BMA Magazine 415 April 10 2013 by BMA Magazine

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BMA Magazine Running First Reader Survey in Nine Years!

ACT Community Service Announcement #179: It’s ‘Smiths’. Not ‘Smith’s’. #415APRIL10 Fax: (02) 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne Allan Sko General Manager Allan Sko T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com

Advertising Manager Scott Johnston T: (02) 6257 4360 E: sales@bmamag.com

Editor Ashley Thomson

T: (02) 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com

Accounts Manager Hongyan Ao

T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com

That’s right – we’ve ignored you for almost a decade. And our disdain for your thoughts and opinions has left us stranded on an ignorant, ignorant island of blissful, creamy selfsatisfaction where we mate with our cousins and bathe in whale blubber. We require enlightenment! In three minutes you can tell us what you love, what you hate, what you want to see change and what you cannot live without. What can you gain by completing it? [In Bane voice:] Everything. If you think something is worse than being teabagged by a mummy, there’s a section for that. Better than being teabagged by a mummy? There’s a section for that too. We cater to all! But seriously, BMA Magazine does what it does for people who live and listen in the ACT. It’s 2013 and there are no doubt changes you want to see made. Genres, scenes, sounds and sights may go unsung without your help. We try our best to have our fingers on the pulse but we only have so many fingers – and many of them are people just like you. Help us be the best we can be. Scan the QR code below or visit surveymonkey. com/s/795JT9L to blast the moss off this stone and keep it rolling. Bring it OOOOOON!

Sub-Editor & Social Media Manager Greta Kite-Gilmour Graphic Design Marley

Ian Young (who in 2012 became the face of the ANU’s ‘gutting’ of the School of Music) has stated, ‘the policy [of the ANU Freedom of Information office] is to push back against all requests as hard as possible’ and stood behind the claim there is ‘no public interest’ in the release of the documents. Tom Swann, the student who lodged the request and who is involved in a campus campaign for fossil fuel transparency and divestment, said ‘Clearly there is a public interest in public access to information about how public institutions are investing money. ANU should have learnt this from its experience with Metgasco… The FOI Act is Federal law, designed to change management culture by requiring a presumption for disclosure and transparency.’ The ANU Environment Collective, the student group behind the campus campaign, is now backed in its efforts by the ANU Students Association, which passed a unanimous motion of support at a recent meeting, and also has support from the National Tertiary Education Union. Long story short: Sux to be Vice Chancellor Young – no hugz 4 him – but he totes earned it.

Smiths Alternative Bookstore Changes Hands, Good to Good During the You Are Here festivities, more than one event was ended with a special message from Smiths’ lovable owner, Peter Strong, to this effect: ‘Smiths has been sold!’ After months of speculation over whether or not Smiths could change hands without

losing its essence – not to mention its newly acquired propensity for hosting great music and selling cheap booze – a change has been enacted. Perennial talking point Jorian Gardner and partner in crime Domenic Mico will be taking over from Strong, with assurances that the things that make Smiths Smiths will stay, and the things that need a sprucing will be spruced. For his years of service and for making so much possible, BMA wishes Peter Strong a fond, deeply grateful farewell. And to Gardner and Mico, with visions of a continued and improved pseudo-venue, we look forward to your work.

Fifth Annual Record Store Day at Landspeed Records Record Store Day Australia, Saturday April 20, is dedicated to the record store that still offers what every record store used to: good tunes in store, good knowledge of music, releases you can’t find in any major retailer, vinyl to die for, rare t-shirts and posters, special edition releases, and that invaluable smell of dormant music. In Civic, that store is Landspeed Records, who’ll be hosting Canberra’s leg for another year. The elements of a release that still occupy musicians’ time are those that occupy the true follower’s: cover art, sleeve work, and the crispness of sound. Visit recordstoreday.com.au to find out more about the day itself or get down to Landspeed Records, Garema Place, to make the most of the day’s offerings.

Film Editor Melissa Wellham

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.

Guy Who Was Face of ANU School of Music ‘Gutting’ Continues to Make Friends

There’s a typeface joke here somewhere...

NEXT ISSUE 416 OUT APRIL 24 EDITORIAL DEADLINE APRIL 16 ADVERTISING DEADLINE APRIL 18

Following a push by a group of ANU students for the Australian National University to allow public access to 54 documents detailing the university’s investments in coal, oil and gas, ANU Vice Chancellor Professor

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YOU PISSED ME OFF!

FROM THE BOSSMAN Hello group, my name is Allan [Group: ‘Hello Allan’]. I’m here today because I have an emailing problem [Group: Ironic applause]. Here is my story...

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.]

People like cumulative stats. They can dazzle us, entertain us or more often than not make us feel bad about something. The ‘amount of time we spend in queues in a lifetime’ one is often wheeled out <adopts bad Stephen Fry accent> ‘Did you know that if you live to be 80 years old, then you would have spent at least 74 of those years waiting in a queue? Isn’t that amazing?’

To the two salad-dodgers who turned up late for Ross Noble’s gig and when asked by the comedian why they were late simply slurred the word ‘Piiiiiiiiies’ before proceeding to try and talk througout the beginning of the set. And to all the other cretins wallowing in the shallow end of the gene pool that thought shouting out obvious things throughout the performance would be the height of comedy. You’re not funny. You’re not big. And you’re not clever. Leave the comedy to the comedians and go back to seeing how many durries you can fit in your ears at once.

In this regard, I shudder to think how many years of my life I have flitted away on typing out the same lines via email. ‘Thanks for your efforts’, ‘Kind regards’, ‘I hope this finds you well’... Out grind the same greetings and platitudes email after email, week after week to the point that your fingers curl like RSI question marks so that when you look at your gnarled handsthey seem to say back to you, ‘Why?’ Despite taking up 52% of our waking lives, these tedious yet crucial platitudes form the cornerstone of communication etiquette, and after all that’s what separates us from the animals. You don’t see an ape hurling it’s own faeces at a fellow primate and saying ‘Kind regards!’ afterwards. So what’s the solution? We seem somewhat trapped. If we do away with these tiresome yet highly necessary forms of social lubrication, before you know it we’ll descend to a spirited game of poo chucking instead. A gentle greeting and salutation keeps the trembling fabric of civilisation intact and, no matter how mechanical, demonstrates you have at least bothered to spend the few precious seconds to construct such a genial salutation. Otherwise, it looks like this:

To anyone who answers their office phone and doesn’t say their name, and then has the audacity to get shirty when you don’t know who it is Hello, Dickballs Management, how may I help you? Ummm, is Sharon there? Humph! Speaking! I CAN’T SEE YOUR GODDAMN FACE AND PEOPLE CAN SOUND THE SAME ON THE PHONE!!! LEARN SOME BASIC DAMN PHONE MANNERS YOU INFURIATING GITFACE!

‘Allan, Do that thing. Now. Clive’ And this is where my problem lies. I simply can’t do that. Even with someone I’m very familiar with. Hell, especially someone I’m familiar with. After years of fruity missives, I become panicked that a communique like the one above will appear abrupt. A sudden, ‘Yes, that’s fine’ could be enough to derail a friendship. ‘That’s very unlike Allan,’ they would ponder. ‘I wonder what’s the matter? Must be troubles in the bedroom.’ Locked into this eternal and infernal polite-off I am faced with no other choice than to use the power of words to entertain myself as much as the recipient. Before I know it I’ve locked myself into a nightmarish miasma of endless saucy adverbs and tosspot gaiety that lengthens along with the day. In the morning I’ll warm up with a rudimentary, ‘Hello, and how are you today?’ but by lunchtime it’s hit the slightly loose, ‘Hullo old bean, I hope the sun is shining gayly on your working week’; by the afternoon it’s transformed into, ‘A merry tra-la-la to you, you jackalent knave, I trust this missive finds you fleet of foot and wide of pupil’; and by day’s end it’s descended into the positively brazen, ‘Well a hey nonny-nonny and a jolly fat blast of a hello raspberry right into your hardworking gills, you finger-snapping pimp-daddy jazz cat you, I do hope the sun’s celestial arc has beamed a frisson of delight onto your knitted working brow.’ Ridiculous. So with your help, group, I’m hoping I can break this communication spiral and, in time and with the best will in the world, I can learn to make my missives end more ALLAN ‘KIND REGARDS’ SKO - allan@bmamag.com

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WHO: Lucy Wise WHAT: Album Launch Tour WHEN: Thu Apr 11 WHERE: The Front Gallery and Café

WHO: Tim Guy WHAT: Album Launch Tour WHEN: Sat Apr 13 WHERE: The Front Gallery and Café

Lucy Wise’s songwriting is steeped in the Appalachian and Celtic folk music traditions that surrounded her upbringing in The Wise Family Band. Having toured her debut self-titled album to packed festival marquees and venues in Australia and New Zealand in 2011, the critically acclaimed Australian folk singer/songwriter returns with her second album, When We Wander Far From Home. Combining some of Australia and Scotland’s finest young instrumentalists in the new acoustic/folk genre, The B’Gollies bring virtuosity and sensitivity to this new body of work. 7:30pm. $25/$18 door. Dreaming of a Night Mango is the mysteriously titled fourth album from the well-travelled and talented songwriter, Tim Guy. A laidback, intimate recording, Guy chose to keep the elements as raw as possible and the result is a ten-track long player released through Lost and Lonesome. Dreaming is Guy’s first release in Australia, but his fourth album to date. His debut album Blazey was released in 2002 after signing to the label of popular New Zealand songwriter, Bic Runga. Dreaming marks a long journey for Guy, both in travels across countries and musically as he has found his home and settled in to release the album. 8pm. Tickets on the door.

WHO: Matt Dent WHAT: Debut Album Launch WHEN: Sat Apr 20 WHERE: The Polish White Eagle Club

Over four years ago Matt Dent envisioned a unique style of acoustic folk woven into good old Aussie pub rock. His debut LP Welcome to The Sky features a new yet hauntingly traditional sound, dubbed blokey folk rock. Intending to hold to a tradition of Aussie pub rock, Welcome to The Sky also features Aussie drumming legend John Watson (Kasey Chambers, Aussie Crawl, Dragon) and on bass Johnathan Zion (Lior, Pete Murray, Ian Moss). With a fine local line-up in support – Beth & Ben, Sanji da Silva’s new group The New Gods of Thunder, and Ed Radclyffe (The Fuelers, Dr. Stovepipe) – this is as local as it gets. 7:30-11pm. $18 door.

WHO: The Llewellyn Choir WHAT: Requiem in C Minor & Four Sacred Pieces WHEN: Sat Apr 20 WHERE: St. Paul’s Church, Manuka

The band of carousing cads, Gay Paris, are here to lead the charge in all things festive and glamorous, presenting you their brand new track Ash Wednesday Boudoir Party, taken from their album The Last Good Party. The spritely folk urge you to follow their lead in celebrating this occasion by joining them in their national tour, during which they will be ‘performing daring feats of musical prowess’. With their characteristic ‘self-aggrandising arrogance, excess and tight trousers’ Gay Paris promise party-goers they will ‘bring new life to what is old, and will even kiss you in the morning.’ Who could refuse that? 5:30pm. Tickets on the door.

WHO: Gay Paris WHAT: National Tour WHEN: Sat Apr 20 WHERE: The Phoenix Bar

At its April concert The Llewellyn Choir will present two littleknown 19th Century Italian choral masterpieces, Four Sacred Pieces by Giuseppe Verdi and the Requiem in C Minor by Luigi Cherubini. Cherubini’s Requiem in C Minor is full of drama and beauty. It premiered in 1817 in a memorial concert to commemorate the executions of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The Four Sacred Pieces were written separately but were published together in 1898. They reveal Italy’s most famous opera composer looking toward the afterlife through the texts of the Catholic Church. 7:30pm. $15-$35 through: llewellynchoir.org.au or at the door.

WHO: Saskwatch WHAT: East Coast Tour WHEN: Wed Apr 24 WHERE: Transit Bar

The ball just keeps rolling faster for Saskwatch, Melbourne’s monsters of soul, after a busy year winning hearts and starting parties at Meredith Music Festival, a sold out LP tour and a debut UK tour in 2012. In the latter part of the year, Saskwatch and Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Total Control) stepped into The Curtain Band Room, made it their studio for a couple of days and the result is I Get Lonely, a gritty ripper of a track that brings a whole new layer of garage rock to the band’s ever evolving soul sound. I Get Lonely is faster and harder than Saskwatch has ever been before. Catch it live. 8pm. $15 + bf.

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MEL CERATO

Melbourne singer-songwriter AINSLIE WILLS’ debut album Melbourne singer-songwriter AINSLIE WILLS’ debut album is ticking all the right boxes. You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine is is ticking all the right boxes. You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine is a collection of beautiful and a collectionsongs, of beautiful captivating rangingand captivating ranging through pop songs, sensibilities to through pop sensibilities to intimate jazz/soul and everything intimate jazz/soul and for everything in between. And luckily us, in between. luckilybyfor Ainslie will beAnd popping theus, nation’s capital. Ainslie will be popping by the

nation’s capital.

With her mind set and the cogs in motion, Ainslie worked hard seta reality. and theSpeaking cogs in motion, Ainslie workedand hard toWith makeher hermind dream about the difficulties to make her dream a reality. Speaking about the difficulties and often deal-breaking times a musician often times aismusician often hasdeal-breaking to deal with, Ainslie fully often has how to deal with, Ainslie is fully aware about much heartache can about how much heartache be aware involved in staying motivated and can be involved in staying motivated and following your dreams.

on a This was music onnta sic mu s wa is Th ere diff y tel comple letely s ant mpand coel, t waere thadiff lev s art wasta d tha anfor el,st met to levaly cat start to gs n son owme aly myfor g st cat itin wr

following your dreams.

‘There have been so many times where I could’ve just gone, “You ‘There have been so many times know what? This is really hard,“You I can’t where I could’ve just gone, muster energy going”, knowthe what? Thistoiskeep really hard,’ she I can’t says. ‘There have been moments like that that come and you just muster the energy to keep going”,’ she go, “What am I doing? What kind of lifestyle is this?” But the thing says. ‘There have been moments like that that come and you just is you get the moments where you’ve played a show and you’re go, “What am I doing? What kind of lifestyle is this?” But the thing talking to people and they loved the show and talk about the is youand getyou thethink, moments you’ve a showofand you’re songs, “Wow.where Firstly, I had played the privilege playing people and theytoloved and talk they about the in talking front ofto people who want hear the you,show and secondly are songs,responding and you think, Firstly, had the privilege playing actually and “Wow. engaging withIyour music. ” There’sofno buzz frontas ofthat. people who want to hear you, and secondly they are theinsame

writing my own songs

Hard at work getting ready for the upcoming tour,getting Ainslieready sounds Hard at work forlike the she is ready to hit the road. In upcoming tour, Ainslie soundsfact, likeher band was rehearsing in the same room when she called to talk about the album and she is ready to hit the road. In fact, her band was rehearsing the tour.

in the same room when she called to talk about the album and

thereally tour. nice to have finally release the album,’ Ainslie says ‘It’s happily. ‘It’s just an amazing experience to go through, especially ‘It’s really nice to have finally release theband album, ’ Ainslie says when you do most of it yourself. I run this with my co-writer, happily. justwriting an amazing to since go through, especially and we’ve‘It’s been songsexperience for the album 2009, so we’ve whennursed you do this mostsince of itthen. yourself. I runathis kinda It’s been niceband ride.’with my co-writer, and we’ve been writing songs for the album since 2009, so we’ve

