BMA Magazine 413 March 12 2013 by BMA Magazine

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Justin Bieber is Album of the Issue. #413MARCH13 Fax: (02) 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko

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Editor Ashley Thomson

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Sub-Editor & Social Media Manager Greta Kite-Gilmour Graphic Design Marley Film Editor Melissa Wellham NEXT ISSUE 414 OUT MARCH 27 EDITORIAL DEADLINE MARCH 18 ADVERTISING DEADLINE MARCH 21 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.

I don’t know if everyone’s parents dragged them out of bed before dawn to take them to the Canberra Balloon Spectacular. I don’t know if those same parents refused, year after year, to pay to ride in one of the balloons. I don’t know if those kids, in later life, reflected on how a large birthday cake balloon was meant to surprise and excite them. What I do know is that if there had been a balloon in the shape of Darth Vader’s helmet I might have given a shit. Well, now there is. And you can see it on the lawns of Old Parliament House until Sunday March 17 from 6am to 10am every morning. For more info visit events.act.gov.au/balloons.

Student Protest Accomplishes Something The student group supporting ANU’s decision to sell its shares in Metgasco, a coal seam gas miner, have launched a new campaign calling on ANU to go completely fossil free. Tom Swann, spokesperson for group Fossil Free ANU, stated recently, ‘Fossil investment faces serious risks – from community opposition to their environmental damage and from clean energy, which is becoming cheaper far faster than many expected. The maths is devastatingly clear: most of the world’s carbon is unburnable if we are to have any chance at a stable future.’ The students join a global college divestments movement now spread across more than 250 campuses in the US, with a number of early victories. Show your support (or tell idiot hippies to shut up if that’s your inclination) via @FossilFreeANU or on facebook.com/fossilfreeANU.

order to show support for the notion that the turnover of clothes in the Western world is grossly high. There are some good stats to support the latter idea: Salvos Stores recycle over 55,000 tonnes of goods and re-sell 6.39 million items of clothing every year; and it takes 2,700 litres to produce just one cotton t-shirt. So dig out your old band shirts – the ones they make imitations of today and sell to yuppie fucks for $60+ – and throw it on. That or visit a Salvos. For more info, visit salvosstores.com.au.

Charity Does Something Not Painful, Surprises: Vintage Tee Day

Belconnen Arts Centre, on the shores of Lake Ginninderra, is now accepting applications for their gallery, outdoor gallery, foyer and arts lounge. The spaces are available for exhibitions in 2014. Their press release says ‘exhibitions of a high quality standard’; ‘a balance of artistic expression’; ‘creating a space which welcomes and inspires’. BMA has already bagged up a crap and mailed it. If you want to embarrass yourself by putting forward actual art, visit belconnen artscentre.com.au/about/ index.html, or email info@ belconnenartscentre.com.au.

BMA is snowed under with endless indistinguishable news items from charities. Every one of them can be summarised thusly: ‘We are a charity. We have been a charity for a while. We are continuing to be a charity. Send money.’ But the Salvation Army has come up with Vintage Tee Day, an event taking place nationally on Friday March 22. It asks only two things of people: Visit a Salvos store to buy a vintage tee, or wear a vintage tee in

Belconnen Arts Centre has Gallery Space

If there are people who live inside this head, they should fight the people who live inside the Statue of Liberty’s head. I would watch that movie.

Darth Vader Balloon Exists

you some portion of $250,000 and you get to work with artists and technicians to see your work created in a site-specific context at one of Australia’s festivals. 15 early career artists will attend an intensive 16-day residential Artist Laboratory in Tasmania, which includes time at the Dark MOFO festival. They will then go through a commissioning process by partner festivals leading to the production and presentation of their work in 2014 and 2015. Applications open Monday March 25, 2013, for two weeks, closing on Monday April 8, 2013, via the SITUATE: Art in Festivals website: situate.org.au.

Art in Festivals Initiative Calling for Artists The SITUATE Art in Festivals initiative, which supports early career artists to develop experimental work within a festival environment, is calling for artists. Basically if you apply successfully they give

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FROM THE BOSSMAN ‘Ladies and gentlemen welcome back to the Canberra Superdome for this titanic 4-Way Ladder match for the PM’s Championship, once again I am your commentator Allan Sko calling all the action in this epic encounter between defending champ Julia Gillard, main challenger Tony Abbott, underdog Malcolm Turnbull and Joker in the pack Kevin Rudd. ‘The bell rings and oh my look at this! Before anyone has had time to lock horns K-Rudd is scurrying up the ladder like a rat up a drainpipe... And he’s at the top! Grabbing desperately at the belt this could be the shortest match in record… BUT OH MY! HE’S SLIPPED! Without anyone touching him he’s plummeted to the mat and K-Rudd, after ascending the heavens has come crashing down, clutching his knee like Peter Griffin from Family Guy. ‘Now Turnbull slides to the outside of the ring and he’s looking under the apron, I don’t know what he’s trying to find... And he’s brought out two poles! God knows what damage he intends to inflict but what’s this! ? Turnbull has handed one pole to Gillard and another to Abbott and has slid back out of the ring. And without hesitation Gillard and Abbott start laying into each other! Oh, this is brutal! Both sides are taking an absolute battering with these poles. But it looks like Abbott has taken the upper hand and is beating Gillard to the ground and oh my! Shades of Daniel Bryan here as Tony Abbott casts aside the pole and applies his patented ‘No Lock’ on Gillard and she’s had enough, she’s been worn down and is furiously tapping the mat. ‘With Rudd still nursing his knee and Gillard out cold, the calculating Malcolm Turnbull slides back into the ring and sizes off with Abbott. We thought it might come down to this... But wait, what’s this? I can’t believe it! Turnbull is gesturing Abbott up the ladder! And now he’s sticking his hand out to shake. Shades of Bob Backlund here. Abbott is understandably weary. But it looks like he’s going to shake his hand and... OH MY! A LOW BLOW FROM K-RUDD! He was playing possum the whole time and Abbott has caught one square in the cruits. K-Rudd connects with his signature Ute-Gate Elbow and as Turnbull tumbles out of the ring we’re left wondering what his true intentions towards Abbott were. And with everyone down it’s all K-Rudd’s to win! And there’s that trademark smug-git grin, he knows he’s got this as he starts a slow and deliberate climb to the top, loving every moment and...

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.] To the parents of a very expensive private school in Belconnen; surely if you’re paying $1000s of dollars a year for the development of your arrogant little shits then perhaps you could afford to get them some extra tutoring on where and how to cross a fucking road! Why? Because your best and brightest are clueless, arse-chewing lemmings out there. They step out without looking, run not walk, go when the little red man says stay and negotiate the four lanes of road like a pack of big dumb meaty tumbleweeds. And hey mum and dad what fucking awesome role models you make, with your brilliant technique of ‘just stopping’ - just stopping your BMWs wherever your self-entitled arse like, then jettisoning your little geniuses out the passenger door from the furthest right-hand lane into peak-hour traffic while you drive off oblivious to the screeches, swerving and gobsmacking dangerous chaos you and your pampered brats cause every fucking morning. I may be mistaking this for some quasi-Spartan ritual designed to harden the little scum up for ‘just stopping’ to retrieve their real estate signs from the roadside later in life ... but if not maybe you could ask your overly-stuffed P&C to pay for a drop-off bay and some traffic education and to organise a uniform that isn’t road colour. Clearly ‘outstanding achievement’ has nothing to do with common sense at that school which is only half the reason you morons piss me off.

‘...Oh my! The Faceless Men storm the ring and hit K-Rudd in the back with a chair shot. And they’re giving him the kicking of his life. And Gillard’s come to! She’s yelling at the Faceless Men to get out of the ring, that she can do this herself. And now Abbott’s up and limping to the ladder! Battered, bruised, bloodied, Abbott and Gillard slowly ascend either side of the ladder, rung by rung… And they’re at the top, they both have a hand on the belt… Will Abbott finally be able to muscle the championship out from Gillard! She has a tenuous grip but she’s a feisty champion and she’s refusing to let go. But it looks like it’s slipping… It’s slipping aaaaaaaand… OH MY GOD! What’s this? Here comes Greens Leader Christine Milne charging down, she’s in the ring and she’s got the side of the ladder, she’s rocking it and… It’s tipped over! And Abbott and Gillard land with full force either side of the ring ropes and that’s gotta hurt. And by the look of it, it’s hurt Abbott a helluva lot more than Gillard, with the speedos offering not much protection, nor indeed coverage. AND THE REFEREE’S CALLED FOR THE BELL! We have a hung parliament! We have a hung parliament! And this capacity crowd is going nuts; ripping up the chairs and hurling them into the ring. This is getting ugly folks. I’m out of here. This has been Allan Sko. Tune in next time for the Royal Rumble to determine the next Speaker of the House. Goodnight Australia.’ ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

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WHO: Munro Melano WHAT: EP Tour WHEN: Fri Mar 15 WHERE: The Polish white eagle Club

Munro Melano is a Melbourne-based pianist, singer-songwriter, session musician and film score composer. A man obsessed with old love, but at a restless pace – he is a storyteller. Over the past year he has written tunes for the Music Oz 2012 Country Album of the Year, performed at Apollo Bay Music Festival and been awarded an Arts Victoria emerging artists grant for the release of his debut solo EP, Running Round. The EP benefits from the easy collaboration between Melano and Woolf, delivering tunes that are intimate, soulful and a little bit playful. He will be touring this EP accompanied by Mechanical Pterodactyl. 8pm. $15/$10/$8 door. munromelano.com.

WHO: Dialectrix WHAT: EP Launch Tour WHEN: Sat Mar 16 WHERE: Transit Bar

After spending the last year accustoming himself to fatherhood and fine tuning his third LP, The Cold Light of Day, with Plutonic Lab, Dialectrix is kickstarting 2013 with a limited edition release involving some of the world’s best EDM talent. The result is Satellite, a fivetrack EP being released to vinyl only, with each track showcasing an international producer while Dialectrix exhibits the hunger and versatility for which he’s known. Satellite visits soundscapes as varied as any Dialectrix fan could expect, from barrages of braggadocio to smooth soulful beats. Transit is about to be hit by one out-of-this world sonic explosion. 8pm. $15 through Moshtix.

WHO: Cell Block 69 WHAT: Canberra Rock WHEN: Sat Mar 16 WHERE: The Spiegeltent, Senate Rose Garden

Cell Block 69 are back and ready to rock Canberra. Cell Block 69 will lend their outrageous performance skills to Skyfire 2013, playing a set just after the fireworks that is likely to rival the display in both colour and entertainment value. Fans will no doubt recall Cell Block 69 going recluse on Monday December 24 last year and may now rejoice at their return. Anyone who has seen a Cell Block 69 show can attest to their unmatchable energy, unforgettable clothing, and excessive number of band members named Corey. Definitely not a show to be missed – even if you tried. $25/$30 from tfs.tickets.red61.com.

WHO: #GRLPWR WHAT: Girl-run Club Night WHEN: Fri Mar 22 WHERE: Transit Bar

Bringing a unique club night to Canberra, #grlpwr is a night run by girls, but not just for ladies. With female DJs (including Eddie Shaggz, Bambii and Dinah Rose) and glitter abounding, girls and guys alike can get crazy, genre hopping through indie, electro, hip hop, bass, ‘90s pop and timeless party jams. In a setting decked out as a secret garden wonderland, your #grlpwr nights will be ones to remember. And don’t worry if you don’t have sparkling body deco at your disposal – the #grlpowr ‘glitterfying station’ will have you covered (literally) with face paint, jewels and face glitter. 8pm. Free. facebook.com/hashtag.grlpwr.

WHO: Ruthie Foster WHAT: Album Tour WHEN: Fri Mar 22 WHERE: The Street Theatre

Gaynor Crawford Presents is delighted to announce that the soulful Grammy-nominated musician Ruthie Foster and her band will be powering onto Australian stages this month. Ruthie’ latest release, Let It Burn, takes the listener on her most personal journey yet. With a sound that makes you feel like she is pouring her heart out late at night, her soulful vocals create a spiritual soundscape to support her testimony. Let It Burn is a recording that smoulders with an intensity born from her vibrant voice and presence. Her live performance of this new collection of work is sure to dazzle all of those who see her. 8pm. $59 + bf through thestreet.org.au.

WHO: Tease and Tearaways WHAT: Punk Bands & Burlesque WHEN: Fri Mar 22 WHERE: The Hellenic Club (Civic)

Canberra’s hottest band and burlesque night is back, and this time they’ll be serving up an evening of non-stop punk rock. Are You Feeling Lucky?...Punk! brings you a relentless line-up of local and interstate bands, starting with Canberra punk rockers Revellers, who’ve been busy destroying the local music scene in the lead-up to the much-anticipated release of their debut EP, Night Time Lunatics. Sydney based four-piece Batfoot! will then unleash their melodic punk, before Topnovil headline what’s set to be one hell of a punk rock riot. And, like always, Canberra’s hottest burlesque trio and the creative force behind Tease and Tearaways, The Velvet Vixens, will be along for the ride. 8pm. $20 door.

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zoya patel If you’ve been in Canberra in March over the past two years, you’ve probably noticed the subtle transformation that takes over our city for a short while. Shopfronts right in the middle of Civic morph from empty windows with ‘For Lease’ signs hanging into works of art, beckoning you into spaces filled with installations, gigs and theatre performances. Entire alleyways become home to themed festivals with stalls and music and food. Petrie Plaza becomes a temporary club with local DJs pumping music into the night. Cafés are filled with spoken word, theatre and the occasional impromptu strip show.

series running through the festival is gRage, which is an ode to the quintessential experience of watching rage at 2am on a Saturday, and that involves an array of artists, musicians and performers screening their favourite video clips and offering a short performance at Smiths Alternative Bookshop each night.

Then there are the big events. The flagship events of the festival include Literally Too Many DJs (the title says it all, really); an overnight slumber party at the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery featuring children’s stories, drone music and art; Christmas Lane – a Christmas-themed market day in Tocumwal Lane that promises This transformation is all thanks to YOU ARE HERE festival, a to be incredibly festive; a zine fair held by the Canberra Zine curated experimental arts and culture festival. Started in 2011, Emporium that will feature zinesters from as far and wide as New the festival was funded by Zealand and interstate; and that’s the Centenary of Canberra to just what the producers managed to showcase the talent of both Bless ‘em! I hope they go home tell me about in a short interview. local and interstate artists, and watch Masterchef and it’s One event in particular that is and to bring vibrant, free great. But we’ll be out there causing some excitement is Hit Him art and performance to utmost to g kin fuc our in the Comic Cuts, an event that’s ng doi Canberra’s public. happening in collaboration with make an experience that is Over the past two years, Festival the National Film & Sound Archive. ed olv inv ne ryo eve joyous for Producers David Finnigan Three artists – Pablo Latona, Luke and Yolande Norris, along with McGrath and Shoeb Ahmad – have a team of curators, have experimented with the festival, building been provided with footage from different silent films from the off the pilot in 2011 to incorporate more events, different spaces NFSA’s collection to develop a performance around. Each artist and even more artists, culminating in the biggest program yet, has 20 minutes and have come up with incredibly varied responses with 111 events scheduled for this year. ‘For comparison, in 2011 we to their footage, from live circus performances to carefully had about 53, in 2012 we had 49. So we’ve more than doubled the constructed pop music to entirely new soundtracks. number of events at the festival,’ David says. Scan the program and you’ll find a heap of other awesome events. However, this scaling up is not due to 2013 being the Centenary. And the best part is they’re all free. It’s thanks to having a larger team of curators from a range of For a Canberra festival, the mix of local and interstate artists is platforms, the experience from the past two years allowing the great. For Yolande, it’s incredibly important to showcase the work team to scale up on their own terms. ‘Last year we wanted to try of locals first and foremost. But there is also a value to having and tighten things, try to clear some of the errors from year one interstate artists join the festival. ‘I think it’s great having people and make things a bit more consistent. This year we’ve gone the come from interstate and it’s really healthy for the festival and opposite route and gone, “Let’s just make a bunch of mistakes healthy for Canberra artists because they develop new networks,’ again; let’s go crazy and take a shitload of risks”,’ David explains. she says. ‘I noticed that in the first festival, when we had these The team expanded from two curators to six, with the addition of interstaters coming to join in on the program, they ended up Vanessa Wright, Nick Delatovic and Sarah Kaur, and the return of connecting with locals and doing other things, which is awesome.’ Adam Hadley for another year. And as for criticisms that the festival isn’t inclusive enough, or Each of these locals have a tonne of experience in their fields, that it’s too ‘hipster’-oriented, David isn’t concerned. ‘This is a free from visual art to theatre to music, which led to a program filled festival happening in the CBD. At no point are we trying to rule out with interesting, cross-artform events. ‘Everything that we’re participation from anyone. We’ve gone out of our way to program doing this year, each of us is hugely passionate about,’ David says. for different age groups and have different artists involved, but I ‘Not to say that we weren’t in previous years but, you know, every still think that at the end of the day, it’s artists doing experimental single one of these events is someone’s baby, and all the artists we work – there’s going to be some suit-and-tie who will walk by and brought on were people that we really wanted to work with.’ turn their nose up at us and that’s all part of it. And bless ‘em! Bless their hearts, and I hope they go home and watch Masterchef One look at the festival program shows there is a tonne of and it’s great. But we’ll be out there doing our fucking utmost to awesome stuff happening. As well as a range of standalone make an experience that is joyous for everyone involved.’ events, there are several event ‘series’ running through the You Are Here takes place throughout Civic and surrounds Thu-Sun festival. The Ice Age series is the theatre stream of the festival, March 14-24. Pick up a program from any decent local retailers and bringing together an array of local and interstate performers visit youareherecanberra.com.au for full festival details. and collectives to put on shows throughout the festival. Another

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LOCALITY

This instalment of Locality will distil the best elements of the 111 events about to rain down on Canberra as part of the third You Are Here multi-arts extravaganza. Why? Someone needs to be in the no man’s land between ‘Canberra is the best place in the world and everything that happens here is beautiful’ and ‘Fuck this place’.

For the uninitiated, You Are Here is a festival that aims to fill the centre of our city – every empty shopfront and deserted concourse – with live music, art and chicanery from Thu-Sun March 14-24. It embraces this city’s immaturity and imperfection in pursuit of the greater goal of enlivening its inhabitants. What you see may not always be perfect, but it will be there. Friday March 15, at 8pm in Ainslie Place on City Walk, ten local bands will present Mixtape from Canberra, a live performance in which each band gets one song on the same stage. Waterford, Cracked Actor and Crash the Curb are this guy’s picks. Saturday March 16 sees the third Art, Not Apart multi-arts festival take over the NewActon Precinct. You can turn to page 36 for our feature on that. Suffice to say you’re a deadshit if you miss it by choice. The same day Smiths Alternative Bookshop will see Dro Carey host gRage from 6:30pm. gRage sees musicians playing their favourite music videos with a little taster of their own live music at the end. The highlight of Sunday March 17 can be found in Tocumwal Lane (behind Landspeed Records) and is called Christmas Lane. It’s a day-long festival from 12pm to 6:30pm, featuring live music, events and a whole bunch of other shit.

