BMA Mag 388 Feb 15 2012 by BMA Magazine

#388 FEB15

e h t d n a Julia s n e r i S a Deep Se k

n a b n i r o C t a e s i r p r u s o t t e S

inside:

F British India F Blaze 6

F The Bamboos F The new Greenroom www.bmamag.com

BMA: Where everything is balls.

# 3 8 8 F E B 1 5 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 389 OUT FEB 29 EDITORIAL DEADLINE FEB 20 ADVERTISING DEADLINE FEB 23 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.

As reported last issue, Australian Capital Tourism and BMA Magazine are teaming up to program the ENLIGHTEN stage on the weekends of March 2–3 and 9–10. We now have some acts to share with YOU, The Adoring Public. The launch night on Friday March 2 will be an all electronic affair with some of the brightest minds in Australian production sharing their wares. Headlining will be UK/Melbourne deep house/prog legend Anthony Pappa, the “DJ’s DJ”, who has turned in revered mixes for the mighty Global Underground, Renaissance and Balance series. Alongside him will be Melbourne’s much loved Rollin Connection. They will be joined by the mystical pops and bleeps of Hypnagog who promise to deliver a sonic exploration like no other. On Saturday March 3 it’s all about big bands with big sound. Seven-piece deliverers of hornpiano-guitar driven funk/ska good times Eagle and the Worm will be joining us, along with Canberra’s favourite sons Los Capitanes who will be indulging in the long overdue launch of their latest album No Rest For The Wicked. On Friday March 9 the lovely Lanie Lane will be entrancing us all with her old timey country raunch, and will be joined by perennial Canberra favourite The Ellis Collective and Owen Campbell. To finish ENLIGHTEN with a bang on Saturday March 10 will be the Puta Madre Brothers – a dirty hi-energy mariachi style three-piece where every member is a one-man-band. Literally. They will be joined by Canberra’s own summoners of energy Fun Machine and the Brass Knuckle Brass Band. More of Canberra’s finest musical talent will join the bill over the coming days. All four concerts are free. Each night will run from 6.30pm through to 11pm as part of the wider ENLIGHTEN program featuring over 35 free

Groovin the Moo line-up Yup, it’s that time of year again – Groovin The Moo have just announced the line-up for this year’s jolly jaunt around the country. In 2012 we can sample the musical delights of 360, Adrian Lux (SWE), Andrew W.K One-Man-Party Tour (USA), Beni, Big Scary, Bluejuice, Chiddy Bang (UK), City and Colour (CAN), Digitalism (GER), The Getaway Plan, Gold Fields, Hermitude, Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs (UK), Kimbra, The Maccabees (UK), Matt Corby, Muscles, Mutemath (USA), Naysayer & Gilsun, Parkway Drive, Public Enemy (USA), Purple Sneakers DJs, San Cisco, Wavves (USA) with more local and triple j unearthed artists to be announced. The Canberra leg of the tour occurs on Sunday May 13, so once again there will be a parade of distraught mothers left offspring-less on Mother’s Day. Tickets are a thrifty $99.90 + bf and are available by logging onto gtm. net.au or moshtix.com.au, or by calling 1300 438 849.

John Butler national tour John Butler will be returning to his roots to perform a series of solo concerts throughout the country in March and April. Aptly titled Tin Shed Tales,

these shows will be a rare opportunity to hear the music of this iconic artist in a raw and intimate setting. John will be bringing his Tin Shed along for the ride, and it’ll be decked out with a collection of personal art pieces, old skool skateboards and vintage guitars; these items are laid out in his shed at home where he draws inspiration for his art and songwriting. John will unveil some brand new songs alongside tracks from his extensive catalogue on the Tin Shed Tales tour. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch the most intimate performance this versatile artist has ever undertaken. John hits the Canberra Theatre on Friday April 13. Tickets are available online from canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

Applespiel need Canberra music Applespiel, a performance collective from Wollongong, are excited to be presenting their radio/theatre installation Applespiel’s Morning Breakfast Commercial Radio Show as part of You Are Here 2012. Over three mornings they’ll inhabit cafes around Canberra’s CBD and build a commercial radio show from scratch, and they need music from independent Canberra artists. These are the guidelines: you must be independent, from Canberra, own the music you are submitting, and the song must be radio friendly and no longer than five minutes. Head to www. applespiel.com for more info.

Los Capitanes playing at ENLIGHTEN

BMA Magazine and ENLIGHTEN present the West Side Stage Line-up

and ticketed events spanning music, art, cinema, architectural projections, talk and tours, live comedy, food, drink and more. You can find out more at enlightencanberra.com.au. See you there!

FROM THE BOSSMAN The Food & Drink Spectacular* as part of the Multicultural Festival has come and gone for another year, and once again I am left reeling as much from the warming sense of community on show as I am from having consumed my own body weight in various world wares. For me, the F&D Spec is Australia Day, a time where we happily celebrate our diversity on Australian soil and share each other’s history and culture (and more importantly, each other’s food and drink). For what is truly an Australian if not a person of PolishGerman-Irish-English descent, perhaps with Sri Lankan and Chinese parents, going hand in hand with Mick the VB swilling ute-driving blue-singleted fella who hangs around Garema Place? Both have equal claim, and both were out enjoying the occasion together. It’s a day when the barren Indian burial ground-esque wasteland that is City Walk is transformed into a blushing plethora of world colour. Smiles are plastered on the faces of thousands, people “Cheers!” each other in foreign tongue, and the happy crumbs of a hundred countries’ delectables sprinkle the floor. “I’ve never seen this many people in Canberra before,” I overheard one girl enthuse. “Like... Ever!” Miraculously the vibe is strong enough to staunchly fly in the face of everything we’re told doesn’t work. “You can’t put every single country and culture together; there’ll be fights!” There are not. “You can’t sell alcohol in public without a thousand heavily armed guards there to keep people in check; there’ll be fights!” There really aren’t (excluding fights over the last piece of food on a plate).

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] To the weather, yyyyyeeeeeeaaaaaahhhh that’s right I’m looking at you. What gives, huh? You’re hot you’re cold you’re rainy you’re sunny. It’s like Crowded House’s Four Season In a Day, plus a some extra ones that we haven’t come up with names for yet. I get myself all set for a nice day of cricket with my Mum for the PM’s XI and then you dribble piss it down the entire flippin’ day dousing hard working cricket lovers hopes and dreams for another year. And then you have the audacity to turn on two of the nicer Summer days afterwards just to rub it in? Up yours, Weather Balls.

To the charming rag-wearing chap who crossed the road to take umbrage to the fact I was on my mobile (outside the place of my work I hasten to add) whilst accidentally glancing in his direction. “You don’t go lookin’ at me while youse on the mobile, orright? I’ll smash yas and come at ya, ya carnt.” Well I can only apologise for getting in the way and upsetting this clearly valuable member of society. If my capacity for tolerence could only match your smell, the world would be a happier place.

A personal story that sums up the day involves the Fijian tent. It was a joy to hear they were once again allowed to share their kava, the national drink distilled from a root of the same name. In my trek to continue a personal F&D Spec tradition with my good friend Matt I made for the tent – alarmed at first to see no kava in sight – and soon discovered a clandestine arrangement out the back with a circle of some of the largest men the human gene pool could create. As an alabaster warrior at a towering 5’8’’ staring at body tattoos the size of my head, I was feeling distinctly foreign. Plucking up the courage I squeaked to the nearest wall of a man, “Errrr, excuse me… Are you doing kava this year?” In the space of a second his expression went from that of “I can snap you, skinny twig man” to one of unbridled joy. “Absolutely!” he beamed, his eyes lighting up. “Join in! We’re just making some more now.” At which point we launched into a spirited conversation about kava and the world in general. The day has a magic that breaks down cultural barriers, quickly changing an expression from one of “I will sit on your face until you die” to “Welcome! Here, hold my first born.” I love the F&D Spec. It gives a glimmer of hope that, despite flagrant evidence to the contrary, this whole crazy human race of ours might, just might, work out for the best after all. Happy Earth Day, one and all. ALLAN “F*CK OFF, WE’RE FULL? MORE LIKE NO THANKS, I’M FULL!... OK, JUST ONE MORE” SKO - allan@bmamag.com * yes Drink, I still refer to it by its proper name, not ‘Dance’ as they try to call it... They’re not fooling anyone.

WHO: Corey Denis workshop WHAT: Using social media for your music career WHEN: Wednesday February 29, 6:30pm – 9pm WHERE: Kendall Lane Theatre, NewActon South, 19 Marcus Clarke St

Since its formation and launch six months ago MusicACT has been going great guns to support and promote live music in the region. This February the group presents the first in its series of Professional Development Workshops, kicking off with Social Media and Music with internationally renowned digital strategist Corey Denis (USA) of Toolshed boutique. Denis will teach you how to maximise marketing opportunities to boost your music career using social media. $30 non-members, $15 members. Places are very limited so get in quick. To register or for more info email pete@musicact.com.au .

WHO: uniVibes WHAT: ANU O Week WHEN: Mon Feb 13 – Fri Feb 17 WHERE: All over ANU

ANU is serving up a gigantic feast of music and yeast for ANU O Week 2012. The epic bender will climax with a massive full moon party to be held at the Union Court stage on Friday February 17, featuring Kimbra, Ajax and New Navy. uniVibes will be hosting loads of awesome parties and events so make sure you sign up for a uniVibes membership on Market Day (Thurs Feb 15). They’ll be giving out special show bags to new members “full of goodies beyond your wildest wet dreams” they tell us, but most exciting is that they will include a compilation CD of Canberra bands, including Super Best Friends, Fun Machine and Beth n Ben. Nice one guys!

WHO: Twelve Foot Ninja, Jericco and Circles WHAT: Swarm Tour WHEN: Thurs March 1 WHERE: The Basement, Belconnen. tix through oztix

Melbourne’s progressive heavy music scene is in fine form so what better way to celebrate than combine the force of three of its finest. This March, longstanding genre leaders Twelve Foot Ninja and Jericco will be joined by newcomers Circles on the national Swarm Tour. Twelve Foot Ninja suspected they were doing something right when, after touring with Periphery, their founder/guitarist Misha Mansoor tweeted “Twelve Foot Ninja are basically one of the best live bands I have ever seen in my life”. Jericco are also gearing up to offer their adoring fan base a taste of things to come, while Circles will lend their unique take on progressive metal to the tour.

WHO: Sam Joole WHAT: World-Folk Music WHEN: Wed Feb 22 WHERE: The Phoenix

Sam Joole is a singer-songwriter known for his diverse musical projects. In 2010 he released The Crescent and the Moon, an album of “world-folk”, which was recorded in Chile, Argentina, USA, Israel and Australia. It features a host of brilliant South American musicians and equally talented Australians, and is unique blend of Aussie roots, Latin folk, American swamp and English soul. Says Sam, “I truly feel we are offering a new interpretation of today’s music culture… To me it feels like a salute to multiculturalism. Australia is in a great position to offer something vibrant and distinctive to the world of music.”

WHO: Black Creek WHAT: Performing alongside Friendly Yen and Little Mac and the Monster Men WHEN: Sat Feb 18 WHERE: Transit Bar

From the lads themselves: “We are Black Creek. We are disgustingly good looking, sleazy, 75% bearded, 25% baby blue eyed and a little bit alcohol dependant. We play country punk, and we do it with tonnes of style and energy. We have released one album. It involves a gorilla riding a shark. We have not been on stage together for almost 12 months and in no way does it show. We are Black Creek and we 100% support YOU coming to our show at Transit Bar on Saturday February 18. You may need to take a shower afterwards, you filthy animals.” $10 on the door.

WHO: (Alice Cottee is) No Hausfrau with The Dreamlanders WHAT: Heart-string filled folk league WHEN: Wed Feb 29 WHERE: The Front, 7pm, $7

Much like a cigar in a smoking jacket perched elegantly on a velvety bench, this outfit digs the grit. Affronted by Alice Cottee (you may remember her from such bands as The Andi and George Band and multiple versions of herself). The heart-string filled folk league comprises two guitars (Lachlan Coventry and Miss Alice), a double bass (Tom Carruthers) a fiddle (Pandora Holliday), and a rather zesty drummer (Dax Liniere) keeping it real up the back, perfecting the balance between la-di-da and jungle beast. If you must have a mental comparison, they might suggest Suzanne Vega and PJ Harvey meets Johnny Cash while eating sushi off Tia Carrere.

Little Surprises Julia Winterflood It’s been well over a year since JULIA AND THE DEEP SEA SIRENS’ second album Family Pets was launched in unforgettably enchanting fashion at The Street Theatre, but for this listener, and indeed Julia herself, none of its magic has faded. “I listen back to [the album] occasionally, and just the other day I was listening in the car and I was like, ‘I’m still damn proud of this and I still wouldn’t change a thing’.” And she damn well should be. Family Pets is an exceptionally accomplished album of perceptively penned, intricately orchestrated, skilfully executed and masterfully produced folk songs that linger long in the mind after listening. Remarkably, each of the 12 tracks stands alone lyrically. “Every song is about something different,” Julia states triumphantly. There’s a lament about the inability to fall in love, an eerie ode to an old horse, a light-hearted rebuke of someone’s superficiality, a haunting historical account of an 1885 train crash; yet each song is thematically united by “that exact moment of realisation that a change needs to occur.” They’re not only linked conceptually, but musically too. “There are all these little melodies that I’ve threaded throughout the album; they almost feature in every song, like a kind of sub-musical theme.” It is Julia’s ingenious songwriting that makes Family Pets more than the sum of its parts and an album in the true sense of the word.

It’s about the music and I’m the person with the music in my hands so I don’t want to suck up to a label

Interestingly Family Pets’ most moving song, Acquaintance of Mine, almost never saw the light of day. In it Julia tells the true story of a boy from her school who hanged himself, confesses her philosophical quandaries, and admonishes his friends’ sanctimoniousness. It’s chilling, daring, heartrending stuff. Explains Julia, “When I found out that he had died it was in the middle of The Folk Festival; this fun, surreal, crazy frenzy, and I just suddenly had the need to go back to the tent – I don’t know whose guitar I borrowed – and I just blurted out this song. I don’t even know if I publically performed it for a year or so after that, because of course I thought this could be a very touchy issue. It was a decision of whether I would even bring it out into the world or not. But when I saw how it affected people, I thought, well, it obviously brings out a strong feeling. “I got those vocals in one take, which was interesting,” Julia continues contemplatively. “That was one of the first songs we tried. I did all the vocals in one day which was a crazy idea; normally you do them across a few weeks, but I only had enough

money to do it in one day, so that was the first one because I knew my voice was always a bit lower in the morning. So I just went in there after having all night to get ready for the first song and the engineer was just like, ‘Whoa. Okay. That was, yep, that’s done. Next song’.” The song is made all the more moving by a sombre choir singing just one line. “I was so tempted to have them for the entire song. But there’s really only one thing they need to say in this song.” Whose job was it to cut the rope down? The album is bristling with hauntingly beautiful and captivating sonic flourishes. A soft clink every four bars in Old Horse only revealed itself to me after countless listens. “It’s the clink of the bridle that belongs to the horse the song is about,” Julia told me after I texted her enquiring about the sound’s source. She’s a clever woman alright. The night before our interview the film clip for the album’s first single, Little Surprises, was finished. Some might find it strange that the first single is being released 15 months after the album, but there’s good reason for this. “To be honest I think I needed to have a break. I worked so hard on the album and the launch… I learned so much during that process and it was really valuable and I was really enjoying it and thriving on it at the time but afterwards I just sort of fell in a heap for a bit. I’m one woman and I do all the publicity and admin and everything myself so I had to break it down and go ‘right, I can’t do a whole big show at The Street Theatre and start booking Sydney and Melbourne and wherever else at the same time. So I’m doing one thing at a time.” Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens are fiercely independent and have decided to remain that way. Julia spoke ardently about Jen Cloher’s I Manage My Own Music workshop. “[The speakers] were so honest and helpful and it really made me feel like I don’t need anyone else. It’s about the music and I’m the person with the music in my hands so I don’t want to suck up to a label. I get grumpy enough when a drunk at a pub gives me career advice let alone a label.” It’s pretty safe to say there’ll be nothing even close to this kind of audience behaviour during their set at Corinbank. “Corinbank is this beautiful, magical thing. There are so many little festivals popping up that have wanted to be like Corinbank all over Australia. We’re so lucky to be so close to one of the ones that is actually working. They’re really pulling it off. They really, truly do have such a love for that particular spot and they’ve all been around the Canberra music scene for such a long time. You know that they’re all doing it because they love it and they all really want us there playing and watching,” Julia says, smiling. I cannot implore you enough, dear readers. Go to Corinbank, experience one of our country’s most beautiful festivals, and join me in the adoring crowd at the main stage at 1.30pm on Sunday March 4 for the incomparable Julia and the Deep Sea Sirens. Corinbank will take place at Corin Forest in The Brindabellas over FridaySunday March 2-4. For more info visit www.corinbank.com .