Her EP, Somebody For Everyone, was a solo effort, she says, and kinda nursed this since then. It’s been a nice ride.’ this time around she worked with guitarist/co-producer Laurence Folvig create something a little more and textured. Her EP,toSomebody For Everyone, was avaried solo effort, she says, and

this time around she worked guitarist/co-producer Laurence ‘It was a really organic process,with ’ Ainslie says, ‘and it meant no Folvig toon create a little more varied andIttextured. pressure us tosomething come up with a conceptual album. was more like, “Let’s makeorganic the songs sound the waysays, we want to sound”. ‘It was a really process, ’ Ainslie ‘and them it meant no

actually responding and engaging with your music.” There’s no buzz

‘A big part of what I try to do live is make sure the audience feel the same as that. like they are part of the environment,’ she says. ‘I mean, they are anyway being there, buttoby downsure the the walls betweenfeel us ‘A big by part of what I try dobreaking live is make audience and thethey audience andofgiving as much of myself as I ‘Ican, I think that like are part the environment, ’ she says. mean, they are theanyway peopleby who come to the show enjoy thedown experience more and us being there, but by breaking the walls between actually take something away from it.’ of myself as I can, I think that and the audience and giving as much

theshows people whoup come to the enjoy the more and Live make a huge partshow of Ainslie’s life,experience playing in her actually take something away from it. ’ hometown of Melbourne and surrounds regularly as well as pressure on us to come up with a conceptual album. It was more ‘It’s an important lesson to learn,’ she says, ‘to be trusting of like, “Let’s make the songs theadd waysomething we want them sound”. travelling all over the east coast at various points of her career. another human being who issound going to to thetomusic Live shows make upAinslie a hugeispart of to Ainslie’s life, playing her Always working hard, ready keep the ball rollinginand that you probably would never have thought of.’ hometown of Melbourne and surrounds regularly as well as ‘It’s an important lesson to learn,’ she says, ‘to be trusting of work even harder from here on in. Receiving some fantastic toadd her something album, Ainslie is rightly travelling all over the east coast at various points of her career. another human being whoresponses is going to to the music ‘Since I started releasing music, back in 2007, I have aimingand stoked toprobably begin thewould tour and show offthought her skills. Always working hard, Ainslie is ready to keep thebeen ball rolling that you never have of.’ to create a momentum within my music career,’ Ainslie explains. work even harder from here on in. ‘It is great to hearfantastic that people are resonating with certain songs Receiving some responses to her album, Ainslie is rightly ‘The album release has definitely added to that continuum, which and taking the trouble to give their praise,’ she says cheerfully. ‘It will hopefully leadreleasing to more opportunities enable me tobeen keepaiming ‘Since I started music, back into2007, I have stoked to begin the tour and show off her skills. injects a whole new energy into the set, which helps me and the doing what Ialove. I also have plans hatching to tour overseas, to create momentum within my music career, ’ Ainslie explains. band gear up the upcoming I can’t waitwith to get out and play ‘It is great to for hear that people tour. are resonating certain songs namely Europe, which has would be a fantastic ’ ‘The album release definitely addedexperience. to that continuum, which these shows!’ and taking the trouble to give their praise,’ she says cheerfully. ‘It will hopefully leadtotothe more opportunities enable me to keep Happy with sticking home front for thetomoment, Ainslie injectshas a whole energy into the set, which helps me Ainslie beennew a passionate songwriter since she was 14,and andthe she doing what I love. also have plans hatching is looking forward toIstarting the nine-date tourtointour Apriloverseas, and is band gear up the upcoming I can’tinwait getdefining out and play excited remembers thefor exact reason for tour. her calling life.to‘The namely would benever a fantastic to Europe, come to which Canberra. ‘I’ve playedexperience. in Canberra’ before,’ these shows!’ moment for me was listening to Jeff Buckley’s Grace album that she says, ‘I was supposed to do a gig in Canberra last year but it Happy with sticking to theannoyed home front for the my brother gave me,’ she recalls. ‘I am very aware of how much and I was really because I’vemoment, only everAinslie been Ainslie has been a passionate songwriter since she was 14, and she fellisthrough starting thetrip. nine-date tour in April and is of an impact he has had on so many people and I am not alone in oncelooking before,forward and thatto was a school ’ remembers the exact reason for her calling in life. ‘The defining excited to come to Canberra. ‘I’ve never played in Canberra before,’ having an epiphany with his music, but I feel like that moment moment forinme listening to Jeff that Ainslie is definitely one to watch forin over the next few years, is ingrained mywas memory. I grew up inBuckley’s a musicalGrace familyalbum so I had she says, ‘I was supposed to doout a gig Canberra last year but it sofell make sure you catch her when she pops past next month. my brother me,the ’ she recalls. ‘I amwas verymusic aware how much music aroundgave me all time, but this onof a completely through and I was really annoyed because I’ve only ever been of an impact has hadwas on asocatalyst many people I amwriting not alone in different levelhe and that for meand to start once before, and thatFront was aGallery school and trip.’Café on Wednesday See Ainslie Wills at The having epiphany withthat his music, but I feel“I’m likegoing that moment my own an songs, and from point I thought, to be a April 17, 7:30pm. Tickets are $10 + bf through Moshtix. Ainslie is definitely one to watch out for over the next few years, musician”. ’ in my memory. I grew up in a musical family so I had is ingrained so make sure you catch her when she pops past next month. music around me all the time, but this was music on a completely @bmamag different level and that was a catalyst for me to start writing See Ainslie Wills at The Front Gallery and Café on Wednesday my own songs, and from that point I thought, “I’m going to be a

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ALL AGES Hey there, pretty young thing! What do you like most about being young? Is it having that feeling like you can change the world? Or just simply knowing what #YOLO means? Pick any reason at all, and then join in the free celebrations of National Youth Week, a festival of fun dedicated to youth! Get ready for the hottest amateur cook off that the ACT has ever seen. Come along to the finale of If You Can’t Take the Heat, Get Out Of The Kitchen! on Friday April 12. Watch the selected students from ACT high schools battle it out for the glory. Catch it at 2pm sharp at 3seeds Cooking School, Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets. National Youth Week and Us Folk magazine have teamed up, been hunting and found the most talented of our young Canberran artists aged 25 and under. They showcase their artwork and photography in one amazing exhibit titled The Young Ones, a testimony to the diversity of style these young artists possess. You can find the show at The Front in Lyneham until its closing date, Sunday April 14. Keep calm, and Skate It Out! Be one of the first 200 young people through the door of Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre on Thursday April 11 and receive free skating pass and hire! Entry is $10 thereafter. Come along between 8-10pm for the fun. For more info: youth.act.gov.au. How would you like to enjoy free live music, activities, a barbeque and an art and photography exhibition all in one brilliant evening? The YWCA make this possible as they bring you the Lanyon Youth Festival on Friday April 12 between 4-9pm. Catch it at the Lanyon Youth Centre in Conder. For more information email alexis.mcneice@ywca-canberra.org.au. No Need to be Told is an explosion of music, theatre, live art, activism workshops, markets, table tennis and clothes swapping! Specially featuring New York hip hop artist Baba Israel and Sydney rapper MC Trey, Civic Square will burst into an artistic fountain with all that creative juice flowing. Soak up all of its fountain-ey glory on Saturday April 13 between 4pm and 8pm. Whether you’re confident or just a beginner in the realm of BMX, come along to the epic Battle of Belcompton on Sunday April 14. This freestyle BMX jam is aimed at displaying talented Canberra BMX youth, but also encouraging newbies to get involved, with prizes being awarded for participation as well. Find it at Belconnen Skate Park between 12pm and 3pm. Don’t forget that Groovin’ The Moo is back this year on Sunday April 28, with this jaw dropping 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), Urthboy, Dj Woody’s Big Phat 90’s Mixtape (UK), Yacht (USA), Yolanda Be Cool. Catch it at the University of Canberra. Tickets are available from Moshtix for $99.90 + bf. If you want more information about National Youth Week events, check out the Facebook page at facebook.com/ NationalYouthWeekACT and remember the festival’s motto: Be happy. Be active. Be you. Cheers,

ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

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LOCALITY

There are far too many bands in the ACT for one person to keep track of. That fact being so, there is a stunning dearth of bands knocking on BMA Magazine’s door for support in our pages. Contrary to the popular aphorism, good things do not come to those who wait. They come to those who ask. Send me an email at editorial@bmamag.com if you’re a local band looking to get your name out there – be it in the Band Profile section or anywhere else. We’re here to help, no matter how much we like to pretend we hate you.

Now to a slew of bands who have no trouble helping themselves: Machina Genova, Mark My Words, Declaration and Reigner – all of whom will be appearing at The Phoenix Bar on Thursday April 11 from 9pm. I haven’t a clue what they’re charging on the door but the bouncer’s a lovely fellow so just pat him on the belly and crawl inside after he’s decked you. The ACT Writers Centre is running a series of workshops at the moment, the first of which will take place from 5:30pm to 6:30pm on Friday April 12. It’s called Read My Words, Know My Name and is designed to teach review writing and applying for writing opportunities. Check their website or ours, or turn to our Entertainment Guide, for details on that and other workshops. Friday April 12 also sees Ribongia playing Hippo Bar from 8pm for $10 door fee. Apparently he’s amazing but the locals in support – Aeon, Coach Bombay and Shotgun Cubs – are where it’s at for this guy. On Saturday April 13, Civic Square will be overrun from 4pm to 8pm with No Need To Be Told, a free Centenary event sporting a great line-up of free workshops, markets, talks and live music, including from Darren Hanlon and Baba Israel. Dunno who that last guy is, just wanted to write his name.

YOU MADE MY DAY!

Email editorial@bmamag.com to send a message of gratitude, warmth and generosity to the world at large. AWWW. [This issue’s You Made My Day goes to Mrs Maria Hill in Vineyard, England, who helped make BMA’s day when she accepted our bank details. Still waiting on that £2.8 million…] GOOD DAY. My Instinct tells me that I can trust you by my proposition. I got your contact through Internet directory and My Instinct directed me to send this money to you. I am a widow and a devoted Christian, my name is Mrs. Maria Hill from England, married to Christopher Hill, since my husband died, I have been suffering from arthritics and lately doctors have diagnosed me with terminal cancer. Before my husband died, he left some money to the tone of £2,800,000,00 (Two million, eight hundred thousand Pounds) and he made me promised him that it should be used for humanitarian work, because we have no children and he does not want his brothers to lay hand on it, since they don’t believe in God, they have a different vision. This money is currently in a vault with a Private Security Company in EUROPE. If you will promise me that you will use this money to achieve the wish of my husband and me, then I will instruct the deposit company to release the funds in your name. Note that I don’t speak much due to my illness; I will appreciate if we communicate through email. Reply me through my email address for us to discuss so that you can go and claim this money before I die. May God bless you as you walk in the light and glory. Thank you. Yours in Vineyard, Mrs Maria Hill

Also that weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 12pm to 5pm, is This Is Art Market at Yarralumla Woolshed. These folks have tried their darndest to provide local artists a means to ply their wares without having to pay exorbitant gallery prices – and in order to make it enticing to regular folk, they’ve rustled up the best food, wine, beer, music and everything else to make a weekend of it. Free entry ftw. Also this weekend, Saturday April 13, Lip Magazine will be launching its 23rd issue at Lonsdale Street Traders. In that comfortably intimate setting, local bands Cromwell, Fossil Rabbit and Finnigan & Brother will be providing the music. Doors open at 6:30pm and it’s $5 entry or $10 with a copy of the new issue. The best in Canberran hip hop will be under one roof on Monday April 15 when one of the most intelligent, eloquent working MCs in the world, Pharaoahe Monch, comes to Transit Bar. Newsense, Stateovmind, Nix and Scotts will all be performing support sets for Monch – and whether you go for the headliner or just stay for him, this is a show not to miss. And that’s everything local I care about. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

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You can tire of sleeping on floors, but the good bits of it always outweighed that

Macgowan or a John K Samson, and more than a few eccentricities all his own – including a preoccupation with vintage true crime and mysteries.

LEAVING THE BEST ‘TIL LAST pete huet Marty Donald of LAST LEAVES is one of the world’s finest lyricists, and most of his countrymen don’t even know who is. This is because for 16 years Donald was the principal songwriter of indie pop group The Lucksmiths, a band from Melbourne that was loved by its fans but that never received the attention it deserved. Donald says The Lucksmiths’ lack of radio play and wider recognition is not something that has concerned him. ‘I never really worried about it too much then and I’ve worried about it less since. We were never overly careerist in our mindset. It’s arguably a reason we didn’t gain a slightly higher profile, but at the same time if that’s what we were interested in I really doubt we would have played for anywhere near as long as we did.’ There is something refreshing about this songwriter’s approach to playing music, especially given his ability to pen a tune. Throughout his musical life Donald has employed the wordplay and domestic narratives of a Billy Bragg, the character studies of a Shane

Following the breakup of the group he’d been touring and recording with since he was in high school, Donald let a little dust settle on his guitar. ‘I was glad for the break by that time, to be perfectly honest,’ Donald says. But after a while he says the urge to finish songs he had laying around and to work on new ideas took over, as he suspected it would. And so that’s how Last Leaves came to be, a band that features two of his three former band mates – Mark Monnone (no slouch in the songwriting department himself) and Louis Richter – with the addition of Noah Symons on drums. ‘It’s definitely a bit more noisy, a bit more intense,’ Donald says. ‘It gives Louis the licence to make a bit more noise, which he doesn’t need much encouragement doing.’ A more intense outlet for Donald’s songs is an interesting prospect for fans of his work, given the jangly undistorted half-a-drum-kit sound of The Lucksmiths (as great as that was). Last Leaves will be playing in Canberra shortly and the lads will be doing what they do as they have always done (even if a little noisier). ‘Being in a band and playing music together is something we all love,’ Donald says. ‘And sometimes, if you’ve been doing it as long as we have, you can tire of sleeping on floors, but the good bits of it always outweighed that.’ Last Leaves play The Polish White Eagle Club, Friday April 26, with The Ellis Collective, No Stars and Glenroi Heights. 8pm. Door price TBA.

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Someone I’ve met once will just turn up in a car and say, “Get in! We’re driving an hour out into the desert”

A MINE OF TALES james fahy Urban folk genius DARREN HANLON has made a life as a wanderer and he can’t help but pick up stories wherever he goes. It’s fitting, then, that he’s headlining Youth Week’s ‘No Need To Be Told’, a festival of storytelling in all of its forms. Hanlon’s contribution will be sung, but he’s also known for his travel blog and has teased that he will soon face his fears and perform some of his unaccompanied poetry. For NNTBT, he’s part of an extremely varied list of performers: activists, video artists, dancers, documentarians, rappers, and DJs from all over the country will all be converging on Civic Square to tell their stories.

this year anywhere in the country. So what’s so special about Canberra? His answer is simple: ‘The stars aligned. I never get enough time in Canberra and I always have great shows there.’ He has a history of happy collaboration with the capital: last year he sang a duet with starlet Julia Johnson of The Deep Sea Sirens, and as soon as I mention the city he fondly brings up Canberra stalwarts The Cashews, who joined him on stage in 2010. So what next for Darren? Is he going to settle down? ‘Nah, I don’t really live anywhere. I’ll be in the Cross for a while, and I’ve got to visit my Dad in Melbourne for his birthday. Then when I record the album, it’ll be in Omaha, I think.’ We’d better catch him while we can – at least for a little while longer, the traveling life is calling, and after this starcrossed show, Darren Hanlon’s going to be tough to pin down. No Need To Be Told will take place in Civic Square, Saturday April 13, 4pm8pm. The event is free to attend and also sports Baba Israel, Lavers, Party Gravy and more.

Hanlon has just returned from five weeks way out in the isolated mining town of Broken Hill. ‘I didn’t expect it, but being out in Broken Hill turned out to be a massive adventure for me!’ Aside from the typical late night drunken philosophy sessions one would expect from a traveling poet, Hanlon managed to win over some of the more eccentric locals almost too quickly. ‘Someone I’ve met once will just turn up in a car and say, “Get in! We’re driving an hour out into the desert!”’ This particular retreat was charmed: Hanlon re-engaged his most beloved guitar, dubbed ‘the Song Machine’, and wrote a whole new batch of tunes for his upcoming sixth album. He describes one of those as one of the most emotional songs he’s ever written. Given the working title Letter From an Australian Mining Town, it sheds some light on the loneliness of the touring musician’s life. ‘You see all your friends getting on with living their lives and I just live this… this solitude to get things done.’ He’s been in self-imposed exile since last year’s sold-out Christmas concert at The Street Theatre and this may be one of the only shows he’s playing

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TEMPER TEMPER

sinead o’connell

From the Qantas lounge at Adelaide airport, headed to Future Music Festival, Toby Dundas from THE TEMPER TRAP revealed the trials and tribulations of an ambitious band on the road, driven by curiosity and the woes of the world. Band members Dougy Mandagi (vocals, guitar), Lorenzo Sillitto (guitar), Jonny Aherne (bass), Toby Dundas (drums) and recent keyboardist Joseph Greer, who bolstered the gang in 2008 after ‘triumphant circumstances’, fashion Temper Trap into a portrait of blossoming achievement. Driven to surprise international fame after the success of the song Sweet Disposition, their first album Conditions sold almost a million copies worldwide. The Melbourne boys then moved base temporarily from London to Los Angeles in order to record and produce their second album, The Temper Trap.

We all collaborate equally. There’s no kind of ego and it makes for such a better outcome

Living in East London is a feat in itself, not to mention when they first moved they lived in a tour bus, with no money and no ideas. Dundas said of the change to The City of Angels, ‘There was just a completely different energy.’ An energy that they harnessed to catapult their enthusiasm for the second record. A slight paused received his next meditation, ‘We miss the coffee a lot. It’s so hard to get good coffee – we were spoiled in Melbourne!’ He then went on to explain why the coffee is so good in Melbourne, with the enthusiasm of an ex-patriot. He added that what they don’t miss is their own Australian accents. ‘It gets worse and worse every time we come home. It’s so bad!’ Like most bands, it was the moment they stood in front of their largest crowd that blew them away the most and confronted them with the reality of fame. ‘We were playing at this festival in Mexico, on the main stage, where we later found out there was about 35, 000 people. The audience was so intense and they knew every word to every song. It was incredible.’ It would be an amazing experience indeed, especially from the depths of a Melbourne garage, where the idea of success was more or less coined as, ‘Well, maybe we can do it…’ Toby laughs retrospectively. When it comes to working together, he says, ‘We all collaborate equally. There’s no kind of ego and it makes for such a better outcome.’ For example, London’s Burning, written in the aftermath of the London riots, resulted from Mandagi grappling with the reality of what he witnessed and working together with the guys to express their opinions. Further, the genesis of their recurring theme of displacement sits heavy. However, no man is an island and it is a divine combination of lyrical genius and swarming vocals that add life to an already vibrantly pulsing musical heartbeat.

The Temper Trap are playing Groovin’ the Moo at University of Canberra on Sunday April 28. Tickets are $99.90+ bf via Ticketek.

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GUMBY FOR GUMBALL baz ruddick Newcastle-based blues/folk five-piece BENJALU have been proving you don’t need radio airplay or records to make your name. With a wanderlust for the road and a desire to play anywhere and everywhere, the hard touring five-piece have been gaining ground the real way – getting out there, playing gigs and showing people first hand why they would want to see Benjalu time and time again. With two EPs in the works, this year the boys are playing the grassroots Gumball festival in the Hunter Valley. I spoke to lead guitarist Ben ‘Gumby’ Gumbleton about their time on the road, why they love Gumball festival, and their two highly anticipated EPs. With five years of constant touring under their belt, Benjalu’s ethos is all about the road. ‘We wanted to pursue music and play it. There is no reason why you can’t just sit at home and write music, but for us it was all about the growth and seeing people’s reactions and finding new sounds by playing live. If we could play five shows a week then we would.’ With little headway made on the radio, Benjalu’s cranking energetic live show has been their calling card as a band. ‘I guess for a lot of people that know us it has been from the live circuit and not from our CDs or our radio play, which is amazing. It’s good to know people love coming to our gigs.’

