BMA Magazine 419 Jun 03 2013 by BMA Magazine

THY ART IS MURDER capital crime is

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inside: Gay paris Sleepmakeswaves Kate Miller-Heidke Finnigan and Brother #419JUN5 bmamag.com

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Think Big, Film Short

Delaying Game of Thrones because of Memorial Day? America, I thought so much less of you. Wait, for ratings? There you are.

#419J U N E 0 5 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

You don’t need time, you need a deadline. So said Duke Ellington, and he knew a thing or two about creating stuff. So here’s the deadline: Monday July 15. It’s the closing date for entries to the 2013 Canberra Short Film Festival. So if you’ve got a great idea for a film under 20 minutes, think big, film short, but meet that deadline. Or drag out something you’ve made over the last 18 months and send that in. Or do both! The festival accepts entries in several categories and you are free to make documentaries, music videos, creative shorts, genre films or just good old kitchen-sink dramas. Just make ‘em cinematic. Think BIG. That way – when your film gets shown on the big screen at the Dendy in September – you might just win some of the $5000 worth of prizes. Judged by Aussie actors Charles Cottier and Demi Harman, and CEO of the NFSA Michael Loebenstein, Canberra Short Film Festival knows you can do it. Just check out the details on csff.com.au and get cracking. Ain’t nothing like a deadline.

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

Jorian Gardner is Terrible at Mathematics

Accounts Manager Hongyan Ao

In an attempt to stunt the minds of the youth of tomorrow, coowner of Smith’s Alternative, Jorian Gardner, has revived one of his favourite concepts. Taking five actors and giving each of them five minutes to perform a monologue, Gardner’s A Bunch of Fives (because he obviously stopped counting at five as opposed to working out the completed sum) will be revived on Friday June 7. After a successful run at The Street Theatre in the early 2000s, A Bunch of Fives returns under the theme ‘Switch’, and will feature David Finnigan, Barb Barnett and Ben Drysdale among others. The show is free, starts at 5:30pm and features a live music interlude. ‘A Bunch of Fives is probably the work of which I am most proud,’ said Artistic Director Jorian Gardner, and that’s saying something.

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

Sub-Editor & Social Media Manager Greta Kite-Gilmour Graphic Design Marley Film Editor Melissa Wellham NEXT ISSUE 420 OUT JUNE 26 EDITORIAL DEADLINE JUNE 17 ADVERTISING DEADLINE JUNE 20 Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd ABN 76 097 301 730 BMA Magazine is independently owned and published. Opinions expressed in BMA Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or staff.

With the launch of SolarShare, anyone in the Canberra community can register to be part of ACT’s first community owned solar farm – one of the first of its kind in Australia. A common criticism of the ACT’s feed-in-tariff schemes has been that they only reward people who have the right kind of roof or bank balance to invest in their own photo-voltaic array. Now, Canberra’s first ever solar farm, SolarShare Canberra, will be providing an investment opportunity for anyone interested in powering Canberra with renewables. Visit solarshare.com.au to register or invest.

Interested in Playing the Field? Are you an artist looking for a collaborator? Do you want to find that special someone to share creative ideas with? Do you have questions about being an artist? Or about the Canberra arts scene and you’re too afraid to ask? If you answered yes to any of these questions, come along to Playing the Field, an informal event for artists of all mediums and stages of their careers to meet, exchange ideas and

develop their artistic practise. Have lunch and a chat at the Playing Field Studio from 12:303pm on Saturday June 22. Entry is $5 with lunch included. See playingfieldstudio.org.au.

Local Band TV Colours Foreshadow Album Six Years in the Making Beverly is the first single from TV Colours’ debut album, Purple Skies, Toxic River. After scrapping two completed versions of the record along the way, Canberra’s TV Colours has finally realised his long-held vision. In Beverly, the album’s pop centrepiece, chugging guitars, wavering synths and thundering drum machines bring home an echoing, ponderous chorus. At the start of the year, a full band featuring members of Assassins 88, Danger Beach and The Fighting League was assembled for live shows, and the four-piece has already played alongside Deerhoof and Thee Oh Sees and will tour nationally later in the year. Purple Skies, Toxic River will be available through Dream Damage from Monday June 17 and you can hear Beverly now at soundcloud.com/ dreamdamage/tv-coloursbeverly. Worth the wait? We think so.

From Canberra Short Film Festival award-winning film Safe (2012); dir. Julietta Boscolo.

Canberra Launches First Community Solar Farm

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FROM THE BOSSMAN Pop Music Lyrics Appreciation 101 Okay class, settle down, especially you at the back. Right! Today, we shall be studying a stanza from 21st century poet Will.I.Am’s modern musical masterpiece That Power. It’s the touching story of a rich man talking about being rich, all the while masking crippling insecurities. So powerful is Mr I-Period-Am’s music that it has been sent into space as an example of the artistry the human race can produce*. The purpose of today is to understand why this is; to delve deep into the wisdom and soul of this piece of work by taking a loving magnifying glass to the carefully constructed lyrics. Observe: They call me will-A Stay so cool, I’m chilly I done made that milli On my way to that billi Used to have a piggy bank, but now I got that bigger bank Who who cares what the haters think They hate on me cause we doing what they can’t In a feat only bested by Shakespeare, I-Period-Am has managed to subvert millennia of English pronunciation and executed the deft trick of rhyming will-A, chilly, milli and billi. Just when we think this feat can’t be matched, he goes on to morph the phonetics of bank, think and can’t to sound similar. This is frankly astounding. I-Period-Am is letting us know early that we are in the hands of a lyrical master.

YOU PISSED ME OFF! Care to immortalise your hatred in print? Send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and see your malicious bile circulated to thousands. [All entries contain original spellings.] Action fucking buses! To the idiot who drives a fucking bus for a living, a $20 note is REAL MONEY you refuse to let me on the bus because you don’t carry the correct change? It’s a fucking joke, my fair is around $5 and you couldn’t pull $15 out for change? And on top of that you talk to me like I’m an idiot? It’s 8 fucking am on a Monday morning, my “My Way” card is low on credit, your shop is closed on a Sunday so I couldn’t fucking top up, I’m on my way to work, I’m now late, frustrated and pissed off. I should be playing candy crush saga on my phone and relaxing before my shift but instead I’m fucking stressed, angry and grinding my teeth. Action bus you once again pissed me off. To the event managers at the ANU bar, where did you learn to run a rock show? Your new idea of making patrons drink in the bar area, and not letting them drink watching the band, sucks big time. The drinkers tend to stay by the bar longer, so the support bands get less exposure. Meanwhile the fans are dying of thirst in front of the stage, especially since you don’t know how to adjust the heating. During the Rubens’ gig, the crowd was baking instead of being cosy. Plus, your policy makes poor business sense as you probably sell less overall. A rethink please!

Nestled right in the middle we find the heart of the stanza: Used to have a piggy bank, but now I got that bigger bank. In the space of 12 short words, Period-Am has charted the progression of being a ‘poor kid’ with something as miniscule and symbolic as a piggy bank to having something ‘bigger’... The subtext suggests a safe, or possibly some kind of SuperSaver Account. This points to Period-Am’s erudite financial skills; despite the difficult economic climate post-GFC, he has managed to discover a high interest account or perhaps a well diversified portfolio of asset classes that have grown over time, thus allowing the riches he is now vocally putting on display. This is a truly wondrous line, for as well as alerting the listener to his sound financial status, Period-Am hints at his deep-seated levels of insecurity. Despite being a highly paid pop star for over a decade, he still feels the need – in a Gatsby-like turn – to inform us that he is no longer a member of the lower class, perhaps hinting at a Daisy-like unrequited love. Layers. This is a meticulously veiled cry for help, and an eminently powerful one, due to its subtlety. As if the listener hadn’t been ‘aurally devastated’ enough, we come across Period’s closing lines. Recognising such a proclamation on his finances may summon disdain from his fellow man, Period ingeniously takes the burning jealousy of haters and turns the hate back on them. This is known in street lexicon as a ‘sick burn’. That Period deliberately utilises a banal backing track to deliver these lines with not just a straight face, but genuine earnestness, surely rates him as one of the greatest performers of all time. We should all be thankful that this man’s music – above all others – was chosen to be sent into space. We can rest assured that should some alien lifeform encounter Period’s recordings, humankind will be in safe hands (*comment made three seconds before alien Tralfamadorians discovered the pod, listened to Will.I.Am, and promptly fired a death torpedo into the Earth, annihilating all life once and for all. Thanks will-A). ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com *This is actually true.

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WHO: Rasa Duende WHAT: HindustaniFlamenco Collaboration WHEN: Thu Jun 6 WHERE: The Street Theatre

A collaboration between acclaimed musicians Bobby Singh (Tabla), Adrian McNeil (Sarod) and Damian Wright (Flamenco Guitar), Rasa Duende’s first recording Improvisations explores meeting points between Hindustani and Flamenco traditions. The trio explores meeting points between the melodies, rhythms and aesthetic that is deeply embedded in both music cultures. A pre-show cooking, food and music talk will also be hosted by the artists, in which they will present a Hindustani cooking demonstration, discussing how the methods of cooking Indian food give insight into the melodic composition of a raga. 7pm. $25 + bf through thestreet.org.au.

WHO: Brass Knuckle Brass Band WHAT: EP Launch WHEN: Fri Jun 7 WHERE: The Polish White Eagle Club

After several years of staring at their shoes and muttering when people attempted to buy their music, Canberra’s eight-piece NewOrleans funk outfit, the Brass Knuckle Brass Band, are finally making themselves available in a recorded format. The band recently laid down an EP in Melbourne under the watchful eyes and listenful (?) ears of Tristan Ludowyk and Bob Knob, the engineers/alchemists behind some of the grittiest Australian funk and soul releases in recent memory. As well as new material, the night will feature Beth & Ben, the polyrhythms of Nyash! and the dopest vinyl selections from DJ Timber. 8pm. $8/$10/$15. brassknucklebrassband.com.

WHO: Housemouse & Coolio Desgracias WHAT: EP Launch WHEN: Fri Jun 14 WHERE: The Polish White Eagle Club

You might have heard Housemouse on tracks like Dubbo Zoo and You Got Papped from Coolio Desgracias’s debut album My Private Jet. Now Coolio and Housemouse have teamed up to collaborate and elaborate on their first release, Six Joints. The record features such party starters as David Bowie’s Penis, a stream of consciousness that highlights Desgracias’s love of ‘90s LA crew Freestyle Fellowship. The launch will feature Trendoid & Alphabet, Babyfreeze and Dead DJ Joke. We’ve also been informed ‘there will be a few surprises’ More info at: facebook.com/cooliodesgracias. Listen to Coolio at: welargeproductions.bandcamp.com. 8pm. $8/$10/$15.

WHO: Escape Syndrome WHAT: EP Launch WHEN: Fri Jun 14 WHERE: ANU Bar

After seven years, countless shows and hours of studio time, Escape Syndrome is just beginning to scratch the surface. The hard-hitting Canberra four-piece have just put the finishing touches on their third release, King Catalyst. This EP will be the latest showcase of the group’s ability to blend their trademark aggressive sound with intricate and catchy hooks. They began working on the EP with a goal of creating a release that was comparable to their live shows. Their two singles from the EP are testament to their raw onstage energy and offer a taste of things to come. Supported by Zawmbees and Candela Lie. 8pm $15 + bf through Moshtix.

WHO: Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire WHAT: Gala Concert WHEN: Sat Jun 22 WHERE: Llewellyn Hall

For the past 20 years, the Canberra Qwire has promoted understanding and awareness of the city’s LGBTI community through music, growing from humble beginnings to over 120 singers. The Qwire will now present the biggest concert in its 20-year history. Approximately 100 singers will take to the stage to represent the hundreds of individuals who have been a part of the Qwire, and the important role the Qwire has played in inspiring, empowering and bringing together queer Canberrans. The concert is a collection of songs important in Qwire’s evolution over the past 20 years. 7:30pm. $23.95-$29.50 + bf through Ticketek.

WHO: Raus & Spartak WHAT: Double Single Launch WHEN: Sat Jun 22 WHERE: The Front Gallery and Café

hellosQuare presents a double single launch, with guests Montero (Melb), Shisd and Deaf Cat. After bypassing the norms of mainstream music tuition, Raus has decided to go out on his own in search of the primal and otherworldly sounds in music that have always excited him. The aim of his artistry is to create intellectually stimulating music that is still accessible to listeners, playing what he describes as ‘alternative electronic pop’. Spartak continue with their investigation of a music bustling with tonal playing, freestyle rhythms and sound manipulation that is sonically restless, yet clear and organic. 8pm. $10 door.

