth. From 1400 to 1600 artists symbiotically depicted culture, religion and hierarchy with a turn of hand which was unprecedented. The golden age of creativity was inspired by esoteric knowledge but managed to combine, with flair, philosophy, science, whimsy and succulent imagery. This accounts for why the visual arts became a cross-pollinating field where artists were not shy of perspective, colour or symbolism. All of the above is found in Birth of Mary c.1502-1504, oil on canvas by Vittore Carpaccio – take note of the checked floor drawing our eye back to other rooms, receding ceiling beams, shelving, internal steps and a wealth of shadowy folds in their costume. A host of characters, including a pair of rabbits, retell the narrative. Other hallmark elements of the period come together in Sandro Botticelli’s The story of Virginia the Roman c.1500, tempera and gold on wood panel. Aesthetically cast as an ode to the classical period the drama within the work floats the idea that art was political and politics was artful. I spoke with Simeran Maxwell, of Exhibitions, who assisted in bringing the show together. “It’s not a complex story we are trying to tell,” she says. “It’s beautiful work from a collection which is so far away.” What impact does she feel the show might have on a techno-savvy, secular or younger audience? Simeran answers, “We now have iPads and that may be what goes down in history as the groundbreaking contribution of the 21st century (I hope not, but maybe) and in these beautiful works viewers can trace a series of important artistic and technological changes. We are not necessarily looking for reverence… there is a special experience that you have with these works.”

Closer to the Gothic period, Christ’s face has the qualities of adult and child. He is held at an objective distance, foreboding his fate of death and resurrection. Titian’s Madonna and Child in a landscape c.1507, oil on wood panel, is a move towards the high Renaissance. We find Christ represented as fresh, sweet and blissfully unaware of what is to come as he plays with his mother. This was a consequence of Humanism. Humanism combines a religious rhetoric with the attitude that Roman and Greek antiquity was a style that, although inimitable, should be the foundation for the progress of art. Early Renaissance works did not commonly depict the lives of your average person despite being promised to impact upon them. Move along from 15th to 16th century works and you will notice that citizens are included in the later images, for example Moroni’s Portrait of a child of the house of Redetti c.1570, oil on canvas, Melone’s Portrait of a gentleman (pictured) and Cavazzola’s Portrait of a lady. Cavazzola and Melone’s work highlight how the ideas of the Renaissance also became a language of representation. Cavazzola realistically paints the fall of fabric, depth of field and places the lady’s hands over a ledge, a gesture of space. In the gentleman’s portrait we see a detailed landscape that includes a sub-scene of smaller figures, a hilltop home, and trees swaying in what appears to be an encroaching storm. In these portraits the artist was able to encode a thin biography of a patron or even put forward an authorial comment. “Symbolism was huge in the Renaissance; an apple was never just an apple,” Simeran explains. This is uniquely echoed in Carlo Crivelli’s Madonna and Child c.1482-1483, tempera and gold on wood panel. Ripe and healthful fruits surround the pair, as well as a cucumber that was a common signifier of the Resurrection. It goes without saying that Christianity was a cultural driving force. Religious images were intended to be instructive tools for worship, encouraging contemplation. Although sometimes didactic, the images were not designed for passive consumption (unlike our pop icons of today). Hinting at their demise is the tender but solemn expression shared in Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna and Child (Alzano Madonna) c.1488, oil on wood panel. And in Saint Sebastian c.15011502, oil and gold on wood panel by Raphael, the Saint is painted holding the arrow used in his torture. The ascendancy of the Renaissance was the focus on human concerns and value of man as an agent for change. While there is no carbon copy of the world they created, the Italian stratified, self-conscious and politically diverse culture can mirror the way we revere 21st century global icons and entangle religion, wealth and power. The Renaissance exhibition runs at the National Gallery of Australia from Friday December 9 to Monday April 9. Tickets are available through Ticketek.

Collaborations are not new for the group; they are always on the lookout for artists “to explore the possibilities of singing with,” Roland explains. But puppeteering is new to them. “It’s been quite stressful,” admits Roland. What I hadn’t quite realised when I began chatting with him is that the singers actually get involved in the puppeteering themselves. “Yeah, that’s the whole idea, a real collaboration,” exclaims Roland. “It’s not just the singers standing out front with Stephen doing all the work behind!”

ARE MADE OF THIS Zoe Pleasants Looking for a little reprise from the craziness of this time of year? SWEET DREAMS may well be the antidote you’re after. Combining sublime singing with magical puppeteering, it is a show designed to take you off to a dreamland, “a new world where nothing is obvious or literal and things appear and disappear in front of you,” the show’s Artistic Director, Roland Peelman, tells me. Sweet Dreams sees The Song Company, Australia’s finest a cappella vocal ensemble, joining forces with acclaimed shadow puppeteer Stephen Mushin, whose work you might recognise from the music video for Lior’s I’ll Forget You from a few years ago. Together they create a show that “connects music, art and singing,” explains Roland. The Song Company is a Sydney-based group of six fulltime, professional singers led by Roland whose repertoire covers all kinds of music from the very contemporary to the very old; from songs just penned, to songs that were written in the tenth century.

Sure enough, when I re-read the media release it talks about the singers manipulating the puppets and becoming the shadows themselves, whilst singing – quite a feat in multitasking I would imagine! And it seems they have also been involved in making the puppets, designing the show and developing the story – hence the stress! But after two years the show has emerged bit by bit and Roland assures me they are now “cooking with gas!” Roland describes the music selected to accompany this visual spectacular “as evocative songs with an emotional undercurrent. It is music that transports you to a different place.” To help you on your journey songs have been chosen from around the world including Maori, Mandarin, English, Russian, Aboriginal and Spanish songs. A show using puppets that invokes imagination and dreams could easily be categorised as a kids show. Certainly Sweet Dreams is designed to “delight children and the child within us all,” says Roland, but rather than being a kids show (it’s definitely not The Wiggles) think of it more as having meditative qualities to help you re-discover your inner child, and really what better gift can you give yourself than that for Christmas? Sweet Dreams is playing at The Street Theatre on Saturday December 10 at 6pm. Tickets are available through the venue’s website.

from covers of trashy magazines and uses a computer program he devised to weave text into the image. The results are undeniably humorous, but also a little unsettling. Baker-Finch’s large digital prints boldly point out our trust in photography and print journalism, even of the tabloid variety. They also illustrate the extremely tragic nature of celebrity, writ large with text from the articles the cover image refers to, and also more highbrow tragedies such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf.

HOT PRESS Annika Harding Print is everywhere – books, newspapers, magazines (like this fine one you’re reading), posters, stamps, fingerprints, shoeprints. Three artists exhibiting at CCAS GORMAN HOUSE this summer prove how exciting and experimental print can be when they exploit its everyday, pop culture pervasion. Alison Alder uses screen-printing to make large-scale video projections about nuclear activity in Australia, pushing print into another dimension. Alder is the Artistic Director and CEO of Megalo Print Studio and Gallery, an organisation that really puts Canberra on the map as a print powerhouse. She has been making political posters since the 1980s, but her work in Dirty Water also references vintage magazines and postcards, and old films. As well as the video projections, this exhibition includes a series of poster-sized prints based on old magazine covers, with the titles Fall Out and Half Life. Rather than using print to develop his work, Clem Baker-Finch uses found print as a starting point. For Self Titled he takes clippings

U.K. Frederick engages with print differently again, printing directly from found objects: old vinyl records. In the tiny concentric grooves of the record, white paper between the black lines, we can see where the music has been stamped into the vinyl. We can also see all the scratches and irregularities that have occurred over the life of the record, proof that someone has bought, played and loved it. In Frederick’s exhibition Lament, you will be able to not only see the prints of the records, but also hear music digitised from the same records. In the small Cube space, it is a complete experience that may take you to a different time and place, via powerfully moving rock songs from artists who were taken from the world too soon. The different ways these three artists engage with print makes their work very fascinating and very contemporary. Print lends itself to work that has a strong sense of process and experimentation, leading to surprising results. Interesting things also happen when media collides, and print works brilliantly with video, photography and the found object in these three exhibitions. Print may be everywhere, but these big, bold exhibitions will take it and you somewhere else. View the three abovementioned exhibitions at CCAS Gorman House. Opening 6pm Friday December 9, continuing until Saturday February 11. Annika Harding is the Gallery Administrator at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, and a freelance writer.

YOU’RE ALREADY HERE JUSTIN HOOK In March this year Canberrans trundling through Civic were privy to something a little different happening around the city centre: ART. The old Dick Smith shopfront in the bus interchange was the hub of activity (rebranded as SmithDick), but events were happening everywhere – in disused shopfronts as well as at established locales like Smiths, Lonsdale St Roasters, The Street, and the CTC. There were performances, dance jams, exhibitions, weirdnesses without name – all happening as part of YOU ARE HERE, a multiarts festival funded for three years in the lead up to the Centenary of Canberra in 2013. Last year’s festival was co-curated by Yolande Norris, independent curator and a co-director of TINA’s Critical Animals this year, and Boho Interactive’s David Finnigan. For the 2012 You Are Here, Norris is back, this time with Mr Fibby frontman Hadley as co-curator. Finnigan, fresh from a stint at the UK’s Battersea Arts Centre, moves behind the scenes as a festival producer. The three of them have, as Hadley says, “a lot of shared experience”, but, as three people under 30, they also haven’t had time for their brains to ossify. Which means that what you can expect from You Are Here is a bunch of interesting stuff, presented in locations and at times that perhaps you wouldn’t have thought were ‘right’ for art. Essentially, You Are Here is about making arts accessible. The 2011 festival was a blast. The theatre component – in particular Max Barker’s piece Tom, Bob and Me and Tom Doig’s Selling Ice To the Remains of the Eskimos – was compelling, and thrilling to see in the dimly lit caverns of SmithDick. It was this part that was the best innovation of the festival – to see a bunch of strangeness happening where there’s usually void. It’s a feature of the festival which is largely thanks to the very generous support of Canberra CBD Ltd. With their help, You Are Here gives audiences new opportunities to experience art, and to meet, observe and create in the heart of a city that has an unfair reputation as a cultural desert. “Canberra has a very vibrant arts scene,” says Hadley, and to prove his point, while last year’s festival had a heavy loading of interstate imports, this year’s is going to be much more locally flavoured. “We’ve been talking to great local theatre makers, the local poetry scene, the drag king and queen scene and performance art scene,” he says. While they can’t reveal much of next year’s program, the curators have also been working at bringing ex-Can artists home for the festival, “as a way of saying that there is life after Canberra, but also that there still is life in Canberra.” You Are Here 2012 will be happening in various venues around Civic from Thursday-Sunday March 8-18. Details on the festival can be found closer to the time at youareherecanberra.com.au .

BEYOND THE IMAGINATION

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Grace Carroll

Chloe Mandryk

Photography was not always the immediate, disposable medium it is today. In her first solo exhibition, BEYOND THE LAUGHING SKY, photographer Natalie Azzopardi presents a series of works that explore the photographic tradition prior to the digital age. The exhibition at the Huw Davies Gallery, PhotoAccess, Manuka, draws on the artist’s imagination to offer another way of thinking about photography.

IMPRESSIONS: PAINTING LIGHT AND LIFE, portraits from 1885 to 1915, is on now at the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition captures a distinct mood in Australian art history where reality and imagination intersected. A conversation with Dr Sarah Engledow, curator of the show and historian at the NPG, began by mulling over contemporary artist Ben Quilty’s remarks on the opening night. “Not so long ago he would have thought that a show like this was very uncool,” Sarah says. “It was a shock to him to realise how much you miss out on by dividing the world into cool and uncool.”

Azzopardi describes Beyond the Laughing Sky as a “cabinet of curiosities” that brings to life the imagined world of a child. This refers to the unclassified natural science objects, oriental artefacts and other treasures amassed by European collectors from the 17th to 19th centuries. Through referencing the past, the works reflect the photographer’s interest in “the way people used to interact with photography”. This refers to the fact that it was once an expensive and laborious medium that was reserved for significant subject matter. Like her previous work, the exhibition showcases images with a nostalgic quality that confronts what the photographer sees as “the over-saturation of photography in society”, which has meant that the medium “is not revered in the way it once was”. A central theme of the exhibition is the interplay of twodimensional photographs and three-dimensional objects. Each photograph depicts an object encased in its own glass dome, which were each hand-blown by glass artist Madeline Prowd. The objects, although of little monetary value, have personal significance for Azzopardi, all being things she owns. The photographs will be displayed alongside a range of objects that have a similar meaning for the artist. When asked why she did not photograph this second group of trinkets, Azzopardi comments that “some things don’t resonate in a photograph in the way they do in the flesh”. The working process behind each photograph in Beyond the Laughing Sky matches its nostalgic theme. The images have been hand-coloured, an old fashioned technique the artist has “always wanted to try out”. Azzopardi only coloured the objects protected under the glass domes, and intentionally left the rest of the image in its original black and white state. By doing so, the object assumes the status of an artefact, like items contained in curiosity cabinets or the modern day museum. To achieve this effect, she used a light tent and artificial lighting to cultivate a nostalgic and unnatural environment. It is refreshing to see the work of an artist who not only respects the photographic tradition, but engages with it to present an imaginative reflection on how she once saw the world. The exhibition is sure to encourage audiences to reflect on their own childhood imagination and how photography has the potential to bring it to life. Beyond the Laughing Sky opens at 6pm on Thursday December 8 at the Huw Davies Gallery, PhotoAccess, Manuka, and continues until Sunday January 29.

As Quilty complimented the work of artists such as Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts, George Lambert and Dorothy Sutherland, who were contemporaries of their day, just like he is of today, Sarah adds, what we should look for in anyone’s work is the “humanity of the exchange between sitter, portrait artist and viewer”. I have to agree. The show abides by the idea that by making art the perfect expression of one time and one place, it becomes for all time and of all places, originally proposed by painter Tom Roberts. Timelessness is especially evoked in Reflections, 1898, pastel on paper, by A. Henry Fullwood. Years apart, the viewer and artist have observed this figure marching over a glossy wet street, finding splendour in the ordinary. The simplicity of the subject in The sisters, 1904, by Hugh Ramsay, oil on canvas on hardboard, is effective. The sisters seem to stare out bored with our attention. Not far from this work is a portrait of a woman; light blankets her in Sunlight effect, c.1889, by E. Phillips Fox, oil on canvas. Striving for sincerity the works that take pleasure in their execution over a laboured narrative, such as A summer morning tiff, 1886, by Roberts, oil on canvas, offer an immediately jarring but honest depiction of ‘a sunburnt country’. Swept up in a dusty wind Girolamo Nerli’s subject whirrs static through the canvas, presenting a fleeting but sensual pause for thought in Portrait, c.1890, oil on canvas. Seemingly random events, rather than a tightly controlled scene, piece together as a tableau of modern life. Engledow explains, “I guess, for me, one of the nice things about this show is its interconnectedness. It doesn’t set out to present any curatorial or art trajectory or commonality except a commonality of experience. The most moving thing to me is just how important they thought modes of representation were.” Even though Impressions may seem like a soft touch, the rebellion needed to paint in such a breakaway style is an approach that finds parallels through to contemporary art. It has a lasting impression, you could say. Impressions: Painting light and life is on show from Friday November 25 to Sunday March 4 at The National Portrait Gallery. Above image: The sisters 1904 by Hugh Ramsay, oil on canvas on hardboard. Purchased 1921. Collection: Art Gallery of New South Wales

ARTISTPROFILE: Elaine Camlin

What do you do? I am a visual artist primarily working in print media and drawing.

UNINHIBITED

When did you get into it? Even as a child I had always wanted to become an artist but I really started focusing on the area in high school.

If you take stock of your efforts over the past set of 12, and if you’re

Who or what influences you as an artist? I am fascinated by bones, skeletons and carcases, and by the nature of decay everpresent in the Australian landscape. Georgia O’Keeffe has become an important influence; akin to my art practice she has collected bones, isolating the subject from its natural environment, in doing so she can focus on representing its structure. Her use of negative space has animated her imagery of bones; the coloured grounds she creates allow the form to float in space, abstracting it.

that’s a fair result. But in a place like Canberra it always seems like

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? My biggest achievement would have to be completing Art School. In this environment I was able to develop my practice and be involved in many student exhibitions. What are your plans for the future? I am excited to begin Honours in Fine Arts next year, and am hoping to exhibit with some other graduates from Art School. Eventually I would like to own my own art studio to help establish other emerging artists.

anything like me, you come up short. So much was planned. Many good intentions. Perhaps I got halfway there in 2011. And maybe there is so much more to do. Over the past few months I’ve attempted to claim a little space in this column for the exaltation of the local. To focus your eye on what’s under your nose. A flick through these efforts seems to reflect a voice hell bent on all that is good in this town, but don’t assume that it’s easy to be upbeat. These columns mask a suite of frustrations that won’t be unfamiliar to residents. This place brims with potential, occasionally nails it, but more often than not seems hamstrung by its own icy reputation. The point of my monthly missives, and of a lot of the work I’ve seen and loved this year is the same – to put a rocket under those living here, and stake a claim for the capital as a premier creative space.