Whatever it is, as long as it sounds cool to us, we are putting it out there

Despite their commitment to the road, the boys have taken the last couple of months to head into the studio to release two brand new EPs. ‘If there is one thing that we always hear it is that our live shows are much more energetic than our recordings are. I guess for us it’s about finding that happy medium and getting that live vibe on to record.’ Upon heading into the studio, the boys found that their collection of 16 songs were stylistically too disjointed to create one record, and thus opted to record two separate EPs. ‘Stylistically, they are both going to be quite different. I guess it is kind of a taster of our journey of how our sound is developing. It might be reggae or psychedelia or an acoustic ballad. Whatever it is, as long as it sounds cool to us, we are putting it out there.’ Something of a home gig for the boys, Benjalu are playing the headlining slot on the opening night of Gumball festival. ‘There is something about that festival. It has the coolest vibe. I think with this festival they just kind of book bands that [the organisers] want to see, which is really, really cool. It’s good for up and coming bands like ourselves and a lot of the other people that are on the bill. You don’t just feel like you are one of those smaller bands filling up a line-up. They make you feel just as welcome and respected as Mia Dyson, Turin Breaks or Tumbleweed. That’s the coolest thing about it.’ Catch Benjalu at The Gumball in Belford, Hunter Valley at 10:50pm on Thursday April 25. The Gumball festival runs Thu-Sat April 25-27. Tickets prices vary and are available through thegumball.com.au.

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This is [a] very dark album... After this it’s pretty much going to be straightforward rap

are some heads there and you don’t want to leave them out. I’m very appreciative to be able to travel in general – I love to perform and I love to travel.’

CASUALTY OF W.A.R. bert pole PHAROAHE MONCH is a living testament to the term ‘An MC’s MC’. Growing up in South Jamaica, a poor and dangerous suburb of Queens, NYC, Monch formed the legendary group Organized Konfusion with partner in rhyme Prince Po. After releasing a string of critically acclaimed albums, the pair parted ways. Monch went on to sign with the independent powerhouse Rawkus Records and featured on a string of successful singles. He also released his first solo album, Internal Affairs, which included the anthem Simon Says. After the demise of Rawkus Records, fans had to wait eight years for his sophomore release, Desire. Then, two years ago, he teamed up with Duck Down Records to release his third studio album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). Monch will be returning to Canberra to tour the yet-to-be-released P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). A lot of international artists seem to leapfrog Canberra on their tours, but he will be returning for a second time. ‘You want to try and touch all the bases. It’s obviously not as a big a scene as Sydney or Melbourne, but there

Originally slated as a digital EP-only release, Monch elaborated that with the amount of content recorded, fans would be treated to a full LP release for P.T.S.D. ‘Yeah, it’s definitely a full-length, even more than a full-length. I managed to get some amazing tracks and some amazing artists. It wasn’t going to be that in the beginning – some pretty dope shit, man!’ There will be a continuation of the themes explored on W.A.R., with P.T.S.D. being the final chapter in his darkly political future-scapes. ‘Yeah, that’s it. This is very dark; [a] very dark album. The topics are really dark, then after this it’s pretty much going to be straight forward rap.’ Recently, a few groups that parted ways in the mid ‘90s have started to reunite, which has ruffled feathers of Organised Konfusion fans hoping for a fourth album. ‘No plans for an album but just some individual tracks here and there. I recently recorded with Prince Po for his album he’s working on.’ With a career in the music industry that has spanned 20 years and still continues to this day, one would think it would be hard to remain motivated and come up with new material. ‘I think the reason the longevity is there is I’ve been loved for the art, and not necessarily the industry part. I love writing, I love creating songs and just being creative, man. I’m an artist – that will never go away.’ Catch Pharoahe Monch at Transit Bar on Monday April 15 with Newsense (BTE), Stateovmind, Words Eye View and Scotts. Doors 7pm. Tickets are $38.90 through Moshtix or Landspeed Records.

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Ma – If That’s How You Want it to Be (Royalston Remix) [Bad Taste] – I love Victoria’s vocals in this. Gets everyone moving/singing along.

DANCE THE DROP

An extremely insightful article in GQ magazine recently tabled a few days in the life of the prince of ‘EDM’, Avicii. The piece exposed how, fuelled by the current electronic music explosion in America, topflight DJs are deified, treated to a ridiculously epicurean lifestyle and then, at the end of the day, compensated with mind-boggling paychecks (sometimes up to $125,000 a hour) for what amounts to little more than a series of well-timed mouse clicks, button pushes and fist pumps. The reality of this story is that Avicii’s hyper-speed rise to fame was built around one song: Levels. The moral of the story here is always try and make your own music, because let’s face it – no one who ‘just DJs’ will ever be flown on a private jet to a secluded island to eat sushi off the naked buttocks of a Kardashian.

Etherwood – Spoken [Hospital] – Uplifting, soulful, liquid D&B tune. It’s a slow tune but it seems to work in any set. Royalston – Sound of the Rain [Bad Taste] – Dark and deep tune with haunting vocals. Good for an intro. June Miller – Autumn to Ashes [Ram] – Absolutely amazing production combined with a great groove. Very heavy. Dizz One – We Go Ridin’ (Royalston Remix) [Tru Thoughts] – A trap/D&B hybrid that always works in my sets. You can access links to music, content and artist profiles by reading this column online. Head to bmamag.com, Columns>Dance. TIM GALVIN - tim.galvin@live.com.au

Alive Fridays at Academy welcomes back one of Canberra’s finest electronic exports, The Aston Shuffle, on Friday April 12. The lads have been avoiding naked sushi parties and have instead been burning the midnight oil in the studio working on their follow up to 2011’s Seventeen Past Midnight. Looking forward to it, boys! The Canberra leg of the Groovin’ the Moo festival, held on Sunday April 28 at the University of Canberra, has a tasty (if not a tad predictable) dance music line-up, including headliners Example and Flume alongside Alison Wonderland, Shockone and the Midnight Juggernauts. The latest Daft Punk rumor had them signing on to headline Coachella in the USA in April. This rumor has since been quashed by Rolling Stone but it does increase the likelihood that the duo may be preparing to dust off their LED helmets and fly their immense production around the globe in conjunction with the release of their new album (working title Random Access Memories, set to be released Tuesday May 21). I’m crossing my fingers, toes and anything else I can bend in hopes their flight plan will include Down Under dates. In the meantime, iTunes are taking online pre-orders for what we’re expecting to be 2013’s greatest dance music long player. This is a must have for any fan of electronic music. Bass heads are in for a treat this week as Hospital Records newcomer Royalston drops in with a scorching Top 5.

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This column won’t go to print until Wednesday April 4; i.e. too late for a sneaky April Fool’s prank. What I can do is provide a handy roundup of some of the TK gags in electronic music: highlights included Pulse Radio announcing a Daft Punk and Swedish House Mafia supergroup called ‘Daft Mafioso’; a new Soundcloud feature called the ‘Dropometer’ (a helpful arrow pointing to the appropriate moment in the track accompanied by the words, ‘Here’s The Drop™’), a 20-minute Baauer mix on X8LR bookended by Harlem Shake and featuring samples throughout; and finally UK-based FACT Magazine raising and subsequently dashing the hopes of a lot of analogue electronica fans with decidedly un-factual news of a new Boards of Canada album. Apparently entitled ‘Quetzalcoatl’, the imaginary tracklisting (besides being numbered according to the Fibonacci sequence) included ‘Fractal Frisbee’ and ‘A Siege of Bitterns’. Ho ho ho. In terms of sheer effort though, the winner was Dubspot. The NYC-based DJing and production school put out an eight-minute video detailing a new plug-in from ‘a new Icelandic company called ‘PolarFoils’ (bullshit detector is already going off at this point) called CON[TRAP]TION. Featuring presets such as ‘Swag’, ‘Turnt Up’ and ‘Damn Son’, this handy plug-in transforms any normal, well-adjusted piece of music into a blaring monstrosity of overdriven 808 kicks, excessive handclaps and rim shots and, naturally, the occasional and totally unwarranted air horn blast. Quite amusing. If only trap music itself was a prank that disappeared after 12pm, April 1st. If only.

Bass music fans will be happy with Rustie’s new release, Triadzzz/ Slasherrr – his first since his brain-smashing 2011 debut Glass Swords. The Glaswegian producer is no stranger to genre-bending (I once heard someone refer to his music as ‘aqua-crunk’... what?) but this effort is where he takes the cake. And then he mashes that cake into a unrecognisable mess, adds 100s & 1000s, glacé cherries and triple-fudge icing and then nukes the whole thing in the microwave on Absurdly High for thirty seconds. The result is a combination between sugar-sweet, hypersaturated synths, dirty, distorted drums and so-bad-they’re-good percussion samples. Think Girl Unit’s Club Rez but more shameless. It’s part ‘90s rave nostalgia, part trap music pisstake, but all genius. Genre? I guess we could call it ‘rave-trap’. It’s been a good few weeks for progressive techno lovers. Border Community label head James Holden has announced the release of his second album in June. Titled The Inheritors, it’s apparently inspired by ancient pagan rituals and million-quid-burning ‘90s dance enigmas The KLF. If first single Gone Feral is anything to go by, it’s going to be another treat-laden platter from the modular synth magician. Finally, the best news of the month: melodic mastermind Max Cooper has been announced for an Australian tour! It’ll be the London-based producer’s first time back since his brief jaunt here for Strawberry Fields in 2011. He’ll be playing at Nishi @ NewActon on Saturday May 4. If you’re not familiar with this wizard of harmonic techno, he has an ample back-catalogue of tunes for you to explore, with a recent addition, his Movements EP, just out on German label Traum Schallplatten. That’s it from me, cats – until next month. MORGAN RICHARDS - morg.richards@gmail.com

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mates to produce, like Skream, Dirty South, Benga or Feed Me, for instance,’ he says.

Sometimes I write a whole song to just a guitar loop and then give it to one of my mates to produce

Musically, Elliot says he’s inspired by a diverse range of artists and sounds, and was listening to a lot of alternative rock when he wrote his last album. ‘At the moment I’m listening to early Prodigy and Underworld, as well as the producers I work with.’

MODEL CITIZEN

peter o’rourke

In some ways, Australia could almost be considered UK rapper EXAMPLE’s second home. Elliot Gleave toured with dance festival Stereosonic back in October, only to return for an eight-week summer holiday after launching his fourth album, The Evolution Of Man. After his European tour and a few festival dates, he’ll back in Oz again to play the Groovin’ The Moo festival. A mixture of UK-style rap and hands-in-the-air house synths, Example’s music crosses the boundaries between pop and dance. First finding success with the release of his second album, Won’t Go Quietly, in 2010, he quickly followed it up with Playing in the Shadows the following year. Elliot has an unusual process of creating music. He says he usually writes down all the song titles first, then works with a producer to create loops or chord sequences until there’s something that fits one of the song titles, often writing the lyrics last of all. ‘Sometimes I write a whole song to just a guitar loop and then give it to one of my

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With the constant touring, Elliot says he tries to make sure that his music is written to work as a live performance. ‘On the last album, I wrote it entirely with the band in mind,’ he says. ‘My next album will go back to more electronic routes with influences like Prodigy and Chemical Brothers, but I will picture it being performed live as I finish the music and make tweaks.’ Despite the often personal sounding lyrics of Elliot’s music, it wasn’t always so. ‘When I first started writing songs ten years ago I wrote all kinds of nonsense about made up stuff,’ he says. ‘Now it is all real life stories I’ve experienced or stories about people I know or have met.’ Elliot says it’s not always important to write lyrics for himself, but he realises a lot of his fans find the lyrics really speak to them and need to ‘relate to stuff I’m talking about.’ Elliot says that fans ‘react pretty much the same all around the world,’ but some can be more polite than others. ‘For instance Turkey is very different to Scotland. And Ibiza is the opposite of South Korea!’ And with his Fiancé Erin McNaught born in Canberra, had Elliot ever visited our city? ‘Yes, twice! But I only ever stayed for a night each time.’ Example plays Groovin’ the Moo on Sunday April 28 at The Meadows, University of Canberra. Tickets are $99.90 + bf.

greta kite-gilmour ‘R&B was The Temptations, a four-piece vocal group that did their own choreographies. But you know those kids with their fucking revved up cars? They listen to R&B. Can you associate the two together? I can’t. Frank Ocean is R&B, but would you put him in the same box as that cheesy Top 40s shit? Fuck no.’ While on his way to Katoomba to support singer friend Ngaiire and promote his latest EP Play My Hits, Antonio Rosselli Del Turco aka RIBONGIA questions the relevance of genre tagging in today’s EDM scene.

between me and the audience, like people couldn’t really get involved, and I realised that I just wanted to make people dance.’ At this, Antonio has undeniably succeeded. By staying constantly tuned and responsive to his crowd’s reaction while remaining true to his own unique style, Antonio has managed to strike a delicate balance between avant-garde and partyfriendly – and, with regards to dance music culture, seems to have done so with perfect timing.

Frank Ocean is R&B, but would you put him in the same box as that cheesy Top 40s shit? Fuck no

‘I’m not against classifications – I think they can be useful – but I don’t think it’s really up to the artist to go, “Oh, well I’m this”, ‘cos then you’re defining yourself and you might even build walls around yourself so you can’t move. I just spend hours in the studio and listen to what comes out, then it’s completely up to whoever listens to it to call it what they want. And if someone wants to call it gypsy or whatever, if you can hear gypsy in there then go for it, I don’t really mind.’ While ‘gypsy’ might be a stretch, it’s one of an ever-narrowing range of sounds that this Sydney-based beatmaster hasn’t yet sampled in his experimental style of producing, which in principal involves ‘just getting flavours that are common to different groups of people, trying to mesh them together and seeing what comes out the other end.’

Although this ostensibly haphazard method suits the Italianborn producer’s namesake to a tee (‘Ribongia’ being ‘a slang Tuscan word for chaos, stuff that’s messy’) it is systematically implemented and reflects a deeply rooted music philosophy about which Antonio is anything but ambiguous. ‘I always try to keep it interesting for myself. Always moving, always learning. I know it sounds really clichéd, but I just really try to go for the tastes that feel good, like I really was in there. I feel like I belong to a movement of producers who are experimenting with different things and it’s just this constant search. With the software that’s available and everything getting cheaper to make music with nowadays, we’ve got this virtually infinite power of sounds to work with – and there so much music out there! With the internet you can access sheet music from Ethiopia or samples of a capellas from Los Angeles hip hop artists – it’s infinite what you can do. So, I guess to me, because all that is available, the game is not, “Oh, I want to write folk music”, it’s: “What is the new genre?” What are you going to make it into? What’s the next step?’ Of course, as anyone who’s experienced a live experimental DJ set would agree, quirky sound grabs and off-kilter rhythms – while excellent headphone chin-stroking material – often translates to a dance floor that’s about 98% more floor than dance (if spasmodic fidgeting and confused head-nodding really even counts). It didn’t take long for Antonio to recognise this for himself, and subsequently realise his own fundamental motivation to produce. ‘It was only when I first started gigging that I realised that you can go all weird and experimental as you want, but I felt this barrier

‘I think electronic music has progressed and now dance music is not just cheesy house. With dubstep, as well, it was cool how all of a sudden beats didn’t have to be four on the floor and straight ahead; it could be half-time and there could be all these kinds of variations. That got me really excited and I started finding my niche.’ Having recently completed his latest EP, Play My Hits (a mix of ‘a bit of glitch, a bit of blinding synth lines that might be referred to as dubstep, and a bit of gangsta hip hop’), the next step for Antonio is to raise enough money to realise his longstanding dream of pressing vinyl. And for a producer who places such value on his audience connection, what better way to do so than through the web-based crowd funding campaign, Pozible. ‘It seems like a natural progression in terms of music promoting. Only a few years ago, if you wanted to make music, the only way was to try to lure in a label to support you and then they’d buy the rights to your music. So, yes, you get to do stuff and they promote you but then you also lose a lot of rights. Then independent music started happening, where artists would own all their stuff but use distribution companies to get their music out there. I think this is sort of the third step: there’s no more intermediates, there’s just the artist and the crowd. And I think that’s beautiful. And it helps me to remind myself: you can’t write music just for yourself, you can’t write music to impress other musicians, you’ve gotta write music for the people. That’s it. And that’s the best kick you can get out of it.’ With an attitude like that, it’s no wonder Canberra fans are getting excited for Antonio’s EP launch at Hippo Bar this month – and they aren’t the only ones. ‘I love playing down there. Canberra, to me, is very unpretentious, very open to new ideas, just soaking it all up, while Sydney is kinda like a hot chick in a club, where she’s more concerned with the way she looks than having a good time and interacting with people; after a while you just can’t be bothered. You just want to have good conversations and interact with people, and that’s what I feel in Canberra.’ Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m looking forward to heading down to Hippo and proving the guy right. Ribongia launches EP Play My Hits at Hippo Bar, Friday April 12. With Coach Bombay, E A V E S, Aeon and Shotgun Cubs. 8pm. Tickets are $10 + bf from residentadvisor.net. Check out Ribongia’s Pozible project at pozible.com.