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HATIN’

ROUND

CARRIE GIBSON CARRIE GIBSON To say that THY ART IS MURDER is having a good year is an To say that THY ART IS MURDER is having a good year is an understatement. Their determination has achieved these Sydney understatement. Their determination has achieved these Sydney boys the status of Golden God nominees, a record deal with boys the status of Golden God nominees, a record deal with Nuclear Blast, and thousands upon thousands of adoring fans. Nuclear Blast, and thousands upon thousands of adoring fans. BMA caught up with vocalist CJ McMahon over the weekend to BMA caught up with vocalist CJ McMahon over the weekend to chat about their mammoth year and the future of the band. chat about their mammoth year and the future of the band. ‘There have just been too many, it’s mind blowing,’ began CJ of ‘There have just been too many, it’s mind blowing,’ began CJ of the band’s achievements, ‘the first being our bigger fan base … the band’s achievements, ‘the first being our bigger fan base … We just finished our Europe tour – that was amazing. Signing to We just finished our Europe tour – that was amazing. Signing to Nuclear Blast, selling the Hate album, the Golden Gods nomination Nuclear Blast, selling the Hate album, the Golden Gods nomination – there is seriously too many to choose. The ones that do stand – there is seriously too many to choose. The ones that do stand out, though, are the people; meeting all these great people behind out, though, are the people; meeting all these great people behind the scenes that keep the cogs the scenes that keep the cogs turning, they are a credit to the turning, they are a credit to the industry.’ industry.’ The news of the signing to The news of the signing to Nuclear Blast initially had the Nuclear Blast initially had the boys in disbelief. ‘We have had boys in disbelief. ‘We have had so many labels say that we’re too so many labels say that we’re too heavy or not what they’re looking heavy or not what they’re looking for, but when our Manager came to us within five days saying that for, but when our Manager came to us within five days saying that it was all going ahead, we were shocked. It was the best news ever.’ it was all going ahead, we were shocked. It was the best news ever.’ Thy Art Is Murder have prided themselves on being a DIY band Thy Art Is Murder have prided themselves on being a DIY band for most of their career. The signing to Nuclear Blast has simply for most of their career. The signing to Nuclear Blast has simply propelled these ‘doers’ to a higher platform; a platform which propelled these ‘doers’ to a higher platform; a platform which landed them a very abnormal placing in the ARIA charts, of all landed them a very abnormal placing in the ARIA charts, of all things, at number 35. ‘We beat Green Day – who the fuck beats things, at number 35. ‘We beat Green Day – who the fuck beats Green Day?’ chuckled CJ. Green Day?’ chuckled CJ. Thy Art Is Murder has been searching for a bulletproof line-up for Thy Art Is Murder has been searching for a bulletproof line-up for over five years. The band suffered problems with past members, over five years. The band suffered problems with past members, some performing terrible acts which are the subject of ongoing some performing terrible acts which are the subject of ongoing legal issues. But it has been for the best, observed CJ. legal issues. But it has been for the best, observed CJ. ‘We had to trim the fat – the current members of the band all have ‘We had to trim the fat – the current members of the band all have a massive role. I know it may sound cliché but we are now the a massive role. I know it may sound cliché but we are now the best we have ever been. You know, we are the best of friends. I best we have ever been. You know, we are the best of friends. I think that if anyone were to leave the band now it would be really think that if anyone were to leave the band now it would be really difficult to get it back up to the calibre that it is currently.’ difficult to get it back up to the calibre that it is currently.’ Although CJ himself is reasonably new to the band, joining Thy Although CJ himself is reasonably new to the band, joining Thy Art Is Murder was the best decision of his life, a chance to move Art Is Murder was the best decision of his life, a chance to move forward, even though he has had to sacrifice his love of shoes. ‘I forward, even though he has had to sacrifice his love of shoes. ‘I like shoes, god damn it. We will head overseas on tour with no cash like shoes, god damn it. We will head overseas on tour with no cash and I see all these fucking sweet shoes.’ and I see all these fucking sweet shoes.’

CJ continued to state some sound advice for kids who often have CJ continued to state some sound advice for kids who often have lifestyle misconceptions about musicians. lifestyle misconceptions about musicians. ‘They see it as a money-filled lifestyle. You seriously have to be ‘They see it as a money-filled lifestyle. You seriously have to be dedicated. If you like money, you may not necessarily like this job.’ dedicated. If you like money, you may not necessarily like this job.’ Be that as it may, CJ would not trade in his place with Thy Art Is Be that as it may, CJ would not trade in his place with Thy Art Is Murder for all the shoes in Europe… Murder for all the shoes in Europe… Their latest album, Hate, has been responsible for the revolution Their latest album, Hate, has been responsible for the revolution the band is currently living out, and CJ is adamant that the band’s the band is currently living out, and CJ is adamant that the band’s current line-up is the reason behind the success of the album. current line-up is the reason behind the success of the album. ‘We have new brains in the mix and were able to take a different ‘We have new brains in the mix and were able to take a different approach to our writing style,’ he revealed. approach to our writing style,’ he revealed. The success of the album has The success of the album has inspired yet another national tour inspired yet another national tour for Thy Art Is Murder, with supports for Thy Art Is Murder, with supports from US deathgrind legends Cattle from US deathgrind legends Cattle Decapitation. The tour offers a chance Decapitation. The tour offers a chance to ‘spread (even more) hate’ around to ‘spread (even more) hate’ around the nation. the nation. However, their choice of Cattle However, their choice of Cattle Decapitation as support has been perceived as controversial, with Decapitation as support has been perceived as controversial, with many claiming the band should have let Cattle Decapitation take many claiming the band should have let Cattle Decapitation take the spotlight. the spotlight. This writer thinks the backlash is bullshit, and so does CJ. Thy Art This writer thinks the backlash is bullshit, and so does CJ. Thy Art (as well as many other Australian bands) are of the same, if not (as well as many other Australian bands) are of the same, if not higher, calibre than our international counterparts. higher, calibre than our international counterparts. ‘You know, I have had at least 20 interviews with this same ‘You know, I have had at least 20 interviews with this same question coming up, and I’m with you. Seriously, like be more question coming up, and I’m with you. Seriously, like be more fucking supportive of Australian bands. We asked Decap to fucking supportive of Australian bands. We asked Decap to play; we’re paying for them to come to Australia to tour. We play; we’re paying for them to come to Australia to tour. We are competitive musicians – that’s just who we are – and for all are competitive musicians – that’s just who we are – and for all those who come to one of the shows with Decap, you won’t be those who come to one of the shows with Decap, you won’t be questioning it. Oh, unless it was like Parkway Drive or something. I questioning it. Oh, unless it was like Parkway Drive or something. I am, like, the biggest fan boy, with my Parkway Drive shrine… Yeah, am, like, the biggest fan boy, with my Parkway Drive shrine… Yeah, I’m going to stop that there,’ he laughed, perhaps wisely. I’m going to stop that there,’ he laughed, perhaps wisely. Thy Art Is Murder is continuing to push the envelope on both Thy Art Is Murder is continuing to push the envelope on both the national and international stage, consolidating their already the national and international stage, consolidating their already stunning career as one of Australia’s biggest heavy metal exports. stunning career as one of Australia’s biggest heavy metal exports. Catch Thy Art Is Murder on their national Hate tour with Cattle Catch Thy Art Is Murder on their national Hate tour with Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot, Aversions Crown and Wretch at The Decapitation, King Parrot, Aversions Crown and Wretch at The Basement on Wednesday June 12, doors 6pm. Tickets are $25 + bf Basement on Wednesday June 12, doors 6pm. Tickets are $25 + bf through Moshtix. through Moshtix.

fan gestt fan bigges the big like,, the am,, like II am ay kway Parkw my Par h my with boy,, wit boy I’m h, I’m Yea … ine shr ve Drive shrine… Yeah, Dri re the t tha p sto to stop that there ng to going goi

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ALL AGES Hey folks! Need a comeback for those annoying whiny whiners who like to complain about the cold? Pause for a minute, stare into their soul and say slowly but sternly, ‘It’s winter.’ Pure logic baffles the whiny whiner into a stunned silence every time. And here’s a piece of logic for you, my friend: why would you ever be bored when the all ages scene is thriving? Do you like electronica? Do you like hip hop? Do you like these two things together? You bet your sweet bippy you do. Or how about fundraising for a good cause? You do? Good! Coz’ the Goddam Sector Electronica and Hip Hop Festival is a festival that combines local electronica and hip hop talent to fundraise for the ACT Mental Health Foundation. Come along to the CIT MIC Venue in Woden on Tuesday June 4 and grab a ticket at the door for $5. The gig kicks off at 5:30pm and ends around 10pm. Bernard Fanning tours Australia this July/August and hits Canberra on Sunday August 4. He’s handpicked the likes of Vance Joy and Big Scary to accompany him for the tour. He’s playing at Royal Theatre at 7:30pm. Tickets cost around $70 + bf and can be bought online or by calling Ticketek on 13 28 49. Attention all high school bands! It’s that time of year again! triple j have opened their Unearthed High Competition, which gives your band a shot at winning some awesome prizes. Prizes include a professional song recording at the triple j studio, air play on triple j and triple j Unearthed, and lastly, a lunchtime concert at your high school, where your band will play alongside San Cisco! Just write an original song, record it, register your band on their website, and upload the song by midnight, Monday July 22. Make sure your friends register on triple j as well so that they can show their support by rating and reviewing your track(s). What’s that smell? It Smells Like Centenary Spirit in here! Smells Like Centenary Spirit will be one of the most epic battle of the bands that Canberra has ever seen and there are three ways you can partake in the action. Firstly, you can volunteer to assist producing the events behind the scenes aspect e.g. preparation, event management. You can email your expression of interest in production to slcs@musicact.com.au. Secondly, you can compete in the graphic design competition for the event’s advertised icon. The competition closes on midnight Saturday June 15, so just design your icon by then, check out the terms and conditions on their website and email the jpeg to slcs@musicact.com.au. Finally, you can enter the battle of the bands competition. The winner will receive the chance to perform at the MAMAs, GTM 2014 and Bastardfest (depending on style fit). Not to mention promotion activities and personal introductions to prominent music industry contacts, including labels, publishers, booking agents and managers. The cut-off date for submissions is midnight Monday July 15. For information on terms and conditions and entry visit smellslikecentenaryspirit.com.au. So that’s it for now, my sweet kiddlywinks – that sounded less creepy in my head – and remember: sure, baby it’s cold outside, but that’s no excuse! Cheers, ANDIE EGAN allagescolumn@gmail.com

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LOCALITY

Every year around this time, BMA Magazine drops into low gear and ekes out two XL issues. Rather than the usual two weeks, they take three, and give us a chance to shrug off all that sexual tension that’s been building in the office – we turn up the fire, dim the lights, break out the polar bear rug and get firm with one other. Consequently, I’ve decided to mete out this column fast and well – partially because it has to last an extra week, but mostly because Bossman Allan Sko and Ad Manager Scott Johnston’s moans of satisfaction from the office floor behind me are like the siren’s song.

Let’s start with Dahrnoir on Saturday June 8 at The Phoenix Bar from 9:30pm. Local, new, successful – their last gig ever! Conclusion? Scientology. Sunday June 9 at Old Canberra Inn from 4-7pm, who should be playing but Gary! Seriously – that’s all the information I have. But I guess if you don’t know him that’s your fault, idiot. Monday June 10 at The Phoenix– 2XX Local n Live’s first Bootleg Sessions in a while. Trust these people – they put local in their name. And it’s free. And it starts 8pm. (I find it hard to imagine that anyone reading this hasn’t already been to a Bootlegs, but if you do, and you haven’t, you’re being about as good to yourself as that Opus Dei albino in The Da Vinci Code.) Tuesday June 11! What a day. I dunno – maybe it is. But …Is Dead are playing The Front Gallery and Café from 7pm. I like their name – that’s all there is to that. I also like Gay Paris – their music, not their band name – and even though they’re not local you should go: The Phoenix, Thursday June 13, 9:30pm. (Abuse of power. This guy.) Also that night is Zymurgy at the CIT Music Industry Centre in Woden. Third-year music students play a whole bunch of stuff, and one would assume from the fact they’ve been doing it for three whole years, they definitely don’t suck at it – 7:30-10:30pm, $15/20 door.

YOU MADE MY DAY!

Email editorial@bmamag.com to send a message of gratitude, warmth and generosity to the world at large. AWWW. To the beautiful human at the ANU School of Music who left a love letter to my bicycle inside my milk crate, you made my day. “Your bike makes me tremendously happy.” You made ME tremendously happy! If this isn’t proof that all two-wheeled transport should be covered in flowers, tinsel and diamante earrings, then I don’t know what is. Bring forth the botanical revolution! Spread the love! Bloom the flowers! Ride the bikes! (But really, thanks heaps, champ. Hands down nicest on-campus moment to date). To the kid who played hide and seek with my girlfriend and her sister, you made my day. I have no idea how to keep them entertained. Thank you for stepping up and being willing to giggle, drool, hide, laugh and coo when things looked bleak. I know you didn’t have to do that – you were busy, there was snot to be picked, your mum’s back was warm. You could have wedged yourself behind it, passed out and crapped yourself, but You came out and you put on a show. Thank you. Do you hire out.

