BMA Magazine 410 January 28 2013 by BMA Magazine

The Multicultural Festival’s Head-Foetus ‘The MultiFringe’ Rises

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Sub-Editor Greta Kite-Gilmour & Janna Stacey Graphic Design Marley Film Editor Melissa Wellham NEXT ISSUE 411 OUT FEBRUARY 13 EDITORIAL DEADLINE FEBRUARY 5 ADVERTISING DEADLINE FEBRUARY 7 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.

Craft ACT ‘pod’ Initiative Calls for Expressions of Interest ‘pod’ is an exciting initiative by Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre aimed at supporting members, emerging makers, artists, co-operatives, curators, writers and educators. pod provides a space at the creative hub at Lonsdale Street Traders in Braddon to showcase and promote your practice. This is a chance to curate a group show or finally have that solo exhibition, a pop-up shop, a venue to launch a new product or project, a workshop space to hold classes or simply a studio space. pod allows you to present your professional

practice to the public. Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre is calling for expressions of interest. Dates are available Mon-Mon February 11-25, or Tue-Mon March 2-25. They need these spaces filled so don’t miss out. Get online at craftact. org.au for the submission forms and send the completed versions to janel.laza@craftact.org.au.

Puppeteer Goes Pro In 2009, Marianne Mettes gave up her career in radio broadcasting and overnight decided that she would become a puppeteer. Since then, she’s created her own successful puppetry business, which gives her full-time work (see puppetoodle.com). Now, Marianne is setting out to create her own TV show: Baz ‘n’ Snags. Baz ‘n’ Snags is an independent webseries created over three states: Canberra ACT, Goulburn NSW and Meandarra QLD. The show follows the story of a loveable ex-city slicker and his sausage dog on their mission to save his Grandpop’s farm. The team hopes to raise $5,000 on their crowdfunding project at pozible.com/baznsnags. This money goes directly into the project – towards material costs for building the rest of the puppet cast, sets, props and travel funds to go back to the sheep farm in Queensland for further episode filming. If you’d like to help this nice lady’s dream come true, pitch in.

Orbis Tertius win Int’l Space Time Concerto Competition, Headline MultiFringe Orbis Tertius (Latin for ‘world three’) is a new four-piece band based in Canberra. Playing a hybrid of world meters and employing non-western modal theory, traditional Turkish rhythms and modes, and western rock instrumentation and electronics, they have taken out top honours in the Innovative Category at the International Space Time Concerto Competition with their composition Trial of the

How many times have people written tagline jokes for this picture about the number of fingers I’m holding up?

Turn to page 46 to settle your stomach. #410JANUARY30

With temps in the mid-30s in February the inaugural ‘MultiFringe’ is aiming to be a cool oasis. On Saturday February 9, City Walk South between Akuna and Allara streets will be transformed by a team of visual artists including Victoria Lees and Hannah Quinlivan, creating a shady, misty art space with The Gene Pools, misting fans, three performance areas and the Sour Cherry Fringe Bar. The performance program kicks off at 2:30pm with a mass participation Haka and will run until 11pm. The MultiFringe focuses on the diversity of cultures, with performances from Dance Beyond Barriers, Kulture Break, Bengali Electronik and Orbis Tertius. There’ll be Parkour demos, Roller Girls and spoken word with slam champs Omar Musa and CJ Bowerbird joined by Will Small and Tasnim Hossain; gypsy songs and stories by Kate Hosking and Maltese/German country singer Andre Camilleri with his band High Lonesome; performance pieces exploring the burka and the trauma of war; and Poncho Circus deliver their show Underground while The Beam Collective will project animations and shorts – and, of course, there’s a fire twirler. The Multicultural Festival runs Fri-Sun February 8-10. See multiculturalfestival.com.au for more info.

Ignorant Truth. Karl Popper the Austrian philosopher described the worlds referenced in the band’s name as the world of physical objects and events, the world of mental objects and events, and objective knowledge. According to their brilliantly obscure bio, Orbis Tertius is the realm of the imagination, a collective vision, and an ensemble that attempts to play music with no fixed physical location. With a bassist from Los Capitanes and a doctor of Ethno-Musicology in their midst, they’ll be making their Canberra debut as headliners of the inaugural MultiFringe in the city on Saturday February 9. Catch them on City Walk South with Bengali Electronik from 8:30pm. See thethirdchamber. com for more info on the group.

FROM THE BOSSMAN Science always told me there are 24 hours in a day but not until the advent of a baby could I confirm this to be true. As such I’ve enjoyed more time - usually in the early hours of the morning - to vacantly stare at stuff, which has resulted in a newfound discovery close to home. Namely, a hairy mole. One of the unbridled joys of my skin type is that instead of soliciting a boring rich brown tan when exposed to sun, I instead enjoy a giddy combination of aggressive freckling, frisked up moles and a healthy flakage of tortured skin. After a five minute summer stroll I resemble a view of the night sky in darkest Sweden and thus have plenty of areas primed for study. My left arm is adorned with the typical body hair you can expect from ‘my kind’; a light near-invisible layer of downy fluff that gave up the pursuit of manliness long ago. All is as calm and serene as a putting green except at the inner join of my elbow where a single proud black hair erupts from a mole to tower above its blond brethren like a dictator at a pulpit. I have always been fascinated by the human body’s decision to use moles like potplants and sprout a viney tendril to an alarming length. Why does it take a part of itself that we would generally like to draw attention away from and instead decorate it with the equivalent of those giant inflatable tube men used in car yards? Your first thought - other than ‘yyyyergh!’ - should be, ‘Well don’t whinge about it, Smedly, just cut the damn thing off!’ And yet curiously, many don’t. We all know someone with a clump of Wimbledon lawn protruding so far from their ear or nose hair to spur amorous advances from a walrus, and yet there it remains, year after year. I would proffer three reasons for such an oddity.

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Care to immortalise your hatred in print? Send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and see your malicious bile circulated to thousands. [All entries contain original spellings.] He ain’t even worth it… but you weight-losing liberty-taking union-raping self-aggrandising piece of shit Peter Jackson you piss me the fuck off. Eat a whole bag of dicks. Then purge them like a bitch. To the infuriating home owners and real estate agents who obviously don’t live on planet Earth - Do you realise that over 60% of people own pets and a large majority of them don’t have the capacity to own their own home? Do you know that kids shit themselves and make more mess inside than the majority of pets do? Do you realise that instead of saying no outright to pet owners looking to rent, you could actually make more money in the long run by adding a pet bond? Do you also realise that by not even considering pets, you’re creating a market of rental tenants who are forced to lie about their animal ownership just to live somewhere that’s probably shit and overpriced any way? If I ever owned a house in this economy (highly improbable) and I had brand new floors and paint, I would still allow pets because I’m a decent person who understands the world and your type of small minded money grubbing codswallop is the furthest mentality I want to distance myself from! You piss me off!

1) Many folk simply don’t realise; their hair has slowly crept up there over time. It’s like that picture on the wall in your house that you no longer notice, but will have new guests remarking, ‘Shit... Is that lifesize painting of you in the nip?’ 2) They may have noticed it, but have fallen into the phase of ‘I’ll get round to doing something about it one day’. They know there’s a pair of clippers in the bathroom next door. They know it would take all of 20 seconds to fetch and execute a definitive snip. And yet their position on the couch is just too comfortable, and after all they’ve only seen this episode of Seinfeld three times before... They’ll get to it when it’s finished. Promise. But really what’s happening is... 3) They actually like their gross yucky weird hair. They’ve taken to stroking it like a Bond villain cat, giving comfort in times of need. To cut it off now would be to cut off a limb. ‘It’s a part of me,’ they think. ‘Heck, it IS me. If friends and family can’t handle that, then they can’t handle who I really am.’ To those having to endure freaky family member hair on a regular basis, it can become too much. They will meet over a series of Wednesday evenings to finally muster the courage - through the medium of an intervention - to inform of the grotesque hairage and how its existence is tearing the family apart. Passions will run high until it all ends with the hairy bastard careening from the room yelling ‘I am not an animal!’ This isn’t needed, people. We need to learn to love and embrace every person and their hairy quirks, for it is a part of what makes that person beautiful and unique. And hey, if we all do that little thing then maybe, just maybe, we’ll get along a little bit bet... ahhhhhhhh bollocks who am I kidding? Dangly hair is just gross; I’m off to get a pair of fucking clippers. ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

WHO: Ruby Roots WHAT: East Coast Tour WHEN: Thu Jan 31 WHERE: Trinity Bar

Indie west coast roots band Ruby Boots hitch up the two-winged wagon and head east once again for a 14-date tour. Promoting the first single and clip Kellie Anne from their forthcoming debut album, the Boots will hit Canberra as one of their final stops before heading home for the Perth International Arts Festival. This will be the band’s third tour east since the release of their single Wise Up in May 2012. Now they are back for their biggest tour yet with another single in tow. For those who haven’t yet delighted in this folk-fuelled talent pot, I advise you strap on your sturdiest footwear and prepare for a night of madness. Tickets and info at: rubybootsmusic.com. 8pm. $11.70 + bf.

WHO: Crisis Alert feat. Black Coffee WHAT: East Coast Tour WHEN: Fri Feb 1 WHERE: Commonwealth Park

Adelaide’s Crisis Alert will be touring the country for the first time since the band’s beginning in 2012. Featuring members of Stolen Youth, Jungle Fever, Sex Wizard, Starvation and more, the band released their debut ten-song 7” through Resist Records in 2012. The self-titled album was recorded by Jono Klynsmith and mastered by JJ Golden (OFF!, Fucked Up, Sonic Youth). Playing mainly all ages shows along the east coast, the band will also be joined on a couple of set dates by Canberra outfit Black Coffee. Crisis alert will be perfectly complimented onstage at Commonwealth Park by the endearingly hardcore Eye Gouge and Machina. Doors at 8pm. Free.

WHO: La Bastard WHAT: Album Tour WHEN: Sat Feb 2 WHERE: The Phoenix Bar

Riotous surf/rockabilly extravaganza La Bastard are bringing their hip shakin’, reverb-drenched, madcap rock ‘n’ roll machine to Canberra for the first time ever. With their second album Tales from the Beyond available to the world in January, La Bastard will celebrate this new release with friends, fans and foreign ears at the oh-so-appropriate Phoenix as part of their album tour. Joining them for the ride will be awesome local legends Space Party and The King Hits, both of which are sure to serve up the perfect appetisers for what is set to be a hearty dish of riotous rock ‘n’ roll and fun times all round. More info at labastard.com. 9pm. Free.

WHO: Revellers WHAT: Live Punk Rock WHEN: Sat Feb 2 WHERE: The Basement

Our local purveyors of melodic punk rock, Revellers, have just announced the completion of their upcoming debut EP. January will see it mixed by Descendents/ALL guitarist Stephen Egerton with all signs pointing to a March 2013 release. Thankfully, the generous young lads have factored in the attention deficit effect amongst us, ensuring fans won’t have to hang out ‘til then for a taste of what’s in stall. To keep us at bay, the boys will be offering up a raucous affair at Canberra’s house of hell-raisers, playing alongside their good mates Ivan Drago (ex-Chris Duke and The Royals, Ebolagoldfish and Sniperrival), Mass Hysteria and more. Get amongst it. 8pm. $10.

WHO: Feelings WHAT: Single Launch Tour WHEN: Sat Feb 9 WHERE: Transit Bar

Feelings is the new project from former Philadelphia Grand Jury frontman Simon Berkfinger, and features the dashing Dave Rennick from Dappled Cities and Art vs. Science’s Dan Williams. The former Sydneysider will launch his new single Intercourse across Australia this February. Co-written with Michael Tomlinson (Yves Klein Blue), Intercourse is a sexpop number to turn strangers into friends. The vibe of the album is best summed up by Berkfinger himself: ‘Now it’s more freaky. Freaky grunge if anything. But I’d rather talk about Brian Eno than Kurt Cobain.’ Got it…Best have a free listen for yourself via soundcloud.com/jpbarbera/feelings-intercourse. 8pm. Free entry.

WHO: The Smith Street Band WHAT: National Tour WHEN: Sun Feb 17 WHERE: The Phoenix Bar

Melbourne’s punk rock party-inciting progeny The Smith Street Band are just weeks away from smashing out their hugest tour ever so they’re adding a bunch of new dates and a whole bunch of new bands have been added to all bills. The Young Drunks tour has exploded from 14 to 19 shows, including an additional 18+ show in Canberra. Extra bands have also been added to pretty much every show, giving punters the chance to see some of Australia’s most excellent new and young bands. Included on the bill for Canberra will be Melbourne punk/ska bad boys The Bennies, ensuring maximum fun for minimum bucks. Tickets/info at thesmithstreetband.bigcartel.com. $15 + bf.

DAN BIGNA The devotional hymns to the Holy Spirit screaming from Albert Ayler’s tenor saxophone in the early ‘60s represented the logical next step in the progression of jazz, with the aftershocks still felt at Canberra’s annual SOUNDOUT 2013 festival of improvised music to be held at Theatre 3. If jazz is the focus, improvisation has always been the guiding principle, and although the be-boppers of the early ‘40s made some radical moves, little could have prepared music devotees for a headlong dive into the uncharted waters of free improvisation which commenced with Ornette Coleman’s harmolodic theory in the late ‘50s, and was taken to infinity and beyond by the likes of Ayler, pianist Cecil Taylor and late period Coltrane. But this story isn’t solely about jazz. Departure from convention can be a pretty striking move in anyone’s books and the free improvisers made the break while tossing all conventions out the window. This has made a huge impact on artists of all persuasions as seen at SoundOut, now in its fourth year. The festival will feature a broad mix of improvising electronic and acoustic artists, both local and international, who will uphold and transform the liberating notion of spontaneous creativity so confidently articulated by Ornette Coleman all those years ago.