What makes you laugh? My friends and family make me laugh but I also often laugh at myself. I have an odd sense of humour…

If I’m pushed to list some highlights I’d point toward the You Are

What pisses you off? People who are arrogant, selfish and who put other people down piss me off.

everything that passionate art freaks in this town want and need

What’s your opinion of the local scene? I think there are a lot of talented local emerging artists and I am excited for the future of contemporary art in Canberra and hope to be a part of it. What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? I have work in the Graduating Exhibition at the Canberra Art School and am also involved in a student exhibition titled Never Mind the Painting which is to be held in an empty shopfront at Baileys Corner, Civic in mid-December. Contact info: elaine_camlin@hotmail.com

Here Festival (read more on page 29 - Ed.) which casually articulated – grassroots, brimming with vitality, providing satisfying and challenging work across the spectrum. Another was an out of town event that will probably live in the memory of the few who made the road trip to Braidwood in deep winter. A bunch of Canberry locals shoehorned themselves into the Braidwood pub and saw blistering, heart-rending sets by The Hoodlum Shouts and Voss. The Shouts look poised to have a huge 2012, with the advance word on their LP Young Man Old Man being that it’s a cracker. Voss were playing their final show that night, before a hiatus that will hopefully end sometime soon. The night itself though was bigger than all that. What I think we want from our musical experiences is that congregational, massed voices thing. The communal exchange. Braidwood reflected everything that is good and great about the Canberra arts community by presenting two bands as good as any you’ll find in the land, and a small band of friends and strangers who sang along, magnified by the out of town aspect. The singing was especially loud that night. The road trip and the Braidwood ale smashed the familiar Canberra diffidence. It was good to hear these acts receive some adulation, and to hear a full voiced crowd who knew the words to songs penned here, without the guarantee of an audience to hear them. It felt like the culmination of some work, and a hint at what could be. More please. GLEN MARTIN glenpetermartin@gmail.com

bit PARTS WHO: Director Tony Krawitz WHAT: The Tall Man WHEN: Four screenings throughout December WHERE: Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archives Some of the story is familiar: the death of Cameron Doomadgee in a police cell on Palm Island. The coroner’s case that decided Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley had no case to answer; the aftermath as community outrage led to the burning down of the police station. The Street commission that reversed the coroner’s decision, then the subsequent trial – the first for manslaughter of an active Queensland police officer – with horrific revelations that Doomadgee’s injuries were like those of a fatal car crash, although the police claimed he had tripped on a step. Queensland police union’s threats of strike action, and the unsatisfying and controversial not guilty verdict that resolved little… given on the same day the Howard government announced the Intervention. This is a very different social justice documentary, which takes on a much wider brief than just the facts of the case. nfsa.gov.au .

WHO: Canberra people who like to SHOUT things into microphones WHAT: The final BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! for 2011 WHEN: Weds Dec 21 WHERE: The Phoenix BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! is to Canberra’s poetry scene what your Uncle Reg is to the brandy meant for the Christmas pud – we secretly drink it all while locked in the women’s toilets of the leagues club, waste it, so no one else gets any, and then vomit it up on your shoulder while you’re trying to watch It’s A Wonderful Life. The last BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! for the year promises to be even more ramshackle than usual with people disappearing for the Christmas break. Bring your poems, rants, and that graphic series of sexy letters you wrote to Allan Sko that were seized by the AFP, and get down with Hadley, Andrew Gayland, The Master of Conflict and The Score Adder, and super special guests The Brass Knuckle Brass Band. Free. Sign up from 7.30pm, poetry starts at 8. Probably.

WHO: Us Folk Magazine WHAT: Call for submissions WHEN: Now until Sun Jan 15, 2012 WHERE: Canberra and the surrounding region Are you a young and emerging writer, artist, designer or photographer seeking to have your work published? Us Folk is a new bi-monthly magazine aimed at young Canberrans who have a keen interest in the arts, and aren’t ashamed to call this city home. They are currently seeking submissions of articles, short stories, art, comics, photography and illustration for the first issue of Us Folk. They are also interested in featuring community groups and small businesses that support the arts in Canberra. To find out more about contributing, advertising or sponsorship visit usfolkmag. com or email email@usfolkmag.com. Submissions of content close Sunday January 15, 2012.

WHO: Young people aged 10-14 WHAT: Exhibition - Snap! WHEN: Mon Dec 12 – Fri Jan 13, opening Dec 15 WHERE: Belconnen Gallery

WHO: Budding comedians WHAT: RAW Comedy National Heats WHEN: Registration now open! WHERE: Canberra heat is at Tilley’s on Thurs March 8 What do Chris Lilley, Josh Thomas, Peter Helliar and Tim Minchin all have in common? Before becoming some of Australia’s most recognisable names in comedy, they all finessed their funny and took on RAW Comedy, Australia’s biggest and most prestigious annual open mic comedy competition. RAW Comedy, a Melbourne International Comedy Festival initiative has been launching the careers of countless comedians since 1996. Once again they are set to scour the country in a bid to lure out humourists hiding in the offices, workplaces, classrooms, pubs and homes throughout our neighbourhoods. For all the info and to register head to rawcomedy.com.au .

Back in the old days photos were made of light reacting with chemicals. You couldn’t see them instantly but had to wait for them to develop. Participants aged 10-14 in the Snap! project were loaned 35mm film cameras that were donated by community members. Award winning Belconnen based photographer Lee Grant taught them about film photography as art and as journalism and about how to tell a story with photos. Now these works are being exhibited. Snap! is an initiative of Belconnen Community Service’s Community Development Program. WHO: Six local artists WHAT: Exhibition – Wall Works WHEN: Wed Dec 7 – Thurs Dec 22 WHERE: ANCA Gallery Six local artists will transform the gallery by working directly on the walls. Byrd with Hanna Hoyne, Mariana del Castillo with Gus McGrath and Alex Asch, Nicci Haynes, Tess Horwitz and Paul Summerfield. The exhibition is curated by Narelle Phillips. The gallery will be open to visitors from Wednesday December 7 onwards, to observe some of the wall works being created. The official opening will be on Wednesday December 14 from 6pm, with live local music.

LOVE THE FOLKIES

KNOCK ON WOODFORD

cassidy richens

Morgan Richards

As winner of the ACT Tourism Award (in the festivals and events category), the NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL will go on to represent the territory in the National Tourism Awards in Cairns next March. Other state and territory award winners will be judged nationally, alongside the National Folk Festival to determine Australia’s best festival. Every Easter, an annual celebration of folk culture is yielded and shared over four days at Canberra’s Exhibition Park (EPIC). For 45 years, performers from across the world have gathered under the banner of the National Folk It’s certainly Festival to create an accessible and one of our more broadly appealing event, attracting 50 ts even t fican signi thousand patrons (60 percent from s erra’ Canb on tourism calendar the ACT and surrounding region, the remainder from interstate).

It’s New Year’s Day. You crawl out of your tent with a pounding headache. Your eyes are bloodshot, you’re missing a shoe and there are glowsticks duct-taped to your wrists because you lost all the little connector thingies. Surrounding you is a vast sea of empty beer cans, withered goon bags and passed out, sunburnt bogans. You recall only brief snatches of the night before: loud music, bad dancing and forgetting what number comes before “six” during the countdown to midnight. You have a suspicion you had a good time, but can’t be sure. Through the We can offer a throbbing pain in your head, genuinely welcoming you wonder: was it worth it?

“2011 was a really challenging year for us,” explains the Managing Director of the NFF, Sebastian Flynn. “From a national perspective, it was a challenging year for many people surviving national disasters. Having been through some of those things before, I think it makes you realise that cultural events are not always the first consideration when survival is the order of the day.”

time for a change. So why not head up to sunny Queensland for the WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL? I talked to Program Manager Chloe Goodyear to find out more.

ACT Minister for the Arts, Mr Andrew Barr congratulated the Folk Festival on its win, highlighting it as one of Canberra’s flagship events. “It’s certainly one of our more significant events on Canberra’s tourism calendar and given the festival falls on the Anzac weekend, it’s a key weekend for Canberra Tourism and they’ve been doing a fantastic job,” Mr Barr said. Speaking about his strategic plans for the 2012 festival, Flynn will focus on building the festival’s education and participation themes as a way of creating an experience that really engages people; emphasising his ideas to create a space for human beings to express themselves. He hopes to create an expectation of what the festival is like as a cultural experience. “For me, folk is about human culture that goes back to the dawn of time, and any form of human expression. It’s about being inspired to continue your own creative journey and remembering that what you have is absolutely unique.” Flynn’s bigger picture plan to reframe Canberra as a cultural centre as well as a political centre is perhaps his most challenging strategic endeavour. “Canberra is seen from outsiders as a political place, but under the surface, it is a place where people really enjoy music and art. It’s got a quieter culture, which I think is actually much closer to the real human culture.” Preparing for the centenary of Canberra, to be celebrated in 2013, Flynn spoke about prompting the festival as part of a broader campaign to change current perceptions of Canberra. “We’re aiming to increase our day visitation to the festival, and encourage younger people to come for the day from Sydney and Melbourne, take in some of their favourite headliners and then go to the NGA to see the Renaissance exhibition.” The National Folk Festival will take place over Thursday-Monday April 5-9 at Exhibition Park. Early Bird tickets are available now via the festival’s website.

atmosphere and a crowd that absolutely If your last New Year’s Eve cannot wait to see [the festival experience was anything like this, maybe it’s musicians] play

Woodford hosts over 2,000 performers, playing on 20 stages to nearly 20,000 people over six days. So what’s her approach to organising such an extensive line-up? “In programming, we try to run on a spirit of equality. We know that we’re asking bands with very little experience as well as bands with huge amounts of experience to come and play in a cow paddock on a stage that’s been built without great amounts of money. But the things we can offer are a genuinely welcoming atmosphere and a crowd that absolutely cannot wait to see them play. It’s got to be one of the nicer audiences to play for.” But isn’t that because Woodford is primarily an older, more mature crowd? Not at all, says Chloe. “There’s a lot of diversity. It’s a really silly, fun crowd, with people of all ages. It’s like a micro/macro thing, a tiny piece of the world at a festival. We try to attract that in our programming.” The line-up at Woodford is amazingly varied. This year, it ranges from the indie intricacies of Gotye and Cloud Control to the hip-hop stampede of The Herd; from comedic troubadours Tripod to US bluegrass band Crooked Still. Has the music at Woodford changed a lot since the early days? Certainly, there’s a lot more than folk on the bill. Chloe agrees, but thinks that folk, blues and roots music has also become more popular. “People’s tastes have opened up. Today, it’s not so odd to have a roots singer who plays banjo and 12-string on the air. Woodford has changed but so has the world around it.” What can first-timers expect from Woodford this year? “A good time!” Chloe laughs. “One of the best things about the festival is that you don’t know what to expect. But what you will find is fantastic music and a community of people that genuinely want to welcome you into the New Year in the best way possible.” The Woodford Folk Festival will take place from Tuesday December 27 to Sunday January 1, in parkland an hour north of Brisbane. Tickets are on sale via the festival’s website.

HOLLER AT TRENTEMØLLER

NAUTICAL KNOW-HOW

Danika Nayna

tim galvin

Denmark is home to the happiest population in the world, its capital has the highest quality of living, and its history notes Vikings and the invention of childhood religion: Lego. It’s no surprise that the over-achieving little Scandinavian country also harbours a most spectacularly talented musician and electronic producer, Anders TRENTEMØLLER. That’s Un-ders Trent-e-mow-la. Mow, as in ‘mow the lawn, you lazy sonofabitch’. Or TRENTEMOOOOWLAAAA to be completely correct.

You know the feeling: you paint on a old pair of testicle-hugging jeans, slip on your stripy canvas shoes, sans socks, stretch an old wide mouth t-shirt over your self-styled bed hair, flank Che Guevara’s face with your floppy blue cardigan, wrap your neck in a defiantly obtuse kerchief and straddle your single speed bicycle for a trip down to an underground poetry slam. If this perfectly sums up your daily routine, then you have probably already been to a YACHT ROCK Christmas Eve party.

Trentemøller, abovementioned super-human and lovely man, spoke to BMA and gave us the scoop on his future album and on the ‘real’ Denmark. I knew they were hiding something. Tourism Denmark will not be happy. First things first though, “No, I’m not descended from Vikings. I don’t think so anyway. But from seeing people walking around at night, there could possibly still be Vikings here,” he says from his home in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. “Actually, what’s really interesting about being the happiest people – I don’t know if that’s true. We are a rich country and have a good health system but if you take a walk down the street, people are really grumpy! And if you listen to Scandinavian musicians, their music is often quite melancholic.” I bet ‘90s group Aqua is a touchy subject for the Danes.

It involves every song you’d turn up Penthouse chooses to pay tribute to this to full roar on 1053 lifestyle by embracing the Yacht Rock 2CA and belt out in the car with the culture,” says Minky Faber, co-promoter windows down and Y-Rock connoisseur. “Our music, attire

No, I’m not descended from Vikings. I don’t think so anyway

Trentemøller does his region proud with obscure creativity and ‘melancholic’ music, but he definitely doesn’t seem to be in the cranky and introverted category of Scandinavian personality. His music can be beautifully dark and theatrical, and he loves to combine electronic music and instruments, making his seven-piece live shows most impressive. He says when he’s writing, it always begins in the most organic way. “I don’t have anything against pop music, it’s just important that my music is honest and true, not just something easy to play on the radio. I mostly write the music first on an old piano then I transfer it to the computer and I play a lot of the instruments myself. When you’re just looking at a computer monitor, it’s sometimes a bit dangerous. You can’t trust what you’re seeing. But writing on the piano, you can trust what you hear.” And what does TRENTEMOOOOWLAAAR want for Christmas? “Peace in the world,” he says, and spending time with his family. “Because I’m travelling so much around the world and I see my family rarely, so that is the most important thing – just to go and chill out with my parents.” Oh, stop it! Nice, selfless men really do exist. In Denmark. But he says he’ll hopefully be dropping a new album next year, and would love to come back to Australia to tour it. In the meantime, check out his Remixed / Reworked album, which he says was “just about working artist to artist. I remixed them, they remixed me, and there were no people from the record label involved.” No doubt it’ll blow your mind, as he always does. Trentemøller’s Remixed / Reworked album is out now through all good record stores.

“Every Christmas Eve, Knightsbridge

and menu matches. The champagne should be flowing along with Mai Tais and Piña Coladas, the pastel penguin polo shirts and oversized sunglasses should be in full force, the ladies looking effortlessly carefree in printed dresses and Palazzo Pants. There’re plenty of crisp linen shorts and boat shoes included.” So what can one expect after parking one’s Chapelli cycle outside the big silver door at Braddon’s eclectic late night boudoir? Yacht Rock pays tribute to the ‘smooth’ rock from the late ‘70s to early ‘80s,” she says. “Essentially, this is the type of music that accompanies lazy summers spent cruising the shores of California on a yacht, sitting on the pier of some Florida Quays, or relaxing by Lake Burley Griffin at sunset with a picnic and a bevy of casually good looking friends.” The music policy at Canberra’s most unexclusive exclusive holiday celebration reads like an AM playlist, best enjoyed with a pinch of retrospective esteem and a few teaspoons of healthy irony. “Plenty of Hall & Oates, Toto, Doobie Brothers, 10cc and Dr Hook,” says Minky. “Hints of Fleetwood Mac and Electric Light Orchestra. It involves every song you’d turn up to full roar on 1053 2CA and belt out in the car with the windows down.” With many locals choosing to spend their Santa season outside of the nation’s capital, the Yacht Rock tradition is powered by a loyal army of friends and acquaintances who have chosen to make the yearly event their unofficial reunion party. “For many people, Christmas Eve means returning to Canberra from distant shores or across the rivers. We aim to provide a party for those who want to catch up with true locals,” she says. The humble ‘champagne and conversation’ tradition of Yacht Rock is planned to continue for many years to come with the crew hinting that they may have a few more surprises up their nautical sleeves come next sailing season. “We want to surprise you in 2012 but always be that older, eclectic, and naughtier older sister to Parlour Wine Room,” she says, before bursting into song. “You walked in… to the party. Like you were walking on to a yacht… [something something something]… You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you, don’t you.” Yacht Rock will take place at Knightsbridge Penthouse on Saturday December 24. Entry is free, from 3pm.

WOMEN OF NOTES Holly Orkin Well it’s the end of the year, when things are meant to be winding down... but instead speed up and crash into each other when you realise that you have to cram all the crap you’ve been putting off all year into about three weeks! And what is the worst part? Well for me it’s the Christmas carols, because nothing like songs about snow and disturbing myths grinds already frazzled nerves down to the ground. NEVER FEAR, I HAVE THE ANSWER TO ALL THE PROBLEMS. WOMEN OF NOTES is on again at Transit Bar and it’s a proven fact that the musical stylings of talented and wonderful women are an antidote to the seasonal blues. Science! Women of Notes, for those who have missed it, is a free all frontwoman night. Ladies from all across the fine city of Canberra, and the region, come together to serenade us away from their usual line-up. This will be number four so The Canberra if you’ve missed them up until now, is e scen ic mus you still have time to get on board so supportive; before it becomes an international it’s a great opportunity to sensation. There will be many meet the other familiar faces on stage, though women involved in a way you’ve never seen them before! For Cherie Kotek, of Three Quarters Hazel, it’s an opportunity to explore a more intimate way of performing. “I play with the band normally, but for Women of Notes I’m playing with my husband, my very new husband! He plays drums so I’m getting him to perform with me which we don’t normally do. He doesn’t play with the band; there’s a no mixing business and pleasure rule! But I guess Women of Notes is more pleasure... It’s a chance for me to get out my more chilled songs because with the band it’s very high energy and lots of crazy stuff!” Kotek is originally a Bondi gal who is still settling into the hood. Luckily Canberra is pretty swell when it comes to music. “I love the Canberra music scene, it’s so supportive, so it [Women of Notes] is a great opportunity to meet the other women involved with music here. It’s a chance for us to practice being comfortable on stage and getting a good performance rhythm too.” Well there is no shortage of talented female musicians in Canberra ready to make us swoon. Julia Johnson of Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens will be tugging at our heart strings (as usual) along with Jacqueline Nicole, Beth Monzo, Jenny Sawer and Lexi Hay. Who could ask for a better silly season oasis? Not only that, but you’ll be supporting the work of women in an industry that is still dominated by men. Science! So if you like sipping drinks, tapping your foot, swaying gently and then finally succumbing and dancing to damn fine females then your non-denominational summer celebration has come early. BMA Presents Women of Notes at Transit Bar on Thursday December 15. The line-up includes Cherie Kotek, Jacqueline Nicole, Beth Monzo, Jenny Sawer (of Freyja’s Rain), Julia Johnson (of Julia and the Deap Sea Sirens) and Lexi Hay. Entry is free and it kicks off at 8.