YOU MADE MY DAY!

Email editorial@bmamag.com to send a message of gratitude, warmth and generosity to the world at large. AWWW. To the possum in my backyard who thinks with some justification that my backyard is its backyard, you are making my day preemptively. When you sit above my open window on hot nights at 4am and growl me awake, you make my day. When you eat the peaches on my peach tree only days before they were going to ripen, you make my day. When you shit everywhere – everywhere – you make my day. That you are protected by law makes my day. because no one will find your body. When I sink my teeth into your back, you will have made all the days that ever saw the sun. To the filthy bogwarts that litter our community spaces with your incestuous relationships and god ugly brat children, thank you so much for simply existing. The mere fact I observe you in your horrid and natural state gives me the much needed will-power to never ever become you. Even a momentary lapse in rationale, such as ‘I feel like a Woodstock and coke for a change’ is instantly vanquished by the thought of your decrepit demeanour and the chance I could end up like you. You give me the strength to carry on being a first world bastard. Thank you.

I can’t vouch for it beyond my own contribution (which will undoubtedly be half-baked bile) but Smiths Alternative Bookshop hosts Debate: 2014 aka The Great Comedown from 7pm on Tuesday March 19. It’ll see yours truly debate five other local bums on the benefits and potential downfalls of the Centenary. At 8pm the same night, the National Film & Sound Archive hosts Hit Him in the Comic Cuts. Three local musical geniuses have each been given a 20-minute reel of silent Australian footage from the 1920s and tasked with providing their clip a soundtrack. Anticipate greatness even as you equip yourself for inebriation. Wednesday March 20 sees Cracked Actor hosting another instalment of gRage at Smiths Alternative Bookshop from 8pm. They’re genuinely brilliant so go. On Thursday March 21 from 6:30pm, also at Smiths, is Canberra Roast, an impressive event. Shane Rattenbury, Karen Middleton, Julia Holman and other impressive folks have been assembled to rag on our city, no holds barred. From 8pm that same Thursday in Petrie Plaza, Literally Too Many DJs is going to see 20 DJs play no more than 360 seconds, each one mixing in from the last. Downright stupid? Yes. And finally, for the zinesters among us, Canberra Zine Emporium will launch their first ever zine fair in Rabaul Lane on Saturday March 23 from 11am. Having mentioned so few of 111 events on offer, the most useful recommendation I can give you is to pick up a program or visit youareherecanberra.com and pick your programme yourself. And that’s everything local I care about, bar quite a bit. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

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ALL AGES Hey folks! Have you ever eaten a potato? Have you ever worn green or ever mistaken that glass of Guinness sitting on the bench for a coke? The bitter liquid aftermath ain’t pretty, my friends, but I ask because I want to know, are you Irish enough for this St Paddy’sthemed column? Answering yes to any of the above questions will qualify you. You must now read the rest of this in an Irish accent and forget whatever your name used to be. You will be known as Seamus, regardless of your gender. So now that you’re officially Irish, how will you prep yourself for Sunday March 17? A good place to start would be at the Charny Carny on Saturday March 16. You can have your face painted green and imagine that you’re from the Irish Quidditch team that won against Bulgaria in the grand final as you ride the flying chairs ride (chair, broom, it’s all the same). You could also pretend to be St Patrick in the dodgem car arena and that everyone around you is a snake whilst you drive them out of Ireland. You can find the carnival on the Canberra Christian Life Centre Community Oval between 12pm to 6pm. For more information on the carnival, visit charnycarnival.org.au/carnival. If partying it up carnival style isn’t your St Paddy’s Day eve jam, don’t fear, ‘cos Skyfire is an event just pregnant with ways to publicly display your pride. Set up camp on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin and serenade randoms with a rendition of Danny Boy, because mournful ballads and fireworks go together like PB & J. The partying begins at 6pm with a free concert held at the Regatta Point Stage and the firework display starting at 8:30pm. So that’s Paddy’s Eve covered, and what you do on the actual day is up to yourself, young Seamus, but if you’re feeling like a bit of arts and culture to cheer yourself up after your potato hangover, you’re quite in luck, because the You Are Here festival is bringing a pot of artsy gold your way. Prayers in the Streetlight will showcase its unique approach to performance art that takes place inside of cars. Now that’s what I call installation art. Come along to the Canberra Theatre Car Park at 7pm on Monday March 18 for the ride. And don’t worry about being able to afford it cos’ it’s free. This event is one amongst many of the strange and wonderful things happening during the You Are Here festival, so if you’re interested make sure you check out the online programme at youareherecanberra.com.au. And last but not least, Groovin’ The Moo is back this year on Sunday April 28 and I suggest you go wearing nothing but a shamrock. Disclaimer: That was a joke. I am joking. Here’s the line-up: Alison Wonderland, Alpine, The Amity Affliction, The Bronx (USA), Dz Deathrays, Example (UK), Flume, Frightened Rabbit (UK), Hungry Kids of Hungary, The Kooks (UK), Last Dinosaurs, Matt and Kim (USA), Midnight Juggernauts, Pez, Regurgitator, Seth Sentry, Shockone, Tame Impala, Tegan and Sara (CAN), The Temper Trap, They Might Be Giants (USA), Tuka with Ellesquire, Urthboy, Dj Woody’s Big Phat 90’s Mixtape (UK), Yacht (USA) and Yolanda Be Cool. Catch it at the University of Canberra. Tickets are available from Moshtix for $99.90 + bf. Cheers, ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

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LIKE, LITERALLY vanessa wright How many DJs does it take to get the party started? One, right? Maybe two? Wrong. It takes 20. LITERALLY TOO MANY DJS is exactly that, 20 DJs busting out six-minute sets in two hours. One song per minute, back to back, each DJ mixing in from the last. An onslaught of incredible local DJs pumping out fast and furious beats to get you dancing. It’s going to be a non-stop dance extravaganza and, to top it all off, it’s free and all ages! Literally Too Many DJs is happening as part of You Are Here festival and has been co-curated by Dave Caffery and MC Harlequin. Together they have selected a line-up which covers pretty much every dance music style you could think of, including D&B, dubstep and trance (literally all the styles of dance music I know).

The highlight will be seeing all these DJs try to screw their mates by making them mix into something unmixable

Even if you think you don’t like dance music or you are not into the club scene, Harlequin says, ‘[It] absolutely doesn’t matter. This event is completely unique. Nowhere else will you see this number of DJs representing this many styles of music. It’s a perfect snapshot of the Canberra dance music scene.’ Curators Caffery and Harlequin have also made it turntables and CDs only. Caffrey says, ‘We’re not trying to be old school, just bringing it back to basics. Every man and his dog are DJs these days. I’m keen to show the art of DJing, not the ego-trips.’ The line-up will include a huge variety of local DJs such as Faux Real, Michael Shannon from Servants of Sound, Aeon, D.wils, Loose Cannon, Brenton K, Dead DJ Joke and many more. Plus a warm-up set by three-time Canberra DMC champion Buick, to get you all limbered up and ready to move. MC Harlequin will be taking over the hosting duties on the night, hyping up the crowd and encouraging some ‘friendly’ competition between the DJs. It’s going to get intense. Caffery believes ‘the highlight will be seeing all these DJs try to screw their mates by making them mix into something unmixable.’ At the end of the night, there can only be one DJ to rule them all. Not really, but that would be cool. The Hunger Games of dance parties. Like Mixtape from Canberra, this event is another example of the strongly held belief at You Are Here that more is more. With over 100 events happening in 10 days throughout the Canberra CBD, You Are Here is making sure no one misses out. Don’t like that DJ? No worries! There’s another one coming in five, you’ll love him. Literally Too Many DJs is literally going to blow your socks off. Literally. Literally Too Many DJs is happening Thursday March 21, 8-11pm in Petrie Plaza (behind the merry-go-round). It is free, free, free and all ages. See youareherecanberra.com for full festival details.

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SHEDDING THE HUSK

CATCH THE DANCING NON-INSECT

JULIA WINTERFLOOD

ALISHA EVANS

‘So, how was Saturday night! ?’ This is how I started my chat with Husky Gawenda, frontman of Melbourne-based folk quartet HUSKY, who are heading our way to play Folkies later this month. On Saturday March 2, Husky supported Neil Young and Crazy Horse on the first leg of their eight-date Australian/NZ tour.

Spiderman might seem like the obvious choice of sci-fi character for THE ARACHNIDS but it is Dr Who that has won their adoration. This affinity for the British sci-fi show made their last Canberra gig go off because the venue manager’s also an avid fan.

‘It was wild. It was crazy. The Neil Young and Crazy Horse show was amazing, and we get to see it eight times,’ Gawenda said, slightly bewildered. ‘I didn’t ever expect to be supporting someone like Neil Young and I’m still surprised,’ he continued. ‘Neil Young for all of us is a hero and someone we all grew up listening to, and if someone had told me at any point in my music career I’d be touring with him around the country, I wouldn’t have believed it.’

I didn’t ever expect to be supporting someone like Neil Young and I’m still surprised

Although it seemed Husky appeared out of nowhere when they were Unearthed by triple j in 2011, they’d been toiling away separately and as a band for many years prior. Said Gawenda, ‘It certainly wasn’t something that happened overnight, even though the momentum seemed to happen overnight.’ There’s a good reason why Husky were the first Australian band signed to Sub Pop. Recorded entirely on their own in a ramshackle bungalow out the back of Gawenda’s place, their debut album Forever So is intricate and accomplished, laced with delicate flourishes and dynamic, driving percussion. Its songs are small symphonies; tinkling keys dance softly around Gawenda’s echoey vocals while the guitar and brass is rich and warm. The depth of its timbres could only have been achieved over time, in a space where each instrument could be fully explored. ‘That was our aim,’ explained Gawenda, ‘to explore and be experimental. Not for the sake of it but just because we thought if we were open to things and were open to experimenting and we gave ourselves the time to do so, we felt we could achieve good things.’ The band will be employing the same ethos on album number two. ‘At the moment we don’t have anyone else involved. When we start tracking we’ll probably do some of the more technical stuff in a small studio and we might have an engineer help out, but with most of the record we’ll do it in the studio that we’ll set up and produce it ourselves. We’ll take a similar approach in that sense. It suits who we are and the music we make.’ Husky will be playing Canberra for the first time when they take the Budawang Stage on the Friday of Folkies. Said Gawenda, ‘Folk festivals are our favourite thing to play. You get such a lovely and friendly communal vibe, and especially at good folk festivals where you have people of all ages, from all walks of life and from all over the place. I think that makes for an awesome, fun time.’ Husky will play at the National Folk Festival on the Budawang Stage from 12:30-1:20pm on Friday March 29. The National Folk Festival runs Thu Mar 28-Mon Apr 1 at EPIC. For tickets and all the info head to folkfestival.org.au.

Lead singer Lachlan Wallace is more of an original ‘80s Dr Who fan but says the drummer Sam Oliver and the band’s sound guy are still current fans. This penchant for all things Tardis doesn’t stop the guys from creating their own brand of upbeat rock.

Our aim is to try and get people’s bodies moving in time with their minds

‘Rock is the main pillar of what we do, but I come from a funk background and there are tinges of metal as well,’ says Lachie. Their latest single Daydreaming puts a positive spin on breaking up, and it is this single that brings them back to Canberra on their Daydreaming tour. ‘We like our music to be upbeat and energetic so people get into the experience. Our aim is to try and get people’s bodies moving in time with their minds.’ The Arachnids formed two years ago when Lachie and Sam decided they wanted to work together again. The guys contacted bassist Poutama Hobman and guitarist Callum Stevens and the groove rock band began. ‘It doesn’t seem that long, which is a good thing; it’s a sign of keeping busy.’ Despite being fairly young when compared to the likes of some of their influences INXS, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Faith No More, the guys have big plans. After the Daydreaming tour they will head back to the studio to finish their second EP. ‘We hope to do a more extensive tour in June and towards the end of the year we’ll cook up some new jams, keep refining our sound and experiment.’ They’d also like to expand into the Kiwi market some day. With each tour and gig, The Arachnids learn something new. ‘Each time, more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. With the Canberra gig, people should be expecting boisterous exuberance, to bring their dancing shoes and to expect the unexpected. It’s very important to us not to just tick all the boxes – we like to throw a few surprises in there.’ It’s not just about catchy tunes when it comes to songwriting for the band. ‘Cleverness in music doesn’t need to be shied away from. I find it difficult to find current music that I connect with because I need music to be emotionally and intellectually engaging. A lot of what is getting attention from the wider public is not catering for that market.’ He says there are a lot of promising things happening in music despite this mainstream trend. ‘With music so readily available now, the stuff that deserves to make it has more of a chance.’ The Arachnids hit The Phoenix Bar on Monday March 18, 8pm, with support acts Mind The Gap and The Skronks. Free entry.

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Image credit: Rohan Thomson

DECK THE LANE JAMES FAHY It’s hard to let down your guard. Whoever you are, whatever you profess publicly, this much is true: It matters to you what other people think. Take something like You Are Here’s CHRISTMAS LANE. It’s a Christmas-themed party in the middle of the city. Sure, bands are playing, and bands are cool. Sure, there will be a winner-take-all Santa vs. Santa fight to the death [Ed: Not actually to the death.] and that rings through in an ironic ‘destroy the myth’ kind of way. Sadly, beneath the veneer of attractiveness that bands and meta-brawls invariably bring to the party, it’s still Christmas, and Christmas is uncool. It’s caught coming and going. If kitsch were cool, it’d sneak through, but authenticity is swinging back into fashion. It’s a time of reflection and family, but crass commercial interests have spiked Granddad’s eggnog with sickly Coke. So why has You Are Here, in its wisdom, chosen the silly season as one of the festival’s party lynchpins?

Tocumwal Lane, just across the road from the Canberra Centre, has changed from back alley to Elysian vision

Take a step back, and let down your guard for a second. Really forget the reflection-pool that is your personal image; let go of the force field of your public image. Take a few deep breaths. Now ask yourself: How do you actually feel about Christmas? The food is delicious. The weather is warm. The music is doing its best. Now you’re a grown-up, the presents don’t matter. The stresses of shopping are as manufactured and temporary as cheap plastic. Reindeer are adorable. Snow is clear and bright, and purifies everything. Santa is reassuring, and always up for a hug. Even his hugs don’t live up to the warm embrace of having our every want satisfied: the colourful lights, the endless afternoon, the kids laughing as they run around and bump into everything. Tocumwal Lane, despite being just across the road from the Canberra Centre, has changed from back alley to Elysian vision. The lovers and artists behind You Are Here, every one of them a genuine person and full of heart, have nothing less in mind than this unsophisticated dream. For you, they want nothing less than pleasure. Christmas Lane is their best shot at providing you with genuine, lasting happiness. Their tools are live bands, circus performers, dance performances, face-painting, market stalls, and award-winning olive-oil popcorn from Palace Electric Cinemas. Still, there’s a huge, dark cloud seething in the blue sky – self-consciousness, pointlessly blocking out the fun, leaving us all in shadow. This street party could be that lucky strike that pierces the veil of irony. It could cut away the net of acute self-awareness. In a carpark metamorphosed by fake snow, surrounded by your friends and family, wondering at the acrobats, laughing with the Santas, humming along to the hymns of this special holiday, you might just forget about the rest of the world. You might find peace. Christmas Lane is a day-long free music festival and fete taking place on Sunday March 17, 12pm-6:30pm in Tocumwal Lane, opposite the Canberra Centre on Bunda St. Free. See youareherecanberra.com for festival details.

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SINEAD O’CONNELL One can’t help but wonder, when it comes to TEGAN AND SARA Quin’s new album, Heartthrob, where the change from indie rock to punk was born. Having recently celebrated a landmark birthday, Tegan explains, ‘Well, we just turned 30, we’d done almost everything on our bucket list and thought we’d love to just go for something completely new. We wanted to go to see a lot of new countries, explore new places and meet new people. Also I wanted to get us more exposure, what we really wanted to know was how to get on pop radio,’ she laughs, somewhat reluctantly.

With Heartthrob, unlike many of their previous albums, the girls worked together on lyrics and bridges, rather than having ‘Sara songs’ and ‘Tegan songs’. ‘There was value having both our voices and perspectives, literally, on the tracks. We realised if we joined forces, we’d be super heroes and do better for it.’ As twin sisters, they are in each other’s head’s more than they are in their own. Tegan says in relation to their personal lives and career, ‘I believe we have a deeper life because of the life we’ve chosen to live.’

We realised if we joined forces, we’d be super heroes

Tegan’s reflections on the difference between genres were insightful. ‘The last couple of records have been really guitar- and keyboard-heavy, so the pop direction wasn’t totally new to us; we were just leaning back on our guitar ability.’ Wanting to expand their fan base and grow in the industry, she stressed, was no mean feat confrontation-wise, having to reconcile their desires with new crowds and expectations that the album demanded. ‘Music is the only industry in the world where you really get penalised for being ambitious or successful,’ she observed. However, relocating into the pop world is apparently more refreshing than we assume. ‘In the pop world everybody is really vocal and supportive and it’s because they know what they like. Shiny Toy Guns and Katy Perry even came out and told us they liked our new record. No one does that in the indie world, it’s so weird!’

Ironically but very reassuringly, fans have stuck with the twins despite their shift in persuasion. Tegan asserts that it’s because they made sure they started out with integrity. ‘Without it, you get lost and people can walk all over you.’ Then there were those in the new world who had never even heard of Tegan and Sara. ‘People were like, “Oh we just thought you guys were some new pop group on the scene.” They were like, “What? This is your seventh record? How old are you?” and I’m like “20?”,’ she laughs. ‘We’re like old haggard bitches. It’s liberating.’ Over the last six years they have been threading talents with various internationals, rearranging their bucket list to cover collaborations with musicians and artists outside their normal circle. This includes working with Tiësto, performing with him during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in 2008 as well as featuring in his 2009 album Kaleidoscope. They also got together with David Guetta and Alesso last year for Guetta’s re-release album Nothing But The Beat 2.0, featuring in the song Every Chance We Get We Run.