One performer of note is the currently Canberra-based electronics artist Michael Norris, who in previous performances at SoundOut has ranged across the tonal spectrum by extracting slight insectlike wisps at one moment and sheet metal blasts at others. Norris travelled from Brisbane to Canberra five years ago and immersed himself in a small yet dedicated local scene of improvising artists, including guitarist/electronics musician Reuben Ingalls, also performing at SoundOut 2013, with whom he hosts the exploratory electronic music 2XX program Subsequence on Wednesday evenings. ‘The Canberra scene is held together by a small number of people and so long as those people are active and doing stuff then things happen,’ Norris observes. ‘People come to Canberra with their own backgrounds and I think that puts its own character on what happens here.’

It’s where the music becomes an organism on its own terms. It just flows along and both the audience and the musicians on the stage are a part of that

Funding issues threatened the ongoing viability of the festival last year but common sense finally prevailed; a grant from ArtsACT has assisted festival organiser Richard Johnson to once again showcase great talent from around the world in the year of Canberra’s centenary. ‘I want things that are democratic in the sense that the musician has an input in free improvisation, where it becomes something more than merely easily recognisable forms of jazz or classical or contemporary music,’ Johnson says. ‘It’s where the music becomes an organism on its own terms. It just flows along and both the audience and the musicians on the stage are a part of that.’ The free exchange of ideas between audience and performer involves confounding listener expectations by exploring musical combinations beyond established traditions. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that free improvisation is the proverbial unmoored ship. In guitarist Joe Morris’s recent book Perpetual Frontier: The Properties of Free Music he points out that ‘attempting to perform a random improvisation is, in fact, a formal technique. It is always done with a degree of preparation.’ And so it goes for SoundOut 2013, which will feature refinement of techniques from combinations of dedicated and experienced musicians, including percussionist for The Necks and committed free music performer, Tony Buck, alongside Canberra performer Alison Plevey, who works in sound manipulation and dance, and Brazilian free improvising collective ABAETETUBA.

Norris has been a significant part of that character in recent years. A soon-to-happen relocation to Queensland represents a loss to the local scene, considering that Norris is fully attuned to a core principle of improvised music and the creative freedom this represents. ‘Improvised music is all about listening before anything else,’ he explains. ‘Improvised music is an exercise in listening more so than making sounds.’ I have seen this happen in previous SoundOut performances where Norris becomes absorbed in the act of spontaneous creation, but allows enough space for his fellow musicians to engage in meaningful dialogue. ‘I try to have as broad a palate as I can,’ he says. ‘And then don’t think about it until I’m actually sitting there and the first sound happens.’ Norris describes his chosen instrumentation as ‘a synth through a midi controller with a few gadgets – mostly contact mics attached to various bits of metal and whatever that go into a mixer. And from there into a clavia nord synth, which I can program to do whatever I want it to do.’ The coming together of almost primitive and futuristic possibilities engenders a freedom to create that Norris is fully engaged with. He is currently involved in a sound installation piece with Canberra artist Blaide Lallemand and SoundOut 2013 is an event that has a particular resonance for his chosen medium. ‘The festival is a way to connect with really experienced improvisers because you are put on stage with people you’ve never met before but have had huge experience in improvising. You don’t know what’s going to happen but somehow it always works. You always manage to have a conversation and reach an end point and that experience is not really like anything else.’ SoundOut 2013 is on at Theatre 3, Acton, from Sat Feb 2-Sun Feb 3, running 1-5pm and 7-11:30pm both days. Tickets are $25 concession, $35 adults, available from canberrarep.org.au.

imagination of course) ‘cos that is delivering your punchline in style. Then feel free to step over their concussed carcass and cross into the world of all age activities waiting for you.

ALL AGES Knock knock. ‘Who’s there?’ Only the most underrated type of lame joke there is: the knock-knock joke, a favourite amongst punsters everywhere, known for its incredible speed in conjuring incessant laughter across scores of people everywhere! But contrary to popular belief, all is not well in the land of the knock-knock joke. You see, there are some people out there who think there’s an age line you cross when it’s unacceptable to make these jokes anymore. These people are wrong. Now, youngsters of Canberra, I never endorse violence. But on the rare occasion that these kinds of fun sponges come knocking at your door you have my permission to punch them in the face (only in your

Knock knock. ‘Who’s there?’ Britney Spears. ‘Britney spears who?’ Knock knock. ‘…Who’s there?’ Oops! I did it again. If you ever fancied yourself as a poet in the prodigious league of Britney Spears (You think I’m in love/That I’m sent from above...) then maybe you should enter yourself into the 2013 Poetry in ACTION competition. All ACT residents are invited to submit a short poem of eight lines. Ten winning poems will be displayed on ACTION buses and winners will receive $500. Poems should have a Canberra/Centenary/birthday theme and the closing date for entries is Friday February 15. For more information or to submit poems visit arts.act.gov.au. Knock knock. ‘Who’s there?’ Philip. ‘Philip who?’ Phillip my bag with candy – at The Charny Carny! Celebrate ten years of old-fashioned community fun by ramming aggressively into your fellow human in the dodgem cars (‘No, really, that’s okay. I didn’t want my front teeth anyway...’). You can find the carnival on the Canberra Christian Life Centre Community Oval on Saturday March 16 between 12pm and 6pm. For more information visit charnycarnival.org.au/carnival. Knock knock. ‘Who’s there?’ It’s Grandad. ‘Crap! Stop the funeral!’ And that joke has left me with a non-existent segue between funerals and fireworks, but what the hey; come one, come all to Skyfire on Saturday March 16 at Lake Burley Griffin. Bring your friends for a picnic under the stars and the colourful melting sky. The festivities begin at 6pm with a free concert held at the Regatta Point Stage and the brilliant display of fireworks starting at 8:30pm. Knock knock. ‘Who’s there?’ Interrupting cow. ‘Interrup-’ Did you hear that the line-up is being released today for Groovin’ The Moo? Canberra should celebrate the day that someone decided to bring this festival to our once dry and barren musical shores. We now have luscious festival promise land at The Meadows, University of Canberra that flows with milk, honey and a giant inflatable condom tent. The festival will be back this year on Sunday April 28 and tickets will be available from Wednesday February 6 for $99.90 + bf. Anyways folks, peace and enjoy the new year ahead. But before I go, one last joke for the road: Knock knock. ‘Who’s there?’ Quacker. ‘Quacker who?’ Quacker ‘nother bad knock-knock joke and you’ll have to go. Yeah folks, that would be my cue. Cheers,

ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

LOCALITY

If you haven’t heard already, Canberra’s going to get its first ever local Comedy Festival. That’ll be happening in March. Serving as a preview to the local portion of the line-up will be a show at The Front Gallery and Café on Thursday January 31. With Jay Sullivan hosting, the night will feature locals Tim Noon, Shahed Sharify, Harris Stuckey and Simon Bower. Things kick off at 7pm and cost $5. Hot tip: heckle Jay. He’s renowned for his courteous and evenhanded rapport with audiences. The following day, Friday February 1, UC Live! are once again oneupping world. Like an AFL player who gained height by studding another player in the neck, they’re tumbling back to earth legs akimbo in order to drop their crotch on the mortally wounded player’s face. They’ve collected an all-local line-up (Safia, Lavers, Dahrnoir, Sammy Soundlike, Luke Jaimes and Chief) for their O Week finale, Oh Yeah! The concert’s free and it’s going to be at Zierholz @ UC from 3pm to 9pm.

Also on Friday, on the stage in Commonwealth Park, Adelaide group Crisis Alert will be playing a free all ages show with locals Black Coffee. Entry is by donation (so free). Get your punk on from 8pm. Every Sunday in February, beginning Sunday February 3, locals The Ellis Collective will be taking up a so-called Summer Residency at The Front. With The Understudy in tow, they’ll be wiling away afternoons there from 4:30pm playing a full gamut of their material. It’s $10 every week.

YOU MADE MY DAY!

Email editorial@bmamag.com to send a message of gratitude, warmth and generosity to the world at large. AWWW. Walking past the Allawah flats in Braddon I saw a mangy bogan almost get run over because he was standing in the middle of the raod. He must’ve seen the driver because he started yelling. ‘Fuck you ya fuckin immigrant cunt! Yeah fuckin slow down and come back ya fucking job stealin piece of shit!’ He walked into the flats still on a tirade. ‘Fuckin immigrants come over here and take all our jobs, fuckin government sellin all our shit to China getting paid 200 grand a year to do fuck all but sell out Australia!’ Someone from the flats yelled, ‘SHUT UP!’ ‘FUCK YOU! Not if yous a refugee I’m all for refugees but if yous a fuckin immigrant you can fuck off back where you came from!’ He was still going, walking towards the city, probably after working out that the Allawah flats aren’t the best place for roaring racist pronouncements. I was walking a short distance behind him when someone drew alongside me. He was another mangy bogan wearing a very similar flannel shirt, sporting similar lank hair and walking with a similar hunched, rangy stride. As he passed me he said quietly, ‘Ned Kelly’s great great grandson.’ Dude, you made my day.

Also on that first Sunday, though, will be a repeat performance of NewActon and Poncho Circus’s Drawn In, a live circus show with music and drawing interspersed. It runs twice, once at 6pm and again at 8pm, and tickets are available from newacton.com.au/drawnin. This next thing isn’t local but guilty pleasures should be indulged occasionally – like ‘70s pornography or getting your hands dirty and leaving hand prints on people. The In The Out are playing The Phoenix Bar on Thursday February 7 and the aforementioned guilty pleasure is the name of one of their support bands: Box of Fuck. Beat that, world. The show starts 9pm. 2XX Local n Live are programming The Bootleg Sessions at The Phoenix on Monday February 11. Along with Lung, Anachel and Billy Erupto, you can catch one of Canberra’s best electronica acts in Rachel Haircut. As always, the Sessions are free and start at 8pm (or thereabouts, plus or minus a bit). And the following day, Tuesday February 12 is ANU ArtsFest throughout the ANU campus. There’s loads of stuff and it’s all free so go have a wander. And that’s everything local I care about. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

ALLAN SKO As a music writer one is charged with allaying the masses’ constant music thirst by proffering a collection of favourite records for a given year, and despite endless hours of listening and re-listening, agonising and analysing, worthy contenders are always missed. 2012 into 2013 is no different. Whether through listening to a release too late or by good old-fashioned drunken forgetfulness there is always outstanding output that simply didn’t get the print ink/internet pixels it sorely deserved. Until now. So here, for the first time in BMA Mag’s history, is a wee collection of music that came out last year too awesome not to be covered. Kicking off with a good old slab of Aussie hip hop is Morphett Vale, South Australia’s Taylor Made Tactix and their debut long-player Uninvited Guests [Butterthief]. Although they have been rolling ‘round the live circuit for years now it was only in July of last year that they finally dropped an album and their time rocking the stage has helped deliver an assured debut. Calling to mind the energy and urgency of early Hilltop Hoods, the production from Mesha and Snair give the tracks the chutzpah required for MCs Mnops, Senca and Mesha again to spit tales of their introduction to, and ascent through, the music industry. The mixing is particularly key; whilst the production is meaty, the levels are tuned beautifully to allow the lyrics to be easily heard. Uninvited Guests’ strongest aspect is the marriage of a fun bogan aesthetic (with respect) and a gaining-of-wisdom narrative told with – refreshingly for the genre – self-deprecating humour. Nowhere is this more evident than Drunk On Stage, a hilarious account of getting too messed up before a show and giving shocking live performances, ultimately ruminating on how those days need to be left behind. It is at once a rite of passage story about a group growing up and genuinely piss funny. On stealing a cheeky bong before a show, Mesha raps: ‘We must be sounding pretty terrible/ Mnops is wheezin’ and not breathin’ like I’ve kicked him in the testicles.’ If you like your Aussie hip hop, you’ll love this. Another equally confident debut record, if not completely different in sound, is Ultraísta’s self-titled LP [Create Control]. I didn’t love this record at first. Heck, I didn’t even like it. The sound and vocals seemed too samey throughout. But somehow it wound up in my car stereo and with the benefit of not fully focusing on it, it suddenly seeped into my id and I started to enjoy it. Quite a lot. A quick look at the triumvirate’s credentials will soon explain the record’s polished and assured nature. Multi-instrumentalist and producers Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Paul McCartney, Thom Yorke) and Joey Waronker (Beck, Elliott Smith, REM) have teamed with vocalist Laura Bettinson to produce ten beautifully down-tempo tracks that pulse with a brooding urgency. Described as electronic kraut-pop, afrobeat and synth pop, Ultraísta manages to float between these genres, with Waronker’s rolling rhythms holding

the work together. Bettinson’s instantly recognisable vocals – which are chopped and increasingly layered as each track progresses – marry beautifully with Godrich’s tight production, in many places reminiscent of his previous work with Thom Yorke’s The Eraser. The synths that bleed into each track are an intriguing counterpoint to Bettinson’s highpitched vocal and give Ultraísta an instantly recognisable stamp. Dip into closer and personal favourite You’re Out for the best display of these trademarks. But saving the best ‘til last is a record that made me smash my desk in frustration this January, bereft I hadn’t heard it in time to make my Top Five of last year. It’s Hidden Orchestra’s Archipelago [Tru Thoughts]. Arriving late as part of a BMA Magazine introductory package from the Tru Thoughts label, the record immediately seized the attention from some 50 new releases we had trudged through that week. The sound is epic and cinematic in the truest sense of the words, combining two drummers, violin, piano, woodwind, bass and sampler. But rather than present an over-layered pastiche of meandering sound, the traditional violin, piano, woodwind and bass create melodies so strong that on a third or even second listen, you find yourself humming the tune before it’s begun. The advent of two live drummers – across standard percussion and electronic pads – enliven the sound with unique drum patterns and breaks that the EDM community would salivate over. And the samples are deftly used to add a further surprising layer. This is exhibited particularly neatly on album highlight Spoken, where a merry melody, not out of place in a medieval court, is joined by layer after layer of instruments, driven by a popping drum section. Suddenly, from nowhere, each bar is topped off with a snarling synth which somehow fits perfectly; one of the many little surprises to be found. What really impresses is the variety. Whereas Ultraísta floats along with the same sound, Hidden Orchestra prove they can handle many a genre/time signature. Opener Overture hints at a modern classical album to come but by track four, Vorka, we’re treated to a straight up hip hop stonker complete with textured layers. Hushed’s intro brings to mind Boards of Canada’s more introspective moments, whilst Reminder takes a leaf from Lemon Jelly’s early EPs. This is a truly exciting, brilliant record that warrants multiple spins and rewards with new depths and intricacies each time. Whatever your musical poison, these beauties from last year should get your new year listening on the right path.