LOW LIGHT, SO RIGHT Peter Krbavac Early ‘90s London club night The Heavenly Social cast a wider shadow than its digs – the cramped basement of a city pub – would have suggested. The weekly event provided an opportunity for likeminded music obsessives, including a nascent Chemical Brothers, to hang out and share new tunes. Shoeb Ahmad of local label hellosQuare hopes to capture some of its essence with upcoming event THE LOW LIGHT SOCIAL. “I’ve been listening to a lot of Andy Weatherall and thinking about The Heavenly Social and those ‘90s dance clubs,” he explains. “The name is a riff on that. Rather than using lights, we’ve got this We’re encouraging idea of having lamps placed around the bring to people cushions and rugs whole area. We’re encouraging people to bring cushions and rugs and it’s BYO, and it’s BYO, so you can just come so you can just come and chill out.” out chill and Shoeb says hellosQuare was originally planning to scale back its shows this year to focus on upcoming releases, but when Jason Khan of Swiss experimental trio Tetras got in contact looking to organise a Canberra show, he couldn’t resist. “Jason, while doing all this minimal, experimental sound art, actually started off as an LA native playing in SST punk bands which is totally crazy,” Shoeb says. “And then Jeroen, who plays organ, is a Dutch guy who, for ten or 15 years, used to do sound for The Ex, who are my favourite punk band. They’ve done collaborations with Tortoise and Sonic Youth and toured with Fugazi.” This sets us off on a tangent about punk musicians who have ended up playing and recording in the experimental music scene. “For me,” Shoeb says, “the craziest is Napalm Death. All three of those dudes – Nic Bullen, Justin Broadrick and Mick Harris – ended up making electronic music. The bassist, Nic, does art installations, the drummer, Mick, has made all this beautiful, dark industrial dub and Justin went on to do Godflesh, then Jesu and Techno Animals with The Bug. That crossover’s strange, but I think that’s the nature of those dudes who wanted to do the most extreme thing possible in the first place, then just kept pushing themselves. Punk into experimental is just the want or need to keep pushing yourself.” Also making an appearance at The Low Light Social is Kangaroo Skull (pictured), a duo featuring My Disco guitarist Ben Andrews and drummer Rohan Rebeiro, playing only its third show. “Ben’s a friend on the label – the My Disco boys are in general – and I remember reading about what transpired to be Kangaroo Skull in a review of Camp-a-Low-Hum in New Zealand,” Shoeb says. “It’s a minimal beat kind of thing: pummelling noises; low bass, almost bass from sinewaves. It’s brutal and really awesome. I wanted something that would be pretty heavy, something that people might gravitate towards – ie. stuff by the dudes from My Disco – and those boys are always up for playing.” The Low Light Social will be held at 15 Childers Street, Acton on Saturday January 14 from 6pm, featuring Tetras, Kangaroo Skull, Sanso-Xtro, Thomas William, Spartak, Danger Beach and Mornings DJs. Tickets are $30 from hellosquare.bandcamp.com .

SWEET SYMPHONY

BIRTHED FROM UNEARTHED

Lauren Bicknell

Peter Rosewarne

Something I love about music in Canberra is how personal it can be. Its lack of anonymity is lovely. You watch musicians grow and develop from the very beginning when they’re strumming a tune at lunch time on campus to when they start getting gigs and find their voice at The Phoenix to when they put out their first EP and you can’t help but feel like a nostalgic, proud parent on your kid’s first day of high school. As Dominic Lavers, of LAVERS, excitedly gets ready for the launch of their EP, I have to say that watching him evolve thus far has been a delightful journey.

triple j’s Unearthed has produced quite the monumental music pool. Some artists flounder and defect. Others, however, really come into the fore. When HUSKY won the triple j Unearthed award they didn’t brag or preen, they were grateful. “It’s helped us in a big way,” lead-man Husky Gawenda attests. “It’s difficult to get your music out there. You could have great songs or a great album but if no one is hearing it there’s not much you can do with it.”

Lavers is a story of strange yet humble beginnings. Originally the outfit was a brotherly duo. Sebastian Lavers, however, was unaware of their musical partnership for quite some time. “He’s like the Phantom of the Opera downstairs playing on his piano late at night and I’d always sit at the top of the stairs and I’d listen to him writing all these songs and I thought ‘what if nobody ever hears all these songs?’ and so I started penning the lyrics to some of the tracks that he’d play over and over,” Dominic explains.

I don’t know, maybe we were high on fumes

When their sister, Sophie, was crowned Miss World Australia, she asked her brothers if they could play at a charity event. “He kinda said ‘look, we don’t have any songs’ and I said ‘well actually, yeah we do, I’ve written the lyrics to them and ah, and we could play this one and we could play this one’ so that’s where it all started,” recalls Dominic with a sly smile. It’s the first example of stealth writing I’ve ever been given and I’d like to think it will catch on because clearly something worked. A couple of years on and the now four-piece band’s first EP, The Street is a Symphony, has just been finished. The five tracks are punchy, impressively polished and great listening. The EP was recorded in two places – a professional studio on the Gold Coast, and after that proved unsatisfactory, a more laidback affair, which also doubles as a paint warehouse in the south coast. Dominic says the band learned a lesson that proved spending a lot of money won’t guarantee a good record. When they left the Gold Coast studio, they weren’t leaving with the music they wanted to make. He said of their south coast experience, “It was just different and it was spontaneous and we felt we were just having fun and we were playing around with sounds and the paint warehouse was somehow conducive to that. I don’t know, maybe we were high on fumes.” Lavers will be launching The Street is a Symphony with Activate Jetpack, Sydney Girls Choir and comedian Greg Kimball on Friday December 16 at The ANU Bar. Tickets are $15 and include a copy of the record.

The attention motivated Husky to move forward, recording the album Forever So. While they seemed eager to develop an album relatively quickly, they also put in the hard yards to ensure their debut was of a high calibre. Forever So was recorded patiently over a number of months, not in a recording Honestly we didn’t know what studio but in Gawenda’s backyard we were doing. bungalow. Of course such a venue We spent quite requires setting up with sound-proofing, a few months among other things. The decision not feeling our way to record in a rented studio space was designed to spare them from “the feeling that time’s running out and that we had to finish by a certain time. We knew that recording an album would take space and time, and we wanted a cosy feel that would carry across to the sound of Forever So.” But it wasn’t an easy process. “We based most of what we did on blind intuition and watching instructional videos on YouTube,” Gawenda says, slightly unhinged. “Honestly we didn’t know what we were doing. We spent quite a few months feeling our way through it and teaching ourselves how to record, where to put microphones… But once we found our footing, and realised that we were achieving what we had set out to achieve, we gained a little more confidence and it became an amazing experience! It was really satisfying knowing that we had arranged it all ourselves.” In promoting the album’s release, Husky is currently touring Australia, pretty much everywhere. They even performed in Belongil (Byron Bay), including an impromptu gig. They are playing just about everywhere, it seems… except Canberra! “A couple of people have asked us about that,” Gawenda starts, sheepishly. “We were playing so many towns that I didn’t really think about it until somebody mentioned it. And I thought to myself ‘why not Canberra!?’ So I will be making sure that on our next tour (sometime early next year) we come to Canberra.” The current tour involves performing at the meritorious Laneway Festival. “They always have amazing line-ups,” Gawenda marvels. “Rather than booking a few huge headliners and then not such good quality bands for the rest of the line-up, the primary goal of Laneway seems to be to have a consistently good line-up throughout. I think Laneway also has a way of booking great bands that maybe no one’s heard of or heard a lot from. But [ticket holders] know that when they attend, most of the acts are going to be enjoyable.” You can catch Husky live at the Laneway Festival at the Sydney College of the Arts on Sunday February 5. Tickets through the festival’s website.

RELATIONSHIP OF THE BAND JAMES FAHY Judging by his output, OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ is one of the hardest working men in showbiz: he’s released more than 40 albums since 1991, as the composer and guitar genius behind At The DriveIn, The Mars Volta, De Facto, and at least one solo album a year since 2004. He doesn’t look at it that way, though. “I think there’s this perception of me as this workaholic, but you have to take it with a grain of salt, because music, and writing in my journal, and taking pictures – this is what I do for fun… And so, I just basically get to have fun all the time, you know? It would be unfair of me to even claim the flag of workaholic. A workaholic is someone who is doing it for the betterment of mankind and society. If you’re a doctor and you’re pulling 18 hour days, seven days a week, you’re a workaholic.”

Music, and writing in my journal, and taking pictures – this is what I do for fun

It must be fun, because Rodriguez-Lopez has been touring non-stop for 17 years. He’s been over here countless times with The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In, but for the first time, he is here (at the ANU!) with his solo outfit, the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group. Despite being unable to read music, each and every part is composed and dictated to the band by the self-titled “control freak”. “It sometimes comes across as improvisation, but it’s all written carefully… it’s just the way my brain functions. I catalogue things. I record parts and then just hand somebody a CD and say ‘learn all of this’.” He credits a great deal of his talent to his upbringing. He describes his parents as “strong personalities”: his father, a successful doctor, was a member of a “magic cult” and both parents raised him to believe that anything was possible – until his family moved countries. “I was always encouraged to do everything. I didn’t know that things were impossible until I started in the American school system.” Fighting back against a restrictive educational environment, “where their mission is just to strip you of your culture, and your uniqueness”, Rodriguez-Lopez met life-long collaborator Cedric Bixler-Zavala and they bonded over their shared anger, “at whatever you get angry about when you’re 13”. Bixler-Zavala’s limitless vocals were the perfect match for Rodriguez-Lopez’s angular, avant-garde guitar technique, and after breaking through with At The Drive-In’s Relationship of Command, they have played in various incarnations to sold out crowds and international acclaim. The guitarist has never looked back, and life has rewarded him handsomely. “It’s just a perpetual cycle – I love doing what I do, and then all of a sudden, I get paid to do it, so I get to do it more, because I don’t have to go take a job at an office anymore. Which allows me to be myself. So what else am I going to do, besides do what I love?” Catch the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group and Le Butcherettes live at the ANU Bar on Friday December 9. Tickets cost $31.05 + bf and are available through Ticketek.

What they don’t know is that I hate them and poisoned all their crops

THOSE FIGHTING WORDS Peter Krbavac Dominic Death, frontman of local band THE FIGHTING LEAGUE and self-proclaimed King of the Capital, is speaking via wire from the far north. While most would consider Queensland the country’s hotspot, Dom maintains his hometown is the true tropical capital. “I pretended to enjoy their cool weather,” he says of the Sunshine State, “but what they don’t know is that I hate them and poisoned all their crops, then reformed the 1994 NSW Blues team with an ACT branch – me and all the other members of The Fighting League – and beat the shit out of them in one of the greatest League matches of all time that went for three days and eight people died.” For self-styled tropical punks The Fighting League, the third time’s a charm. Almost two years ago, the band was preparing to release their debut record. Instead, the recordings were shelved next to an unreleased EP. “For the first EP we wanted to release,” Dom says, “we went to [drummer] Alex’s to record it and got majorly wasted for three days and recorded what we thought was the greatest album of all time. Evidently it was not. The next time we tried to record we

went up to Robin’s [aka TV Colours] school in Sydney and got majorly drunk and recorded over two straight days. That had potential but we didn’t put enough effort into it and then we just stopped caring.” Luckily, the band – completed by bassist Joel and guitarists Carey and Andy – was introduced to Bruce Callaway, producer to the likes of Ed Kuepper and The Triffids. As well as having the engineering smarts, Bruce – a former member of The Saints – is also well-versed in dealing with the artistic temperament. “Meeting Bruce was the best thing that ever happened to our band, because not only is he a total pro, he also recorded us exactly the way we wanted and the best way for our sound,” Dom says. “We are not particularly picky about recording but we are very picky about our songwriting. Songwriting is what we care about most. We believe having true music is the most important thing and everything else comes next – and that includes being badasses on and off stage. When we recorded with a pro we knew he would do the best job for our sound. I don’t know about Chris Bailey, but The Fighting League and Bruce are like rice and curry.” The result of this musical korma, if you will, is Tropical Paradise: 14 tracks taking in punk, new-wave, glam and garage rock influences. In an age of records saturated with reverb and tape hiss, the album’s crisp, classic ‘60s-style production stands out. “We have always wanted to record clean,” Dom notes, “not necessarily as a reaction to distortion stuff, but just simply because we have always thought our songs’ melodies, structures and energy were just too good to fuck around covering it up with all that crap microphone noise.” The Fighting League launch Tropical Paradise at The Phoenix on Saturday December 17 with TV Colours, Assassins 88 and more. Entry is free. Tropical Paradise is available on 12” vinyl through Dream Damage and for download via thefightingleague.bandcamp.com .

THE REALNESS Despite the overwhelming amount of fantastic music released in 2011, for my definitive list this year I have chosen not only the albums which stayed on consistent rotation, but also those from artists who pushed the boundaries of sound, style and structure to not only reinvent and revitalise existing templates but also use genre confines to expand and create brand new sonic territory. To me, these artists and records have birthed something entirely new and (in some instances) relaunched my love for certain sounds. 2011 was the year dubstep ceased to exist as an overarching term to define what was happening in bass music; alternative and popular music flirted with a range of experimental and gutsy new directions; hip-hop got good (and interesting) again; and house music proved that it is, and will always be, the constant, ever-consistent heartwarming pulse to which our electronic world rotates. If my top ten were to be a, say, top 20 or 30, you’d also see the likes of Roly Porter, Oneohthrix Point Never, Shlohmo, Samiyam, Zomby, Sepalcure, James Blake, Danny Brown, Desolate, Sully, Africa Hitech, The Weeknd, Andy Stott, Panda Bear, Bnjmn, Robag Wruhme, Tim Hecker, Sandwell District and Lucy. So, being the huge music nerd I am, you can also check out my huge list of ‘must hear’ music in 2011 across a range of sounds and styles, all nicely organised for you, at bmamag.com. Here’s a wee taste: Hip-Hop Everything Statik Selektah did (albums with Termanology, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, Bumpy Knuckles and his own solo album), Saigon – The Greatest Story Never Told, Pharaoahe Monch – W.A.R., Ghostpoet – Peanut Butter Blues..., DJ Quik – Book Of David, Cunninlynguists – Oneirology, Roots Manuva – 4everevolution, Young L – As I Float, J Cole – Cole World, Stalley – Lincoln Way Nights, Danny Brown – XXX, Evidence – Cats & Dogs, Katalyst – Deep Impressions, Asap Rocky – Live Love Asap, Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day In Hell, Wale – Ambition, Currensy & The Alchemist – Covert Coup, Murs – Love & Rockets, Jay Rock – Follow Me Home, Raekwon – Shaolin Vs Wu Tang, People Under The Stairs – Highlighter. Happy listening! And, here’re my Top 10 albums of 2011. I hope you find them as special and enjoyable as I have this year, and also well into the future. You can read a full description of each online. 10. Clams Casino – Instrumentals/Rainforest EP [Type/Tri Angle] 9. Rustie – Glass Swords [Warp] 8. Kendrick Lamar – Section 80 [Topdawg] 7. Kuedo – Severant [Planet Mu] 6. Drake – Take Care [Island/Young Money] 5. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver [4AD] 4. LV w/ Josh Idehen – Routes [Keysound] 3. Instra:Mental – Resolution653 [Nonplus] 2. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise [Circus Company] 1. Machinedrum – Room(s) [Planet Mu] Roshambo aka Ced Nada roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

THUNDA FROM DOWN UNDER mel cerato Aussie hip-hop MC Jewson of THUNDAMENTALS is excited to show Canberra a banging good time when they hit Corinbank next year. Just don’t let him hear you describe their music as skip-hop. “I find it offensive when people try and pigeonhole the music we make as ‘skip hop’,” he says. “We are Australians making hip-hop in Australia, true, but the term is limiting and carries with it a set of stereotypes that I find are not applicable to the music that Thundamentals creates. You don’t hear hip-hop in America being referred to as ‘yank-hop’ so why ‘skip-hop’ over here?” Thundamentals are a three-piece group of guys from the Blue Mountains who’ve come together to make some beautiful beats. “We just all loved hip-hop music and culture and from that common interest we just all gravitated towards each other I guess,” Jewson remembers fondly. “I actually came up with the name for the band in an alcohol-induced haze! It seemed to make sense as there is a hell of a lot of thunder and less than optimal weather conditions in the Blue Mountains.”