Housemouse and Coolio Desgracias – o, great and terrible beauty. I’m sure I haven’t got a clue what to say. They’re launching a new EP at The Polish White Eagle Club with Trendoid & Alphabet, Babyfreeze and Dead DJ Joke from 8pm for $15 or less. If you value your virginity, take it along and let them teach you how to treat it. This column’s been pretty heavy on The Phoenix but sometimes that place just has the best shit – chu’ch. On Saturday June 15 they’ve got Yoko Oh No, Rather Be Dead, No Assumption and Revellers from 9:30pm. I predict elbowy punk and uncomfortably dressed pale people. Woop WOOP. The same night at Smith’s Alternative, local Calico Cat is putting on a ‘multimedia performance’ and launching a new tape from 7pm. Break out the overhead projector. I predict elbowy electro and uncomfortably dressed pale people. Woop WOOOOOOP. $5 door. This next one – I can’t rationalise it. The band’s called Shitripper. They’re headlining a night with locals The Reverend Jesse Custer (if that’s a reference you don’t understand, fix that shit) and Yoko Oh No at The Phoenix on Friday June 21 from 9pm. Shitripper. Brilliant. And finally, locals Raus and Spartak are launching a single each at The Front on Saturday June 22 with Shisd and Deaf Cat. Just go. And that’s everything local I care about. ASHLEY THOMSON - editorial@bmamag.com

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FROM CHOCOLATE CAKE TO PILLS rory McCARTNEY DAVID BRIDIE first appeared as the frontman for ‘80s band Not Drowning, Waving. He later started a second band, My Friend the Chocolate Cake, which is still alive and kicking. In addition, David has had a parallel solo career since his 2000 release of Act of Free Choice. He’s now touring in support of his third solo album, Wake, due out in June. David spoke to BMA from his home studio as he was finishing a video and preparing music for the Melbourne Theatre Company. While he wanted Wake to be a slow, stripped back record, it ended up being a lot more complex. Says David, ‘The record still contains sparse and spacious songs, but plans go astray. I enjoy the company and musicianship of others and, once they are involved, other ideas get thrown around. One day I may do a record that’s just me and a piano, if I have the guts, but this did not turn out that way.’

One day I may do a record that’s just me and a piano, if I have the guts

David had a simple philosophy for selecting other artists to work with. ‘I chose people I like who believed in the record and who are not doing it for the money. But they did get enough for a couple of bottles of wine.’ While it was recorded in different states and even New Zealand, the album base was laid down at Taralga, NSW. David took the guts of his studio there in the back of his car. The piano and an old pump organ were used for the basic sketch and the songs filled out from there. ‘We used my mate’s farmhouse, which had no mobile or internet connectivity. The atmosphere was conducive to writing.’ Wake has come closer to being the sort of record he’s always wanted to make. ‘I was in the right headspace to write and record it. Plus, there was no record company involved to exert pressure.’ For such a gifted musician, David freely admits that he has doubts, but believes that it’s a positive thing to consider whether the record will build on what he’s done, rathear than just going through the motions. ‘I feel humbled and privileged to be able to express myself in music and words, and get it out there. The doubts make you draw into yourself and bring out the best stuff that you need to make a record that’s important.’ David last toured solo in 2008-‘09. Now back on the road again he will be accompanied on stage by his band The Pills. ‘I love playing in Canberra. My gigs get better attendances per head of population than anywhere else. Plus, I go back a long way there as Not Drowning, Waving had its first ever gig at Café Jack’s in Civic.’ David Bridie and The Pills will play at The Street Theatre on Saturday June 22 at 8pm, supported by Eden Mullholland. Tickets are $29/$35 + bf through thestreet.org.au.

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that galvanised the darker colour to this record,’ said Kate.

NIGHTFLIGHT OF FANCY zoe pleasants For her third album, Nightflight, KATE MILLER-HEIDKE wanted to make something more cinematic, more real. So when the opportunity came up for her to finish writing the album, sequestered away in a house with her husband and collaborator, Keir Nuttall, on the outskirts of Toowoomba overlooking the range, it seemed like a fitting location. It was early 2011 and suddenly Kate and Keir’s isolation became real, as Toowoomba experienced dramatic flash flooding. ‘The making of this album was very miserable in a lot of ways,’ Kate told me, ‘but looking back on it I think I can appreciate the album for what it is and I’m very proud of it. It’s definitely the best thing I’ve done.’ They were in Toowoomba because Keir’s grandparents had passed away within a short time of each other, leaving a big house sitting empty there, and after three years on the road a quiet homely base appealed. The house was still full of Keir’s grandparent’s things: their photos, kitchen and bathroom stuff, even Keir’s grandma’s half-used lipstick. ‘It did feel like living in a house with ghosts, and so in a way

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What people were going through… it was very odd. We found ourselves drinking a lot

‘You know, you have these romantic ideas about living somewhere rural and getting away from any distractions and just making art, but I think the reality is a lot more depressing and a lot less romantic than it sounds. And I’m not going to make a record like that again,’ she admitted, ‘but I’m happy that I did it the once.’ When the floods hit, all the roads out of Toowoomba were washed away and Kate described a strange electricity in the air. ‘What people were going through, I’ve never experienced that; it was very odd. We found ourselves drinking a lot,’ she said. In the event, Keir’s grandparent’s house wasn’t flooded, but watching from the sidelines heightened Kate’s feeling of not belonging. Towards the end of our short chat, I asked Kate about her relationship with Keir. Ever since I heard the sublime love song Space They Cannot Touch on Kate’s first album, written for her by Keir, I’ve been intrigued by the two of them. ‘We have a really special musical connection that has been forged over time. We’ve probably done close to 1000 gigs together, plus we’re married. So it’s almost like we’re a two-headed beast,’ Kate laughed. And what is it like to have someone write such a beautiful love song for you? ‘Yeah, there’s that weird thing of – he wrote that love song for me, and then it’s like I’m singing a love song to myself. Then recently we had this fight and he wrote a song about basically how I was being a bad partner, and it’s a really good song, so now I get to sing that as well, about myself being a piece of shit!’ Kate Miller-Heidke visits The Street Theatre on Tue & Wed June 25 & 26 at 8pm. Tickets are $52 + bf through thestreet.org.au.

Image credit: Adam Thomas

FRATERNISING WITH FAMILY zoya patel

FINNIGAN AND BROTHER are Canberra siblings David and Chris Finnigan. In case the kitsch-tastic surname wasn’t enough, the brothers have also been blessed with artistic talent, each of a varying nature. A playwright and performer, David creates spoken word narratives that are accompanied by Chris’s ambient guitar sounds (as heard in his solo project, Fossil Rabbit). If that sounds confusing to you, you’re not alone – this is fairly unique stuff; equal parts performance and poetry to music and melody. The sibling duo are releasing their first album at Smith’s Alternative on Tuesday June 4, titled Finnigan and Brother Spend a Month in Colombia. The title is factual, as the guys spent a month at an artist residency in Medellin, Colombia, in 2012. Located at Campos De Gutierrez, a transformed coffee plantation farmhouse, surrounded by open land and mountains, the location was ideal for creating new work.

Some is a surreal combination of Colombia and elements from our own lives and Canberra

‘Having both done projects in Canberra and in the Canberra scene, we wanted to make something in a space that was very far removed from what we’re used to. And this meant not just doing something in Melbourne or London, or somewhere that might be not-Canberra but somewhere we’re still familiar with – we wanted to really get out of our comfort zones,’ Chris says. Well, you can’t get much further away from Canberra than a notorious drug capital, once the homeground of Pablo Escabar, right? The result of a month of dedicated songwriting has resulted in a contrasting series of songs, from introspective and melancholy, to comedic odes, to Christian music festivals, to covers of ‘90s pop songs. The influence of Colombia is clear in the music, but equally present are themes of Canberra and the local scene. ‘We weren’t wanting to be confined to the idea of making things that were just about Colombia,’ Chris says. ‘We wanted to let the environment guide what we made, and so some of it is about Colombia, and some is a surreal combination of elements from Colombia and elements from our own lives and Canberra.’ The album was recorded in Melbourne at RMIT Studios, and produced by Nickamc (a Canberra ex-pat). Although the event will be a chance for people to glimpse what Finnigan and Brother are all about, punters expecting a CD will be disappointed. ‘Ultimately, I feel that Finnigan and Brother is a multi-media project,’ Chris explains. ‘We consider it a much more online collective experience in that our experiences and the entire Finnigan and Brother output is an ongoing, organic process. So having it on a CD is perhaps too static.’ The entire album will be available for free download on Bandcamp though, and USB sticks with the songs loaded on them will be available on the night of the launch.

Finnigan and Brother will launch their album on Tuesday June 4 at Smith’s Alternative from 6:30pm-8pm, with Paul Heslin supporting. Entry is free. More details at: pinvents.com.

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We’d been kinda tumbling along … just expecting that the industry wouldn’t take notice of us

WAVING AND DROWNING mel cerato If you split the difference between Sigur Ros and Tool, and got rid of the vocals, what you are left with pretty much describes Sydney band SLEEPMAKESWAVES. Or so says Alex Wilson, bassist and one of the original members of the four-piece group. ‘We hear all sorts of descriptions of what we do,’ he says. ‘Post-rock, rock music done in a non-verse/chorus type of way. A big part of our sound is slashing together these huge, anthemic, big rock guitars with all of these ideas from electronic music we all find really exciting.’

We Played Everything tour. One exciting change for the boys with this tour is that they will be performing alternating sets. ‘A lot of that came from the fact that, for the first time, we were booking two shows in some of the cities, and that if there are people who want to come to see both shows, we’ll give them two different sets,’ Alex explains. ‘With the new material we’ve been writing and the album we’ve been touring and a couple of EPs before that, we’ve got a fairly big back catalogue of stuff.’ So will it be a Jack White type situation where they decide on the night which set they will play? ‘We’re not nearly as awesome and spontaneous as Jack White,’ laughs Alex. ‘We are meticulous. We are running a lot of electronics and lighting, which is a big part of our sound, and it’s really complicated and involved so we have to plan everything out.’ Sleepmakeswaves drop by the ANU Bar on Friday June 21 at 8pm. Tickets are $15 + bf through Moshtix and Ticketek and $20 on the door.

Sleepmakeswaves has been slogging away over the last few years, touring their butts off here and overseas, and releasing an EP, debut album and a collection of their songs remixed by other bands. As well as writing new material and touring with major acts including Karnivool and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, they’ve also been catching the attention of bigwig music types. Their debut album …And So We Destroyed Everything got a nod for the Best Hard Rock/Metal Release category in last year’s ARIAs, something the boys never dreamed would happen. ‘We were just flabbergasted when that happened,’ Alex says. ‘We’d been kinda tumbling along, doing our own thing in this DIY way, just expecting that the mainstream music industry in Australia wouldn’t take much notice of us. We were all really stoked about it, but the way we like to think about it is that it’s not just about us. We’ve been working really hard and touring a lot but there is a whole scene of bands like us that have been popping up all over the country and I think the ARIA kinda represents that whole scene getting recognised.’ On the back of such a busy and exciting year, Sleepmakeswaves are ready to embark on their first solo tour in a while, the …And So

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DANCE THE DROP Ibiza is the most famous clubbing destination on the planet. Last year alone, over two million young revellers stuffed their slutty beachwear and novelty condoms into their dad’s old suitcase and made a beeline for the small Balearic island that teeters off the coast of Valencia in Spain. The pilgrimage to Ibiza’s summer season is a rite of passage for dance music nutters all over the globe. To celebrate the opening of the 2013 Ibiza club calendar, over the next few issues of The Drop I’ll be speaking with clubbers and DJs alike about their experiences on the iconic Spanish isle. Stay tuned! The TJS crew are up to their old tricks at The Clubhouse on Saturday June 8 with another stellar drum ‘n’ bass bonanza. Evol Intent (USA) joins Paul Blackout (Syd) and a gang of local bass fanatics for what looks to be one of the most insane parties of 2013! If you are stuck at home alone on a Friday night with a couple of large pizzas that you swore to the driver ‘weren’t all for you’, no doubt you have already been serenaded by the sultry pipes of Mikah Freeman and Vance Musgrove aka The Aston Shuffle on their Friday night slot on triple j radio. For around the cost of a bad haircut you can see them in the flesh on Friday June 7 at Trinity Bar where the lads will be churning up the floor in raw DJ mode. For those of you with real long weekend staying power, Trinity Bar will be heaving well into Monday morning with UK deck wizards Jack Beats headlining on Sunday June 9. Megan Bones, Skinny vs. NayNay, Amine Allali and Deepcuts will also be there to soundtrack

the beginning of an awfully rewarding hangover. Canberra’s premier trance and progressive club night Trance Answer is back at The Clubhouse on Saturday July 13. This edition features a truly facemelting line-up including Emm Kaye, B-rad, Team Wing, Simon Palajda, Peekz and Tim Galvin. Trance Answer head honcho Simon Palajda took some time away from training for Kickboxer – The Musical to share his current crop of head-pounding floor-fillers: Ummet Ozcan – Here & Now (Original Mix) [Spinnin’ Records] – Ummet Ozcan is killing it for me right now, by far my favourite. But be warned; this isn’t for the faint-hearted. Sidney Samson – Move (Original Mix) [Rock The House Records] You may only know this guy for Riverside but I promise you 99% of his songs are just as good as this one. Tim Berg – Alcoholic (Cazzette’s Trapleg Mix) [Unreleased] – Loving a bit of trap lately and this is an awesome bootleg of one of my alltime favourites from the man you all now know as Avicii. Contiez, Treyy G – Trumpsta (Djuro Remix) [Safari Music] – For all you kids that love that Melbourne swing, this is still my pick at the moment and Russell Coight’s got back on that too. Armin Van Burren Feat. Trevor Guthrie – This Is What It Feels Like (Original Mix) [Armind (Armada)] Always good to hear something from a favourite on commercial radio. Also, check out the W&W remix if you’re game. TIM GALVIN - tim.galvin@live.com.au

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with keen ears will be treated to many incredible sample sources, including the break used for Smif N Wessun’s classic Bucktown.