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METALISE So we didn’t get a local show here for the Municipal Waste show this tour, but Municipal Waste bassist Phillip ‘Landphil’ Hall, his brother Josh and Brent ‘Robert E Legion’ Phurgason bring the mulling up-obsessed death metal of Cannabis Corpse to The Basement in Belconnen on Wednesday June 26. Should be a fun winter show to warm the funny bones, and to keep it rolling they will be joined by the perennial touring machine that is Melbourne’s King Parrot. You can get tickets at trybooking.com. The King Parrot lads are fresh of the plane from Indonesia this week preparing to play their second Obscene Extreme festival in as many weeks following last week’s show in Jakarta, along with a couple of other gigs in our neighbouring country. Here’s what awaits Fri & Sat Apr 12 & 13 at The Tote and The Bendigo on Johnson Street in Melbourne for those thinking of heading down. Friday is Headless Death, Internal Rot, Birdflesh, Filth, Intense Hammer Rage, The Day Everything Became Nothing, Nuclear Death Terror, Join The Amish, Abhorrent, Wolfe, Flatus, The Kill, Odiusembowel, with a Birdflesh set for both venues. Saturday is Metalstorm, Analkhokic, Michael Crafter, Super Happy Fun Slide, King Parrot, Sete Star Sept, Fuck…I’m Dead, Kromosom, Rotten Sound, Dark Horse,

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Festering Drippage, Split Teeth, The Mung, Debacle, Deathcage, Rotten Sound Captain Cleanoff, our own Reverend Jesse Custer, Extortion and a special extended line-up of Blood Duster featuring two drummers, and from some of the video footage I saw a clip of from rehearsals, it’s looking worth the trip alone! Obituary are playing The Manning Bar on Saturday May 4, bringing a classic set of old school death metal to the fray, along with local supports in the form of Daemon Foetal Harvest and Sanctum. Set The Wolves play an all ages show at the Civic Youth Centre on Friday April 12 with For All Eternity, Hand of the Architect, UnderGreySkies, Double Chamber, Portraits, Purity Come Forth and City Lit Skies. Set The Wolves then do an over 18s show at The Basement on Tuesday April 23 along with Waking Giants, Purity and Recreant. The whole tour is a fundraiser with proceeds going to the Pink Ribbon Foundation, so get along to those for a good cause. Born of Osiris from the US of A are at The Basement on Sunday May 19 with A Breach of Silence and Feed Her To The Sharks. Just announced and also out from the USA and heading to Belconnen are Enabler playing with Urns at The Pot Belly on Wednesday July 10. Tickets for the Thy Art Is Murder, Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot and Aversions Crown show at The Basement on Wednesday June 12 are going pretty quick so if you’re intending on heading along, don’t sleep on tickets to that show. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

IN REVIEW

IMAGE CREDIT: AL;EX BELL MOFFATT

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

IN REVIEW

Art, Not Apart NewActon Precinct Saturday March 16

You Are Here: Christmas Lane Tocumwal Lane, Civic Sunday March 17

It is easy to be initially isolated by the ‘hipster’ marketing of Art, Not Apart, but in reality ANA is not nearly as exclusive as it is made out to be. The regularly held multi-arts festival is an integral aspect of the Molonglo Group’s vision for NewActon as a united community of residents and businesses. On the surface there appears to be a conflict between this vision and the marketing of the event, geared towards a whimsical and artistic demographic: ANA is described on its Facebook page as a place where artists ‘gather in beautiful spaces to make and wander.’ This trite description does not do the festival justice: it is an interactive and (more importantly) proactive event, not an aimless wandering of creative types. These preconceptions lead some to laud the festival as the domain of hipster youth, but Art, Not Apart actually presents an interesting challenge for all: to see art as a part of life, not separate from it.

‘I know you’re confused. Christmas in March. You’re thinking: Is this festival an idiot?’ No better words could sum up what took place in Tocumwal Lane. Walking into Christmas Lane, the expected alleyway stench was masked by the strange combined smell of sunscreen and popcorn. Immediately after taking up residence on a milk crate, we’re offered sunscreen by one of three Santa Clauses hitching up his Christmas stockings that serve as makeshift pants. Another cries out ‘Merry Christmas!’ as he staggers about with a square pillow stuffed up his shirt and a string of plastic hot dogs in tow.

Canberra is so inundated with formalised conceptions of art in galleries that it becomes easy to think of art as simply expensive paintings on walls. Together ANA and NewActon challenge this conception by presenting art as a surrounding and uniting force that everyone can enjoy. Street artists including Abyss and Swerfk painted walls at the festival, with Abyss’s prolific street art a constant reminder around Canberra that art is everywhere. Similarly, Victoria Lees’ temporary string installation acted as a very literal connection between art and our landscape, with string structures woven amongst trees. The festival wasn’t limited to the visual arts either, with live music, poetry and dance key parts of the festival. There were also the Suitcase Rummage markets, with a variety of vintage and handmade wares for sale. Also for sale were pieces from the Painting with Parkinson’s art therapy program for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease. Similarly, family activities demonstrated that art is for everyone, as the public paste-up wall provided a way for kids to join in and see their creations become street art. Finally (and most importantly) ANA was free. Entry costs at exhibitions and galleries can make art exclusive, but ANA provided innovative and interesting art to the public for no charge. While undersold by its whimsical marketing, Art, Not Apart succeeds in drawing together great creative talent to produce a festival that brings the Canberra community together to look at art in a new way. elizabeth abbott

On a stage garlanded with tinsel and giant glittering stars plays eight-piece band Pocket Fox, wearing green and red knitted sweaters. The alleyway is dotted with Christmas trees and spraypainted (empty) gift boxes. Around the fringes you can partake in a vintage styling session, peruse wares from local designers and retailers, sample some cupcakes or snags, and wash it all down with an ice-cold, Christmas straw-festooned coconut. The onslaught of entertainment that follows includes the likes of Afrobeat ensemble Nyash!, CDT Teens Bollywood, hip hop dance group Project Beats, Poncho Circus’s dazzling acrobatic spectacles, hypercolourful African dance and drumming Troupe Olabisi, a Canberra birthday-themed choir medley, and Dutch trio DeWolff. We’re even entertained to a revival of the high school Beep Test that, despite lacking relevance, holds the crowd captivated as competitors run back and forth to a specially put-together soundtrack. Later on, surf rock band Space Party plays among the sentimental sprinkling of replica snow, and a flash mob organised by fellow Papercut Lucy Nelson overtakes the dance floor. Post-mob sees the Great Santa Battle take place, in which Santas compete for the title of True Santa with a hohoho-off, gift-hoarding and cardboard swords. Fats Homicide conclude the day and, on a contemplative note, finish with a song dedicated to what reindeers think about when they’re hauling Santa around the globe. And suddenly, it’s over. We’re left with that same feeling you get on Christmas when the roast turkey is reduced to a lukewarm halfeaten carcass and the only booze left is long-forgotten sherry. The magical excitement that comes with the festive season fades and we’re wondering what the hell just happened. But don’t worry – if you’re all very good boys and girls, Christmas will come around again, or at least some kind of hybrid interpretation of it. georgia kartas

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You Are Here: Hit Him in the Comic Cuts National Film and Sound Archive Tuesday March 19 The product of an inspired collaboration between the National Film and Sound Archive and the You Are Here festival; Hit Him In The Comic Cuts made its much anticipated debut on Tuesday March 19 in the beautiful NFSA courtyard. Home to ARC outdoor cinema, those in the know arrived early to claim the coveted deckchairs up front where, under the screen, lay a new addition: a stage, heralding the evening’s promised convergence of cinema and live performance. Taking its cues from the silent film era wherein screenings would, by necessity, be accompanied by live performance, Hit Him In The Comic Cuts sought to breathe new life into a lost entertainment form. Given access to NFSA footage, three local artists were invited to respond to the footage with the resulting distinct interpretations reminding us of cinema’s infinite scope. Composer Shoeb Ahmad stripped bare For the Term of His Natural Life, transforming the film into a pulsating kaleidoscope to match the haunting scored improvisation of Ahmad and the Silver Spine Arkestra. This surreal dreamscape took the place of film’s narrative imagery evoking a far more visceral response; the overwhelming sensations of isolation, fear and brutality. Circus performer Pablo Latona intercut footage from the FT Entertainers Variety Show with his own unique blend of live pantomime, vaudeville, magic and comedy to take us through time to the ‘30s (fictitious) Arc House Variety Hall. Cheesy, but wonderful, Latona’s quirky comedic sensibilities endeared him to us and it was impossible not to suspend disbelief, if only for the moment, and heckle, cheer, boo and laugh as if I were watching the performances live. Rounding out the evening, Luke McGrath and The Shine Tarts abridged and performed a live score to the 1922 silent feature Sunshine Sally, which also happened to inspire the title Hit Him In The Comic Cuts, a quote from the film. Due to the shocking good looks of The Shine Tarts, I can’t recall most of what happened in the film, but I know it was an incredible 20 minutes of great, rocking music that revitalised the silent feature. The recent explosion of outdoor cinema venues indicates one thing: people love going to outdoor cinema. A night under the stars with cinema can only be bettered by one thing: added live performance. Festivals take note! This is definitely an idea worth ‘paying homage to’ (stealing). For now, I just hope it’s back for You Are Here 2014. alice McSHANE

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IMAGE CREDIT: SARAH WALKER

IN REVIEW

IMAGE CREDIT: SARAH WALKER

Y O U A R E H E R E F E S T I VA L R E V I E W E D I T I O N : P a r t Tw o

IN REVIEW

You Are Here: Music by Cavelight Canberra Museum and Gallery Friday March 22 Thousands of Melbournians may have recently flocked to their overnight arts event White Night, but we here in Canberra prefer our evenings with a touch more intimacy. Such was the premise for Music by Cavelight, a tender performance event disguised as a sleepover in the hallowed foyer of the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery. At 10:30pm the evening began with the traditional mark of a day’s end: a bedtime story. We huddled in close for David Finnigan and Adam Hadley to read us their favourite tales. A raw and powerful performance from We Are Perpendicular followed, setting the tone for the evening as much as the bedtime stories had before it. The physical theatre piece devised by Emma Hall and Emily Stewart absorbed the calm and stillness of the room. We nestled together; the imperative of art you can sleep to inspiring serenity as the artists moved about the stage as though in a trance. The performance was followed by screenings in Theatre 3, which part of the audience attended while others arranged themselves for sleep and those not staying the night peeled off. At midnight we (the sleepers), secure in this metaphorical cave, signed our night over to equal parts eerie and comforting compositions. Rueben Ingall opened with ambient synth and the low strum of a guitar interspersed with bird song to create a sound that, while not sacred, was not quite real either. Ardalan Haddad followed with Iranian music on the Santur and was watched by most of the crowd who, on a Friday night, were not quite ready for bed. After Haddad, musicians such as Julian Day, Nickamc, Paul Heslin, Metatone Transfer, Shoeb Ahmed and Slowest Runner came and went with dream-like arrangements gradually erasing my delineation of wake and sleep. Two visual artists, Robbie Karmel and Kate Vassallo, worked through the evening, Karmel using a delayed loop of live footage to sketch over the projected image while Vassallo installed cellophane through the space in preparation for dawn. In the dim light they softly padded around their sleeping audience; their hypnotising process taking on an ethereal quality. At 6:55am, the music became loud and undeniable; it was time to get up. The final ‘performance’ of the night was a communal breakfast. Weary yet content, we made our way to Lonsdale St Roasters to decompress. An incredible amount of coordination and organisation was evident throughout the night and paid off in spades. The evening was curated brilliantly, everything working together to create a sacred space of art, community and rest. alice McSHANE

IN REVIEW

Stumbling Blindly was a double bill of two extremely unique plays by Sam Floyd. While both plays were hilarious, they were also haunted by a sense of sadness and self-doubt which provided a through-line for the piece as a whole.

AfterShot is a new short theatre piece created for the You Are Here festival by writer/director Sam Moynihan, exploring gun culture. It fits the aesthetic of the You Are Here festival in its minimal staging (two actors and a table), putting the emphasis on the writing and performers (where it belongs, in my unbiased opinion). The play takes place in a classroom following a school shooting where a policeman stumbles across a student taking refuge from the violence under a table. She is inevitably reluctant to trust a stranger with a gun, and refuses to co-operate with him, despite his insistence that he is there to help.

You Are Here: Stumbling Blindly Fletcher Jones Wed & Thu March 20 & 21

Inoperable followed a young nurse who is about to perform an urgent operation, only to find that her patient has woken up. He mocks her, distracts her and just won’t co-operate. It is through their sharp barbs and her frustrations that it is quickly revealed that the nurse is insecure about her role in such an important surgery. Floyd’s script is both wonderfully far-fetched and startlingly truthful at the same time, which gives the play much of its power. The second piece found the performers switching status and followed a man pretending to be a travelling salesman so that he has an excuse to visit his ex-girlfriend. This time around, the female performer took on the power position, mocking and eventually sympathizing with her male counterpart. This was a much darker play than the last and, although there were a lot of side-splitting gags, there were many genuine moments of real pathos that placed the comedy on the sideline. The problem was that the humour didn’t drive the piece in the way the first one did. The jokes seemed to be like ornaments placed on top. The ending was refreshing and even though it was fairly hopeless, it still left us with a sense of hope. The man finally gave up his quest for love and began to look inside himself for other ways to fill the apparent hole in his life. Sal Bensley and Sam Floyd handled the material with a sort of comic ease that is becoming increasingly rare. They both had wonderful chemistry and were very truthful in roles that could just as easily be overacted by weaker performers. Both had the opportunity to play protagonist and antagonist, and they performed both roles seamlessly. Stumbling Blindly was a fantastic meditation on those moments in life when you doubt yourself or think you are less than other people. It left me feeling as though I should embrace those moments of uncertainty and served as a friendly reminder that nobody’s life is as ‘together’ as we may think. sammy moynihan

You Are Here: AfterShot Fletcher Jones Sun & Mon March 17 & 18

As the scene plays out, the two performers episodically break character to depict (through a mixture of physical and documentarystyle narration) historically relevant events, beginning with the invention of gun powder, through to some of the most notorious mass shootings in history. This is an effective way of painting the main action into a broader context whilst punctuating the story – the documentary feel of these interludes nicely balance the other, more emotionally charged segments. Actors Phillip Meddows and Laura White capably handle these transitions. The premise of the piece is strong – a good vantage point from which to examine the issue of gun control, whilst putting a human face on it. There is room for character development and tightening of dialogue, and more potential to explore. It’s good to see theatre with a lot to say about a subject that couldn’t be more topical. The YAH festival is about (amongst many things) getting new writing onto the stage in a raw form. I’m left wondering what to take away. This may well define success, as the objective with a piece like this should be to inspire debate rather than take a firm stance on the issue – to ask questions rather than answer them. Ambitious, when the issue at hand is a pretty unambiguous one. But AfterShot doesn’t simply make the statement ‘guns are bad’ (safe ground to a theatre audience at an arts festival). Like the push and pull at work in any dramatic scene, an argument can only be as strong as the counter arguments you throw at it. Throughout the play we delve progressively deeper into circumstances surrounding and motivating gun use. Though valiantly stated, the pro gun case still does, unfortunately, come across as simplistic and flimsy. For me, strengthening this element is necessary to make the piece as a whole more compelling. But the twist is great; I didn’t see it coming. sam floyd

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IMAGE CREDIT: SARAH WALKER

Y O U A R E H E R E F E S T I VA L R E V I E W E D I T I O N

IN REVIEW

When young theatre maker Chris Brain approached me about reviewing each other’s works in the You Are Here festival, my initial response was a polite ‘no thanks’, but why shouldn’t two artists review one other? Why shouldn’t we open up constructive and critical conversations? And let’s be honest – in Canberra, most of the time you know the person you’re reviewing anyway. So, having agreed not to piss in each other’s pockets, here are my thoughts.

Written and performed by playwright Emma Gibson, Dead Beauty Queens was an intimate interrogation of the expectations that our culture places on beautiful women. Consisting of four different performances across the duration of You Are Here, Dead Beauty Queens explored the cultural expectations around female beauty.

You Are Here: Home & Conspiracy Theory Thu & Mon March 14 & 18, Sat & Thu March 16 & 21 Fletcher Jones

In Camilla Sheather-Nuemann’s Home (Thu & Mon March 14 & 18) a young girl’s world changes when she moves house. As the mother, Clare Hedley transitions from distraction to detachment, setting up a sense of disquiet. Mia Carr’s characterisation of daughter Daisy was strong, but she had too much unnecessary dialogue, which slowed down the action. I questioned the set change (a clam-shaped wading pool, some toys, etc.) but it proved necessary for the ending and added effective production values within the low-tech nature of the festival. However, I wonder who the intended audience for the work is. Too sinister for children, too childish for the rest of us; an unfortunate failing in otherwise competent work. Conspiracy Therapy (Sat & Thu March 16 & 21), written by Morgan Little, directed by Chris Brain, is a thoroughly enjoyable noir romp about a detective, John Drake, who may or may not be a mental health patient called Jake. Sam Duncan nails this role and his transitions from stylised hardboiled narration to realism were great. Bonus points for the use of ‘defenestration’ (murder by pushing someone out a window). Gill Lugton’s arrival as Jane, a murder victim’s sister, is perfectly timed to up the stakes and energy and she’s a great contrast to the noir world. By playing with the convention of narration – which other characters can hear – there’s a hilarious pay-off when Drake deadpans to the audience, ‘There was no easy way to tell Jane that her sister was dead.’ Casey Elder as the sidekick/carer has a challenge in terms of playing realism or stylisation. The conceit is that the noir fantasy is only in Jake’s head, but I wanted to see the character try to play along with delusional Jake. After all, as the carer who cares too much she’s prepared to do anything – as we see in the twist ending. With a script this witty, actors needed to pause more for laughter and some lines were lost. At times Duncan could project more (tricky in a Batman whisper). The direction was blade-sharp, the show rehearsed to oil-slickness, the timing tighter than skinny jeans. emma gibson

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You Are Here: Dead Beauty Queens Thu Mar 14, Sun Mar 17, Mon Mar 18 & Wed Mar 20 Fletcher Jones/Canberra Theatre Carpark

In the first of these performances, Ghost, Gibson recounts the life and brutal murder of a pageant-certified beauty queen. Gibson skilfully ties together the languages of violence and beauty to create a haunting, visceral story. Although well written and supported by an engaging costume design, Ghost’s lack of movement made it difficult to remain invested for the duration of the piece. Honey was the second episode of Dead Beauty Queens and was a scathing (and disturbingly humourous) condemnation of victim blaming. Gibson charmed and disarmed the audience before preaching the virtues of killing beautiful women as the only means to protect men from becoming rapists. The third chapter, Wannabe, was easily the highlight of the series. Wannabe took place at ‘Prayers in the Streetlight’, transforming three audience members into driver and passengers in Gibson’s own car. Wannabe used the setting to smash all barriers between audience and performer. The brutality of Gibson’s writing was superbly acted, throwing the audience, from where Gibson’s character works relentlessly to convince the driver to abduct, murder and bury her (in a grave that’s ‘not too deep’). Meanwhile, the two passengers crammed into the back become invisible voyeurs. Gibson ends the performance by forcing a fight or flight ultimatum upon the driver, which vastly alters the end of the performance and illustrates the true power of her work, both as writer and performer. During the festival, a fourth chapter was conceived and developed by Gibson, in which she reflected on her own experience of child beauty pageantry. This piece was a clinical, intimate conclusion to the series. The thematic cohesion between Gibson’s performances was one of Dead Beauty Queens’ strongest points, but also one of its greatest weaknesses. While Wannabe and Honey stood strong as singular performances, the other two benefited from the audience seeing the entire series, which was made difficult as each performance was only shown once. Despite this, Gibson’s Dead Beauty Queens was successful in highlighting and triggering important conversations about the commodification, vilification and exploitation of women and female beauty, and was an exceptional offering. chris brain

4. Anyone named ‘So and So the Third’ etc. is the third attempt at a good child. The previous attempts were abandoned after birth at the parents’ discretion. Adults are allowed to do this as many times as they wish. Don’t give me an excuse to try for number two.