We have a very dedicated fanbase and it is something we really value very highly

Having just finished touring with Drapht and before that American rapper Big Boi, Thundamentals are now on the road again playing their own headline tour to show off their latest album Foreverlution. “It has been amazing so far!” Jewson says of the tour. “It feels great to be able to play the new tunes out live to some adoring fans. We are having the best time getting around the country and meeting our fans and putting on some banging shows for them.” Speaking of fans, Thundamentals are proud to be part of the select group of bands who have fans named after them – in this case, Thundacats. “I think it was a term we started referring to our fans by and it just sort of stuck. I’m not sure who came up with the term exactly,” Jewson explains. “We have a very dedicated fan-base and it is something we really value very highly. Thundacats say ‘hooooooo’!” When they hit the ACT for Corinbank early next year, Thundamentals will be joining the likes of other Aussie acts including Josh Pyke, Skipping Girl Vinegar and Julia & The Deep Sea Sirens. “We have been to the ACT to do a few gigs in the past and it has always been a good vibe down there,” Jewson says. “We are really looking forward to playing Corinbank next year. Hopefully a few Thundacats rock out with us.” As well as heading to Corinbank, the boys have a busy schedule ahead of them in the new year. Between working on a new album and perhaps heading overseas, Jewson threw around the possibility of another tour in the works. “We will be working on our next record of course and may be supporting a legendary group in Australian hip-hop circles early in the year. I can’t confirm anything for now so you will just have to watch this space.” Catch Thundamentals live at the Corinbank Festival in 2012, held in the Brindabellas over Friday-Sunday March 2-4. Tickets are available now via the festival’s website.

To Drapht, a good song is one with a “catchy easy listening feel, plenty of honesty, heart and soul and that isn’t too penetrating or obtrusive”. His favourite songs of his own are the ones that reiterate the lessons he’s learnt, with messages about which he feels strongly.

HIP-HOP HOORAY Clare Butterfield Having killed off Jimmy Recard, Perth hip-hop artist DRAPHT is living the life of riley. Four years ago he decided to quit his job as a roof carpenter and pursue his music career full time. Since then he’s released two albums; the most recent of which, The Life of Riley, debuted at number one on the ARIA charts. He’s also introduced the world to Jimmy Recard (and killed him off), had songs in triple j’s Hottest 100 and won an ARIA. Influenced by the likes of Wu-Tang, Downsyde, Hilltop Hoods, The Roots, Eminem and Black Thought, the catalyst for Drapht (real name Paul Ridge) entering the music scene was graffiti and camaraderie. “At 16 I started heading down to the iconic Hyde Park hip-hop night and that’s where I met most of my closest friends to this day,” he says. “I was the only one out of our whole crew that didn’t do any music – I was just the shy graffiti kid. The rest of the crew started travelling interstate and I was left at home eagerly awaiting the stories they would return with. I really wanted to be part of the camaraderie.”

I am a nervous, awkward recluse that would rather keep to myself than be under the spotlight

He thinks artists should write what they know and what they are, and shouldn’t try to be something they’re not. “I feel there are too many artists that are scared to be themselves and feel they have to put on a front to live up to the classic early ‘90s New York mentality that so many live by,” he says. “I feel that they’re lying to themselves though; too scared to wear their hearts on their sleeves and reveal who they really are – big, soft, Star Wars-loving, computer game playing teddy bears.” Despite his success, the hip-hop artist is humble and still gets tongue tied. “I am a nervous, awkward recluse that would rather keep to myself than be under the spotlight. So every time I step on stage and the music stops between songs I feel out of my comfort zone. My nerves get the best of me at times, especially when there are ten thousand people standing in front of me waiting to be entertained!” Drapht hid his nerves well when performing at the ARIA Awards recently, and capped off the night with the award for Best Urban (Hip-Hop) Release. He describes the experience as mind-blowing. “I had some amazing feedback from personalities that have been in the industry for decades so it was a pretty special night.” Drapht will play at Summernats at Exhibition Park on Saturday January 7. Tickets are available from the festival’s website.

METALISE Another year flies on by and we look towards a long summer punctuated by the juggernaut of Soundwave and the resultant side shows that come from having a ridiculous amount of international heavy bands visiting our shores. Slipknot (Monday February 27 in Sydney, Thursday March 1 in Melbourne), Trivium (likely in support of Slipknot), Marilyn Manson, System of A Down (Tuesday February 28 in Sydney, Wednesday February 29 in Melbourne), Devin Townsend, Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan, Steel Panther and Cathedral (Melbourne definite, Sydney likely the other) all have a sideshow slated for either Melbourne or Sydney or both. Brisbane only gets one ‘Sidewave’ and the promoters have been pretty insistent that there will be no other sideshows in any other state or territory, HOWEVER, there are rumours afoot of a possible Mastodon, Kvelertak and Gojira Sidewave coming to our very own berg here in Canberra. Fingers crossed, but we’ll have a full update on the shows when BMA fires up the presses again in mid-January. Friday January 13 at the ANU has been booked by Heathen Skulls Promotions for the Toxic Holocaust tour along with Kromosom and Hellbringer. Horror-themed chaos will abound and a local support is likely to be added soon. If you’re not sure what to do this New Year’s Eve and some travel is a possibility, Blood Duster are doing a New Year’s Eve extravaganza at The Tote in Collingwood with a bill that includes King Parrot, Swidgen and a heavy metal cook off (Iron Maiden Chef) between Rowan from Captain Cleanoff representing the carnivores and Rob Wog representing the vegans. The really exciting news is that there will be a show from a group calling themselves Dirtypunkmutha. They’ll be playing the tunes of Melbourne’s legendary Christbait and featuring Craig and V from the original line-up, along with members of Blood Duster, Legends of Motorsport and Pillow, that’s a meaty New Year’s proposition for fans of heavy music. The Basement in Belco has a cool show on Saturday December 10 with Eyes To The Sky, Knights of the Spatchcock, Point of View and Delinquent hitting the loudest stage in Canberra. Friday December 16 is a big night with Forbidden Burning, Vendetta of the Fallen, Knight Hammer, Indistrict, Blindfold Warhorse and No Longer. In the interest of wrapping up the ‘best of’ flavour this time of year, Metallise recommends that you acquire the following for brutal holiday entertainment. The Walking Dead for brutal TV series, The Walking Dead comics (91 issues strong from Impact Comics, most brutal comic store with epically brutal staff), a copy of UFC 139 for the year’s most brutal main event with Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua, Human Centipede II for brutally banned films, my top ten albums of 2011 for brutal tunes and a copy of Skyrim on PC, PS3 or Xbox which is basically brutal electronic crack. Three Unkle Kronoz’ bands of the week to check over the break – Windhand (myspace.com/windhand) for amazing female-fronted doom, Grimpen Mire (myspace.com/grimpenmire1971) for UK Celtic Frost-inspired sludge and Morbus Chron (myspace.com/ morbuschronband), bringing 1991 Swedish death metal around again in welcome fashion. Good festivus to you all! JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

REVS AND REBIRTH mel cerato 2011 has been a somewhat crazy year for Canberra locals ATLANTIS AWAITS. In the space of months, the band have had a line-up change (adding new frontwoman Tegan Rogers to the mix), have released a new single Rebirth through Sony/Ardline Records, and are currently in LA, recording their debut album. In fact, Rebirth could not be more aptly titled. “Since Tegan has come on board it seriously has been like a rebirth for the band,” the guys admit. “The whole dynamic of the band has really shifted and we are working as a unit and just having a lot more fun.”

There is some serious talent coming out of Canberra at the moment and it’s exciting to watch

LA has been an amazing experience for the band as well – not many Canberra bands get to say they recorded their debut album in the Hollywood Hills! “LA has been fucking great. From the moment we got here we’ve seriously had the royal treatment and been lucky enough to work with some amazing people!” And the album is sure to be a big hit with the fans, if Rebirth is anything to go by. Unbelievably energetic and fun, the band think it’s a good example of the rest of the record. “Fans can definitely expect to hear an album that is upbeat and energetic, but it has a mix of different kinds of songs too. There’s a few fist-pumping songs in there, some ‘riding in your car with the top down’ kind of songs, and others that are meant to provoke and inspire.” With a third national tour coming up, the band are itching to hit the road again. “We’re keen to get back in the mix. There is some serious talent coming out of Canberra at the moment and it’s exciting to watch and we’re itching to get amongst it,” they say enthusiastically, though jetlag may be a dampener. “Ha, we aren’t looking forward to the 14 hour flight back to Australia but it’s nothing a couple of Valium can’t fix!” Having recently signed to the well-known Australian booking agency, The Harbour Agency, the band will be looking to kick up a storm in the live scene more often. “Playing live shows and being on the road is what this band is about. Being with Harbour simply means we have more opportunities to do so and it opens a lot more doors for the band. If we could tour year-round, non-stop, we would!” Well, they certainly wouldn’t get any complaints from their eager fans. Although still uncertain about how exactly they would define their music, Atlantis Awaits are big fans of the local scene, and luckily, the locals love them back. “The Canberra scene is definitely underrated,” they say. “We have trouble defining our genre, we don’t really know it ourselves. But we’ve had the opportunity to play with bands from genres of either ends of the spectrum and that’s what it’s all about. The weirder the better.” Atlantis Awaits will play at Summernats on Thursday January 5. Tickets are available from the festival’s website.

the word

on albums

album of the issue waterford SAY OK [BIRDS LOVE FIGHTING]

Local releases often present a quandary for the reviewer. Impartiality and justifiability lie at the core of music criticism, but it is much easier to be virtuous when the artist whose work you may potentially take a baseball bat to doesn’t live one suburb over. Fortunately, in Waterford’s case, I will still be able to wander the streets of Canberra in (relative) safety. The term ‘surprising’ is frequently employed in the assessment of hometown music. Its usual application is to express shock that the local Friday night pub band can utilise GarageBand to record something mildly coherent and in tune. Waterford are far from this league, and thus surprising must be used in a different context – Say Ok has caught me completely unawares, quickly making it to the top of my summer listening pile. With Say Ok, Waterford have produced something inherently Canberran – from the round-about evoking cover art to lyrical flirtations with all too familiar suburbs. Yet, this is not just music for the be-suited public servant or sharehouse townie. There is a certain Smiths-like universality and depth to these tracks which allow them to effortlessly transcend their physical setting. LIAM DEMAMIEL

Husky Forever So [Liberation]

Kimya Dawson Thunder Thighs [Burnside/MGM]

Husky’s striking song, History’s Door, seemed to grab the attention of many this year. And with good reason: the single is a beautiful and emotive piano driven piece energised by rolling drums. The album itself feels a bit slower (for the most part) but this is not to its detriment. This year saw a few folky releases (Fleet Foxes being, oddly, one such disappointing example), but none as patiently developed and varied. After recording in a bungalow, Husky flew to LA to produce their debut with Noah Georgeson (Devandra Banhart, Joanna Newsom and The Strokes). The result is a collection of relaxed songs, broken up in mood and instrumentation. Leading man Husky Gawenda ties them together with his consistently seductive and echoey voice, reminiscent of Paul Simon and soothing to the ear.

Ex-Moldy Peaches member Kimya Dawson is nothing if not prolific; this album represents her seventh solo LP and arrives three years on the heels of her children’s album Alphabutt. While her folk-pop tinged vocals and strummed guitar still anchor the 16 tracks here, compared to the fairly stripped back nature of her previous solo work there’s a far more expansive and layered sound with the addition of piano, choir vocals, string arrangements and even the occasional hip-hop beat. She’s also enlisted the services of some impressive collaborators including Aesop Rock, The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle, Nikolai Fraiture of The Strokes and her five-yearold daughter Panda Bear.

OpenerTidal Wave starts slow and builds, the drums keeping the pace from waning. This is perhaps why the album continues from strength to strength; it has vibrancy and energy that suggests Husky has not succumbed to boring beach bum Jack Johnson mediocrity. Subsequently, the tension is broken up. While the album tugs at the heart-strings with Hunter and Don’t Tell Your Mother, songs like Hundred Dollar Suit pick up the pace, pushing potential platitudes out of the way. The closing song, Farewell (In Three Parts), exemplifies Husky’s willingness to switch between tensions not just on the album as a whole but even during a song.

Above all though, Thunder Thighs comes across as Dawson’s most mature and self-reflective work, with tracks such as the first-person confessional Walk Like Thunder chronicling difficult events like her own overdose and the passing of a young friend with unflinching honesty. While there’s certainly a more revealing and melancholic feel throughout, more extroverted moments such as The Library, which sees Dawson, Aesop Rock and a children’s choir crafting an electro-laced homage, stop things from getting too maudlin (and it’s pretty much worth it just to hear Aesop asking where he can find Judy Blume books). While it probably won’t convert nonfans, this is still a compelling and ambitious snapshot of Dawson’s eventful life so far.

PETER ROSEWARNE

CHRIS DOWNTON

LAVERS THE STREET IS A SYMPHONY [INDEPENDENT] Unless you’ve had your head buried in a few feet of beautiful Canberra clay topsoil this year, you will have undoubtedly noticed the Lavers boys doing the rounds of Canberra’s live music venues. Alongside their non-stop gigging, the locals spent much of 2011 writing, recording and mixing their debut EP The Street Is A Symphony. Originally recorded for a small fortune at a Gold Coast studio, the lads were unhappy with the result and re-recorded much of it over two days at a warehouse in Albion Park. The product is a polished, but not over-refined collection of infectious pop-rock tracks that is a true testament to the effort the group has put into its songwriting and performing in the past year. Heavily Britpop influenced, with smatterings of folk and a small pinch of indie rock (kind of inevitable these days, really), The Street is A Symphony displays the diversity of the boys’ repertoire, together with their ability to play a tight, wellrehearsed set while still giving their songs a good dose of character and without sounding artificially polished. Having been together for barely two years, the group still sounds to be exploring the particular styles that it feels most comfortable with. However, the trio’s obvious talent – and Dom Lavers’ entrancing dulcet tones in particular – suggest a bright future for the group, especially as they gain even greater confidence and certainty in their direction. BEN HERMANN

singled out

with Dave Ruby Howe

Prime Good Morning [Soulmate Records] Prime’s new release in my fumbled opinion is the reason why Australian hip-hop is still on the map; lately the state of Aussie hip-hop has taken a turn into a pop-filled genre full of disco beats and auto-tune. Prime is a prime example of a real emcee. His wordplay contrasts brilliantly with his ability to string multi-syllabic rhymes together without ever losing context. His tracks address how he has dealt with and how he is going to deal with constant issues arising in an average person’s life, though he hasn’t placed himself on a pedestal as he reminds the listener that he, just like us, is only human, and this never escapes us. Good Morning was released as a free download, emphasising the fact he’s in hip-hop for love and respect: the way it should be. Prime has a grounded take on social media, proclaiming “…and Twitter proves you don’t have to lead to have followers.” The Aus hip-hop scene has been flooded recently with emcees on Facebook and Twitter caring more about what people think than what they really want to say. This album pays homage to the roots of hip-hop and at the same time branches in another direction; a fruitful, beautiful, proud direction. I am proud to be an Australian hip-hop head after hearing this work. Prime has restored my faith. SKANKMC

The Red Crayola The Parable of Arable Land [Charly]

Underground Lovers Wonderful Things: Retrospective [Rubber Records]

The 1960s conjured all the right stuff when it came to music. For instance, the creative arts would be somewhat lacking had it not been for The Velvet Underground blowing minds in 1966. The Velvets were from cultural centre of the universe New York, and for a while all roads stopped there. But music fans open to new experiences in America also looked south and turned their attention to Texas in particular, a southern US state which turned out some of the most incendiary garage rock of the ‘60s attuned to psychedelic delights in a particularly potent way.

In the interviews promoting this career-spanning release, Vince Giarrusso (who along with Glenn Bennie co-founded this Melbourne-based band) says Underground Lovers never really went for a sound, per se. Instead, they just used whatever worked for the song – loops, antiseptic drum beats, walls of distortion and slashing feedback. Riding the Manchester ‘baggy’ wave in the early ‘90s Underground Lovers wore their influences proudly: My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Ride and New Order.

Then came along the consciousness expanding brilliance of The Red Crayola, who took the lysergic experience to greater heights on acid drenched avant-garage nuggets like Transparent Radiation, giving you the world and a universe of possibilities in short, highly charged bursts. The Parable of Arable Land originally appeared in 1967 on which parched Beatles melodies on churning tunes like Hurricane Fighter Plane mixed with free-form freakouts from psychedelic travellers in tow named The Familiar Ugly. Thank the gods for the Charly label which has repackaged this essential LP with attentive remixer Sonic Boom who extends mind enlightenment to the nth degree. The inclusion of a mono mix and revealing bonus tracks is just gravy. Dan Bigna

They also garnered massive acclaim – winning over critics, winning awards and for a short time were signed to an offshoot label on 4AD. They were perpetually on the cusp of great things. But it never happened and after the obligatory flirtation with the majors came the even more obligatory dissolution.

Seeing as though this is my last singles column I figure we should go out with a bang and revisit the very worst releases of 2011. That’s always been more fun.

Brian McFadden – Just The Way You Are (Drunk At The Bar) [BMF Records] A master class in terrible music unto himself, BriFad reached new heights (depths?) of shitness here, bridging the gap between pro date rape anthems and hard floor banjo beats.

Bruno Mars – Grenade [Warner] Bruno Mars and that fucking fedora hat. For all his saturation this year it’s Grenade that hurts the most. What a nightmare of a song this is with cloying, overwrought poncing about from the ever artificial Mars. Be prepared to hear this in every X-Factor audition for the next jillion years.

David Guetta – Where Them Girls At ft. Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj [EMI]

Wonderful Things collects material from all points of their relatively short but stellar career. As you’d expect there are some egregious omissions, for example the blissful Weak Will and the frenzied Get Off On It. But that’s just deliberate carping because what really emerges is a restive band that could swing persuasively between dense layered mini epics (Promenade, Eastside Stories, Your Eyes) to whimsical pop (Losin’ It) and convincing slow burn blusters (Las Vegas). An essential time capsule and fully realised snapshot of an oft-overlooked band.

Simply the biggest, dumbest, most obnoxious mesh of dance and rap that you’ll hear this year. And hopefully ever because this shit deserves to die.