Growing up, they took a chance on the music scene despite their hesitant parents – it wasn’t always on the cards for them. Tegan had a friend when she was very young who was privileged enough to travel the world. From that relationship developed a desperate desire for journeys. ‘We were poor and trashy and all I wanted was to be in a new space and a new life. I wasn’t really interested in anything else other than travel and music, so basically I just hitched music with my goal!’ She talked a thousand miles an hour, laughing and swearing at the moments and stories as they were recollected. With an outstanding humility she shared the enthusiasm she has for the new album and for Tegan and Sara’s amazing producers, handpicked by the girls themselves – Greg Kurstin, Justin MeldalJohnsen, and Mike Elizondo. ‘It’s our deepest, darkest… most romantic record. It’s so valuable; it has incredible weight to it.’ Just as we look forward to this record, Tegan and Sara are getting excited to be back in Australia, performing at Groovin’ the Moo this year. ‘We had so much fun last year. We didn’t expect such a big crowd; we couldn’t understand why everyone was going crazy for us. We were like, “What the hell is happening?” I guess we didn’t realise the impact of triple j. I just have this memory of people being so excited to see us and how thrilling it was. We kept saying to each other, “We’re rock stars here!” It was so exciting! I love Australia… I can’t wait!’ Her Calgary Canadian accent was just as adorable as the images of herself and Sara in press releases. They are tiny people with large voices; with personalities annotated by a great sense of humour and a vibrant attitude so relaxed it’s hard to imagine they’ve been international musicians for more than a decade. They’ve been described as ‘new wave’ and ‘synth pop’, the former tediously listed in their press releases, but at the end of the day it’s merely Tegan and Sara, and that’s enough. Tegan and Sara will play Groovin’ the Moo on The Meadows at University of Canberra on Sunday April 28. Tickets are $99.90 + bf. For tickets, info and more, visit gtm.net.au.

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releases and the dark bowels of the inner city’s best underground venue will suit them to a tee.

DANCE THE DROP

It is tragically symbolic that on the first day the warmth of summer disappeared for another year, we also lost one of favourite sons. I woke up on Friday March 1 to the news that Adrian Thomas, better known as DJ Ajax, had passed away overnight, news that has deeply saddened everyone who knew him.

Ajax was responsible for pioneering the mash-up genre with the famous Bang Gang brand and was also twice voted Australia’s number one DJ in the coveted ITM poll, as well as being a top shelf producer and founder of my favourite Aussie label, Sweat It Out. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Adrian on many occasions and I will always remember him as both the coolest guy in the room and the most approachable and friendly person that you could ever wish to meet. If you have never heard his music, I urge you to make the effort to seek it out and pay homage to a man who will be celebrated as one of Australian dance music’s most influential artists. On to some extremely good news, UK break beat dons the Plump DJs have just announced that they are dropping by Trinity Bar on Anzac Day Eve, Wednesday April 24. The duo always deliver a mental show; some of my favourite clubbing memories involve bouncing around to the juicy sound of the Plumps. Don’t miss this!

One of the most common water cooler debates that we dance music enthusiasts enjoy is to ponder on what ‘the next big sound’ will be. We have weaved our way through dubstep, big room house and trap but with the recent evolution of deep house and bass line house music I sense a much more ‘mature’ trend on the horizon. I am a huge fan of this sound; the groove, the soul and the emotion are what recent fads have lacked in spades. New Chinese Laundry residents Magic Bird have stepped in with a Top 5 that will take you on a tour of the future, right here, right now: Urulu & Steve Huerta – Things I Didn’t Mean [Dirt Crew Recordings] – We have been a big fan of Urulu since his Sincerely 91 EP. This song has a big deep bass line and infectious house vocals. Dusky – Calling Me [School Records] – Dusky are one of our favourite producers. Massive drop, big techno influence. Barrington feat. Daj – Is It True (Forrest Remix) [petFOOD] – This track is thick, bouncy and the vocal is just killer. Raudive – Romantic Robot [Get the Curse Music] – We love this track for its old school feel; it takes me back to some good times. Great drop. Chris Minus – Heat Wave (Dale Howard Remix) [Sirch] – New remix from Dale Howard. Awesome bassline as usual, great flow. TIM GALVIN - tim.galvin@live.com.au

TJS have another belter of a gig lined up at The Clubhouse on Saturday March 30. This event is headlined by Black Sun Empire (NL), one of D&B’s most prolific and progressive acts. Their 2012 album From the Shadows was one of the year’s most innovative

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VOLUNTARY ISOLATION PETER O’ROURKE 2012 has been a huge year for Melbourne synth pop band STRANGE TALK, beginning with a slot at Falls Festival through to playing Stereosonic, representing Australia at New York City’s CMJ Music Marathon and even performing at the launch of a new Emporio Armani store in Sydney. However, recording their first full-length album, Cast Away, was the highlight, says frontman Steve Docker. Recorded in two locations across Victoria, including a farm in Castlemaine and on the coast at Mount Martha, the band retreated into the studio to fully immerse themselves in songwriting mode. ‘It was good to be in those four walls of the studio, without being tempted to go out,’ says Docker. ‘We could stay up until the early hours of the morning just working on music if we needed to without losing that mental place. We still would have got an album out, but this kept us focused, bouncing around ideas.’

We always try to put in the best show we can, whether it’s one person or one thousand

The result was their debut – a lush electro pop album with a huge, almost stadium-worthy sound. The band worked with producer Tony Hoffer (Beck, The Presets, The Temper Trap) who Docker said provided the ‘sonic glue’. ‘This guy had synths galore! It was fantastic to work with him. However, we put as much effort into each demo as we could beforehand, pushing them as far as we could. He actually used every single part we created, without any sound or bass line going to waste.’ Steve Docker says that playing a solid string of live shows has changed how they write music, allowing the band to think about it a little more and how a song will translate to a live performance. Docker believes that the internet and social media has played a huge part in the band’s increasingly rising profile. ‘We did a show in LA, which completely sold out with very little advertising, so that was very encouraging. There was a capacity of 500 people and before we went on stage we were told that the venue was full. We didn’t expect it at all! Although we always try to put in the best show we can, whether it’s one person or one thousand.’ Docker says the band also puts in plenty of effort to make their live shows interesting, adding new sections to songs and changing it up to create a great performance. ‘We don’t want to sound just like a CD. However, we still have all the parts so the audience can sing along.’ He says the band will also take it a bit easier on tour this time around. ‘When we were a new band, we overdid it a bit and ended up getting sick from too many late nights – losing your voice halfway through a tour is a frightening prospect! But we all get along well and still have as much fun as possible.’ Strange Talk will play Transit Bar on Thursday March 21 at 8pm. Tickets are $10 + bf from Moshtix. Supported by Phebe Starr.

Do y’all remember when the Shazam app first came out? It was actually like magic. You’re at a party and some killer tune comes on and you absolutely need to know what it is. Instead of having to write down some tiny recalled fragment of the song’s lyrics and later punch it into Google between quotation marks — at least, that’s what I always did — you could simply whip out your phone, get Shazam to have a listen and in 30 seconds’ time you’d already bought and downloaded the mp3. Cray. But it doesn’t work quite as well with electronic music. Even if the club’s soundsystem is decent enough for your phone to pick up anything more than a distorted low-end rumble, and the DJ in a ‘MNML FRVR’ t-shirt is playing another three tracks right over the top, most of the time Shazam simply doesn’t have the track you want in its database. And forget about googling the vocal sample. If you’ve just heard Bashmore’s Au Seve for the first time and think you’ll find it by searching for ‘Oh baby, oh baby’ then good luck to you, pal. Anyway, here’s the good news: Shazam have teamed up with Beatport to extend their database by 1.4 million tracks. Whoa. That’s a lot of bangers. So next time Marcel Dettmann drops some obscure mid‘90s acid techno that you simply must know the name of, just get your iThing out and Shazam that shit. Hah! And while you’ve got your phone out, may as well check in on Facey and take some blurry shots of the fog-ensconced DJ and check out Urbanspoon for the cheapest nearby kebab joint for a 3am snack sortie. Dancing, wut? I think smartphones on dancefloors might have to be a rant for another issue. In other news it’s an exciting time for post-dubstep fans. James Blake’s wizard new track, Retrograde, is out and has people frothing about his return. It’s a great tune, but it’s a little disappointing just how quickly it has shot to commercial radio. It just seems like a bad thing for crass stations to play good music. Hell, my friend reported hearing Burial’s Ashtray Wasp in Myer the other day. He seemed shocked and genuinely offended; sentiments that I share completely. So Blake is back. Does this mean post-dubstep is back, too? It kinda got swallowed by its louder, clubbier, infuriatingly amorphous cousin, UK bass; on the more downtempo side of things, witch house also had its day in the sun (or under the full moon, rather). Poor old postdubstep couldn’t compete. But the second coming is nigh. All there signs are there. Mount Kimbie have a new album coming out soon, for instance. In a recent interview, the London duo (besides saying they were fed up with answering questions about field recordings) confirmed that it was mostly finished and would be out on Warp Records before summer (our winter). Yay! One last little tidbit of largely unrelated news (unless you can make a link between post-dubstep and trap-rap): Sydney’s bass wünderkind Dro Carey will be playing in Canberra as part of You Are Here’s gRage on Saturday March 16. It’s said that the acclaimed 19-year-old producer’s set will consist of him playing TNGHT’s Higher Ground 22 times in a row. Sorry. I just really hate trap music. MORGAN RICHARDS - morg.richards@gmail.com

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JADE FOSBERRY DRAPHT is back, and he’s brought us some tasty tracks and a 20stop university tour. It hasn’t been long since the massive success of The Life of Riley in 2011, but Drapht has wasted no time. He’s now self-managed, much more self-aware and catering to a whole new crowd with his music, mantra and…muffins?

to some sort of formula that suited everyone but myself. I wasn’t pushing myself and I was playing in front of a lot of people that weren’t really appreciating what I started music for. It wasn’t all about just getting fucked up and listening to music to have a party, but about the creation and who I was as a person. So I really wanted to take it back to that and push myself into doing something that no one else was doing in Australia. And that’s few and far between these days.’

To keep pushing any genre to the next level you sort of need to go out on a limb whether people like it or not. As soon as I released Tasty, some of the comments I got were fucking ridiculous

While we’ve been biding time, patiently waiting for some brand new Drapht beats, he’s been tasting life through the eyes of Jamie Oliver, making plans for his holistic café set to open soon in Perth. Talking to Drapht about his new venture, he makes a pretty good point in that the life of a touring rapper is quite unforgiving when it comes to eating right. ‘That’s half the reason why I started the cafés. I’m on tour, in and out for the year’s entirety, and I struggle to find places to eat.’ It’s a pretty intriguing concept, especially if a visit not only includes delicious food but the chance to say ‘Hey’ to the man himself. However, for those of us who can’t get to Mount Lawley, Drapht is bringing his tasty tunes all around the country. I can’t say the same for the muffins, although there’s never a shortage of baked goods at a hip hop show. The Uni-Verse tour sees Drapht trek across Australia to play at universities. As appealing as heading back to uni for a drunken evening sounds, I was curious as to why he had chosen tertiary education facilities over, well…bars? Surprisingly enough, it’s not to party in lecture theatres. ‘It’s to give back to those people that have supported me over the last ten years. I’ve been in that situation of having no money and living off Mi Goreng noodles, so it’s just finding the best way to give back to the people who have always supported me.’

Talking about the nature of music these days, Drapht stated the need for artists to constantly keep pushing boundaries so they don’t stagnate. ‘You turn on the radio and an Australian hip hop song comes on and a lot of people can’t tell the difference between acts, and everyone’s sort of sounding the same because everyone’s using a similar formula because they know it works. It’s somewhat a lazy perspective. I feel like this time around I really wanted to try to push myself and push that creative edge by separating myself from any other sound that’s out there while being true to myself at the same time.’ Pushing the boundaries of a certain genre can sometimes backfire when fans aren’t receptive or just generally don’t get it. Drapht knows this all too well. ‘To keep pushing any genre to the next level you sort of need to go out on a limb whether people like it or not. As soon as I released Tasty, some of the comments I got were fucking ridiculous and so ignorant to what this was all about. They were so consumed in themselves that they lost the entire message about doing something different and doing something free.’ Although he’s received some (insane) negativity in response to his new music, Drapht isn’t deterred at all and notes that from now on he’s going to be making music that’s fresh, personal and reflective.

The Uni-Verse shows will include all the killer Drapht anthems we know and love from tracks off Brothers Grimm and The Life of Riley. But Drapht mentions the fact that these shows will be more personal, allowing him to play the ins and outs of his back catalogue and songs he doesn’t usually get to play at larger scale shows. Those lucky enough to head to his shows will also get to witness some of his new tracks fresh out of the studio, including Tasty, 1990s and Salute. All three of his new releases will add to the personal nature of his shows as they see Drapht seriously stepping out of his comfort zone to tackle a whole new land of hip hop.

It’s been a while since the capital has partied with Drapht but he remembers us well. ‘Canberra kids can definitely get wild – I know that for a fact. They definitely know how to party there. In places like Canberra, you can feel the appreciation and the energy of the crowd and that’s half of what makes the show. You can definitely feel that in the room when people appreciate the fact that you’re there. That’s beautiful in itself.’

Drapht talked me through the process and why he felt the need to step away from his original method towards something a little more risky. ‘I felt off the back of the last record I was conforming

Drapht is bringing his Uni-Verse tour to Zierholz @ UC on Thursday March 21 with N’Fa, Seven and Mr Hill. Doors open 8pm, tickets are $23.50-$28.60 + bf from Oztix.

Drapht sums up his new philosophy quite succinctly: ‘I’m not gonna be writing songs for a particular market anymore; I’m gonna be writing songs that reflect me as a person.’

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DISGRACEFULLY COOL BAZ RUDDICK The year was 1983. A young Australian-Hispanic boy had gone to live with his dad in the USA. With Herbie Hancock’s Rockit blasting from a boom box courtside, the seeds of hip hop were being planted in his mind and heart as he shot hoops late into the night. The music soon drew him from the court and a dance crew was formed. Through popping and locking on a cardboard dance floor he found his voice as his dance moves evolved into rhymes. And so it was that COOLIO DESGRACIAS was born. It was a ‘fluid thing’, as Missy Higgins would say.

That was something I started yelling at my friends’ wedding at one o’clock in the morning

The rise of Coolio Desgracias is represented metaphorically in his latest album title, My Private Jet, and also literally in the existence of said jet – a 1965 Piper Cherokee. Coolio shares with me the reason for such an extravagant mode of transport. ‘I follow The Bee Gees. I read this article where Barry Gibb was talking about when they first started and their manager Robert Stigwood would hire a limo so at any gig they would rock up and leave in a limo, just to give the impression that things were going really well.’ My Private Jet showcases the talents of a rapper not afraid to boldly go where other rappers dare not tread. ‘The music business can sometimes be a mineshaft you have to negotiate. I feel confident that I can handle what I need to handle, calmly’. Desgracias’s album deals with a vast range of topics, from the appreciation of women in the masterpiece Big Booty Bitches, to the ‘heart on the sleeve shit’ of Is This A Thang?. He does not shy away from his roots, either, with the Cuban flavoured song Basural, and he tells it like it is in the simian themed dis-rap Dubbo Zoo. ‘That was something I started yelling at my friends’ wedding at one o’clock in the morning. Me and Sanji Da Silva were trading verses and it just popped out.’ Featuring a plethora of Canberra artists including members of Los Chavos, The Ellis Collective, Alice Cottee and more, My Private Jet will be having its official launch at The Front Gallery and Café. Coinciding with Coolio’s birthday, fans can expect a holistic hip hop experience. ‘RTIS will be out the front bombing on a big canvas, the Team Rockit Dance Crew will be popping and locking, A-Rocc will be jocking vinyl and yours truly will be MCing. There has been a line-up change and Matty Ellis has replaced BRB. I reckon he’ll be looking to drain some threes, and then to cap things off we have The Fuelers!’ Coolio Desgracias’s My Private Jet album launch takes place at The Front Gallery and Café on Saturday March 16 from 8pm. Appearing will be Matty Ellis, RTIS, A-Rocc, Team Rockit Dance Crew, DJ Mondongo and The Fuelers. $10 entry. My Private Jet is available at welargeproductions.bandcamp.com.

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METALISE So it goes that another fortnight goes by, and it’s certainly been one of sleep deprivation for me. Some hours for good reasons and some for not so good. It was really shit to hear the news last week that one of Sydney’s more promising and interesting bands, We Lost The Sea, lost their vocalist and driving force Chris Torpy after Chris took his own life a couple of Saturdays back. The band released a very admirable heartfelt statement in the wake of his loss and has vowed to continue on, which you can read on any number of websites that have covered the tragedy. The event seems to have bought the band to more people’s attention than when Chris was alive.

The band’s 2012 album, The Quietest Place On Earth, was a ripper and well worth a listen. RIP, Chris, and I guess the take away from the event is if one of your mates isn’t feeling so great about life, listen to them, and encourage them to talk to a professional (Beyond Blue are good) if life is starting to pile up in the too hard basket. Chris will be missed by many for his talent and good humour. Vale. The Levitation Hex are going to be coming back to (half) the band’s hometown for a killer run of shows they’ve lined up for Autumn and The Basement in Belconnen is where the lads will ply their notable chops on Friday April 5. Also playing the show are the ludicrously technical Queensland act The Schoenberg Automaton, and Nobody Knew They Were Robots and Inhuman Remains. Looking forward to that show! The Sunday April 7 at The Basement hosts the Black Breath tour with locals I Exist with tickets at the door on the night. Soundworks are bringing Dying Fetus and Putrid Pile out for a four-date run in April on the Supreme Slaughterhouse Australian Tour 2013 banner, which hits Sydney on Friday April 19 at The Factory Theatre (great venue) with Festering Drippage. If you can’t make that show, they’re in Melbourne the following night with Whoretopsy at The Evelyn. Born of Osiris of the USA have announced an Aussie tour which lands at The Basement in Belconnen on Sunday May 19. It’s an over-18s show and features supports by A Breach of Silence and Feed Her to the Sharks. On the back of last year’s Endless Procession of Souls album, Sweden’s Grave are returning for about their third Aussie tour. They won’t be playing Transit Bar like they did first time around, but you can catch them in Sydney on the Friday March 15 at The Bald Faced Stag. In the ever growing list of bands with members in or near their 60s coming back to play for us, Blue Oyster Cult! Yes, the ones who don’t fear the reaper and whose lyrics Stephen King seemed to like quoting a lot at the beginning of chapters of his ‘70s and ‘80s books are playing a run of Aussie shows and on Saturday April 20 you can catch them at The Hi-Fi in Sydney. If you dug the Hard-Ons show a couple of weeks back, check out Blackie’s solo acoustic video for the track Tickle: youtube.com/ watch?v=7TyVqnJov3Q. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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Everybody was like, “Oh, you’re so amazing!” And we were like… “What?”

countries in the past; I’ve just never been outside of Europe. I dunno why it’s turned out to be that way. But I’m still young. I’ve got time!’ Time indeed. The mean age in the band is 21, and when they put out their first single, the confusingly worded yet ball-tearing Don’t You Go Up The Sky, Luca was 14. ‘We were like Justin Bieber but we made music a thousand times cooler!’ laughs Pablo.