If you have children and you tell them the truth, you are a boring parent. Sure, they’ll most likely grow up to be smart, rational and educated, but they’ll be devoid of personality, a sense of humour and any good childhood stories about how their parents lied to them when they were growing up. Kids will believe any shit you tell them. Think about it. I’m not talking boring stuff like Christmas and Easter and that nonsense. I’m talking fun stuff. Ten things I plan on telling my offspring once I find a lady gullible enough to continue my bloodline: 1. It’s illegal to lie. People who get caught lying are forced to go work in either Politics or Ireland. No one wants that. 2. When the ice cream truck drives around and plays its song – this means it’s out of ice cream. The best thing about this ruse is the uncertainty of its longevity. It could honestly last a few weeks or a decade. The rewards are both whimsical and financial; money saved on ice cream means more money for you – to spend on ice cream. Extra points for multiple offspring duped. 3. There is a limited amount of words your mouth can say before it’s simply unable to speak anymore. When I was growing up, I genuinely thought this was true, even though I was never told it by anyone. My mum used to tell me off for stuff and all I could think was, ‘Can’t wait till you max out your word count and become a mute and I don’t have to put up with this shit any more.’

5. Kids who grow up to be goths are from broken homes and their families didn’t love them. I love you, so therefore you can never become a goth. This isn’t so much a lie as it is a generalisation. I just think it’s really important that my child never goes down that path. 6. Before the end of their life, every senior citizen is given a large sum of money by the government. This is the only reason why people are nice to old people. Hitting on an old widower is the same odds as a scratchy; technically, someone has to win eventually. 7. There really is a god out there that cares about you and can watch you masturbate and doesn’t want you to have any sexual fun or question his authority or love. This isn’t a new lie, just probably the most well known one, and I really don’t have to put much effort into it since there’s fucking weirdos out there who’ll happily do it for me. Brilliant. 8. Daddies need alcohol the same way cars require petrol. This is just straight up science. People who don’t drink are robots and can’t be trusted. The fuel requirement of all females is ‘shoes’. 9. Daddies can only fart if you pull their fingers. Classic. 10. And finally: Your parents really love each other. HAHAHAH. SCOTT JOHNSTON - Scott Johnston is a lanky, soon-to-be 30-yearold whose failed marriage and lack of children mean he’s obviously qualified to write about marriage and children. He has long held aspirations to being funny.

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Society needs boundaries. Countries need boundaries. It is the boundary that gives form to greatness, acting as the accepted margin beyond which lies the foreign, the unacceptable, the unacceptably foreign. A gentleman’s boundary is primarily made up of a sturdy, plain and functional pair of trousers. These confined cylinders of virtue come in a variety of fabrics – a dutiful tweed; should one feel playful, a fine silk; or, should one require stern self-discipline after the involuntary but inevitable performance of unmentionable filth, rusty wire mesh. The point is, trousers provide certainty, peace of mind, and for all their aesthetic and practical glory, they conceal unsightly menace. So, why is today’s youth hell-bent on the corruption of the common trouser? I have seen some odd things in the last few weeks, but this wanton desecration of the male undercarriage beggars belief. Trousers so ill-fitting as to willingly display undergarments, in what one can only assume is a calling card for male prostitution. Trousers so tight as to inhibit both movement and reproductive capacity. And nary a rigid, implacable pleat in sight. I encountered a young man just the other day with trousers slung so low as to positively invite rectal examination. The boy looked the very fool. Being approximately 13 years of age, a gin habit could not be ruled out as a primary factor in his unfathomable ensemble. One hopes that the brain-addling effects of the juniper berry were at fault, for other explanation leans towards the employment of considered appraisal, and, therefore, mental illness. Vanity is a sin, the self-absorbed cousin of pride, which does indeed come before a fall. But so does a waistband around the knees. A similarly unnerving encounter occurred not moments later. Another young man, slender of frame, long of hair, shoe-horned into a pair of trousers so tight, one could see his very testicles. If one took the time to look closely. Which I did. One can only presume this garment was worn as some form of self-flagellation, a punishment for prior misdemeanours so great that the only recourse was to wipe his seed from the Earth by the employment of such unyielding, such inflexible trousers as to render his gentleman vegetables inaccessible. I know men who would pay good money for that sort of thing, but this boy was obviously in pain. The mind boggles as to what his sins must have been. Perhaps the embroidered promotion of women’s suffrage – distasteful and subversive material. If we as a race are to continually pick at the borders which unify and protect us, we will emerge as immoral and permeable as a harlot’s wares. But if we all pull in the right direction, who knows what we may achieve? For a start, the trousered waistband of aspiration will rise to nestle correctly on the disciplined hips of ethical prudence. So I beg you, dear reader – consider moral standards, civic hygiene and the betterment of civilisation the next time you decide to put your arse on public display. Gideon foxington-smythe

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ARTISTPROFILE: Kater May

What are your plans for the future? To have a successful business in Australia while working for Rolling Stone in America and travelling the world.

What do you do? I’m a photographer. I’m the person at a party carrying around an over-sized camera, taking pictures a little too close and of anything that catches my eye.

What makes you laugh? Animals running into things, awkward conversations, Karl Pilkington.

When, how and why did you get into it? I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember but didn’t get into photography until my parents bought me a camera in 2005 and I’ve taken one with me everywhere since. Who or what influences you as an artist? Interesting people, relationships, self-identity, emotional breakdowns, social movements, Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, Martin Parr. Of what are you proudest so far? Getting represented by The Photography Room, having two solo shows and starting my own photography business.

What pisses you off? Ryan Gosling with a shirt on. Small mindedness, people who preach, cruelty towards animals. What about the local scene would you change? I feel there’s a lot of negativity in the local scene at the moment. I’d like to see more appreciation of the local art being made and the people who go to a lot of trouble to put together such amazing events. Upcoming exhibitions? Solo show Home at the Kaori Gallery from Fri Apr 12-Sun May 5 and group show with the Second Street Collection at Honkytonks opening on Wed May 22! Contact Info: info@katermay.com, katermay.com.

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UNINHIBITED ‘I write about showers,’ zinester Steven McNeil explained while I looked over his table at the CanberraZine Emporium. I bought his Shower Snack Companion, Travel Tips and 127 Showers titles. The numbered notes of 127 Showers flow like a poem and one shower in particular strikes a chord – ‘36. Save spider from drowning.’ Zines, those beautiful do-it-yourself publications that range from impressively shitty to impressively impressive. They’re still around. Facebooks, Tumblrs and Instagrams have failed to make them obsolete. The CanberraZine Emporium, as part of You Are Here, provided evidence of the continued existence and relevance of zines; the Emporium taking place one recent Saturday afternoon in the garden of concrete hexagons above where Electric Shadows cinemas used to be. I’d spent the evening before finishing off my own creation; one that I’d thought about making since being introduced to the art/craft form by my tablemate for the day, Bernie Slater. After I first read one of Bernie’s zines in the ‘90s, I acquired a copy of Spam – a Floridian title about catching freight trains with hobos and living the punk life. My favourite Spam story was The Great Schlitz Hunt, the true tale of a dozen punks scouring through a small town in search of cans of Schlitz malt liquor hidden by the writer.

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The greatest zine for me, and at least half the reason why I write at all, is the legendary Cometbus. Its creator Aaron Cometbus has been called the Kerouac of punk, which is a pretty good description – although his self-description of ‘punk anthropologist’ is also apt. Most zines are not actually about punk, but there is something essentially punk rock about the things – with their do-it-yourself nature giving zinesters the freedom to do whatever they want as badly or as well as they want. Another beautiful aspect of zines is the intimate connection between creator and audience. A few hundred people may read your contribution to a newspaper but, if you’re lucky, they’re likely to think, ‘That’s interesting’ and move on. Whereas in zine world, the few people who read or view your work are interacting with you in a more personal way. They’ve not only received the zine (in most cases) directly from you, they also appreciate that you’ve not only prepared its content, you’ve constructed the tangible thing itself. It’s the difference between shopping at Woolies and buying from a farmer’s market. At the table to the left of Bernie and I are Andrew Kim and Jaymes Carr, ‘pilots’ of Urban Pancakes. Andrew is a student of architecture and engineering while Jaymes studies languages; their zine is an appropriate demonstration of good design and broad vocabulary. Zoe Anderson and Raphael Kabo are at the table to our right; their poetic world of ‘witches and houses and chickens and magic’ is contained in their excellent Baba Yaga zine. Another notable work I picked up is Hunger by EmmJ, which pairs exceptional illustration with keen observation. Kudos to the Emporium’s Nat and Chiara and to the You Are Here crew for a great day. I just wish I bought more zines. Pete Huet - petehuet@yahoo.com

IN REVIEW

It must have been an exciting moment when the team at the Canberra International Comedy Festival booked English funny man Stephen K Amos to appear for the first time in our small city.

Heading down to NewActon is always a pleasant experience, especially on a long weekend and especially when you can see some art. Which is actually all the time at the NewActon precinct, but this time, instead of heading there for a coffee and some art on the side, I went there with art intention (I already had a coffee). Specifically, I was excited to see Martin Ollman’s first solo photography exhibition, Ollman’s Canberra.

Stephen K Amos: The Spokesman ANU Arts Centre Thursday March 21

Amos oozes confidence on stage and appeared perfectly relaxed. As he said himself, he was enjoying his time, the Canberra audience receptive to his quick-witted style. The well dressed comedian has the unique talent of having his material cerebral and intelligent, as well as often downright crude and very dirty. This contrast was extremely compelling, with a feeling that you were involved in a clever but outrageous dinner party conversation. As well as plenty of new material, Amos also told a few of his classic jokes (‘Bananas ten dollars a kilo!’), expertly weaving them into the main narrative without sounding forced. Interaction with the audience was a huge part of his act, with the comedian picking out a few people to make fun of, who took it with good humour. One of the hecklers even turned a joke back on him with a well placed reference to Fyshwick, making the whole room laugh, including Stephen. While it felt a little cruel to laugh along with Amos at another audience member’s expense, we all did, relaxing when Amos assured us it was okay and all part of the interactive experience. The issue of identity is always a key feature of Stephen K Amos’s comedy. He creates jokes both poking fun at and celebrating being black, gay and English, including some almost-racist-but-not moments. Some of his humour focuses on the prejudices he experiences, such as a funny but almost shocking story about being refused service in a bottle shop in Darwin because he could have been on the ‘problem-drinker’s list’ (he referred to the city as the ‘missing link’). And this is the idea behind the title of The Spokesman. Amos questions whether someone like him should be considered a role model or a spokesman for anyone, whether it be for teenagers aspiring to be a comedian, an advocate for gay rights or the face of cosmopolitan Britain. He asked the audience what they thought he could be a spokesman for, citing examples from previous shows including ‘people who don’t look like they sound’ (a suggestion from Melbourne). This philosophical touch connected the entire show, bringing a plethora of stories together, including travel anecdotes, tales from his childhood and musings on getting older and the changing world. To top it all off, Amos took a bit of a survey at the end, ticking off jokes that work and those that don’t. Canberra, however, seemed to pass with flying colours, the crowd lapping up every gag and having a very, very good time. peter o’rourke

Ollman’s Canberra Nishi Gallery, NewActon Thu Mar 14-Fri Apr 12

Chances are, you already know who Martin Ollman is, you just haven’t realised. Or more precisely, you have seen his work dozens of times and don’t even know it. Ollman is a prolific photographer with over 2000 images published in newspapers and magazines internationally over the last 20 years. He has contributed content to Reuters, AP, AFP, News Interactive, The Fairfax Group, International Herald Tribune, .net magazine, Edge magazine, Country Life, plus many more. Locally he has been featured in The Canberra Times, In the City magazine and at Enlighten Festival. With a resume like that it is surprising to discover that Ollman is based in Canberra and, lucky for us, his work is very much focused on the landscape and community of this city. His work covers iconic Canberra scenes and landmarks, such as hot air balloons floating over the lake at sunrise, the Canberra Centre fountain lit up at night and the National Library during Enlighten. He also uses portraiture to encapsulate the character of the Canberra community through the people who live here. In fact, some of Ollman’s most striking work in this exhibition are his portraits. In particular Wisdom, which captures an older woman, lost in thought and seemingly unawares amid the chaos of the Canberra Multicultural Festival. Another great portrait is Glen’s New Monocle, featuring the larrikin-esque Glen staring straight into the camera and sporting both a monocle and an irreverent grin. Ollman’s Canberra features a selection of 25 large-scale photographs exhibited in the foyer of the NewActon East building, which is a beautiful space with high ceilings, polished floors and metal sheeting on the walls. Unfortunately, the intensity of the space seems to inadvertently overwhelm the works themselves. Some of the photographs are also hung quite high, which contributes somewhat to them being dwarfed in the space, despite their large size and powerful imagery. This exhibition is merely a snapshot of Ollman’s extensive catalogue of images and it definitely leaves you wanting more. He is an expert photographer and constantly illustrates the very best of Canberra in his beautiful and richly detailed photographs. A vision of Canberra that makes you proud to say you live here. Ollman’s Canberra is showing at NewActon East, until Friday April 12. Check out techosapien.com for more of Ollman’s work. vanessa wright

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CLASSICS IN REVIEW The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway [First Published: 1952]

Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea has secured itself as a true classic of 20th Century literature for its sensitive portrait of an aging fisherman, Santiago, in an intimate struggle with an 18-foot Marlin somewhere far off the Cuban coastline. Santiago, a mentor of the young boy Manolin, has in his old age lost much of the respect which he once commanded among his sleepy fishing village. Owing to a curse of the worst luck, the old man has failed to catch any fish of any worth for some 84 days. It is for this bout of bad luck that the parents of Manolin have forced him away from worn-out Santiago to learn instead from the more successful fishermen of the village. But the boy still yet retains faith in Santiago, and on the 85th day of the old man’s long drought, this faith is vindicated when Man and Marlin meet in an epic struggle of mind and body. Much of the magic of The Old Man and The Sea lies in the thematic subtlety of the tale; its meaning is almost as elusive to the reader as the Marlin is to Santiago. But perhaps it can be recognised by much of Hemingway’s concern in The Old Man and The Sea lying with questions of the past and present; age and youth; memory and experience – of the fading of the old world and the emergence of the new. The past, for Santiago, for Hemingway, is anything but an unspeaking and dead past, but rather, it is a tangible past which reverberates on through to the present, a past which echoes on through Santiago’s vivid dreams and on into the young Manolin, whose skills and knowledge of the sea are passed onto him from the old man. And just as Santiago is bound to the Marlin, just as he struggles with it, against it, and near surrenders to it, so too does the old fisherman struggle with the memories of his past which are constantly bombarding him, tormenting him, as he and his catch descend into a physical and mental exhaustion. The Old Man and The Sea deserves reading for its fantastic imagery alone – any reader who admires the atmosphere of The Old Man and The Sea, any writer who dreams of even coming close to honing that clarity of representation in their own words, would do well to remember that Hemingway was a writer of a kind who recognised that the rawest of literature comes only from the rawest of experience; the experience of being wholly consumed in an event, in an age, in a way of thinking and living, of being totally taken by a force; so as to produce a piece of writing, be it in prose or poetry, which is as true a representation of that experience as is possible. In The Old Man and The Sea, Hemingway does exactly that. timothy c. ginty

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW Redshirts John Scalzi [Tor Books; 2012]

A bizarre love letter to the unsung heroes of bad science fiction. Ensign Andrew Dahl is the newest officer aboard the starship ‘Intrepid’ and he can’t figure out why his boss hides every time the captain is nearby, or why there’s a xenobiologist hiding out in the maintenance ducts, or why the magic box in the lab only works when the Chief Science Officer needs it to. But when he starts comparing notes with the other low-ranking crew members, an alarming pattern becomes clear: something is manipulating the lives of the captain and a handful of his officers, and it’s killing crew at a terrifying rate – but nobody will talk about it. It’s up to Ensign Dahl to save the day, and his solution involves technical mutiny, kidnapping, time travel, blackmail, doppelgangers and script rewrites. Parts of this book made me laugh so hard I snorted milk out my nose. It’s a spot-on critique of early Star Trek, not even a little bit disguised – you can practically see Captain Kirk punching the Gorn and dramatically falling over. Redshirts perfectly skewers the lazy writing, ridiculous plot devices and logical fallacies of the genre by giving the cannon fodder names, relationships and a healthy dose of scepticism. It’s the best kind of parody; smart and loving, lambasting the ridiculous while keeping intact everything that made the original delightful. On the other hand, there is such a thing as too meta. While I don’t want to spoil the direction the plot takes, about halfway through it gets weird; the kind of weird where it feels like you’re looking through the author’s underwear drawer and you’re seeing a little more than he intended to reveal. It’s not necessarily a bad plot twist, but it feels like cheating. I didn’t sign up to read Scalzi scolding other sci-fi writers for being lazy, especially when the very plot he’s using to do so feels itself quite contrived. There’s nothing quite so annoying as the authorial voice intruding on a good story, even when he’s making a valid point. The three codas – First Person, Second Person and Third Person – are poignant and thoughtful, not adding much to the plot, but ensuring that the whole thing ends on a melancholy note. All that aside, Redshirts is excellent fun. It’s like a snarky mash-up of Galaxy Quest and Stranger Than Fiction, with a wonderful collection of in-jokes and self-referential goodness, and characters who are brilliantly believable in their frustration and bafflement. Best of all, it’s the kind of parody that loves and respects the source material for its earnest originality and greatness, but refuses to forgive it for being, at its heart, utterly ridiculous. emma grist

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bit PARTS TEDXCANBERRA SALON WHAT: Half-day TEDxCanberra Conference WHEN: Wed Apr 17 WHERE: National Library of Australia TEDx events bring together the world’s leading thinkers and change-makers to share their insights into ideas and solutions that matter. Last September, TEDxCanberra brought together over 600 participants with a keen interest in sharing innovative ideas. The next TEDxCanberra full-day event will be held later in 2013. But for those who just can’t wait, the half-day midweek TEDxCanberra Salon provides an opportunity to connect and explore ideas about preparing and informing society. TEDxCanberra Salon 2013 speakers include noted futurist Mark Pesce; GreenMag Group’s Marcus Dawe; Dr Will Grant of the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, and many more. TEDxCanberra Salon runs for four hours, covering topics such as climate change, technology and philosophy. It’s an invaluable opportunity to engage with some of Australia’s brightest minds from Canberra and surrounds in a more intimate setting than TEDxCanberra’s full-day experience. 1pm-5pm. Registration is $35 + bf at: conferences.tedxcanberra.org/ tedxcanberrasalon2013. More info: tedxcanberra.org.