ALL AGES Although the scene seems quiet for the remainder of April, very unexpectedly it seems that March is livening up with a number of exciting events. On Thursday March 1 legendary heavy metal act Lamb of God will be coming all the way from the USA to play at the spectacular Soundwave Festivals. However, to the delight of their fans, their Sidewave tour will include a show in Canberra, with supporting acts In Flames and The Black Dahlia Murder from the US. This is a huge line-up that Canberra will very likely never see again. From 8pm the three bands will shake down the walls of The University of Canberra’s Refectory. Tickets cost just $62.35 (+ bf) through any Oztix outlet, and they should be snapped up fast as it’s not every day that a line-up like this comes through the ACT. You all know the name and you all know at least one of their songs. Evanescence are coming to Canberra! They will be touring the whole country in March with their support act Blaqk Audio and will hit the capital on Friday March 23. To accommodate for what is expected to be one of the biggest tours to come through Canberra in 2012, the magic will all happen at The Royal Theatre (National Convention Centre). Tickets can be bought through Ticketek for $99 (+ bf). Doors open to the masses at 8pm on the night. On Thursday February 16, tickets go on sale for Groovin the Moo 2012. At this point the line-up is said to include Hilltop Hoods, Kaiser Chiefs from the UK, Canadian act City and Colour, Parkway Drive, Bluejuice, Chiddy Bang from the US, Public Enemy, Big Scary, 360, Andrew WK, Beni, Adrian Lux, Digitalism from Germany, The Getaway Plan, Gold Fields, Hermitude, Kimbara, Naysayer & Gilsun, Purple Sneakers DJs, Mutemath, San Cisco, Wavves, The Maccabees, Muscles and Matt Corby. Unfortunately at this point the line-up is still subject to change. The event will take place in The Meadows of The University of Canberra on Sunday May 13. Of course as is the case with any good festival, the music isn’t all that is on offer. You can enjoy a number of food stalls, market stalls and fun activities on this spectacular day out in the autumn air. Tickets cost $99.90 (+ bf) through any Moshtix outlet. Tickets to this festival sell insanely fast, so get in while you can and secure your place! And don’t forget about Corinbank Festival! This unique three day festival is sure to sell out too. Taking place at the peaceful Corin Forest Mountain Resort from Friday-Sunday March 2-4, you can spend a relaxing weekend in the company of a spectacular line-up of artists including Josh Pyke, Busby Marou, Skipping Girl Vinegar, The Bamboos, The Barons of Tang, The Crooked Fiddle Band, D-Opus & Roshambo and many more. There are loads of fun activities and workshops, along with great food and a great atmosphere. Although this is an all ages event, people under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Under 16s pay only $5 entry and 16+ event passes start at $139 (+ bf). Day passes are also available. For more information on the event, the full line-up, or ticketing specifications visit www.corinbank.com . NAOMI FROST allagescolumn@gmail.com

LOCALITY

“Dear Julia (aka BMA Magazine) and Johnboy (aka the RiotACT),

So I guess it sometimes feels as if all we do here at You Are Here is take, and there is no giving. And we’re conscious of that, because you guys are crazy generous and we are a trio of scattered imbeciles*, and so with that in mind we would like to offer up just a little love. Just a little, in the form of: Tea with You Are Here 3pm Tuesday Feb 7 Gus’ Cafe, Garema Place, Civic Let’s be clear here: this is us providing tea for you, not some double-dutch-everyone-pays nonsense. You come, tea is provided, we say thanks for all your hard work, and then if we all feel inclined, we might talk through the festival program with you... The point is, there’ll be cups of tea and god knows you need them on a Tuesday afternoon. That’s all. Hope you’re listening to rainy day music where you are. All our love, You Are Here Inc. *though to be fair Lande is beautiful and wise and Hadley at least has a sort of roguish charm” And so on Feb 7 I strolled over to Gus’ from BMA HQ somewhat frazzled as I’d just kicked an act off the cover for being outrageously uncooperative. Upon arriving and spying none of the YAH team nor Johnboy, I sat down and ordered a gravely needed coffee. Johnboy arrived soon after and we discussed the ancient lost art of punctuality. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a girl in an animal mask but thought nothing of it; this was Garema Place after all. Johnboy got a call from David Finnigan, one of YAH’s co-producers. “I’m meant to go and talk to the woman in the cat mask,” said Johnboy matter of factly. “Here we go!” said I. The svelte lass in the sequined cat mask nonchalantly dropped a folder emblazoned with BMA Magazine and The Riot Act at Johnboy’s feet, and slunk away. It contained a pair of scissors, a small key and instructions to “follow me”. I’d had a pretty rubbish day at work and needed that coffee. Johnboy got another call from Finig, and passed his phone to me. After a polite request to get the coffee to go I had it transferred into a take away cup. We found the cat woman lurking outside Felt and followed her through Garema Place. She sashayed beneath a metal box suspended from a tree, we cut it down and unlocked it. And what was inside? Tea bags and a note proclaiming To The Newsroom! At You Are Here’s new hub we found Adam Hadley, David Finnigan and Yolande Norris waiting for us with a picnic blanket, a tea pot and heart shaped paper doilies. Bless ‘em. No such thing as a normal meeting for these three, and no such thing as normal when it comes to You Are Here. JULIA WINTERFLOOD julia@bmamag.com

DANCE THE DROP

Whether you love him for his masterful renovation of modern commercial music or loathe him for his floppy hair and incessant fist pumping, all will admit that David Guetta is currently the most accomplished superstar DJ on the planet. Whether you consider his pop/R&B/dance hybrids infectious or annoying, the smiley Frenchman has undoubtedly taken the exclusive stigma away from ‘doof doof’ music to the point where you may catch your mum singing along to his latest single while she nips the crusts off your lunch sandwiches. Kicks dropped the Guetta bomb via some clever teaser advertising at the 2011 Foreshore Festival but until recently we didn’t have an official date for the arrival of the bearded hit-maker. It has just been announced that Guetta will be playing a huge all ages show on Friday May 4 at Stage 88 which also features Bombs Away, Timomatic and local heroes Jared de Veer and DJ Rawson. Tickets are available via Moshtix and will cost you the best part of four hours wages working in your weekend retail fashion job. We all know that the best way to prepare your brains for a full year of advanced education is to get absolutely wankered on alcohol, right? History has proven that the best way to achieve complete inebriation is a trip to any one of the many O Week events scattered around the capital in February. At the top of the pile is the official ANU O-week on-campus celebration on Friday February 17. The immense student soiree is headlined by Kiwi songstress Kimbra, Sweat It Out mash-meister Ajax and New Navy and you can secure your tickets from the anusa.anu.edu.au website for around $30.

For those of you who want to keep the party going, Academy are also holding an official O-week after-party with Bombs Away. Get in early as I predict that this will be a sellout! It’s always fun to match a radio presenter’s voice with a face and those of you who regularly tune in to triple j’s Mix Up program will get the chance on Saturday February 18 at Trinity Bar when presenter Deacon Rose appears in public for the first time... in Canberra. A week later on Friday February 24 our ‘next big thing’ Peking Duk begin their Welcome national tour so I suggest you get along and see the lads rinse out one last time before they become so large that you just can’t afford to see them anymore! As much as it feels strange to say this while shivering under a blanket, it is still summer time and therefore the electronic anthems are rolling in like pies into Kevin Federline’s gullet. Justice return with another mediocre single Canon which has thankfully been masterfully remade by Erol Alkan, The Only show us a new sound with their remix of The Immigrant – Day Out of Time and Axwell has created a monster with his re-edit of Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl’s In My Mind. TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

E X H I B I T I O N I S T anatomy and sexual organs is “quite refreshing after I’ve seen a lot of Ron Mueck or Sam Jinks or Patricia Piccinini,” applauds Alex. Her shapes are interesting, a distended phallus and a pert orifice imply a sort of “faux-sexual undertone… it’s great,” Alex finishes. Dean, of Photo Media, Canberra School of Art, has begun to branch into other mediums using silkscreen printing on board for his largescale paintings. With video and photography he creates what Alex describes as a “punchy Andy Warhol-esque” aesthetic, adding that “he is in an interesting place in his career… dealing with this idea of teenage nostalgia, of a young man. Girls, cars and rock music… but at the same time there is a dark undercurrent, which can make you unsure of what exactly is going on.”

ART ALL ABLAZE CHLOE MANDRYK BLAZE 6 is a show about local emerging art; this year the work of eight contemporary artists brimming with potential but who haven’t had wide exposure is on show. I spoke with co-curators Alexander Boynes and Annika Harding on the topic of the 2011 residents set to exhibit. Dean Butters, Bettina Hill, Helani Laisk, Jonathan Webster and Fiona Veikkanen were residents awarded space, curatorial advice and an opportunity to ferment ideas in a gallery and studio context. Emerging artists Kate Barker, Dan Lorrimer and Ishak Masukor complete the collective. You might have seen Jonathan’s painted tree collars around the city. He notices the intimate relationships with the everyday, or frequented, spaces in our lives. He explains that having a relatable subject is paramount: “if you can’t have an initial entry point to a work… they can’t feel anything towards the work, and then what’s the point?” In other works Jonathan arranges sculpted text outdoors and then photographs them; he paints over some parts of these photos snapped in the wilds of Canberra. There are two reasons for this: “painting reflects in some way a lot of the movements we do in the everyday” but also because “painting directly onto the surface of a photograph draws direct attention to the fact that you are looking at an object… something hanging on the wall.” The act of painting is core to his practice, being “what I call the event of the studio, this repetitive and meditative movement,” he says. A clear push and pull emerges between the gallery space, installation, fabrication of the object and duplication of its image. In keeping with the theme of perception versus reality, Kate Barker, graduate from The Canberra School of Art in Painting, uses old photographs as a source for her nostalgic scenes dissected by shards of exposed board. Annika says Kate “is looking at photographs as a sort of false memory, when your memory isn’t a complete picture either… she plays on that.” Neither Helani nor Fiona is shy of the word ‘craft’. Helani, graduate of Print Media and Drawing, Canberra School of Art, has been using crochet to investigate growth, layers and natural formations echoing the abrasions, wetness and blush hues of our bodies. A new take on

Also possessing a controlled but elusive message, Fiona uses pre-fabricated items and deconstructs them to dismantle the ‘art aura’ that is inevitable sometimes. Domestic ‘survival’ tools have inspired her, but these also are a point of departure in her body of work. It’s not hard to imagine character in Fiona’s objects. They appear slumped, twisted or agile. Fiona explains, “I’m obsessed with the half deflated form.” After taking photos of a hot air balloon she made an unexpected discovery: “was it inflating or deflating? There’s this movement and you’re not sure which way it’s going, it’s alive, breathing… there is such potential for movement.” And whimsy. Bettina’s work in Blaze 6 builds upon negative space. We will see a fireplace that was assembled to exaggerate the joins, corners and depths of the common domestic form. Bettina graduated from Print Media and Drawing, she explored installation, found materials, print and drawing. She uncovers the factory floor origins of a domestic interior. Re-emphasising how we use familiar and banal objects means that the artists must engage with familiar, crafty and utilitarian materials. This is a tactic which stands out to Alex as “they aren’t outsourcing things to industry. It is all very hands on, and there is a beauty in that.” Dan, who has previously exhibited at CCAS, contorts metal into wisps and chunks. With particular attention to the robust material, but also to the hollows of the sculpture the pieces will inspire a sense of fragility. Teasing to move at random the work will feed off the similar energy in Ishak’s canvasses, both “like a pane of glass about to shatter,” says Alex. Ishak graduated from The Canberra School of Art in Painting. Expect to gauge an all or nothing attitude with a picture plane that whirrs to blast apart. Annika suggests Ishak is a painter’s painter occupied with depth, a perspective that leads you deep into the painting as well as colour, texture and brushstroke united in a secured chaos. Virtual space is suggested with geometric accents such as grids, mapping and fragments. Annika poses that with “infinite ideas about space there is always going to be a bit of destruction.” Keep an eye out for the upcoming solo shows at CCAS Manuka where the residents will carve out another space entirely. Blaze 6 gathers many interpretations of space, whether it is internal or external to the body or even a moment in time. Blaze 6 is on display at The Canberra Contemporary Art Space (Gorman House, 55 Ainslie Avenue, Braddon) from Friday February 17 to Saturday March 24. CCAS is open from Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-5pm.

CATACLYSMIC CANVASES Grace Carroll NATALIE MATHER is one artist who sure knows how to make an impact. Mather’s eclectic artworks utilise a palette of neon colours, and incorporate geometric and geological forms. Her forthcoming exhibition, SABOTAGE, at The Jas Hugonnet Gallery, showcases the strength and energy of her art. The contemporary feel of the works matches that of the venue, which is one of a host of commercial galleries that have bypassed the traditional display of artworks, and exist entirely in the virtual world of the internet. For Mather, the prospect of exhibiting with Jas Hugonnet was “a really interesting idea”, and one she could not pass up. Her first exhibition with the gallery in 2010 came shortly after the completion of her honours degree at the ANU School of Art. Sabotage, which is composed of six paintings and one sculpture, features “quite different works”, a number of which emerged from the time she spent living in Berlin last year. While on the one hand this vibrant European artistic hub exposed the artist to a rich, progressive culture of contemporary art, on the other, it separated her from the familiarity of Canberra. She concludes that this experience, which “felt like working in isolation”, contributed to the intense period of creativity that fuelled her recent work. Although not consciously inspired by a particular artist or movement, Mather’s paintings draw on the confluence of artistic currents she has been exposed to. Those familiar with the abstract paintings of German virtuoso Gerhard Richter may see parallels with her work. Mather cites her appreciation of the “powerful, luminous colours” in Richter’s major retrospective at London’s Tate gallery last year. Soviet science fiction films are another influence on the works in Sabotage. The apocalyptic collisions her bold paintings suggest are reminiscent of the hidden beauty that lurks beneath this fantastical cinema genre. According to Mather, these science fiction films highlight “the world being a beautiful place at the end”. She sees this as time when things become “crystallised” in spite of, and perhaps because of, the artificial trappings. Looking at some of the works in the exhibition, such as the standout don’t fall, OH GOD! don’t fall, a similar sense of something deeper lurking behind the abstract forms and layers of paint is apparent. Mather’s composite artistic process contributes to the dynamism of Sabotage. The artist consciously manipulates conventions of her chosen medium and creates unarchival paintings (paintings that are not designed to stand the test of time). As she observes, each work begins with the laying down of “a slab of paint”, after which she “tries to solve the puzzle” of the image. In doing so, Mather never knows what the final painting will look like from start to finish. Similarly, visitors to Sabotage are invited make their own meaning of the vibrant and enigmatic works. Sabotage is showing at The Jas Hugonnet Gallery from Thursday-Thursday March 1-15. See www.hugonnet.com.au to view the exhibition and enquire about the works.

puppets inhabit – complete with transitions and trippy graphics.” He assures me that there will be no less than five puppets interacting simultaneously. David achieves the spectacle by utilising robotics, radio controls and recorded movement. “At the end of my show the puppets are all robotic and they all move by themselves, kind of in a finale-type production... I have developed a sort of handheld wireless device so that I can control the puppets and do their voices live while their other parts are moving robotically recorded.” The wonder in David’s show lies not in what you see, but what you don’t.