THE REALNESS [Ed: After receiving some extraordinarily lacklustre answers to an email interview with Anthony Pappa (which you can find online at bmamag.com) we have decided to run Mr Pole’s latest Realness column (intended for online-only publication) instead.] Since the inception of The Realness column going digital every second fortnight, I’ve had the opportunity to explore a plethora of digital platforms. The plan is to continue to explore these avenues throughout the course of the year, loosely working on some sort of invisible roster in my head. So The Realness is back to where the digital format of the column began – The Best of SoundCloud. Many won’t need any introduction to UK’s BBC broadcaster/DJ/ record collector/Brownswood Recording boss Gilles Peterson. Gilles’ SoundCloud feed leads into an abyss of his own mixes featuring an array of artists from various parts of the globe. If time permits, please do peruse the extensive catalogue available. However, it is well worth highlighting the sensational double mix dedicated to Jazz great Donald Byrd. Gilles released both mixes after Donald’s passing earlier this year. He has divided the mix into two parts, with Part 1 – The Acoustic Years featuring the more traditional jazz standards from his Blue Note record label years from 1959 until the end of the ‘60s. Part 2 – The Electric Years digs deep into Jazz Fusion territory of the ‘70s, including tracks with his group the Blackbyrds. Those

Once you have lapped up the soulful Donald Byrd mix you’d be wise to give Southern Californian beatmaker Dave Hate’s cloud a visit. An avid turntablist/producer/crate-digger, the Lower Living Crew member has created some wonderful instrumental soundscapes that wouldn’t be out of place on Redefinitions Records roster. What makes Dave’s beats stand out from the crowd is his attention to detail. He sports an uncanny ability to pick the right choice of vocal samples to scratch into the track, giving it that extra dimension. Just Plain Terror and Mad Enough to Touch Somethin are just two great examples showcasing Dave’s ability to craft a funky instrumental with the right balance of vocal drops. Another track well worthy of attention is Dave’s remix of Wu member Cappadonna’s Slang Editorial track. The remix could have easily been the B-side to the 12-inch back when this dropped. Luckily this one is available for free download worth adding to your playlist. Not only showcasing his own beats, Dave has dropped a classic hip hop mix that is also available for free download. If you still have a yearning for more beats after checking Dave Hate’s cloud, Perth based Ta-Ku’s 50 Days for Dilla should do more than enough to quench your thirst. As the title suggest Ta-Ku has knocked out a beat a day over a 50-day period as a tribute to one of his greatest influences, the late great Dilla. At nearly two hours long, Ta-Ku has crafted something truly unique that will have heads nodding from the beginning to the end – start reaching for that Panadol packet now! Be sure to check out the rest of Ta-Ku’s cloud which features his extensive remix work and exclusive mixes. Happy SoundClouding, folks. BERT POLE - bertpole@hotmail.com

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Meanwhile, in terrible news for everyone, Paris Hilton has announced plans for her first ‘house’ album. Voms. We can presume that it was a slip of the tongue and that she intended to say ‘EDM’.

I’m rather fond of throwing around terms such as ‘technomancer’ and ‘sonic sorceror’ when talking of gifted DJs and producers – perhaps a little too often, I’ll admit. But there is unquestionably an element of magic in good electronic music. As the great sci-fi pioneer Arthur C. Clarke once wrote, ‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ I think a similar adage applies to sufficiently skilled producers. That’s why, when it comes down to it, Jeff Mills is the Original Wizard of Techno. And he’s coming to Australia. Very soonly. Get excited. Following on from where I left off last month, the Boards of Canada mystery has been solved. We not only have news of a new album – the first in eight years – but also a release date! Can you hold your breath until Friday June 7? BoC also seem to have taken a few cues from Daft Punk in the prerelease campaign stakes. Thought an album launch party in a remote NSW town called Wee Waa was a strange, cool idea? Well, BoC went one better and held a sparsely-advertised public listening party at a place called Yermo – that’s right, Y-E-R-M-O – in the middle of the Californian desert. \With no more frills than a couple of speaker stacks set up next to a‘50s-era Silver Bullet caravan and an old pickup truck, the launch was attended by a small but dedicated crowd of fans.

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On a serious note, though, it’s a term I’m actually starting to warm to. If we can put all sorts of bland, derivative and commercial electronic music under the one blanket category, it actually means that devotees of actual house music can stop migrating to ridiculous qualifiers (e.g. progressive, tech, deep). That scumbags such as the now blessedly-defunct Swedish House Mafia can put their music in the same category as good, real house music is insulting to not only purists but even middle-of-the-road listeners who don’t like too much cheese in their dance toasties. I’ll wrap up this month with two new(ish) albums that I’ve had on high rotation lately. The first is Djrum’s debut Seven Lies. If you’re familiar with the London producer’s work, you’ll know he has a penchant for dark, almost noir-esque textures lurking somewhere between techno and bass music, littered with samples that you might hear on a vintage DJ Shadow track. Seven Lies sees Djrum sticking to what he does well – but that’s hardly a bad thing. The second is Swedish duo Minilogue’s Blomma. The title, a Swedish word that can refer to the verb ‘to bloom’ and also the noun ‘flower’, obviously refers to just how fucking good this album is. And probably something about flowers and stuff. Seriously though, it’s a cracker. Clocking in at nearly two and a half hours in duration – including the 45-minute Eno-inspired lullaby epic E De Nån Hemma? – it’s a good candidate for your morning jog if you happen to be a marathon runner. MORGAN RICHARDS - morg.richards@gmail.com

METALISE Our Last Enemy and Witchgrinder will be teaming up with the Tease and Tearaways crew to bring their album launch tours to Canberra this June. Engineering the Enemy is a remix and rarities album, showcasing Our Last Enemy’s killer industrial tracks like you’ve never heard them before. Sporting collaborations with some of the best local and international names in the scene, Engineering the Enemy is set to be another impressive release from Sydney’s industrial metal powerhouse. Melbourne band Witchgrinder has made plenty of visits to the ACT in recent times and for their next visit they’ve brought their debut album with them. The Demon Calling is the title of the full length. Catch the dual album launch on Saturday June 22 at The Basement, alongside The Devilzwork and The Velvet Vixens. Fear Factory toured their landmark second album Demanufacture with locals Alchemist back in the day – I guess it would have been ‘95 or ‘96 – and following several lost years with line-up changes and a bunch of studio albums, they’re returning to their landmark record and performing it in full in a five-date Australian tour in July. If you’re a young Fear Factory fan, the good news is that the show is a licensed all ages show at The Roundhouse and you can get your tickets for the Friday July 5 show at Ticketek. Fattura Della Morte are one of the Sydney underground’s most precious gems and their hiatus has been broken with the welcome news of a return to shows and a new album that will be released this winter. Details still emerging on the title etc., but they’ve booked a launch show at The Basement in Belconnen on Friday August 2. Another lauded Sydney metal act The Amenta has recently released their third album Flesh Is Heir and are doing a short four-date national tour with Tasmanics Ruins. The tour is at the Bald Faced Stag in Sydney on Friday July 12. Only a couple of weeks now ‘til the big Thy Art Is Murder show at The Basement on Wednesday June 12. Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot, Aversions Crown and our own grind lords Wretch will warm your winter. I Exist are on a quick pre-European jaunt kicking off at The Magpies in the city on Saturday June 8. Your Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend entertainment includes the delights of Hygine, Machina Genova and Throat of Dirt. The band’s third full-length has completed tracking and is now being mixed by Kylessa’s Phillip Cope for a late 2013 release. The doom tour of the year has to be the St Vitus and Monarch tilt bought to us by Heathen Skulls and hits The Hi Fi in Sydney on Friday July 19 with our own guitar lords Looking Glass. Make sure you have a ticket, which you can purchase through tickets. thehifi.com.au. Indian metal band Albatross have announced a four-date Australian tour for October with the Bald Faced Stag in Sydney hosting on Saturday October 26. You can check out their EP The Kissing Flies or their tunes on SoundCloud at /albatrosshorror. JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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BRINGING UGLY BACK carrie gibson It’s amusing to be redirected from Google to what you think is rock band GAY PARIS’ website, only to be asked if you’re looking for casual gay sex. I haven’t blushed like that since seeing Wailin’ H. Monk’s onstage hip-grinding antics at Phoenix last month. Gay Paris has since been pushing the envelope on the live circuit with stage antics not for the prudish. I was curious as to how the boys get energized for such occasions. ‘We’re firm believers in carb-loading, so it is a four-drink minimum before hitting the stage,’ Monk told me. When the band aren’t on tour, members keep their bodies agile and minds rolling by engaging in acts of polite decadence and bouts of staying up all night arguing about what to wear. ‘Gay Paris sprang forth fully formed, as Athena from the head of Zeus. Yet, until we dragged our drummer, Six Guns, away from a life of rat-herding, we were lame in one leg.’ (‘Though the dude won’t use double-kick, so why the hell do we need two legs?’ chimes in Luke.) ‘Our story has progressed much like the classical hero cycle: we were born in secrecy and rose to the attention of powerful villains, so now we’re engaged in adventures strange, awful and arousing.’

We’re firm believers in carb loading, so it is a four-drink minimum before hitting the stage

The songs on the band’s latest album The Last Good Party are a series of vignettes related to the doings of a group of characters during the last day of existence. Under that, things are decidedly murkier. ‘I guess that this is a dialectic examining a variety of salvational models. We are firm believers that the most righteous path is that of the party. To really get the chain broken, one needs a combination of good friends, booze and remarkable outfits. Conversation can swing from the bawdy to the arcane, but if one can avoid it, the party person does not converse regarding the mundane. Further, the greatest of parties never end; I really can’t stress that enough.’ All music holds a message – what about The Last Good Party? ‘The visible isn’t necessarily the truth. Whether or not anyone gets involved in what these songs are “about”, I would like people to feel a sense of the “other”, something beyond the regular experience. That is easy to achieve live, where the hierophantic becomes imminent, actualised in thrusts and wild gyrations. On the record, well … the lyric book comes with the record and the illustrations set the scene nicely. That said, salvation is a very personal experience and I don’t want to alienate anyone by telling them why/how they’re doing it all wrong. Gay Paris has been doing its thing for a while now,’ continued Monk, ‘so I don’t remember what a comfort zone is. I doubt that this record is something that we would have written four or five years ago and the way we act in public shows a hubris that denies responsibility.’ And if the band were to have one defining trait? ‘We’re making ugly sexy.’ Gay Paris bring their Last Good Party tour to The Phoenix Bar on Thursday June 13 at 7:30pm.

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E X H I B I T I O N I S T ARTS IN THE ACT

GRAPHIC CONTENT chloe mandryk Artists James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo are collaborating for the first time and hoping to break new ground. In a joint statement James and Kate explained how THIS IS GRAPHICS goes against the grain of exhibitions ‘that have no reason to exist other than splitting the costs of the show and hoping something cool happens. That isn’t what this is trying to be. This is a new beginning.’ What will take shape is a collection of drawings and yet to be revealed installation elements which focus on shape and colour, opening Thursday June 6 at CCAS Manuka. With solo shows under their belts the couple dismissed the idea that they should collaborate just because they were partners, thinking it was a trend in contemporary art. Only recently did they begin to realise there was a little corner of their work that did cross over. Kate explained, ‘We wanted to almost lose our idiosyncrasies through the process. I think that’s one of the things making collaboration an interesting choice as a working method. It’s a real fad at the moment, but not many people seem to be addressing … the erasure it creates.’ So, by erasing their former selves and taking to a blank canvas, where did they end up? This is Graphics promises to stand like a road sign that points in every direction. You are encouraged to take any path you chose. It does this because of its ‘graphic content’. Graphics, explained James, ‘is an abstract language … a value in art that anyone can understand. It’s simple. A good example is Isotype.’ Isotypes are very basic images that a community sees and reads as a more complex idea. For example, two arrows pointing up and down means: watch out, idiot; it’s a two-way street. Instead of signals or instructions, the artists ask you to interpret colours and lines. ‘I’ve always really thought that colour makes or breaks an artwork. We wanted the colour to be a little anarchic,’ said Kate. Working out of their kitchen, explained James, they ‘started by bringing our collective influences and key motifs together. We talk to each other a lot along the way, sometimes physically working side by side.’ It’s unusual to think of abstract lines and sequences of colour as informative; they don’t speak to you in a straightforward way.