CCS & MAL WEBB NEW VOICES CONCERT WHAT: Youth Choir Performance WHEN: Sun Apr 14 WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre Belconnen Arts Centre presents a performance by Youth Choir CCS New Voices directed by musician extraordinaire Mal Webb. CCS New Voices is the newly formed youth choir of Canberra’s longest established choral organisation, Canberra Choral Society. They join with amazing musician, singer, composer and beat-boxer Mal Webb to create a performance which will entertain and inspire all ages. Mal will also conduct the Vocal Acrobatics Workshop for young vocalists who wish to be a part of the CCS New Voices ensemble on Sat & Sun April 13 & 14. More info at belconnenartscentre.com.au. 3pm-4pm. $10 door. A-LIVE ENTERTAINMENT WORKSHOP WHAT: Dance Workshop WHEN: Mon-Wed April 15-17 WHERE: Mount Rogers Community Centre, Spence Canberra Dance Development Centre (CDDC) is thrilled to present Australia’s in-demand entertainment dance company, A-Live Entertainment. A-Live’s mission is to develop the Australian performing arts industry by educating young dancers, creating new and evolving forms of entertainment and by connecting with inspirational performers to blend talents. Three action packed days of jazz, tap, lyrical, JFH, contemporary, hip hop and break dance will provide opportunities for students to try new dance genres and attempt styles they may not have experienced before. The workshop concludes with a showcase performance. Bookings essential: (02) 6259 1550; j.hallahan@bigpond.com. Info at: dancedevelopment.com.au. PEA! WHAT: Childrens’ Theatre WHEN: Sat Apr 20-Sat Apr 27 WHERE: The Street Theatre Join Princess Gwendolyn, Prince Gregor and a fascinating array of characters from this witty version of Hans Christian Andersen’s children’s classic The Princess and the Pea as they confront the Dragon-with-One-Nostriled-Snout. Commissioned by The Street Theatre and adapted by Canberra’s own Serious Theatre this irresistible adaptation PEA!, with puppets of all varieties, can be seen during the April school holidays and champions all things little – especially peas! Is it possible that one particular pea can protect the peace and prevent a plot to pummel a potential proper princess? Book now and find out: thestreet.org.au. 10am & 2pm. $11-$18.

ALFRED DEAKIN HIGH SCHOOL FETE WHAT: Twilight Fete WHEN: Thu Apr 11 WHERE: Alfred Deakin High School Twilight Fete

MILLION PAWS WALK WHAT: Pet-walking fundraiser WHEN: Sun May 19 WHERE: Lake Burley Griffin, Central Basin

Alfred Deakin High School students are pleased to present their Twilight Fete. Situated on the school oval, there will be fair ground rides, stalls selling food, books, crafts and pre-loved clothing. Students will run traditional fete games and entertainment showcasing bands, singing and dancing. This is part of an ongoing student project to raise money to build houses in Cambodia. Students and teachers of the school encourage all to attend – student or ex-student, parent, friend or simply a local who wishes to have a bit of fun and pick up some goodies while supporting a worthy cause. 5pm-8pm. Free.

The Million Paws Walk is Canberra’s premiere pet event that allows you and your friends to mingle, chat and celebrate your love of animals while getting a good, healthy dose of exercise and the outdoors. Funds raised through walk registrations and online fundraising will go towards vital programs, services and campaigns undertaken by RSPCA ACT, as well as supporting the daily battle to stop animal cruelty. This year, in line with Centenary celebrations, the walk’s theme is ‘birthdays’. Feel free to dress up in your favourite party outfit – there will be prizes for best dressed! 11am. Register at: millionpawswalk.com.au.

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the word

on albums

emma louise vs head vs heart [mgm]

album of the issue

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE THE 20/20 EXPERIENCE [Sony Music]

There is a caveat to the excellence of this album: Justin Timberlake excels at dreamy, infectious, pop R&B – if that’s not for you, it won’t be in 2013 any more than it was when he released Justified in 2002. But there’s no denying he’s grown. Standout performances in The Social Network and Alpha Dog notwithstanding, JT’s scope as a musician has become more dependent on the dazzling, choreographed R&B of the ‘60s and ‘70s, even as it sashays deeper into murky, hallucinatory hip hop and sumptuously layered production. As always, producers J-Roc and Timbaland are there to help the magic happen, but one gets the sense all three had grown bored of snack-sized pop hits before they even began putting The 20/20 Experience together. The average track length sits around the seven-minute mark, and every one involves an unexpected twist in structure – a syrupy bridge at the end of Strawberry

Bubblegum, a tempo spiral mid-Suit & Tie, a hip hop break in the tribal, ominous Don’t Hold the Wall. Rather than an emphasis on choruses or, in fact, structure at all, The 20/20 Experience thrives on an easy groove that picks the listener up in the smooth string arrangement of opener Pusher Love Girl and puts them gently to earth in the ethereal synth tones of closer Blue Ocean Floor. JT’s lyrics cover no new ground – this is music for the body and heart, not the brain – but why fix something ain’t broke? Frank Ocean, How To Dress Well and Miguel are pushing the boundaries of R&B and it’s phenomenal, but there is equal room for a revivalist – a great one – to continue cleaving the sounds of Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and The Temptations to the finest arrangements and production of the 21st Century. If there’s a place in your heart for music as dessert, Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience is as good as it gets. ASHLEY THOMSON

Emma Louise possesses a voice many Australians grew fond of before they even knew her name. The use of her captivating Jungle as the theme of the ABC series The Slap provided a lot of exposure for her first EP. Her debut long player follows up on the promise shown by Jungle with a style simultaneously ethereal and striking. It takes its time to get going, as the opener, while setting the tone for the record’s otherworldly quality, lacks sufficient shape or direction to make a real mark. However, from the second song onwards, the disk delivers a tracklist full of surprises. The diversity in her songs is matched by her voice, which varies from a Sarah Blasko-like semi-whispered sound in Stainache, to a tone like Bertie Blackman in Cages. Early highlights are Atlas Eyes, with its lyrics running together in a stream of emotion, and Boy, which, with its haunting melody and seductive vocal fluctuations, exudes a compulsive allure. Another winner is the shimmering dance track Freedom. The album assumes a different personality from Braces onwards, becoming increasingly complex and daring. Louise displays her love of experimentation, creating cocktails of sound that mix the bizarre with the delightful. Tracks such as Pontoon employ an inventive combination of sonic textures and patterns, with a kaleidoscope of effects, both vocal and instrumental. This is an exciting debut and punters can catch Emma Louise in town in May. rory mccartney

local natives hummingbird [Infectious/ Frenchkiss Records] Local Natives’ debut album Gorilla Manor was forceful, agile and immediately gripping. Over three years on, the next album to emerge from ‘Gorilla Manor’ – the band’s shared California home – is Hummingbird. Where Gorilla Manor often bounced and soared with an aggressively youthful energy, here the band wields the same power in a softer, more sombre and reflective manner, winding the same sweet, twisting vocal harmonies of old through a more restrained and carefully layered musical backing to create a more mature, yet no less impacting, work. Heavy Feet is a highlight; riding through its verse atop a driving, stepped drumbeat and emerging at the precipice of a thickly layered, perfectly gripping chord progression at its chorus, Kelcey Ayer’s limber vocals carrying passionately up and down the song’s peaks. Perhaps the most telling example of the band’s growth comes near the album’s end. Penultimate track Columbia, a touching elegy penned following the death of Ayer’s mother, burns slowly from a simple, reflective piano riff and plaintive vocal into a gradual, eddying height before simply stopping dead in its tracks. Rather than embodying a departure or deliberate step away in sound for the band, Hummingbird represents a touching, honest and assured expansion into the substantial sphere of promise that Local Natives staked out and claimed with their debut. david smith

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revellers night time lunatics [independent] Night Time Lunatics is a fresh offering from Canberra locals Revellers that showcases the maturity the band’s songwriting with a set of earnest and heartfelt songs that capture the spirit of youth and revelry in suburban Australia. Recorded at Wollongong’s Main Street Studios and mixed by The Descendants/ALL guitarist Stephen Egerton, the album is clear and polished and brings to life the band’s sound, which ranges in style from double time punk to angular indie riffing. The drumming is tight and unpretentious, the bass tone crisp, and the sense of dynamics permeates the recording, keeping things interesting throughout. The artwork, by Glenno Smith, the man behind much of the Frenzal Rhomb art, depicts the inspiration for song 11 Fenner St, a share house with a host of stories that sets the tone of the album: Sunday drinking sessions and four-day benders. There’s an acknowledgement that this is a ‘90s punk-inspired album of the style that led to the band’s previous incarnation, Lamexcuse, acquiring a 4/5 review in Rolling Stone for their 2008 release Life.Like. Wild. What keeps it fresh is the interplay between the lead vocals and the staunch Hot Water Music-esque back ups, as well as the heart-on-sleeve stories behind the songs. Overall, a solid and enjoyable listen for anyone with a soft spot for ‘90s punk or quality songwriting and Canberra-style youthful adventurousness. chris navin

marc romboy & ken Ishii taiyo [systematic/emi] As producers operating in the techno/house realm, both Marc Romboy and Ken Ishii have some impressive miles behind them, the former’s lauded Systematic label releasing tracks from Ripperton and Robert Babicz, while the latter has been responsible for some of Japanese techno’s most exciting moments. Given their pedigree, you’d expect this album Taiyo (Japanese for ‘sun’) to be a particularly polished collection and, given the fact that Romboy and Ishii never actually occupied the same studio together, it’s startling just how fluidly their respective styles have meshed on the seven tracks here. It’s also a darker collection than you might first expect given the sunny title, with Gosa immediately sending things straight down into a rich wash of darkly robotic bass sweeps and tightly coiled, steel-edged techy rhythms, before Seiun signals a gear change down into streamlined house rhythms and twinkling electronics. As well as potent dance floor fuel, there’s a cinematic feel to much of the material here, whether in the form of the synth-score atmospheres that lurk beneath Helium’s tumbling factory line percussion, or closing track Der Strand’s ambient wander out into the sound of gentle waves and delicate melodic percussion tones. File this alongside Carl Craig’s Landcruising as a deep and evocative night-driving experience that also works beautifully over headphones. chris downton

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birds of tokyo march fires [emi]

nantes beingsbeing [Deadhand Music/MGM]

Birds of Tokyo won us over with their startling second album Universes, followed by the smoother but inspired melodic rock of the self-titled follow up. Now that their music has continued to evolve, the question has to be asked: Have they been listening to too much Enya?

There’s been a swirl of hype surrounding Sydney synth-rock quintet Nantes for a while now, with their debut self-titled EP yielding two hit singles, Fly and Charlie, right at the end of 2011. After building the anticipation with appearances at festivals like Big Day Out, BeingsBeing finally offers up the band’s first album and it’s easily worth the wait. The 12 tracks here clearly showing the confidence and cohesion borne from playing live to much bigger crowds.

Looking at the good stuff first, Lanterns is the standout track, with Ian Kenny singing with conviction to a great melody. The closer Hounds also saves the day, with an alluring bass line, a little added distortion, artfully scattered keys and Kenny sounding solid. As for the rest, the melodies are generally pedestrian and the album lacks real creative spark. This Fire isn’t about to ignite anything and Liquid Arms will not set your heart racing. Listening to When the Night Falls Quiet, you keep expecting something exciting to happen. However, it doesn’t come. Sirin shows promise, but the injection of some stirring guitars at its end feels artificial in its construction. Two tracks are soft instrumentals that don’t really go anywhere and just serve as album fillers. All things are relative in the music world and, while this is not a bad album, it’s a real disappointment after their last two releases. Even the band members don’t seem anxious to claim credit for it as, in an unusual move, their names appear nowhere on the packaging. Damning it with faint praise, you could say it’s an easy, pleasant record to listen to. rory mccartney

It’s also a considerably varied beast, though there’s a consistent atmosphere of moody electronics and brooding vocals throughout that often suggests The Cure or early period New Order. Alice acts as a suitably epic opener as David Roger’s deep, reverbheavy vocals ring out over a slow burning backdrop of frigid synths and tribal drumming in what’s easily the moment most likely to evoke the spectre of Ian Curtis and Co. here. While there’s plenty of darkness lurking at the very edges, the more upbeat pop-centred offerings are no less impressive, with first single Avid offering up propulsive cut-up drum rhythms and shimmering dancey synths alongside a bassline that’s equal parts Head On The Door-era Cure and Peter Hook. As a whole, BeingsBeing is an impressive debut album that’s been worth the wait, rendered all the more powerful by the vast, meticulously layered production aesthetic that’s on show throughout this already strong collection of songs. chris downton

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

At the moment, there is a dearth of watchable films. Oscar season is done and dusted. The blockbuster (aka comic book adaptation) season is yet to begin. And what we have left are the stragglers. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always one or two gooduns. But as Hyde Park on Hudson and Jack the Giant Slayer prove – it’s either the least worthy of serious consideration of the serious films, or the least blockbuster-y of the blockbusters. Performance is the only real performance you should bother getting along to this week.

quote of the issue ‘Fee fi fo fum. Ask not whence the thunder comes. For between Heaven and Earth is a perilous place. Home to a fearsome giant race.’ – Children’s Nursery Rhyme, Jack the Giant Slayer

hyde park on hudson Goodness me, this is a terrible film. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and his essentially estranged wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) decide to invite the King and Queen of England (Samuel West, playing the stuttering royal that Colin Firth so charmingly captured in The King’s Speech, and Olivia Colman) to visit in the family home at Hyde Park on Hudson. It’s the first time an English monarch has ever visited America. Cue drama. But it’s FDR’s mistresses who take centre stage here – we are shown the personal stories behind the political. Unfortunately, those personal stories are not very stimulating. I have rarely watched a film that is so tonally inconsistent as this one. One second it’s a British buddy comedy, the next a romance, the next a psychosexual thriller. Okay, it never quite makes it to psychosexual thriller territory. But shit does get weird, and it probably would have been a better film if they had just decided to go the whole nine yards. Bill Murray and Olivia Williams are charismatic (despite FDR’s unpalatable womanising), but Laura Linney’s mistress Daisy is just so boring that – as she’s the narrator of the film – it’s difficult to maintain interest. It is a film about a pivotal moment in British-US history – but all you’ll remember once it’s done is the awkward handjob in a car. melissa wellham

performance (aka a late quartet) Performance follows the members of a successful string quartet as their lives get exponentially more complicated ahead of their 26th season together. The quartet is made up of married couple Robert (Philip Seymour Hoffman, second violin) and Juliette (Catherine Keener, viola), perfectionist Daniel (Mark Ivanir, first violin) and the wise, older Peter (Christopher Walken, cello). When Peter finds out that he may not have much longer left to play, it doesn’t take long before the group succumbs to the tensions and doubts simmering under the surface – questions of Juliet’s true desires, Robert’s wish to be considered for first violin, and Daniel’s own newfound lusts. Performance is one of those oddities where each character is not actually that likable, but all very watchable – Robert is petulant and frustrating; Daniel arrogant and rigid; and Juliette self-involved and emotional. It is only Walken, as a passionate older musician struggling with his ageing body, who truly touches you and carries the film. Imogen Poots, as Robert and Juliette’s daughter Alex, manages to make a somewhat annoying role sufficiently charming and infuses the film with a touch of youth, and the whole affair feels very personal and intimate. Performance is an engaging character piece that swells with the depth of feeling that a great classical piece has – and, as such, is a little self-indulgent too. Not just a film for lovers of classical music, Performance is worth a watch. megan mckeough

jack the giant slayer Jack the Giant Slayer is a reasonably fun film with some fancy special effects – but when trying to translate a fairytale for the big screen, your script needs some magic. Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is just your run-of-the-mill pauper farm boy with his head in the clouds. A daydreamer who spends more time thinking about the fairytales of his youth – including a mythical island in the clouds, inhabited by maneating giants – than hoeing. (That’s tending to the land, by the way. Not chasing women while simultaneously calling them demeaning names.) But when he finds himself in possession of some magic beans, which predictably grow into a giant beanstalk, and then the Princess of the land, Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson), is snatched away into the clouds – the stuff of his dreams becomes more of a nightmare. Nicholas Hoult is charismatic enough – which is lucky, because he lends some personality to Jack, who is as dull as ditchwater. There is a good supporting cast too, particularly Ewan McGregor as a dapper knight and Stanley Tucci as an incredibly camp villain. Unfortunately, the dialogue is dreadful and the film about 90 minutes longer than it needs to be. The special effects are impressive, but overwhelm the inconsequential story. Jack the Giant Slayer is full of beans and wants to be magical – but it’s no golden egg. melissa wellham