HAND UP BUM baz ruddick DAVID STRASSMAN is not what you would call a typical ventriloquist. In fact he couldn’t be further from what comes to mind. He isn’t a creep, he doesn’t wear a tuxedo, his jokes are actually funny and I’m pretty sure he has a strict human-only policy when it comes to sexual relationships. David called me from his Hollywood home (right across from Jim Morrison’s old house) to tell me all about his upcoming tour and what sets him apart from the hordes of other ventriloquists selling out theatres around the globe. Whilst David proudly admits that 99% of the show is in fact “hand up the bum ventriloquism”, what he seems eager to talk about is its grand size and scale. Employing the writing help of his long time friend Steve Altmon, writer of his award winning dramatic Duality, David delivers a “completely brand new and massive production with three massive projection screens, projecting various rooms the

David’s reliance on technology has in no way been to the detriment of his art. Rather, the technological advancements have freed him to “improvise, make jokes and change the scripts”. The real work is in his characters. “They are so old, and they have so much depth... it’s like the characters in a stage play. They have back stories, fears, neuroses, foibles and dreams. When you get puppets that are twisted, everyone loves it. Wherever I go, I’m not only able to kick ass but just make people laugh really, really hard.” Some of Dave’s characters include the sinister Chuck, the loveably stupid Ted E. Bare and an exciting new drunken clown character. If you haven’t experienced the hilarious and jaw-droppingly incredible David Strassman there is no better time than now. “It’s a brand new show. It’s twisted. It’s a bit more intelligent than previous shows but don’t let that scare you away. It’s really trippy and you definitely should not come to my show straight.” So how does David feel about his own puppets? “It’s my professional life. When I’m at home they sit here in their suitcases.” And not in the bedroom? Well, I didn’t ask that, but we can fantasise speculate… David Strassman will be performing at The Playhouse from Tuesday February 28 until Sunday March 4. Tickets cost $54.90 and are available at www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

So what can you expect? “The show includes cabaret, circus and burlesque acts, each going for five to seven minutes,” explains Hadley. It will feature performances by local drag queens Venus Mantrap and Tammy Paks, local musicians Marc Robertson and the New Orleans-inspired Brass Knuckle Brass Band and others. It is an all ages show that Hadley is hoping will appeal to an audience looking for “a good, weird time”. The show will be held in the festival’s hub, The Newsroom, located in the Centrepoint Plaza. In this converted shopfront (it was formerly a newsagency) the audience will cozy up on cushions, but given its limited capacity Hadley fully expects it to get “hot and stinky!”

FINE SWINE ZOE PLEASANTS The You Are Here Festival is boldly announcing its 2012 arrival with a cabaret show curiously named HORSEFACE ETHEL AND HER MARVELLOUS PIGS IN SATIN. Playing on the festival’s opening night, it is the favourite child of its curator and You Are Here Festival coproducer Adam Hadley. If the title means anything to you, I’m guessing you’re a Tom Waits fan; it is a line from his song Circus, which Hadley was listening to. “I heard the line, found the title which informed the show,” he tells me. And having now listened to the song myself, it makes sense. “I wanted the show to have a broken down, derelict vibe,” explains Hadley, “and I wanted to put it on in a reclaimed or abandoned space.” To me, Tom Waits certainly has a worn down, abandoned space vibe about him and his song Circus is full of the bizarre, yet is also surprisingly poetic.

I also caught up with Venus Mantrap’s alter ego, Sam Townsend, who is back in Canberra after a six year hiatus in which he was pursuing a more traditional, albeit artistic career. Drag performance is Sam’s hobby but he tells me it is also an important “extension of my art practice”. And this type of show which places drag in a non-traditional setting suits Venus very well. “I’m more comfortable performing in places not expecting drag,” Sam tells me, with some of his favourite past performances in Canberra having been at, of all places, Das Kapital and The Wig and Pen! I ask Sam how Venus prepares for something like Horseface Ethel. “I respond to the name of the show, the venue and the other acts and craft, something around that.” Well there are some good elements to work with for this show, but will pigs be making an appearance? “Swine flu might make it in,” he hints. Talking of pigs, Hadley would love you to go dig out your pig mask and head down for a great night of what Venus is hoping will be “eclectic, loose, spontaneous theatre”. Horseface Ethel is playing on Thursday March 8 from 9-11.30pm at The Newsroom. There are no tix so get in early. For more info hit youareherecanberra@gmail.com / youareherecanberra.com.au .

A NEW APPROACH TO COCKROACH

LITTLE PLEASURES

BEN HERMANN

SINEAD O’CONNELL

‘Bold’, ‘controversial’ and ‘challenging’ are not words people might traditionally associate with youth theatre. However, when Karla Conway – Artistic Director of Canberra Youth Theatre’s production of COCKROACH – was invited by The Australian Theatre for Young People to tour the work to Sydney and Melbourne, it was a great validation of not only the cast and team’s hard work, but the demand for works of such a confronting nature.

If you’ve ever had a chat to circus folk you’ll know it can some of the most interesting conversation you may ever have. I began to understand this just the other day when talking to Eve, one of the four main cast members of THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BITE SIZED CIRCUS. A circus group founded in our very own Canberra with the ethos that everyone should be able to go to the circus and share in the talent, mystic and general eclecticism that can be found when one ventures into carnival grounds.

“It was controversial in the sense that the boldness of the show was a shock to people in terms of what their perception of youth theatre is or was,” Conway says. “There was a small part of the audience that really struggled with the nature of the material, feeling like it was too challenging for teenagers; that the things that happen in the play don’t actually exist for teenagers in the real world.” The play, written by UK playwright Sam Holcroft, is set in a semidystopian England, where a group of teenagers are suffering through detention in their high school biology lab. A bloody war is raging outside, and as the teenage boys are gradually taken to fight in the conflict, the remaining females begin to confront a potentially male-less future. One review of a Scottish production of the work described the plot as “a radical feminist answer to Lord of the Flies”. Although understanding, Conway is sceptical of putting too much of a feminist bent on the story. “There are strengths in the female characters for sure. They have to develop skills to adapt, skills to be resilient. They cannot rely on their stronger boyfriends and males and other boys in the school, because they’re gone,” she says. “The Lord of the Flies reference I always find funny, because it’s as though no adults exist, whereas in this play a very present adult exists, which is their teacher. She is trying to inspire hope and guidance in them through what seems to be a really, inevitably dismal situation for them.” CYT performed a season of the work in 2011, shortly after which it received nominations for a number of awards in The Canberra Area Theatre Awards, and was subsequently asked to go on tour. “What the success of the work has shown is that there are a lot of people in Canberra who want this type of work. The artists here at CYT are wanting to do roles that are hard, that are challenging,” Conway says. “I think there is a perception of youth theatre as cute kids in over-sized consumes. But that’s not the nature of theatre with young people today. It may have been in the past, but it certainly isn’t anymore.” Cockroach shows at C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre on Thursday-Friday February 23-24 at 7pm. Tickets are $15 from www.cytc.net .

The shows are affordable with profits sometimes even still being returned to primary schools who host them on tour. Plus, with such a tight-knit cast, this road show spectacular must be the most charming event going around the east coast! With degrees in performing arts and theatre, notions of movement and balance gained through dance are well spoken of and stories from Vietnam, USA and New Zealand are often frequent. What must it be like standing in front of different crowds day after day, and in new cities, exhaling at the end of a show with the animation and thrill of your performance washing over the audience? I was itching to ask her, that along with the inevitable ‘when did you decide to run away with the circus?’ She assures me, it is indeed the moments when she looks out at the audience, in particular the children, and is reminded of why she loves getting up in the morning to be a part of this. Harvesting wonder and fostering imagination of such a scale certainly has that element of je ne sais quoi. Among other things, Eve works the trapeze and hula hoops as well as acting as the often eerie porcelain ballerina that you find in a child’s jewellery box. Her days are spent setting up the tents (a day’s works in the least), heartily preparing for shows and spending a few hours in strength conditioning before entering the arena. At times two or three shows a day are demanded of Eve and her fellow friends, with little respite before packing up and travelling on to the next town. Then we talked more of the people you meet in this life. “Circus characters are pretty quirky, they do crazy things.” Emphasis on the crazy, she laughs. “Normal people don’t spend their time at uni on a trapeze… it’s a great life, just a lot more work I think.” So we learn the stigma associated with the circus is often too true, but Eve reminds us “you’re always moving, and there is romance involved in travelling. Travelling in a circus will always be a little bit magic.” It is romantic, it is chaotic and it is colourful. Aren’t we altogether looking for a little bit more of this in our lives? If you think you’re not, I trust Eve and her crew to prove one can never in fact get enough of it. For more info and tickets visit www.bitesizedcircus.com .

and fellow orchestra member, Kitty Lux. “A uke was lying around Kitty’s flat and pretty soon we had four people finding it fun and various friends joined in,” he explains. “A couple of friends already played mandolin and uke and before we knew where we were, we had seven people interested.”

A PLUCKING GOOD TIME ALISHA SKERRETT An instrument rarely taken seriously and seen as the recorder of the strings family has seen a new resurgence lately. The ukulele, or jumping flea, as it loosely translates to English from Hawaiian, will no longer be laughed at and THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN has been proving that the since 1985. The orchestra of eight members utilises ukuleles in different registers and a bass ukulele, actually an acoustic bass guitar, but who’s keeping score? Plucking enthusiasts will revel in the orchestra’s current tour which reaches The Canberra Theatre Centre on Saturday March 3. The concert celebrates the ‘bonsai guitar’, covering well known tunes by The Who, The Sex Pistols, David Bowie and Kate Bush. Founding member George Hinchliffe says the group happened by accident back when he was at polytechnic and was mucking round with friend

The orchestra started gigging in local pubs and in 1988 got their big break when they were approached by CBS in Japan wanting to licence their music. 12 albums, two DVDs and numerous tours later, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain have turned the humble Hawaiian plucker into a success story. George and the orchestra are very supportive of other ukulele orchestras forming and follow the progress of The Australian Ukulele Orchestra regularly. “Even though I live and breathe The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, I have heard of The Ukulele Orchestra of Australia. I get online alerts for press [relating to] nearly all of the ukulele orchestras in the world. “Since The Ukes of Great Britain started touring the world in 1985, the situation has developed where lots of schools, community centres, theatres, radio stations, and enterprising individuals all seem to have their own uke orchestras.” They’re hoping for audiences with open minds and may even bust out some Aussie faves. “I’m hoping we’ll find really good enthusiastic audiences and some enthusiasts with their instruments. We want to do some songs familiar to Aussie audiences but that are a surprise.” Ukes of Great Britain are fans of Aussie legend Rolf Harris and have checked him out at the Glastonbury Festival when he played. ”Some of his songs are jokey and some are really good.” The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are performing at The Canberra Theatre Centre on Saturday March 3 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from The CTC box office, online at www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au , or by phoning 02 6275 2700.

IN REVIEW

The Bedroom Philosopher Diaries By Justin Heazlewood Review by Allan Sko Justin Heazlewood AKA musician/ comedian The Bedroom Philosopher packed in his regular BMA Magazine Struth Be Told column back in 2009 to focus on his music and wider writing, and it’s been a joy to see his career take bold strides since. With his Northcote (So Hungover) musical dig at Melbourne hipster culture hitting 320,000 views on YouTube and counting, and amassing over 1,500 Twitter followers since “joining the conversation” a mere two months ago, it’s clear the man is hitting his stride. So with years of touring stories under the belt and fandom at an all time high it seems no better time to show off yet another string to the bow with a book. And despite Heazlewood being a prolific writer, with regular contributions to Frankie, The Big Issue and Mess + Noise, The Bedroom Philosopher Diaries is his first. The world, it seems, is his oyster to shuck. Although he wouldn’t have you believe it with this deeply funny and brutally self-deprecating piece. The ...Diaries track Heazlewood’s various treks across Australia over the years, from his tour with

Tripod in 2005, through his time spent with the Comedy Festival Roadshow, children’s entertainer Peter Combe, the Big Day Out and Falls Festivals, and on to the present where he grapples with the controversial notion of using indigenous comedy in an attempt to break down the cultural barrier. Heazlewood has always been an intelligent and talented man and his ability to articulate difficult emotions make this book a hugely entertaining read. Unsurprisingly given his gift for comedy it is hilarious, filled with witticisms (“He was curt, both in name and attitude”), amusing anecdotes of life on the road, and the kind of cunning wordplay for which he has become famous (“The 40 strong crowd clapped with the intensity of 50”). Heazlewood also uses the diary medium to be unflinching in his self flagellation, breaking up the humour with surprising bouts of frustration and anger, as well as ruminations on depression in comedy, the lonely rigours of the gigging circuit, gigs (and women) that fall flat and the pang of never feeling successful enough. It is these moments that give the book its real heart and Heazlewood’s frank honesty allows the reader to form an instant bond. The publication is a deliberate DIY job and with the charmingly lo-fi hand-stitched look comes a slew of spelling errors that need to be overcome. But in the context of a diary it almost works, and sticklers should not be deterred from this lively tome that is as revealing about life on the road as it is about the man himself. The Bedroom Philosopher Diaries is out now through A Small Press. $25 from Electric Shadows Bookshop along Mort Street in the city or by contacting justin@bedroomphilosopher.com .

ARTISTPROFILE: Cherry Lush

What do you do? I am a Burlesque and Cabaret performer. At Corinbank this year I am putting on a Burlesque Cabaret show. All the performers are local to the ACT or have attended Corinbank in previous years! These are: Deb Delicious, Tiffany Blue, Melina Fahrenheit and Memphis Mae. When did you get into it? I started doing classes for fun a few years ago with Miss Kitka’s House of Burlesque. As part of graduation I performed in my first show (in Canberra!) in late 2009. I was soon hooked by the world of Burlesque. It is no longer just a hobby, it has become part of my life and taken over my home. Glitter and sequins are an occupational hazard! Who or what influences you as an artist? Music is my biggest influence. Especially something that makes my hips move or a great bassline… What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? My biggest achievement to date as a performer would be performing at the Australian Burlesque Festival. My proudest moment is every time someone tells me how much they have enjoyed my show! What are your plans for the future? Right now I am spending every moment of my time preparing for upcoming shows. I have also been working on some projects. About to be launched is my own online shop The Luscious Market (www.facebook.com/thelusciousmarket). And my biggest medium term plan is to write and perform a one woman cabaret about my life. Such an interesting story…

What makes you laugh? Everything! Especially my cat, my flatmate, my niece and nephew, and crappy movies. What pisses you off? Litterers, irrationality and un-kindness. What’s your opinion of the local scene? Because I started my performing career in Canberra I have a great fondness for it. I have returned to perform at a Miss Kitka’s House of Burlesque show last year as a guest performer and hope to again in the future. Some of my favourite performers are from Canberra and Miss Deb Delicious (who is performing at Corinbank) is one of the people who greatly inspired me when I was first starting out. Miss Kitka is soon starting a branch of Dr Sketchy’s in Canberra. It is a drawing class with Burlesque! So much fun – check it out. What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? Next week I am performing in some Mardi Gras shows in Sydney before heading to Corinbank. Then I head back to Sydney to prepare for the Miss Burlesque NSW heats, where Miss Tiffany Blue (an ACT performer who is in our show at Corinbank) and I will be competing for the title of Miss Burlesque NSW! You can read all about it at www. missburlesquecompetition.com. Then I am off to Adelaide for the Adelaide Fringe Festival performing at Anything Goes Cabaret. It is a very busy couple of months for me! Contact info: www.cherrylush.com.au, www.facebook.com/cherrylush

bit PARTS WHO: You Are Here WHAT: Program Launch WHEN: Thurs Feb 23 WHERE: Smiths Alternative Bookshop You Are Here would like to yank on your coat tails a moment about their Program Launch. It is happening on Thursday February 23 from 6pm – 7pm at Smiths Alternative Bookshop. Come down and grab one of their shiny, still warm from the printers, fancy pants programs detailing all of the amazing events occurring at You Are Here 2012. There will be drinks (for sale!) and if Finig gets his way, a dart board or pool table. If Lande gets her way the programs will have all arrived on time from the printers, and if Hadley gets his way Smiths Bookshop will be completely filled with magnificent American Condors – truly, no other bird better encapsulates the spirit of You Are Here.