However, when you ‘read between the lines’, the ‘art’ of the artwork is revealed as your experience. Colourful flicks of pencil and larger installation pieces will get you eye-balling the illusion of space they create. Perhaps your right brain will recall shapes you’ve seen somewhere, sometime. The whole circus of colour might get you thinking – what does this mean? And it is at that point that optical art comes full circle, a union where body, mind and soul connect. With a preview of the show and some initial sketches on their blog, the attention to geometry is clear. An early plan, with a sequence of squares which step into the background, recall Josef Albers’ infatuation with the interplay of perceived space, chroma and scale in his series of Homage to the Square (1949 onwards). Albers’ squares got you thinking outside the box, not only considering what you were seeing, but how and why you were seeing it. So, some 64 years later, what do this duo present that expands on this dialogue? ‘We wanted people to be able to have a really basic, instinctual response to the pieces in there,’ said Kate. Their approach to the creation of art is very different, James has said that Kate has encouraged him to linger on the ‘process’ of his practice, whereas James inspired Kate to let go of the frameworks she might usually rely on. During my interview, we got into a little ‘he said, she said’. Kate kicked it off: ‘What I’ve loved about this show was that framework becoming mainly pure visuals. It’s just a completely different way of thinking that I’ve found has helped me experience fewer roadblocks in the creative process.’ Happy to work outside a system, James commented, ‘I can’t think that way. Art is too vast and beautiful to be narrowed down.’ Together they have found a very happy middle ground. James likens their collaboration to joining a band and ‘hearing your sound get bigger and more exciting. The downside is that it’s got me questioning my own practice. Whether I want to work individually anymore…’ This is Graphics shows from Thu-Sun June 6-16 at CCAS Manuka. Open Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm. Free.

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¿QUIERES?

Dark Heaven (2013)

is in its 16th year in other cities, and its expansion to the national capital is exciting for organisers. ‘It’s really important for us,’ says Acting Festival Director Genevieve Kelly. ‘We’re investing a lot in it, so I hope people will really enjoy it.’

luisa ryan After years of French, Italian and German film festivals, Canberrans are finally getting a taste of the quirky, spicy and sexy stories that make up Spanish-language cinema. The SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL

There is a particular edge to the festival that Kelly thinks will draw audiences in. ‘There is a really appealing sexiness to Spanishlanguage cinema,’ she says. ‘It’s hard to put into words what makes the films so special…part of the appeal is that the point of view is familiar, but not. The way the characters deal with the situations they’re in is a little bit different. They have a unique sense of humour, and the way they deal with sexiness is a little bit more overt.’ Indeed, the organisers capitalise on the fiery image of Spanish culture by offering festival-goers two special events: the opening night with tapas, and a ‘Jazz and Jewels’ evening. ‘The special events are really important to us,’ says Kelly. ‘The opening night starts things off with a bang with A Gun in Each Hand, and the mid-festival events give festival-goers another excuse to come and have a drink, enjoy some music.’ Hold Up, the heist caper screening at the Jazz and Jewels evening, is the perfect special event film. ‘It is a really fun comedy/drama with big band jazz music playing all the way through it – we try to find the right kind of celebratory film to get the audience out and having fun.’ Closing night will be equally special, with the ‘70s surrealist classic Tristana (starring Catherine Deneuve) bowing out the festival. Kelly thinks that Australian audiences connect with Spanish film through humour, and a mutual propensity for not taking ourselves too seriously. But the most important thing about a film festival, she stresses, is that it can give the audience an insight into a culture they might not normally connect with. ‘Because we have a good cross-section of Spanish language film presented,’ says Kelly, ‘the festival is a really easy way for people to experience or explore the cultures and ideas represented without having to go to that country. Or the films might inspire people to travel.’ She pauses, excuses herself for sounding clichéd, then continues, ‘Part of the reason we do these festivals is to give people the opportunity to come and explore – it makes for a better society, to be able to understand each other a little bit better.’ So to better understand the quirky, sexy world of Spanish-language film, and taste some tapas or listen to some music along the way, head along to the festival’s inaugural Canberra showing. The 16th Spanish Film Festival runs from Tue-Wed Jun 18-26 at Palace Electric Cinema. Tickets are $15-$19.50. For more info head to spanishfilmfestival.com.au.

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A MINE OF MEANING

Image credit: Lucy Parakhina

zoe pleasants In June, The Street Theatre is presenting OPAL VAPOUR, an imaginative and evocative dance work which explores classical Javanese traditions through Australian contemporary dance. The work is the result of the collaborative efforts of choreographer and dancer Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, composer, musician and vocalist Ria Soemardjo, and lighting designer and animateur Paula van de Beek. I spoke to the wonderfully expressive and erudite Jade about how she conceived and developed the work and what it means to her. Opal Vapour started as a 20-minute piece for an Indonesian dance program at the Melbourne Arts Centre in 2010. ‘The audience was really affected and we got a lot of enthusiastic feedback that galvanised the intention to go for further funding to fully realise the work into a full-length show,’ said Jade.

Broken down into its elements Opal Vapour consists of a dancer, a musician, a raised perspex stage, a bed of sand, lighting, textiles, shadow puppetry, and a live-feed camera projected onto a screen. It is a gently-paced, delicate work. Together these elements represent a journey through different landscapes and environments. ‘I could also perceive it as a journey through life,’ said Jade, ‘retrospectively from death, through old age, and going back to birth. From a cave on the mountain top, the tomb where this woman is buried, she travels from the top of the mountain along a valley and follows a river towards a harbour and then she sort of flies up and becomes a bird sitting in a tree looking back at the mountain, and finally she’s out in the open ocean, almost like she’s returned to the womb.’ The Javanese influence in the work reflects the shared cultural heritage of Jade and Ria. Both of their fathers are Javanese but Jade and Ria were born in Australia, to Australian mothers, and grew up and trained here. ‘We have a lot of synchronicity or resonance together and wanted to make something together,’ said Jade. Paula, on the other hand, had never been to Indonesia until Jade and Ria took her. ‘We felt we needed to take Paula there so that she could understand some of the nuances that we were talking about including the temperature, the atmosphere, the climate, the food, the topography, the volcanoes, the ocean, the temples and the particularly this Wayang Kulit shadow puppet ritual which inspired our exploration of the form of ritual and ceremony.’ At 50 minutes in length, the piece isn’t long, and Jade has relished working with something so delicate because: ‘you can be more attentive to the detail … I think that’s what’s really beautiful about this piece. The artists are really invested in the work. We felt we’ve worked rigorously to find that universal relevance. I’m really pleased we’re touring it, it’s got a nice balance, a nice harmony.’ Opal Vapour shows at The Street Theatre on Fri & Sat Jun 14 & 15 at 8pm. Tickets are $19-$29 + bf through thestreet.org.au.

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All Stars; bands such The Church and Alchemist; actors Mia Wasikowska and Sybilla Budd; and in the literary world there’s Daniel O’Malley.

UNINHIBITED Don’t worry, this is not another piece about a certain airborne sculpture; she will be mentioned but then we’ll move on… ‘I’m from Canberra, home of Skywhale.’ I can imagine a travelling Canberran saying this. But before those magnificent mammaries took to the air, I couldn’t think of any creation or creative folk Canberra has been widely and consistently associated with. It’s a pity because this would have influenced how our city thinks of itself; and a bit of pride in our creative capital would help push those of an artistic bent to themselves create, as well as to stick around. Canberra has definitely had its fair share of well-known creative citizens, among them theatrical comedic trio The Doug Anthony

‘Daniel O’Who?’ you may ask – and so I prove my point. None of this impressive lot has thus far stuck as a name most of us instantly think of when we think of our town. A couple of friendly ladies I met in Edinburgh told me they were from ‘Kirriemuir, home of (Peter Pan creator) J.M. Barrie.’ Maybe they opened with that because not much else happens in Kirriemuir – incidentally also the early childhood home of Bon Scott – but I think it might be because Scots put more emphasis on creative pursuits. Scotland’s capital is known for many literary figures including Sir Walter Scott, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Irvine Welsh. And a mere three of the things Glasgow is known for are modern Renaissance man Charles Rennie Mackintosh, indie pop heroes Belle & Sebastian and Billy Connelly. It’s sad to think, ‘I’m from Canberra, the home of The Church’ is something you never hear. The band, founded by former Lyneham High student Steve Kilbey, has had critical acclaim, influenced many great bands, had significant international commercial success – with a gold record in the US – and continues to remain relevant. The Church’s set at Regatta Point earlier this year alone makes the Centenary of Canberra celebrations a success as far as this columnist is concerned. But it wasn’t until recently that Kilbey and Canberra embraced one another. Kilbey left long ago, in fact a couple of years before forming the band he would become famous for, and Canberra seemingly forgot he was from here in the first place. Therein could lie the problem: few of our most likely candidates have strongly associated themselves with their hometown (by relating their work to Canberra, living here or simply making it known where they are from); and, even when this was the case, few have been celebrated by Canberrans outside of their respective scenes. Hopefully, a few of the names already mentioned, or any of dozens working away in their corner of the city, might yet be people we say, ‘we’re from the home of’ long into the future. But, until then, it’s Skywhale. And she’ll do.

Pete Huet petehuet@yahoo.com

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ARTISTPROFILE: Houl

What do you do? I scrape obscenities into bathroom walls. And by scrape I mean delicately apply with care and precision. And by obscenities I mean decrepit and disturbed figures. And by bathroom walls I mean old street signs… or really whatever is lying about. When, how and why did you get into it? I’ve been drawing all my life, but really only started to focus on it and develop my style after I moved into Sydney and started seeing the paste-ups of SMC3, Max Berry and Ears everywhere. I immediately knew that street art was something that I needed to get involved with. This was about 2006, and since then I’ve worked hard to get where I am. My art had to take a step back from the street in 2010 after moving to Canberra, but this has allowed me to develop a more formal art making process. Who or what influences you as an artist? Thematically, mythology is a big influence on my work. Artistically, Aryz, Mr Gauky, Reka, Ralph Steadman and Nior are all artists whose work never fails to inspire me to go further with what I’m doing.

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Of what are you proudest so far? Enlighten Festival was a massive moment. I was one of five artists selected to have works projected up onto four of the buildings around the Parliamentary Triangle. What are your plans for the future? Jetpacks. Jetpacks for everyone. Or, at the very least, household robots. I have tried to illustrate some of these robots in my upcoming solo show. Please accept my apologies in advance. What makes you laugh? The Three Stooges. Except for Shemp. I can’t see the value in Shemp. What pisses you off? When a marker leaks all over an artwork and then I accidentally smear it with my hand, and even though it’s only a small mark, I know that it’s there, so even if others can’t see the mistake, I can, and it haunts me. What about the local scene would you change? More people having a go. It’s great to see familiar artists, but someone new… Upcoming exhibitions? Real Savage Like, my first solo show, opens up at Honkytonks on Wednesday June 5. Contact Info: facebook.com/houlart; houlart.blogspot.com; houlstreetart@gmail.com; Instagram: @houlart.

The ruthless eradication of many dim-witted yet delicious species is just one of mankind’s many gifts to the world. I am told that the destruction of natural habitat, within which many of nature’s lessers thrive, has the potential for grave environmental repercussions, chief among which must be the waning of blood sport. It was Saturday last that I found myself ambling through the recently opened National Arboretum, an admirable project whereby 100 of the world’s most endangered tree species are given opportunity to flourish in 100 newly created forests. Blunderbuss in tow, I meandered over virgin pasture in pursuit of one of your many alien species – kangaroo, free-thinking woman, productive immigrant – but found myself hindered by the project’s infancy. With suitable cover scarce and a troublesome downwind, I was reduced to shooting thick-headed crows at point blank range. I say ‘thick-headed’, but one blast from old Betsy proved enough to reduce them to a fine pâté (that the collective noun for a crow is a ‘murder’ was not lost on me, as I guffawed my way through mindless, wholesale slaughter). I must say, the provision of an arena in which a gentleman may slay innocent fauna with reckless abandon shows tremendous foresight for so young a nation. But to do so in a manner disguised as an ethical undertaking of wider public gain betrays genius. I applaud the way the National Arboretum’s benefactors have managed to dress this state-sanctioned crucible of war as a project of environmental salvation. Children’s playgrounds abound where soon there shall be cavalry stables; an acutely peaked ‘function room’ is expertly positioned to harness the higher ground and accommodate the suitable calibre artillery necessary to rain terror upon bandicoot, echidna and meddlesome potoroo. The manner in which the architects of this project have befuddled their superiors, successfully camouflaging their blood-soaked hands with the facade of green fingers, is to be commended. Their dedication is exemplary. By way of example, as I dispensed rough justice and natural order to the aforementioned crows, I was accosted by what was presumably a fellow blood sport-enthusiast parading as horticultural official. His devotion to the role was striking. The man bounded over, remonstrating wildly at the booming roar of Betsy’s iron decency, his protests keen as mustard. I was enthralled, tickled to be a player in this riotous sham. His sharp performance, however, demanded recompense in kind. Seamlessly transitioning into character as pompous huntsman, I took aim at my faux-accuser and blew his left shin off. His shrieks of wretched horror were a thespian marvel, his contorted misery a credit to Australian theatre. It took all I had not to burst into spontaneous applause at this accomplished artiste’s accurate portrayal of liberal pansy, but having no little dramatic experience myself, I heroically maintained discipline and marched over to blow my collaborator’s head clean off. That the man lies buried in an unmarked grave covered in mulch is an act as selfless as his mesmerising performance. Bravo! gideon foxington-smythe

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ARTISTPROFILE: Kieran Stopp

What are your plans for the future? Keep doing my clothing label to hopefully grow in the Canberra clothing and design scene. I’d like to one day move to Melbourne and expand musically. As far as designing goes: start printing on different mediums… i.e. skateboard decks.