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the word on dvds

veep: season one [warner home video] When Armando Iannucci transplanted the profane Scottish motor-mouth Malcolm Tucker from London to Washington for 2009’s In The Loop, results were mixed. It felt like an experiment, never quite hitting the right notes. The film spun off characters from the BAFTA-winning political satire The Thick Of It but Tucker and Co. didn’t belong in Washington. Iannucci returned to the UK to work on a fourth series of Thick and refocus on a new show for HBO. Starring Julia LouisDreyfus as unpopular Vice President Selina Meyer, Veep is the anti-West Wing. Instead of good people doing good things for moral purposes – average people make mistakes all day through incompetence and malice. Meyer holds the poisoned chalice of American political life: the Number Two. In a country where winning is everything, the office of Vice President is complicated. For every buffoon (Quayle) there’s an evil mastermind (Cheney) or a doom-saying robot (Gore). Second in line, they’ll only ever be given the top job after years of waiting (Bush Snr.) or an assassination (LBJ). The career path of the latter two suggests it’s best to underachieve. Luckily, Meyer is all about underachieving. Searching for a legacy project, she settles on the establishment of a Clean Jobs Commission. As you’d expect, not all goes to plan. Stakeholders are offended, racist comments made on TV, yoghurt store employees forgotten and the President never calls. Louis-Dreyfus has lost none of her Seinfeld timing and excels at hapless bumbling; the show rests easily on her shoulders. Veep takes time to find its footing but the style and pace would be familiar to anyone who’s witnessed a Tucker tirade. Odds are Meyer’s second term will be better. justin hook

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justified - the complete third season [universal/sony] Justified’s sophomore season was damn near close to perfection. Margo Martindale’s award-winning performance as Mags Bennett, the soft talking hard action hillbilly drug matriarch, built renewed buzz for the show. Screenwriting, acting and atmosphere easily match the bigger names in the cable drama pool, but in the age of the anti-hero it’s a show that struggles to gain traction. Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is a US Sherriff without a dark secret. His family’s backstory provides the necessary friction, but basically he chases down bad guys, locks them up or kills them. The complexity is not inner turmoil, but outer stupidity. Givens doesn’t battle against himself; he’s up against the Dixie Mafia in its various forms. Mags may be dead, but nature – like the drug running business – abhors a vacuum. Robert Quarles (Neal McDonough) isn’t as dangerously charismatic as Mags but, as he ruthlessly winnows the ranks of the local oxy traders, he’s equally effective. And with no old-boy ties to Raylan, he represents a deeper threat. Despite being filmed in California, Justified is distinctly Southern. The entire cadence of the show is half a step off the beat. It would be a mistake to call this dim-wittedness. Pacing is deliberate. Where other shows revel in chaos and psychodrama Justified leans back in its chair, waiting with a knowing smirk for the dust to settle. It makes the competition look like over-eager teenagers, flush with untamed exuberance. Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder is the personification of lackadaisical complexity; preacher one minute, breaking into prison the next. Every time Goggins and Olyphant share the screen, spines rightly tingle. But it’s never showy. It just… exists. Take it or leave it. That sort of confidence is incredibly attractive. justin hook

on the road [icon] When this long awaited film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s novel from 1957 first emerged, the script had been doing the rounds for many years and I couldn’t work out how On The Road could be turned into a worthy cinematic experience. But I relaxed a little when I learned that Francis Ford Coppola held the rights to the script, as his pedigree meant there was no way he was going to let this literary masterpiece appear on screen without the right hands on board. Screenwriter Jose Rivera and director Walter Salles have brought to life the only possible version of Kerouac’s compelling journey into inner freedom. The trick was to combine aspects of Kerouac’s life with choice selections from the novel to ensure the most important aspects of this work of autobiographical fiction become entrenched in the viewer’s mind. At first glance, On The Road should be mentioned alongside great 20th Century novels like Kafka’s The Trial and Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer as near impossible to translate into celluloid. But this movie raps on the right bits. The scenes in jazz clubs, where reserved yet curious writer Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) gets off on the ecstasy and suffering of a heightened consciousness with his free loving friend Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund), offer appropriate sensory and sexual delights. The hard part is how to depict the solitary artist bashing away at a typewriter. Salles gets away with it by inserting brief interludes of solitary contemplation into rapidly unfolding experiences of sex, drugs, bohemian philosophy and art. Moriarty’s holy fool persona is the catalyst for the many lowdown scenes of madness and salvation. Much credit to all involved for getting a volatile mix just about right. dan bigna

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

BioShock Infinite Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox360, PS3 Developer: Irrational Games Length: 15 hrs+ Verdict: Buy The latest instalment of the acclaimed first person shooter BioShock series has arrived, and as the game itself points out: ‘there’s always a lighthouse, there’s always a man, there’s always a city’, with the variation in each instalment of the series coming from the particular style of dystopia that each city is suffering from. The first BioShock had Objectivism, the second BioShock had Mysticism and Collectivism, whilst the newest and third instalment of the BioShock series, Bioshock Infinite, has based its dystopian universe on Nationalism and Elitism, with a healthy serving of American Exceptionalism. Just as important as this new dystopian theme is the move to the new environment. BioShocks one and two were based in the undersea city of Rapture, which whilst being very immersive (haha), probably couldn’t have handled yet another foray through their underwater avenues. Bioshock Infinite is set in the floating city of Columbia, a city that rests somewhere above the cloud cover, yet not so high that the altitude reduces your character’s ability to effortlessly cause mayhem throughout the city. New to this game is that the player gets to see first-hand what the city looks like when operating as ‘normal’. In previous games you would arrive on the scene long after the city had fallen into disarray, and merely infer what it would have looked like from the tattered husk of the metropolis and scattered audio logs from its former denizens. Now however, you get to see the city in full swing, with shopkeepers selling their goods, families wandering the boardwalks and nationalistic puppet shows being shown to children. ‘But who cares about all the nonce above,’ you say to me, ‘what about shooting people in high definition?’ Well my friend, you get that and more. In addition to the normal array of oversized guns and plasmids (essentially magical powers) BioShock Infinite introduces two new gameplay mechanics: the skyline, allowing you to re-position quickly in fights, and Elizabeth’s ability to essentially ‘warp in’ new sections the world, allowing you to call on friendly turrets, cover and weapons. You can be cappin’ fools whilst your new turret buddy takes some of the heat. In fairness, these new gameplay elements don’t exactly revolutionise the gameplay, but they do refresh what could otherwise be a fairly stale ‘shock-and-shoot’ formula. The BioShock series has always had storyline that is second-tonone, and for this reason alone you should go out and get a copy. The gameplay serves merely as a vehicle to take you from one amazing in-game vista to the next, allowing you to take in the full breadth of what Irrational Games has created. A definite buy. peter davis

Winter’s not coming anymore. It’s here. And the networks have brought out the big guns. Sure, everyone already knows about Game of Thrones (Showcase, Mon, 4:20pm, 8:30pm) – it broke records here, in the US and on download sites and has been renewed for a fourth season – but there are plenty of others including Mad Men (SBS1, Mon, 9:30pm), superhero drama Arrow (WIN, Tue Apr 16, 8:30pm), Shameless (SBS2, Sun Apr 14, 9pm), Veep (Showcase, Mon Apr 15, 4:45pm) and serial killer drama The Following (WIN, Wed, 8:30pm). Also new are psychological thriller Case Sensitive: The Other Half Lives (ABC1, Sat 27 Apr, 8:30pm), Danish drama Borgen (SBS1, Wed Apr 24, 9:35pm) from the makers of The Killing (One, Wed, 10:30pm), You Tube comedians The Midnight Beast (SBS2, Mon Apr 22, 9:30pm) and new eps of quirky comedy Portlandia (ABC2, Thu Apr 18, 9pm), The Ugly Americans (SBS2, Mon Apr 22, 10pm), Californication (11, Tue, 10:10pm) and Supernatural (11, Mon, 8:30pm). But where’s The Americans (SCTEN, TBC)? The Ten network has the rights and the critically acclaimed ‘80s spy drama is into its tenth episode in the US. At this rate the DVDs will be available before the pilot airs. Hope they don’t do the same with Homeland (SCTEN, TBC) when it starts airing in September. Also showing in the US with a delayed airdate here is Bates Motel (Fox 8, Sun May 8, TBC), a prequel to the movie Psycho. Auntie has long had a problem with filling the ten mins after a 50-minute program. Its two latest solutions are repackaged satirical news show The Roast (ABC2, Mon Apr 8, 7:30pm) and Canberraproduced The Boffin, The Builder, The Bombardier (ABC1, Sun, 8:15pm), part history lesson, part Mythbusters (SBS2, Mon-Fri, 7:30pm), part dad joke comedy. There really is no end to what they’ll come up with for reality programming. Celebrity Splash (Prime, TBC) takes a bunch of former sports stars who’ve proved they can talk in front of a camera, a couple of comedians, B-list celebrities and network starlets, and a smattering of serial offenders (yes, Brynne Edelsten, we’re looking at you) and they learn to dive. What’s next? Celebrity teeth brushing where a panel of dentists (whose faces can’t be shown) judge contestants on the state of their pearly whites? Full disclosure: Blackbox, usually an advocate for mandatory bans on reality TV, is addicted to Fashion Star (11, Tue, 8:30pm). Let the flagellation begin. The King of talk shows, (Sir) Michael Parkinson, returns with Parkinson: Masterclass (ABC1, Sun Apr 14, 10pm), a series of interviews with artists, authors and musicians. Docos to check out include Urban Secrets (SBS1, Fri Apr 19, 7:35pm), where Alan Cumming unearths the secrets of urban environments, starting with some recently uncovered Sex Pistols graffiti in London; Hard Time (ABC2, Tue Apr 16, 9:30pm), which goes inside a maximum security prison in the US state of Georgia; Artscape: The Sharp Edge: The Art of Martin Sharp (ABC1, Tue Apr 16, 10pm), which celebrates the artist’s influence on the 50th anniversary of Oz magazine; and Artscape: Love and Fury: Judith Wright & Nugget Coombs (ABC1, Tue Apr 23, 10pm), exploring their ambitions for Australian culture and society. Movie choices include the retro Gremlins (Go, Fri Apr 26, 5:30pm), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (GEM, Fri Apr 26, 8:40pm), The Neverending Story (Go, Fri Apr 26, 5:30pm), the vintage Key Largo (GEM, Sun Apr 21, 11:30pm), the bizarre Corpse Bride (Go, Sun Apr 14, 5:30pm) and St Trinian’s (Go, Sun Apr 14, 8:30pm). TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

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the word

Hits and Pits Festival ANU Bar Wednesday March 27

on gigs

The Hits and Pits mini-festival was a great concept, combining ska, punk and acoustic styles over two stages. After having your eardrums pounded at the main stage, you could grab a coldie and sit in the beer garden in the very balmy autumn night, to catch acoustic music from punk greats. The set list was cleverly timed, so you could hear the solo singers while the main bands changed over. The Flatliners carried the honours for kicking the night off, delivering straight punk to a crowd which was a reasonable size for a show that began at 7:30pm. They had a lot of heads nodding in appreciation as they ended their set with Carry Your Bruises. Jamie Hay was first up on the solo stage, singing strongly and emotively his new songs Wounds and Newcastle. Who said ska punk is dead? Certainly not the fans of the Voodoo Glow Skulls, who witnessed the band’s first ACT appearance since the late ‘90s. That was at the Gypsy Bar, where the mosh was so fierce that it dislodged a disco ball which fell on the author’s head! It was grand to see them back, with the incredible fusion of trumpet and trombone with their guitars. Vocalist Frank Casillas, fronting the crowd wearing a wrestler’s mask, got the punters moving with the band’s Latin American-inspired sound, with a bit of Spanish injected into the lyrics. Dirty Rat started a bit of skanking amongst the punters and the band got some circle pit work going with their rework of the ‘50s song Charlie Brown. They were followed by Scott Woods from One Dollar Short who brought back songs from his old band. He was a bit nervous, doing only his third ever acoustic show, but was impressed to no end when the punters joined him on the choruses. The set list included the old favourite Satellite, plus his new song Headlights, which sounded really solid. The next pairing was led by melodic hardcore performers A Wilhelm Scream, with some serious, very short and very fast songs, including Me vs. Morrissey in the Pretentious Contest and Mute Print. Their show, the wildest of the night so far, featured The Horse as a highlight, with the screaming delivery interspersed with an interlude of delicious guitar work. Frontman Nuno Pereira had to fight through an asthma attack as he dedicated Boatbuilders to his son. Next up, Diesel Dave, frontman of melodic punkers Diesel Boy, threw in a mix of new material and favourites from a band that hasn’t performed for a decade. Songs included She’s My Queen and the very funny Melanie Banks Where Can You Be? A belligerent performer on the acoustic guitar, he gave the strings a real workout. With the acoustics ended, Good Riddance strutted their stuff, exhibiting a more melodic style with a greater emphasis on the message in the lyrics. It was the most political set of the night, with songs about equality, attitudes to women and animal rights. They were also the politest punkers you’ll find, inviting you to think about the messages, without ramming them down your throat.

PHOTOS BY RICKY LLOYD

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Headliners The Mad Caddies gave a brilliant display of ska at its best, with reggae, gypsy and even a little jazz woven into their music that had the punters dancing crazily to the infectious rhythms. There’s nothing like a banjo-trumpet duet at a punk show! Whereas the VGS had applied their brass section with wild abandon, TMC used more finesse, with a cool mix of fast and slow melodies. Easily the most polished act of the night, they ended with Distress from their first LP. RORY McCARTNEY

the word

2013 National Folk Festival Exhibition Park In Canberra Thu Mar 28-Mon Apr 1

on gigs

At this year’s closing concert Admin Coordinator David Price was named the inaugural National Folk Festival Volunteer of the Year. In her farewell speech, outgoing Production Manager Kate Bowman passionately applauded the 1,300 volunteers and 63 volunteer Area Coordinators: ‘It’s the volunteers who bring this home – they go above and beyond. Without them it would not be possible. It’s an incredible community to be part of and I feel like I’ve got a family of thousands.’ This sentiment was evident everywhere this year; families grow and change, but the warm familiar feeling remains. Naturally the new layout was on everyone’s lips. This year’s fest faced significantly increased operating costs while ticket prices remained the same. Throw in sound restrictions on the Federal Highway side of EPIC and the challenge for the Board was to do more with less. They nailed it. The dog leg contour that wended its way up Flemington Road incorporating The Stock Camp and culminating in The Majestic meant these venues experienced greater exposure to festival goers of all ages, whereas before their seclusion rendered them somewhat age specific. This year kids were cackling away at the Henry vs. Banjo stoush at The Stock Camp while septuagenarians bopped in their seats to Balkan rhythms in The Majestic. Relocating the Tantric Turtle Blackboard Stage from the oval to the Budawang forecourt was also a brilliant move for the same reason. By day three of the festival I daresay the new layout was barely discussed at all. This was my fifth Folkies but my first time camping. Drifting off to the lilting sounds of a nearby session and waking to two sisters belting out Paul Kelly’s Dumb Things accompanied by Dad on guitar under the tarp next door completely changed the experience (‘Not bad for nine and 12,’ said Dad). When you camp you needn’t worry so much about a schedule and are free to follow your ears, and it was often moments like these that provided the most musical magic. On the Sunday I woke to the unearthly sounds of a Spooky Men’s Chorale rehearsal, only to be awe-struck by their Byzantine chanting in the cavernous Budawang late that night. I reckon the majority of punters are musicians, so music is everywhere – it’s not confined to the 11 stages and Session Bar but also made in-between. After being mystified by a conversation about Pythagorean tuning and the Circle of Fifths I rejoiced in the utilitarianism of a Drummers Not Plumbers street performance: a circle of kids banging colour-coded plastic tubes and big kids armed with boogie boards thwacking giant piping conducted by a madcap man on tin whistle produced a percussive symphony. No one wandered past without a smile. A handful of program highlights include Equus, which merged the mind-boggling Mongolian throat singing of Bukhchuluun Ganburged with the masterful Arabic oud and Turkish lute of John Robinson; the charming anecdotes and enchanting Uillean pipes of Irish legend Finbar Furey; the sonic backbone of Canberra’s contemporary scene, Sam King, in unprecedented frontman mode in The Majestic, and the heart-wrenching beauty of Kavisha Mazzella’s band I Viaggiatori (Italian for ‘The Voyagers’). For me, Kavisha’s soaring voice singing stories of so many cultures and generations embodied the essence of folk music and the National Folk Festival.

PHOTOS BY RUBY WEBER & ADAM THOMAS

Then again, Fun Machine’s Hungarian Disco Party in The Majestic – in which, clad in national costume, they led the audience in Hungarian dance and performed one of their songs in Hungarian – did too. Bonkers, it was. In the words of Spooky Men conductor Stephen Taberner, Folkies is ‘a magnificent musico-human canvas.’ Come and splash some paint next year. JULIA WINTERFLOOD

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Apr 10 - Fri Apr 12

Listings are a free community service. Email editorial@bmamag.com to have your events appear each issue. wednesday april 10

Arts Exhibition Opening – UsFolk’s The Young Ones

Showcasing the work of emerging Canberra artists and photographers. 6pm. Free. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Exhibition – I Do Have a Belief

On The Town

Live Music

Latino Wednesdays

Lucy Wise and the B’gollies

9pm.

MONKEYBAR

Something Different Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details.

Songwriter Lucy Wise brings to life the characters of near and faraway places. 8pm. $20/15 door. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Chad Croker Nantes + Battleships

Exhibition Opening – Imprint

TRANSIT BAR

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

8pm. Presale from Moshtix.

Exhibition - ‘The Safe Box Project’

Art

THE BASEMENT

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

7:30pm. Free.

Messengers Arts Students use recycled materials to create unique and intruiging spaces. 10-5pm. Free THE SHOP FRONT GALLERY

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition – Momentum

Established and emerging women sculptors, their rich and diverse creative output. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – The Kitchen Table

Reflecting on everyday Canberra stories, memories and histories. 12-5pm. M16 ARTSPACE

Karaoke Karaoke Wednesdays 9pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

THE PHOENIX BAR

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – I Do Have a Belief

With Mark My Words, Declaration, Reigner. 9pm.