WHO: The Centre for Poetics and Justice WHAT: Please Resist Me Poetry Slam Tour WHEN: Writers workshop – Tues Feb 21, performance – Wed Feb 22 WHERE: Kendall Lane Theatre and NewActon Courtyard Three of Australia’s best slam poets will enwrap the NewActon Courtyard with inspired words and tales of today. This night of world-class poetry is set in a beautiful courtyard with food, drinks and deckchairs. The poets are Luka Lesson, the Australian Poetry Slam Champion and founder of The Centre for Poetics and Justice who’ll be launching his first full length album and book Please Resist Me; Joel McKerrow, co-director of The Centre for Poetics and Justice who’ll also be launching a book; and Alia Grabes, the newest member of the CPJ team and rising young star of the scene. To register for the workshop email hello@newacton.com.au and for more info head to www.cpj.org.au and www.newacton.com.au . WHO: Roland S Howard WHAT: Autoluminescent: Roland S Howard (2011, M) WHEN: Thurs Feb 16, 7pm WHERE: Arc Cinema Roland S Howard was a pivotal personality in the post-punk Australian music scene; founding The Boys Next Door/The Birthday Party with Nick Cave; writing some of the band’s greatest anthems (such as Shiver); then playing over the next three decades in influential acts like Crime and The City Solution. This new documentary by music video and Dogs in Space director Richard Lowenstein was made during Howard’s battle with liver cancer. Appropriately dark materials for a musician whose lyrics were often fatalistic, this is not however a morose look at the loss of a seminal figure in Australian music – rather, it’s “a celebration of a life lived to the fullest” (Cara Nash, Film Ink). www.nfsa.gov.au . WHO: Canberra filmmakers WHAT: Screen your film at Belco Flicks IV - Reconciliation WHEN: Wed March 7 WHERE: theatre@bcs

WHO: Canadian ensemble Tafelmusik WHAT: The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres WHEN: Thurs March 8, 7pm WHERE: Llewellyn Hall, ANU School of Music Canadian ensemble Tafelmusik brings open-hearted energy and vigour to the rarefied world of period-instrument performance in this multi-media concert experience. Actor Shaun Smyth narrates a fully-integrated, staged programme that combines projected images from the Hubble telescope and Canadian astronomers with music from the time of Galileo by such composers as Monteverdi and Merula, and astronomically-themed music by baroque composers including Rameau, Handel, Zelenka and Bach. The Galileo Project has received rave reviews around the world and was nominated as Canada’s entry in the International Year of Astronomy’s 2009 Prize for Excellence in Astronomy Education and Public Outreach, and in April 2009, the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid after Tafelmusik. Tickets through Ticketek.

Belco Flicks is a night of short films screened at theatre@BCS at Belconnen Community Centre. Since its beginning in ‘09 Belco Flicks has offered filmmakers and opportunity to screen their work in a theatre setting. It also offers audiences a rare opportunity to see locally made, independent films that are often only screened privately. Belco Flicks IV – Reconciliation will be screened on the evening of Wednesday March 7 to coincide with the launch of BCS’s inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan. Films included in the program must in some way express or explore the theme of reconciliation. Deadline for submission is Thursday February 23. Email simone. penkethman@bcsact.com.au for more info. WHO: Wobble WHAT: Creative collective WHEN: Thurs Feb 16 WHERE: Knightsbridge Penthouse Wobble is a collective put together to cook up new gallery space, curate, host events and sell artwork. In collaboration with some of Canberra’s favourite bars and cafés, Wobble brings you a series of parties and a collection of Canberra’s best art and design. This month Wobble is featuring the work of video artist Aiko Mineishi. She is a Japanese born filmmaker who studied Multimedia at UC, and has since worked on production design for the Koolism film clip Jam Hot and become part of the media team for The Bohemian Ball. Aiko’s video art will screen to the sounds of Ashley Feraude, further accompanied by new additions to the art collection. The event coincides with the Wobble quarterly Canberra design guide. For more info visit www.wobble.cc .

DEC THE HALLS

IT AIN’T EASY BEING GREEN

Baz Ruddick

Rory McCartney

Get your pith helmet and quinine tablets ready...

Rock devotee Garry Peadon has been promoting live music in Canberra since he opened THE GREENROOM in Phillip in 2003. It set new standards for a permanent stage with brilliant sound and special effects. “It won a Jack Daniels Best Live Venue award three years on the trot 2004-06,” says Gazza. He recalls “we had our biggest ever crowd for a Sarah Blasko/Panics show.” There was a temporary move to UC with the aim of attracting even bigger bands, but the Belco location did not attract big audiences. Then the Phillip Greenroom closed in 2008 due to leasing problems. The venue which used to throb to Mammal and Dead Letter Circus is now a beauty school.

BRITISH INDIA frontman and humble dreamboat Declan took some time out from Zelda for a quick chat regarding the recording of their upcoming album, their hidden punk roots, what happens after shows and why his favourite songs rarely make the record. Hailing from Melbourne, the suburban rockers have for several years now maintained a certain duality in their existence. On radio they are clean-cut, catchy, slightly poppy and an acceptable first triple j band for your 12 year old sister. Live they are loud, raw and a beer sodden shitload of fun. What you hear on a British India record is only the surface layer of what makes the band. While for some bands music is all about producing an album that is going to sell a million copies, for Declan it’s much more personal. “My favourite songs are the ones that were only written for the other three guys in the band... I didn’t write them for some girl to hear or to get on top of the charts. If we have a good take of it that we can listen to then that is the shit. We would be happy with that. The song exists whether or not it’s on the record. It was written, recorded, completed and we can listen to it whenever. It’s very much a part of the landscape of my world. It all goes towards creating what is British India.”

You never really know if you’re going to end up in a glamorous club or in someone’s shed passing a homemade bong

Like most commercially successful bands today, they “don’t really get much say in what ends up on the record”, rather entrusting the label to choose songs based on radio playability. Declan assures me that there are no bitter feelings. It’s just a case of “them doing their job, and us doing ours”. He goes on to share with me that when it’s time to enter the studio they “don’t really care what songs end up on the record. We just want them to all sound good and interesting. “When the band falls apart we would love to put out a whole pile of this stuff that has never made the cut. It would be a pretty eclectic mix. It breaks my heart that no one will ever hear that heavier side of us.” And after that beer sodden, raw and energetic show? “We always find some kind of party after every show... it’s still really fun. You never really know if you’re going to end up in this glamorous club with lots of cool people and female attention or in someone’s shed passing a homemade bong or something really disgusting. It could be anywhere between those two extremes. And neither is less funny. Most of the time it’s one of those situations where it’s like ‘Jesus, man, how did we end up here?’.” Supported by locals Clay Pidgeons, British India will bring their kick-dick live show to the reborn Greenroom at The Woden Tradies on Friday March 2. Tickets cost $25 + bf and are available through Moshtix.

If the month is a winner, the club is considering changing its image from the traditional bar and pokies approach to a real musos club

Gazza has kept the rock flame burning bright as the sound man at many gigs around Canberra. He states “then in 2011 I was approached by Jason Forrest from The Woden Tradies Club, with the idea of reopening The Greenroom there.” That proposal fell over for various reasons, but has been reignited this year. The Greenroom will reopen for a one month trial in March. “The sound setup will be up to Greenoom standard, with a larger stage.” While there is a hotel right next door, Garry says “sound tests have been conducted to confirm that rooms will not be affected.” A month is a short period, but Gazza has all the bases covered with a huge variety of bands. Gigs will include British India on Friday March 2, the huge metal fest Chaos ACT XI on Saturday March 3, Closure In Moscow (similar in style to Dead Letter Circus) on Thursday March 15, a Nirvana tribute on Friday March 16, local and interstate bands on Friday March 23, a hip-hop evening on Friday March 30 featuring Funkoars, and a Bon Jovi tribute band on Saturday March 31. The Greenroom’s future will depend on the success of this mega music month. “The Tradies will consider everything from numbers through the door, bar sales and new club memberships when considering the way ahead for the venue. You do not have to be a Tradies member to go to gigs, but they are keen to sign more people up. If the month is a winner, the club is considering changing its image from the traditional bar and pokies approach to a real musos club.” Garry says “the local live scene is healthy with lots of bands touring through. Canberra’s punters are keen to see well publicised bands, but I would like to see them more willing to try out lesser known acts. This live scene will improve if The Greenroom becomes a permanent venue.” Its central location, medium size, relatively low cost and the presence of in-house equipment would encourage more acts to schedule an ACT show. There are many possibilities here if Canberra’s live music lovers get behind the venue. So why not support this venture and see a Greenroom gig or two, with tickets available through Moshtix.

MONDAY MUSICAL MIRTH GEMMA NOURSE Last November, the illustrious Phoenix Pub celebrated 18 years of servicing Canberra with great beer and good vibes. In another milestone for the well-loved local establishment, 2012 sees The Phoenix celebrate ten years of the Monday night BOOTLEG SESSIONS. Although sketchy on the exact anniversary date – “it might actually be the eleventh year” – devoted Phoenix employees Fiete Geier (band booker) and Sean Hannigan (manager) intend on celebrating the achievement and reminiscing on the early beginnings of Bootlegs in 2002. “There was nothing on, and it started as a pure open mic night,” says Fiete. “It took quite a while to get people in. But once it got established, of course, it became the thing to do on a Monday night.” Far from the early days of simply showing up on the night and putting your name down to perform, Bootlegs are now programmed three months in advance due to it being so popular amongst musicians and punters alike.

You expect to be entertained and surprised. And that’s a good mix

While some aspects of The Bootlegs have clearly changed over the ten years, many have stayed the same. The role of the Master of Ceremonies has remained a consistently central feature of The Bootlegs Sessions and has contributed to the success of Monday nights. “We’ve had some great people hosting it who have put in a lot of effort,” says Sean. In particular Pete Gare, who is credited as the founder and first host of The Bootlegs. “He put a lot of effort in, put 5,000 candles around the pub and did as much as he could to promote it,” says Fiete. “He got it rolling because Monday nights were dead.” For the better part of the last few years, however, the position of MC has been held by local music and theatre hero Adam Hadley. Hadley’s reign over The Phoenix on a Monday night is akin in spirit to the most confusing, erratic, but nevertheless thrilling of absurdist comedies. “He encapsulates the excitement of live music perfectly when he’s in front of a microphone,” says Sean, “and he makes it just a really entertaining night for everybody.” So what can a first time punter expect from a typical Monday night at The Phoenix? “Musically, anything from a metal band to a quiet solo artist; from someone’s first gig to a national touring band who’s stopping by.” As well as “a rowdy crowd, usually,” adds Fiete. “There’s no genre – except no cover bands, of course.” “It’s the diversity,” says Sean. “You expect to be entertained and surprised. And that’s a good mix.” Outside of the music, he continues, it’s “pretty much the same deal: you’re gonna meet a lot of new people, and, given the kind of people who pass through here on a Monday night – ” “ – it’s a mix as well,” cuts in Fiete, with a laugh, and a knowing smile. The Bootleg Sessions is on every Monday night at The Phoenix in Civic. Entry is free, so get there early if you want to avoid lining up!

GETTING THE FACTS

WALKY TALKIE

Alistair Erskine

SARAH MASON

ALEKS AND THE RAMPS have carved a wonderful niche for themselves over the last few years – writing, recording and playing music that really sounds like no other band. Be it a definite sum of all of their influences coming through or a defiant decision to shun convention, their music is quirky, engaging and addictive. On the eve of a tour to promote their new album FACTS, I put Alex on the spot by asking him to explain why his band write music the way they do.

Singer-songwriter/praying mantis expert. DREW WALKY is not the average guitar-wielding Canberra muso. I immediately forgave his lateness for our interview when he explained he’d been up late writing a paper on the religious spindly-legged creatures.

“Whatever comes out, whatever seems like a cool sound or idea is what we do. We never intentionally set out to be purposefully different; I think we just write music that we want to hear. It isn’t intentionally us going out to create an entire new genre or anything.”

We just write music that we want to hear

So their latest record, the third, eschews a few of the more traditional elements for a few more elements found in their songs, and adding new ones. Clumsily I point out that there are now more space noises in there, and less country music – how intentional was this? “We have accrued more equipment over the time it took to make, and we didn’t write [the album] as a band just playing the songs all in one take, we were doing more studio-ey things, and that’s where those sounds might come from. Oh, and I used to play the banjo, but I’ve left that behind these days,” Alex explains. Like many awesome Aussie independent bands, they are releasing this album on two formats – digitally, and on vinyl. No CD version? “Unless there is some overwhelming demand for it, which I’m pretty sure there won’t be, we don’t see the point. Most people want their music digitally now and then we have the vinyl for if there are people wanting to own a physical copy – nice, tactile and big. It might be just the way I consume music – I never buy CDs any more, I doubt I’m that alone.” Aleks and The Ramps kick off their FACTS launch tour in Canberra, and are looking forward to playing this album live. “I like it when bands have their live show and their records be rather different – The Fiery Furnaces are a rather extreme version of this. “For us it’s going to be way more rocky, unclean, unhinged. We haven’t played in Canberra in ages – it’s exciting because we get to play The ANU Bar, where I saw Yo La Tengo playing when I was a teenager. But mainly I am excited about coming back for the laksa,” he laughs, adding that really the best part of touring for his band is centred around the food you can eat, and as any Canberran that has moved away knows, the best laksa in Australia happens to be in Canberra. Catch Aleks and the Ramps, supported by Readable Graffiti and Waterford, live at The ANU Bar on Thursday March 1. Tickets are $10 on the door.

Drew’s music is original and lyrically rich, with a folk-psychedelic edge; a far cry from his early inspirations – Nirvana, Nick Cave, The Doors and Leonard Cohen. He plays mostly on his own, because, by his own admission, he is not organised enough to run a band. Instead he is joined on stage and in the studio by instrumentalists and collaborators including Cam Ewens, Joel Thorpe, Mel Twidale, Nick Combe, Sam King, Vorn Doolette I found out that and Rafe Morris, and also plays in a I liked a lot of group called One Foot in the Gravy.

music from the This month, Drew will release his ‘80s. I can’t be ashamed of it. I first EP; a project that has been was born in 1982 as much about creation as self-

discovery. “During the recording, you learn a whole lot about your songs that you didn’t know – how they’re actually performed, what they’re about and whether you like them. You’re objective in a way you can’t be when you’re playing.” He describes Life Force as “that will to live that’s present in everything all around us”. Drew’s evolution has included some trimming of old favourites and exploring new influences. “I even listened to the Top 40 and everything I could find on YouTube. I found out that I liked a lot of music from the ‘80s, which was a surprise. I can’t be ashamed of it. I was born in 1982.” Three of Drew’s songs are featured on triple j’s Unearthed this year: Lullaby, Towards the Sun and Yellow Brick House, but he is not focused on bringing home any j trophies. “I just put songs on there ‘cause it’s free and a nice way of making tracks available. What’s important is connecting with people.” Drew’s relationship with his guitar started in year ten when he attempted classical music, but he developed a far stronger connection in college when he met other similarly enamoured friends. “We spent a lot of time hanging around eating toast and drinking wine and inventing harmonies in living rooms,” he says. Canberra is “a wonderful place to live and be a musician,” he says. “Although we only have a few venues which affects how many musicians stick around. They move to Melbourne to be commercially viable.” Conversely, he calls himself “an extremely unprofessional musician”. In spite of this self-assessment, when I ask his opinion on Katy Perry, he responds “who’s that?” Thank you. Drew Walky’s EP Life Force will be launched at The Front Gallery and Café on Saturday February 25. People can expect “impossible happenings, loud music and soft music, CDs for really cheap, artwork for sale and some jam (for toast), maybe even some live animals”. Life Force is also available at Smiths Alternative Bookshop or through Drew’s MySpace page – www. myspace.com/drewwalky .

GLOBAL SOUNDS HOLLY ORKIN You may have heard of PENGUIN CAFE, or its original incantation, The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. If you haven’t I have to warn you, there are – sadly – no actual penguins involved. What is involved is almost as impressive (even more if you’re not as in love with penguins as I am). PCO started in the early ‘70s as a collective of musicians, with Simon Jeffes at the helm. Their music was relaxed, experimental and exploitive with influences from all over the world. Almost ten years after his death, Jeffes’ son Arthur decided to start a project It seems to with a new line-up under the name suggest that world music is all Penguin Cafe. Since 2009 they’ve been playing his father’s music the other stuff that isn’t Western all over the world. I had a prepopular music. It’s WOMADelaide transcontinental coffee and chat with Arthur Jeffes just music and percussionist Cass Browne about the evolution of the band and the problem with the ‘world music’ classification. Though it is the original music of PCO, according to Jeffes, Penguin Cafe is its own band. “The way the band works is it’s as much about who’s in it, almost more than the instruments they play. The music changes as the performers get to know it and get to know each other. We didn’t want to nail anything to the floor and stop anything changing... which I think is very much part of the philosophical basis of the music. It’s natural.” This is not Penguin Cafe’s first WOMAD; both versions of the band have played the festival in various countries. “Through the ‘80s and ‘90s there was this emerging thing of ‘world music’. It wasn’t such a small field anymore. I remember people talking about WOMAD and I realised there was quite a cool side to my Dad’s music.” Speaking of what’s cool or not, the term ‘world music’ itself has become a bit of a buzz word, which according to both Browne and Jeffes is ill-defined. “‘World music’ used to mean something that was geographically specific, some bit of Africa or South America. Whereas now I think it denotes a sensibility to there being more than a very specific genre to define music. It’s more of an attitude. For me, the term ‘world music’ really gets my back up because it seems to suggest that world music is all the other stuff that isn’t Western popular music. It isn’t world music, it’s just music. “It’s a very poor definition if you’re talking about a location.” “Mmm. World,” I ruminated. “You can have oceanic, I’ll give you that one.” “Yeah, underwater music. Aqua-world music. Maybe we should take the word ‘world’ out of ‘world music’ and just call it music and everything else just... people scratching on plastic... maybe that should be called ‘not music’.” Interviews sure are fun. You can catch Penguin Cafe live at WOMAD, held in Botanic Park in Adelaide over Friday-Monday March 9-12. For ticket packages and info, check the Foxtix website.