JUSTIN HOOK

xoxo, DRH

LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem [UMA] LMFAO have proven across the year just how despicably dreadful they are, yet it’s this single that sticks with us, lingering like a rotten fart and clogging up our nostrils with cheap synth squiggles, caveman raps and some bullshit about shuffling that’s already six years too late.

BMA Mag’s favourite albums of 2011 Machinedrum – Room(s) [Planet Mu] reviewed by THE REALNESS COLUMNIST ROSHAMBO AKA CED NADA The underground Chicago juke movement infiltrated bass music in a major way in 2011 and Travis Stewart embraced it head on with Room(s), one of the year’s most beautiful records. The drum programming is perfectly complex, the vocal manipulation and sampling gorgeous and there’s atmosphere in spades. Like Rustie’s record this year, Stewart also happily tips his hat to ‘rave’ as well as to classic jungle and pop music, melding his passion for classic dance with juke rhythms to create something entirely new. There’s completely awesome and bugged out moments like She Died There which manipulates its vocal sample over subtle dub and psychedelia making for an off-kilter yet entrancing welcome to the world of Room(s). Stewart also shows incredible restraint, with tunes building layers slowly and delicately underneath its rapid fire percussion. Sometimes he lets the vibes swarm, like midnight ode Lay Me Down or the almost beatless and sweeping album closer Where Did We Go Wrong. So confident is Room(s) that Stewart is comfortable introducing ideas, only to develop them to the point of euphoria and then disappear completely to be replaced by entirely new motifs; check how the rave piano of Come1 travels into the majestic guitar laden outro that then lifts the tune into the ether. Room(s) is absolutely perfect and as much geared towards moving your feet as it is towards pasting an ear-to-ear grin of pure bliss across your stunned visage.

Yacht – Shangri La [DFA] REVIEWED BY CONTRIBUTOR ALISTAIR ERSKINE In 2009, Yacht’s album See Mystery Lights shone into my ears and heart – every play made me fall for the Portland duo that little bit more. Their Meredith performance that December cemented the love – a sprightly couple sent to provide a slightly alternate reality where the beats are kicking, the loyalty is strong and the friendship everlasting. Delightfully, Shangri La is the best record I heard all year. Identifying the standout track is difficult as I developed a new favourite every week. At first I was drawn to the potty-mouthed Dystopia (The Earth Is On Fire), quickly jumping over to the excellently inclusive electro anthem I Walked Alone. The bass that punctuates Holy Roller stole my heart for a week or two, then the excellent manipulation that is described in One Step, then the fabulous mission statement Paradise Engineering, where Yacht announce to us all “that the world’s last unpleasant experience will be a precisely datable event” and proceed to describe the heaven they know they can create and all that’s required to allow this transcendence. I’ve scoffed at people falling for the charms of a cult before, but some afternoons as I sit on public transport in traffic listening to this, I know I am only ten steps away from actually running away to join them.

Com Truise – Galactic Melt [Fuse] reviewed by bossman allan sko With another year without a Boards of Canada release the synth-heavy mind music landscape was traversed by New Jersey’s fabulously named Com Truise, who gleefully peppered the grounds with blips, beeps, scrapes and snares as he went. With Galactic Melt the keyboard obsessed Truise takes us on a trippy skip through his synth museum, delivering an album akin to spinning through 2001: A Space Odyssey’s psychedelic ‘through the infinite’. In short, it’s music to stare off into space and blissfully vague out to. Describing himself as producing “mid-fi synth-wave, slow motion funk”, Seth “Truise” Haley has created something truly mesmerising; music that paradoxically uses all the hallmarks of the‘80s – synths, 808 drums, more synths – to create something positively futuristic. Yes, Haley’s sound smacks of Boards – with its cloudy synths and crackling snares VHS Sex sounds like a BoC B-side – but Haley has crafted his own synthy beast that’s more uplifting in tone. Brokendate, with its driving, insistent low synth stabs, steady punch-beat and soaring high synths should lure you into Truise’s Church of Synth. And one listen to Flightwave will have you converted; the high-hats at the 3:44 mark get me every time. As a Twitter fan said recently “@comtruise live is like finding yourself in Tron’s Grid and having a drummer follow you around. Wow.” That sums it up nicely.

BMA Mag’s favourite albums of 2011 TV On The Radio – Nine Types of Light [Interscope] REVIEWED BY the BOSSMAN & the EDITOR Allan: There’s something so reliable about a new TV On The Radio album, and at the level they operate at, that’s nothing short of astounding. They release LPs with no dud tracks, not even mediocre ones; each song that ends has you immediately yearning to hear it again until the next one plays and you’re swept up once more. They take full advantage of their five core members and 17 guest instrumentalists to deliver joyous ‘rock’ that has their music described in a manner usually reserved for wines (depth, complexity, richness) without resorting to experimental ethereal nonsense; their songs are inclusive and will have you gleefully braying along. Nine Types of Light also serves as a timely testament to bass player Gerard Smith, who died shortly after the album’s release from lung cancer. I could think of no greater legacy to leave behind. Julz: TV On The Radio’s fourth LP Nine Types of Light is nine types of awesome. It’s diverse, it’s intricate, it’s frenetic, it’s laced with ridiculously good falsetto, it’s got luscious string and vibrant horn sections and effortlessly cool beats, it’s explosive, it’s intelligent, it’s funky and it’s beautiful. Nine reasons to go and buy it now. Their set at Sydney’s Harvest Festival was my live music highlight of the year; Repetition and Caffeinated Consciousness had me singing and dancing like a loon. This is music to soundtrack not just your summer, but your life. So get on it.

CUT COPY – zonoscope [Modular/UMA] reviewed by singled out columnist dave ruby howe By the time the final synth wash of the epic 15-minute finale Sun God echoes out and ebbs away to signal the end of Cut Copy’s third studio offering Zonoscope the Melbourne troupe’s grand vision fully unfolds for the listener. For the last hour the Modular golden boys have offered up a bold collection of modern dance music done their way; from the dense electro throb of Corner Of The Sky to their note-perfect take on Madchester hedonism with Blink And You’ll Miss A Revolution and the sweet, radio-bound pop songs like Where I’m Going and Take Me Over the Cutters crew not only show a sleeker than ever gift for song craft but also a genuine versatility that most bands would do unmentionable things to borrow. On Need You Now the band nail perhaps their finest moment yet with a billowing synth build up and this super-charged croon that just kills me. What’s particularly impressive about Zonoscope is that it comes a decade on from Cut Copy’s genesis as just a solo sample-delica outfit for Dan Whitford. In that time Cut Copy’s developed into an almost unrecognisable new beast with Whitford and co growing into the most sophisticated party band on the planet. Bands like Cut Copy don’t come around very often and records as cohesive and realised as Zonoscope are even rarer.

A WINGED VICTORY FOR THE SULLEN – S/T [Kranky] REVIEWED BE CONTRIBUTOR JUSTIN HOOK Slowly repeated melodic tinkles, gauzy atmospheric wipes, drifting lugubrious strings, a sense of gloomy space and long white empty Nordic hallways in the wintertime. Yes – you guessed correctly, one of the guys from Stars of the Lid is back! SOTL are one of the finest proponents of ambient drone going ‘round but their work rate is hardly brisk. So between albums we get side projects. The Dead Texan was a superb diversion a few years back, but this collaboration between SOTL’s Adam Wiltzie and pianist Dustin O’Halloran might just pip it at the post. This is imprecise music – it waxes and wanes, completely eschewing traditional song structure in favour of long stretches of unravelling melody. And phenomenally beautiful and quixotic melodies they are – O’Halloran’s involvement tightens up the field of view somewhat; in comparison to SOTL this self-titled debut is more organic, less processed and less reliant on studio wizardry. Song titles remain utterly ridiculous (Steep Hills Of Vicodin Tears, Requiem For The Static King Pt’s I & II) but they are more contained. Of course this isn’t pop music; there are no guitars and no vocals. It’s creepy. And that deliberate imprecision means it will last forever, constantly open to interpretations. But don’t go mistaking it for background music though; it’s the most engaging album of the year. And to think it came from a couple of foreigners in Belgium.

BMA Mag’s favourite albums of 2011 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake [Island/Universal] reviewed by sub-editor and contributor josh brown Perhaps it appeals to my inner history buff, but the prospect of one of my all-time favourite artists choosing to write a war-inspired concept album was always going to be an incredibly exciting proposition. Turns out, she nailed it. Let England Shake continues its predecessor’s foray away from Harvey’s traditional instrument of choice, the guitar, this time to the autoharp. There’s also an interesting selection of samples, with the dreamy Written On The Forehead lifting its chorus from a reggae classic by Niney the Observer while The Glorious Land, one of the album’s most polarising inclusions, works in a section of The Last Post. The album is musically quite pleasant and catchy, but it’s only when one delves deeper into the lyrical content that the true darkness of the songs is revealed. Harvey researched extensively personal accounts of war and her hard work has paid off. She manages to beautifully articulate war’s destruction and pointlessness – On Battleship Hill describes the landscape faced by unknown soldiers as “Jagged mountains jutting out / Cracked like teeth in a rotten mouth”, while The Words That Maketh Murder spouts grotesquely “I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat / Blown and shot out beyond belief / Arms and legs were in the trees.” An outstanding album both in concept and execution, whose message is only too relevant in this era of protracted terrorism-inspired conflicts. A classic of our time.

THE ANTLERS – BURST APART [pod] REVIEWED BY EDITOR JULIA WINTERFLOOD I have this job to thank for many things, namely nigh on three years of free gigs, an Olympic pool’s worth of tears of laughter, and the close friendship of some incomparable characters. I also have it to thank for this album. I’d never heard of The Antlers before Burst Apart arrived at BMA HQ adorned with a sticker proclaiming “…Bon Iver’s intimacy, Arcade Fire’s ambition, Sigur Ros’ other-worldly reach and Flaming Lips’ psych experimentalism collide”. I knew I’d love it before hearing a note. Opener I Don’t Want Love is devastating; a heart-wrenching wallow in lead singer and guitarist Peter Silberman’s morning after despair. “I should have built better walls / Or slept in my clothes”, he laments in a piercing, soaring falsetto that occasionally sounds feminine; the hint of androgyny augmenting the album’s ethereality. Parentheses conjures a rancorous ex lovers’ argument; its distorted guitars rip back and forth while a river of echoing electronic percussion and tweaked piano surges and swirls around Silberman’s indignant howl. He’s been through relationship hell, but who hasn’t? Extraordinarily, despite the album’s harrowing lyrics, its atmosphere is strangely elevating, often reaching euphoric heights. The almost beatless Corsicana is the most beautiful song I’ve heard all year, and its transition into closer Putting The Dog To Sleep is sublime. Burst Apart’s glistening synth-laden melodies, sumptuous down-tempo dreamscapes and tender intimacy combine to create a master class in how to feel good about feeling bad. A vital lesson indeed.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver [4AD/Jagjaguwar] REVIEWED BY CONTRIBUTOR ASHLEY THOMSON Bon Iver’s second album is that scene in Up where the roof bursts open and thousands of balloons come cascading out to carry that man away to the place of his childhood dreams. It’s monstrous. It rips asunder phrases like “panoply of sound”. It’s the first time you fell in love. It’s the smell of the hair of the woman who walks past you in the street, stopping you dead in your tracks with a flood of memories you never knew you had. It’s a glass bottle of water from the fountain of life smashed over your head. Violently beautiful. Justin Vernon could never have been more fragile and brilliant than on his debut, For Emma, Forever Ago, but he has. Bon Iver, Bon Iver is The Godfather: Part II. Where his first was an exercise in stripped simplicity, in stark harmonies and understated guitar, his second employs everything and anything that aids his purpose. Something is happening in music where musicians are becoming more. An artist is emerging that can harness classical knowledge, contemporary musicianship and vocal training, and post modern electronic technology to create music 2.0. If the tools had been available to men like Brian Ferry and John Lennon, they might have done it too, but Justin Vernon is the first one there.

BMA Mag’s favourite albums of 2011 Looking Glass – III [Independent] reviewed by metalise columnist josh nixon You know, call it parochial, call it being a one eyed fan, call it what you will. I don’t give a fuck. Canberra’s Looking Glass are the best power trio in Australia and are top shelf world class players no matter how you slice it. The seven-track record kicks off with Heavy on the Hook and bassist and producer Lachlan Payne stamps his foot on your throat with the chops and authority of Australia’s best rock bassist. You know you’re in for it. Electric Mistress delivers the essential guitar solo of the year from 2.52 in the track, through an utterly face melting bebop deconstruction before kicking into a conjuration of Ritchie Blackmore before delving back into the strongest chorus on the record. Shores of Carcosa shows the band can create and wield an atmosphere full of Lovecraftian dread and melancholy, with a string section crying a lamenting harmony to the acoustic’s simple, haunting refrain. Not content to rest, Child of Vertigo goes High On Fire with pumping intensity, Spiral Architect drops all the Sabbath-fied riffs that hundreds of pretenders worldwide wished they had along with dynamic psychedelic turnarounds from Jimi’s spaciest blues jams. Wizard or the Skull crushes the testicles of both the former and the latter and finally the record descends or ascends – depending on your opinion of true doom metal – to the band’s career heaviest moment while winnowing the hearing range of live audiences treated to its mantra in 2011. No band in Canberra peaks like they do onstage, no album in 2011 has matched its dynamo approach to its genre. Don’t fucking miss it.

Machine Head - Unto the Locust [Roadrunner] reviewed by contributor scott adams Now 17 years into a career that looked for all money to be on the rocks at the turn of the century, Machine Head could well become the dictionary definition of the term ‘late bloomer’, were it not for the fact that their debut, 1994’s incendiary Burn My Eyes, has subsequently been accepted as one of the biggest and best debut albums in the metallic canon. That they’ve come up with their best ever album after such a long gap is a testament to the sheer bloody mindedness and stickability of MH mainman Rob Flynn and his horny-handed band of compadres. Journeymen metallers they may be, but that didn’t stop them coming up with a nigh-on perfect exposition of what true heavy metal should sound like in 2011. In simple terms this really is as good as it gets as far as straight up heavy metal is concerned. The guitar playing, from Flynn and long-time cohort Phil Demmel, is nothing short of astounding at times, without the album ever falling into the trap of shred wankery that lurks ever present for any band with two virtuoso axemen on board; whilst drummer Dave McClain drives the whole thing with precision, power and panache. If you’re a metal fan and you don’t yet own …Locust, get down to your nearest record n’ tape emporium on Boxing Day and invest. Happy listening.

Fucked Up - David Comes to Life [Matador] reviewed by contributor ben hermann David Comes to Life is a testament to what a band can achieve when it writes and performs truly without boundaries and with intent to defy expectations and genre stereotypes. A true magnum opus, David Comes to Life churns out 18 tracks across four ‘Acts’, following the factory drone David as he meets, falls in love with, loses, and (possibly) kills his soul mate. Deep, complex and moving, the Toronto hardcore seven-piece have delivered a concept album – brave souls may even dare label it a rock opera – that may well go down as one of the most original, adventurous and accomplished rock productions of the decade. Although Damian Abraham’s distinctive growl is as animalistic as ever, DCTL is musically more accessible than the group’s previous work, seeing the band make an uncharacteristic, but seemingly determined leap from the basement to the stadium. Indeed, Abraham’s harsh roar is the only element that maintains DCTL’s ‘hardcore’ label at times, yet the album is so enamouring that few Fucked Up fans have been heard to complain. Despite the length, there is no filler on DCTL. Each rich, messy song is layered upon the next, and the album snowballs into a rollicking, dense mass that is difficult to escape. That a band like Fucked Up committed so wholeheartedly to an album like this is admirable, yet unsurprising. Their achievement in pulling it off is almost without comparison.