Pete Murray

6:30pm doors. Show only $40. See theabbey.com.au for more. THE ABBEY

6pm. Free.

Exhibition – I Do Have a Belief

A powerful tribute to the late Aboriginal artist and grassroots activist, Kevin Gilbert. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition - ‘The Safe Box Project’

Messengers Arts Students use recycled materials to create unique and intruiging spaces. 10-5pm. Free THE SHOP FRONT GALLERY

Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

A powerful tribute to the late Aboriginal artist and grassroots activist, Kevin Gilbert. 10am-5pm.

On The Town

Exhibition - ‘The Safe Box Project’

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Something Different

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Messengers Arts Students use recycled materials to create unique and intruiging spaces. 10-5pm. Free THE SHOP FRONT GALLERY

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Acoustic Soup

Exhibition – Momentum

ANU FOOD CO-OP

Live Jazz

Exhibition – Throwaway

Live Music Line-up TBA. Good food and good music. 7-10:30pm. $8 students/ members, $10.

With Escape Syndrome, Teal. Doors 8pm. Door price TBA.

Machina Genova

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat).

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Self is a Seed

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – Throwaway

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

ANU ARTS CENTRE

thuirsday april 11

Art

9:30pm. Free.

A powerful tribute to the late Aboriginal artist and grassroots activist, Kevin Gilbert. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

friday april 12

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Established and emerging women sculptors, their rich and diverse creative output. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

4Some Thursdays 9pm. Free.

Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Keep Calm and Skate It Out

First 200 people through the door get in free! For ages 12-25. 8-10pm. PHILLIP ICE SKATING RINK

Workshops Journals Journals Journals

Finding journals, reading journals, and writing for... journals with Rosanna Stevens. 5:30-6:30pm. ACT WRITERS CENTRE

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition – Momentum

Established and emerging women sculptors, their rich and diverse creative output. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – The Kitchen Table

Reflecting on everyday Canberra stories, memories and histories. 12-5pm. M16 ARTSPACE

Exhibition – The Kitchen Table

Reflecting on everyday Canberra stories, memories and histories. 12-5pm. M16 ARTSPACE

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri Apr 12 - Mon Apr 15 friday april 12 (cont.) Live Music Alive Fridays

With The Aston Shuffle (DJs). 9pm. $10 before midnight. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Matt Dent/Something Like This 5pm/10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Ribongia

Single launch. With Aeon, Coach Bombay, Shotgun Cubs. Sounds you wish y’heard more often! 8pm. $10. HIPPO BAR

Strangeways vs. The Internet 8pm. $10 door. TRANSIT BAR

Women Who Rock!

The Khalasar, Critical Monkee, My Own True Love, and burlesque by Velvet Vixens. 8pm. $15. THE BASEMENT

Live Fridays

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

Hit Parade

9:30pm. Free entry.

HELLENIC CLUB (WODEN)

Katie Noonan

saturday april 13 Art Exhibition – The Kitchen Table

Reflecting on everyday Canberra stories, memories and histories. 12-5pm. M16 ARTSPACE

Exhibition – Throwaway

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned

A powerful tribute to the late Aboriginal artist and grassroots activist, Kevin Gilbert. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

MONKEYBAR

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

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

Something Different Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details.

Established and emerging women sculptors, their rich and diverse creative output. 10am-5pm.

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Read my Words, Know my Name

Review writing and applying for opportunities. 5:30-6:30pm. ACT WRITERS CENTRE

Live Music CCS New Voices

HELLENIC CLUB (CIVIC)

A spectacular display of vocal acrobatics. With The Canberra Choral Society & Mal Webb. 3-4pm. $10.

On The Town

Gundaroo Folk/Music Club

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

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Blackboard folk/music club – all styles and poets welcome. Local musicians encouraged. From 4pm. GUNDAROO COLONIAL INN

Irish Jam Session

Something Different

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

This Is Art Market

Sunday Best @ A Bite to Eat

Local art for your wall, and food, wine and beer for your soul. 12-5pm. Free entry. YARRALUMLA WOOLSHED

Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details. ANU ARTS CENTRE

No Need To Be Told

It’s got everything: Darren Hanlon, markets, Clive Hamilton, April’s Caravan, more! 4-8pm. All free! CIVIC SQUARE

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

The Gossips: smooth and satisfying jazz to swoon to. Tapas + happy hour 5-7pm. Free. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

On The Town Free Pool Tables

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

Something Different This Is Art Market

Scenes from a Russian Twilight

Local art for your wall, and food, wine and beer for your soul. 10-4pm. Free entry.

Theatre

CANBERRA ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART

Workshops

David Lynch Double (MA15+)

Vocal Acrobatics with Mal Webb

Lynched: Chained and Erasherhead. 7:30pm. See nfsa.gov.au/arc for tix. ARC CINEMA

Live Music Taste

With special guests. 10pm. TONGUE & GROOVE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Workshops

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

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Film

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Theatre

CANBERRA ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART

Chrome

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

YARRALUMLA WOOLSHED

Love Saturdays

Scenes by Anton Chekhov directed by Doug Chapman. 8pm. $15.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Scenes by Anton Chekhov directed by Doug Chapman. 8pm. $15.

ANU ARTS CENTRE

Scenes from a Russian Twilight

With My Little Underground. 9:30pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

Thomas Covenant

Exhibition – I Do Have a Belief

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Subsdance Performance Night

On The Town

MONKEYBAR

11am-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Momentum

Havana Nights Presents. With DJ Trent Richardson and MC Pelusa (Chile). 9pm.

Urban Playground Presents. 10pm.

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

Songbook tour. Doors 6:30pm. For info/ tickets see theabbey.org.au. $35/$80 with dinner. THE ABBEY

DJs Karma/Jswiss/ Hypnotic/MC Tee

Musician, vocalist, composer and beatboxer works his magic. Ages 16-26. 10am-4pm. $25. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

The Art of Zine Making

Get your work out there with zines. With CanberraZine Emporium. 10am-1pm.

With Cromwell, Fossil Rabbit, Finnigan & Brother. Music, magazines and cupcakes! $5/10 w/mag. 6:30pm LONSDALE STREET TRADERS

sunday april 14 Art Exhibition – The Kitchen Table

Oscar

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

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Exhibition – Throwaway

10:30pm. Free.

Nite Society

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Guerrilla Poetry

With postcard poet JC Inman. 10am-1pm. ACT WRITERS CENTRE

monday april 15

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

With Lucrative. 9pm. $10.

Lip Magazine Launch: Issue 23

Musician, vocalist, composer and beatboxer works his magic. Ages 16-26. 10am-4pm. $25.

M16 ARTSPACE

Art Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Live Music

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

Pharoahe Monch

Album launch. With Tensions Arise, Absolution, Summer of Betrayal, Psynonemous. Doors 8pm. $15.

Exhibition – I Do Have a Belief

TRANSIT BAR

Rüfüs

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Lavers CD launch. 8pm. $10 door. TRANSIT BAR

Beneath the Tides

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

THE BASEMENT

A powerful tribute to the late Aboriginal artist and grassroots activist, Kevin Gilbert. 10am-5pm.

With Polographia. Presale $20.40 + bf through Oztix.

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned

Tim Guy

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

The ‘Dreaming of a Night Mango’ tour. 7pm. Door price TBA. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

PTSD album launch. With Newsense, Stateovmind, Nix and Scotts. 7pm. Presale from Moshtix.

The Bootleg Sessions

With Hence The Test Bed, Kid You Not, Post Paint, Marky Moon. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

11am-5pm. Free.

Exhibition – Momentum

Established and emerging women sculptors, their rich and diverse creative output. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Tue Apr 16 - Fri Apr 19 tuesday april 16 Art Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Comedy

Live Music

Melbourne Int’l Comedy Festival Roadshow

Jodi Martin

With some of the best from around the world. 8pm. $42.90 + bf thru Canberra Ticketing. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Karaoke

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat).

Karaoke Wednesdays

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Live Music

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

9pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Ainslie Wills

Touring ‘You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine’, with Evan Buckley. 7:30pm. Presale thru Moshtix.

Personal, humorous and thought provoking, music moves you. 7pm. Door price TBA. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

The Wild Comforts

Exhibition – Home

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Live Jazz

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Exhibition – Throwaway

THE PHOENIX BAR

7:30pm. Free.

CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

On The Town

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

4Some Thursdays 9pm. Free.

On The Town

Something Different

Latino Wednesdays 9pm.

Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision

Something Different

ANU ARTS CENTRE

Live Music Cherchez la Femme

Smart, funny feminists engaging topics like sex, sport, sluts, public space and fat. 7pm. $15. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Irish Jam Session

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

Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details. ANU ARTS CENTRE

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! 8pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

thursday april 18

Trivia Trivia Tuesdays

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

Liz Tackles Trivia Time

Arc Cinema Presents. 7:30pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

wednesday april 17 Art Exhibition – Throwaway

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat).

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – Throwaway

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm.

Exhibition – Home

CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details.

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat).

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat).

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Art

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat).

With Elisha Bones, The Sinners. 9pm.

Karaoke Love

MONKEYBAR

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

9:30pm. Free.

Chicago Charles & Dave

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

TRANSIT BAR

Art ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm.

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

friday april 19

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Comedy Melbourne Int’l Comedy Festival Roadshow

With some of the best from around the world. 8pm. $42.90 + bf thru Canberra Ticketing. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Fri Apr 19 - Wed Apr 24 friday april 19 (cont.) Live Music Pure RNB

With DJ D. 9pm. $10. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Comedy Fiona O’Laughlin

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm.

THE ABBEY

Live Music

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Live Music

Canberra Blues Society Jam

With Pred. 9pm. $10.

The best Canberra blues musicians gettin’ loose. 2-5:30pm. $3 members/$5 non-members.

With Critical Monkee. Doors 8pm. Door price TBA.

Surrogates

Irish Jam Session

Cheese/Retro

Darker Half

Chad Croker/Special K 5pm/10pm. Free.

Love Saturdays

Kill Appeal

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

THE BASEMENT

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

Live Fridays

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

DJ Donbear

Havana Nights pres. Sydney’s #1 Latin mix master. With DJ Trent Richardson, MC Pelusa (Chile). 9pm. MONKEYBAR

On The Town Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

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

10:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

With Renegade Peacock, Hence the Testbed, Knights of the Spatchcock. Doors 8pm. $15. THE BASEMENT

DJ Krush

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Free Pool Tables

On The Town

THE PHOENIX BAR

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

DJs Karma/Jswiss/ Hypnotic/MC Tee

TRANSIT BAR

Something Different

MONKEYBAR

Retro Depot

Social Hooliganz

Supported by Daron K and Bobby Rush. 10pm.

Super duper vintage for all! 10am-4pm. OLD BUS DEPOT MARKETS

Workshops

Something Different

On The Town

Kite Making Masterclass

Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

ANU ARTS CENTRE

saturday april 20 Art Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm.

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

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

ANU ARTS CENTRE

Vegas Nights

Dinner with live music and classy burlesque. 8pm. See waldorfonlondon. com.au for bookings. WALDORF ON LONDON

sunday april 21 Art Exhibition – 100: Random 9

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm.

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition – Throwaway

Art by Holly Granville-Edge. Opening Thu Apr 11, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

The Front’s comedy stand-up, turning simple LOLs into a ROFL on Tuesday nights. 7:30pm.

Karaoke Karaoke Love

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

Live Music Goats Gone Wild Tour

Featuring Set the Wolves, Waking Giants, Purity, Recreant. Doors 8pm. $12. THE BASEMENT

Irish Jam Session

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

Trivia Trivia Tuesdays

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

Liam and Robbie’s Happy Hour Quiz

Art

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

monday april 22

Something Different

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Throwaway

Free kite-making workshop in the leadup to Kite Festival. 2-5pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details.

Comedy

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

The Dreamlanders: a soulful blend of folk, early country, swing and blues. Tapas + happy hour 5-7pm.

Gay Paris

Urban Playground Presents. 10pm.

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Sunday Best @ A Bite to Eat

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

With Born Lion. 9:30pm.

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat).

Comedy Night

Japan’s finest returns. With D. Wils, Miss Universe, Deaf Cat, Faux Real, Turner. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

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

TONGUE & GROOVE

From the book by Craig Christie. Dinner and show tix available. See canberrarep.org.au for details.

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

6:30pm doors. Dinner + show $70. Show only $25. See theabbey.com.au for more.

11am-5pm. Free.

7:30pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

wednesday april 24

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Live Music The Bootleg Sessions

With Critical Monkee, Breakaway, The Naddiks, Paperwolves. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

Finding Harold Bloom

Michaela Burger, Kelly Breuer and Mary Webb quest to find their infamous Harold Bloom. 7:30pm. $5. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

tuesday april 23

Art Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Art

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

Exhibition – Home

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat).

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm.

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Apr 24 - Sat Apr 27 Karaoke Karaoke Wednesdays 9pm.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Live Music Saskwatch

The Melbourne funk monster and Money For Rope. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Plump DJs

With Eldred, Naynay, Megan Bones and more. Doors 8pm. $20 before 10pm. TRINITY BAR

Shaun Kirk

Channelling the Delta blues era and with an intense voice, Kirk is a one-man band. 7:30pm. $15.

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Live Music Bacon Cakes

With Library Siesta, Paul Macadam. 9pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

Live Jazz

7:30pm. Free.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

RNB Heat Anzac Day Eve 9pm doors.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Latino Wednesdays 9pm.

MONKEYBAR

thursday april 25 Art Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free. HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

Dance

Last Leaves

Swing Into World War II

With The Ellis Collective, No Stars and Glenroi Heights. 8pm. Door price TBA. THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

Nite Society: Instagram Jam

Live Fridays

With Charlie Horse. 9:30pm.

TRANSIT BAR

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

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

friday april 26

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

Art Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned 11am-5pm. Free.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

saturday april 27 Art Exhibition – Home

The Photography Room presents photos by Kater May. Opens Fri Apr 12, 6pm. 9am-5:30pm (9am-1pm Sat). CANBERRA CITY FRAMING GALLERY

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm.

Singer-songwriter from Queensland and a Japanese harmonica genius. 8pm. Presale $15 Eventbrite. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Harvard Bass

With Shaolin. Free before 10pm. TRINITY BAR

E-Cats

Supported by Bobby Rush and Daron K. 10pm. TONGUE & GROOVE

On The Town Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

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

Exhibition – Three Exhibitions

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm.

Stu Larsen & Natsuki Kurai

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE (GORMAN HOUSE)

Voices from Canberra’s past. 10am4pm (12-4pm Sat/Sun). Free.

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

THE PHOENIX BAR

11am-5pm. Free.

Talking Water, Life In Your Hands, and A Legacy of Good Design. 10am-5pm (12-4pm, Sat).

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

We All Want Too

Exhibition – Imprint: Growing up Planned

Exhibition – Huts, Heritage and Homesteads

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm.

ALBERT HALL

Live Music

On The Town

With a debut EP to drop. Supported by Xav Ier and Cromwell. 7:30pm. $5.

With Spectrum Big Band + Moochers Inc. Get into jumptown swing! 7pm12am. Tix $35 at jumptown.org.

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

Dash

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

On The Town

Live Music

HUW DAVIES GALLERY

Exhibition – 100: Random 9

ACT collective Random9 examine what it means to live in Canberra in 2013. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Exhibition – The Road to the Coast

Eight artists interpret the links of past and present that connect Canberra and the coast. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

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FIRST CONTACT SIDE A: BMA band profile

SAFIA Where did your band name come from? It came from a song we wrote called Sapphire. Later on we were told it means something like serenity in Arabic, which explained all the interest we seemed to be getting from the Middle East. Group members? Ben Woolner (vocals, keys, samplers), Michael Bell (drums, hair model), Harry Sayers (guitar, keys, samplers, hat wearer). Describe your sound: Skrillex and James Blake making sweet, tender love. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Artists like Purity Ring, Major Lazer, Feed Me, Chet Faker, Disclosure and James Blake are major influences at the moment but, like our tastes in music, our influences often change. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? Our gig supporting The Presets, where we played to a massive crowd who by the end of the set were all calling out our name for an encore. Of what are you proudest so far? We produce all the music ourselves and, without the help of big studios and labels, we have still had our tracks played on national radio. What are your plans for the future? In the not-too-distant future we will be releasing our first full single release. As for long term plans we just plan to keep writing and producing music and developing our sound. What makes you laugh? Lolcats. What pisses you off? Paying $2 for guac at Zambreros. What about the local scene would you change? The local scene is an extremely friendly and supportive one. If there were anything we would change about the local scene it would have to be better communication about what is on and where. More often than not too many amazing shows go unseen because people simply don’t know they’re on. What are your upcoming gigs? Sunday April 28, Groovin’ the Moo, University of Canberra; Thursday May 2, Fashfest Canberra, Venue TBC. Contact info: duncan@leisuremachine.com, facebook.com/ safiamusic, soundcloud.com/safia-music, twitter.com/ safiamusic, youtube.com/officialsafia, triplejunearthed. com/SAFIA.

Aaron Peacey 0410381306

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703

Adam Hole 0421023226

Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480

Afternoon Shift 0402055314 Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288

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

Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313

Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au

Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343

Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus

Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433 Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com Bat Country Communion, The Mel 0400405537 Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005 Capital Dub Style Reggae/dub events Rafa 0406647296

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 Mornings Jordan 0439907853 MuShu Jack 0414292567 mushu_band@hotmail.com Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027 Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974

Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662

Rafe Morris 0416322763

Danny V Danny 0413502428

Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527

Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428 Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com Drumassault Kate 0414236323 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

Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792

Redletter Ben 0421414472

Rug, The Jol 0417273041 Sewer Sideshow Huck 0419630721 Simone & The Soothsayers Singing teacher Simone 62304828 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 System Addict Jamie 0418398556

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

Top Shelf Colin 0408631514

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

Undersided, The Baz 0408468041

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