What do you do? I own a clothing label called I Heart Threads; at the moment I design tees, but will be releasing a winter collection with hoodies and jersey tops. I also print on canvas.

What makes you laugh? The movie Grandma’s Boy, anything Ross Noble has to say, and Lil B, ‘The Based God’.

When, how and why did you get into it? I’ve always been into the artistic side of life and have always loved a rad tee/design. I have been creating designs for about ten years now, but it wasn’t ‘til about two years ago that I decided to start a clothing label. Who or what influences you as an artist? A couple of bottles of shiraz… And I know it sounds wanky, but I draw inspiration from all different kinds of things: music, philosophy, cosmology, and as far as artists go, I’d have to say MC Escher. Of what are you proudest so far? Scoring a tenancy at CBR Collective! And my exhibition at The Front earlier this year.

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What pisses you off? Cigarette prices, v-necks, the jocks who used to give me shit for wearing skinny jeans, the festival goers who aren’t there for the music, and meatheads! What about the local scene would you change? I’d like an improvement in the buskers. I’d also love to remove some of our nightclubs: Mooseheads, Academy, etc. And paying $100 for a tee! Upcoming exhibitions? I’m having a fashion show at CBR Collective in June, for more details follow my Facebook page. Contact Info: kieran.stopp@gmail.com; iheartthreads.com.au; facebook.com/I-Heart-Threads.

IN REVIEW

A Clockwork Orange The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre Wed-Sat May 22-25 Alexandra Spencer-Jones, director of Action To The World’s A Clockwork Orange, used ‘the behaviour of boys’ and more importantly ‘what it means to be a bad boy’, to both contentiously and effectively bring to life the horrifying aesthetic of an adolescent mind. Spencer-Jones reignited the flame that was Burgess’s timeless provocation, inspired by the enigmatic human condition: ‘Is it better to be forced to be good or better to choose to be bad?’ Throughout the play the question is embodied and adapted through the central character Alex DeLarge, performed immaculately by Martin McCreadie. Through an ultra-masculine lens, SpencerJones challenges the audience to read the text through physical movement and body language (which is often the only thing you can do, when attempting in vain to understand such distinct vernacular). The absurd position DeLarge is faced with is both enhanced and exaggerated through the physicality of McCreadie’s process; a process that vividly brings to life the justice, frustration, redundancy and hypocrisy of ‘conditioning’ the mind. The script was sewn seamlessly on stage and without an intermission, allowing the narrative constant motion, the audience’s collective attention never lapsing. Aiding in this was the choice of musical accompaniment. Using a selection of popular music references from the ‘60s (as well as Beethoven’s Ninth when necessary) that were intended purposefully to even ‘[subordinate] the complexities of the almost Shakespearean NadSat.’ The purposefully chosen all-male cast undoubtedly provoked the most thought. Despite the director’s plea that the choice was not the result of a ‘straight’ or ‘gay’ reading of the text, it did present a strong homoeroticism. Although, as Spencer-Jones comments, such casting allowed the adaptation to be ‘truthful to the novel’, from the point of view of an un-expecting audience it was hard to reconcile the connection between the homosexual elements and its relation to a testosterone-fuelled gang of ‘droogs’ bent on havoc and ultraviolence. For example, in a very confronting sexual assault scene, the victimised are overtly homosexual and DeLarge acts out the ensuing violence using a smashed bottle head. This divergence from the original text, although effective, incites queries relating to ‘ultraviolence’ in the context of homoeroticism. Whether or not this was intended to be obvious, it ultimately becomes a pervading presence in trying to analyse the adaptation. Originally, the piece was performed with a table and four chairs at Proud Galleries in Camden in 2009. From there it featured in the 2011 Edinburgh Festival and catapulted around the UK, finally to Australia. Taking on content from the original text as well as Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 adaptation is a difficult feat, though walking with such giants seems like an easy task for Spencer-Jones, who created a confrontational, honest and exceptionally original work. sinead o’connell

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW Red Moon Benjamin Percy [Grand Central Publishing; 2013]

Alternate history political thriller with werewolves! What. I can’t really move past my initial reaction to this, which remains: what. What a bizarre mash-up of genres; what a flat, unlikable collection of characters; what a facile attempt at political metaphor; what a struggle it was to finish this. I wanted to care about this book, I truly did. I like werewolves, adore magical realism, and get unreasonably excited by alternate histories where everything is pretty much the same except for the presence of shapeshifters/vampires/the Elder gods. I am this book’s target audience. I should have loved it. The book starts with a terrorist attack by a ‘lycan’ on an aeroplane, and a shadowy government agency’s retributive attacks on peaceful lycan families. The allegories get more heavy-handed from there.

Percy puts werewolves into the shoes of every slightly oppressed minority in the current political scene. The lycan homeland (somewhere near Finland) has rich uranium deposits and, not incidentally, a significant force of United States ‘peacekeepers’. Lycans elsewhere are forced to register and stay medicated to prevent their transforming. Rednecks get drunk and go lycanlynching for kicks. And there is a furious, violent underground revolution for lycan rights ready to non-metaphorically explode. Red Moon follows Patrick, the only survivor of the terrorist attack, Claire, a lycan orphan following in her parents’ revolutionary footsteps, and Chase, an opportunistic politician who will never get to be president if anyone finds out his secret (spoiler: he’s a lycan. Duh.) When the revolution begins to pick up speed, their paths collide spectacularly. It’s tough for the reader to connect with them; Patrick’s got no spine, Chase is violently unlikeable. In a different book, Percy’s sparse prose might be bearable, but in this 500+ page doorstop, it quickly grows tiresome. It’s especially baffling given the odd narrative choices he makes: rather than writing the interesting, plot-relevant conversations and scenes, he cuts them out, and then has a character remember the scene while doing something else. It’s a clumsy and inexplicable device that increases the reader’s sense of detachment from the characters and the story, made more intolerable by the pages and pages he subsequently devotes to explaining the physiological makeup of the lycanthropic prion. The violence of the thing is unrelenting; from the plane attack which ends with Patrick clutching a corpse and watching blood sluice down the aisle, ramping up in the second half of the book to torture, cannibalism, people being torn apart, and general puppy-stomping evil. It’s done for the shock value, perhaps, but the omnipresence of it has the opposite effect. Rather than horrifying, it bores. The climax is ultimately unsatisfying, leaving the most interesting characters dangling and not really resolving anything. I really wanted to like Red Moon, but it was a frustrating read tahat hit too many wrong notes.

emma grist

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A R T | C O M E DY | D A N C E | L I T E R AT U R E | T H E AT R E

CLASSICS IN REVIEW

The Portrait of a Lady Henry James [First published: 1881]

Henry James’ 1881 novel, The Portrait of a Lady, is a true classic of 19th Century literature. It paints for us the ever-changing course of the young Isabel Archer, a fiercely independent American woman who, after having mourned the death of her father, has been sent across the Atlantic to be placed under the guidance of her wealthy Aunt and Uncle Touchett, an American expatriate couple who have settled down in their old age on an estate in the English countryside. From here Isabel is thrown into reality, naively thinking herself to hold the reins over her own fate as she is pushed and pulled further down into a claustrophobic confine, soon realising that she herself is but a means for others’ ends. What James succeeds at best in The Portrait of a Lady is his placing the reader into the mindset of those in the heroine’s company; forgetting that fiction is fiction, the reader finds themself almost as invested in Isabel’s decisions as in her suitors’, her manipulators’, her dependents’ and her confidants’. In cursing her flaws and celebrating her perfections, we find ourselves in a similar position to the ailing Ralph Touchett, Isabel’s first-cousin: an observer of her fate, but no agent. If this is the true task of realist fiction – the triggering of the empathetic response, the removal of the self from the confines of space and time, the construction of an illusion of reality – then James’ Portrait is surely a masterpiece of the genre. And for this reason, the title of this novel – The Portrait of a Lady – is apt. Writing in an 1884 essay entitled The Art of Fiction, James elaborates on the analogy between the portrait painting and the portrait novel, stressing that the two should ‘compete’ with life itself, lest they be mediocre scribblings of a reality rather than serious representations of it. And so a good portrait in both literature and the fine arts ought to have ‘the air of reality’ about it. For James, this ‘air of reality’ is ‘the supreme virtue of a novel – the merit on which all its other merits helplessly and submissively depend.’ Such is the credo of writers of his ilk. Others may disagree, and there are some who will read James’ Portrait and be left feeling more than a little ambivalent toward the heroine, the narrative, and indeed the very purpose of the novel for its ridged submission to the rules of realism. He concedes this in The Art of Fiction, writing: ‘Nothing, of course, will ever take the place of the good old fashion of “liking” a work of art or not liking it; the more improved criticism will not abolish that primitive, that ultimate, test.’ Each to his own, so to speak. But if it is the enjoyment of the English language alone which the reader is after, then James’ Portrait is highly recommended. timothy c. ginty

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bit PARTS ONCE WAS, ONCE WERE WHAT: Mixed Media Art Exhibition WHEN: Mon May 21-Mon Jun 17 WHERE: Form Studio & Gallery, Queanbeyan Ephemera taken from the tip, surplus signage, ordinary anonymous discarded bits – these are the things that Gary Klintworth and Deborah Metz have found, disassembled, tweaked, disguised and rearranged. Or left. Objects from a street, a clearing sale or the slopes of Red Hill – a chair, pebbles, a piece of bull wire, a box or barrier tape – have been reformulated using instincts that we all share. The results are abstractions from things that once were something quite different, and new perspectives that can mean whatever a viewer chooses to imagine. 9:30am-2pm (10am-4pm, Sat & Sun). formstudioandgallery.com.au. M16 ARTISTS EXHIBITION SERIES: PART 1 WHAT: Collaborative Art Series WHEN: Thu May 30-Sun Jun 16 WHERE: Gallery 03: M16 Artspace Artwork by Michelle Day

Currently there are 30 artists working out of studios at M16 Artspace. The annual M16 Artists Exhibition showcases the diversity of their practices. This year, the exhibition will be presented in two parts and curated by Emily Casey, exhibitions and promotions coordinator for M16 Artspace. Part 1 includes works from Micky Allan, Michelle Day, Nicola Dickson, Elizabeth Faul, Timo Nest, Marje Seymour, Ria Tierney and Ella Whateley. These artists use a variety of art forms, including sculpture, painting, and photography, to explore how social structures frame the ways we perceive the world. Open Wed-Sun, 12pm-5pm. Free.

‘Greenfield’ by Steph Wilson

PLAIN SITE WHAT: Site-Specific Art Exhibition WHEN: Fri May 31-Sun Jun 16 WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre (Foyer) Using the Arts Centre’s foyer space as inspiration, Steph Wilson’s installation comments on the nature of the environment with which people interact on a daily basis, and alludes to the inconsistencies in human perception of public spaces. Wilson creates smooth, seamless works on canvas. Her colour palette is minimal, but draws the viewer into the public spaces she depicts. The artist uses strong lines to draw illustrations of public spaces, as well as potted plants to remind the viewer that the artworks themselves are site-specific reproductions. 10am-5pm, Tue-Sun. Free. MEGUMI AND THE BEAR WHAT: Book Launch WHEN: Sat Jun 15 WHERE: Paperchain Bookstore, Manuka Megumi and the Bear is a story about friendship and belonging by award-winning author Irma Gold, captivatingly illustrated by Craig Phillips. At the bottom of Megumi’s garden is a forest of trees. Early one morning when Megumi is looking for pine cones, she finds a bear who she quickly befriends. One afternoon, Megumi goes back to the woods, but the bear isn’t there… Several years in the making, this is a true collaboration between author and illustrator. Megumi and the Bear will be launched at Paperchain Bookstore from 2pm-3pm. Free event, RSVP to: info@paperchainbookstore.com.au.