TV: The Year in Review With Allan Sko and Justin Hook Last year’s TV meme was all about the rebirth of quality on the small screen. Lavish budgets, a near-obsession with long form narrative and some genuinely bold programming decisions made it obvious that creative talent was being sucked away from the multiplexes towards the idiot box. We suddenly loved TV, became instant experts, and started using phrases like show-runner as if we always had. This year it’s all about the anti-hero, or more specifically the glut of characters we should hate for their actions but instead oddly admire and side with despite everything telling us we shouldn’t. It started years ago with Tony Soprano, then The Shield’s Vic Mackey, and Deadwood’s Al Swearingen near perfected it – and now we have Breaking Bad’s Walt White, Weeds’ Nancy Botwin, Dexter, Nurse Jackie, Madmen’s Don Draper and even Louis CK to some extent in the field of comedy. It’s beyond saturation point. We have no qualm with moral ambiguity and still like these shows – but are becoming mightily sick of another troubled protagonist fighting inner demons to somehow survive in a society where the odds are heavily stacked against them. It’s become the safe option; the conservative approach to scripted television. What started as nuance is now pro-forma. Walt White can’t be killed soon enough, like everything he represents. JUSTIN HOOK

Downton Abbey It’s a rare beast that marries strong scripting, measured pacing, sharp performances, lush production design, critical acclaim and broad commercial appeal – but that’s exactly what Abbey did this year. Rescuing period drama from the stuffy confines of endless hours of elaborately costumed ladies-in-waiting staring wistfully through sitting room windows contemplating Algernon’s latest peccadillo, this immaculately conceived British series (scripted by the exquisitely well connected Julian Fellowes) was 2011’s only genuine crossover hit. It proved – amazingly and especially so in this country – that there is still an audience for intelligent long form drama on free to air. Bravo, chaps – long may your tea cups clink. JUSTIN HOOK

Raising Hope Maybe it’s because there’s been a tiny monster in our house spending his first year slobbering over my design books, ripping out my first pressing collectible vinyls, depriving us of all sleep and being an adorable gummy champ, but Raising Hope really hits a nerve at my place. When 23-year-old James Chance knocks up a soon-to-be-captured-thenexecuted serial killer he finds himself an unwilling and unprepared father. Unfortunately for James his family of misfits and agitated ingrates are not much better. Greg Garcia’s follow-up to My Name Is Earl might raise a knowing smirk in this first time father, but it’s also bloody funny. Indie-darling Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt (Deadwood!) slouch through each episode in insouciant charm and wayward moralising. JUSTIN HOOK

The Slap The Slap rose to the top of a pretty slim year of local content (Paper Giants was also a fun and mercifully brief diversion). Christos Tsolakis’ multi award winning book made the leap to the small screen with considerable fanfare. In this respect it’s gratifying that a local non-crime production could engender such genuine anticipation. But there was lag and stretch, and I couldn’t help but feel that at eight episodes it was at

least a third too long. Even though it follows the novel’s format, I question this need to be so interpretively strict. The acting however (especially Alex Dimitriades) lifted The Slap above trendy suburban soap opera. JUSTIN HOOK

Boardwalk Empire A brilliant article written by Emily Nussbaum for New York Magazine called this show “a beautifully tailored empty suit”. I couldn’t agree more. Everything about BE reeks of professionalism; a stoic writer/creator in The Sopranos’ Terence Winter; a stellar cast including Steve Buscemi (finally in a lead role), Michael Pitt, Kelly MacDonald and even Omar from The Wire; arresting action set pieces; and of course lush, gaudy, expensive sets and costumes. And yet the series fails to fasten its hooks in the same way The Sopranos did. It seems to rely a little too heavily on historical fact, neglecting themes and episodes with a central purpose. Having said this, it is still good in the aforementioned ways, so worth viewing. ALLAN SKO

Dexter I don’t understand what it is with you people and this show. It’s terrible. That bloody, insistent, constant, fucking voiceover is the clunkiest storytelling device I’ve seen... “I reach for the milk. The bottle is cold; cold like my heart. Because I’m a killer.” O FOR GOD’S SAKE WE GET IT ALREADY! John Lithgow managed to breathe some life back in with his terrifying measured turn as the Trinity Killer in Season 4, but now it’s back to the motions. The wonderful Michael C Hall was spellbinding in Six Feet Under. He’s an utter bore here. ALLAN SKO

Weeds Weeds continued its descent into the weird. Whilst not being terrible, the increasing obscurity (the series starts with Nancy Botwin as a jailbound lesbian, and the rest are in Denmark) suggests the premise has been ragged for all its worth and should probably have been retired a few years ago. The dialogue between the characters is still feisty and some brave

and bold decisions are made with the storyline but they are only so because it’s becoming soap opera silly. The character of Nancy Botwin becomes increasingly unsympathetic and thus hard to watch. There is one wonderful episode where two characters from the past are brought back, but this merely serves to briefly remind us of the sparkling show this once was. Surely next year’s Season 8 will be the last, which will allow us to remember the truly good times we used to have with Weeds. ALLAN SKO

The Walking Dead AMC’s ratings darling continued to disappoint in its second season despite a promising early start. Budget restraints at AMC caused after Madmen creator Matthew Weiner scored a hefty new payload to continue his series resulted in Frank Darabont (he of The Shawshank Redemption fame) being booted from TWD and a revolving door policy of writers brought in. The result is a few episodes of solid drama (the season opener, the barn-confronting mid-season finale), a few that meander without driving plot or character, and one straight out painful episode concerning a well where logic is cast asunder. The quick change of locations in the first series was replaced by a long, overly drawn out premise (a person goes missing at the start; six episodes later they’re still searching). It’s disappointing that they turned Robert Kirkman’s complex and often horrifying comic into a Spanish soap opera, although as a zombie tragic I still find the show strangely enjoyable to watch. ALLAN SKO

Bored To Death In the year of the murky anti-hero a gentle show about a writer-come-detective protagonist and his ragtag friends shone like an ebullient beacon. Yes, the third series lost a bit of momentum and charm, and it gets a bit New York cliquey twee, but dammit it was one of the only series that did away with the anti-hero premise, instead charming and delighting with friendly characters that looked out for each other. Initial TV ratings have been poor, but the rapport between the three leads – Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis – and the relentless backing by HBO (reportedly they don’t even look at the ratings... As Butch Cassidy might say, who are those guys?) should ensure the show finds the niche/cult following it deserves. The fact that Zach Galifianakis sticks around despite his rocketing success suggests the labour of love it is for all involved. ALLAN SKO

Breaking Bad While my beloved TV crit counterpart Justin Hook has given up on this series, I still find BB an arresting piece of well-crafted, sharply-scripted and sublimely-plotted TV drama. Yes, the anti-hero thing has been done to death, but BB does it well and, as its title suggests, is the entire point of the show. Season 4 further turned the audience against the increasingly scheming Walter White, again played expertly by Bryan Cranston, who deserves all the TV awards bestowed upon him. Towards the

end, the series makes a plot jump that doesn’t sit well with the rest of the series, but the show’s conclusion (which the sharp-eyed will see coming) was nevertheless equal parts satisfying, shocking, and fitting to the show’s main theme of “Mr Smith Goes to Washington turns Scarface”. Season 5 will be the last, which is for the best, and intrigue abounds as to what fate creator Vince Gilligan will bestow upon Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. ALLAN SKO

Game of Thrones Hands down the best series of 2011. Touted by many critics as “The Sopranos of the fantasy medieval era”, the series, based on the hugely popular books by George RR Martin are set in fantastical surrounds but focus keenly on family and political drama. For all its heaviness and threat, the writing is sharp and extremely funny; the story is epic in scope yet personal, and the show is responsible for delivering two truly wonderful TV moments - one of the best characters in the wisecracking Tyrion Lannister played by the marvellous Peter Dinklage (“I’m not a cripple!” one character pleads. “Well I mustn’t be a dwarf then; I must tell my father he will be pleased.”); and the most shocking never-done-before moment I’ve seen in TV that completely changes the direction of the action. Utterly brilliant in every department. ALLAN SKO

Ugly Americans While long term animated shows are largely losing their lustre (The Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy) there are a slew of brilliant new ones, thanks largely to Comedy Central and Adult Swim. Along with the always fantastic Archer, the pick of the bunch was the uniquely brilliant Ugly Americans. Its premise is bizarre and brilliant, following Mark Lilly, a social worker employed by the Department of Integration, in an alternate reality version of New York City inhabited by monsters and other creatures. Vast in scope and, most importantly, piss-bollock funny, UA made me slap my thigh and shit my britches more than any other show this year. ALLAN SKO Honourable Mentions and Shows To Look Out For in 2012 Friday Night Lights started airing on ABC2 this year but for the full effect watch S1-3 Box Set in one sitting and tear hair out in anticipation of S4 mid 2012. I said it was the best drama on teev – and I stand by that position. Each year It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia gets more manic, more insane, louder, and funnier; the “Mac Gets Fat” season can’t come quick enough. Parks and Recreation and the addition of Adam Scott and Rob Lowe as regulars has made this already fantastic show one of the most enjoyable snark-free comedies going around. Fringe S2 finished firing on all cylinders to finally deliver on the premise at the core of the show – brilliant, dependable and captivating viewing. Archer is the best animated show on TV. In fact it’s arguably the best comedy on TV, full stop. Homeland starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis is the most promising new show for 2012 – hopefully it gets the full support of a network that doesn’t shaft it to 11pm Tuesday night. JUSTIN HOOK There’re only six shows I’m looking forward to next year – Arrested Development, Arrested Development, Arrested Development (if you hadn’t already heard, it’s coming back) and Game of Thrones times three. ALLAN SKO

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

If there’s one thing in life I can’t resist, it’s a documentary about an eccentric figure, like Bill Cunningham New York. Even better if they’re essentially a recluse. Bobby Fischer vs The World, which screened at this year’s Canberra International Film Festival, was one such riveting film. Do these films appeal to me because I will end up a crazy cat lady, feared by neighbourhood children? It’s possible. As PG Wodehouse said, “Has anybody ever seen a dramatic critic in the daytime? Of course not. They come out after dark, up to no good.”

quote of the issue

“We all get dressed for Bill.” Anna Wintour, Editor of Vogue. Bill Cunningham New York

Bill Cunningham New York Bill Cunningham New York is a heartfelt documentary about the title character, the 80+ iconic street fashion photographer. And ‘title character’ is an apt descriptor, New York included, given that Bill is considered to be an integral part of the New York scene. As the terrifying Vogue editor Anna Wintour says, “We all get dressed for Bill.” The film paints a portrait of a man who is compulsively shy, obsessively interested in fashion photography, and so genuinely kind and sincere that one finds it difficult to believe he has made it in the cutthroat world of fashion. Where the fashion industry has a reputation for being shallow, vain and artificial, Cunningham is quietly thoughtful, modest and truly appreciates fashion as an art form. While the film is careful not to pry too much into the privacy of this accommodating man, it does dig. When he is asked about his sexuality (there is the definite implication that he’s gay), Bill gives an ambiguous answer. When next questioned about religion, his face crumples. While watching scenes like this, you can’t help but wonder what drew Bill to fashion in the first place. The way fashion can be used to exaggerate an individual’s personality? Or perhaps its transformative properties; it’s ability to disguise. Bill Cunningham is a movie about a man who is an obsessive artist; but more importantly, a good human being. Melissa Wellham

Ides of March

Immortals

Political intrigue; moody shots of Ryan Gosling in a suit; George Clooney oozing sinister charisma – that’s Ides of March, and you gotta love it for what it is.

Immortals is a mythology mash-up that takes a number of interesting ancient characters, creatures and storylines – and mangles them into an unrecognisable mess.

Gosling plays Stephen, a media-savvy young political staffer on the way up – a young face on Governor Mike Morris’ (Clooney’s) presidential campaign trail. The political race is littered with familiar faces – Philip Seymour Hoffman as campaign manager, Paul Giamatti as opposing campaign manager, and Marisa Tomei as a determined Times reporter.

The bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) is on the hunt for a magical bow which will allow him to overthrow the Gods of Olympus, including Zeus (Luke Evans). The only thing standing in his way is the peasant Theseus (Henry Cavill), who – as the virgin Sybelline Oracle (not a virgin for long, though), Phaedra (Freida Pinto), has foreseen – has the power to stop the brutal king.

While enjoyable and engaging, I think I was a bit let down by the film in the end. There are some great tense moments, and overall it’s a solid piece – but I was expecting more twists and turns in the plot, or maybe a brawl or two. I blame the trailer for this. However, Ides of March does further Clooney’s rep as a promising director. Go in to the film expecting an interesting commentary on American politics (no doubt coloured by Clooney’s own spin on things) and some good writing – although bear in mind that this is not Sorkin, and don’t expect it to be. The film is handled very well though, and the corruption elements are just controversial enough. Overall, this is a classy – but in the end, fairly safe – political drama well worth a watch, mostly thanks to a solid cast. MEGAN McKEOUGH

After the first five minutes of this film you don’t need an oracle to tell you it’s not going to get any better. The plot is predictable and, while violent, the film does away with any of the truly shocking elements of Greek mythology. In Immortals, Zeus is a super nice guy who cares about his daughter, Athena (Isabel Lucas). In Greek mythology, Zeus was a jerk (remember when he disguised himself as a swan and raped Leda, anyone?) who feared his daughter because she was predicted to be stronger than him. The film is from the producers of 300, but the only thing it really shares with that other ancient history action is a distinctive style. Its combination of real sets and CG work is visually impressive, but it’s a pity this element is so interesting because it is wasted on a substandard script. Melissa Wellham

top ten films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

2011 may well have been the Year of the Sprawling Art House. Or, perhaps, the Year of the Comic Book Adaptation. The two genres could not be less alike, but they seemed to dominate the silver screen. With Black Swan, The Tree of Life and Melancholia all falling firmly into the ‘epic, grandiose, art house’ category, and films such as Captain America, Thor and X-Men: First Class representing the ‘slick, stylish, super-hero’ category, 2011 was a case of high vs. low art. Or was it? Black Swan was almost an adaptation itself, of a ballet; and Melancholia was a science fiction about the end of the world. Captain America and X-Men First Class dealt with issues of patriotism and racism respectively. Perhaps films cannot be so clearly categorised. Let’s just call it a Year of Quality Cinema, shall we?

10. Tangled

5. Bill Cunningham New York Tangled was a return to form for the ‘Disney Princess’ films, delivered with a pinch of self-parody. It featured a feisty heroine, a thoroughly modern and witty script, and magical animation, which was all bundled up with the delight of seeing a kid’s animation with a female protagonist. For all of Pixar’s virtues, boy are they male-protagonist heavy.

9. Submarine

This documentary manages to paint a touching, warmly humorous portrait of the iconic street fashion photographer Bill Cunningham, and although it doesn’t dare invade his closely guarded privacy, Bill Cunningham is an insightful, special film that shows there is more to fashion than clothes, and more to any individual than meets the eye.

4. The Tree of Life A cool, fresh coming-of-age film, Submarine was the directorial debut from Richard Ayoade (Moss from The IT Crowd). Following Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) an outcast who doesn’t even necessarily want to belong, Submarine had a distinctive style, with stark colours and interesting cinematography.

8. Page One: Inside the New York Times

This sprawling, slow-moving film from Terrence Malick was divisive, but for some patient viewers the film was an emotional and visual masterpiece. Both an intensely personal and existential, extensive film, The Tree of Life was a meditative look at everything from the nature of memories, to the nature of mankind. Brad Pitt turned in an exceptional performance.

3. Midnight in Paris

Rarely are documentary makers given such extensive access as director Andrew Rossi as when going behind-the-scenes of the most famous newspaper in the world. Page One is an illuminating investigation into the death of print media, the rise of the internet and the decline in quality journalism.

7. Beginners

Midnight in Paris was a surprisingly sweet love letter to the city from Woody Allen, a writer/ director best known for his bittersweet stories set in New York. With a witty script, a magicrealism twist and stunning scenery of Paris, the film goes down a treat – like a buffet of French baked goods, with sweet wine for dessert.

2. Drive An understated film that barely registered upon its Australian release, Beginners is a somewhat twee romance and drama, which nonetheless manages to explore the depths of the human heart with wit and warmth. Starring Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent and Christopher Plummer, Beginners is a quietly moving film about beginning to live.

6. 127 Hours

Drive was a hyper-stylised, fully-realised arthouse action, featuring a fantastic synth soundtrack and lush cinematography. It cemented Ryan Gosling as one of the best actors of his generation – as if there were even a contentious point – and blended entertainment with originality, high art with low. Drive was a film about what drives people.

1. Black Swan Based on the true story of an American man trapped under a boulder in the Utah desert for 127 hours, who eventually escaped only by sawing off his own arm, 127 Hours is just as tense and harrowing as the synopsis suggests. It is gut-wrenching, stomach-churning, nailbiting, and a generally body part-affecting film.

Black Swan was robbed of the best film title as the Academy Awards this year, and remains by far the best film of 2011. A beautiful and brutal re-imagining of Swan Lake, Black Swan veers towards magic realism, with supernatural themes blurring the line between insanity and reality. It missed out on the Best Picture statue, but gets this reviewer’s top spot. Surely consolation enough?

Martin Ollman

5 Moments in 2011

Illy, Stonefest Rock On Party, October 31 Boy and Bear, Foreshore, November 26

Nero, All Our Friends, UC, September 23 The Panics, ANU Bar, September 21

Salt n Pepa, Foreshore, November 26

Deftones, Sydney Big Day Out, January 26

Sydney Big Day Out, January 26

Iggy and the Stooges, Sydney Big Day Out, January 26

Tim Rogers, You Am I, AIS Arena, November 27

Andrew Mayo

5 Moments in 2011

Rammstein Sydney Big Day Out, January 26

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Developer: Bethesda Game Studios Length: 10-100+ hrs Rating: Definitely grab When it comes to overhyping shit, no one does it quite like the game community. But with Skyrim, the oodles of enthusiasm surrounding its release are more than deserved. Simply put, this is one of the greatest and most engaging games I have ever played, and that’s saying something as I’m a massive nerd. Skyrim’s most impressive quality is just how darn packed full goodness it is. Whereas Fallout 3 suffered from bland, cut and paste scenery, the amount of scenic detail in Skyrim is mindboggling. Without even needing a purpose, I found myself compelled to explore the beautiful Nordic-themed land. Of course, this being a Bethesda, a purpose is never far away. Skyrim includes a staggering amount of mission and story-based content, to an extent that it can be hard to take it all in. Sticking to the main quest for now, your main role is to vanquish the dragon scourge plaguing the land. So sucked into the experience I was that the first dragon encounter literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. It’s epic. What’s better, it represents only a small fraction of what the game has to offer. While the main mission clocks in at around ten hours, the side missions could keep you going for hundreds of hours if you wanted – or more accurately, if the missus lets you (massive nerds have missuses? - Ed.). To put it in perspective, many of the missions are more time consuming and frankly more interesting than most standalone games out there. To make this content even more compelling is the ability to choose how you wish to approach it. To that extent, there are several races in the game, each of course with their own advantages and disadvantages. From there, based on your actions, you get to choose how to specialise your character. While this has been done before, there’s enough versatility on this occasion that you not only get to properly build a couple of different specialties, you also get to explore how they combine together. Add to this dragon souls, which give you Jedi-like force powers and the ability to slow down time.