MORE THAN MEETS THE ‘I’ DANIKA NAYNA Every now and then you find a musician whose sound is completely honest. That is, you listen to their music and can feel what they’re feeling or understand their story, how they grew up. BENNY WALKER is one of these people. Benny’s home is 200kms north of Melbourne in a town on the Murray called Echuca. It’s a place where kids grow up in a real community, parents playing host to the neighbourhood for a backyard BBQ. It was there that Benny would share the guitar around with his Dad and Granddad; Yorta Yorta people with a heritage of music and storytelling around a campfire.

People think Indigenous music is clapsticks and didgeridoos – there’s a lot more to us than that

At 28 years old, this young singersongwriter and guitarist joins a surge of breakout young Aboriginal musicians – Dan Sultan, Microwave Jenny, Busby Marou, The Last Kinnection – a new crew of culturally rich yet ultra modern bands and artists making their mark on the Oz music scene. He laughs that, although his sound melds well with the current blues and roots genre, his heritage also opens doors to a scene reserved exclusively for the cultured crowd, academics and tourists: world music. Thanks to being on the line-up of things like the World Music Expo and our upcoming Multicultural Festival, Benny has a rare and important chance show the world that Indigenous musicians are just as modern, diverse and relevant as anyone else… which some people sadly still don’t expect. ‘People think Indigenous music is clapsticks and didgeridoos – there’s a lot more to us than that!’ Benny jests. ‘I get put onto those bills through my Indigenous heritage but I really love it, because I get to see all the best music from different countries. I get a free ticket and get to watch African and Islander bands, dancers from Asia, Canada, Native American performers. I love it because I get to see so many beautiful bands from around the world.’ Benny’s also paving the way for musicians connected to their home, whether it’s rural or even remote. He proves you don’t have to move to the city to grow a career in music and would like to see more artists doing the same. ‘I think that’s one positive effect that technology has had on me and the music industry; everyone’s accessible. I can speak to a manager and my booking agent on Skype together and we can have a meeting on the internet. I don’t need to live in the city to be able to talk to everyone on a daily basis. It’s the way a lot of these little bands get discovered – Unearthed, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube. A lot of these bands in remote areas can get in contact with producers that can help their music careers.’

Benny’s sophomore album, Sinners and Saints, is out now. Catch him at the Multicultural Festival on Friday February 8 and Saturday February 9.

It all began when one of the South Africans was sleeping on our couch and we made a record in the bedroom

arrangements. It’s a bit more stripped back but not a wild departure from our debut.’ There are a few moments in the album where the South Africans have contributed their own influences. ‘One track in particular, Follow Me Down, which Sebastian wrote, brings a strong African flavour to it, with a real township sound.’

BEST FEET FORWARD RORY McCARTNEY In a musical pact transcending the Indian Ocean, two blokes from South Africa teamed up with three blokes from Melbourne to create synth pop specialists CLUBFEET. A casual Google search brings up a swag of warm fuzzies about their sound. Indeed the band’s existence and success is all due to the power of the blog. Keys player Monty Cooper spoke to BMA in advance of the tour promoting their second album, Heirs & Graces.

The wonder of the web has seen the band honoured by numerous remixes and won them an international following, with tours in the UK and US. The latter included a burst of ten shows during the CMJ Music Festival in New York. They also won great acclaim in Cape Town, the home of Yves and Sebastian. While Clubfeet can be enjoyed online, this second national tour of Australia provides the opportunity to get out and shake a leg to this up and coming band. Clubfeet will hit Transit Bar on Thursday February 14, 8pm. Tickets are available through Moshtix at $10 + bf, or $10 on the door (subject to availability).

‘It all began when one of the South Africans was sleeping on our couch in Melbourne and we made a record in the bedroom during some downtime. We put it online for some giggles and some blogs in the States picked it up.’ The song was picked up by a US dance label too. They were asked to head over and play shows and Clubfeet have never looked back. Their sound is pop with electronica applied over-easy, from the dreamy Say Something from their Gold on Gold debut LP to the catchy groove of Heartbreak (featuring Chela) from their latest release. It’s dance-friendly without an overemphasis on the club scene. ‘While we’re not a dance act, we like playing in clubs as people are pleasantly surprised to find our style of music coming into their scene.’ Clubfeet song themes can be described as the yearning for relationships juxtaposed against the problems they bring with them. ‘There is a bit of lost love and heartbreak in the mix. We have a late night coming-homefrom-a-club feel, which can be euphoric, flippant or melancholy.’ Heirs & Graces brings a new vibe in that it draws on the live music experiences the band gained since making Gold on Gold. ‘Some of the songs benefited from our playing them live before we recorded them, and we also put more thought into the

DANCE THE DROP

While we live in a technological golden age where hedonism and superfluous levels of socially stupefying safeguards are abundant, we still share one evergreen nemesis with our horse-drawn colonial forefathers: scalpers. In the days of Texas wagon trains and dusty cowpokes, the scalpers’ prize was the bloody mat of hair atop your noggin. Today, their unscrupulous rort is a tad less gory, albeit just as dastardly. We have many great dance music events here in Australia, some of which sell out in a matter of minutes. Modern day scalpers know this and they prey on those poor souls that missed out on the initial web frenzy. If you purchase tickets to any show that you know will inevitably sell out and your intention is not to attend but rather to sell your prized tickets on for a profit, I salute you, sir or madam, with an extended middle finger.

The O Yeah Beach Party at Zierholz @ UC isn’t having any of this nonsense. The slamming summer themed soirée on Friday February 1 provides you with a host of Canberra talent, including Safia, Lavers, Dahrnoir, Sammy Soundslike, Chief and Luke Jaimes. Entry is absolutely free from 3pm. Take that, scalpers! On the very same night PANG! serves up a sweaty fist of brutal electro with the return of ruski powerhouse Proxy. Entry is $20 before 10pm so save yourself a few bucks and get in early. Academy have thrown their beret in the ring with another amazing international headliner on Friday February 1. Holland’s poster boy of filthy big room house R3hab makes his Canberra debut with a show that’s sure to rearrange your face. Presale tickets are available on Moshtix along with a small allocation on the door. If raving is more your cup of tea, the Techno Liberation Front is back with another epic Halcyon event on Saturday February 2 at the Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing Centre. This 16+ event is headlined by Absolom (France) and is bolstered by one of Canberra’s strongest and most diverse supporting line-ups including Peekz, B-Tham, Loose Cannon, and Anjay and Biggie. Canberra ex-pat Jeff Drake has always had a way of stroking my music muscle just the way I like it. The bearded enigma stepped away from his turntables this week to provide us with a tasty Top 5. The Other Tribe – Skirts [Black Butter] – Everyone loves a skirt, mostly because of what’s underneath… except for Scottish people. Scuba – Ne1butu [Hotflush Recordings] – This is my jam! I spread this on toast every morning and enjoy it with a nice cup of tequila. Asaf Avidan – One day/Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Remix) [Four Music] – This is an epic ‘one more’ record that pretty much forces you to hug the guy next to you and horribly regret it the next day. Disclosure – Latch Ft. Sam Smith (T.Williams Club Edit) [PMR] – One of the most incredible lovemaking tunes of 2012, now with a safe sex re-edit by Mr Williams. Duke Dumont – Need U (100%) [Blasé Boys Club] – If your face isn’t gushing with warm fluid after hearing this, I don’t know you (porn stars excluded). TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

NEW WORLD MONKEY BUSINESS peter o’rourke Australian experimental rock group PVT have returned with their fourth album Homosapien, set to be released in the first week of February. Signed to Warp Records with a mixture of synth pop and progressive rock, the band have toured with Gotye, as well as the Arctic Monkeys, Sigur Rós and Gary Numan. I spoke to brothers Richard and Lawrence Pike about recording their latest LP.

We weren’t really conscious of the vocals – it was more about the giving the music space to breathe

The members of PVT are often spread across the world, with some members in Australia while others are overseas in London. With that being the case, one must question how the band writes songs together. ‘It’s definitely still a collaborative approach,’ says singer Lawrence. ‘We start with a tread, which might be an electronic loop or a riff, and then send files to each other to play around with. These all come together during the recording process.’ PVT worked on much of the record on property near Yass, NSW. ‘We were camped in a big old house – a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll cliché, but I’ve always wanted to do that for a prolonged period,’ says Lawrence. ‘Being in the country was nice, in this new Australian bush setting. However, we never record it all in one place; some of the album was recorded in London, the vocals included.’ With the vocals featuring more prominently in this album, I asked if that was a conscious decision. ‘We weren’t really conscious of the vocals – it was more about the giving the music more space to breathe. Our previous record was really dense and we like to change the ideas on every record. Each record establishes a new sound and I hope people enjoy it.’ Producer Ben Hillier (Depeche Mode, Blur) mixed the record in London. ‘Ben’s great, he’s a bit of a gun!’ says guitarist Richard. ‘He’s always bouncing ideas about and is really precise about the placement of the sounds. He’s very musical; he’s able to hear each part individually and how they place into the mix. It’s always tempting to keep adding things to the mix but it’s good to strip it back as well. Once an idea is in, it’s hard to lose it. There’s a lot more confidence that way, more of a statement.’ Recorded in Yass, I was interested to find out whether the band paid a visit to the neighbouring capital. ‘We actually didn’t get to Canberra, although we did chat about going to the National Gallery,’ says Lawrence. ‘It’d be great to include Canberra in a tour, but it depends how much support we get with this record. Hopefully, triple j will give it some support and we’ll be able to think about doing an extensive tour. We’ll probably be performing shows in the major cities in March. Tours are always organised and announced pretty quickly, it almost takes us by surprise!’ Homosapien will be out Friday February 8 through Create/Control.

While I love being involved in weekendlong bush parties, it’s cool to have one crazy night closer to the city

GET FREE mel cerato Everyone loves a bit of doof doof. Whether you secretly listen to ‘that god awful noise’ you complain to your friends about or you shout your love of all things banging from the rooftops, chances are you enjoy a good party. That is the idea behind HALCYON, the latest project from Techno Liberation Front to hit Canberra. Basically a warehouse dance party showcasing a truckload of DJs, Halcyon is the brainchild of Peter O’Rourke, director of TLF. ‘The name Halcyon is a reference to an old-school Orbital track from about 1992,’ Peter explains. ‘The party is 16+ too, and as a teenager I’d have loved something like that, so I think it’s only fair to do the same for them now.’

events in the capital, as well as snagging some stage time at the infamous ‘bush doofs’ outside of Canberra. ‘While I love being involved in weekendlong bush parties, it’s cool to just have one crazy night closer to the city,’ Peter explains. ‘I also love the idea of hearing a diverse range of music at one party, especially breaks and techno, which doesn’t get nearly enough representation in Canberra. In a way, we’re not doing anything completely new, just creating our own vision of what a dance party can be.

‘We’re keen to throw about two to three parties a year as Techno Liberation Front, but we’re also hosting a few stages or chill spaces at some of the bush doofs around the region. By keeping the parties infrequent we can make sure that we put in a solid effort each time, as well as stopping it from becoming stale. But yeah, expect more parties in the future!’ Halcyon takes place on Saturday February 2, kicking off at 9pm and lasting until 6am Sunday. Tickets are available at Landspeed Records for $30 + bf. It is a 16+ event.