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national portrait gallery paul kelly

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the word on albums It’s the precise understanding of dynamics, mood and repetition that quash the simple criticisms of this band. The way the super-understated verse of Demons leads to the bridge, which acts as a momentary unravelling. (That moment where Berninger sings ‘when I walk into the room I do not light up – fuck’? That pay off is shockingly satisfying). That mild but powerful explosion at the end of Graceless (all the cool kids will be shouting ‘put the flowers you bought in a VASE!’ from the windows of their Honda Civics this winter), only powerful due to the throbbing hum of the verses before it. That relentless build of tension throughout Sea of Love. This is an act that understands where to put notes and beats, and how often to repeat them. There’s so much going on, and it’s to the listeners benefit that it takes some time to fully unravel these songs.

album of the issue THE NATIONAL TROUBLE WILL FIND ME [4AD] Fans of The National will tell you that they’re sleepers. That this band, which can sound so monotonal and uninvolving on a cursory listen, are stealth bombers who sneak up on the listener and take control of their minds, ‘til all they want to do is hit repeat on another doleful tale told in that extraordinary baritone. Be warned. I’m such a fan. And fans of The National can get a little evangelical in their praise. Said baritone of Matt Berninger is key. The sound of this band and that voice is so singular that an assessment of their work has to start here, and work up to include melody, rhythm, the quality of the songs. It’s such an invasive, soothing sound. It allows the melancholy to lift a little. You trust this voice. And here it’s at it strongest. Berninger is in full command of the instrument now, and his clever Carver-if-he-was-a-Manhattanadman lyrics remain sharp. Trouble Will Find Me is another slab of first world angst and ennui, delivered straight from the mainstage of middle age. The words here are wry, knowing, sometimes caustic, sometimes sweet. They’re outstanding. As are the songs. This record is most subtle of The National’s catalogue so far, but the big moments still come. Sea of Love is towering and mesmeric, as is Don’t Swallow the Cap. Both contain a magnetic propulsion that threatens to explode. Herein lies another element of the band’s charm – the feeling that they’re barely holding it together. Retaining a brave face in the boardroom when what you crave is to fling that whiteboard out the window. As a live band, what makes them so powerful is to watch that struggle, the wrestling with the material and the feeling that inspired it. They’re very good at translating this tension onto their records.

I Should Live in Salt has an annoying extra beat that, from the off, tells you a lot about The National. By placing that pause at the end of the bar, the song has an obstacle to overcome. It could’ve been a boring 4/4 tune, but that pause means the thing becomes woozy, and once the ear accommodates itself, something else happens. That obstacle becomes an opening. The tension and the release of those high notes in the chorus create a kind of bliss. Elsewhere, Berninger expertly balances anxiety and wit on genuinely affecting, simple songs like I Need My Girl and This is the Last Time. And throughout he places The National within the world that has fuelled them – I can find lyrical references to Elliott Smith, Okkervil River, Violent Femmes and Guns ‘n’ Roses, and I’m sure there are many I’ve missed. It breaks the fourth wall, reminding the listener that this is a band of music fans. Fans who have, over 14-ish years, become the kind of band that future bands will cite and reference. Pink Rabbits possibly performs the greatest trick of the album in being the most National-esque song The National have ever made. It could become their theme, a late night whiskeydrenched piano swing, replete with a breathtakingly good lyric (‘I was the television version of a person with a broken heart’ being the pick of the gold). Alongside Fake Empire this could be their greatest moment. The National are an excellent advertisement for growing older – in the most youth-obsessed of artforms, they reflect what’s good about aging (or aging when it’s done right). You learn more. You say less stupid things, or learn to say them in more interesting manners. Your movements become less frenetic, more graceful. You recognise that volume and shock don’t equate to a resonant effect. And, ideally, you learn to sit back and trust that your place in the world is what it is. The National exude confidence on this LP, even when Berninger is detailing his flaws and demons. Listeners looking for great leaps forward will not find any, and are missing the point. They’re the most important American band of the ‘00s, and this is their fourth classic on the trot. Savour them. GLEN MARTIN

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yeah yeah yeahs mosquito [Modular]

wintercoats heartful ep [yes please records]

daughter if you leave [4AD/Remote Control]

Any new release from this New York, altrock three-piece is accompanied by loads of hype. But is it worth it?

Wintercoats is comprised solely of Melbourne multi-instrumentalist James Wallace, and Heartful is the orchestral, densely layered follow-up to his 2011 EP, Sketches. Wintercoats’ sound strongly evokes the slow, luxurious dream-pop of Baltimore duo Beach House and, like Beach House, Wallace avoids altering the trajectory of his sound for the sake of change. With Sketches, Wallace gave himself space to stretch out, allowing each track to grow languidly up and outward at its own pace, consistently building from sparse plucks of classical guitar to choruses of looping, winding violin. Here, Wallace presents the same core ideas he introduced on Sketches – he strives to maintain consistency in his meticulously crafted sound. While Heartful feels more polished, Wallace has folded his detached vocals even more neatly into the soundstage; a soft, inseparable element, rather than the centrepiece of each song. Throughout the EP Wallace paints lavishly and unsparingly from his varied musical palette; most tracks stake their ground amongst his trademark combination of hushed, choral vocal tones and fluttering string sections.

Since initially announcing their presence with a couple of self-released EPs during 2010/11, London-based trio Daughter, comprised of Elena Tonra (vocals/guitar), Igor Haefeli (guitar) and Remi Aguilella (percussion), has attracted considerable hype in their homeland, with a recent soldout UK tour to prove it.

Certainly, the first half of the disk indicates that the excitement is justified. Opener Sacrilege is a mammoth production. With a fabulous dance beat, understated percussion, cool guitar licks, Karen Orzolek’s downright piercing voice and even a gospel toned choir, it ticks all the boxes. The following track, Subway, contrasts beautifully with its slow march pace, flickering keys, lyrics delivered softly in a little-girl-lost voice and subway car track noises that fade so very slowly at the end. The title track is another winner, with its screamed chorus of ‘I’ll suck your blood’. The following pair of tracks are solid too, from the highly produced, interwoven sound effects and echoes of Under the Earth, to the razor-edged licks of Slave. From this point, however, the genius of the band falls a few notches. The rest of the release offers songs that are an okay listen, but unremarkable. Whereas the openers are immediately impressive, the rest take a few rotations before their appeal starts to shine through. An appearance by rapper Keith Matthew Thornton (aka Dr Octagon) features in Buried Alive, but the song is pretty ordinary. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs should stick to their own talents; the ‘featuring’ device is for second rate performers, which this band is patently not. All that aside, Mosquito is a good proposition for its first half alone and Karen is at her best when she’s at her most raucous. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have still got it when it comes to shaping wild-eyed songs that come with a creative theatricality. rory McCARTNEY

EP single Halogen Moon gathers many of Wallace’s musical ideas into once place, pacing ponderous, dreamy observation (‘I don’t feel the need to be dancing at midnight/ In a sea of strangers, chemicals, and strobing lights’) against a measured, treacle-thick string backing, violin creaking unhurriedly, like a screen door in a shifting breeze. The exploration never extends too far off the garden path and consequently Heartful contains few surprises. Rather, it represents a careful, subtle step forward from an artist with a crystal clear concept of the sound he wants to achieve, and the patience to develop, refine and reproduce it here in six ever so slightly different shades. david smith

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While there are comparisons to be made here with the likes of The xx, the ten tracks collected on this debut album If You Leave see Daughter exploring a considerably more instrumentally lush take on swooning downtempo pop than their more minimalist peers. Beneath the prettiness, there’s also a considerable rock crunch lurking on several of the tracks here, and it often seems remarkable that a trio are able to generate such a powerful and layered sound. What particularly impresses here is the sense of intimate interplay between vocals and instrumentation, with Haefeli’s gorgeous delicate guitar strokes and relentlessly building percussion combining with Tonra’s vocals on tracks like Winter to yield something that actually feels bigger than the sum of its parts. There’s a distinct focus on intimate, slow-burning atmosphere amidst the delicate chiming guitars and reverbed-out Sigur Ròs-esque backing vocals of tracks like Smother. Elsewhere though, the unmistakeable presence of a 4/4 house kick drum powering beneath Amsterdam and the appearance of subtle hip hop rhythms on Still hint at more unexpected sonic influences lurking amidst the neo-folk-meets-hushed-indie undergrowth. Combine these already strong songs with a fairly stellar mix from Ken Thomas (M83, Sigur Ròs), and you’re left with an impressive debut album that suggests Daughter will live up to the expectations they’ve managed to generate. chris downton

dutch uncles out of touch in the wild [Memphis Industries/Breakaway]

deerhunter monomania [4AD/Remote Control]

vampire weekend modern vampires of the city [XL Recordings]

Contrary to their moniker, indie-pop quintet Dutch Uncles actually hails from Manchester, though their aesthetic approach sits them apart from many of the other stripped down, post-punk-informed groups that city has spawned of late. This third album Out Of Touch In The Wild follows on from their 2011 collection Cadenza, which was followed by appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals, and a headlining slot at Bestival, with the band’s fanbase growing considerably.

The theory goes that conflict and tension is a good thing that drives artists to greater heights. Lennon vs. McCartney, Jagger vs. Richards, Noel Gallagher vs. a goat – all examples of songwriters treading that delicate balance between hostility and creativity. Deerhunter have two incredibly talented songwriters and guitarists (Bradford Cox and Lockett Pundt) who also happen to have been friends since childhood, different enough so as not to encroach on each other’s style and still very much on speaking terms. This would be all for nought if the songs were rubbish, but Deerhunter have proven time and time again they are incapable of releasing shit.

Modern Vampires of the City dwells in the post-collegiate world of well-heeled, well-travelled kids who are fast turning into adults and experiencing the first concerns of aging. It’s Vampire Weekend’s natural environ, to be sure, but the record references mortality a whole lot. Seems like our popped-collar posters are all grown up.

While Dutch Uncles pursue an approach that’s firmly oriented in hooky, New Wave-indebted indie, there’s rhythmic complexity lurking in the undergrowth, with the texturally sophisticated arrangements of percussion, orchestration, guitars and synths hinting at the band’s shared love of XTC, Steve Reich and Talking Heads. If anything, the ten tracks collected here call to mind Hot Chip’s synth-tinged pop approach fused to the sort of complex but contained math-rock undercarriage of the likes Foals have wielded on more recent work. The level of detail here also definitely goes deeper than on previous albums, with even relatively straightforward offerings such as the synth-funk fuelled Flexxin revealing intricately interlocking layers of violin, melodic percussion rolling into the sort of highly arranged outro section you’d associate with Purple Rain-era Prince. While there’s a deserved opulence to tracks like the lavish, orchestrated Zug Zwang and Phaedra though, it’s never at the expense of the song itself, with many of the tracks coming in under the four-minute mark. Call it deftly economically pop with distinct prog/math-rock leanings, but sadly I personally found this album just a few stops short of being truly memorable. chris downton

Over five albums they’ve brewed an alchemy incorporating every classic alt-rock signpost: paisley underground, post-punk, college rock, krautrock, shoegaze, et al. But rather than being a game of spot the influence, Deerhunter have always sounded natural and fully in control. Cox and Pundt trade off each other’s ideas telepathically, forever pushing the band in multiple directions. On Monomania they’ve found a new direction: overdriven ‘60s garage biker rock and like always, they’re going at it full throttle. The lushness of old Deerhunter is now shrouded by harsh, cheap sounding grit. It has an immediate, vintage ear to the AM-radio vibe. Dream Captain, Back to the Middle and Sleepwalking drill in on that nexus between ‘60s classicist pop and ‘80s overconfident vitality. The only downside on an album full of highs is that Pundt has been restricted to one contribution; The Missing, a descendant of Desire Lines, his albumtopping addition to 2010’s Halycon Days. On reflection, the partnership of Cox/Pundt is closer, musically and psychologically, to McLennan/Forster and any of those oafs listed above. Articulate, literate, melodic and unconsciously off-kilter. justin hook

This record sounds great and interesting, but not at all welcoming. The band has always directed their work at audiences instead of inviting them in. The same is true here, but more so. The hip hop signifiers on Step and the post-Kanye vocal treatments of Diane Young make perfect sense in VW land. On the one hand, they speak the language of the times – trading in references to swag, yet knowingly delivered with a wink. Or we think it’s a wink. Maybe it’s sincere, and that’s the joke. Some things don’t work, or work less well. Don’t Lie contains a chorus asking, ‘I wanna know, does it bother you?’ to which a resounding ‘yes, yes it does’ is the only reasonable answer. Whereas the payoff that the long lead-in of Hannah Hunt promises is cut short too soon. But Finger Back is a perfectly stupid little stomper and Unbeliever, Ya Hey and Everlasting Arms are fine works. MVOTC is a great album on paper. It’s smart, layered, melodically brilliant and highly inventive. However, VW are becoming a band it’s easier to respect than love. In maturing, in doing what a band should (grow, produce more material) they’re just that tiny bit less pleasurable. The joy in A Punk and Walcott is long gone. The thing is, as they get older and further away from those joyful yelps of youth, we might be forgiven for feeling a little nostalgic. For simpler, more joyful times. Getting older, apparently, is a serious experience. [Ed: Glen Martin is neither a scholar nor a gentleman. MVOTC is terrific.] glen martin

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letherette letherette [ninja tune/inertia]

no joy wait to pleasure [mexican summer]

monnone alone together at last [Lost and Lonesome Recording Co.]