MARK OF DE BEAST MORGAN RICHARDS Watch out, Australia – there’s a monster coming to our shores. It’s fierce, it’s fanged and if it bites you, you’ll have more than rabies… you’ll have DEWOLFF fever! Broken down into its constituent parts, DeWolff is three young Dutch guys: brothers Pablo and Luca van de Poel and Robin Piso. The trio started making music in 2007 and seem to sit on the genre spectrum somewhere between psychedelic space rock and high-energy blues rock. ‘But it’s more like the Led Zeppelin blues rock,’ clarifies Pablo. ‘It’s not too bluesy. When we started this band,’ he continues, ‘we were listening a lot to bands like Pink Floyd, The Doors, Led Zep, that kinda stuff. And then it kinda moved on. Lately we’ve been listening to American music from the ‘60s and ‘70s but not so much psychedelic stuff. There’s a lot of cool, very unknown bands from that period, like Barefoot Jerry and Cowboy. A bit like Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s southern rock, I guess, influenced by country and blues.’ This will be the first time the guys have been to Australia and Pablo sounds pretty excited about it. ‘I’ve been to all kinds of European

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Last year Rolling Stone referred to the guys as Europe’s ‘Must-See Live Band’. So what exactly is it that makes them so good in concert? ‘I dunno,’ muses Pablo. ‘I’ve seen a lot of other bands play, but I think that every show we play we give everything we have. We love our instruments and play them a lot at home and always try to develop our instrumental abilities. We try to perform to the maximum in a live situation, and we often extend our songs through these super-jams. Sometimes a song that is like five minutes long will last for 15 or 20 minutes. There’s always some jam going on, there’s always some part of the song that is different. It keeps it alive and refreshing. Also, for ourselves, we play some songs that we’ve been playing for almost six years now. Given our young age that’s quite a long time! But they can feel like new songs when we play them live.’ What about from the audience side — do Dewolff incite devotees into Beatlemania-like fan fever? ‘Well, Dutch audiences are very sweet but they’re not that crazy,’ admits Pablo. But elsewhere in Europe, it’s a bit more interesting. ‘French audiences are a little more crazy. And Italians are even more crazy! This is not an insult at all, but I don’t think they’re used to visiting rock concerts or something, I dunno. When we played there they actually did treat us like The Beatles! Everybody was like, “Oh, you’re so amazing!” And we were like… “What?” ’ DeWolff play Transit Bar on Sunday March 17 with Dahrnoir and Bruges playing support. Doors at 6pm. Presale $10 + bf through Moshtix.

We’re not getting blind drunk writing punk songs anymore... But the rock will stay with us to the end

BLACK RABBITS DIE HARD rory mccartney GRINSPOON’s ’97 juggernaut Guide to Better Living wielded decidedly heavy influences. A gradual change in style towards the mainstream disappointed some ‘foundation member’ fans, but resulted in wider exposure and 500,000 record sales. Grinspoon are touring in support of their seventh album, Black Rabbits. BMA spoke to drummer Kris Hopes on the day before he played Soundwave. The band has morphed over time and Black Rabbits witnesses a swing towards power pop, a lighter sound with less angsty themes. Some artists cite label pressure as a curb to their style. However, Grinspoon put up their own money to run their label, Grinspoon Records. They are masters of their own destiny and the style change is driven by the band. ‘With our albums, we’ve always managed to remove ourselves from what we did last time. We wanted a more melodic record and step away from our last two CDs. It takes us six months to come up with 40-50 songs. The songs ended up picking themselves for the album, which is poppy, feels good played live and is exciting for us.’ Songs

not chosen for the album have no future, explained Kris. ‘If you take songs from the last writing process you end up with a similar album. It would be boring for us.’ Passerby became the foundation song to anchor the album style. The band knew it would be a single and a good way to indicate that people could expect something different from them. Early Grinspoon records pushed a wild approach to life. Now, the band sings of Black Rabbits, slang for bad habits. However, Kris says there’s no moral message about the consequences of bad habits.

‘No, it’s not that deep. We’ve been around the block a few times and experience has turned us into who we are today. But the album is what it is.’ The band has had a sometimes rocky journey, but Kris confirms that all’s good now. ‘In this last five years, everyone’s pretty happy, including in their personal lives. It’s a great time being in this band and doing what we do. The 2013 Big Day Out saw some of our most awesome shows ever. We’re not getting blind drunk writing punk songs anymore. There’s a bit more substance to them. But the rock will stay with us to the end.’ Kris writes the set lists, juggling the wants of the band and the punters. ‘Sets on the new tour will be almost two hours. There will be surprises – a few bits and pieces I can’t let out of the bag yet. But people will get their money’s worth.’ So both those keen to hear the new songs and devotees of the heavier Grinspoon sound are sure to love the upcoming tour. There might even be a dead cat or three in the mix. Grinspoon will play the ANU Bar on Saturday April 13, 8pm. Tickets are $37.75 + bf through Ticketek or Oztix. Supported by Kingswood and Emperors.

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E X H I B I T I O N I S T M U LT I - A R T S F E S T I VA L E D I T I O N

TODAY’S SEEDS, TOMORROW’S HARVEST

PART OF ART

zoe pleasants

tedi bills

It’s autumn; the mornings are getting cool, Ugg boots are starting to come out of hibernation and Canberra will soon be ablaze with colour. It is also the time of year for the Canberra Environment Centre’s annual HARVEST FESTIVAL. Now in its fifth year, the Harvest Festival is the Centre’s biggest fundraising event and their modern spin on the ancient tradition of coming together as a community to give thanks for our food.

‘If a work expresses more than just being a shape or colour – if it expresses the way in which you feel about the world – that to me is art. And that, of course, can come in any medium.’ Thus speaks Dave Caffery; mastermind behind Canberra’s upcoming third ART, NOT APART festival. ANA will see NewActon overrun with an overwhelming array of artists, all committed to the idea that ‘to create an artistic culture is to create a sense of home.’

The Centre uses Harvest Festival to promote both local, organic farmers and its own work, which includes building an eco-therapy garden at Calvary Hospital and kitchen gardens in childcare centres; and encouraging Canberra residents to reduce their energy consumption. But above all, Kai Kamada-Laws, the festival’s organiser, wants Harvest Festival to be ‘a lovely community day where families can come down and have a picnic, listen to music, meet local farmers and be surrounded by stores selling local produce.’ And if you like your music as local and organic as your veggies, Harvest Festival is serving up three great Canberra bands: King Hits, a surf rock band; Fun Machine, winners of the MusicACT Best Pop Artist award at last year’s inaugural MAMAs; and E A V E S, whom Kai is personally most excited about. ‘She’s an electronic producer; it’s so rare to have female electronic producers. She creates really beautiful music. I heard her music on SoundCloud and I really wanted to have her play at the festival,’ Kai tells me.

ANA runs on the principle that art should be integral to life in a community. Dave and his team ‘aim to bring the artists and the rest of Canberra together in a space where they can explore what other people are passionate about.’ Nearly every nook and cranny of NewActon will be mobilised for use. Gallery sites will house the work of local artists Martin Ollman, a pioneering, Canberra-obsessed digital photographer, and Chloe Mandryk, whose Rise Exist Demise exhibition examines birth, death and rebirth. Outside, Victoria Lee will weave web-like sculptures, while Hannah Quinlivan will create site-specific paper masterpieces. And that’s just scratching the surface. Art-making isn’t reserved for the artists: there are myriad opportunities for the average punter to get involved. Festival-goers can make their mark with felt, paint and glitter on the Paste-Up Wall, or flip records, bake cakes and try on vintage gems in April’s Caravan’s 1960s playhouse. In the child-friendly Juice and Vibes zone, kids can construct a giant fort out of cardboard, bean-bags and pillows. In addition, ANA is encouraging musicians to partake in its busking competition, with $1000 up for grabs.

There will also be workshops on straw bale building (but no guest appearance by Kevin McCloud), beekeeping and bike maintenance to participate in, and a kid’s biggest and best veggie competition. ‘We also have Zierholz brewery coming down. They’ve been really generous and we’re hoping to work with them a little bit more in the future, perhaps with our brewing workshop series,’ Kai says. Which prompted me to ask whether brewing beer an environmental cause. Laughing, Kai started talking about the ecology of fermentation, recycling bottles and low transportation costs, adding ‘our Director is going to hate me talking about brewing,’ before reflecting that ‘there is a really nice sharing thing that comes out of brewing beer.’ And at the heart of this is what the Canberra Environment Centre is all about: Empowering us to see that there are many ways to live more harmoniously with the environment. Whether it be growing your own veggies, riding your bike or catching the bus more often, using cloth nappies, or brewing your own beer, ‘it’s little changes along the way and coming to this lifestyle where you want to live in harmony with the environment,’ explains Kai. ‘It’s not some greeny, weird hippie thing to do; anyone can do it and you don’t have to be a particular type of person to do that.’ The Harvest Festival is on Saturday March 23 from 12pm to 4pm on the lawns in front of the Canberra Environment Centre (corners Lawson Cres & Lennox Crossing, Acton (near the National Museum). A $2 donation to the Centre buys you an afternoon of fun.

Although around 150 of ANA’s contributors are local, the festival cocoordinators’ determination to ‘reject insularity’ led to the sourcing of some 30 interstate artists. Dave’s particularly chuffed at the involvement of Brisbane-based poets Doubting Thomas and Eleanor Jackson. During the day, the two will collaborate in Lady Lazarus and MC Thought Fox, a reimagining of the fated romance of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. At night, Doubting Thomas will perform solo in the perfect setting for a fierce underground artist: ANA’s official basement after-party, Sound and Fury. S&F is a spectacle you won’t want to miss. As Dave says, ‘One in the morning is a great time to see some performance art, and to listen to some pretty banging live music.’ At S&F, ‘We’re going to be showcasing real electronic music that we’re passionate about presenting.’ Sound and Fury aims to ‘shock and inspire’: think voyeuristic windows, kaleidoscopic projections, absinthe, and deep, dark beats. At the conclusion of our meeting, in a moment of poetic clarity, Dave quietly points out a gent reading the paper in the corner of Močan and Green Grout. ‘See that guy? He’s a tap dancing performance artist.’ In summation: Canberra is great, and art is everywhere. Art, Not Apart is in NewActon on Saturday March 16, 1-7pm. Sound and Fury runs 4pm til late in the basement of the Nishi Apartments. Both events free entry. For full programme details turn to pages four and five.

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There are so many highlights. The comedy includes Dr Neil Potenza and Natalie Randal’s one-woman show, Cheer Up Kid. There will be the Australian Skipping Team and the When Claude Met Roxy erotic finger puppet show. ‘It’s not very rude but it is very suggestive, so it’s not one for the littlies.’ Interstate bands include electronica from Biscotti and jazz from Origami. ‘An important feature about how The Village works is that, for Canberra, half the performers are local artists. We’ve been meeting people for six months, seeing shows and lots of bands.’

THE (OTHER) VILLAGE PEOPLE rory mccartney Hoping to hear YMCA? You may be disappointed, but there is another pack of roving troubadours, known as THE VILLAGE, who will enthrall with theatre, cabaret, puppetry, circus and lots more. Canberra’s Centenary sees their first ever visit here and BMA spoke to co-artistic director, programmer and show MC Ian Pidd. The Village started in 2006, hits the road over summer and is about to embark on its 30th tour. ‘The Village has its home in Melbourne and an annual show in Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy. We do both Falls Festivals and are looking forward to our Canberra debut very much.’ The Village itself is a magical assembly of venues, including tents, caravans, inflatables and cupboards. ‘We have so much stuff, we keep it in containers. There’s more than we can use so each Village looks different to the last.’

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There’s plenty of local talent with The Fuelers, the Brass Knuckle Brass Band, Dr Stovepipe and the Crystal Barreca Band in the program. Locals Warehouse Circus and Poncho Circus will also appear and ‘90s Canberra theatre collective Splinters will present their new creation, Babylon. A major event is the So You Think You Can Interpretative Dance contest. ‘People dance to tracks like Bohemian Rhapsody, Wuthering Heights, Popcorn and other guilty pleasure songs.’ Food is a vital ingredient too. There are cooking demos, workshops and an Iron Chef cook-off. On Thursday March 21 there’s Our Own Grown Market Day, featuring produce grown in Canberra’s schools. ‘About 25 schools are coming. Plus, there are at least 22 entries from schools for the Chicken of the Century competition.’ And, of course, you can buy stuff to eat. The musical entertainment and entry to The Village is free. Other shows only cost between two and ten bucks, with tickets sold on the spot. So even if you go with no money, you’ll still have a good time. The Village takes place in Glebe Park from Thu-Sun March 21-24. Opening hours differ each day; full details at thevillagefestival.com.au. Entry is free.

THE FORMAT OF FLUIDS chloe mandryk FLUIDITY is an exhibition of new works by Canberra artist Julia Boyd. Julia is an emerging artist who works in photo media. She was a student at the Slade School of Art, London, and was awarded a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the Australian National University in 2009. The Canberra Contemporary Art Space resident’s photo media pieces will be on display at the Manuka satellite gallery. Julia is also launching a self-published ‘artist’s book’ that explores her collected works from 2008 through 2013. Julia tackles new terrain in her first solo show, using her material in unusual ways. Not only does she capture the image of found objects, she incorporates lost or forgotten pieces of urban decay such as old books or weathered ply sheets. This technique is one part of the artfulness of her art. Julia explained, ‘The liquid emulsion prints have been developed throughout the year. Also, I have printed images onto surfaces such as window blinds, records, books and table tops; each object is a unique challenge and always gives unexpected results… Art helps people respond to the world around them, challenges them, allows them to express themselves and create new things.’ In the past Julia has explored the medium of photography as a means to depict a scene but also as a work in and of itself. Photography transcends the 2D format in her work and by doing so she plays with inverse relationships. For example, reality and memory, subject and object, mass-produced print material and photographs. ‘Photos often appear on paper, canvas and in picture frames,’ elaborated Julia. ‘Photos also surround us in our everyday lives – in magazines, online, in the media or as family mementos. My work is inspired by this saturation of images and I use the humble two-dimensional photograph as my starting point for a threedimensional artwork. The photograph becomes a fluid form that can be painted and manipulated in lots of unusual ways.’ For the artist the photograph is a starting point for further creation. Go along to the opening at the end of March and see her work with images in the same way she approaches life in general – what’s on show are pieces that bring out the quirkiness, banality or uniqueness of the places she photographs. Fluidity will be on display at CCAS Manuka,19 Furneaux St, Forrest, from Thursday March 8 to Sunday April 7. 11am-5pm, Wed-Sun. The gallery will be open over Easter Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Free.

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to cash in (usually starting with a casual kick and escalating to a full fingernail scratchy grab). Another one involved pretending to hold an invisible rope tight on either side of the road until you got a car to stop. Everyone saw the lighter side of things, except the cops, but even then there was no risk of getting tasered to death back then, so game on. I love Canberra. I know it’s not cool to say out loud and no one wants to admit it, but if you can’t say it in 2013 when can you? For the most part I grew up in Canberra and I had a ball doing it. My friends and I could ride our pushbikes to Uriarra Crossing to fish for carp or catch a turtle and in the same day we could cruise down to Pot Black and spend our hard-earned paper delivery money on a game or two of pool. As long as we were home before dinner my parents didn’t give a hoot. Life was simple. If you didn’t like someone you organised a fight with them at the bottom of the oval or ordered 12 pepperoni pizzas to get sent to their parents’ house on a Wednesday night. You didn’t sue them and you certainly didn’t ‘bully’ them on a social network (seriously?). I got grounded a lot. It meant I had to stay within the confines of our yard, which posed an extra challenge for my deviant mind, but in reality it barely slowed the shenanigans. My brothers and I had favorite pranks, like gluing a 50 cent coin to the footpath and then watching from inside the house as hapless passersby tried their luck

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I remember the words we used to say that I thought everyone in Australia used but turned out to be only Canberran (and even Northside) colloquialisms. Words like ‘tenno’ (tennis ball), ‘dinking’ (doubling on a bike), ‘pegging’ (throwing) or even ‘dogan’ (this is a word my group of friends used to refer to derros (‘housos’) before ‘bogan’ (houso/dogan) became popular). So before you bag Canberra for being a cultureless, daggy pube (public servant)-fest, put your iPhone down and get amongst it. It’s not too late. There’s some crazy big bell by the lake, but it’s our crazy big bell, so go take your photo in front of it and stick it on your fridge. Start living the dream. If your Canberra is a giant cultureless pube-fest, it’s all your fault. Look through this BMA, there’s a tonne of stuff on. HAMISH HUDSON - Like a cross between Kevin Bloody Wilson and Jack Johnson, his songs are catchy, poignant and sometimes a little bit blue. Hamish Hudson will be performing his show This Is What I Think, I Reckon at 7:30pm on Friday March 22. Hamish is also performing as part of the Capital Punishment show at 7:30pm on Saturday March 23.

While he had been performing in the UK since 1998, it was his first appearance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2003 that put him on the globetrotting comedy circuit, which he hasn’t left since. Bhoy’s observational humour resonates hugely with international audiences – his insights on travel and culture are particularly funny.

LAUGH LETTERS peter o’rourke It’s definitely no overstatement to say that Scottish comedian DANNY BHOY is one of Australia’s favourite comedy imports.

He’s already back in the country for this year’s comedy season, and will be making an appearance at Canberra’s first local Comedy Festival this month. However, he’ll be presenting an entirely new show, Dear Epson... which Danny Bhoy reckons might just be his best yet. ‘I started the show in Edinburgh and tested it out in London,’ he says. ‘It’s a new format for me, where I basically read out a bunch of letters I have written, with a bit of banter and stand-up in between. It started off with letters to companies, the first being Epson, a printer company where I ask about their ink. I gradually wrote letters to friends, family and people from my past.’ Bhoy says there’ll be a bit of a change to his previous material, with an almost theatrical performance, rather than just traditional standup. ‘I’ve enjoyed trying something new,’ says Bhoy. ‘Writing letters for a comedy show is a really interesting concept – they have to be so succinct, and be able to maximise laughter without getting boring, but also tell a story.’ The Scottish comedian says that you ‘absolutely’ have to change your material for different audiences in different regions. ‘When you travel so much, as I do, you realise that not all humour works everywhere in the same way. For this show I’ve had to find some relatable material which will work for Australian audiences. The skeleton of the show is still the same, but I pepper it with different letters depending on the crowd.’ One common element throughout Bhoy’s shows are the use of classic jokes that make an appearance in different performances, such as different cultures’ reactions to the call of last drinks, or the story of encountering a gecko in an Aussie motel. ‘This probably won’t have any catch-phrases to add to a “classic hits” collection,’ he says. ‘Comedy does go in cycles, and you can never predict what will be the next big thing, whether it’s political comedy, surrealism, etcetera. I guess the ultimate goal is to find a joke that will be universal and work everywhere, but that’s a very hard thing to do. It’s great when you can get it!’ Danny Bhoy will perform at Canberra Theatre for two nights, Fri/Sat March 15/16, from 8pm. Tickets are $48.50 + bf through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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blocks of unfathomable mystery are indeed ‘apples’, but my gullibility only goes so far.)