The line-up is made up of international and local acts all coming together at the Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing Centre. ‘Some of our artists have been playing in Canberra for years and it’s great to have that experience on board. Others are still quite new, but the energy and fresh approach of those guys adds something really special,’ Peter says. Headlining international act Absolom is going to be a highlight, playing a two-hour techno and psytrance set fresh from headlining the Rainbow Serpent Festival the week before. After the success of last year’s What Time Is Love party at the rock climbing centre, Peter figured it’d be the perfect place for this year’s event. With not one but two stages decked out with hi-tech lighting and sound equipment, Halcyon is set to be huge. ‘The indoor warehouse stage will feature techno, house, trance and drum & bass, with a massive laser rig,’ Peter says excitedly. ‘The outdoor stage has a much more psychedelic feel with a giant glowing pyramid we’re constructing and a bunch of artists spinning breaks, prog and psytrance.’ Having started off throwing some not-so-legal parties, TLF are now in the business of putting together some of the best

METALISE Southern Lord act Black Breath have just announced a run of five shows throughout Australia happening in April this year, including a visit to our own fair city. The hardworking Washington lads blended a mix of influences referencing Entombed, Celtic Frost, Poison Idea and Discharge into 2012’s great Heavy Breathing record and refined their ideas further into a great record from last year, Sentenced To Life. They will be at The Basement on Sunday April 7 with I Exist in tow for the national supports. The darkness of New York no wave act Swans returns to Australia in February on the back of the great album The Seer. Michael Gira, the head swan, described the album as ‘the culmination of every previous Swans album as well as any other music I’ve ever made, been involved in or imagined.’ For those who slept on last year’s tour, have another crack this year on Wednesday February 13 at Manning Bar in Sydney. Good and bad news on the Doomnations festival coming up in Melbourne. Yob and Elder have been unable to make it over due to circumstances beyond the Doomnations team’s control. In a classy move, the promoter has promised ticketholders refunds but there’s more than enough reasons to hang onto those tickets. It is still more than worth the trip down to catch a stunning bill of bands, including New Zealand heavyweights Beastwars, Triceratops and The House Of Capricorn play alongside an amazing stack of Aussie heavy, including Clagg, Motherslug, Hotel Wrecking City Traders, Adrift For Days, Law of the Tongue, Space Bong, Mammon, Agonhymn, Summonus, Don Fernando, and USA’s Destroyer of Light. Check Facebook for the latest: facebook.com/doomnations. Opeth announced a welcome return to our shores with tickets on sale now at Ticketek for their Friday March 15 show at the Enmore Theatre. It’s a licenced all ages show so all fans of the long-running Swedish progsters can get along. Blood Duster have called it a day after 22 years in the business. In a statement summarising the bands actions in classic Blood Duster style, the guys are pulling the pin with an end date planned for around August/September with a final show that will be confirmed closer to the date. You can, of course, catch them at the Obscene Extreme festival in Melbourne on Fri-Sat April 12-13. Added since last column are Extortion, Super Happy Fun Slide, King Parrot and The Mung. No doubt sniggering at the staying power of Blood Duster lasting a mere 22 years, the pride of Punchbowl return to the ANU Bar on Friday February 22 with The Hard-Ons. Blackie and Ray have been at it for about 30 years and I think this tour marks the first visit to town of their new drummer, Murray of Captain Cleanoff and Conation fame. Exquisite. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

SINGLY PUTRID DAN BIGNA When I checked out THEE OH SEES at The Phoenix Bar on a languid Sunday afternoon in 2009, I was little prepared for the explosion of energy that poured from the tiny stage, sparking a mosh of exuberant proportions while bottles rattled behind the bar. The band was accentuating rock ‘n’ roll of the most primitive kind, and I’ve always had a thing for sounds on the scuzzier side of the spectrum. Forming in San Francisco in the mid 2000s, 14 albums and a stack of EPs have been recorded, their latest being Putrifiers II. These embrace a continuous free-flow of ideas and sounds circling around garage punk/psych but injected with Captain Beefheart-styled weirdness and cooked with raw production techniques that stamp this music with a peculiar individuality. Returning to Australia to perform at the ATP festival in Melbourne next month, Thee Oh Sees will be stopping off at Transit to bring back the manic vibe that rattled the walls of The Phoenix.

The more fun people have in the audience, the more fun we have… Also, it seems to help when people are drunk

Will they launch off from the sounds captured on all those albums? ‘I’m not sure we notice any variance in what we play live or what we’ve recorded,’ says guitarist/bassist Petey Dammit. ‘I hear people describe us in many different ways but I honestly don’t think we’ve ever set out to sound a certain way or follow a genre of music. We just kind of play what we play and don’t notice if it falls into a category or not.’ This approach leaves open space for experimentation, as heard on the recent Singles Collection Vol. 1 and 2. But there’s little doubt that ‘60s psychedelia is a point of reference. I ask Dammit if Thee Oh Sees are ever interested in capturing an authentic ‘60s garage rock sound. ‘I’ve had discussions with our producer/engineer asking how to record a song that would sound like The Creation’s Making Time or The Who’s My Generation,’ he says. ‘He agreed that it would be impossible to fully recreate the sound. But there are some tricks here and there. One thing we did on [2008 album] The Master’s Bedroom [Is Worth Spending a Night In] was to run an overhead mic on the drums which went into a rat pedal and through a Marshall half-stack that was dialled heavy on the treble. When brought up in the mix this gave it a sound that was exactly like [‘60s garage rockers] The Sonics.’ Thee Oh Sees are happy to be placed in the company of ‘lo-fi exponents’ like Times New Viking and Sic Alps but are a very distinct beast, particularly on stage. What makes for an enjoyable gig? ‘The more fun people have in the audience, the more fun we have, says Dammit. ‘It’s a very symbiotic relationship. Also, it seems to help when people are drunk. We’ve played during the afternoon when people are generally more sober and it didn’t seem to go as well.’ Help it go well at Transit Bar on Monday February 11 from 8pm. Assassins 88 in support. Presale tix $20 + bf through Moshtix.

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

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS janna stacey All right, we get it. Canberra is having a birthday and for the majority of 2013 Canberrans will be celebrating the last century here and all that they’ve achieved with it. But why are we so focused on looking back when the emphasis of this milestone should be what we can change going forward? And not only that, but looking at how Canberrans flourish year after year – not just on important birthdays. RANDOM9 is a group of independent Australian visual artists who do just that. They are putting together their fourth and fifth exhibit this year and have been consistently representing Canberra and its abundance of talented artists. Being a Canberra-based group, with the majority of its members being ANU School of Art graduates, Random9 knows what it is like to live in Canberra. So who better to put Canberra on display? ‘Random 9 is an art group. We got together with a group of friends from the School of Art in 2010 because we knew the experience was going to end and it’s nice to have a group of people around you who you can actually do art with. I mean, you can do art by yourself but I found it quite lonely and I wanted to explore ideas with people of like mind,’ says Stephanie Smyth, head bottle-washer and chief coordinator of the event. This April’s exhibition will be 100 – clearly tied in to our dear birthday – but that is not what the emphasis of this show will be. ‘We decide on a theme and it’s a very loose theme, that’s the thing. And people just go along, do their sort of thing, then we bring it all together and create a catalogue,’ says Smyth. But surely! Our birthday party must remain the centre of attention? ‘From the very beginning the most important thing is just getting a group of people together and making art.’ Hmm, all right. Art is important, not our birthday, you say? So why title the exhibition 100 if the significance of our centenary is not stressed? Well, this is because the group has been working together for years, so their entire purpose is not centred around 2013. Shake it up! Random9 is not about providing a nostalgic experience for the capital connoisseur, they are about flourishing in the now and the future Canberra is building for itself. ‘I think all of us are thinking something new,’ says Smyth, who herself does photo media. Her contribution to the exhibit, other than running the ship and pouring drinks more often than not, are a series of black and white photographs honoring the space and place in Canberra. She’ll be looking at desolate landscape and redefining it. Seeing what Canberra was – barren land – and then discovering what the city has built upon it. Photography is not the only featured art form of the exhibit. ‘We have very mixed media,’ says Smyth. ‘Jewelry, woodwork, sculpture. What we’ve found from previous exhibitions is that when we have mixed media we have a good blend. And people love seeing mixed media

shows.’ The aim is to transport the gallery-goer to a new place, and the best way to do that is to feed on all their senses. That is why mixed media is such an asset. Although working in the group now, Smyth thinks there is something very Canberran about being alone. She says, ‘I think the thing about Canberra is that it’s a city of exiles. Everyone comes here and just adapts.’ Canberra is many singular people culminating to create our capital city. So how does an art exhibit effectively reach out to each solitary individual? By feeding on all the senses. By being exposed to all forms of art, film and sound, one is able to lose themselves in the gallery experience. That is why 100 is not about a particular date in a particular place. Yes, it is about Canberra, but it is so much more than a birthday party. It is talented people in Canberra consistently making art, regardless of the calendar. So, you’d think they would be seasoned pros going into their fourth exhibition? When I press, curious to see if there were any major blunders from the last shows, Smyth responds, ‘It’s often about things you haven’t done.’ What could be missing from four different shows? Apparently it is the variety of patrons turning up. ‘We want people who are new to the art scenes. We want new people to see our work. I see the same old faces turning up, and it’s nice to see friends and support them, but we’re trying to reach new people.’ But the format of the shows are alright! Canberra’s own are constantly creating appealing art, so why aren’t new faces turning up? Smyth thinks aloud, ‘Art tends to be very aloof, and it’s our outreach that we need to improve.’ Like the crocodile with the little fishies, Random9 has golden scales, yet no one is being tempted to take the plunge. Many Canberrans head to the gallery, see the paintings, get the free wine, then head home feeling none the wiser. So why try something new now? Well, in Smyth’s own words it is simple: basically, if you like art and you like fresh ideas then come to our exhibition. And that’s all you need, folks! This year you’re going to be flooded with exhibits, events, films and everything in between. And yes, you are going to be reminded at every turn that this is one big year for us. But what you really should be reminded of is the people who consistently strive to make Canberra a more enjoyable place, whether in 2013 or otherwise. So give it a go; try something new. If anything, you’ll be surprised that you don’t have to sing ‘happy birthday’ to the tired old man that is Canberra – you can just appreciate it for what it’s always been. 100 will be showing at the Belconnen Community Centre from Fri Apr 19Sun May 5. The exhibition will open on Friday April 19 at 6pm and visitors are invited to meet the artists Sunday April 28 at 2pm. Free entry.

AN INTRODUCTION TO INFINITY chloe mandryk Infinity – some might consider it ‘new age’, however the history of art is puckered by moments where artists try to look beyond what is calculable, speak around rhetoric or transmit the indescribable. INTRODUCTION is a series of collaborative paintings by Clare Thackway and Gregory Hodge at FirstDraft, Sydney. The title of the exhibition aligns with the sensation you feel moving through the show, it is a sequence of beginnings – from the first spray of colour, a newborn and a community of wide eyes that look out and over at some cataclysm. In each work there is an immediate feeling that whatever occurred here doesn’t end here. But how do you begin to express what is incommunicable without a subtext or by referring to cultural conceits? It is this binary that I found most interesting about their exhibition. The couple aims to fling us into infinite space but have to keep their feet on the ground to do that. So, what are they standing on? Thackway and Hodge refer to the Romantic concept of the ‘Sublime’ with a side of postmodernism. The Romantics tried to paint the inimitable elements of landscape – the brilliance of a whiff of cloud, the sensation of being dwarfed by a mountain range or feeling coddled by a dopey orange sunset. As a result, the pair said ‘each painting alludes to a sense of wonder, the moment before or after an undefined event.’ Joining forces has distilled each artist’s visual language. Thackway concentrates on a moody camouflage palette that is great paired with figures that inhabit another dimension. Hodge’s neons trick the eye – all in keeping with their goal to subvert our perspective. The pair both studied painting at the Canberra School of Art and have exhibited widely in the nation’s capital. Captivating works such as Ocean, Falling and Toi Toi Toi contemplate the metaphysical and physical world and the themes that inhabit but also extend beyond it – for example belief, mortality, the environment, colour, individuality, myth and hallucination. You can’t help but feel slightly paranoid in front of Toi Toi Toi (the title hints at the action of spitting out the bad energy of a hex or spell) with its group of figures who stand together but gaze out of the canvas like Children of the Corn. Eerily, in Weft the figures stare as they anchor themselves, linking arms, knees buckled. You also might find joy but also a touch of pathos in Falling – as pretty psychedelic orbs rain down on a group that will only catch a portion of the prize. Is it necessary to consider Clare and Gregory’s philosophical engagement with a philosophy to fully grasp how they connect with reality? Probably not, and that is what is insightful about the show, it’s yours for the taking. Introduction from Clare Thackway and Gregory Hodge displayed at FirstDraft Gallery, Sydney.

ARTISTPROFILE: Samita Tatiana

What do you do? I work as a voluntary guide at the Australian National Gallery. When, how and why did you get into it? After graduating from the ANU School of Art in 2010, where I had been studying for my Bachelor of Visual Arts degree as a mature age student, I decided to apply to the National Gallery to be trained as a guide. I had been toying with the idea of doing my Masters in 2011 but decided to do something different. The underlying reason for this was my desire to make the experience for visitors to the gallery more engaging and informative. I felt that my passion for art and the education I had been fortunate to receive during my university years would enable me to engage people with art, to widen their horizons and inform their perceptions.

What makes you laugh? British comedies such as Hancock, Mr Bean, Blackadder, Black Books, Miranda, Dads Army, Fawlty Towers, Father Ted. What pisses you off? Being subjected to loud music (questionable) coming from ill-fitting ear buds, whilst travelling on buses. What about the local scene would you change? Having somewhere to go for a coffee after the theatre and improved bus services, especially on Sundays. Upcoming exhibitions? The exhibition, 100, at Belconnen Arts Centre in connection with Canberraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centenary, opening in April. Contact Info: samwyse90@yahoo.com.au.

Who or what influences you as an artist? Many things and people and experiences have influenced me during my lifetime, but I am mainly interested in nature and, in particular, trees. Land artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Long and John Wolseley, and also the writings of Tolkein, who was well-versed in tree lore. Of what are you proudest so far? Graduating with Honours. What are your plans for the future? My plans are to live as happily and healthily as possible, to keep creating, to engage with and love family, friends and life, with all its richness and diversity.