RK I was probably young and naïve, but it must have been Lance Ferguson and his boys all of those times playing at The Nightcat in Melbourne. A favorite haunt of mine some time ago, a smile appears on my dial as I begin to put two and two together. Lance explains, “yeah, the band started around the year 2000 as a fourpiece I put together to play at that venue. Initially, it was a funk outfit that played live but when we put out a recording, the 45” did really well in the underground funk scene and with things growing and getting more exciting for us, the band grew and came out of that.” Since then, THE BAMBOOS have completed a swag of albums, and are about to release their fifth. Indeed, expect the work to be the culmination of all they have learnt over the last few years. The crew too, is a similar long term work in progress, evolving and morphing into what they represent today. The guys have added and subtracted headcount over the ages, but while the number of members has changed, they remain a flavoursome outfit with drums, horns, strings and various other tidbits. They continue to relish the chance to branch out and experiment with different styles, all the while delivering the funk-soul.

We’re about making records and playing live, and hopefully seeing a bit of the world while doing it

What I can tell you is that the new album will feature vocals from Kylie Auldist, newest member Ella Thompson, Megan Washington (on the cover version of James Blake’s The Wilhelm Scream) plus more local and international guest vocalists (including one living legend of Australian rock). A full announcement on the album will be made in late February. Look out for the album in late April. Stepping back though, describing The Bamboos style-wise can be problematic. On the whole, call it funk heavy and somewhat in your face but that is what makes them who they are, explains Lance, also the lead guitarist in the group. “Sure we jam – sure it can sound pretty full. But I still try and write as much of the music as I can and then present it to the guys who help finalise and touch it up. We’ve had all sorts of people perform with us over the years – I’ve always tried to formulate plans that have seen us work with amazing artists like Ohmega Watts.” And make no mistake, this is why some of their albums have been crowned as arguably some of the best funk works of the modern era. Lance continues: “I might record a demo and build the track up, the band might learn it and because they’re humans and musicians, they will also bring a certain life to it, doing what they do.” To this

end, their albums Rawville, Step It Up and 4 are not dissimilar to one another, although they do evolve. Where the albums do differ though is the way they flow and come together. They seem to be getting more coherent, more mature and simply more wellrounded; better even, if that’s possible. “The first album compiled all of our earlier stuff and much of it was done before the actual release,” chimes Lance. “Ever since, we’ve taken more time, so yes, things have got more cohesiveness and a stronger thread running through them. Sonically, I feel our albums now sound like all the tracks were recorded at the same time.” And as Aussies, it’s great to see their success. The band have spent time touring extensively through Europe, the UK and the USA. They have supported some great names and Lance repeats the same mantra he delivered last time: “we’re about making records and playing live, and hopefully seeing a bit of the world while doing it.” So in 2012, things are evidently on the up and up for The Bamboos. To come from playing clubs to having completed five albums as well as embarking on large scale tours is a big step by any measure. Nevertheless, Lance argues that conquering the world was never on his agenda. Finally, a few words from the great man on their forthcoming tour: “the gigs will feature our new performance with some of the music from the new album as well as some of the stuff we’ve done before. A few tours ago, we presented vocalist Kylie Auldist to the world.” This time, Lance claims “she will be instrumental in bringing the bamboo-swazoo.” Famous last words, these might be. The Bamboos are playing The Corinbank Festival this year, held in the Brindabella Mountains over Friday-Sunday March 2-4. Tickets cost $139 + bf and are available via the festival’s website.

Friday 2 March • The Tradies Club with special guests CLAY PIGEONS Launceston Street Woden • Tickets $25 available at the club • Doors open 8pm New single ‘I Can Make You Love Me’ OUT MARCH 20 on iTunes

THE REALNESS First up this month, the mighty M-Phazes is set to release his latest album Phazed Out on Tuesday February 14. The album is a collaboration with turntablist Rhettmatic and sees Phazes remixing a bunch of underground heaters out of the US. He’s turned his hand to reworking tunes from the likes of Saigon, Big Noyd, Termanology, Bekay, Heltah Skeltah, Torae, CL Smooth, El Da Sensei, J-Live and more. Should be big! All together now… “Good gracious!” Sydney’s LookUp have teamed up with Obese Records once again to bring us the debut album from Brisbane MC/producer Calski. Love Drive Commission drops Friday February 24 and looks set to put Calski on the map with his Madlib and Black Milk-inspired production. The album features appearances from Rinse, Rainman, Tommy Illfigga, Dialectrix, Shawn Lov and MC Que. The Alchemist and Oh No have joined forces to release their third effort as Gangrene. Vodka & Ayahuasca is set for release late Feb on Decon. Expect more genre-bent heavily blunted and liquor soaked paranoia from the duo as they both share mic and production duties once again. They are joined by friends Kool G Rap, Roc Marciano, Prodigy, Evidence and Roc C. Gutter Water is a recent fave for me, so looking forward to this one. Since hearing about the new Quakers project from Katalyst last year, I’ve been heavily anticipating it. The man himself suggested

it would drop on a classic label and news has just broken that it will finally have its release in April on the legendary Stones Throw. Quakers is a collaboration with Portishead’s Geoff Barrow and is an album of epic proportions. The concept album shows the duo putting beats up online and inviting emcees to write, record and send in their efforts. They then collated the efforts for a massive 41 track album which features no less than 35 guest artists. Katalyst has stated that “[it’s] a pretty dirty, heavy, kind of lo-fi hip-hop record”. Quakers features the likes of Guilty Simpson, MED, Coin Locker Kid, Buff1, Diverse, Emilio Rojas, Phat Kat, Dead Prez, Booty Brown, Aloe Blacc and many, many more. It’s out Monday March 26. Following a big 2011 seeing the release of albums from Sully, LV and Damu, Keysound is set to kickstart 2012 with a double album from LHF entitled Keepers Of The Light. Label owner Blackdown describes their sound as being “like Sun Ra hijacked Rinse FM and is using it to communicate with the heavens”. It’s out Monday April 2. Wolf + Lamb’s Miami-based funk brothers Soul Clap are prepping their debut album EFunk for release late April. Featuring all brand new tunes, Efunk will continue to showcase their stellar slo-mo funk and boogie goodness with collaborations with Greg Paulus, Franceska, Roldy Cezaire, Jules Born, Mel Blatt and many more. Should be perfect for next summer… if we even get one! Brownswood Records never fail to impress with their compilation releases and on paper Worldwide Family Vol. 2 looks set to be no exception. Compiled by Kutmah, the release hit shelves on Monday March 26 and features work from Mo Kolours, Slugabed, Hudson Mohawke, Dibiase, Samiyam, Flying Lotus, Dakim and much more. LA beat heads should be salivating over this one! ROSHAMBO AKA CED NADA roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

METALISE Lamb of God, In Flames and Black Dahlia tickets purchased? Soundwave gives you the goods, make sure you get your ticket soon to avoid disappointment. Almost as big as Soundwave and with about 200% more Australian metal than the biggest heavy music festival in the country (<rant> sigh…I mean, Portal, Blood Duster, Psycroptic and a laundry list of bands play overseas all the time and they put on Unearthed winners at 10am and Heroes For Hire? </rant>) is the Chaos ACT VI, which if my grade four level maths serves me makes it number six, on at The Maram on Saturday March 3 this year. This line-up is nuts: Aeon of Horus, Ignite The Ibex, Elysian, Anno Domini, Alarum, Alpine Fault, Mytile Vey Lorth, Ouroboros, Alice Through The Windshield Glass, Art in Exile, Lynchmada, The Schoenberg Automaton, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, House of Thumbs, Norse, The Automata, Malignus, Eternal Rest, Lamort, Tortured, Punishment, Tranquil Deception, Ameliah Brown. See? Nuts I tells ya. Apparently a European headliner called Sybreed is on the cards too – I will have a column out just before the show and will let you guys know for sure then. Awesome bill with a huge mix of Aussie brutality, get along to that. Not my cup of chai, but for fans of Evanescence is the welcome news that they’re playing here on Friday March 23 at The Royal Theatre. Heathen Skulls must reaaaaally like us here in Canberra. They’ve already treated us to Toxic Holocaust and the Kelly/ Baizley acoustic tour this year (ably assisted by my man Marcus ‘Manouche swing’ Pasquale in the support slot, great show) and in April the touring machine is bringing out a treat for fans of heavy psyche, Los Angeles’, California’s Dead Meadow and Canada’s Pink Mountaintops. Their psych rock delights will be on display Wednesday April 4 at The ANU Bar, with tickets likely at the door on the night. Also coming to Canberra is Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, former vocalist for Judas Priest, Yngwie Malmsteen and Iced Earth, among others. Ripper is bringing his substantial lungsmanship to The Basement on Friday May 25, more details soon. May also brings a hardcore bill of substantial proportions to town. On Sunday May 6 at The UC Bar you can catch Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front and Sydney stalwarts Toe To Toe on the Australian leg of the New York United tour. Moshtix for tickets and word from Resist Records is that Toe To Toe are going to be back in the studio soon to follow up last year’s Arturo Gatti record. I tend to keep it local in the column as the web is where most of you find out your OS info, but I gotta say it – no Bill Ward, me no likey the Black Sabbath project. Unkle K’s band of the Week: Hesper Payne, doomed death metal with a Lovecraftian edge from the northeast of England. hesperpayne.bandcamp.com . JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

FUTURISTIC SYNTHETIC BREEDS

INDUSTRIAL ACTION

Stephen Samara

Clare Butterfield

In 2003, vocalist Benjamin Nominet and guitarist Thomas ‘Drop’ Betrisey joined forces to create something fresh and completely unique in Geneva, Switzerland. Under the name SYBREED, Ben and Drop infused elements of extreme and progressive metal styles with sampling and programming, synthesized melodies and groovy rhythms. Throughout their three full length albums (Slave Design in 2004, Antares in 2007, The Pulse of Awakening in 2009) and two EPs (2009’s A.E.O.N and 2011’s Challenger), the four-piece (including drummer Kevin Choiral and bass guitarist Ales Campanelli) have musically explored conceptions We’re looking of the human condition, nihilistic g forward to bein philosophy and the questioning chased by those of morality. Their talent at the s kind ive aggress instruments they play only adds of spiders you force behind the words and have over there! evocative soundscapes.

Four-piece industrial rock band from Melbourne VOLTERA want you to “save the earth, kill yourself”. The band combines music with activism, focusing on issues such as overpopulation, organised religion and the environment. “Within Voltera there is a lot of emphasis placed on overpopulation and organised religion; they are key issues and common factors of many of the environmental and inequality-based problems that we face today,” says lead singer Jessica Koch.

Sybreed have shared stages worldwide with bands such as Samael, Gothminister, Threat Signal, Fear Factory and In Flames (who are also playing a show here in Canberra), but their position on the Chaos A.C.T. VI line-up and the tour of the rest of Australia that follows is a relatively new experience for the band. “Considering that the winter is hitting us badly now and that we’re freezing like hell, we’re looking forward to the hot weather,” says Ben (though someone might want to show him records of Canberra’s weather lately!). “The travel over there itself is a big adventure and an exciting experience for us, for this will be our first headlining tour so far away from Europe. We’re looking forward to seeing the whole country, to meeting our Australian fans and even to being chased by those aggressive kinds of spiders you have over there!” In the beginning, punters in Switzerland didn’t take too kindly to Sybreed’s early live performances. “At that time, the whole scene was dominated by musicians trying to emulate bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Neurosis and the whole post-hardcore scene because it looked ‘cool’,” Ben explains. “So metal in general was considered as the most cheesy form of music and it wasn’t very fashionable to play. We had a hard time back then, but thankfully things have evolved and the scene is getting better and better with many musicians now focusing on creating good music, whatever genre it is, and less on what is trendy or cool.” So far, the band is in the middle of recording their new album God in an Automaton, which is due in stores sometime this year. “There’s still a lot of work to do, but we are already quite happy with how it sounds,” Ben says. “I won’t say much more for I don’t like spoiling people’s pleasure in discovering a release, but there’s a clear and deep post-humanist theme that all the songs revolve around. It’s very futuristic and very dark.” Sybreed are headlining Chaos ACT VI on Saturday March 3 at The Green Room at The Tradies Club in Woden, with local and interstate guests Alarum, Aeon of Horus, Elysian and more. Tickets cost $35 + bf and are available through Moshtix.

Our music appeals to those who already find dissatisfaction within society as it stands, and thus are more open to other social/political criticisms

The band formed originally as “an artistic, emotional outlet for the frustration we felt,” says Koch, “and now it has become more of a vehicle for it.” The band is serious about their commitment to ‘the cause’. “Our street team work the door and sell merch at shows for free, which in turn helps raise more awareness and fundraising for charities such as The Wilderness Society and Survival International,” says Koch. “I am also personally monitoring the activities of the prolife groups, incognito from within the organisations. Fundraising, awareness and conversation are the primary goals of the band, but eventually we plan to evolve Voltera into a charity.” The band is passionate about their music and want audiences to take both the music and the message away from their gigs. “They enforce one another. I think the genres making up our music appeal to those who already find dissatisfaction within society as it stands, and thus are more open to other social/political criticisms, such as the lack of action for the environment and transnational corporations relocating capital production to the third world, gaining advantage over national governments and thus escaping democratic control,” says Koch. A lot to take away from a gig, but their legions of fans and supporters don’t seem to mind at all. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Voltera. Their ideals and use of the “save the earth, kill yourself” slogan led to them being denied entry to the USA under The Patriot Act. “We were forced to cancel almost 40 shows and [it] caused a line-up change within the band,” says Koch. Out of adversity comes opportunity and despite the hiccup, “it has brought about a refreshed viewpoint, new music and members, new motivations and much more publicity.” On a previous occasion when Voltera was actually allowed into the USA (for the Vans Warped tour in 2006), they had people throwing stuff at their merch table. “That could have been our ‘God wants me an Atheist’ t-shirt,” says Koch. Not ones to shy away from an issue, they had their “save the earth, kill yourself” slogan painted on their trailer during the tour. “We received a lot of positive and negative reactions, but reactions nonetheless and thus conversation,” says the singer. “Some backlash came from suicide prevention groups [and to them] I stress this is not advice, though anyone taking advice from t-shirts maybe would be better off!” For now the band will continue on their path, playing gigs and hoping that audiences scratch the surface and understand their messages. Catch Voltera live at The Basement in Belconnen on Friday February 17. Tickets are $20 on the door.

the word

on albums

album of the issue

Various Artists Paper Chain Sampler Volume One [Paper Chain]

While they’ve been operating under the radar even to a lot of local ears, for the last three years Perth-based leftfield electronic label Paper Chain have been responsible for a consistently impressive and eclectic stream of releases and podcasts. In some ways then it’s surprising that it’s taken this long for them to release a label compilation, but this download-only collection nicely jumps into the breach, offering up a taste of both old and new artists on their roster with a consistently intriguing label primer that seems poised to win them a wider audience. Rather than coming across as scattershot, the stylistic variability provides a compelling snapshot of their open-minded music policy. If Ta-Ku’s Two Face flirts with the sort of day-glo synth trail aesthetic fashioned by the likes of Hudson Mohawke as it sends playful blips bouncing against smeared g-funk synths and contorted rattling beats, Cosmo Gets’ Ark 260 stays further out into the sorts of psychedelic analogue

synth noodling and boom-bap rhythms you might expect from one of Ninja Tunes’ more spaced out excursions. Bobby Blunt’s My Life Between The Rain And Stars meanwhile offers up a side-trip into hiphop centred soul that places a juddering head nod groove against rich organ swells and smooth R&B vocals (it’s the sole non-Aussie contribution here), while Naik’s Battle Of Actium takes things out into a cold landscape of distorted analogue synths, brooding bass buzzes and eerie slide guitar that calls to mind one of El-P’s more apocalyptic landscapes as weary-sounding beats lurch through the darkness. Ylem’s Incandescence sees traces of crystalline post-IDM elements shifting to the forefront as skittering cut-up vocals glide against spidery clicking rhythms and fractured R&B synth swells, before Lowaski’s Don’t Worry Little Warrior takes things off on the sort of loping eccentric wander you might expect from the likes of Daedelus. This inaugural label compilation from Paper Chain represents an extremely impressive introduction for those new to their activities. CHRIS DOWNTON

Fabriclive 61 Mixed By Pinch [Balance/EMI]

Gabriel Lynch Passerby Chorale [Independent]

Bristolian Pinch, or Rob Ellis to his bank manager, is no stranger to the electronic community. Cutting his production teeth on D&B at the turn of the millenium, Ellis lost interest in the genre five years ago and started “buying minimal Basic Channel style techno, garage, grime and electronica”. He switched his sound and started up the seminal Tectonic label housing mighty names Addison Groove and Distal. As such, Ellis’ contribution to the revered Fabriclive series is a showcase of both label and man. Rather pleasingly, the mix has been done on vinyl (“I am a supporter of the sound of vinyl and the cultural associations,” Ellis states) and carries with it a mantra - “The whole mix... can work as a loop. I like the idea of certain kinds of music existing in its own infinite context.”