I once had the incredible misfortune of spending an afternoon in the company of a young American named Samuel Morse, an awful man whose wife was an insufferable bore. The poor woman had a backside the size of a small village fête and with it the turning circle of a canal barge. She would routinely leave in her wake a scene of utter ruin: furniture strewn, children scattered, crockery dashed. That afternoon I witnessed her spousal interference launch Morse clear across the living room, crashing into his bureau. His unconscious body formed an electrical contact with a telegraph key to create an audible tone, thus the telegraph was born as the first means of effective long-distance communication. I now know this mishap to have precipitated the current obsession for ‘mobile phones’. My confusion at the willingness of normal adults to stare intently at small black boxes in ignorance of the presence of others – and all in the name of communication – I’m sure is understandable. This confusion was only compounded by the realisation that warring factions are at play. It appears that an industry designed to bring people closer together is beset by prejudice, firmly held convictions that one black box be better than its barely distinguishable cousin. (I have rather amusingly been asked to believe that some of these rectangular

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Absurdities abound – said boxes provide the owner with all manner of tools to aid productivity, a veritable bureau in the palm of one’s hand. And yet the net result appears to be the prevention of any and all original creation. The user is rendered as productive as a Crimean prisoner of war. A dead one. Add to that a simmering distaste for alternate products and I can only deduce an unwillingness to accept another’s right to be equally as distracted as oneself, should they be doing so in a negligibly different manner. And what compensation can one expect for this chronic inaction? Well, it seems that one is actually obliged to pay for the privilege of being continually distracted. I confess to finding the whole enterprise exhausting, and not in a pleasant administration-of-a-sound-thrashing kind of exhausting. I fear these festering conflicts, these blind allegiances to black rectangles of fundamental inactivity, may one day derail man’s great propensity for invention. How long before we are bound to the bidding of these insistent slabs of dubious intent? Going upline to the interweb under duress? Goaded into offloading images all over a ‘facial book’? Creating all manner of imaginary verbs which don’t actually mean anything? I myself am a traditional sort. As such, I like my tyrants inbred, with an alarming sense of self-entitlement and a fortune forged from the blood of the masses. Not weighing less than five ounces and small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. Mrs Morse’s oversized bottom has a lot to answer for. GIDEON FOXINGTON-SMYTHE

ARTISTPROFILE: Martin Ollman

What do you do? I’m a freelance photographer, teacher at PhotoAccess, community leader for Google+, and Drink and Click organiser. When, how and why did you get into it? I started out at The Canberra Times after leaving school back in the late ‘80s. I ran the darkroom for several years but they never let me progress to a photographer, so I left and worked for Reuters in London instead. Chased royals around for a few years then jumped on the Internet wave for 20 years, only just getting off and getting back into photography. Who or what influences you as an artist? My influences are all over the world – mainly other photographers via social networks (G+, 500px, Flickr) and some local photographers (Geoff Jones, Robert

Coppa, Geoffrey Dunn) – however, the main thing that influences me is nature and light. Of what are you proudest so far? Having my work projected at this year’s Enlighten – biggest canvas yet! What are your plans for the future? Transition out of IT and move into full-time photography – more training and community activity (workshops, photo walks) – National Geographic, here I come! What makes you laugh? UK comedy, Australian media. What pisses you off? Parking inspectors, anchovy and waking up. What about the local scene would you change? Nothing, just add more sauce. Drink and Click is a great way to nerd out with other photographers, so will be doing them more of them this year. Upcoming exhibitions? Solo exhibition, Ollman’s Canberra, Thursday March 14, NewActon. Contact Info: mollman@gmail.com; techosapien.com; flickr.com/buglogic.

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T Image credit: Kat Voss

BYO VENUE julia winterflood ‘It’s an idea as old as the hills. Everyone has a show in a car. It’s an old tradition, but not just with theatre. Every art form has done stuff in cars. The idea gets reinvented time and time again, because it works. Everyone’s got a car, they’re private spaces, they’ve got this in-built aesthetic. It works really neatly, so all we did was gather a bunch of them that already existed or invited people to create for that space.’ Ever humble is You Are Here festival curator David Finnigan, for this isn’t just any old carpark performance. It’s a car park performance titled with a modified Coolio lyric: PRAYERS IN THE STREETLIGHT (IF THEY CAN’T SEE ME HOW CAN THEY REACH ME?). ‘We didn’t go ahead with it for ages because we couldn’t think of a good name,’ admitted Finnigan. ‘We circled around it for a while – we

had the more prosaic names, we had the more ridiculous names – and we all had to respond to the name in the right way. But what I’m effectively saying is I was trying to annoy [fellow curator] Yolande [Norris] by coming up with a name that would make her cringe the most.’ And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the YAH team does business. In a theatre, in a music venue, in a circus tent or a gallery, you’ve got distance and space to conceal your reactions. You can yawn or roll your eyes unnoticed, shed a secret silent tear. In the cramped confines of a car you cannot. Gushed Finnigan, ‘What is amazing and what stands out with all of these pieces is you’re in a car, you’re in someone else’s space, but you’re so used to being in cars that you have all of these automatic reactions, and you’re right fucking there, you’re so close to it all, there’s nowhere to move, there’s nowhere for being cold and distant.’ The curators wanted to throw the net as wide as they could for Prayers and their catch is delightfully diverse. ‘We’ve got theatre artists, we’ve got interactive headphones theatre, we’ve got gigs, we’ve got burlesque performers. We’re having Poncho Circus do a circus piece in the back of a van, and Dead DJ Joke has his Dead DJ Taxi – basically, he drives people around London Circuit pumping tunes really loudly. There’s going to be a fashion show and visual arts. Ed Radcliffe from The Fuelers is bringing his vintage wheels and some gramophones and he’ll be DJing 1920s ragtime. We’ve brought in some interstate artists for this as well. About 12 cars are going to be active. It could go either way. It could work really well or it could be the biggest disaster of the festival. I don’t think there’s going to be in between.’ Prayers in the Streetlight (if they can’t see me how can they reach me?) is on Monday March 18, 7-9pm, in the Canberra Theatre Centre carpark. Enter from the Courtyard Studio entrance. For all the YAH info head to youareherecanberra.com.au.

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Image credit: Chris Herzfeld

ANY GIVEN THURSDAY ben hermann ‘All we can say is that this did happen. You can sit around a table and discuss the reasons and political ramifications of it all day, but that doesn’t change the fact that all these lives need to go on and need to be rebuilt.’ It’s a blunt but effective reminder of the individual toll of terrorist attacks by Nathan O’Keefe, who appears in THURSDAY, a co-production between Brink Productions and English Touring Theatre inspired by the story of Adelaide woman Gill Hicks who lost her legs in the 2005 London bombings. Written by UK playwright Bryony Lavery and directed by Australian Chris Drummond, the play came about after Drummond saw Hicks interviewed on Andrew Denton’s Enough Rope. ‘[Chris] saw her and realised how amazing her story was,’ O’Keefe explains. ‘The events changed Gill not just physically, but also opened up this amazing woman that was sitting inside her. It unlocked something inside of her, and Chris saw that and wanted to explore that as a piece of fictional theatre based on true events.’ The play follows nine unrelated characters, all of whom have their lives changed when they ‘step onto that bus, or onto that train’, as O’Keefe describes. The story then follows their post-7/7 lives, based loosely on Hicks’ own recovery and meeting of the people who saved her life. O’Keefe plays Ryan, a young man who wakes up on Thursday with his fiancé, having proposed only the night before. As each other character wakes up and performs their daily routine, the play sets a comic tone against its tragic backdrop; a fitting reflection of life, in O’Keefe’s eyes. ‘Bryony has an amazing way of putting huge amounts of humour in these very tragic plays of hers,’ he says. ‘It’s a fact of life that as much trauma and tragedy as we can endure, they’re often interspersed in a heartbeat by these extremely funny events.’ Like so many documentaries, commentary, film, music and visual art that has been inspired by various events since 9/11, Thursday addresses the ability of humans to be both violent and compassionate toward complete strangers. However, O’Keefe explains that Hicks’ story provides a more unique perspective of the personal experience. ‘I’m sure that what is going to be taken away from this play is unique for everybody,’ O’Keefe says. ‘But it’s about all of us. It’s about the random events in our lives that can make us stronger, or can break us. Ideally, I’d like people to realise that there’s a choice. Gill – death was the easy choice for her, but she chose life. We all have that choice, and it doesn’t always require a tragedy for us to make that decision.’ Brink Productions and English Touring Theatre’s Thursday is at The Playhouse from Wed-Sat March 20-23. Tickets are $50+ through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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UNINHIBITED Skankin’ Sam was a sad, sad man. At least he appeared to be. Sam (not his real name) was a rude boy of the second (and possibly greatest) coming of ska who returned to the scene during its third (and mostly regrettable) wave. He came back with the confidence that a few years of mid-level management afford a man and stage dove into the revived movement with Doc Martins full of enthusiasm. Around Canberra you could see Skankin’ Sam performing ska DJ sets and/or attending various skacore shows – many of which proved The Onion’s famous headline ‘Ska Band Outnumbers Audience’ to be closer to truth than fiction.

(RED)IFINING COLOUR chloe mandryk

I’ve thought a lot about Sam lately, ever since I started going to punk gigs again. Like Sam, I’ve returned to a scene after a decade’s break but, unlike Sam, I’ve had his example of how not to engage your old scene to learn from.

On Friday March 15 at 8pm the lights are set to dim in a giant warehouse space in the centre of Canberra. Suddenly a spotlight will drop on Kieran Bryant performing a series of rituals in the nude with milk, red rocks and glass jars.

Sam’s approach made it look like he wanted to be 20 years old again but more popular the second time around. To help achieve this popularity, he once shouted a whole ska band dinner (forgetting that teenagers in bands are some of the most ungrateful jerks in a world with no shortage of ungrateful jerks). The trombonist tasted his meal, said it sucked and pushed it away. Despite this, Sam thought the lads had invited him to join the band. I think the conversation went something like this.

Kieran is one of 17 artists who are creating exciting new artworks for the opening of RISE EXIST DEMISE (RED), a contemporary Australian art exhibition. The artists investigate the colour red, a colour that is synonymous with oppositional ideas such as love and hate, health and disease, birth and death, pride and commercialism or the perfectly pious and those bloody pagans.

Sam: ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if you had a dancer?!’ Band: ‘Yeah, right.’ Sam: ‘Excellent!’ This led to the uncomfortable scene of Sam filing onto the stage with his ‘bandmates’ and skankin’ away, oblivious to the real possibility that he might receive a trombone to the head. Followed by a trumpet. Then a sax. Now that I think about it, it’s pretty unlikely I’ll mistakenly believe I’ve been invited to join a youthful punk band as their dancer. Oh, I’d be a sweet dancer, just like the dude from Rocket from the Crypt; but the reason I enjoy seeing the likes of The Smith Street Band is because it reminds me of where I came from, not because I want to return there. Having bought a house at the relatively advanced age of 35 I can no longer relate to lines such as, ‘I see people that I love melting into mortgages/ And low-interest bank loans, income tax percentages/ And it’s all so fucking meaningless.’ It’s not all so fucking meaningless to me. It was when I was 20 years old – an age when I not only thought mortgages were meaningless but also nation states, marriages, desk jobs, religions and most anything else other people believed in. Nowadays, I can confidently say that being in my mid-30s, and sort of grown up, is way fucking better than being a 20-something with Canberra’s largest collection of partially read Noam Chomsky works. Although, I’m certainly still grateful for the informal education punk gave me. I don’t know what happened to Skankin’ Sam, he was a nice guy dancing in the wrong skacore band at the wrong time. But I’m pretty sure he’ll surf the inevitable fourth wave of ska a bit more smoothly than the last. Pete Huet - petehuet@yahoo.com

Sabrina Baker is creating a new textile installation. This meticulous piece will cascade from the ceiling and complement A Stitch in Time. The two works will explore social, visual and ritualistic cycles. Or, as Sabrina elaborated, how ‘the use of embroidery connects me to a long history of women’s practice, a practice that’s repetition and precise action is a ritual in itself passed down through hundreds of years as a form of communication, education and expression.’ EARS is an artist from Sydney who has exhibited from LA to Korea to Amsterdam and has recently shown with the National Gallery of Victoria, the contemporary collective Art Pharmacy and two underground artist run spaces, Kind Of gallery and Soldiers Rd. EARS will be showing pieces that make reference to colour, but that’s just the beginning. Most pronounced is his investigation of cycles of representation – from photograph, to sketch, to sound recording, to image. EARS said of the work, ‘I have a fascination and obsession with the analogue realm and distortion/abstraction as a way of opening up the mind to various possible interpretations of the same thing. Leaving gaps in the information, making the image or sound unclear or distorted, and removing parts of the story or information allows the imagination to fill in the blanks. I am appropriating from imagery and sounds of my own truth, my own world.’ Adam Veikkanen’s work, which began with links to Boris Groys’ little red book, ‘a communist postscript’, uses red as a core motif for political and social interaction. The artist displays sports fields and paraphernalia as ‘an altered way of thinking’. Adam is known for his thoughtful approach to material, concept and presentation. In 2012 he completed an Artist Residency at JACA, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. With exhibiting artists from Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, including Sabrina Baker, Hannah Beasley, Rowena Boyd, Alexander Boynes, Bill Brown and Caryn Griffin, Kieran Bryant, Shannon Cranko, EARS, Alexandra Frasersmith, Sacha Jeffrey and more, RED is promising. Rise Exist Demise (RED) shows at Nishi Gallery, NewActon, from Fri Mar 15-Fri Mar 29. Free.

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW The Universe Versus Alex Woods Gavin Extence [Hodder & Stoughton; 2013]

Alex Woods, age 17, is arrested at the UK border trying to re-enter the country with 113 grams of marijuana, an envelope of money in the glove box and the cremated ashes of his best friend in an urn on the passenger seat. The story of how he gets to that point starts out bizarre and ends melancholy. The only son of a clairvoyant tarot shop owner, at age 11 Alex becomes the second ever victim of a direct meteor strike. The crippling seizures which result, as well as his precise, articulate nature and obsessive love for astronomy, neurology and correcting people, make him an outcast among his peers. He befriends Mr Peterson, a cantankerous, widowed Vietnam War veteran who introduces Alex to secular humanism, Vonnegut and Amnesty International. But when Mr Peterson is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Alex has some tough choices to make. This is an odd book. At times, it is deeply moving and the sparseness of the prose and strangeness of the narrator are charming. Alex’s narration is straightforward and direct, skipping over the boring bits but taking occasional detours to explain the difference between a meteoroid and a meteorite, or how interesting cannabis farming is, or the plot of the book he’s reading. It’s a strange point of view to be locked into for the full novel – Alex could most kindly be described as ‘quirky’ and though he’s mostly a sympathetic character, he isn’t particularly empathetic. His detachment from the rest of the characters comes across as cold and occasionally alienating, despite the great lengths to which he will go to protect and care for them.

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Most frustrating about The Universe Versus Alex Woods is the sensation that the author is using the text to thrash out his own issues and make a point. There nothing wrong with that, of course, so long as it’s done well. But it must be entertaining first, and this novel starts to lose its grip on that halfway through. It was my fondness for Mr Peterson that got me to the final chapters, which were rather beautiful and had none of the unfocused rambling of earlier parts of the book. Alex and Mr Peterson’s journey together takes on an almost mythic feel, a thing to be conquered, even as we, the readers, have known the ending from the beginning. I did enjoy this book. It’s eminently readable, if occasionally frustrating. Though he’s a strange narrator, Alex is in many ways extremely teenaged, and The Universe Versus Alex Woods makes a great, if unconventional, coming of age story. emma grist

CLASSICS IN REVIEW The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald [First published: 1926]

As Canberra again witnesses the inevitable fading of our short but sweet summer months, we tend to seize on the last of the crisp summer evenings with particular zeal. In throwing parties and festivals of all kinds on all nights, we embrace hedonism before the inevitable Canberran ‘winter of discontent’ sets in. But there was, perhaps, no season more hedonistic, more overflowing with that youthful energy of a riotous party, than that of the ‘Roaring Twenties’; the Jazz Age which was encapsulated so well in the writings of American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. And so it only seems fitting, especially considering that we are on the eve of another cinematic adaptation of his classic novel The Great Gatsby, that we raise a glass to Fitzgerald: the writer who made the attitude and aesthetic of the ‘20s American youth such an eternal one; the writer who gifted to succeeding generations such a fine portrait of his era; the writer who could articulate universal truths through particular fictions with such lyrical fluidity and ease. In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, we follow the path of a glittering star of ‘20s America, Jay Gatsby, who had everything he ever wanted – fame, fortune, glamour; he had the cultural currency of his gilded generation in spades – but lacked the girl he had long sought, Daisy Buchanan, a beautiful young woman whom Gatsby once had in his arms before that great human catastrophe of 1914 had interrupted their young love. Gatsby, after departing for Europe to fight in the war to end all wars, returns home only to hear that the girl of whom he has long dreamt has been married to the detestable Tom Buchanan. Rejecting this reality, Gatsby determines to have Daisy in his own arms once again.

period (among them Stefan Zweig, Erich Maria Remarque, Ernest Hemmingway, Aldous Huxley – watch this space, reader), regardless of their own native soil, and pause to reflect on our own precarious position in history, perched as we are above the tectonic plates of time shifting beneath us, deaf to the tremors which herald the quake. Again, we might here quote Fitzgerald himself, who writes in his essay Echoes of the Jazz Age on the early years of those Roaring Twenties: ‘Scarcely had the staider citizens of the republic caught their breaths when the wildest of all generations, the generation which had been adolescent during the confusion of the War, brusquely shouldered my contemporaries out of the way and danced into the limelight.’ And so the old guard faded into history as the new moral spirit emerged from the lifting fog of war. If Fitzgerald’s time was of the gilded youth of the Jazz Age, as it has come to be known, then how might writers paint our own collective self-portrait in the years to come? What are those events which will carve into the collective countenance of our age the lines of thought, laughter, despair? Only time will tell, and only time will uncover to us such a spokesman as Fitzgerald, one with the tact and insight to speak for a whole generation as Fitzgerald did with such fluidity and skill. For the time being, we in Canberra as a community of writers, painters, critics, dramatists, filmmakers – as artists and communicators of all different colours and schools – could learn much from such a work as Fitzgerald’s Gatsby. timothy c. ginty

And thus begins the tragic tale of The Great Gatsby; the classic tale of the clash between youthful idealism and reality, of infatuation and false sincerity; a tale which follows the path of the modern-day tragic hero, one noble in his unerring vision of a future foregone, yet disconcerting in his conscious naivety and obsession. Fitzgerald’s novel has been rightfully applauded since it was first published in 1925, being recognised as a classic text of modern America for its crystal clear portrayal of a lost American youth. But Fitzgerald’s Gatsby also remains accessible to readers who lie beyond its specific cultural and historical zeitgeist. It is this accessibility, this universality, which has made it such an enduring text and which has seen it be taken up by director Baz Luhrmann in its adaptation to the silver screen. Hopefully Luhrmann’s distinctive cinematic style will lend itself to the aesthetic of ‘20s urban America – the glamour and glitter of their youth; in essence, the jazz, which so defined their age – without losing sight of those core moral concerns which have made Fitzgerald’s novel so timeless. And no doubt, there could be no better actor of our time to play Jay Gatsby than Leonardo DiCaprio – for DiCaprio seems to have an instinct for capturing the pains of tragic heroes. So what are we, we of another gilded generation, to make of Fitzgerald’s Gatsby? So much time has passed since his generation came to inherit an earth morally scorched by the Great War. So much has changed since his generation was consumed by the vicissitudes of history, betrayed by the false sense of security of the ‘Concert of Europe’ and finally plunged into the economic paralysis of 1929, so ending ‘the most expensive orgy in history’, as Fitzgerald wrote. Despite the onward march of time and history, we would be foolish not to look back on the writers and artists of the interwar

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bit PARTS CIRCA’S WUNDERKAMMER WHAT: World Famous Circus Troupe WHEN: Tue-Thu March 26-28 WHERE: Canberra Theatre The world famous circus troupe, Circa, comes to Canberra to help celebrate our Centenary. The circus will leap into the Canberra Theatre for three performances only, following a five-week season of the show in Paris. In Wunderkammer, seven performers of unbelievable ability take physical theatre and contort it into equal parts circus, cabaret and vaudeville. Combining seemingly impossible physical feats with a poetic sensibility, it moves, amazes and astonishes. Circa is a Brisbane-based company, which has toured extensively internationally since 2006, touring to 24 countries across five continents and performing for over 500,000 people. A pop-up bar will set the mood for Wunderkammer patrons, open before and after each performance. Mood lighting, live performances, eclectic seating and a specialty cocktail offers an exciting theatre experience outside the main attraction. 7:30pm. $30-$55 through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

THINKING SPACES WHAT: Visual Projections WHEN: Fri-Wed March 15-29 WHERE: R.G. Menzies Library, ANU Thinking Spaces showcases a series of night-time installations featuring large-scale projections on campus buildings set to take place every evening from sunset until Wednesday March 27. The projections feature images capturing life and learning at ANU, drawn from library collections and the broader community, celebrating moments of inspiration and discovery. Thinking Spaces is coinciding with the Menzies Library’s 50th anniversary. The launch on Friday March 15 will feature market stalls, food and guided tours of the night-time installations. 6-9pm. Free. If you have an alumni photo or story you’d like to contribute, email contact@ anuthinkingspaces.com. anuthinkingspace.com.