Nothing makes sense anymore. Are we in the Matrix? If anybody has ever solved a cryptic crossword I would genuinely like to meet them.

I hate the puzzles in the newspaper. It’s a Saturday. I’m sitting here eating breakfast and I’ve decided to have a crack at the crossword. I’ve already stuffed up the Sudoku. I wrote too many little numbers in the corners of the boxes that might represent the numbers that might go into the boxes. Now there are numbers everywhere and I’ve got no idea where I started. I know I’ve messed it up too, but I think I can fix it if I artfully turn those fours into eights. Ten minutes later I’m stuck again, trying to figure out if that’s a four or an eight in the top left-hand box. I’ve got an Engineering degree; I should be able to solve a simple number puzzle. Sudoku’s seem to be specifically designed to insult my ability to count to nine. And the difficulty levels don’t accurately reflect the difficulty of the Sudoku. They always say, ‘Difficulty Level: 11’ or ‘Difficulty Level: 17’. Out of what, though? I have never seen a number below ten. You don’t go to the movies and when someone asks you how it was, say, ‘17’. That means nothing to me, Sudoku. Just tell me if it’s easy or hard; I need to gauge my shame. So then I’ll try the cryptic crossword. It’s just a regular crossword, except it has Tourette’s. ORANGE. TANGO. MOONSHINE. The answer’s Babylon. How? Why?

The Word Wheel is no better. Even my Mum has found the nine-letter word and she plays Scrabble with words like ‘BAT’. And then she keeps hovering behind me, asking me if I want her to tell me what it is. ‘No, Mum, I can figure it out for myself.’ I’ve got nine letters for you: P.I.S.S. O.F.F… See, I told you I wasn’t any good at this. And since when did they start putting the solutions in tomorrow’s paper? Not that I would cheat or anything, I’m an honest guy. I just need to double-check my answers, that’s all. So it’s Crossword or bust. I’ve got to solve at least a couple of these to redeem myself. First one. Across. ‘Tranquil’. Six letters. Skip that one for now and come back to it later. It’ll get easier when I’ve filled in a couple of the other answers. Skip a few more. Just a couple more. Once I get a couple of intersecting boxes it’ll all click into place. Ah, here’s one. ‘Hired transport’. Taxi. Too easy. But the intersecting letter is the ‘X’, which doesn’t really help at all. But I did well to get that other answer. I don’t want to throw the word genius around, but if other people are using it I’m not going to refute it. I’ve earned myself a break. Right, who wants to do the quiz? the stevenson experience - The Stevenson Experience is a local musical comedy duo. They will be performing their new show How I Met Your Brother as part of the Canberra Comedy Festival at Civic Pub from Wed Mar 20-Thu March 21, 8:15pm. Tickets are $15 + bf available from canberracomedyfestival.com.au.

LITERATURE IN REVIEW Earth Girl Janet Edwards [Harper Voyager; 2012]

It’s a fairly common trope for sci-fi to dress up a contemporary issue in futuristic clothes, like the treatment of minorities or disabled people. In Earth Girl, instantaneous interstellar travel has opened up the galaxy and the immune-deficient babies who are unable to survive on any planet but Earth are mostly abandoned at birth. Their parents choose to sever ties entirely with their children rather than give up their lives in the stars and the rest of the settled galaxy calls them ‘apes’ and considers them genetic throwbacks. 18-year-old Jarra is determined to prove that she is just as capable and smart as the normal kids, so she enrols in a history course excavating the remains of Manhattan, run by a prestigious off-world university. She lies about her background to ingratiate herself with her peers, determined to have a big final showdown where she calls them out on their prejudices and storms off in a blaze of glory. With a setup like that, this book could have been really good. The characters are likable, the world-building meticulous and there are several laugh-out-loud funny moments. Jarra is a wonderful character, full of adolescent indignation and ambition, prone to lecturing at length about her interests and terrible understanding of other people. Even the side characters are interesting, fully realised people. All of which makes it doubly frustrating how disappointing Earth Girl turned out to be. Aside from the obvious limitation of being unable to travel offplanet, Jarra’s ‘handicap’ has given her a life of free education and healthcare – unthinkable in the rest of the excessively capitalist

galaxy – and allowed her to indulge her interest in history and archaeology. Since Earth is the only planet which actually has ruins to excavate, Jarra’s experience on the dig site puts her miles ahead of her classmates, which means that throughout the book she never encounters a challenge she doesn’t sail through with ease. By the end of the book she’s a decorated military hero, an interplanetary icon and the uncontested top of her class, all without ever a misstep. And what’s more, the promised scene where she reveals the truth to her classmates and deals with the fallout? Never happens. They learn about it off screen and we never get to see their reactions, and Jarra never has to deal with the consequences of her lies. The emotional thread of the book is bolstered partly by Jarra’s unresolved issues with her estranged birth parents and the latter third of the narrative is taken up with the baffling turn her life takes when she contacts them. Unfortunately, the author lacks the writing chops to make the reader really feel for Jarra’s disturbed emotional state, especially since it doesn’t even touch her streak of succeeding at everything ever. A disappointing book, doubly so because it had so much promise. emma grist

they never received, or the chance to do something more interesting in middle age than sell real estate (Buffalo Tom) or tend bar (Pavement).

UNINHIBITED I’ve started missing shows for the first time in my adult life. Big shows, game- or life-changing shows. It’s because I became a parent last year, and quick trips to the Enmore or the Corner are no longer easy. As gutted as I am to miss My Bloody Valentine, they don’t make headphones good enough to protect tiny ears for that wall of sound. Ten years ago I would be in an unshakeable funk about missing MBV. Now, not so much. It’s got a little to do with aging, and everything to do with the never-ending feedback loop of nostalgia that courses through our culture. The once-in-a-lifetime experience is no more. There’s always another show. Our favourites age and go grey, but as long as they draw breath, recent form suggests that we’ll get a chance to see the bands we want to see. It wasn’t always thus of course, and stories about the lengths music fans have gone to so that they might sniff the same air as their heroes have long been shared in the eternal pissing contest of music fandom. Then The Pixies, the band least likely to reform, done went and reformed in the early 2Ks. Followed by all the bands you thought you’d missed or were born too late for. Bands of people who hated each other all tweaked to the payday

Interestingly, this happened at the same time as online media tools like YouTube changed the nature of the ephemeral event. I used to have piles of VHS tapes, where I’d sat up late and hit record on rage clips, building an archive of poorly edited mixes. There was a chance that if I hadn’t recorded that Derek Jarman Smiths clip, I’d never see it again. Now, every clip is available. There is no need to engage in the ritual of staying up for ‘just one more’, concerned that you might miss the song that will change your life. Now you Google ‘song that will change your life’, and The Shins New Slang will pop up. Done. Easy. I missed Pavement in the ‘90s and saw them in 2010. I saw Dinosaur Jr. at UC in 2008, The Pixies in 2009. I hope to see Blur this year. I’m happy for all these events. But they make me even more thankful for James Murphy. I saw the LCD Soundsystem documentary recently, detailing their last show. It’s full of ponderous musings on what it means to quit, but it’s also full of scorching footage. I never saw them. I’m horrified that I missed them. But bless Murphy for calling time and leaving us with something more precious than a reunion t-shirt – an untainted legacy and a sweet yearning. It’s good for us to not always get what we want. Speaking of which, hey, Rolling Stones? Fucking quit already. GLEN MARTIN - glenpetermartin@gmail.com

bit PARTS UNDERSTANDING MUSIC SEMINAR WHAT: Music Seminar WHEN: Fri Feb 15- Sun Feb 17 WHERE: Griffin Centre, Civic Every year around this time, thousands of individuals start making determined New Year’s resolutions to finally play ‘that piano grandma left me’ or some such musical goal. Some will succeed. Many more will probably not. No matter the determination, the reality is that the goal to play music isn’t as easy to achieve as it is to believe. Thankfully, help comes in the form of music mogul Duncan R. Lorien who spends much of his year logging up to 130,000kms on the road helping people to tell their minors from their majors, their sharps from their flats and their crochets from their quavers. Lorien, an erstwhile ‘80s New Age musician with a couple of No. 1 albums under his belt, now travels the globe from his Boston home on a one-man quest to strip the mystery out of music and turn novices into musicians at his Understanding Music seminars. Ticket details and registration at: understandingmusicseminar.com.au.

PLUCKED WHAT: Photography Exhibition WHEN: Mon Jan 21-Tue Feb 8 WHERE: gallery@bcs In partnership with the ANU School of Arts’ Emerging Artist Support Scheme (EASS), gallery@bcs presents the Springboard series; a range of solo and group exhibitions to showcase some of the freshest and finest local talent. The 2013 series will kick off with a group show by four 2012 graduates of the ANU School of Art Photography & Media Arts department: Gavin Jackson, Hardy Lohse, Thea Van Veen and Charlie White. The official opening will be on Wednesday January 23 at 6pm in the gallery at the Belconnen Community Centre. Open Mon-Fri, 9am-4:30pm. Free.

THE ANGEL OF HISTORY WHAT: Survey Exhibition WHEN: Wed Feb 6-Sun Feb 17 WHERE: ANCA Gallery The Angel Of History, the first show at ANCA Gallery for 2013, is an ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor and ANCA studio resident Clare Martin. This reflective exhibition sees the artist revisit key installations made in the Canberra region over the past 20 years and transforms the ANCA Gallery into a labyrinth of ideas. Recurrent themes that underline Martin’s art-practice are showcased, including ‘In Memoriam’, ‘Archaeology and the Museum’, ‘Family relationships’ and ‘Sex and the mechanical body’. The opening event for The Angel Of History will be on Wednesday February 6 from 6pm at ANCA Gallery. Free.

THE SUNSET CINEMA WHAT: Outdoor Cinema WHEN: Thu Feb 7-Sat Mar 16 WHERE: Australian Botanic Gardens Presented by IMB, The Sunset Cinema will launch at the Australian Botanic Gardens at 7pm with the latest instalment of the James Bond saga, Skyfall. Under the stars on the Eucalypt Lawn, residents and visitors alike will be treated to what is arguably the best in cinema experiences. Featuring a six-week program of movies with a mix of new release blockbusters, retro classics, family favourites and the odd premiere, Sunset Cinema Canberra will be screening every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night through to Saturday March 16. Tickets and schedules available through sunsetcinema.com.au.

YOUNG.HOT.CANBERRA. WHAT: Mixed Media Exhibition WHEN: Sat Jan 12-Sat Feb 23 WHERE: The Gallery of Australian Design The Gallery of Australian Design is proud to announce the launch of an exciting new exhibition showcasing work by Canberra’s brightest young designers. Each week, one or more of the YOUNG. HOT. team will discuss their work, with an opportunity for questions and discussion. The exhibition contains the work of ten designers: Dan Armstrong & Nick Robinson, Luke Chiswell, Chris Doyle, Alison Jackson, Megan Jackson, Paul Krix, Cinnamon Lee, Dan Lorrimer & Mitchell Brooks, Tom Skeehan and Supermanoeuvre. Their practices span a range of disciplines, including architecture, digital, graphic, industrial, jewellery, print and object design. See gad.org.au for details. Free.

DISCOVERING TASMANIA WHAT: Art Exhibition WHEN: Mon Feb 11-Mon Mar 4 WHERE: Form Studio & Gallery, Queanbeyan Throughout February, Form Studio will be showcasing a series of paintings from the Discovering Tasmania artist retreats, which took place in October 2012. Elisabeth Cummings, now one of Australia’s most respected living artists, is the Patron for the upcoming exhibition. The works in the current exhibition were produced at a picturesque location on the east coast village of Coles Bay, Tasmania under the guidance of Elisabeth’s keen eye. The artists (a mixture of exhibiting and the less experienced) set out to capture and exhibit the breathtaking location on canvas. Elizabeth will open the exhibition on Saturday February 16 at 2pm. Free.

the word

on albums

album of the issue

melody’s echo chamber melody’s echo chamber [fat possum]

The brainchild of Melody Protchett and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Melody’s Echo Chamber’s self-titled album is an ethereal sonic dream with bite. Protchett’s thematic grime enables her solo debut to transcend its dream pop foundations, making it the perfect summer album for those searching for something more intense and intelligent than the apathetic surf pop currently flooding the airwaves. For me, the highlight of the album is the lyrics. Although Protchett’s voice is almost overwhelmed by her music, certain phrases burst from the sound clouds like lightening. The sweet melody of opening track I Follow You disguises the singer’s painful longing for intimacy (‘I follow you/ Pretend you want me to’), while the electro explosion at the end of Crystallised compounds her tale of heartbreak (‘Just before I realised/ you were gone for real this time’). At the other end of the emotional scale, You Won’t Be

Missing That Part of Me uses warmth synths to lighten the frank confession of a heartbreaker (‘You’ll see it won’t be that hard to forget me’). A few tracks are covered in Protchett’s native tongue. Any song sung in French is in no way in want of sex appeal; a universal truth made all the more shocking upon realising that the album’s gentlest track, Snowcapped Andes Crash, is about cannibalism amongst plane wreckage. As with I Follow You and Crystallised, the track’s appeal lies with the discrepancy between the darkness of Protchett’s lyrics and the upbeat tempo of her music. That said, my favourite track, IsThatWhatYouSaid, has no lyrics at all. As the blown-out bass flutters from beat to phasered beat, Protchett proves that her soft, disorienting textures are more than enough to entrance her listeners. Melody’s Echo Chamber is equal parts joie de vivre and melancholia. Like a kiss with teeth, Protchett’s solo debut will leave a song in your heart and blood in your mouth. TEDI BILLS

milk teddy zingers [Knock Your Socks Off]

new order lost sirens [rhino/warner]

For what starts off as a seemingly standard upbeat indie-rock album, Zingers delves very quickly into unknown territory for the unassuming listener. When the title track Zingers floods your ears, you think you’re in for a standard car-ride-happytimes-playlist with enthusiastic guitar hooks and Brit-pop style vocals from Thomas Mendelovits. Porcelain Skin is another harmless, aesthetically pleasing track with jangling guitar sounds burying the low-fi vocals, yet Zingers soon begins to show its cracks. Zingers strays far from the beaten path in the second half of the album with the obvious weak links being Michael and Night Worker. Mendelovit’s falsetto unfortunately lets him down in both tracks and the pace of the album is slashed in half. What Milk Teddy build for themselves in the opening of the album they break in these two tracks.