This Melbourne crooner’s balmy voice bears a striking resemblance to fellow troubadour Tim McArtney. Could they be non-identical twins separated at birth? BMA demands answers! Seriously folks, operating below the threshold of popular radio, singer-songwriter Gabriel Lynch possesses one of the best Aussie male voices you’ve never heard. Written during an international tour, his songs capture much beauty in their words and music and his lyrics show he’s man enough to admit he’s been beaten up by girls! Gabriel is a man of many colours, as exemplified by Missing Parts which entrances with the complexity of its mixed rhythms. In Jordana his soulful voice combines with rising keys like the swell of the sea, with a power that’s understated, yet irresistible. This powerful voice rings out in a fury of drums and violins in Last December. This is Love injects a funky edge to the song by sleight of hand, with a little downplayed guitar shenanigans that are kept lurking in the background.

In this regard he has been largely successful. The breadth of the mix is superb. There’s grinding hard 4-4 techno and rave-synths with EQD, super stripped back bass and percussion with highlight Rooms Within A Room by Pinch & Shackleton, driving bass stabs and tight loops with Addison Groove and tough dubstep smash with Distance. Although the early part of the mix stays in the rave-synth loop a little too long, and the droning bleeps are slightly over done towards the end, overall this is a fine addition to the legendary series delivering a broad exploration of modern electronic music. ALLAN SKO

His songs often have a touch of the melancholy about them, while always remaining tinged with hope. This album theme comes through clearly in the track highlights The Final Thread and Beside Your Pillow in Your Attic, with the message that it might all come good, if only we change our minds. Don’t despair, just hold on! If you missed his recent performance at The Front, you can tap into Passerby Chorale through iTunes. rory mccartney

Korn The Path Of Totality [Roadrunner]

Sharon Van Etten Tramp [Jagjaguwar]

Mark Lanegan Band Blues Funeral [4AD]

It’s obvious nu-metal survivors Korn have been more than a little confused in recent years as to how to reinvigorate their signature down-tuned crunching sound. First they add layers of keyboards and electronics to their arrangements, only to pare them back for a ‘back to basics’ album that didn’t impress anyone. This tenth album sees them enlisting the production skills of dubstep names including Skrillex, Datsik and Noisia to give their sound a much needed injection of freshness, and an end result that feels more like a Korn remix album than anything else. What’s perhaps most disappointing is how little the stylistic nature of Korn’s contributions has changed, with the collaborative first single with Skrillex Get Up sounding exactly the way you’d expect the merging of those two artists on paper. That said, it’s surprising how convincingly Korn’s nu-metal bluster fuses with the seismic bro-step distortion wielded by the likes of Downlink and Excision, and indeed this is a far more successful experiment than Enter Shikari’s similar ventures. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this LP though will be seeing whether the separate metal and dubstep fanbases take to this album, or view it with bandwagon-jumping contempt. Underneath the electronics, Korn’s essential approach hasn’t deviated from their last three albums, and while this doesn’t feel like the adrenaline shot it could’ve been, it’s by no means an embarrassment.

Jagjaguwar are a label with an eye for artists with deep, unusual pools of talent in need of distribution. Gayngs, Okkervil River, Bon Iver, S. Carey and even veterans of indie Dinosaur Jr. can be found there. And now, so can Sharon Van Etten. Last year Van Etten released a brilliant but clipped LP, Epic. In it she revealed the melancholic, unerring feel for songwriting that will undoubtedly define her career. The seven tracks on Epic were basic songwriting that Etten perverted brilliantly, altering traditional flows and rhythms with such aplomb that the twists and knots in the music become its hooks. But Van Etten’s greatest weapon is her voice. On almost every track she harmonises with herself in such unforeseen and haunting ways, like wind through a changing cave system.

Even though they were perennial underperformers, Screaming Trees were one of the best bands of that murky musical movement called grunge. The Ellensburg band (vital point this, they were geographically, musically and figuratively miles removed from Seattle) traded in dark, ambiguous psychedelia-tinged rock. Mark Lanegan, the band’s lead singer and someone who all writers are legally bound to refer to as ‘gravel-voiced’, had started a solo career well before the Trees split in 1995, releasing half a dozen albums in 20 years. An unabashed voice for hire, Lanegan has spent far too much recent time propping up other projects (Soulsavers, Gutter Twins, Isobel Campbell) than focusing on his own career.

Chris Downton

On Tramp Van Etten has upped the song count from seven to 12 but the feel is the same. On single Serpents and later track We Are Fine (featuring Zach Condon of Beirut) Van Etten displays her brilliant feel for making the normal abnormal and captivating. However, on more than one track Van Etten has shied from her trademarks and tried simple songwriting. What results is a little dull. On the other hand, the closing tracks of the album tap less structured, far-reaching forms and they entrance like cobra’s eyes. For only three albums she is fast becoming the most listened to woman in my life (apart from your lovely lass I trust, Ash - Ed.). ASHLEY THOMSON

Blues Funeral is the first collection of new tracks since 2004’s greatly overrated Bubblegum and is nothing short of phenomenal and making it harder than ever to pin Lanegan down. Take Ode To Disco – which is as name implies, basically a Euro disco track and a very good one at that vs alt-rock. It works. Electronica turns up elsewhere melding perfectly with Lanegan’s sky-searching wearied rasp. Likewise the rumbling Gravediggers Song and tetchy Quiver Syndrome are two of the most convincing rockers Lanegan has ever written. Obviously the partnership with Alain Johannes (QOTSA) is paying immediate dividends – Blues Funeral is Lanegan’s most melodic, ambitious and successful album to date. JUSTIN HOOK

Prescient The Polynomial Framework [independent] Ah yes, the old ‘polynomial framework’. Something to do with calculating Stochastic Fluid Dynamics, or something… Or, more interestingly, the name of the new EP from Perth prog metallers Prescient. And, as dense as probability or statistics are, so, though infinitely more satisfying, is Prescient. This EP is made up of half a dozen complex instrumental pieces that, surprisingly for an old straightahead metal man such as myself, are extremely accessible even to a non instrumentalist. In fact much of TPF brings to mind the late eighties heyday of ‘shred’ albums by the likes of Tony MacAlpine or Greg Howe, with each track being chock full of jaw dropping musical prowess from all three band members (the trio being rounded out by bassist Rob Hare and drummer Taz Buckle). That said, without the odd vocal hook to snag the ear the attention sometimes wanders, though that’s probably as much my problem as any fault in the material. Opening track Revolutions hits the perfect balance of heaviness, complexity and panache, but every track has something to recommend it and, with the market for this kind of material seemingly growing by the day, there’s definitely a future for Prescient – and a bright one at that. In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest it’s a statistical probability. Scott Adams

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

With Oscars season upon us yet again, you can expect me to write about nothing else for, well, as long as I can. Yes, I know, the Academy Awards are hardly a real representation of the best films and performances of the year. And yes, I know, they are an exorbitantly expensive celebration of mostly American film. And yes, there have been some real shockers nominated in the best picture category this year. The Help? War Horse?! Still, may the best film win (though it probably won’t).

quote of the issue

“With pleasure.” George Valentin’s (Jean Dujardin) only spoken words in the film, The Artist

J. Edgar

Chronicle

The Artist

J. Edgar is such obvious Oscar fodder – I mean, it’s a biopic about a controversial historical figure, featuring a renowned actor wearing prosthetics, and directed by Clint Eastwood – that I don’t know how the film managed to veer so far from being Oscar-worthy. How a film about one of the most contentious characters in the recent history of American politics, could be so dull.

Superheroes are in right now. But these guys aren’t superheroes.

The Artist is a clever, charming, and crowd-pleasing tribute to the era of silent cinema.

Chronicle follows three very different guys who develop telekinetic powers after climbing into a hole and touching a mysterious crystal organism. After that, their friendship develops, and so does their experimentation with their new powers. What starts as some fun (“I scared that small child, ho ho ho”) soon becomes much darker (“I crushed that car with my mind, lol”). Also, it’s all filmed footage, so we’re right in there with every practical joke and horrifying act of revenge. It’s refreshing - these teenagers don’t save the world, or do anything for the good of mankind. They just fuck around, mess shit up and make Lego.

It’s Hollywood in 1927, and George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a bonafide superstar of the silent film era, charming French audiences with his dashing smile, dapper style, and canine co-star (an adorable dog, Uggie). But the advent of the talkies sees his star begin to burn out, just as that of aspiring actress Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) begins to rise. George and Peppy have an immediate connection from the moment they meet, and the film follows their separate fortunes and interlinked future.

The film follows the ascension of J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio), the first director of the FBI, detailing his many controversial investigations and private crises. This was a man who kept secret incriminating files on Presidents, and saw every petty criminal as a communist threat. Running parallel to the story of the professional, is the personal: his friendship and (widely credited) romance with his second in charge, Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). DiCaprio turns in, admittedly, a powerhouse performance. Even beneath the layers of makeup and prosthetics, designed to make him look like an ailing elderly gentlemen, the ambition and arrogance of his character is clear. But DiCaprio is hindered by, well, everything else in the film. The make up used to age characters is barely believable, the separate strands of the narrative are confusing at times, and the storytelling is limp. Eastwood’s direction fails to build tension. J. Edgar is an interesting story, but poorly executed – ultimately letting down both its actors and the characters they play.

Melissa Wellham

My irritation with the main character really coloured my experience of the film. Frankly, the whole ‘what are you capable of’ business has been done before, and better. There are some pretty cool ideas and sequences though (wreaking havoc in a toy store, an impossible magic show), but very little character depth or connection - so in the end it just felt a bit gimmicky. However, Chronicle does remain engaging throughout, even though the video footage concept gets stretched a bit thin towards the end. Chronicle is an interesting take on the whole superpower idea, and a decent popcorn film. It’s not exactly full-on blockbuster, nor gritty drama, but has just enough of each to be worth your time. MEGAN McKEOUGH

There are no surprises in this film directed by Michel Hazanavicius, but the film is so simultaneously unique and universal that it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself. Universal, in that it’s universally pleasing; and unique because, well… It’s a silent film, shot in black and white. The Artist is pure artistry with visual style to spare, and the cinematography shows just how much can be done with two tones. With a film like this – which could have been so selfconsciously referential – it’s refreshing that it is not academic, but unabashedly aimed at pleasing the audience. It’s unfortunate that The Artist’s concept and marketing is likely to put off so many viewers, when this film is so smileinducing it could charm even the most reluctant of audience members. The Artist is unspeakably fabulous. MELISSA WELLHAM

the word on dvds

Senna [Universal]

Crazy, Stupid, Love [Warner Home Video]

Considering the ‘sport’ of Formula 1 to be populated by overpaid prima donnas and its fans tiresome bores, I approached this doco about the mercurial Ayrton Senna with trepidation. Recognising the name and knowing he died in a race accident in the ‘90s was the extent of my knowledge. But after three hours I now consider myself quite the expert on fast cars and the internecine struggles and fiery battles between Senna, poodlehaired track professor Alain Prost (his biggest rival) and Jean-Marie Balestre, the French chief of F1 during the Brazilian’s reign. This triumvirate gives you the kernel of every compelling story: conflict.

On the surface rom-coms seem simple things to make. Throw together a girl and a guy, add goofy friend who works in the food service industry/interior design, maybe a sass-talking octogenarian, then confect a series of some random situations that lead to a teary resolution. Voila. Box office pay dirt. You can fax me my 15% cut. A good rom-com, however, is another matter altogether. Whilst the former breed like cockroaches in summer, the latter are conspicuous by their irregularity. Crazy, Stupid, Love stands firmly on the positive side of the ledger.

So it then boils down to how deep into that conflict the storyteller goes and how much we –the audience – buy into it. Essentially Senna, an incomparably talented driver, claimed the sport’s bureaucracy ganged up on him, robbing him of victories and championships all the while siding with fellow Frenchman Prost. Through extensive archival footage we get to see the drama evolve – there are no explanatory title cards, talking heads are not a dominating distraction, and Senna does most of the talking himself; on the track and in interviews. As such, it feels so completely unlike most other docos, more organic and complete. Of course, Senna was killed during the San Marino GP and the filmmakers don’t flinch – nerves and tension build to absurd heights during the race and amazingly we spend time in his doomed car with seat-cam. Simply haunting.

The pace is set early when Emily (Julianne Moore) abruptly demands divorce from her husband Cal (Steve Carell), also announcing she’s screwing David (Kevin Bacon, who surely belongs in an anti-aging research facility). Down in the mouth and committing a multitude of fashion crimes at a trendy bar, he’s spotted by Jacob (Ryan Gosling) who takes the miserable now-single father under his wing for a makeover – thereby reversing the classic female ugly duckling movie trope. Meanwhile Emma Stone breathlessly steals every scene she is in (as usual), Marissa Tomei is awesomely deranged, and newcomer Analaeigh Tipton is the personification of all-elbow, misshapen teenage awkwardness.

Important note: there are two version of Senna; the above applies to the extended Blu Ray version. Whilst the theatrical version on DVD is totally serviceable, it forgoes the sheer epicness of its longer partner, losing shades and rendering the story rousing but incomplete.

For large sections you wonder where it’s all going. The ride is enjoyable – neither dumb-jock fun nor mean-girl lethargy – but how will it all fit together? Well, in one of the most fully realised denouements in rom-com history, every preceding plot is effectively backward engineered to turn the experience from ‘delightful’ to ‘actually... That’s rather good!’ CSL is beautifully scripted, intelligently constructed and impeccably acted; everything the genre demands, but so rarely achieves.