THE CHALK PIT WHAT: Theatre Performance WHEN: Fri-Sat March 15-23 WHERE: Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre The Chalk Pit is a chilling theatre production which traces the true story of Thomas John Ley. Ley was convicted of the murder of John McMain Mudie in the Old Bailey in 1947 and died in Broadmoor a few months later. He was suspected, but never convicted, of the murder of two parliamentary colleagues, plus a Minister for Justice and Minister for Education during his time as a member of the NSW Parliament. The Chalk Pit is a play about corruption of ambition and the destruction of a family. 8pm, matinee on Saturday March 23, 2pm. $15/$25 through canberraticketing.com.

FLICKERFEST WHAT: Short Film Festival WHEN: Thu & Fri March 21 & 22 WHERE: Dendy Cinema After wrapping up the hugely successful ten-day Sydney festival on January 20, Flickerfest has hit road again for a massive 46-venue national tour, taking in all states and territories including a return to Canberra with a programme of award-winning festival highlights. Thursday will showcase the Best of International programme, followed by a fully catered drinks party. Friday will feature a selection of the best Australian shorts. Highlights include Yardbird, winner of Best Australian Film at Flickerfest 2013, a masterful film directed by Michael Spiccia. 7pm. Thu $20/$16.50 incl. drinks; Fri $17/$14.50 through dendy.com.au.

PARTIES AT THE SHOPS (LYNEHAM) WHAT: Performances and Markets WHEN: Fri Mar 15 WHERE: Lyneham Shops

NOIR REVUE WHAT: Cabaret & Blues Performance WHEN: Thu & Sat March 21 & 23 WHERE: The Famous Spiegeltent

Lyneham shops will be throwing its Centenary of Canberra party this Friday. As part of the Parties at the Shops program, Lyneham’s party will include live music, art, performances, markets and food stalls. The musical line-up will include local favourites Moochers Inc., The Burley Griffin, Chris Endrey of Fun Machine, Jason Recliner and Michael Lemmer. The Tragic Troubadours will perform spoken word and poetry and Poncho Circus will entertain young and old while visual artists fill the space with installations. Additionally, The Front Gallery & Café will open a special Canberra 100 exhibition showcasing 30 local artists. 4-10pm. Free.

Darker than shadows and steamier than a warm lamp-lit street after the rain, Noir Revue will take you back to a time when men were men and femmes were fatal. They will entertain and seduce you, then hit you with their killer cabaret. Join them for an evening of noir, nostalgia and maybe even some nudity. Forget the cabaret cliché to leave your troubles at the door – this is an underground club where it’s alright to wear your troubles on your sleeve. Tragic beauties, sinister fellows and dames you wouldn’t want to mess with. 11pm. $25 through tfs.tickets.red61.com.

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the word

on albums

album of the issue JUSTIN BIEBER BELIEVE ACOUSTIC [Please Stop Sending Us Crap Records] I must admit I was surprised by Justin Bieber’s latest offering. In all my years of hating on the slick little bastard (i.e. being human), never did I expect him to produce an album that’s so god damned… durable. For too long I’ve assumed that music lacking a skerrick of ingenuity or appeal must always house itself within a flimsy CD casing and on a Compact Disc of the same poor quality. This has always been consistently true – Bieber’s earlier works were shattered in mere seconds; each of Nickelback’s seven studio albums took no more than 3.2 seconds to disfigure beyond repair (2008’s Dark Horse the clear winner); and Matchbox Twenty’s entire five studio albums (stacked one on top of the other) lasted no more than a swift karate chop, as if they were a large block of ice and I was a struggling teen actor looking to further my career in a now-historic ‘80s teen film.

Bieber’s Believe Acoustic has changed this. No doubt witnessing his own ‘hard work’ [sic] destroyed effortlessly a plethora of times and mocked by many a weak-wristed Hater again and again, Bieber has created an album casing and CD that is stronger and more solid than anything he’s produced before. Initially shocked that the album didn’t crumble like a devoted Belieber’s allegiance once they turn 17, I opted to forcefully smash the album over my knee using both hands. Ignoring the fact that my legs resemble limbs most commonly seen in World Vision commercials, this knocked young Bieber around. Whilst producing the effect I was after, it failed to render the CD inoperable. The fact this album lasted a full eight seconds of maiming proves J-Bieb’z strength and growth as a shit artist. Oh and the CD has songs on it too. SCOTT JOHNSTON

The ruby suns christopher [sub pop/inertia]

freyja’s rain outrageous! [independent]

Essentially the musical vehicle of former Californian Ryan McPhun and a rotating cast of players, New Zealand-based indie-pop band The Ruby Suns emerged back in 2006 before enjoying a jump in profile thanks to their Take-Away session with Vincent Moon and an Australian tour support slot for The Shins.

The depth of talent in the ACT’s many indie pop, rock and metal bands gets the publicity it so rightly deserves. However, this tends to overshadow the jewels we possess on the local the roots music side. Of these, the band Freyja’s Rain is one of our shining examples.

If 2010’s preceding Fight Softly showcased an increased level of production glossiness to the band’s sound, this latest fourth album Christopher definitely sees that trend continuing. From the very outset it’s also easily Ruby Suns’ most dancefloor-focused and electronics-dominated collection yet, with propulsive disco elements burbling away on many of the ten tracks here. If In Real Life suggests a more flamboyant New Order, as synthesised orchestral hits bounce off melancholic indie vocals, angular live drumming and icy keyboard trills, the stripped back and spacious Dramatikk veers closer to the likes of Active Child, as ghostly downbeat rhythms slowly orbit McPhun’s phase-shifted vocals. Elsewhere, Starlight comes on all rolling Latin percussion and deep funk basslines, unleashing the sort of fusion of stark disco synths and blue-eyed soul vocals that would make Hot Chip blush. There’s plenty of impressive pop craft in evidence on Christopher, but in this case it’s the songs themselves that fail to really stick after several listens, resulting in a strangely nondescript collection that often comes across as pleasant rather than truly memorable. CHRIS DOWNTON

Led by vocalist/songwriter Jenny Sawer, who has her fingers in many musical pies, their fusion approach enables them to fully explore the enormous potential of pop, blues, gospel and folk genres. Jenny wows with her powerful voice, which carries its own unconventional edge. This, an exciting vocal range and her ability to be either smooth and soulful or big, bright and brassy, truly make her one of Canberra’s divas. The opener Sweet Romance caries all the drive and sassiness of a Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes tune. The soulful gospel song So Hard to Go is borne aloft by keys and soft strings, while the bluesy title track impresses with the sustained high notes and vocal flourishes. Alan Hilvert-Bruce’s guitar is a feature of I’m Drawn to You. The catchy pop tune I Can See in the Dark, loaded with funky guitar, has got to be the CD highlight. Launched appropriately at the ACT home of underground folk, The Front, late in 2012, this CD impresses with its great melodies and alluring vocals. The EP is up for grabs on iTunes, CD Baby, Spotify and Amazon. RORY McCARTNEY

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django unchained O.M.P. soundtrack various artists [universal/republic] Every time I see a Quentin Tarantino film, at some stage between either laughing at or covering my eyes in response to his trademark comic gore, I’ll find myself thinking, ‘Why don’t I listen to more of this stuff? Why don’t I broaden my sonic diet with creepy mariachi, chanson, melodramatic ‘70s country and surf punk?’ In the context of his oeuvre, Tarantino’s DJ sets make for magnificent listening. Indeed, it took around seven seconds of Django Unchained before I cracked my first smile, knowing that I was in for a good three hours, and that had everything to do with Rocky Roberts & Luis Bacalov’s opening number. As a listening experience divorced from the images, though? Well, it’s a different thing. The reason I don’t listen to melodramatic ‘70s country and the rest of it is because without the world created by the director, it doesn’t work. That’s the genius of DJ Tarantino. The inclusion of dialogue from the film in all his soundtracks is another key to understanding play – they anchor the songs within the context of the film. And like the work of Travolta, Sam Jackson and Don Johnson, these songs work best in Tarantinotown. On its own, I wouldn’t get too excited about this record. But to those familiar with this (very very fine) film, I’d say buy it and play it again and again for a good time. glen martin

kylie auldist still life [tru thoughts] Kylie Auldist may be best known as the front woman for roots stars The Bamboos. However, she also has a flourishing solo career which has been furthered with the release of her third album. The songs were co-written with The Bamboos’ Lance Ferguson, with their lyrics painted in the colours of her life. Kylie’s voice is so cool it would give ice cubes the shivers, and she’s not shy of showing it off. Backed by some sublime musos, the vocal/melody package is striking. Kylie’s voice possesses incredible variation and her ability to place the right emphasis in the right place takes the songs to another level. There’s more soul here than at a Salvos gathering and the emphasis is on cruisy music, and lots of it. The title track is a standout, with its strong Motown flavour that oozes electric colours and sparkling chromium vibes. There’s some smoky blues in All In You, with a sublime brass accompaniment that’s straight out of the ‘70s. A cover of The Black Keys’ song Howlin’ For You rolls out a little of the reggae carpet and Changes makes the disco sparks fly. Other highlights are the smooth as cream ballad Night of Lies and Daydream with its eastern-tinged melody and overlapping vocals. It’s the musical arrangements, combined with the diva’s grace, that are the making of this record. Belting out the big notes, Kylie carries all before her. RORY McCARTNEY

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the bell laboratory & pantha du prince Elements of light [rough trade/ remote control] Over three preceding albums, Berlin-based electronic producer Pantha Du Prince’s (Hendrik Weber) music has made a steady progression away from his original, cluboriented aesthetic into more minimalist soundscapes that draw equally from the techno, ambient and shoegazer spheres. Three years on from his gorgeous 2010 album Black Noise, Elements Of Light easily represents Weber’s most ambitious work yet; a symphony composed for electronics, percussion and bell carillon, a mammoth three-tonne instrument comprised of 50 bronze bells. As a seamless fusion of minimalist classical music and contemporary electronics, much of the music here has more in common with the continuous flow of gamelan and the sorts of arrangements you’d associate with Steve Reich and Philip Glass. There are also comparisons to be made to the early progelectronics of Cluster and Tangerine Dream, with the entire album being centred around one developing track, split into five segments. Wave kicks proceedings off slowly, as delicate bell tones build into layers of rippling harmonics, and it isn’t until a good ten minutes in that the first hint of a 4/4 beat appears, halfway through the gamelan-influenced Particle. Rather than highlights, there’s a sense of gradual payoff here as you get sucked into the beguiling depths of this subtle, beautifully restrained collection. CHRIS DOWNTON

guards in guards we trust [pod/inertia] Assembled from the wreckage of bands Willowz and Cults, three piece New York outfit Guards has launched its debut album. Indie pop in direction, the band features punchy percussion from Loren Humphrey and echoed vocals from Richie Follin. The band ramps up the energy level, striving for the ‘big sound’ effect, especially in the choruses. It captures some of the summer surf sound and displays a few brief moments of potential. However, the results are often less than convincing. Songs employ overly repetitive patterns and the lyrics are less important as the echoed effect often makes them muffled. Giving Out benefits from its powerful chorus that has sing-along potential. Hear the News carries a ‘60s surf scene flavour and has a strong buzzing melody with some real teeth. It competes with the more moody track Your Man, which uses a touch of psychedelica and an attractive overlapping male/female vocal pattern, for the honour of CD highlight. At the other end of the scale, 1&1 is slow, stifling and goes on forever. I Know It’s True sounds like a fuzzy Strokes song, but fails to bite. Guards’ debut tries to draw on many influences, including the music of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. It is perhaps because of this that it ends up lacking sufficient character of its own. At 16 songs (including four ‘bonus’ tracks for the Australian/NZ release) this loaf of white bread is several slices too long. RORY McCARTNEY

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

Okay. The Oscars happened. I admit I was a little surprised by some of the winners. Daniel Day-Lewis was an obvious choice for Best Actor, but as much as I love J-Law (that’s Jennifer Lawrence, y’all), I didn’t expect her to win Best Actress. Especially given that Silver Linings Playbook isn’t even the best performance of her career to date. Argo was the obvious choice for Best Picture, but was anybody else a little disappointed that from a line-up of such interesting films, something more… well, challenging, wasn’t chosen? Let me know what you think by tweeting @melissawellham.

quote of the issue ‘Trust? Gentlemen, you seem to have forgotten that our chosen career is politics.’ – Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones), Lincoln

lincoln

side effects

cloud atlas

Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is a revealing drama, which is both entertaining and interesting. Double whammy. Spielberg has brought to life the 16th President’s remarkable last months in office as he attempts to end the war, guide the nation into the future and abolish slavery.

Director Steven Soderbergh is an old hand at providing interesting popcorn films and Side Effects is no exception.

I don’t envy the folks behind this screen adaptation of Cloud Atlas. The Wachowski siblings (Lana and Andy, of The Matrix fame) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) have adapted David Mitchell’s sprawling novel of the same name for the screen.

It would have been all too easy for this film to become an overtly patriotic, nationalistic propaganda piece, which emphasised only Lincoln’s determination and goodness. While there’s no small amount of exaltation, Spielberg’s drama also highlights the moral ambiguity of some of Lincoln’s actions – and his moments of weakness – which makes for much more interesting viewing. Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance is as good as everyone says it is. I really feel for the rest of the actors nominated at this year’s Academy Awards, because each of them would have known they didn’t have a chance in hell of winning. Sally Field also turns in a moving performance as ‘Lincoln’s crazy wife’, and I enjoyed the surprise appearance of Joseph GordonLevitt as Lincoln’s son. Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, both Lincoln’s political rival and partner in morally justified crime, is superb. Lincoln is a captivating portrayal of an important victory in the pursuit of equality – and if you don’t leave the cinema ashamed of Australia’s politicians and their apathy to modern-day inequalities (such as gay marriage) then you have missed the moral lesson.

melissa wellham

Emily (Rooney Mara) suffers from depression, which worsens when her insider trading husband (Channing Tatum, with shirt on) returns home from prison. On advice from Emily’s old psychiatrist (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Emily’s current psychiatrist, Dr Banks (Jude Law), prescribes a new drug, Ablixa. Unfortunately, Ablixa ends up causing some troubling side effects – namely, murder. The trailer for Side Effects draws you in with shots of blood puddles and Rooney Mara’s thigh, but the actual film ends up in a totally different place than what you might expect – which I applaud. Halfway through I wondered where Soderbergh was going to take the film, but I was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events. Side Effects isn’t a sermon on prescription drugs and their side effects – it’s a good old-fashioned murder thriller, deftly delivered with good performances, a clever plot and engaging conclusion. On the down side, Tatum could have been replaced by any old schmuck with a pretty face (but he does an adequate job nonetheless), and personally I’ve been ‘Eh’ about ZetaJones for years. I thoroughly enjoyed Side Effects, even more so because the running time wasn’t at all offensive. While it won’t be for everyone, I wouldn’t say you need to beware of Side Effects. (Awful pun. I know it.) megan mckeough

The novel itself is six ‘nested’ stories that take the reader from the remote South Pacific in the early 19th Century, to a distant post-apocalyptic future. Each of these stories is told in a different literary style or genre. The film explores how actions and consequences of individual lives can affect the future. And present. And past. Each member of ensemble cast – which includes Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving and many more – appears in multiple roles as the stories move throughout time. The film has attempted to accomplish a great deal – both in terms of storytelling and stylistically – and it does not always succeed. Arguably, it also feels too weird for a big budget film and too inauthentic for an independent drama. But the ambition of Cloud Atlas makes it impossible to ignore. It is thought-provoking, it is eyecatching, and it is unashamedly emotional. Cloud Atlas broadly concerns itself with big themes and difficult narrative concepts – but ultimately it is about love. So even as it is an expansive, unwieldy beast of a film – if you put in the effort, you will find it affecting, and disturbing, and exciting. melissa wellham

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the word on dvds

game of thrones the complete second season [Warner Home Video] This time last year the hype for the second season of Game of Thrones was reaching fever pitch. Having stolen the limelight from Breaking Bad, the pressure must have been overwhelming. But instead of careening out of control, Game of Thrones slowed down, settling into a much more even groove. Everything feels a little bit bigger and better. This season is confident, where the first was brash. That’s no complaint, although there were some. Too often shows overextend their reach and ambition, but Game of Thrones had outsized ambition from the get-go; what other shows kill off a lead character before the end of their debut season? The runaway success of the first season also meant bigger budgets. The results are obvious in the very first scene, where Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) is being entertained at King’s Landing. Previously, the splendour of King’s Landing was only half there, but now production had moved from Dublin to Dubrovnik so the Amalfi cliffs rising above the intense cobalt blue Adriatic easily outguns a sound stage in ‘sunny’ Northern Ireland and pick-up shots in Malta. Similarly, filming in Iceland makes life beyond the northern wall look as imposing as it sounded in the first season. The largesse of a willing studio lets Game of Thrones scale design heights rarely seen on TV. Production design is just part of the package, and ultimately it’s the characters and scripting that elevates this show. Peter Dinklage remains first amongst equals, his Tyrion Lannister the centre of a swirling, growing cast. One wonders how big, figuratively, this show can get before it falls in on itself. With marginally longer episodes (five minutes) confirmed for the third season, the producers are clearly thinking one step ahead. justin hook

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ai weiwei: Never sorry [Madman]

dredd [Icon]

Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei does the following to rare, expensive and cherished Ming and Neolithic (50003000BC) vases: drop them, dip them in bright acrylic paint, emblazon the Coca-Cola logo on them, destroy them. Mr Ai is saying one simple thing: this is what the Chinese government does, destroying the past for a bright gleaming, corporate future. In terms of art wankery, Mr Ai’s message makes uncomfortable sense, tough as it is for archaeologists the world over. The son of an argumentative poet, Mr Ai is a self-proclaimed hooligan and irritant to the Chinese government. In 2011 he was held for 81 days on tax evasion charges. To this very day, Ai claims he remains under constant surveillance by the government, his phones tapped, his passport confiscated.