This collection of unreleased outtakes from New Order’s 2005 album Waiting For The Siren’s Call has been mired in litigation for a year, a victim of the communication breakdown with the band’s former bass player Peter Hook. Intra-band politics aside, Lost Sirens is for the most part worth the wait, the eight new tracks here providing weight to the band’s assertions that the aforementioned collection was originally intended to be a double album. Curiously, it’s a far more upbeat and varied proposition than its parent album, with the glittering Shake It Up signaling a return to shimmering disco-house programming, while I’ve Got A Feeling manages to integrate a sense of baggy funk into its thick bass runs and tribal drums, resulting in a fusion that hints at fellow Factory alumni The Happy Mondays more than anyone else. Elsewhere, I’ll Stay With You offers up the closest thing to a Crystalstyle single here, welding jangling guitar strokes to a streamlined backdrop of angular rhythms in a moment that’s pretty much emblematic of the band’s output post-1993. It’s an alternate mix of I Told You So that offers the most unexpected moment here, though, with its smoky blend of sinuous guitar chords, slow thudding drums and rapturous female backing vocals evoking post-Vanishing Point Primal Scream more than anything Sumner and co. have previously crafted. This one’s firmly aimed at the fans and they should be mostly satisfied.

So why the sudden switch? Milk Teddy’s album pulls inspiration from experiences accrued over two years as a group, which perhaps may be its downfall. Recorded throughout 2010 and 2011 and released in late 2012, this debut full-length release is a snapshot of emotion and influence, which manifests itself differently in each track. With nothing solid guiding the album from start to finish and no unified sound to associate with the tracks, the listener can find themselves lost. Perhaps a shorter and more focused recording period could have honed Milk Teddy’s style and created a consolidated LP. janna stacey

chris downton

clubfeet heirs & Graces [illusive] One word gets stuck in my head while listening to this second album by Clubfeet: ‘inoffensive’. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you look through the PR, it’s meant to take the listener ‘on a journey from Tusk-era grooves and summer disco jams to Peter Gabriel soundscapes and deep euro-electronica’. If I were asked to write the bio for this album I’d probably use a phrase like ‘risk-averse disco beats that would soundtrack a fashion show modelling a collection of hipster sweaters, coloured in different shades of beige.’ They wouldn’t pay me for writing it but it would probably be more accurate. There is nothing horrid about this album. But it doesn’t register on the ‘wow’ scale. On the second listen, I turned it up so it was making my car’s interior vibrate and, apart from a little sing-a-long to radio hit Heartbreak, my brain still favoured drifting off to thoughts about what I should cook for dinner. That was until track nine, Nastassja, kicked in and I finally got a little goosebumpy with some lowerregister bass. It’s the only track that really fills out and sounds complex, even though I’m sure all ten tracks were extremely difficult to make and they have more talent in their little pinkies than I will accumulate in a lifetime. Put this album on in the background to your next card game or BBQ – that’s the perfect place for it. danika nayna

jim james Regions of Light and Sound of God [ato]

the dropkick murphys signed and sealed in blood [born and bred]

The front-person solo project is familiar territory. A lot of long-time listeners balk at the border-crossing and their fear is justified. It’s so easy for the artist to take a wrong step. Jim James’s sweet disc is full of rich instrumentation and slow-build song-writing. His tastes are obviously distinct from those of his My Morning Jacket bandmates, so he passes the originality test. The material is definitely re-listenable and James treads some truly original music ground, particularly during the album’s opening tracks. If your ears are out looking, they can pick up on some Feist, maybe David Byrne, The xx, and a touch of the strange stew that were the Monsters of Folk. Ultimately, though, the last thing we could call this album is derivative. It flies and it falls, and it does both on its own merit. If you’re a fan of anything MMJ has made, you’ll find something to like in this album – but don’t go to it looking for a stripped down version of Z. This album is for anyone with an interest in the border-territory between new studio sounds and the traditional verse-chorus-verse structure. In that way, we could compare James to Brian Wilson in his later era, but without the nerve-straining creative intensity that came from Wilson’s decade-long drug binge. RoLaSoG comes from a much healthier place, and that wholesomeness comes through. This album will leave you a little happier and maybe revive your faith in the traditional songwriting model to boot.

The Dropkick Murphys are back for another session – now at their loudest and proudest – with their latest, Signed and Sealed in Blood. Bring the lunch pail, grab a beer and bust out the haymaker’s jig; the 12-song opus is a culmination of virtue, empowerment and independence for the common man. SaSiB is the most dominant and anthemic blend of ‘Oi!’, packed with memorable lyrics and moving statements, spat from the lips of Ken Casey. The Dropkick Murphys platform stands high in the eyes of traditional punk enthusiasts as well as those keen to get rowdy. Songs such as Jimmy Collins’ Wake and The Battle Rages On show in spades the band’s pride for their Irish roots and imprints why they are still known as Celtic rockers, with a captivating blend of fiddle, drums, accordion and banjo at their helm. The album highlights the difference between its provocative punk rock ways and its predilection for Irish folklore with renowned rally cries and chants. The most important feat for the album: not overindulging. The band continues to aptly pinpoint and occupy the space between pride and cause. All songs, especially Burn, are a clear invitation to motivation, establishing the balance between their punk rock roots and their affinity for Celtic folk music. The Dropkick Murphys are the edifying catalyst for all things Celtic, blue collar and raucous, spreading their message of alliance, amity and anti-establishment.

james fahy

carrie gibson

crash the curb coin operated death ep [independent] To see Crash the Curb play is to be screamed at by voices and instruments alike for 20 minutes straight – and love every second of it. Crash the Curb has an incredible energy and one hoped this enthusiasm would translate to a recorded EP. Crash the Curb, as per usual, did not disappoint. Grace Smith and Adam Bridges have an infectious attitude and chemistry that is impossible to ignore. It shines through on all tracks in this Coin Operated Death EP. The first song is Big Night In, yet the vibe of the song could not be more opposed to a quiet night at home. This song is a shitshow in all the right ways. Clanging guitar, loud vocals and one hell of a backbeat sum it up. Grace’s voice consistently shines through with clear and somehow heartwarming vocals. She may be screaming her face off, but her cherished shrills complete each song. 25 is the consummate disclosure of an unimpressed birthday boy, the crunchy guitar sound perfectly complimenting this angsty confession of hating your age. Life is the perfect track to sum up this Canberra duo. Life getting ya down? Yell at it a little bit. Really loudly, at that, because it’s working perfectly here. And that’s what makes Crash the Curb so great. It’s literally two talented individuals who look totally unassuming and just want to make some fucking noise. And what great noise it is. janna stacey

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

Turning any novel into a film is always going to be a difficult task for a director. What will the author think? (You don’t want to piss that guy/gal off, he/she might write you into their next book as a villain.) What will the fans think? (Let’s be honest, they’ll probably hate it. Dedicated Star Trek fans even had problems with the 2009 reboot, and that film was great.) But turning a novel like Life of Pi into a film? Well, you’ve set yourself an impossible mission. But Ang Lee does the impossible with panache.

quote of the issue

“You should kill her off in the first 30 minutes.” Alma Reville (Helen Mirren), Hitchcock

HITCHCOCK

THIS IS 40

LIFE OF PI

Hitchcock is a love story, set during the making of a horror film. Alfred (we’re on first name basis) was one of the most famous directors of modern cinema, and this film shows the man behind the movie camera – the private life behind the public figure.

This film should actually be called This Is 134 Minutes Long. Just so you know how long you’ll be sitting there trying to feel sympathy for some pretty annoying people. And I’ll tell you now – the plot is neither clever nor interesting enough to be worthy of that many minutes.

It’s 1959 and Hitchcock (portrayed by Anthony Hopkins) is looking for a challenge for his next film – and picks Psycho. It’s an Oedipal tale of murder, intrigue, incest and insanity – and Hitchcock’s own story is just as interesting. The studio is dissatisfied with the concept for Psycho, and Hitchcock’s wife, Alma (Helen Mirren) is dissatisfied with Hitchcock himself, losing patience with her husband’s roving eye and relationships with his leading actresses.

We catch up with Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) post-Knocked Up, and watch them struggle with growing older (because these two are so haggard and all), as well as their relationship problems.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel is an introspective, existential, spiritual novel that is kind of about a boy shipwrecked on a lifeboat, but mostly about God. If you have read the novel, it’s pretty easy to see why it has been called ‘unfilmable’. And yet, Ang Lee has done the near impossible and filmed it. Even more unbelievable, it’s not an incoherent mess – it’s marvelous.

The film is voyeuristic – which seems fitting, as it is about a man who was the master of suspense – but the problem is that Hitchcock isn’t, well, Hitchcock-ean enough. You expect the man and the film alike to be disquieting and neurotic, as well as brilliant and charming. Instead the man is a bit too loveable, and the film is a bit too straight and unsurprising. Hitchcock is held up by its powerhouse performances from Hopkins and Mirren (obviously), and strong support from Tony Collette as Hitchcock’s assistant Peggy, and Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh. It’s a fun and fanciful biography – although not nearly as good as Psycho itself. melissa wellham

A few touching moments aside, Pete and Debbie spend so much time running around acting like highly-strung assholes that frankly it’s hard to sympathise or relate. The convenient ending grates a little, as does Debbie’s continual shrillness. While there are plenty of delightful actors popping up in supporting roles (Albert Brooks and Chris O’Dowd, anyone?), one does wonder if Apatow was hoping to fuel this film on cameos, Megan Fox’s breasts, and cultural references alone. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh. There are laughs to be had, and things do get convincingly hairy between the couple, which I appreciate. Perhaps one should look at the film as an anthropological experiment, on how much our world has changed since Knocked Up (iDevices and television references abound in This Is 40). Overall, worth seeing for fun, but you probably won’t buy it on DVD, you know? megan mckeough

A young man named Pi (Suraj Sharma) is lost at sea, after a storm sinks the ship that he and his family were traveling on. He is trapped on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. That is, in the simplest terms, what the film is about. But it is really about so much more. Life of Pi is a lyrical, beautiful film. The spiritual journey is arresting and ambiguous – an analogy for our place in the universe. The visual journey is equally impressive, and Lee has crafted a dazzling dreamscape from digital effects. It’s frequently impossible and always ravishing. I’m not sure what’s more astonishing: the fact that this is one of those rare films where 3D is used to good effect; or that someone made the decision to make a substantively good 3D film, instead of the usual action claptrap. It is a beautiful and bold film, which is deeply intelligent while also being profoundly emotional. This film is a journey worth going on. MELISSA WELLHAM

the word on dvds

Into The Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life [madman]

strike back - the complete first season [warner home video]

Werner Herzog is one of the most intriguing individuals in modern cinema. A giant of the New Wave of German Cinema, his work is inhabited with stubbornly idealistic but deeply flawed characters, making impossible decisions in adverse circumstances. In Fitzcarraldo, a crackpot dragged a steamship across a Peruvian mountain. To achieve this, Herzog and his crew dragged an actual steamship through the actual Amazon. By all reports the cast and crew went very nearly actually mad. Herzog is also one of the few directors to grasp the potential of 3D (Cave of Forgotten Dreams), was shot in the stomach during a BBC interview and stars as a mob boss in the new Tom Cruise pic, Jack Reacher. A peerless curriculum vitae, all up.

This edition also includes the four-part On Death Row series Herzog made at the same time.

Genocidal maniacs are, fortunately, rare. But not rare enough. One of the most despicable in recent history was Pol Pot, instigator of an aggressive agrarian revolution (Year Zero) in Cambodia during the mid-‘70s. As leader of the Khmer Rouge, he viciously re-ordered Cambodian society and slaughtered millions. The Vietnamese launched multiple campaigns to overthrow the murderous regime but had little international support. In fact, conservative godhead Margaret Thatcher and her government provided military support and training to the Khmer Rouge to fight the Vietnamese. Classy. One of those providing training was UK SAS soldier Chris Ryan. You might recognise the name, as it appends dozens of military themed ‘fiction’ books the world over. Strike Back is his first small screen adaptation and, as you’d expect, there are guns and testosterone. Darting across the globe with a super-secretive black British intelligence team (Section 20) its heart is set on complex world affairs and international terrorism, but its finger rests heavily on the trigger. The marrying of real issues (WMDs, Mumbai-style hotel attacks etc.) to fast-paced action set pieces is a type of brainless fun – 24 but bigger, a bit more British and way more sex. But once the brain does engage, the returns diminish, because that’s when you see things like a soldier catching a bomb to prevent mass carnage. Not literal or figurative but actual; a guy physically sliding across a floor to catch a gigantic ten-foot bomb. All the scene needed was Leslie Nielsen (RIP) mugging at the camera. The military do what politicians tell them to, so even though Ryan’s past shouldn’t be critical, he trained the Khmer Rouge. That’s awful. This sort of brutal, gung-ho, high body count TV is best taken in low doses and, knowing whose mind launched it, I’m still not entirely comfortable.

justin hook

As you’d expect, his doco about the US penal system and capital punishment isn’t simple. Those expecting a polemic will be left wanting. With minimal interference, Herzog allows the main players to tell the story. Unlike another major penal system doco due out soon (Peter Jackon’s West Of Memphis) there is no real agenda here other than to let killers (Michael Perry, Jason Burkett) and the victims’ families speak. Injustice isn’t being lobbied but questions of guilt are loosely challenged. Herzog makes clear his objection to capital punishment, but there’s no hectoring and nor does he side with the prisoners. As such, Into The Abyss copped its share of criticism on the grounds it didn’t demonise Perry sufficiently or confront his version of events. Surely that was Herzog’s idea; truth is fluid but life is immensely fragile and can be taken away in a flash with barely a thought. In this case, the teenage killers wanted a red sports car. Utter banality.