The sweet smell of summer is in the air – fresh cut grass, drinks that should, ideally, have little umbrellas in them, the cricket on the box, DVD box sets of Sons of Anarchy, True Blood, Game of Thrones and X-Files under the tree (hint, hint Santa) and the last issue of BMA for 2011. The smart networks have started their 2012 hype early, perhaps realising BMA folk will be out hitting what’s left of the festival circuit, catching some rays and sipping the aforementioned cocktails with accoutrement instead of chained to a typewriter in the Gorman House basement. And the winner for most appealing 2012 line-up so far is good ol’ Auntie. At least one inhabitant of Chez Blackbox is wetting her pants in anticipation of a new season of Rake in 2012! Auntie’s also serving up Josh Thomas in Please Like Me, Outland – about a gay sci-fi fanclub, crime drama The Straits, Planet America – a look at the US election, Myf Warhurst’s pop cultural journey in Nice, Annabel Crabb talking food with the pollies in Kitchen Cabinet, the Ab Fab anniversary specials, Shaun Micallef is Mad as Hell and new seasons of Lowdown and Laid. Elsewhere Nine has the London Olympics, a Hamish and Andy show in the leadup to the Olympics, a resurrected Big Brother and three miniseries – Howzat: The Kerry Packer Story, Beaconsfield and The Great Mint Swindle. Seven serves up new projects from the Kath and Kim crew and Working Dog and Good Christian Bitches from the makers of Sex and the City. Over at Channel 10 there’s new Puberty Blues, Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms – an Underbelly-style drama about the Milperra Massacre, Showtime thriller Homeland, Fox sitcom New Girl, and Robert de Niro’s cop show The 2-2. There’s also a feast of sci-fi for serious hermits including two Terry Pratchett series – Going Postal (ABC1, Sat Dec 17, 7.30pm), Dr Who At The Proms 2010 (ABC1, Sat Dec 24, 11.30pm), Dr Who: The Next Doctor (ABC1, Sat Dec 17, 10.45pm), and Star Trek Voyager (11, Sat Dec 10, 9.30pm). Amongst the next month’s movies are a raft of ‘80s comic treats. If you look past the poor production values and excruciating ‘80s fashion, you’ll find a few gems like Teen Wolf (Go!, Sun Dec 18, 9.30pm), Spaceballs (Go!, Mon Dec 19, 9.30pm), and Caddyshack (Go!, Thu Dec 22, 9.30pm).

With the game being so epically large and what with it being a Bethesda game, it should come as no surprise that there are a few glitches around. Some of these are more technical, such as frustrating load times and frame-rate drops (at least on the PS3 version), while others are outright comedic, featuring the likes of hovering horses and catapulted humans. With the game doing so much right, these issues are more than forgivable, I’d just suggest saving often.

SANTA WATCH: The Graham Norton Show: Christmas Special (ABC2, Sat Dec 24, 10pm), Peep Show: Seasonal Beating (ABC2, Sat Dec 24, 11pm), The Vicar of Dibley (Prime, Sun Dec 11, 7pm), Happy Days (11, Sun Dec 25, 1.30am), The Flintstones (Go!, Sat Dec 24, 7.30am), Bewitched (Go!, Sat Dec 24, 1.30pm), Just Shoot Me (Go!, Sat Dec 24, 2.30pm), Top Gear Middle East Special (Go!, Sat Dec 24, 6.30pm), South Park (Go!, Sat Dec 25, 12.20am), Little Britain (WIN, Sat Dec 24, 11pm), The Smurfs – A Christmas Carol (Prime, Sat Dec 17, 8pm), SOS: Santa: The Fascist Years (SBS1, Sun Dec 25, 12.40am), Rockwiz (SBS1, Sat Dec 24, 9.30pm), The Legends of Santa (SBS1, Sat Dec 24, 5.30pm) and for the traditionalists Carols from St Andrews (ABC1, Sat Dec 24, 6pm) and It’s a Wonderful Life (ABC2, Sat Dec 24, 1pm).

Overall, this is a superb game that I would recommend to everyone – except possibly those needing to remain productive over the Christmas break.

It’s time to mix a margarita (sans umbrella), whack Do They Know It’s Christmas on the turntable and put up the tree. Merry Christmas to all…

Nathan Osborne

TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyheffernan@bigpond.com

the word

Seeker Lover Keeper / Henry Wagons St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Manuka Friday November 25

on gigs

I suspect that many of those in attendance for this Friday night mass weren’t regular church-goers. The pre-show hum in St. Paul’s spoke to this, a bubbling excitement at the prospect of seeing music presented in such a space. The Heavenly Sounds posse are responsible for this curveball, and plan to be bringing you more of these events in houses of God around the nation. More power to them. Gig-goers familiar with sticky carpets and shoddy PAs revelled in the quality of sound and vision on show here. The spectacle was the thing, which perhaps insulated the crowd against what was a lovely but slightly underwhelming performance from the main act. To open, frequent visitor Henry Wagons sermonised with his suite of rockabilly antics, doing a good job of warming the crowd. Wagons is 100% entertainment, but the affectations and shtick are heavy. He’s an enjoyable spectacle, but all for show. The tunes, such as I Blew It (a song Wagons told us was “opening a lot of doors for us in the States” – twice) and the stomping dedication to the awesome Willie Nelson cling too closely to the rock/country/gospel templates which informed them, and what we’re left with is a skilful replication of the real thing. Fun, but lightweight. Lightweight isn’t a term you’d throw at Seeker Lover Keeper’s Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann and Holly Throsby. However, tonight they highlighted the problem with supergroups. Expectations are high for combos like these, only to be tempered by the realisation that the group is not greater than its parts. The trio hit the pulpit and meld their three voices into a plaintive, lovely opener which sets the scene – plenty of soft, lilting harmony, but nothing as interesting as their respective solo works. The problem, I think, is that each of these three singers strike deeper emotional chords than their contemporaries because of the way their frailties are offset against their strengths. All are expert chroniclers of both light and shade. Blasko and Seltmann both carry an air of the weird, which rubs against their confidence of their melodies and presentation and provokes a thorough reaction. Throsby is gentler, more mannered and less kooky, but manages to balance whispered sadness with stoicism and the everyday shrug of somebody who knows that disappointment and satisfaction are close compadres. The issue is that together the three women seem to bolster each other’s frailties, making a stronger but less interesting whole. Harmonies are everywhere. Their voices collide stunningly, but after half an hour of lovely, genteel vocalising, one craves a break. Some noise or madness was needed to break what was essentially becoming a show full of cooing lullabies. Things got better when the two of the three play solo numbers. Throsby’s magnificent What I Thought of You raises the roof, and Seltmann’s Emotional Champ finally brings some volume via the eternally excellent percussion of Bree Van Reyk (who should be adequately lauded as the finest beat-keeper in the land, a graduate of the Jim White school of adaptive, inventive and frequently startling skinspersonship). But it’s only a hint, and the show concludes with a beautifully harmonised but too lovely for its own good whimper.

photos: martin ollman

It was a lovely night out, no question, and we look forward to the Heavenly Sounds group offering us more of these spectacles. The packed room was a delight – stunningly lit, sounding great, and providing a genuine thrill that only a gig in a place one normally can’t access a gig can. But we also hope for something a little more dangerous that gives the congregation a reason to sing. GLEN MARTIN

GIG GUIDE Dec 07 - Dec 09 WEDNESDAY december 07 arts Wallworks Exhibition Opening Party

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. Feat. live music. 6pm. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Exhibition - Yulyurlu

Celebrates the work of strong and feisty Yulyurlu Lorna Fencer Napurrurla. ‘Til Dec 18. DRILL HALL GALLERY, ANU

Live Hippo Live

Dub Dub Goose

With over 130 exhibiting artists across the entire ANU School of Art. ‘Til Dec 11.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Exhibition - Elements: wood

HIPPO LOUNGE

With His Merry Men. 9pm.

ANU SCHOOL OF ART

Something Different

The dynamic conclusion to the Elements series. ‘Til Dec 17.

Fame Trivia

Bookings are essential. 6pm. P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Fame Trivia @ Transit

Every Wednesday, from 7:30pm TRANSIT BAR

Exhibition - Phase

Blends modernist photography with the craft of the loom. ‘Til Dec 17. CRAFT ACT

ANU Graduating Exhibition of 2011

With over 130 exhibiting artists across the entire ANU School of Art. ‘Til Dec 11. ANU SCHOOL OF ART

Exhibition - Elements: wood

The dynamic conclusion to the Elements series. ‘Til Dec 17. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition - Christmas Collection

Showcasing new prints, jewellery, glass and ceramics. ‘Til Dec 24. BEAVER GALLERIES

Exhibition - Tjala Arts - New Paintings

Featuring major works by Tjungkara Ken, Tiger Palpatja, Tjampawa Kawiny and many more. ‘Til Dec 14. CHAPMAN GALLERY

Exhibition - Companion Planting

Explores the dichotomous relationships that can occur between artistic couples. ‘Til Dec 17. CRAFT ACT

Now Hear This - Local Storytellers

A night of storytelling, presented by and broadcast on ABC 666. THE STREET THEATRE

ANU Graduating Exhibition of 2011

THURSDAY december 08 arts Polka Luka Resin Jewellery Exhibition

Opening night. handcrafted resin jewellery focusing on organic form and luminous colour. 6pm. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Place of my predilection

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition - Christmas Collection

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition - Wallworks

BEAVER GALLERIES

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Showcasing new prints, jewellery, glass and ceramics. ‘Til Dec 24.

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists.

Timescape

Exhibition - Phase

Paintings by ANU School of Art PhD candidates Julie Brooke, Ella Whateley and Vanessa Barbay.

Blends modernist photography with the craft of the loom. ‘Til Dec 17.

Dance

Outstanding artworks created by year 11 & 12 students from the northern Canberra region.

M16 ARTSPACE

Mooseheads Double Party Thursdays

First Class Thursdays upstairs, Frat Party downstairs. Giveaways and drink specials to boot. MOOSEHEADS PUB

Live

M16 ARTSPACE

TRANSIT BAR

An evening of art, design, and Jayo on the turntables from 7pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

DRILL HALL GALLERY, ANU

Ten Long Years in the Saddle 10th anniversary tour. Tix through the venue.

Exhibition - Beyond the Laughing Sky

THE STREET THEATRE

Fun Machine

With Space Party, 9pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Exhibition - Phase

JUBB

With Biggie, Anjay, SVRT, Gabe Gilmour, and more. 8pm start, free entry.

City Kid Music Presents Karton Plus locals. 10pm, $10. THE CLUBHOUSE

Timber

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Ministry of Sound Annual 2012 With Tommy Trash and Tom Piper. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Oliver$ (Berlin) $15 after 10pm. TRINITY BAR

Charles Chatain

Comedy Club

CRAFT ACT

Dance

BELGIAN BEER CAFE

Comedy

CIVIC PUB

BEAVER GALLERIES

Live

6.30-9.30pm.

Chicago Charles

Blends modernist photography with the craft of the loom. ‘Til Dec 17.

Showcasing new prints, jewellery, glass and ceramics. ‘Til Dec 24.

The Bridge Between & Freinds

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists.

Hosted by Jay Sullivan, feat. sets from Marcus Amann, Jasper Burfoot, Kale Bogdanovs and more. 8pm.

Exhibition - Christmas Collection

TRANSIT BAR

Launching their new EP in a blaze of sweat, colour, feathers and accordion powered riffage. $10, 8pm

Mikelangelo and The Black Sea Gentlemen

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Rapskallion with Mr Fibby

Celebrates the work of strong and feisty Yulyurlu Lorna Fencer Napurrurla. ‘Til Dec 18.

Exhibition - Wallworks

Exhibition - College Express 2011

Llik Liik Llik Vinyl Editione

Exhibition - Yulyurlu

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

CRAFT ACT

With TV Colours and Biscuits. 8pm start, $5 on the door.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Natalie Azzopardi’s exploration of the photographic tradition prior to the digital age.

Exhibition - Beyond the Laughing Sky

CRAFT ACT

Cat Cat Uralba 12” Launch

Wobble

arts

Natalie Azzopardi’s exploration of the photographic tradition prior to the digital age.

Seasick

Performance and video installation by Kate Vassallo.

FRIDAY december 09

9pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Local jazz, original music and some old favourites. 8.30pm. SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

Free live music from 8.30pm. P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Southerly Change

A richly textured and dynamic musical experience that’ll have you up for a boogie. 8pm, $10. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

GIG GUIDE Dec 09 - Dec 12 FRIDAY december 09 live Mikelangelo and The Black Sea Gentlemen

Ten Long Years in the Saddle 10th anniversary tour. Tix through the venue. THE STREET THEATRE

Summer Rhythm Festival

Dance

Sculpture Bar Opening Night

Aeroplane

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

TRINITY BAR

Comedy

Coinciding with the major exhibition Renaissance, open from 5pm-7pm.

Touring in support of In-Flight Entertainment.

Nathan Frost saturday december 10 arts

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Aeroplane (Belgium)

Dance

TRINITY BAR

Hospitality Sundays

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Lament

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

live

Exhibition - Yulyurlu

Purple Sneakers: Bel Air

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

Something Like This

Celebrates the work of strong and feisty Yulyurlu Lorna Fencer Napurrurla. ‘Til Dec 18.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Exhibition - Wallworks

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

10pm.

DRILL HALL GALLERY, ANU

State Of Integrity

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists.

Feat. Toxicmen and Indistrict. Doors open 8pm, $10 entry. THE BASEMENT

John Lennon Through a Glass Onion

John Waters’ now legendary rendition, with the Stewart D’Arrietta Band. Tix $70, Canberra Theatre. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group

Featuring members of The Mars Volta, support from Le Butcherettes & Spartak. $25 + bf, 8pm. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Exhibition - College Express 2011

Outstanding artworks created by year 11 & 12 students from the northern Canberra region.

$15 after 10pm.

Hot bands and hot DJs. 8pm start, $10 entry. TRANSIT BAR

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Simply Sundays

Chillout and wind down the weekend. TRINITY BAR

THE PHOENIX PUB

Mikelangelo and The Black Sea Gentlemen

Summer Rhythm Festival

3 days, 4 stages, 80 bands and DJs, camping, markets, a damn good time for all. GOOLABRI RESORT

Spicks and Speck-tacular

Carl Barron

Eyes to the Sky

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

THE BASEMENT

ROYAL THEATRE

With Knights of the Spatchcock, Point of View and Delinquent. 8pm, $10.

Ten Long Years in the Saddle 10th anniversary tour. Tix through the venue. THE STREET THEATRE

Irish Jam 5pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Summer Rhythm Festival

3 days, 4 stages, 80 bands and DJs, camping, markets, a damn good time for all. GOOLABRI RESORT

Spicks and Speck-tacular

10pm.

After 7 years and 277 shows Adam, Alan and Myf say goodbye. Tix through Ticketek.

Faster Louder Christmas Party

Lament

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

Something Different

Covers and classics. 5-7pm.

Oscar KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Feat. Lavers, Fox & Fowl and Fun Machine, and local DJs. BYO eggnog. Free.

Mr Fibby

Most Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time. 9pm. 2XX or mrfibby. com .

ROYAL THEATRE

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

On Air

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

No Idea 1-3pm.

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

Friday Night Acoustic Series

ARTillery Picnic

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Celebrating International Human Rights Da=y and the culmination of ARTillery Festival. 1pm. GLEBE PARK

Feat. Danny Mack. 8pm, free.

Something Different

Eco Christmas Market

ACT Firefighters 2012 Calendar Night

ECO CHRISTMAS MARKET

SIREN BAR

Eco friendly, fair trade, upcycled, local. 10am-4pm.

Ha Ha Bar La De Da Grand Opening

Ha Ha Bar have a new cocktail bar and function space, and they’re inviting you to check it out. HA HA BAR, BELCONNEN

sunday december 11 ARTS Exhibition - Beyond the Laughing Sky

Natalie Azzopardi’s exploration of the photographic tradition prior to the digital age. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

10pm ‘til late with DJ TJ. Free entry, free pool and discounted drinks.

Live

With LaMancha, 9.30pm.

Comedy A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Mother and Son

After 7 years and 277 shows Adam, Alan and Myf say goodbye. Tix through Ticketek.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Carl Barron

A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue.

Self Titled

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

With Matt Nukewood.

Academy Saturdays

3 days, 4 stages, 80 bands and DJs, camping, markets, a damn good time for all. GOOLABRI RESORT

Exhibition - Wallworks

Something Different

With signing, mingling and general fraternising.

monday december 12 arts Place of my predilection

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Self Titled

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

GIG GUIDE Dec 12 - Dec 16 monday december 12 arts Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Live The Bootleg Sessions

Perch Creek Family Jugband, Dr Stovepipe, 8pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Spicks and Speck-tacular

After 7 years and 277 shows Adam, Alan and Myf say goodbye. Tix through Ticketek. ROYAL THEATRE

Lament

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

tuesday december 13 arts Dirty Water

An exhibition by Alison Alder. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Place of my predilection

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Self Titled

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Comedy

Something Different

A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue.

Fame Trivia

Free entry, fantastic prizes, bookings are essential. 6pm. P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Carl Barron

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Live

Trivia @ King O’s

Lament

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Every Monday night. 7pm, free entry, $100 bar tab first prize.

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

Something Different Trivia @ The Phoenix

Enjoy a vague sense of accomplishment. From 7:30pm, with $10 cocktails from 9pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Karaoke Love

Every Tuesday, from 9pm. Free entry. TRANSIT BAR

wednesday december 14 arts

Exhibition - Beyond the Laughing Sky

Natalie Azzopardi’s exploration of the photographic tradition prior to the digital age. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Dance Timber

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Dirty Water

Mooseheads Double Party Thursdays

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

MOOSEHEADS PUB

An exhibition by Alison Alder. ‘Til Dec 17.