There’s usually plenty of room every year for comic book/ graphic novel adaptations. Last year was different. Joss Whedon’s The Avengers became one of the highest-grossing films of all time and Chris Nolan’s The Dark Night Rises became the muted full stop to a self-important trilogy. Between them, the market for high-minded popcorn violence was satiated. Little wonder then that Dredd sunk with barely a trace, although the victim of circumstance argument only goes so far.

Despite being a vocal critic of the Chinese authorities for decades, Mr Ai’s political causes have galvanized through social media, especially Twitter. He has tried to name the thousands of children who died in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake when ‘tofu buildings’ collapsed, obliterating dozens of schools. The government did not like this as the death toll was confidential. One of Mr Ai’s installations captured in this doco in Berlin about these children is simply heartbreaking. Much of his art since the mid-‘90s has been an explicit ‘fuck you’ and literal middle finger to the authorities. Never Sorry is a strange brew. Given what looks like unlimited access to the subject it never really settles down, jumping all over the place without any logic or plot. It can be frustrating but you imagine that’s exactly how Mr Ai, a documentary filmmaker in his own right, wanted it. On first blush this doco is more about his activism than his art, but it’s obvious the two are inextricable. Today, in China Mr Ai’s voice is muffled. In Never Sorry it’s louder than ever. justin hook

Dredd is not a remake of the mid-‘90s Stallone shit sandwich, nor is it really a reboot. It’s a completely different film in a completely different era. An era of gritty realism. An era where comic book heroes incessantly question their moral compass. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is gritty, but doesn’t buy into moral quandaries. In a dystopian future that will look familiar to everyone, a roving platoon of square-jawed judges dish out instant justice. All dystopias need a criminal mastermind and Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) fills that role perfectly fine. Controlling an entire tower block, Ma-Ma manufactures Slo-Mo, a drug that slows mental facilities to a hundredth their normal speed. The same effect achieved by watching My Kitchen Rules, as it turns out. Dredd and his rookie offside (Olivia Thirlby) become trapped in said tower block and mayhem arrives right on schedule as Ma-Ma attempts to eradicate the police officers. If this sounds eerily like The Raid, you’re spot on. The decision to limit Dredd to a single location would have been budget friendly and I’m sure the idea was to develop character, day-in-the-life-style, rather than jump around disjointed locations. But audiences expect more from these types of films and though bigger isn’t always better, it would have been a good start for this one. justin hook

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

Planetside 2 Platform: PC Developer: Sony Online Entertainment Length: 20 hrs+ Verdict: Download I tend to avoid games that will result in me being incessantly abused by 13-year-olds, if only because I know at some point my best intentions to take the verbal high road will be abandoned, resulting in no mother’s honour being safe and everyone’s sexuality being questioned. (Note: everyone’s sexuality. I don’t discriminate in my abuse.) As a result, since the glory days of Counter Strike 1.5 and Day of Defeat, I’ve rarely strayed into the world of serious shooters. Oh sure, I’ve played Team Fortress 2, but that’s less a shooter than a chance for men to legitimately fret about what hat and clothing they’re wearing before they go outside. So I approached Sony Online Entertainment’s increasingly popular MMOFPS Planetside 2 with some trepidation. Would I be crowned ‘N00b’ before firing my first shot? As it turns out, pretty much. But the game has such a sheer audacity of scale, in combination with what some would label ‘emergent gameplay’, that it’s easy to get past any first-hour jitters. The appeal of the game can be seen after you are involved with your first coordinated push towards an objective. At first it seems like chaos, with up to 50 players milling around testing weapons or purchasing vehicles, when all of a sudden this horde is given a single objective and movement becomes coordinated. The sight of you and your teammates sprinting towards an objective with what seems like an overwhelming combination of infantry, air and ground vehicle support is one of the few sights to really impress me in recent videogame history. The resultant combat is just as good when you begin to receive resistance from the opposing team who may also have up to 50 players and vehicles. Rockets are launched towards expected enemy locations, the snipers begin exchanging long distance fire and high damage vehicles try to remove their vehicle opponents before turning on the softer infantry forces. It’s awesome. Getting back to my original worries of verbal ass-hattery by players, Planetside 2 on the whole is a game based upon multiple ‘squads’ of players which need to organise together in order to be a viable attacking force. This seems to discourage the ‘lone wolf’ style players who always seem to be responsible for the anti-social behaviour, but, as always, the exceptions do exist. On the whole, Planetside 2 is a solid shooter which sets itself apart by virtue of the sheer scale of combat and, at an all-time low price of free (in the vein of being free to play, but the in-game payment component seemed very optional), it’s a pretty compelling download. peter davis

The most intriguing show to debut on the box this week has slipped right under the radar. Lilyhammer (SBS1, Sat Mar 30, 8:35pm) is a Norwegian fish-out-of-water crime drama with Sopranos alumni Steven Van Zandt starring as a New York mafia boss under witness protection in the Norwegian ski town. Strange premise but a compelling series. The Fades (ABC 2, Mon Mar 18, 9:30pm) is a new British supernatural drama from the makers of Skins and This is England. The central character is a 17-year-old bedwetter, maligned at school, who’s also a psychic and can see ghosts. Again, much better than it sounds from the précis. Other new shows airing this fortnight include Inspector George Gently (ABC2, Sat Mar 23, 8:30pm) based on the detective stories that reveal the dark underbelly of ‘60s Britain, and Transporter: The Series (FX, Wed Mar 20, 7:30pm). Maybe it’s because the drama’s moved into the ‘20s, but Downton Abbey (Prime, Sun, 8:30pm) has suddenly become even more appealing. Dammit – that’s the hook that Underbelly (WIN, TBC) keeps using, with Squizzy (WIN, TBC) the next instalment. Of course all the networks are playing coy about their post-Easter line-ups in order to outfox their competitors (and ensure us regular folk don’t end up watching). Expect announcements for Arrow (WIN, TBC) and The Following (WIN, TBC) as well as Game of Thrones (Foxtel, TBC) and Mad Men (TBC) which start airing in the US Sunday March 31 and Sunday April 7 respectively. Just in case you thought there weren’t enough comedy quiz shows about, here comes Tractor Monkeys (ABC2, Wed Mar 20, 8:30pm). A nostalgia-based show mining Auntie’s archive, the Merrick Watts/Dave O’Neill/Monty Dimond-led chaos has a companion app that allows audiences to play along in real time (and if they’re good, make it on the leader board). Docos to check out include Artscape: Anatomy – Stomach (ABC2, Tue Mar 19, 10pm) which looks at sideshow artist and sword swallower Aerial Manx, Kangaroo Dundee (ABC2, Thu Mar 22, 8:30pm) which follows the life of outback kangaroo rescuer Brolga, Compass: Patrick: The Renegade Saint (ABC1, Sun Mar 17, 6:30pm), uncovering the man behind the green-tinted legend – luck of the Irish alright, The Ultimate Mars Challenge (SBS1, Sun Mar 24, 8:30pm), and The Pluto Files (SBS1, Sun Mar 17, 8:30pm), about the planet not the Disney dog. Blackbox’s reality comp guilty pleasure Fashion Star (11, Tue, 8:30pm) is back. No, of course it’s not The Voice (WIN, TBC). Projects in development are a new Chris Lilley series for Auntie, and US pilots for Gothica, a gothic modern-day soap that incorporates the legends of Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein and Dorian Gray, a remake of The Tomorrow People, The Hundred, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story about a ship of 100 teenage delinquents who are sent back to Earth 97 years after a nuclear war to try and recolonise, and Lucky 7, about seven employees of a Queens gas station whose lives are changed when their lottery syndicate wins the jackpot. Be warned – all but Lucky 7 have a whiff of CW teenage drama about them. For sports fans there’s the Australian Formula One Grand Prix (SCTEN, Sun Mar 17, 10am) and the FIFA World Cup qualifier, Australia vs. Oman (SBS1, Tue Mar 26, 8pm). First Eurovision (SBS, May, TBC) news: Bonnie Tyler of Total Eclipse of the Heart fame will represent the UK. Giving them perhaps less chance of winning than when they wheeled out Englebert Humperdinck. TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

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the word

The Smith Street Band, Bomb The Music Industry, Yoko Oh No The Phoenix Bar Sunday February 17

on gigs

As a relatively new resident of Canberra, I was happy to find out there is a pretty decent live music venue in the centre of town; the charming, beer-soaked Phoenix Bar. The Melbourne-based Smith Street Band were due to play but, being a Sunday night and also the day before classes started at the ANU, I was dubious as to how many people would make it out. Turns out neither of these factors made a difference and the place sold out. The night opened with Queanbeyan band Yoko Oh No, who thrashed out an energetic set of punk, hardcore and metal. Well-dressed and well-spoken but clearly with a big chip on their shoulders, they expressed something of the suppressed frustration of Canberra. They seemed pretty down to earth and modest, taking pride in their somewhat obscure hometown. The music was nothing new, but top marks for enthusiasm. They were followed by Bomb the Music Industry, a US band acting as main support for the Young Drunks tour. They turned out to be a loud and obnoxious group pumping out some trashy pop-punk metal fusion. They represented all of the worst clichés many of us have of Americans: annoying, arrogant and largely untalented. The music they played was an awful cacophony of ‘90s American punk with some horrible horn parts and desperately shallow lyrics. Despite their best efforts to rev up the crowd with some call-and-response and strutting amongst the audience, they didn’t seem to realise most Australians just don’t buy into that farce. The Smith Street Band, on the other hand, exemplified everything an aspiring Australian band should be; energetic, lovable, passionate and sweaty, all the messiness you want from a touring pub rock band. They play hard and heavy songs that are somewhere in the undefinable ‘rock’ genre, sometimes more punk, other times more melodic, but always played with plenty of gusto. The show at The Phoenix was part of their Young Drunks Australian tour and the band were clearly prepared to give everything to the Canberra. The band was promoting the release of their latest album, Sunshine & Technology, an impassioned yet light-hearted release that gives a proud voice to both the more serious and petty concerns of being an Australian youth. From the moment they got going, they had the audience in the palm of their hand. People crowded to the front of the tiny room to get a good spattering of lead singer/guitarist Wil Wagner’s sweat and a thorough blasting of a PA system being pushed to the limits of its capacity. Wil gave a short speech about why their scheduled support, The Bennies, were unable to make the tour – thanks to an incident with a drunken prick at one of their shows, which ended in a gross incident involving a broken bottle, lot’s of blood and repeated yelling of ‘Don’t fuck with our dreams’, a phrase the band had proudly adopted and seemed to be applying as the slogan for the rest of their tour. The audience were totally behind the band and there were more than a few who knew the lyrics to their songs and were chanting them back to the band with their own uninhibited zeal.

PHOTOS BY PAOLO RUIZ

The band finished with Wil sprawled out on the floor of the venue furiously strumming his broken and bloodied guitar and then promptly leaving after many sincere thanks to catch a midnight bus back to Melbourne. I left with the familiar satisfying feeling of ringing ears and a sweaty shirt. JEFF ANTONY THEYS

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the word

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly Royal Theatre Sunday February 24

on gigs

We attend shows like these to be part of communal sing-along, to hear songs already implanted into our heads rendered again, if not anew. It’s not the cutting the edge of live performance. It’s a comfort blanket. Or this was what I expected. Instead, Neil Finn and Paul Kelly executed a masterclass in material and its interpretation. This was a surprisingly thrilling show. Neither man is the type to stay still – Kelly’s latest LP is a low-key triumph, whereas Finn is famously restless. Both men cut a fine figure – Finn as he ever was, a disciple of suited Brit style tempered with a dash of geek dad, while Kelly looks more and more like an SP bookie circa 1968. That his nephew, the great Dan Kelly, is on the stage but seems dwarfed by his uncle’s presence indicates just how serious the onstage firepower is. A show in this room will always struggle to connect intimately and I don’t get the impression that the rapport between the two leads is smooth – they famously battled on Melbourne tennis courts during the ‘80s, respectful but competitive. There’s an air of that in their gentle ribbing. But the feeling that something special is happening overwhelms the beigeness of the room and the lack of smooth banter. The sliding interplay between the singers and their catalogues provides a good percentage of tonight’s pleasure. Kelly steals Into Temptation from Finn with the most perfect of deliveries, while Finn’s take on You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed is equally affecting. What’s more engaging is when the singers each take a verse of a tune; the combined effect elevates the song itself. So when Kelly takes the first verse of Distant Sun and Finn kicks in with the second, there’s a palpable lift of energy. It becomes celebratory. And it clearly indicates who the star of the show is: the songs. The canon is centre stage and in taking this approach both singers become servants of those songs. It’s never just a verse-for-verse trade, but each voice is positioned where it best suits the melody. It’s both appropriate and thrilling to hear the two voices operate to their strengths, Finn hitting the high notes and handling the esoteric sections, Kelly bringing grit and practical worldliness. They’ve taken their own and each other’s songs apart, rebuilding them in a stunning fashion. Other highlights include Finn and Dan Kelly’s shared vocal on Only Talking Sense, Paul bringing the room to gentle sobs during They Thought I Was Asleep, a brief dissertation on the history of gala apples in Australia (grafted by the grandfather of bass player Zoe Hauptmann, a Pialligo native and the keeper of a fine groove), and a hilarious section on the travails of being a young man fighting the battle of tight pants in confined spaces (the elder Finn detailing his early experience, echoed by his son Elroy, who, by the way, is a master sticksman).

PHOTOS BY MARK TURNER

But the real highlights were in how fresh and essential these standards of the Australasian songbook sounded; the whipcrack opening and melodic perfection of Before Too Long, the sinuous Sinner, the stunning simple power of Deeper Water, the soaring Won’t Give In. The second encore featured two songs I’d hoped wouldn’t feature in the gig, as they’ve become so repeated as to become meaningless. But To Her Door sounded brand new and utterly thrilling, while Don’t Dream It’s Over was moving and soothing, and something a little too lovely for words. It was hymnal and the room was chock full of believers. They will talk about this show for years. GLEN MARTIN

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Paolo Ruiz

The Tallest Man on Earth Zierholz @ UC Wed Mar 6, 2013

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the word

Deerhoof, Golden Blonde, TV Colours Transit Bar Monday March 4

on gigs

It is becoming commonplace to be heading to the Transit for a Monday night gig. This would once have been inconceivable in Canberra, and I hope the momentum is sustained. It doesn’t hurt that uni has kicked in for the year and it seems there are many first year students out and about looking at what is on offer. This is great in its own way, as a healthy curiosity is not only personally rewarding but can also sustain a scene. This Deerhoof gig is a good case in point. I’m guessing that the last minute addition of a Canberra date was spurred by the decent turnout at Thee Oh Sees at Transit a few weeks back. With this in mind, I’m hoping that the days of Canberra gig reviewers lamenting shitful turnouts at decent gigs are now behind us. Not that openers TV Colours had that much to get excited about. The crowd was pretty sparse as these energised punk rockers took to the stage, although I suspect the pummelling volume might have had something to do with that. As my gig companion commented about halfway through their set, ‘There is a decent song in there somewhere.’ But that song was hardly detectable behind the wall of noise. In any case, this was an appropriately raucous opening for Deerhoof, a group which can explode when the desire takes hold. Former Canberra (now Sydney) band Golden Blonde was next on stage and I was pretty impressed with the experimental grooves on offer, almost as if Brian Eno himself had decided to grace the stage of the Transit with cut up beats and guitars in tow. But there is little doubt it was headliners Deerhoof the audience had come to see and they did not disappoint. Deerhoof could only have emerged from the indie guitar scene of the 1990s. In fact, anyone who wants a musical demonstration of that much misused term ‘indie rock’ could do no better than being offered a Deerhoof album. On stage the band launched into a fast-paced set comprising squalling guitars, pop music melodies and sweetly abstract vocals from Satomi Matsuzaki, who can sing a line like, ‘This is God speaking/ Hello human animals’ with similar upbeatness to Brian Wilson celebrating sun and surf in the early 1960s. These were guitar heavy/very pop/very scrambling/very fun tunes in rapid fire motion. This band knew exactly when to pile on the guitars and when to let the beat take hold. In ordinary circumstances, I ain’t no dancer of anything other than the embarrassing kind, but Deerhoof had me pulling out some sharp moves as the angular rhythms powered the songs, with all the noisy guitar stuff happening on top. This band has its sound well and truly sorted in this regard and it was satisfying to see difficult material from immersive guitar heavy albums like Offend Maggie translated live.

PHOTOS BY RUBY WEBER

This gig was a real treat for Canberra because key players in the indie guitar scene, like Sonic Youth and Pavement, are no longer around, but Deerhoof just keep on doing their thing and doing it well. I had the opportunity to speak briefly with vocalist Satomi after the show and she acknowledged that Deerhoof hadn’t played in Canberra before, but the audience had been receptive and enthused. Let’s hope they keep this in mind and come right back. DAN BIGNA

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Mar 13 - Fri Mar 15

Listings are a free community service. Email editorial@bmamag.com to have your events appear each issue. Wednesday march 13

thursday march 14

friday march 15

Art

Exhibition – Canberra

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

BILK GALLERY

M16 ARTSPACE

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm).

M16 ARTSPACE

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm).

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

Exhibition Opening – Heaps and Heaps

DRILL HALL GALLERY

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities

Art by Hannah Bath. 6pm opening.

Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free.

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

Exhibition – The Play of Light

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities

ILIOS GALLERY

Kathryn Scott looks at the delicate nature of light. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm.

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free. ILIOS GALLERY

Exhibition – The Play of Light

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Kathryn Scott looks at the delicate nature of light. 10am-5pm.