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret [Roadshow] David Cross (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked) was one half – along with Bob Odenkirk aka Saul Goodman – of possibly the greatest American sketch shows of all time: Mr Show with Bob and Dave. He was the clueless Tobias Funke in Arrested Development and has recently joined Modern Family as a regular. His live shows are incendiary, blasphemous and usually hilarious. A significant player in the US stand-up scene, he has a nervous about-to-blow vibe. In Todd Margaret he tones down all the profanity and edginess to play the archetypal office schlub in a typically British TV show, which makes sense because it aired in the UK and was made as a UK/ US co-production with heavy emphasis on the former. In the beginning, Todd Margaret gets mistaken for a forthright, aggressive salesman after loudly vocalising a self-help mantra. The visiting CEO of the company (Will Arnett) sends him to the UK to sell energy drinks (Thunder Muscle) over the objections of the local manager (Spike Jonze). That opening gambit and the actors involved are classic misdirection because once in the UK, Margaret settles into a dreary, solipsistic life, all the while struggling to fit into the British way of doing things. It holds a very low-key charm. Over six episodes, Margaret’s life begins to unravel as he lies to all and sundry, digging himself deeper into deceit, and ineptly pursues Alice (Sharon Horgan) the café owner. Cross knows how to play the buffoon, but as Todd Margaret he is mild and often listless. Accordingly, this first series meanders and ambles, delivering a few decent set-ups but little in the way of ecstatic pay-offs. Funny, but not Tobias Funke-funny. justin hook

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

Previewing 2013 Software Having originally planned to cover both the software and hardware releases of 2013 in the last issue, it quickly became apparent there was too much to fit it into one column. So this issue we focus on some of the software hitting our shelves this year. As expected, many of the AAA titles are back. Among the ranks is Battlefield 4, Crysis 3, Metal Gear Rising and Metal Gear Ground Zeros (ooh, double dip!), God of War Ascension, Gears of War Judgement, StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, Splinter Cell Blacklist and some others I probably forgot. Rockstar also return with their most sophisticated offering yet, which in some regards puts me off. I found GTA IV very disappointing, with the realism coming at the cost of the goofy gameplay. Here’s hoping GTA V doesn’t fall further into that trap. Many people are also getting excited about the new Tomb Raider, which looks to reinvigorate the series by ripping off Uncharted wholesale. I’m still yet to be convinced by this one, as I can’t imagine I’ll be doing much in addition to what I already did five years ago. The same may be true of Naughty Dog’s new offering, The Last of Us, but we’ll see. BioShock also returns, straying well away from its watery past. The new title, Infinity, is set amongst the clouds in an Uncle Sam-style floating city. With it comes a whole new set of gameplay mechanics that should reinvigorate the series. Another title straying from its roots is Dead Space 3. It’s still set on a big scary spaceship, but this time you’ll be doing it all with a buddy. It will be interesting to see whether they can still keep up the tension when you’re able to hold your mate’s hand. Either way, I do love a good co-op game. The horror genre has several other notable entries including Amnesia: A Machine for Pig, follow up to one of the scariest titles, Outlast, featuring infrared camera moments, and Slender: The Arrival, with its strong psychological angle. Point-and-click adventure game fans should be excited to know that Tim Schafer, of Grim Fandango, returns with the Kickstarter-backed Double Fine Adventure game (a working title, with any luck). Some other quirky originals include the likes of South Park: The Stick of Truth, which sees both Trey Parker and Matt Stone pro-actively involved in the development. The creator of Minecraft also returns with 0x10c, aboard a spaceship with a reprogrammable computer (‘I can’t let you do that, Dave’). DayZ also gets its official release, having originally been slated for last year. Encouragingly, the setback has been because they’ve decided to overhaul it more than originally planned. Another title to keep an eye on is Watch Dogs, which boasts some of the most hardhitting action I’ve seen in a while. All in all, there’s some great stuff to look forward to this year, so start saving up. torben sko

Maybe it’s the ‘80s fashion, maybe it’s that Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are at the helm, or maybe it’s just that nothing could be worse than Sex and the City 2, but The Carrie Diaries (FOX8, Tue, 8:30pm) has made the don’t miss list. The prequel to the ‘90s’ most risqué drama focuses on Carrie Bradshaw’s late teenage years. And yes, the fifth character of the original series and Schwartz’s previous work – NYC – still features heavily. With a heavy dose of nostalgia for the time and original series, it could have gone horribly wrong, but the quality of the writing is keeping it nicely balanced so far. Ironically, given the infamous game that bears his name, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, the actor is still most often associated with Footloose (and the game). That may change with his first TV role as FBI agent Ryan Hardy in The Following (WIN, TBC), opposite James Purefoy as a serial killer with an Edgar Allan Poe obsession. The show opened well in the States and while the premise isn’t original, the performances should give it a lengthy shelf life. Don’t forget Elementary (SCTEN, Sun Feb 3, 8:30pm), the Johnny Lee Miller/Lucy Lui reimagining of Holmes and Watson which takes the Homeland timeslot. Incidentally if you need a Homeland fix, try the original, Prisoners of War (SBS1, Sat, 8:30pm). There’s also Mindy Kailing’s comedy The Mindy Project (Prime, Mon, 9pm), and more returning shows including Food Safari (SBS1, Thu Feb 14, 7:30pm), The Big Bang Theory (WIN, Mon Feb 4 & Tue Feb 5, 8pm), Two and a Half Men (WIN, Mon Feb 4, 9pm), Person of Interest (WIN, Mon Feb 4, 9:30pm), Two Broke Girls (WIN, Tue Feb 5, 9pm), Anger Management (WIN, Tue Feb 5, 10pm), Up All Night (Prime, Thu Jan 31, 11:30pm), Mike and Molly (Go, Sun Feb 6, 8:30pm) and Good Game (ABC2, Tue Feb 12, 8:30pm). The Chaser’s Craig Reucassel has found another use for his talents with the two part Shock Horror Auntie (ABC1, Wed Jan 30, 8:30pm), looking at the comedy that’s outraged viewers or management. Compadre Chas Licciardello will be back with more Planet America (ABC24, Fri Feb 1, 7:30pm). More Game of Thrones news as we edge closer to the US season premiere on Sunday March 31 – the new characters include Clive Russell as Bryndon ‘The Blackfish’ Tully, Thomas BrodieSangster as Jojen Reed, and Diane Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell, ‘The Queen of Thorns’. Season 3 is based on A Storm of Swords, heralded as one of the best George R. R. Martin books. Docos to check out this fortnight include Wildest Latin America (SBS1, Wed Feb 6, 7:30pm), Luke Nguyen’s Memories of Vietnam (SBS1, The Feb 7, 8:30pm), Monty Hall’s Great Irish Escape (SBS1, Fri Feb 8, 7:30pm), Louis Theroux’s Wild Weekends:UFOs (ABC2, Mon Feb 11, 8:35pm), and Andy Warhol (ABC1, Sun Feb 3, 10:05pm). Blackbox has just returned from a couple of weeks in mainland China and in keeping with this column’s occasional international reviews, Chinese TV can be summed up pretty easily – lots of locally produced news and soap operas – both enthralling in their own way. Oh, and the Disneyland Hotel in Hong King doesn’t show Disney movies (but you can have breakfast with Pluto). Best summer find: Wedding Band– it could have gone either way but has turned out a high enough laugh quota to keep Chez Blackbox returning. Unfortunately it’s been axed in the US so last week’s season finale was it. TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

the word

on gigs

A Place to Bury Strangers, Pearls Transit Bar Monday January 21 It’s curious just how short the run-up to tonight’s show seemed to be. If it hadn’t been for Last.fm sending me an alert (yes, promoters – people are using that app) and my seeing a few characteristically classy Heathen Skulls posters up around Civic, I wouldn’t have had any idea that A Place To Bury Strangers were about to descend on the intimate surrounds of Transit Bar. As I walk into Transit after a gorgeous wander across a near-deserted Civic (think The Omega Man), it seems like a lot of Canberra’s gig-going community has been in the same boat, with a surprisingly small audience of just 30-40 people in attendance. It’s a factor that more likely stems from January’s curious status as a bit of a ‘shadow’ month in Canberra’s live music calendar – given the Uni holidays and the summer months, many people are simply... away. Then there’s the unmistakeable presence of a guy from the hotel upstairs nervously taking decibel readings, an ominous sign when you’re about to see ‘the loudest band in New York’. Thankfully tonight though, the volume police don’t prevail. Melbourne three-piece Pearls occupy the support slot tonight and open proceedings with a set of pared-back and occasionally gothy drone-rock that, at points, doesn’t sit too far aesthetically from the headlining act. When it successfully locks in, the blend of gritty, Lynchian guitar strokes, ominous organ drones and doomy female backing vocals offer some interesting atmospheres that call to mind Naked On The Vague. Unfortunately though, recurring technical problems and a malfunctioning keyboard prevent Pearls from ever really generating much momentum during their set. In sharp contrast, A Place To Bury Strangers are pretty much pure unstoppable momentum almost from the very moment that they step onto Transit’s petite stage. Given the fact that the trio of Oliver Ackerman (guitar/vocals), Dion Lunadon (bass) and relatively new drummer Robi Gonzalez have been on tour steadily behind third album Worship since last October, you’d expect them to be pretty tight. There’s little in the way of stage banter or real audience interaction, but in truth that suits the continuous flow of precise, almost mechanistic rhythms and washes of tightly controlled guitar distortion that ensue during their roughly hour-long set (no encore) just perfectly. For the most part, the setlist draws heavily upon tracks from Worship and the newer Onwards To The Wall EP, with scarcely a pause for breath between songs.

PHOTOS BY STELLA-RAE ZELNICK

While I’d previously heard mixed stories about APTBS’ live sound, tonight’s sound mix nicely straddles the twin poles of being punishing but still intricately detailed, the waves of deftly controlled distortion tickling as much as they assault. For an act frequently associated with the edges of the metal genre, with the possible exception of tattooed and long-haired drummer Gonzalez, they don’t exactly look the part. Indeed, tonight’s show bears more of the hallmarks of shoegaze, albeit given a particularly turbocharged workover, with Ackerman seemingly wandering off into Zen levels of concentration as he constantly manipulates his whammy bar and waves of crunching, delay-treated guitar noise soak the venue. Then there’s the impressive projected visuals, which cover the walls and ceiling and take in everything from refracted LED displays to showers of sparks and manipulated Super8 footage, providing the perfect bliss-out accompaniment to the band’s Jesus & Mary Chain meets industrial freight train roar. A searing extended feedback solo from Ackerman follows and then it’s all over, bar the ringing ears. If you didn’t make it out to Transit tonight, shame on you – you missed something truly thundering. CHRIS DOWNTON

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Jan 30 - Sat Feb 2 Wednesday january 30 Arts Exhibition – Plucked

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm. GALLERY@BCS

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Comedy Lacking Responsibility

Stand-up comedy night w/ Tim Noon, Shahed Sharify, Harris Stuckey and Simon Bower. 7pm. $5. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Film

Exhibition – Nearly Birds

Recent films that slipped by Canberra. 2pm. Bookings at nfsa.gov.au/arc.

Sculptor Victoria Royds, poet Paul Hetherington and photographer Judith Crispin. 10am-5pm. Free.

The Dirty Picture (M) ARC CINEMA

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Live Music

Exhibition – Feeder/Mirage/LPL

Faux Real

Art by Raquel Ormella, Patsy Payne and Arryn Snowball. 11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Canberra’s BMX bandit on the other wheels of steel. 9pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Live Music Jemist

Proven to be still the Samson of DJing, despite not having luscious locks anymore. 9pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Australia Day Party. 9pm.

Alliance presents. 9pm.

With Pete Akhurst. 1pm.

Party Gravy

With guests. 9pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

Ruby Boots

Perth’s alt-folk darlings are joined by Julia & The Deep Sea Sirens. 8pm. Presale tix from Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

friday february 1

Oh Yeah!

With Safia, Lavers, Dahnoir, Sammy Soundlike, Luke Jaimes + Chief. 3-9pm. Free. ZIERHOLZ @ UC

Special K 5-8pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Crisis Alert (Adelaide)

With Eye Gouge, Black Coffee, Machina Genova. All ages. 8pm. Free/by donation. COMMONWEALTH PARK

Sondrio 9pm.