JUSTIN HOOK

The Smell of / Bang Bang, It’s Reeves and Mortimer [Madman] Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer were one of the first acts that rode the “comedy is the new rock ‘n’ roll” wave of the ‘90s – a fertile period by anyone’s reckoning; think The Office, Brass Eye, League of Gentlemen, Alan Partridge, Little Britain, The Fast Show et al. Performers from those last four shows can be found sharpening their teeth in The Smell Of… which melded live action talk show banter, pre-recorded skits and variety show-era songs through the meat grinder of unpredictable non-sequiturs and surreal catch phrases; Morecombe and Wise via Spike Milligan and very British. The anarchic energy is infectious as it is mystifying, yet it holds up surprisingly well 20 years on. Bang Bang, released four years after, is less successful. Whilst the general concept remains intact (song, table, skits, song) the delivery feels tired and haphazard. The empty bench the duo share ominously points to a scarcity of exhilarating ideas. Some argue this series is their creative peak, with much nuance to uncover in the less manic approach. All I see are overlong frying pan fights and writing that seems to hit all the notes – but don’t do it with any conviction, reverie or vigour. That’s not to say it’s bad – parts remain brilliant, but the hit/miss ratio is slanted heavily towards the latter and an overriding sodden air lingers and thus fails to hit obscure heights. Unsurprisingly, it only lived for one season. Despite any personal misgiving, Vic and Bob have proven their longevity tenfold – they fronted their own typically odd version of a panel show (Shooting Stars) for 18 years until its cancellation last year. These DVDs are the perfect primer for not only Vic and Bob, but absurdist ‘90s humour in general. JUSTIN HOOK

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

Modern Warfare 3 Developer: Infinity Ward Platform: PS3, 360, PC Length: 10 hrs + Rating: Take or leave “The original INSERT TITLE was a classic, redefining people’s expectations and setting a new standard for its genre. Now comes the third in the series and unfortunately the well tuned and novel gameplay mechanics have taken a backseat to the marketable action sequences. Whereas players used to be treated to well measured and even occasionally, dare I say it, slow gameplay packed full of many a nuance, it’s now been replaced with an entirely over the top, almost insecure need to make it bigger and louder than ever before. If the first game was like a Ridley Scott film, this is Michael Bay through and through.” There are many titles this blurb could apply to, but on this occasion the title in question is Modern Warfare 3 (although it could have just as easily been Drake’s or Battlefield). It is easy (and fun) to blame the developer for this reoccurring situation. Surely, instead of looking to make something special, they’ve succumbed to the almighty dollar. But it’s not quite that simple. Michael Bay continues to refine his paint-by-numbers movie making process, while the likes of George Lucas continues to put out the same shit, just shittier, for the 50th time. Are these schlock jocks punished for their lack of creativity? No. We just keep lapping their shit up. Modern Warfare is no different. Within the first 24 hours of sales it had already pulled in $400 million. If people are going to spend that much on a game without so much as reading a review, why should developers risk doing something new? It also begs the question as to whether this review will even make a difference. That said, if it is to, I probably should start talking about the game. At the heart of MW3 the gameplay is still as solid as ever. Unfortunately, the inept AI is also back, with enemies often abandoning cover just for the fun of it. The on-rail elements are more prolific, which definitely is not to my taste. Likewise, the confrontational scenes have been ramped up, to the extent they actually start losing their impact. One new welcome addition is the inclusion of the Spec-Ops horde mode. It introduces a gameplay mechanic that sees the success of one round feed into the next. It’s hardly groundbreaking, but does add some variety. The multiplayer has also received some treatment. There’s nothing dramatically new here (after all we wouldn’t want to offend the loyalists), just further refinement to a well established system. Overall, this game is solid but not mind-blowing. The Modern Warfare series has certainly given a lot to the FPS community, but it’s time for Infinity Ward to move on to something new and most importantly, fresh. Torben Sko and Nathan Osborne

Chez Blackbox is mourning the end of another long running successful series with intelligent British spy caper Spooks (ABC1, Sat Mar 3, 8.30pm) winding up with season ten about to go to air. While some shows can peter out with poor plot lines and actors going through the motions, Spooks will have you on the edge of your seat, guessing until the very end. It always leaves you wondering when a show that’s still going strong decides it’s time to go. Until, when you’re re-watching your special edition boxed set, it hits you. It’s so much better to burn out than fade away. For every end there is a new beginning. While Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (ABC1, Fri Mar 2, 8.30pm) is set in roaring ‘20s Melbourne, the protagonist of Kerry Greenwood’s crime novels is every bit as sharp as any modern crime fighter. And there are flappers to boot. Revenge (Prime, Mon Feb 20, 8.45pm) on the other hand has a fair bit to prove. The story of a woman who plots revenge on an entire family who wronged her barely lasted half a season on Gossip Girl (Go!, Mon, 12am). There are another two new comedies – US sketch show Portlandia (ABC2, Thu Feb 23, 9pm) with SNL’s Fred Armisen and SleaterKinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein, and Frank Woodley’s first story driven show, Woodley (ABC1, Wed Feb 22, 8pm). While it has a narrative, it’s classic Woodley slapstick. Like to mix your gourmet with politics? Don’t miss Kitchen Cabinet (ABC2, Wed, 9.30pm) with Annabel Crabb who cooks then natters with the pollies in their own kitchens. More favourites are returning too, with new seasons of Good Game (ABC2, Tue, 8.30pm), NCIS (SCTEN, Tue, 8.30pm), American Dad (7Mate, Mon, 9pm), Family Guy (7Mate, Mon, 9.30pm), Mad Men (SBS1, Sat Feb 25, 9.15pm), Glee (SCTEN, Fri, 7.30pm) and An Idiot Abroad: The Bucketlist (SCTEN, Sat Feb 18, 9.30pm), The Tudors (ABC2, Mon Feb 20, 9.30pm). Of course the schedules are again littered with reality shows– either the same ones as last year or slight variations on a theme including The Biggest Loser Australia (SCTEN, Mon-Fri, 7pm) now with the lovelorn, Excess Baggage (GEM, Mon-Fri, 7pm) which has already been bumped from the main channel, My Kitchen Rules (Prime, Mon, 7.30pm), Please Marry My Boy (Prime, Mon, 8.45pm), A Farmer’s Life For Me (ABC2, Tue, 6pm) which sets eight couples up on an English farm. The worst is probably The Marriage Ref (Prime, Wed, 11.05pm) – a mix between agony aunt and comedy, the Jerry Seinfeld panel show advises couples on what could only be manufactured marital disputes. There are some fabulous docos around at the moment, including Tea Party America (ABC1, Wed Feb 15, 9.30pm), Artscape: Life Architecturally (ABC1, Tue Feb 28, 10pm) which follows architect Robert McBride and his wife interior designer Debbie Ryan, Arctic with Bruce Parry (SBS1, Wed Feb 22, 8.30pm) – a five- part journey, God in America (SBS1, Fri Feb 24, 8.30pm) about the history of religion in the US, Cocaine Cowboys (ABC2, Sun Feb 19, 8.30pm) about Miami’s part in the ‘70s and ‘80s and Wild Ones: Kangaroo Mob (ABC2, Tue Feb 21, 8.30pm) which follows city roos for a year. Twitter: @ChezBlackbox TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyheffernan@bigpond.com

the word

SoundOut Theatre 3 Friday-Saturday January 27-28

on gigs

I’ve spent a good deal of time on the ANU campus but had never before made it to Theatre 3 nestled behind the Art School. I’ve now discovered it is a fabulous theatre space with a lovely courtyard conducive to quiet contemplation. I also discovered the beer in the bar fridge is always icy and I like that. My introduction to Theatre 3 came about when I attended the fantastic SoundOut 2012 Festival of improvised music that took place on the Friday night and Saturday on the last weekend of January. The weather was good, both audience and musicians were friendly and fraternal and the performances were first rate. Organiser Richard Johnson overcame what can only be described as baffling difficulties from those in charge of funding grants and put on a world class line-up with performers arriving from such countries as Canada, France and Japan to play with likeminded home grown improvisers on a bewildering array of instruments. Each performance was uniformly great, but I will put the spotlight on two of my favourites. Until Saturday evening all performances had taken place within the theatre, but in the great tradition of democracy that defines improvised music a collective decision was made that Richard Johnson on saxophone with Rishin Singh on trombone, Sam Pettigrow on bass and Laura Altman on clarinet would play in the theatre courtyard. As dusk hit, audience, fellow performers and assembled instrumentalists eagerly assembled outside. The ensuing 50 minute performance which involved gentle breathing in the creation of insect like harmonies transformed a pleasant natural environment into a harmonious space of free creativity where at one point trombonist Singh spontaneously rustled some leaves in response to the tactile call and response entreaties from Richard Johnson’s impressive looking and sounding saxophone. In this way the music melded with the environment and the organic surround sound was a joy to behold. This was a shining example of micro-tonal field performance, but let’s contrast this with the superb Saturday afternoon theatre set from electric guitarist Ryan Kernoa in combination with electric bassist Eric Normand and Canberra musician Michael Norris on electronics. Normand does a lot more than merely strum his instrument in time which one often comes to expect from a bassist. If I can be so bold to make the comparison, Normand does for improvised music what Joy Division bassist Peter Hook did for postpunk in terms of redefining the role of the bass, so that it adopts the role of a lead instrument that allows for harmonic interplay beyond simply laying foundations.

PHOTOS: james brown

So it went that Normand attached all sorts of devices to his instrument. He banged and stroked it in equal measures to set a scene that involved controlled feedback, performance theatre in the form of physical contortions in response to the sound, and a highly disciplined approach to noise making. This was enhanced to the nth degree by the mouth watering atonality of guitarist Ryan Kernoa who altogether dispensed with melody to explore bristling electrified string configurations which at times reminded me of Thurston Moore at his finest. When Michael Norris’ flailing tonal pitches on electronics were added to the mix the ensuing sound from the three performers was a welcome exploration of noise that improvised music hasn’t forgotten. Of the 18 performances that took place during the festival these are two that stood out for me, but there was much activity going on involving all sorts of instrumental blends. The culmination each night was extended collective improvisations that made it clear that free creative expression working well in collaborative form is true democracy in action. You and I know we need a lot more of that. Dan Bigna

the word

on gigs

Cavalera Conspiracy / Lynchmada / Contrive The ANU Bar Friday January 27 Good old Max Cavalera; seemingly alone amongst big time metal musicians, he’ll always stop off in Canberra and deliver a show, and for that the black clad community of the nation’s capital should give eternal thanks. That they don’t turn out to do so in huge numbers undoubtedly says more about them than it does about Max, but we’ll worry about that another time. And we’ll talk about Max a bit more later. But first there are a couple of highly contrasting supports to talk about. First up are Contrive. Will Andrew Haug’s absence from the national airwaves as host of triple j’s The Racket make the punters love or hate this band any less? It’s a moot point, but at this point I’d guess any sort of reaction would be welcomed by the band as they go through their paces largely ignored by those in the building who’ve bothered to turn up early. Compared to what comes later, the band puts in a lifeless, uninspiring performance; if Haug drummed out of his celebrity skin there might be something to get excited about, but he doesn’t, and bassist Tim Stahlmann is really the only member of the trio who tries to pull a performance out of the bag tonight. The band troop off not having done anything wrong but don’t do enough right to kick up a stink. You can’t accuse Queenslanders Lynchmada of similar crimes however. The moment they hit the stage the bar empties and the faithful jostle to get front and centre in order to have their facial hair burnt off by a truly incendiary performance. Vocalist Joel Harris leads from the front, exhorting both his band mates and audience members into greater effort, and you have to say it pays off. It’s been a long time since a support band has defied your oft-jaded reviewer to stay away from the bar in such strident fashion, but Lynchmada do just that and ya know what? I ain’t complaining. Tonight they put on a devastatingly compelling performance, giving Canberra a lesson in aural violence it won’t soon forget. They are, in a word, masterful. Of course that gives CC a mountain to climb to top such a performance, but Max and Iggor are nothing if not troupers, and they give it their best, and most brutal shot. Iggor Cavalera in particular plays a blinder tonight – quite simply the man is the best metal drummer I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness combining brute force with stunning precision to absolutely annihilating effect. The same can be said for guitarist Marc Rizzo, whose uber-fluid lead work cuts through Max’s snub-nosed bludgeon not so much like a knife through butter but as a diamond-tipped drill through the most adamantine rock you can imagine. Iggor apart, the band doesn’t seem to be operating at much above cruising speed, yet somehow they lay waste to everything that’s gone before them. That’s professionalism for you, no more or less, of course, but it still sparks something primal in those present over the course of a set that includes tracks from both the Conspiracy’s albums as well as the expected smattering of Sepultura classics. This isn’t Max and Iggor in top form, but it’s close enough, and we all head into the balmy Canberra night pleased to have caught up with Max again. SCOTT ADAMS

the word

Incubus / Papa Vs Pretty The Royal Theatre Saturday February 4

on gigs

I’ve seen Incubus twice at The Canberra Convention Centre. During their heyday in 2001 – I was 17 and lost a shoe crowd surfing – and last Saturday in 2012AD (*cough* Incubus pun) from a comfy seat, recognising less than half the set. It seems like Incubus are coming back from ten years of relative obscurity, but then I read about them online, and they’re still massive outside Australia and I just haven’t kept up. After Incubus went huge with 2001’s Morning View they seemed to be playing catch-up with whatever trend was happening in music at the time. I remember seeing the clip for Megalomaniac in 2003 and thinking it was Incubus trying do the rock ‘n’ roll revival, lead by The Strokes and The Vines. They admitted to knocking off Primus, Mr Bungle and RHCP in their formative Fungus Amongus years, but I didn’t discover them until 1997’s S.C.I.E.N.C.E. To teenage me, it was the perfect blend of slap bass, heavy guitar and epic singing that you could play in the car with your parents (the guttural rape-talk of Jon Davies in Korn was just a little too creepy to show your Mum). 2009’s Make Yourself had its moments, Morning View was just a little too radio-friendly – but looking back, it did come to define the longer term Incubus sound. So, with that background, I went to see Incubus a second time. I missed Papa Vs Pretty, but they were awesome supporting Kaiser Chiefs at UC last year, and I have lots of faith in their Aussie indie take on Radiohead and tasteful face-melting solos. I also missed Privilege, Pardon Me and Adolescents – Incubus’ openers, because my tickets didn’t arrive on time (my fault, sorry - Ed.) and I was stuck in a lengthy beer line. Canberra Convention Centre, if you’re going to put on ‘risky’ rock gigs and pour all your drinks into plastic cups, then you need to put on more staff. There, I said it. Once inside, Wish You Were Here inspired a big sing-along and the elevation of hands and rolling camera-phones into the air. The floor was pretty packed. Not so the stands, but I did see a lot of people ditching their seats to come down the front. Next came a list of tracks that were either new or off the albums I never checked out. Coming in cold gave me a fresh chance to appreciate Incubus’ quality as a band and the fact that they write some really nice ballads, with the occasional dose of heavy or sampling from DJ Kilmore. The nerdy funk track Glass from S.C.I.E.N.C.E was a highlight for the diehard fans only, which just confirmed that Incubus really did peak in 2001 with Morning View. Reviewers are supposed to talk about the technical side, right? Well, that was all fine – the guys on the instruments are all very talented. Brandon Boyd’s singing was totally on. He occasionally goes for a self-indulgent, overly melodious verse (like in Megalomaniac) but you can’t argue with that voice. Maybe it’s because we let a lot of singers get away with not really singing these days, but his voice is amazing live. Despite repeated requests from the crowd to take his shirt (and pants) off, he didn’t get topless until song number 14, Circles. Nice To Know You got everyone singing again and Brandon seemed genuinely stoked when the crowed belted out the final chorus of Drive a capella.

PHOTOS: Martin ollman

The Canberra crowd genuinely earned their encore. The band walked back out to massive applause and finished with the S.C.I.E.N.C.E double of drum ‘n’ bass track Magic Medicine and nu-metal classic A Certain Shade of Green. But it wasn’t heavy enough and uber-slick guitarist Mike Einziger had some pedal problems. I think it was more the sound guy’s fault. Looking over his shoulder, he still had the Magic Medicine pre-sets dialled up. So the ending kinda fizzled, but the show made me realise that Incubus are a good band, even if they’re not cool anymore. JOHN BARRINGTON

GIG GUIDE Feb 15 - Feb 17 wednesdsay February 15 Arts Exhibition – Space Dissolving

Melinda Willis’ practice is concerned with architectural glass and its reflective qualities. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Parallels

Barbara Rogers explores the diversity of the graphic stripe pattern through textiles. ‘Til March 24. CRAFT ACT

Plucked Part 2 – Textiles

Works by graduates of the 2011 ANUSOA textiles department. ‘Til Feb 17. GALLERY@BCS

Misklectic

The oeuvre of Misklectic challenges ideas of visual separation. ‘Til March 3. CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Bad!Slam!No! Biscuit! THE PHOENIX PUB

Dance

Transit Trivia

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential. 7.30pm start. TRANSIT BAR

thursday February 16 Arts Exhibition – Space Dissolving

Melinda Willis’ practice is concerned with architectural glass and its reflective qualities. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Parallels

Barbara Rogers explores the diversity of the graphic stripe pattern through textiles. ‘Til March 24. CRAFT ACT

Autoluminescent: Roland S Howard

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Hippo Live

HIPPO LOUNGE

Ann Vriend and James Forrest

Vriend will grace The Front with her lustrous melodies and heart felt songs. 8pm, $10. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Matt Dent

CHARLIE BLACKS

Something Different Fame Trivia

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

Karaoke

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Capital Punishment

GALLERY@BCS

The oeuvre of Misklectic challenges ideas of visual separation. ‘Til March 3. CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Wobble

A night of art, culture, design, and magnifik music featuring Ashley Feraude. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Arc: A Streetcar Named Desire

A retrospective look at the work of Elia Kazan. 2pm. ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Dance Cube Thursdays

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

Indie DJs from 10 ‘til late. $5 before midnight. BAR 32

8pm, $15.