Film

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Karaoke Karaoke Wednesdays 9pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Live Music Acoustic Soup

Live music and delicious food. 6:30pm. $8.50 members and students, $10 everyone else. ANU FOOD CO-OP

Alex Bowen

Intimate solo acoustic show. With The Pierce Brothers. 7:30pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Something Different Balloon Spectacular

From 6-10am every morning until Sunday March 17. Free. OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

Organic Lunch at the Co-op

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm. ANU FOOD CO-OP

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Film Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

M16 ARTSPACE

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm).

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free. ILIOS GALLERY

Exhibition – The Play of Light Kathryn Scott looks at the delicate nature of light. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Danny Bhoy

The Darkened Seas

With The Knows & Mind The Gap. 7:30pm doors. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Special edition greatest hits show. With Naughty Rhythms. 9pm. Tix $25/$30 thru spiegeltent.net. OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

Live Fridays

Live acoustic musicians. 5pm onwards. Free. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Cheese/Retro

That night where they play relentlessly dodgy music. Good times. 9pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

On The Town Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

A full day of music, food, art and markets, 4pm to 10pm. Free! THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

DJ A-gee Ortiz

TRANSIT BAR

Cell Block 69

The Dear Epson tour. Tix thru Canberra Theatre Centre: (02) 6275 2700.

Live Jazz

Underground hip hop and soul. With Raw City Rukus, Nix and more. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix.

THE ABBEY

Parties at the Shops Lyneham

Live Music

Oddisee & Olivier Daysoul

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

Comedy

With Mind The Gap, The Skronks. 9pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Danni Da Ros

Something Different

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

7:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Live Music

THE PHOENIX BAR

5pm/10pm. Free.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

The Arachnids

Chicago Charles/Casual Sets

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm.

Film

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

THE BASEMENT

Disco, motown, ‘80s and ‘90s. 10pm onwards. Free.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

9pm. Free.

15 bands. 15 minutes. 15 bucks. Doors 8pm.

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets.

Joel Harrison Duo

Festival 15: Version 5

Balloon Spectacular

From 6-10am every morning until Sunday March 17. Free.

You Are Here Festival 2013

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Havana Nights presents Sydney’s #1 Latin mix master. With MC Pelusa (Chile). Doors 9pm. MONKEYBAR

Ministry Of Sound Clubbers Guide Feat. Uberjak’d. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Elska

Live music. 8pm.

P J O’REILLY’S (CIVIC)

On The Town 4Some Thursdays Free entry. 9pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Something Different Balloon Spectacular

From 6-10am every morning until Sunday March 17. Free. OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

You Are Here Festival 2013

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Organic Lunch at the Co-op

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm. ANU FOOD CO-OP

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Mar 16 - Tue Mar 19 saturday march 16 Art Exhibition – Canberra

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free. M16 ARTSPACE

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm). BILK GALLERY

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm). NISHI GALLERY

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free. ILIOS GALLERY

Exhibition – The Play of Light Kathryn Scott looks at the delicate nature of light. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Comedy Mick Meredith

Paddy’s Day Eve

Film

THE PHOENIX BAR

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Art

Heuristic

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

The best film ever made. Arguably. 2pm. See nfsa.gov.au/arc for tix/info.

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm).

ARC CINEMA

NISHI GALLERY

9:30pm.

Icarus Complex

8pm doors. Price TBA. THE BASEMENT

10:30pm. Free.

Love Saturdays

With The Projektz. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Live Music

Film

DeWolff

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Groovalicious

TRANSIT BAR

OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

9:30pm. Free.

HELLENIC CLUB (WODEN)

Young Owls: acoustic music with a vibe to relax and enjoy. Tapas + happy hour from 5-7pm. Free.

Disco, motown, ‘80s and ‘90s. 10pm onwards. Free. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Something Different Balloon Spectacular

Carry On Karaoke From 9:30pm.

P J O’REILLY’S (CIVIC)

Live Music Dialectrix

Sydney’s finest MC, supported by Words Eye View, Context, and more. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix.

Live music in the beer garden, entertainment all day and night. Free.

Simon Anau/Kimosabi

You Are Here Festival 2013

THE DUXTON

THE TRADIES (DICKSON)

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Live act/DJ set. 3-6pm/6pm-close. Free entry.

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 march 17

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm.

Exhibition – Canberra

On The Town Free Pool Tables TRANSIT BAR

Something Different Balloon Spectacular

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps

OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Something for everyone; bargains and collectibles. 9am-5pm. Free entry.

M16 ARTSPACE

From 6-10am every morning until Sunday March 17. Free.

Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

Big Record, CD & Book Sale

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

THE TRADIES (DICKSON)

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm). NISHI GALLERY

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities

Coolio Desgracias

Exhibition – The Play of Light

ILIOS GALLERY

Kathryn Scott looks at the delicate nature of light. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Live Music The Bootleg Sessions

Woroni presents Dahrnoir, Xav Ier, Maggie Kearney, Joe Oppenheimer. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

Luka Bloom

The Heartman tour 2013. Booking/info through Tilley’s: (02) 6247 7753. Doors 6pm, show 9pm. $65. TILLEY’S DEVINE CAFE

Origami

Creating musical pieces of great complexity and beauty. 7:30pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Biscuits

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

Something Different You Are Here Festival 2013

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Does exactly what it says on the packet. From 2pm.

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free.

The launch of the ‘My Private Jet’ LP by the fully mack-dad-a-tized Coolio. 5pm. $10.

The best Canberra blues musicians gettin’ loose. 1-4:30pm. $3 members/$5 non-members.

Something for everyone; bargains and collectibles. 9am-5pm. Free entry.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Karaoke

Canberra Blues Society Jam

Big Record, CD & Book Sale

OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE LAWNS

ARC CINEMA

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

St Patrick’s Day

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

The classic. 4:30pm. See nfsa.gov.au/ arc for info/tix.

Sunday Best @ A Bite to Eat

From 6-10am every morning until Sunday March 17. Free.

Zomcom Double (U/C18+)

2001: A Space Odyssey (G)

Heartfelt indie folk. 5pm. $10.

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

Art

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Tammy Ingram

On The Town

Film

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets.

Rock and rock and rock from Holland – supported by Dahrnoir and Bruges. 6pm. Presale from Moshtix.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

AINSLIE FOOTBALL CLUB

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Citizen Kane (PG)

Special edition greatest hits show. With Naughty Rhythms. 9pm. Tix $25/$30 thru spiegeltent.net.

Cell Block 69

Laugh laugh laugh. 8pm. Tix/info $25 online at frenziedproductions.com.au.

Harold’s Going Stiff and Juan of the Dead. 7:30pm. See nfsa.gov.au for tix.

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets.

monday march 18

St Patrick’s Day Sunday Session

Green Guinness, live music all day, dancing etc. From 10am. P J O’REILLY’S (CIVIC)

You Are Here Festival 2013

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

tuesday march 19 Art Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm). BILK GALLERY

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm). NISHI GALLERY

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free. ILIOS GALLERY

Comedy Canberra Comedy Festival

For the first time EVER! See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for all shows and ticket info. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

DJs Karma/Jswiss/ Hypnotic/MC Tee

Urban Playground Presents. Doors 10pm. MONKEYBAR

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Tue Mar 19 - Thu Mar 21 Film

Comedy

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Canberra Comedy Festival

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Karaoke Karaoke Love

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

Live Music Luka Bloom

The Heartman tour 2013. Booking/info through Tilley’s: (02) 6247 7753. Doors 6pm, show 9pm. $65. TILLEY’S DEVINE CAFE

Irish Jam Session

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

For the first time EVER! See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for all shows and ticket info. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Satyros Comedy Laundromat

See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for full details. 8:45pm. $15.30. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Film Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Karaoke Karaoke Wednesdays 9pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Live Music

Something Different

Luka Bloom

You Are Here Festival 2013

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Organic Lunch at the Co-op

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm.

The Heartman tour 2013. Booking/info through Tilley’s: (02) 6247 7753. Doors 6pm, show 9pm. $65. TILLEY’S DEVINE CAFE

Music, Markets and More

Two days of events for the Centenary, with Yung Warriors and Hidden Desire. 11:30am. Free. CIT REID

ANU FOOD CO-OP

Something Different

Trivia

You Are Here Festival 2013

Liz & Boling’s Right in the Childhood Trivia

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Organic Lunch at the Co-op

Arc Cinema Presents. 7:30pm. Free.

Trivia Tuesdays

First prize $75 cocktail party. 7:30pm. Free. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Wednesday march 20 Art Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Comedy

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Canberra Comedy Festival

For the first time EVER! See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for all shows and ticket info. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Satyros Comedy Laundromat

See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for full details. 8:45pm. $15.30. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Film Citizen Kane (PG)

9pm. Free.

Live Jazz

7:30pm. Free.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

On The Town 4Some Thursdays Free entry. 9pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Something Different Organic Lunch at the Co-op

The best film ever made. Arguably. 2pm. See nfsa.gov.au/arc for tix/info.

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm.

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

You Are Here Festival 2013

ARC CINEMA

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Live Music Strange Talk

Melbourne’s electro-pop fantastique tout their latest album, Cast Away. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Black Creek

With guests. 9pm.

ANU FOOD CO-OP

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Poetry Slam

Thought-provoking rhymes and highenergy dialogue. 7:30pm. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

The Village Festival

Featuring a world of local goods, music, arts and general shenanigans. All free, all day. GLEBE PARK

THE PHOENIX BAR

thursday march 21

BILK GALLERY

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Whimsical Oddities

ILIOS GALLERY

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm.

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps

Exhibition – Canberra

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

M16 ARTSPACE

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

Chicago Charles & Dave

THE PHOENIX BAR

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

NISHI GALLERY

CIT WODEN

DRILL HALL GALLERY

8pm. Free.

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm).

With Yung Warriors and Hidden Desire. 11:30am. Free.

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

Music, Markets and More

THE PHOENIX BAR

Portraits of animals in suits, hearts and oddities by Caiti Stevens. 8am-9pm (-4pm Sun). Free.

Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free.

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

You Are Here Festival Presents! 7pm. Free.

Exhibition – Canberra

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm).

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

The Uni-Verse tour. With N’fa Jones, Seven and Mr Hill. 8pm. Tickets $28.60 + bf through Oztix.

Ice Age: A Stitch In Time Saves Brian

Art

M16 ARTSPACE

NISHI GALLERY

Drapht

ANU FOOD CO-OP

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm).

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm.

ILIOS GALLERY

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm). BILK GALLERY

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

facebook.com/bmamagazine

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri Mar 22 - Sat Mar 23 friday march 22 Art

Film

On The Town

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Live Music

Something Different

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free.

The Delta Lions

You Are Here Festival 2013

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm.

Exhibition – Canberra M16 ARTSPACE

Punk rock in evolution. 7:30pm. $8 door.

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm).

DJ Trent Richardson

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps

MONKEYBAR

BILK GALLERY

Havana Nights Presents. With MC Pelusa (Chile). Doors 9pm.

Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

The Deep End

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

With Johnny Roadkill, Vintage Vulva. Doors 8pm. $10.

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

THE BASEMENT

Chad Croker/Heuristic

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm). NISHI GALLERY

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

Comedy Canberra Comedy Festival

For the first time EVER! See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for all shows and ticket info. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

The Village Festival

Featuring a world of local goods, music, arts and general shenanigans. All free, all day. GLEBE PARK

saturday march 23

5pm/10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Art

Pure RNB

Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason

Fambiz Presents. With DJ Samrai. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Vince Gelonese and the Vegas Fever Band 9:30pm. Free.

HELLENIC CLUB (WODEN)

Ruthie Foster

The woman herself. Tickets/info thru gaynocrawford.com. THE STREET THEATRE

Live Fridays

Live acoustic musicians. 5pm onwards. Free. DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Disco, motown, ‘80s and ‘90s. 10pm onwards. Free.

Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Canberra

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm). NISHI GALLERY

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free. DRILL HALL GALLERY

Comedy Canberra Comedy Festival

For the first time EVER! See canberracomedyfestival.com.au for all shows and ticket info. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Film The Rules of the Game (G)

4:30pm. See nfsa.gov.au/arc for tix/info. ARC CINEMA

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free.

Live Music

Exhibition – Bloom and Blush

...get their Judas Priest on. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix.

M16 ARTSPACE

Works by Peta Kruger and Kath Inglis. 11:30am-5pm (Sat 11am-4pm). BILK GALLERY

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Live Evil

TRANSIT BAR

The King Hits

With guests. 9:30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Mar 23 - Thu Mar 28 DJs Karma/Jswiss/ Hypnotic/MC Tee

Live Music

Karaoke

Something Different

Urban Playground Presents. Doors 10pm.

The Harlots

Karaoke Love

Organic Lunch at the Co-op

The Necks

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

TRANSIT BAR

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm.

Live Music

THE STREET THEATRE

C!rca’s Wunderkammer

The Surrogates

The innovator, no joke. Supported by Jemist, Buick, MGO, and Goldfinger. 4pm. Presale thru Moshtix.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Riley Catherall/Ashley Feraude

MONKEYBAR

Very serious jazz music. 8pm. $29-39 through thestreet.org.au.

Slick like pop, but ragged like garage. 7:30pm. Door price TBA.

DJ Grandmaster Flash

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

ANU FOOD CO-OP

10:30pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

Love Saturdays

Live music/DJ set from 3pm/6pm.

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

THE DUXTON

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Irish Jam Session

Something Different

With Ashley Feraude. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Soul Strangers 9:30pm. Free.

HELLENIC CLUB (WODEN)

On The Town Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

Disco, motown, ‘80s and ‘90s. 10pm onwards. Free.

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

On The Town Free Pool Tables

Does exactly what it says on the packet. From 2pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

TRANSIT BAR

Something Different

CanberraZine Emporium

You Are Here Festival 2013

RABAUL LANE

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Local/national/international zine stalls, music, coffee and more. @ CanberraZineEmporium. 11am-4pm.

You Are Here Festival 2013

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Visit youareherecanberra.com to find out what you should be doing right now. Free.

The Village Festival

Featuring a world of local goods, music, arts and general shenanigans. All free, all day. GLEBE PARK

The Village Festival

Featuring a world of local goods, music, arts and general shenanigans. All free, all day. GLEBE PARK

sunday march 24 Art Exhibition – Rhyme and Reason Works by basket makers and weavers from around Australia. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Canberra

Celebrating the unexpected pleasures of the capital. 12-5pm. Free. M16 ARTSPACE

Exhibition – Heaps and Heaps Art by Hannah Bath. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm). NISHI GALLERY

Exhibition – John Young: The Bridge...

A survey exhibition. 12-5pm. Free.

Art Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm).

ANU FOOD CO-OP

C!rca’s Wunderkammer

NISHI GALLERY

Groundbreaking circus for three nights. See canberratheatrecentre.com.au for info/bookings. $30-55.

Exhibition – The Kitchen Table

Reflecting on everyday Canberra stories, memories and histories. 12-5pm.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

M16 ARTSPACE

Trivia

Exhibition – Various Artists

Art in three galleries by multiple artists. See craftact.org.au for more. 10am5pm (12-4pm, Sat).

Nerd Time Trivia with Joel and Ali

Dee’s Books & Comics and Impact Records Presents. 7:30pm. Free.

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

THE PHOENIX BAR

Live Music

Trivia Tuesdays

First prize $75 cocktail party. 7:30pm. Free.

Newton Faulkner

On sale now through theabbey.com.au.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

THE ABBEY

National Folk Festival 2013

Wednesday march 27 Art

Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

A celebration of world music, arts and culture. See folkfestival.org.au for info and tix. EXHIBITION PARK IN CANBERRA (EPIC)

Cub Callaway

With Jenny Spear and The Rip, Los Pajaros. 9pm.

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm).

NISHI GALLERY

Live Music

Karaoke

Win Landspeed vouchers by hashtagging your adventures with #nitesociety on the night. 8pm.

The Bootleg Sessions

Karaoke Wednesdays

Live Jazz

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

CIT presents Renegade Peacock, Pretty Crane, The Shed, Jacqueline & Michael. 8pm. Free.

9pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Live Music

Biscuits

Two Crows

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

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

THE PHOENIX BAR

Nite Society: Instagram

TRANSIT BAR

7:30pm. Free.

Spit Syndicate

With Jackie Onassis and Raw City Rukus. 8pm. Tix $18.40 + bf thru Oztix.

Crossing the roads of roots and folk. 7:30pm. $10.

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

Something Different Organic Lunch at the Co-op

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm.

tuesday march 26 Art Exhibition – Rise Exist Demise (RED)

Alliance Francaise French Film Festival

Comedy

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

thursday march 28

All welcome for a delicious vegetarian feast. $5 students, $6 everyone else. Midday-2pm.

Art

Film

Films ongoing until March 26. See afrenchfilmfestival.org for info/tickets.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Organic Lunch at the Co-op

monday march 25

A contemporary Australian art exhibition curated by Chloe Mandryk. 1-2pm (Sat/ Sun 12-2pm).

DRILL HALL GALLERY

Groundbreaking circus for three nights. See canberratheatrecentre.com.au for info/bookings. $30-55.

Irish Jam Session

NISHI GALLERY

Comedy Night

Chuck out that Panadol; laughter is the best medicine. 7pm. Door price TBA. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

OUT

MAR27

yacht they might be giants pete murray the national folk festival ...and more!

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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

Reigner Where did your band name come from? We were previously named The Payback but after some line-up changes Reigner was pretty much the best we had at the time. It kinda suits us now though. Group members? Dan (vocals), Ivan (guitar), Jared (bass), Blake (drums and body builder). Describe your sound: Heavy hardcore/mosh. Do a spinkick.

Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com Bat Country Communion, The Mel 0400405537 Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com

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 Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? We all listen to pretty different stuff but bands like The Acacia Strain, Remembering Never, On Broken Wings, Shinto Katana, xAFBx and Her Nightmare have all influenced our sound. Also beer.

Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005

MuShu Jack 0414292567 mushu_band@hotmail.com

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? We play in Cooma from time to time and things always get pretty loose. There has been more than one occasion of naked mosh going on in da pit.

Capital Dub Style Reggae/dub events Rafa 0406647296

Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027

Of what are you proudest so far? Recording and releasing our EP last year. It’s up for free download and it’s had 1000 downloads so far which is unreal. The EP launch show was a good achievement as well. It was five local bands and we had about 200 people there, which was unbelievable. What are your plans for the future? Keep writing to release a full-length around the end of the year and play as many interstate shows as possible this year. What makes you laugh? Dan and Blake stuck sitting next to each other on long drives. What pisses you off? Dan. What about the local scene would you change? More all ages venues would be great. What are your upcoming gigs? Nothing in Canberra for a little while but we have some Wollongong, Sydney and Goulburn shows coming up and a run of shows in Queensland late April. Check Facebook for details! Contact info: reignerhc@gmail. com; facebook.com/ reignerhc; reignerhc. bigcartel.com. And please download our EP for free at reignerhc. bandcamp.com.

Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433

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

Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662 Danny V Danny 0413502428

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

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