HIPPO BAR

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Feeder/Mirage/LPL

Art by Raquel Ormella, Patsy Payne and Arryn Snowball. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition – Feeder/Mirage/LPL

Art by Raquel Ormella, Patsy Payne and Arryn Snowball. 11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat). CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Dance Kick Up Your Heels: 1900s Shearer’s Ball

First KUYH tracking a century of dance. See socandance.org.au. 7:3011:30pm. $10-$30. YARRALUMLA WOOLSHED

Flash Gordon (PG)

THE CLUBHOUSE

Exhibition – Plucked

Sculptor Victoria Royds, poet Paul Hetherington and photographer Judith Crispin. 10am-5pm. Free.

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

THE CLUBHOUSE

10pm.

Heuristic

Exhibition – Nearly Birds

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

Film

TJS Presents. 10pm.

Art

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Cooh

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm.

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

Sculptor Victoria Royds, poet Paul Hetherington and photographer Judith Crispin. 10am-5pm. Free.

We Dont Give a F**k

Exhibition – Plucked

GALLERY@BCS

Exhibition – Nearly Birds

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

UC CONCOURSE

Art

Art by Raquel Ormella, Patsy Payne and Arryn Snowball. 11am-5pm (10am-4pm Sat).

R3Hab (Holland)

Joel Barker

thursday january 31

Exhibition – Feeder/Mirage/LPL

4Some Thursdays

Live Music

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Tunes on the Green

West Australian-based singersongwriter. With Amber Nichols and Melody. 7:30pm. $10.

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

Exhibition – Lethal

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

GALLERY@BCS

Exhibition – Nearly Birds

Sculptor Victoria Royds, poet Paul Hetherington and photographer Judith Crispin. 10am-5pm. Free. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

10pm-2am.

Little Wise

Melbournian musical brainchild of Sophie Klein. With Sidney Creswick, Jude Kohn. 8pm. $10 door. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

saturday february 2

Arc Outdoors. Doors at 7pm for a sunset start. Bookings required: nfsa. gov.au or (02) 6248 2000. ARC CINEMA

Live Music Mario Gordon

An exotic blend of spice. 9pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Tognetti’s Mozart

Richard Tognetti stars in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.3 on his Guarneri del Gesù violin. 8pm. LLEWELLYN HALL

Love Saturdays

With Jack Bailey (Syd). 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Tunnidge

Feel The Noize Presents. 10pm. THE CLUBHOUSE

Revellers

With Ivan Drago, Mass Hysteria and more. 8pm. $10 door. THE BASEMENT

Something Fresh Feat. Komes (Bomb Squad) 10pm.

Art

KRAVE NIGHTCLUB

Exhibition – Lethal

Likened to The Waifs, Angus & Julia Stone, James Taylor and Katie Noonan. 8pm. $15.

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Nick and Liesl

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Feb 2 - Fri Feb 8 saturday february 2 (cont.) La Bastard

With Space Party, The King Hits. 9:30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

Cha Cha Char

Irish Jam Session

Free traditional Irish music in the pub from late afternoon on into the night. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Sunday Best @ A Bite to Eat

Guy Lilleyman: 12-string acoustic meets effects pedal. Tapas + happy hour from 5-7pm. Free.

9pm.

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Special K

Live music in the beer garden while the weather shines. 4pm. Free.

HIPPO BAR

10:30pm-2:30am.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Funkin’ Gonutz

Buick and crew head up some funk/ hip hop and party jams for the night. 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

sunday february 3 Art Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Sunday Cider Sessions KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

The Ellis Collective Summer Residency

All Sundays in February, the Collective will play songs new + old, w/ The Understudy. 4:30pm. $10.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Live Music Mitch Cañas (live)/System Segue (DJ set) 3pm/6pm.

THE DUXTON

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

Circus show with live music and drawing. 6pm & 8pm. See newacton. com.au/drawnin for info/tix. NEWACTON COURTYARD

monday february 4 Art Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Plucked

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm. GALLERY@BCS

Tunes on the Green

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Live Music

Candice McLeod

The Bootleg Sessions

CMC presents Jason Recliner, Moochers, Beth n Ben, Drew Walky. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

UC CONCOURSE

With Lavers. 7:30pm. $10.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

thursday february 7

Biscuits

Art

TRANSIT BAR

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free.

Post-weekend sounds from Ryz, Peekz, Kimosabi and more! Free pool. 9pm. Free.

tuesday february 5

Something Different Drawn In

Live Music With Ellie Thurston, Jack Biilman, Canary Roe + The Second Hand Salmon. 10am-2pm.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR 10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

Art Exhibition Opening – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. 6pm. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Plucked

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm. GALLERY@BCS

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR 10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Karaoke Karaoke Love

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

Exhibition – Lethal

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Plucked

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm. GALLERY@BCS

Exhibition Opening – Women with Clever Hands

Establishes the characteristics of the Gapuwiyak style as a group. 6pm. Free. CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition – The Angel of History

Ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor Clare Martin. 12-5pm. ANCA GALLERY

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR 10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Live Music Ashley Feraude

Simply magnifique. 9pm.

Live Music

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Irish Jam Session

9pm.

Free traditional Irish music in the pub from late afternoon on into the night. Free.

4Some Thursdays ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Klute

TJS Presents. 10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

THE CLUBHOUSE

Trivia

With Pete Akhurst. 8pm. $15.

Andrew & Shannon’s Pub Trivia 7:30pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Wednesday february 6 Art Exhibition Opening – The Angel of History Ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor Clare Martin. 6pm.

Paul Greene

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Dos Locos 9pm-12am.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Brothers Grim

Return to Canberra as part of the Juke Joint Tour. 8pm. Presale tix from Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

The In The Out

With The Dead Heads, Box Of Fuck, Nervous. 9pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

ANCA GALLERY

friday february 8

Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free.

Art

Exhibition – Plucked

Exhibition – Women with Clever Hands

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm. GALLERY@BCS

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR 10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Establishes the characteristics of the Gapuwiyak style as a group. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition Opening – Karst County

Landscapes featuring weathering limestone, known as karst. 6pm. All welcome. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri Feb 8 - Wed Feb 13 Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Karst County

Landscapes featuring weathering limestone, known as karst. 10am-5pm. Free. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Plucked

A group exhibition by 2012 graduates of ANU School of Art, Photography & Media Arts. 9am-4:30pm.

Film 8 1/2 (M)

Arc Outdoors. Doors at 7pm for a sunset start. Bookings required: nfsa. gov.au or (02) 6248 2000. ARC CINEMA

Live Music Princi

No longer the one armed bandit – he’s ready to streak. That guy. 9pm.

GALLERY@BCS

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Exhibition – The Angel of History

With Ashley Feraude. 9pm.

Ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor Clare Martin. 12-5pm.

Sunday Cider Sessions

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

Exhibition – Lethal

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

THE CLUBHOUSE

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Live Music

With special guests Pocket Fox. 9:30pm. Free.

Get Stellar

Nice to touch. 9pm.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Raw FM Live

With Chris Fraser. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Diistortiion (Melb) 10pm.

THE CLUBHOUSE

I am Apollo

With guest. 7pm. $10 door.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Hippo Live: Oscar Jimenez (Watussi)

Claire + Warchief THE PHOENIX BAR

Chris O’Connor

With Damian Coen. 8pm. $12. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Mario Gordon 9pm.

HIPPO BAR

Killing the Sound 10:30pm-2:30am.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Nite Society

Bands + DJs. 8pm. $5 before 11pm, $10 after. TRANSIT BAR

The Watussi frontman does his solo thang. 9pm.

sunday february 10

HIPPO BAR

Joel Harrison/Oscar 5-8pm/10pm-2am.

Art

Glasshouse Presents...

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

...with Architect DJs, Glasshouse DJs, and more! 8pm. Free entry. TRANSIT BAR

saturday february 9 Art Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR 10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition – Women with Clever Hands

Establishes the characteristics of the Gapuwiyak style as a group. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2. NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – The Angel of History

Ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor Clare Martin. 12-5pm. ANCA GALLERY

Live Music

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Chad Croker (live)/Luc Baker (DJ set)

Exhibition – Karst County

THE DUXTON

Landscapes featuring weathering limestone, known as karst. 10am-5pm. Free. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – The Angel of History

Ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor Clare Martin. 12-5pm. ANCA GALLERY

3pm/6pm.

Irish Jam Session

Free traditional Irish music in the pub from late afternoon on into the night. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Sunday Best @ A Bite to Eat

Andreas Boehlen: First international act! Jazz from the continent. Tapas + happy hr. 5-7pm. $10.

Trivia Jaimee’s All Rolled into one Trivia 7:30pm. Free.

Live Music

THE PHOENIX BAR

Thee Oh Sees (USA)

Wednesday february 13

California’s garage rockers supported by Assassins 88. 8pm. Presale tix from Moshtix.

Art

TRANSIT BAR

The Bootleg Sessions

2XX LnL presents Lung, Rachel Haircut, Anachel, Billy Erupto. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

Something Different Mondayitis Cabaret

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition – Women with Clever Hands Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free. ILIOS GALLERY

tuesday february 12

Exhibition – Karst County

Art Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

Landscapes featuring weathering limestone, known as karst. 10am-5pm. Free. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – The Angel of History

Ambitious survey exhibition by Canberra-based sculptor Clare Martin. 12-5pm.

Exhibition – Women with Clever Hands

ANCA GALLERY

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Landscapes featuring weathering limestone, known as karst. 10am-5pm. Free.

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6$25. See nga.gov.au for more.

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

THE ABBEY

Exhibition – Karst County

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

6:30pm doors. Show only $10. See theabbey.com.au for more.

Establishes the characteristics of the Gapuwiyak style as a group. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

Landscapes featuring weathering limestone, known as karst. 10am-5pm. Free.

Talks from Peter Garrett, Les Murray, Robyn Archer and more. 9am-3pm. Tix $25-$55 thru Event Brite.

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Exhibition – Karst County

National Arts Summit 2013

LLEWELLYN HALL

Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free.

Talks

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Exhibition – Lethal

Lethal paints icons from the stage and screen. Open daily. Free.

Free traditional Irish music in the pub from late afternoon on into the night. Free.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

10pm.

Irish Jam Session

monday february 11 Art

HELLENIC CLUB (CIVIC)

Live Music

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Something Fresh Feat. Kid Kenobi

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

TRANSIT BAR

All Sundays in February, the Collective will play songs new + old, w/ The Understudy. 4:30pm. Free.

10am-5pm (7pm Fri/Sat). Tickets $6-$25. See nga.gov.au for more. Exhibition closes Tue Apr 2.

Exhibition – Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the MR

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

The Ellis Collective Summer Residency

DJs Salem, Stealth.Elf and datacipher playing goth/industrial/dark electronic. 9pm. $10 door.

ANCA GALLERY

Karaoke Love

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Love Saturdays Chrome

Karaoke

Live music in the beer garden while the weather shines. 4pm. Free.

Live Music Doc White

Doc White: vocals, banjitar, mandolin, guitar, ukulele, percussion. 8pm. $10 door. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

OUT

FEB13

gotye bell shakespeare’s henry 4 tallest man on earth ...and more!

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

FIRST CONTACT SIDE A: BMA band profile

Aaron Peacey 0410381306

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703

Adam Hole 0421023226

Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480

Afternoon Shift 0402055314 Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288 Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313 Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343 Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433

ThrownUp Where did your band name come from? It’s an amalgamation of being forced to grow up and also because spew is HILARIOUS. Group members? Dick Cheney – Vocals, Deff Row Geoffro – Guitar, Creepy Dave – Bass, Half Job Johnson – Drums.

Bat Country Communion, The Mel 0400405537

Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792 Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae Rafa 0406647296 Andy 0401572150 Missing Zero Hadrian 0424721907 Hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots Huck 0419630721 aspwinch@grapevine.com.au

Describe your sound: One-minute thrash pub punk rock songs with philosophical interludes thrown in to make the gigs last longer than ten minutes.

Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Natural hallucinogens, beers and AGBs (after grog bogs), and the ever-vital quest to conquer postmodern fringe punk.

Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? once lasted more than a few minutes! Oh, you mean the band...We played a dero house party in Wagga where these Thai punks came and crowd surfed and walked upside down on the ceiling whilst moshing. Pretty rad.

Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005

MuShu Jack 0414292567 mushu_band@hotmail.com Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027

Of what are you proudest so far? The fact we can still be bothered to make music since we live in Sydney, Canberra and bloody Wollongong. Pain in the arse.

Capital Dub Style Reggae/dub events Rafa 0406647296 Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662

What are your plans for the future? Try and make money from predicting the future. What makes you laugh? The fact Ivan’s Fashions are still in business. What pisses you off? That Ivan’s Fashions actually has customers who will sustain his business. What about the local scene would you change? More venues, I guess. Less old people complaining about noise. I’d like to see pint prices lowered substantially. What are your upcoming gigs? Still finalising more Wollongong, Sydney and Canberra dates for the coming months. Contact info: Find us on Facefuck or Soundcloud under ThrownUp – tonedef37@ gmail.com.

Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com

Jenn Pacor Singer-songwriter avail. for originals/covers 0405618630

Danny V Danny 0413502428

Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843 Mornings Jordan 0439907853

Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974 Rafe Morris 0416322763 Redletter Ben 0421414472

Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428

Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527

Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com

Rug, The Jol 0417273041

Drumassault Kate 0414236323

Simone & The Soothsayers Singing teacher Simone 62304828

FeralBlu Danny 0413502428 Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402055314 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388 Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020 Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885 Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158

Sewer Sideshow Huck 0419630721

Sorgonian Twins, The Mark 0428650549 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401588884 STonKA Jamie 0422764482 stonka2615@gmail.com Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075 Super Best Friends Matt 0438228748

Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com

System Addict Jamie 0418398556

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Undersided, The Baz 0408468041

Top Shelf Colin 0408631514