Place of my predilection

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Self Titled

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists.

First Class Thursdays upstairs, Frat Party downstairs. Giveaways and drink specials to boot.

Live Lament

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Vel’vette

HIPPO LOUNGE

BMA Presents Women Of Notes

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Feat. Beth Monzo, Cherie Kotek, and more. 8pm start, free entry.

Comedy

Kikuyu

Carl Barron

A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

TRANSIT BAR

Combo-organ kitsch. Big vocal loops, bright tones and kooky percussion. With Catch Petocz. 7.30, $8. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Fire on the Hill

Live

9pm.

Hippo Live

Special K

The Long Hike

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

HIPPO LOUNGE

Improvised music and group interaction, of many musical styles/genres. 7.30, $5. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Lament

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Something Different Fame Trivia @ Transit

Every Wednesday, from 7:30pm TRANSIT BAR

THURSDAY december 15 arts Dirty Water

An exhibition by Alison Alder. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Place of my predilection

THE PHOENIX PUB

9pm.

FRIDAY december 16 arts Dirty Water

An exhibition by Alison Alder. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Place of my predilection

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Self Titled

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Comedy

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

Carl Barron

Self Titled

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue.

Dance Cheese/Retro

Dripping, hot, melty musical cheese. 9pm start, free entry. TRANSIT BAR

GIG GUIDE Dec 16 - Dec 21 FRIDAY december 16

The Rammers

Self Titled

SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

DANCE

Combining artists from WA and the ACT performing a mix of original and improvised tunes.

Kissy Sell Out

Knight Hammer

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Buick

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Fambiz: Peter Gunz $15 after 10pm.

Forbidden Burning, Vendetta Of The Fallen, Blindfold Warhorse, Indistrict and No Longer I. 8pm, $10. THE BASEMENT

TRINITY BAR

Something Different

Live

Sculpture Bar

10pm.

Coinciding with the major exhibition Renaissance, open from 5pm-7pm. Great way to start the weekend.

Alex Carder

Siren Santa Photos

Top Shelf KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC HIPPO LOUNGE

Mooseheads Christmas Party Feat. Drawing North and Second Avenue. Giveaways and prizes. From 6pm. MOOSEHEADS PUB

Goin’ Out East

Adam Cousens, Teinne (Tim Downey) and Jay Fraser have teamed up and are hitting the road. 8pm, $5. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

The Bridge Between Duo 5-7pm.

THE FELLOWS BAR, ANU

Lavers

The Street is a Symphony EP launch. W. Sydney Girls Choir, Activate Jetpack, Greg Kimball (MC). $15. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Get drunk, get on Santa’s knee. What more could you want? SIREN BAR

SATURDAY december 17 ARTS Dirty Water

An exhibition by Alison Alder. ‘Til Dec 17.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

An exhibition by Clem Baker-Finch. ‘Til Dec 17.

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Comedy Carl Barron

A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Comedy Carl Barron

A one ended stick tour. Tix through the venue. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Dance Round Table Knights $15 after 10pm. TRINITY BAR

Live Metal Night

Dance

Axemen, xNoBBQx, Mad Nanna, Satanic Rockers, School Girl Report. 7pm.

Ashley Feraude

Lemvis

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Academy Saturdays

THE PHOENIX PUB

A very Elvis Christmas. 5-7pm. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

With Jared de Veer.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

MONDAY december 19

Sam La More and Loops of Fury Aussie dance double bill. $15 after 10pm.

ARTS

Live

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists.

TRINITY BAR

Lament

Exhibition - Wallworks

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Place of my predilection

An exhibition by U.K. Frederick. ‘Til Dec 17.

Live

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

PJ Rocks - Obsessions

FasterLouder Presents The Bootleg Sessions

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE P J O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Live Evil: Iron Maiden Tribute Show

Lavers, The Streetlight Parade, The Sodapops, Moon Landing. THE PHOENIX PUB

8pm start, $20 on the door.

Something Different

Blue Yvie

Trivia @ King O’s

TRANSIT BAR

Cool blues and R&B. 3-6pm. BENCHMARK WINE BAR

The Fighting League

Every Monday night. 7pm, free entry, $100 bar tab first prize. KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Tropical Paradise 12” launch. THE PHOENIX PUB

TUESDAY december 20

Tortured

Plus supports.

THE BASEMENT

Something Different Carry On Karaoke 9.30pm.

P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Mr Fibby

Most Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time. 9pm. 2XX or mrfibby. com . SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

Siren Santa Photos

Get drunk, get on Santa’s knee. What more could you want? SIREN BAR

SUNDAY december 18 ARTS Place of my predilection

An exhibition by S.A. Adair. ‘Til Dec 18.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

ARTS Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Something Different Karaoke Love

Every Tuesday, from 9pm. Free entry. TRANSIT BAR

WEDNESDAY december 21 ARTS Exhibition - College Express 2011

Outstanding artworks created by year 11 & 12 students from the northern Canberra region. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Live Bad!Slam!No!Biscuit 8pm.

THE PHOENIX PUB

GIG GUIDE Dec 21 - Jan 05 WEDNESDAY december 21 SOMETHING DIFFERENT Fame Trivia @ Transit

Every Wednesday, from 7:30pm TRANSIT BAR

THURSDAY december 22 ARTS Exhibition - Wallworks

The walls of the ANCA gallery are transformed by seven artists. ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

Dance Slow Motion Disco HIPPO LOUNGE

Something Different Sculpture Bar

Coinciding with the major exhibition Renaissance, open from 5pm-7pm. Great way to start the weekend. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

SATURDAY december 24 Dance Christmas Eve Academy Saturdays With Pred.

Live Special K

10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Something Different Sculpture Bar

Coinciding with the major exhibition Renaissance, open from 5pm-7pm. Great way to start the weekend. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Stanton Warriors (UK) & Ajax

The UK breakbeat heroes combine with Sydney electro darling to ensure some Chrimbo Day hangovers. TRINITY BAR

SATURDAY december 31 Dance Bass in the Place

Nathan Frost

Live

Free dance party.

Mooseheads Double Party Thursdays

Mr Fibby

Architect DJs

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

First Class Thursdays upstairs, Frat Party downstairs. Giveaways and drink specials to boot. MOOSEHEADS PUB

Live Local Band Night

Some of Canberra’s freshest. 8pm start, free entry. TRANSIT BAR

The perfect way to start the new year trash the old one. 9pm start, free entry.

The Fred Smith Bands’ Orphans Christmas

New Year’s Eve at Academy. Superhero theme.

SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

Oscar

10pm ‘til 5am with DJs Matt and Pete. Two for one drinks and free entry until 11pm.

10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

X-Mas Eve Karaoke

Purple Sneakers

Your favourite late late late night indie disco. 8pm start, free entry. TRANSIT BAR

Yolanda Be Cool

Le Bump / Homecoming Tour.

THE BASEMENT

Mr Fibby

Most Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time. 9pm. 2XX or mrfibby. com . SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

Yacht Rock

Annual X-Mas Eve soft classic rock do. Cucumber sandwiches, Pimms, and Hall & Oates. 3pm.

SUNDAY december 25

Jemist

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Something Different

Trinity Bar & Party By Jake: Luke Million

Mr Fibby

TRINITY BAR

SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

He of Arnold fame...Down... Up... $15 after 10pm.

Most Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time. 9pm. 2XX or mrfibby. com .

Live Cell Block 69

MONDAY december 26

Last Ever World Tour! A truly unmissable night of retro pop. Tix through Ticketek.

Dance

Mr Fibby

TRINITY BAR

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Most Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time. CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! 9pm. 2XX or mrfibby.com . SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP

City Walls Autumn Falls Single Launch

Returning to their hometown to launch their new single. With Jeff Hann and John Lollback. 8.30pm, $5 THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Cube Saturdays

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Live Free Family Concert

Feat. Ian Moss, heuristic and Bridge Between. From 7pm ‘til late. CIVIC SQUARE

New Years Eve at PJ’s

Free live music from 10pm. Doors at 5pm. P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

THURSDAY JANUARY 05

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

One last night of reckless abandon for the year, from 8pm.

Super NYE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

THE PHOENIX PUB

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

DANCE

TRANSIT BAR

9pm.

Something Different

FRIDAY december 23

GAREMA PLACE

Most Excellently Disappointing Wireless Adventure Time. CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! 9pm. 2XX or mrfibby.com .

Chicago Charles 9pm.

FRIDAY december 30

DJ Izm (Bliss N Eso) THURSDAY december 29

ARTS Exhibition - Beyond the Laughing Sky

Natalie Azzopardi’s exploration of the photographic tradition prior to the digital age. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Live Nigel Wearne

Finger-style guitar, folk songs, honky tonk, country twang and honest storytelling. 7.30pm, $10. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Chicago Charles 9pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

The Dad Horse Experience (Germany)

Live

How can you miss a band with a name like that!? 9pm.

Dos Locos

Summernats 2012

9pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

THE PHOENIX PUB

Celebrating 25 years, with Drapht, Children Collide & The Screaming Jets. Tix from summernats.com.au EXHIBITION PARK

GIG GUIDE Jan 06 - Jan 18 FRIDAY JANUARY 06 Live

MONDAY JANUARY 09 Something Different

Nimeo

High energy rock, swing, soul, punk mix of sax, vocals, double bass, drums, trombone and guitar. 8pm THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Summernats 2012

Celebrating 25 years, with Drapht, Children Collide & The Screaming Jets. Tix from summernats.com.au EXHIBITION PARK

SATURDAY JANUARY 07 Dance Borgore (Israel), 12th Planet (USA), A-Tonez

A massive triple bill of global talent, with supports Skin & Bones, Ced Nada, Lost The Plot. $20. TRINITY BAR

Live Summer Sounds in the Gardens DeeJay Gosper Band with Jumptown Swing Dancers. Bring a picnic! 5.30pm – 7.30pm. EUCALYPT LAWNS, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Cilla Jane

The acoustic pop songstress is back touring her second album. 8.30pm, $10. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Oscar 10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Summernats 2012

Celebrating 25 years, with Drapht, Children Collide & The Screaming Jets. Tix from summernats.com.au

Roller Skate in the City

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco. GAREMA PLACE

TUESDAY JANUARY 10

TRANSIT BAR

Roller Skate in the City

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco. GAREMA PLACE

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11 Something Different Transit Trivia

From 7.30pm. TRANSIT BAR

THURSDAY JANUARY 12

Anna Smyrk and the Appetites

Meticulously crafted storytelling, coupled with soaring vocals and driving horn lines. 8.30pm, $5. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

The Woo Hoo Revue

Roller Skate in the City

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco. GAREMA PLACE

Roller Skate in the City

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco.

IF YOU8pm start, $10 entry. TRANSIT BAR

GAREMA PLACE

Live

Karaoke Love

Croon and murder the classics from 9pm.

Septimus Prime Plus suppports.

TRANSIT BAR

THE BASEMENT

Summer Sounds in the Gardens As Famous as the Moon featuring multi Aria winner Bernie McGann with Salsabor Dancers. 5.30 – 7.30pm EUCALYPT LAWNS, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs

Accordions wail. Horns scream. Guitars screech. The room goes wild! With Cat Dog Monkey. 8pm, $10. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18 ARTS Exhibition - Beyond the Laughing Sky

Natalie Azzopardi’s exploration of the photographic tradition prior to the digital age. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Comedy

Feat. Tetras (Switzerland), Kangaroo Skull, Sanso-Xtro, Spartak and more. 6pm, $30.

The Must See Comedy Tour

Happy New Year (USA)

CIVIC PUB

15 CHILDERS STREET, ACTON

Nite Fields (Bris), Kasha. 9.30pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Bob Franklin, Nelson Twins, Troy Kinne, Luke Heggie, Anna Log & Daniel Connell. comedyact.com.au .

Live Mon Kerr

SUNDAY JANUARY 15

Dark folk, blues and soul; twisting stories with captivating sensitivity. With Del Luna. $12, 7.30pm

TUGGERANONG YOUTH CENTRE

Something Different

Waterford

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco.

FRIDAY JANUARY 13 Dance

Summer Sounds in the Gardens

EUCALYPT LAWNS, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Kang Gang, Marf Loth. 7.30pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Live Guthrie

Transvaal Diamond Syndicate plus supports. THE BASEMENT

The Neo

Darwin’s premier live funk and roots act mixing soul, funk, ska, blues and rock. 8pm, $10. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Roller Skate in the City

GAREMA PLACE

From 7.30pm. TRANSIT BAR

Soul. Be In It TRANSIT BAR

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Transit Trivia

DJ Yoda

With Buick, Madame Zoller, and more. 8pm start, free entry.

Something Different

The Cashews with Kokoloco Dancers. Bring a picnic! 5.30pm – 7.30pm.

Summer Sounds in the Gardens

EXHIBITION PARK

Love Saturdays

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Live

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Celebrating 25 years, with Drapht, Children Collide & The Screaming Jets. Tix from summernats.com.au

TUESDAY JANUARY 17

The Red Paintings

Live

Summernats 2012

Roller Skate in the City

GAREMA PLACE

Dance

With Fun Machine. 8pm start, $10 entry.

GAREMA PLACE

EUCALYPT LAWNS, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

SATURDAY JANUARY 14

The Low Light Social

Live

Prog/theatrical rock incorporating costumes, live art, visual projections and more. Tix - Moshtix.

Key Grip with Jumptown Swing Dancers. Bring a picnic! 5.30pm – 7.30pm.

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco.

Purple Sneakers: Bel Air

Something Different

SUNDAY JANUARY 08

GAREMA PLACE

Karaoke Love

TRANSIT BAR

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco.

Something Different

Open air roller skate rink, feat. roller derby demonstrations, retro movie nights, roller disco.

With Levi Howes.

Croon and murder the classics from 9pm.

MONDAY JANUARY 16

Roller Skate in the City

Something Different

EXHIBITION PARK

Roller Skate in the City

Something Different

OUT JAN18

INCUBUS AND THAT’S ABOUT ALL I’VE GOT PENCILED IN SO FAR. IF YOU’VE GOT ANY IDEAS SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT JULIA@ BMAMAG.COM. GO ON, GET INVOLVED. JULZ XOX

FIRST CONTACT

SIDE A: BMA BAND profile

Hence the Testbed Where did your band name come from? We tried for ages to think of an awesome band name but couldn’t come up with one. In the end we had to settle for Hence the Testbed as it confused instead of polarised. Group members: Sam (guitars and vox), Ad (drums and vox) and Kirky (bass and vox). Describe your sound: Grunge, prog, folk, metal, lounge, rock and stoner to name a few. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? The super corny but truthful answer to this at the moment is each other. What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing? Two girls making out. That’s not the weird part though. We didn’t see what was happening at the time and discovered that when the crowd is cheering, they aren’t necessarily cheering for you. What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? Playing at Summer Rhythm 2011 will be a massive highlight for us and one that is going to be hard to top in 2012, but we will try. Maybe Sam could do a nudie run through Civic! What are your plans for the future? We really need to record soon so we can clear the current rotation and beat another bunch of songs into submission. Other than that it’s just the usual stocking up on zombie killing supplies. It’s going to go down, it’s just a matter of when. We aren’t going to get caught out. What makes you laugh? That awesome face that someone makes the second they realise they have done something really, really stupid and there is no way they can recover. What pisses you off? Running out of beer. What’s your opinion of the local scene? We haven’t had too many gigs yet as we are pretty fresh out of the garage, but it seems pretty good. Every time we play there are some other amazing bands on the bill blowing us away. What are your upcoming gigs? Summer Rhythm 2011 is our next show! All our upcoming gigs should be on the website. Contact info: hencethetestbed.com

Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@ hotmail.com Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@hotmail.com Annie & the Armadillos Annie 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/ songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 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 Funk Shui Dave 0407 974 476 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 Andy 0401 572 150 los.chavos@yahoo.com.au Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462, contactus@manillagreen.com, Mario Brujo Gordon world/latin/ reggae/percussionist and DJ. 0405 820 895 Martin Bailey Audio Engineer 0423 566 093 Words for You: writer/publicity/events Megan ph 6154 0927, megan@wordsforyou.com.au Mercury Switch Lab Studios mercuryswitch@internode.on.net Missing Zero Hadrian Brand 0424 721 907 hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots aspwinch@grapevine.com.au Huck 0419 630 721 MuShu Jack 0414 292 567, mushu_band@hotmail.com MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/ www.myspace.com/myonus No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680 Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580 OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448 Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027 Phathom Chris 0422 888 700 The Pigs The Colonel 0422 412 752 Polka Pigs Ian 6231 5974 Premier Audio Simon 0412 331 876, premier_audio@hotmail.com Rafe Morris 0416 322 763 Redletter Ben 0421 414 472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527 Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680 Rob Mac Project, The Melinda 0400 405 537 Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041 Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776 Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350 Simone Penkethman (Simone & The Soothsayers, Singing Teacher) 6230 4828 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401 588 884 Solid Gold Peter 0421 131 887/ solid.gold@live.com.au Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748 Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853 Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479 System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556 The Morning After (covers band) Anthony 0402 500 843/ myspace.com/themorningaftercovers Tiger Bones & The Ferabul-Zers Danny feralbul@aapt.net.au Tim James Lucia 6282 3740, LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514 Transmission Nowhere Emilie 0421 953 519/myspace.com/ transmissionnowhere Udo 0412 086 158 Undersided, The Baz 0408 468 041 Using Three Words Dan 0416 123 020, usingthreewords@hotmail.com Voodoo Doll Mark 0428 650 549 William Blakely Will 0414 910 014 Zero Degrees and Falling Louis 0423 918 793 Zwish 0411 022 907