Havana Nights

Cash Savage

MONKEY BAR

CANBERRA IRISH CLUB

...sings them blues blues. Presale tix $9+BF from Moshtix. 8pm start. TRANSIT BAR

Sister Jack

Meanwhile. 9pm.

THE PHOENIX PUB

friday February 17 Arts Blaze Six

Exhibition – Space Dissolving

Misklectic

Traditional Assyrian dabke with Arabic, Latin, flamenco and pop. 8pm, $10.

REV

With James Fahy. 8pm.

Plucked Part 2 – Textiles

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

MONKEY BAR

Azadoota

Marta Pacek

ACT emerging artist showcase. ‘Til March 24.

Valentines Day Latin Party Live

Dance

The new doco on the life of The Birthday Party guitarist. 7pm.

Works by graduates of the 2011 ANUSOA textiles department. ‘Til Feb 17.

9pm.

Live

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Melinda Willis’ practice is concerned with architectural glass and its reflective qualities. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Parallels

Barbara Rogers explores the diversity of the graphic stripe pattern through textiles. ‘Til March 24. CRAFT ACT

Mycologia: The Secret Life of Fungi

Jenny Manning’s drawings are imaginative interpretations of magnified images of fungi. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition - New Era Celebration

Ying Zhang comments on the effect of consumerism on traditional Chinese culture. ‘Til March 4. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Plucked Part 2 – Textiles

Works by graduates of the 2011 ANUSOA textiles department. ‘Til Feb 17. GALLERY@BCS

Misklectic

The oeuvre of Misklectic challenges ideas of visual separation. ‘Til March 3. CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Canberra’s hottest Latino party. 9pm.

Strangeways In Love

Those silly Strangeways DJs celebrate Valentine’s Week in style. Mashups? 8pm, free. TRANSIT BAR

ANUSA Concert Official AfterParty With Bombs Away.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Buick

Terrorble and perfect on the cut. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Our Sound

Feat. Ajax. With Offtapia, Celebrity Sex Tape, Shaolin, Skinny and more. Free before 10pm. TRINITY BAR

Live Shananigans 5

11 bands plus one stand up comedian over two stages. 7.30pm, $20. THE BASEMENT

Charles Chatain 8.30pm.

P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Mic Conway and Robbie Long CD Launch

With Kristabell and The Southern Jubilee Ringers. 7.30pm, $17/$14/$12 (MFS members). THE MERRY MUSE

Touch Of Soul HIPPO LOUNGE

Tabasco Tom and Doc White With Broderick Smith. 8pm.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Co-Pilot

SUB URBAN

Broken Stone Records Roadshow

Sister Jane, Caitlin Park, The Maple Trail, Magentic Heads. THE STREET THEATRE

GIG GUIDE Feb 18 - Feb 24 saturday February 18 Arts Arc: America, America

Waterford

Something Different

Dance

THE PHOENIX PUB

Fame Trivia

Charlie Burnard

Something Different

THE DURHAM

Cube Thursdays

Briscoe, Tales in Space. 9.30pm.

A retrospective look at the work of Elia Kazan. 4.30pm.

DIY Interior Design

Arc: Outdoor Cinema

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

This Is Spinal Tap (1984, M). Doors at 7 for a sunset start. ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Adam and Selina

Modern showmanship, spectacular illusions and a slick performance style. Bookings 6283 7288. SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB

With Catherine Henderson. 10am – 5pm. Bookings essential: catherine@ consultant.comor 02 6288 0237.

sunday February 19 Arts Arc: Toomelah

Beneath Cloud’s director Ivan Sen’s new feature.

Dance

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Spring Lounge Session

Dance

Talented DJs and a late night pizza menu. 8-11pm.

Hospitality Sundays

La Musique

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

NEWACTON COURTYARD

Feat. Deacon Rose, with Princi, Offtapia, Andy Garvey and more. TRINITY BAR

Urban Playground

DJ Karma and Joey Joe. 10pm. MONKEY BAR

Deacon Rose TRINITY BAR

One Love: Mario Gordon HIPPO LOUNGE

Love Saturdays

With Matt Nukewood. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Cube Saturdays

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

Nathan Frost

A fine, rich blend of musical entertainment - perfect for slippin’ and slangin’. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Live The Big Funk Shakeup

Zoopagoo, nozl, DJ Treva. Door prize, dance comp, woo! 8pm, $5. POT BELLY BAR

urban live music

Soulful acoustic performances for brunch or lunch. 10am – 2pm. URBANFOOD STORE + CAFE

music, coffee

Bass, violin, looped vocals and a morning coffee. 10 – noon.

MOCAN AND GREEN GROUT, NEWACTON

Rick Price - The Waters Edge A beautiful meld of pop, country and blues. Bookings 6293 7200. SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB

Jenny Thomas

Post-modern bush band playing gothic tales of Australia’s dark history. 8pm. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Black Creek & Friendly Yen

A night of rock, the yen, and the creek. 8pm start, $10 on the door. TRANSIT BAR

Valentine’s Day Massacre

Including Lab 64, State of Integrity, Samantha Hera. 8pm, $10. THE BASEMENT

Co-Pilot

SUB URBAN

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

Live urban live music

Soulful acoustic performances for brunch or lunch. 10am – 2pm. URBANFOOD STORE + CAFE

Freya’s Rain

From 7.30pm.

Karaoke Love 9pm start.

TRANSIT BAR

Tuesday Movie Night

You choose a deckchair, they’ll choose a movie. Drink and pizza specials by Bicicletta Cafe. NEWACTON COURTYARD

wednesday February 22 Arts Exhibition – Rebuilt

Works in various formats by the Random9 contemporary art collective. ‘Til March 2. ACT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Please Resist Me Slam Poetry Performance

Luka Lesson (Aus Slam Champion), Joel McKerrow, Alia Gabres, hosted by Hadley. $15/$12. 7pm.

Blaze Six

ACT emerging artist showcase. ‘Til March 24.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Dance

Max O’Sullivan

Wednesday Latin Night

The Necks

MONKEY BAR

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

9pm.

6pm. For bookings call 6247 1223.

Live

Jase Hart

Hippo Live

THE STREET THEATRE SUB URBAN

monday February 20 Dance Biscuits

Post-weekend sounds from Ryz, Peekz, Kimosabi and more. 9pm, free entry. TRANSIT BAR

Live FasterLouder Presents The Bootleg Sessions

Dougie and the Pizza Boys, Crash the Curb, Son of Rut, Emily Vera. 8pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

tuesday February 21 Arts Please Resist Me Writer’s Workshop

Nationally recognised performance poets give a 3 hour workshop on writing and performing poetry. $30 KENDALL LANE THEATRE, NEWACTON

Exhibition – Space Dissolving

Melinda Willis’ practice is concerned with architectural glass and its reflective qualities. CRAFT ACT

Exhibition – Parallels

Barbara Rogers explores the diversity of the graphic stripe pattern through textiles. ‘Til March 24. CRAFT ACT

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

Live Mornings

Cracked Actor. 9pm. THE PHOENIX PUB

Lavers & Pete Akhurst 8pm start, free entry. TRANSIT BAR

Mark Rice SUB URBAN

Timber & Nathan Kleyn Double the pleasure.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

CarterRollins

A rich sound that weaves a delicious mix of surf, rock and soul. 8pm. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

friday February 24

NEWACTON COURTYARD

Roots infused folk rock. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

HIPPO LOUNGE

Something Different Fame Trivia

P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Karaoke

From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Transit Trivia

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential. 7.30pm start. TRANSIT BAR

thursday February 23

Arts Pride and Prejudice

Directed by Duncan Ley. Season running ‘til March 17. THEATRE 3

Cockroach

CYT’s much lauded production shows in Canberra before going on tour! $15, $7pm. C BLOCK THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition - New Era Celebration

Ying Zhang comments on the effect of consumerism on traditional Chinese culture. ‘Til March 4. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Dance Princi

Fresh-jiiiiiiiiiiiive!!!!

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Peking Duk

On their national tour. With Shaolin, Skinny, Offtapia and more. TRINITY BAR

REV

Indie DJs from 10 ‘til late. $5 before midnight.

Arts

BAR 32

Blaze Six

9pm.

ACT emerging artist showcase. ‘Til March 24.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Arc: Toomelah

Beneath Cloud’s director Ivan Sen’s new feature.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Arc: Taxi Driver

Scorsese’s urban classic, in restored 35mm print.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Cockroach

CYT’s much lauded production shows in Canberra before going on tour! $15, $7pm. C BLOCK THEATRE, GORMAN HOUSE

Latin Kaos (Syd) MONKEY BAR

The Stafford Brothers

Presented by Alliance @ Academy. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Purple Sneakers

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

Live Bec Sandridge

Folk melodies and muttered ramblings inspired by Bon Iver and Feist. 8pm. THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Perpetual End

With Pyréne, The Greeting Method, Critical Monkee. 8pm, $10 on the door. THE BASEMENT

GIG GUIDE Feb 25 - Feb 29 saturday February 25

sunday February 26

tuesday February 28

wednesday February 29

Arts

Arc - Outdoor Cinema

Poetry at The Phoenix

Mycologia: The Secret Life of Fungi

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Taxi Driver (1976, R). Doors at 7 for a sunset start.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

2.30pm.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Misklectic

Flix in the Stix

The oeuvre of Misklectic challenges ideas of visual separation. ‘Til March 3.

NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Meet the Artist - Jenny Manning

Feat. James Reyne and award winning short films. flixinthestix.com.au .

Arc: Toomelah

Beneath Cloud’s director Ivan Sen’s new feature.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Sunset Cinema at Arc: Taxi Driver

Scorsese’s urban classic, in restored 35mm print.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Dance Spring Lounge Session

Talented DJs and a late night pizza menu. 8-11pm. NEWACTON COURTYARD

Jemist You are.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Meet Jenny Manning, the artist behind Mycologia: The Secret Life of Fungi. 3pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Meet the Artist - Ying Zhang

Meet Ying Zhang, the artist behind the New Era Celebrations exhibition. 2pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Arc: Taxi Driver

Scorsese’s urban classic, in restored 35mm print.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Dance Hospitality Sundays

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

Urban Playground

Live

MONKEY BAR

Guests of Ghosts

DJ Karma and Joey Joe. 10pm. With Jared de Veer.

Splicing dark imagery with soaring vocals and precision guitar hooks.

Cube Saturdays

urban live music

Love Saturdays

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

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

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Soulful acoustic performances for brunch or lunch. 10am – 2pm. URBANFOOD STORE + CAFE

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Party Gravy

Live

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Chess Club SUB URBAN

The Fuelers 9.30pm.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Drew Walky’s Life Force EP Launch

Loud music and soft music, CDs for really cheap, artwork and some jam (for toast). THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

urban live music

Soulful acoustic performances for brunch or lunch. 10am – 2pm. URBANFOOD STORE + CAFE

Chris Harland Blues Band 8.30pm.

OLD CANBERRA INN

Groove Dot Com From 10pm.

THE DURHAM

music, coffee

Jazz tinged sounds of New Orleans.

Arrebato Ensemble

The flamenco ensemble launch their CD Absolucion. With flamenco dancer Ana Interanio. 6pm. THE STREET THEATRE

Something Different Sunday Arvo Trivia From 2.30pm. THE DURHAM

monday February 27

TRANSIT BAR

Live

The Hovering Spooks Album Launch

THE PHOENIX PUB

THE ARTISTS SHED

Triple Treat Tour

Featuring Millions, Northeast Party House, and Nantes. Tix from Moshtix, 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

Exhibition - New Era Celebration

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Ying Zhang comments on the effect of consumerism on traditional Chinese culture. ‘Til March 4.

Misklectic

CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

The oeuvre of Misklectic challenges ideas of visual separation. ‘Til March 3.

Exhibition – Rebuilt

ACT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Works in various formats by the Random9 contemporary art collective. ‘Til March 2.

Blaze Six

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

ACT emerging artist showcase. ‘Til March 24.

Exhibition – Space Dissolving

CRAFT ACT

Melinda Willis’ practice is concerned with architectural glass and its reflective qualities.

Exhibition – Parallels

CRAFT ACT

Barbara Rogers explores the diversity of the graphic stripe pattern through textiles. ‘Til March 24.

Comedy

Dance

Strassman

Wednesday Latin Night

Careful What You Wish For tour. Tix through the venue.

9pm.

MONKEY BAR

THE PLAYHOUSE

Something Different Fame Trivia

(Alice Cottee is) No Hausfrau

Folk/alternative/rock/country/jazz/sazz, it’s all there. With The Dreamlanders. 7.30pm, $7.

From 7.30pm. THE DURHAM

Tuesday Movie Night

Live

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

You choose a deckchair, they’ll choose a movie. Drink and pizza specials by Bicicletta Cafe.

Something Different

Karaoke Love

Flex your noggin. Table bookings essential. 7.30pm start.

NEWACTON COURTYARD

9pm start.

TRANSIT BAR

Transit Trivia TRANSIT BAR

Biscuits

Post-weekend sounds from Ryz, Peekz, Kimosabi and more. 9pm, free entry.

CIT Presents The Bootleg Sessions

Feat. John Hoey of Died Pretty, with Jenny Spear and special guests. 7.30pm, paper money donation.

Jenny Manning’s drawings are imaginative interpretations of magnified images of fungi.

Dance

Bass, violin, looped vocals and a morning coffee. 10 – noon.

MOCAN AND GREEN GROUT, NEWACTON

Jenny Manning’s drawings are imaginative interpretations of magnified images of fungi.

M.A., Chasing Rabbits, My Own True Love, Paryce. 8pm.

Cavalera Conspiracy

With special guests. Tix through Ticketek. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

OUT Feb 29

you are here dj krush summer of the 17th doll don’ts for dancers ENLIGHTEN ...and more!

FIRST CONTACT

SIDE A: BMA band profile

Howboy Cat Where did your band name come from? Our guitarist accidentally said “Howboy Cat” instead of “Cowboy Hat”. Group members: Slug (guitar), T-Rex (bass), Squish (percussion) and a top secret vocalist is in the works. Describe your sound: “Psychedelic, navy-blues, stoner-rock that makes you move” and “an amateur version of Tame Impala, with less acid and more cocaine” - Squish Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana, Alex Turner, Jim Morrison, The Black Keys and our good friend Bocaj. What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing? Probably at our very first gig, where Squish kept playing percussion after we finished our set so Slug threw an ashtray at his head and knocked him off the drum kit which sparked an intense feud. What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? Our biggest achievement so far has been reforming our band. We were previously a four-piece from 2007-2008 but we had a massive falling out. We got back together in November 2011 just to jam but we ended up playing our old originals and re-crafted them into something special. What are your plans for the future? Our future plans are to help Canberra’s musical reputation by unleashing our originality and our personalities to cure the allergies spread by the ‘Short Stack effect’ (also known as the ‘Long Pile Theory’ or the ‘Justin Bieber fever’). What makes you laugh? Using our very own band language to communicate. It’s nothing compared to the magic of Tolkien, but we could still say “nuck foon; doosh blooge. Joonk!” and no one would know what we’re talking about. What pisses you off? 1) Cover bands. 2) Musicians who use their reputation for personal benefits, or to improve their chances of getting laid. What’s your opinion of the local scene? It could be better. There’s a lot of talent out there, but Canberra needs more venues and opportunities. There are some great organisations out there making a positive impact on the local scene (like CMC, MusicACT and uniVibes). Keep up the good work! What are your upcoming gigs? Saturday March 17 at The Pot Belly (supporting Wolfpack). Contact info: howboycat@hotmail.com

Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@ hotmail.com Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@hotmail.com Annie & the Armadillos Annie 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/ songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 982 662 /colebennetts.com Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402 845 132 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208 DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835 or moises_lopez@hotmail DNA Vic 0408 477 020 Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com Entity Chris 0412 027 894 Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Lachlan 0400 038 388 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com Groovalicious Corporate/Weddings/ Private functions 0448 995 158 groovalicious@y7mail.com Guy The Sound Guy live & studio sound engineer, 0400 585 369, guy@ guythesoundguy.com HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594 Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375, hancockbasement@hotmail.com Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096 Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703 Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650 Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884

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