Wolverhampton-based electronic duo Richard Roberts and Andy Harber first made ripples amongst the UK dance scene during 2011 with a couple of EPs on Alexander Nut’s Hotep label, and this latest self-titled collection on Ninja Tune offers up their debut album as Letherette. As the preceding Featurette EP hinted, Letherette represent a considerably different sort of signing for Ninja Tune, with many of the twelve tracks here veering far more towards big room style disco-house than the sort of leftfield electronics they’re usually known for. Opening track After Dawn even manages to recall the likes of Justice and Daft Punk more than anything else as grinding disco-house synths lock in against pneumatic snares and cut-up female soul vocal samples. Elsewhere, first single D&T calls to mind some meeting point between Stardust and The Strokes as jangling guitar riffs slide against a glossy backdrop of shuffling hi-hats and elastic disco bass runs, before Restless gets considerably more interesting, sending dark Detroit-tinged synths winding their way through a lithe backing of tech-house rhythms as Natasha Kmeto’s vocals twist and tease.

Wait to Pleasure marks No Joy’s move into professional recording surrounds, and a subsequent expansion of the dissonant, self-crafted sound of their 2010 debut Ghost Blonde. The result is a massive, greatly absorbing and genuinely pleasurable musical journey – in the least pretentious, most genuine use of the phrase.

Let’s be out with it: Mark Monnone isn’t the world’s greatest singer.

While around half of the tracklisting here adheres to a house-centred template, the other sees Letherette exploring more downbeat instrumental hip hop territory. If I Always Wanted You Back suggests RZA channeling J Dilla, as pitched-up soul samples roll against off-centre boombap rhythms, the gorgeous Gas Stations & Restaurants sits far closer to Bibio’s blurred-out crawl as woozy beats roll beneath a twinkling backdrop of sloweddown vocals and chiming guitars. While there’s plenty of impressive work on show here, this album often feels like a game of two disparate halves, making for an occasionally awkward and disjointed listen. chris downton

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While Jasamine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd of No Joy immediately dismiss any suggestions of influence, Wait to Pleasure appears to effortlessly reflect myriad fragments of icons that loom large: the hazy, ethereal drone of My Bloody Valentine, the pace and driving percussion of Sonic Youth, the echoed abrasion of The Jesus & Mary Chain. And while it would be reductive to describe them as uniformly ‘shoegaze’, the album constantly floats in and out of that thickly layered, ethereal domain. Ultimately, Wait to Pleasure succeeds fantastically in making clear the point that it would be just as reductive to label them mono-generic as it would derivative. The band’s remarkable knack for the seamless conjugation of strikingly differing sounds is constantly apparent; Here Tarot Lies oscillates from thick, droning distortion that feels like acres of sound compressed into one potent channel, into a vast space of weightless, clanging reverb. Such is the smoothness of transition, and the impeccable construction of the track as a whole that it feels as though it could drift on forever. Similarly, Blue Neck Riviera pairs a sticky, thudding bass drumbeat with an irresistibly catchy bass line, easily ascending into driving, exhilarating fuzz in its latter half. Ultimately, the beautifully layered and compelling Wait to Pleasure is a big step forward – the consummation of a marriage of divergent parts into a wonderfully united, powerfully consistent whole. david smith

He proved that he could pen a tune and pluck a bass during his long spell in long lost indie folk favourites The Lucksmiths, but his vocal range was never something you’d write home about. What his debut solo(ish) record Together at Last proves, however, is that a lovely set of pipes can be easily trumped by strength of personality and a cracking set of songs. Monnone Alone travels in the path laid out by so-called c86 acts such as The Pastels – minimal pop, a shade on the twee side, where the lyric and melody are king. The sound is soft and jangly, and this record wraps itself around your ears. It’s an autumnal number. There are not a lot of jagged edges, but there is a lot of depth. And there’s a lot of Mr Monnone on it too. Whether or not this is the sound of the ‘real’ Monnone is unimportant – what’s so pervasive about this LP is the idea of the person creating it. It feels like a record which really wants to communicate with the listener, and the skill with which it does so is interesting. Monnone makes it sounds so easy. It’s not, of course – finding a voice and projecting it is one of the hardest things an artist can do. Monnone, put simply, is bloody good at this. Business World, My Overdue Library Fines and Pink Earrings are wry, sweet and rollicking standouts on an album which lacks filler. And Ricochet is a major highlight. But the whole thing works. It’s played by a bunch of people, but it sounds very much like the vision of its core creator, who is someone you’re happy to hang out with. A fine album. glen martin

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

It’s a terrible thing when your expectations for a film are not met. And I’m not talking about The Great Gatsby – I’m talking about Snitch, so you know it’s got to be pretty flipping bad. But while we’re on the subject of Gatsby, I just want to say – have the critics (ALL the critics) gone mad? Don’t get me wrong; there are things to criticise about Gatsby. But ragging on it because it’s not ‘enough like the book’. That’s kind of what adaptations are all about.

quote of the issue

‘Gatsby? What Gatsby?’ – Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan)

the great gatsby

the hangover part 3

dead man down

Okay, let’s get one thing straight. Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is not like the book. It is bombastic and melodramatic and over-the-top in every way you can imagine. In The New Yorker David Denby described Luhrmann as ‘less a filmmaker than a music video director with endless resources and a stunning absence of taste.’ But you must embrace it. If you expect anything else from The Great Gatsby, you will be disappointed.

When it comes to the sequels to The Hangover, we’re being punished for having a good time with the first film. If Part 2 was a clone, then Part 3 is the genetic trash left over from trying to replicate the success of 2009.

Contrary to the generic poster, atrocious title and presence of Colin Farrell, Dead Man Down is not a sexy action thriller with titillation and sexy espionage galore. Rather, it’s a moody and quite moving crime story about two damaged souls seeking revenge, who find each other despite bleak circumstances.

The narrator of this tale is Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), an introspective writer masquerading as a confident Wall Street trader. He moves to New York in 1922 – a time of cheap and ineffectively prohibited booze, loose morals, and lots of jazz – and finds himself living next door to the mysterious Mr. Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), a millionaire with a penchant for throwing extravagant parties. The film captures the hedonism of the ‘20s. It creates the parties; except bigger, better, and with more R&B than you remember from the book. The costuming is stunning. The 3D and CGI is wholly (and, one imagines, intentionally) unconvincing and dreamy – these characters are chasing the American Dream, after all. I’m not going to lie, it all borders on the completely absurd. But then, Luhrmann has always walked a very fine line between ridiculousness and genius. Ultimately, Luhrmann presents the viewer with a visual feat – with some meaty substance for the soul, if you care to look for it.

After the death of Alan’s (Zack Galifinakis) father, his friends (Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and Justin Bartha) decide he needs treatment. En route to a medical facility the group get kidnapped by a gangster (John Goodman) who demands they track down his nemesis, Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). Part 3 is mean-spirited and crafts jokes from mental health issues, futile profanity and dated Asian stereotypes. I was honestly waiting for someone to beat up a person in a wheelchair, but instead, co-writer/director Todd Phillips and screenwriter Craig Mazin have a character chastise an elderly woman on an electric scooter; it’s nasty. Jeong’s portrayal of Chow is as subtle as Mickey Rooney’s appearance as Mr Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Even Galifinakis’ ‘manbaby’ act transforms from an odd misfit to an ignorant moron. The film scraps the concept of retracing steps from a heavy night of drinking in place of a road film. It goes off the wellworn path but the actors share uncomfortable screen time going from location to location, aware the teat is running dry. The only positive to come out of Part 3 is that the future of this series continuing may have been snuffed out. cameron williams

There is quite a bit of balls out action, too, thankfully. Victor (Colin Farrell) seems like your average crime syndicate thug, working alongside big-wig Alphonse (Terrance Howard) – but Victor is actually a man driven by revenge and pain. He meets a kindred spirit in Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), who has suffered emotionally and physically after a car accident, and who wants revenge of her own. There’s certainly enough depth here, and the atmosphere feels gritty and real – and is nicely complemented by the slick action sequences that give the film a lift. Farrell does the brooding loner role plenty of justice and Rapace is magnetic as Beatrice, a frail but fiery match for Victor. Director Niels Arden Oplev will also be a draw card for those who liked the Swedish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The biggest failing is perhaps that no-one is going to believe Terrance Howard as a threatening gangster. Maybe I was just expecting a lot less, but I found Dead Man Down to be a neo-noir treat with both balls and heart, and more than your average action fodder. MEGAN McKEOUGH

melissa wellham

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snitch

the call

I went into Snitch hoping it was going to be a so-bad-it’s-good ridiculous action flick. At the very worst, I expected it to be a nope-this-isn’t-so-bad-it’sgood-it’s-just-plain-ol’-bad action flick. But Snitch couldn’t even deliver that.

The Call is a fast-paced crime thriller that centres around a 911 call taken by experienced emergency operator Jordan (Halle Berry).

Instead, it’s just a boring thriller that doesn’t thrill. A buddycop movie with not enough affection between the buddies and too few plot twists to sustain any level of interest – let alone suspense. The film follows Dwayne ‘formerly known as The Rock’ Johnson (or is this guy Vin Diesel?), who is the appropriately blandly named John Matthews, a father who will do anything to save his son. His teenager has been wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime and is facing a minimum prison sentence of ten years. The Rock somehow manages to arrange a deal with the U.S. attorney, which will see him undertake a dangerous mission and infiltrate a drug cartel – in return for his son’s freedom. His extremely muscled body is never explained, as he is apparently a small business man, but the film does give Johnson a chance to try something a little more nuanced and reserved than his usual machine-gunning – and he’s not too bad. He almost emotes. However, the film is let down by a bland script, and an insubstantial plot with a lot of The Rock staring into the middle-distance. It’s just a little bit boring.

When kidnapped teen Casey (Abigail Breslin) calls from the boot of a car, Jordan is forced to face some lurking guilt and trauma from her past as she tries to help Casey escape her kidnapper. From there the film takes off in a blaze of frantic reassurance, police jargon and hysterical crying. Similar to films like Phone Booth and Buried, The Call focuses mainly around one event, and the aim is getting you inside Jordan’s mind (and sometimes Casey’s), and going along with them as events escalate. As such, the plot is really nothing special, and while there is enough here to keep your heart rate up, unfortunately it’s only slightly more engaging than a good episode of a 45-minute crime drama. That said, The Call is a solid film that keeps the pace going and delivers enough creepiness and action to entertain. None of the performances are much to write home about, but both Berry and Breslin do a fine enough job. In this case, the whole film is worth more than the sum of its mediocre parts – while nothing is outstanding, The Call has decent acting, plot and direction, which luckily results in an interesting couple of hours. MEGAN McKEOUGH

melissa wellham

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the word

BLACKBOX

on games

iPhone Mix Bag Platform: iPhone Grab: Hackycat, Jet Car Stunts and Pudding Monsters Consider: Run That Town, Asphalt 7 Avoid: Iron Man 3, Injustice With everyone being so flat out these days, who has the time to play a serious game? Well, in an effort to keep your busy self entertained I’ve sampled a range of iPhone games in the hope of finding a casual gem. The results have been mixed. First cab off the ranks is Run That Town, which drew my attention through its use of real Australian census data. That and the fact it’s narrated by Shaun Micallef. While the game is well made, it comes off feeling like a poor mans Simpsons: Tapped Out (which, for the record, is worth playing). The gameplay doesn’t really progress much and it lacks that addictive edge, which unfortunately Micallef’s quick quips fail to make up for. That said, there’s still a solid half-hour of fun here, particularly when played on the faster setting. In that vein, I would also recommend Hackycat, which sees you ‘saving really cute cats from exploding, by kicking them.’ Again, it should provide a solid half-hour or two of entertainment. Moving into the 3D territory, I started with the official Iron Man 3 game. Unfortunately, there’s little here to keep you that interested – that is, unless you like shiny things. The gameplay feels exhausted, the controls are skittish and there’s little depth to the game. On that note, Injustice: Gods Among Us is also worth avoiding. To say that the iPhone version has been stripped back from the console version would be generous. The simplistic controls make for some pretty underwhelming gameplay. Moving into the driving realm, I tried the seventh Asphalt offering. The game plays like the original Burnout games, so I can’t fault the inspiration. Unfortunately, I found the game too arcade-y for my liking. Rather than driving your car, it feels more like you’re guiding it. I still found myself ploughing several hours into this game, but I never felt really drawn in. That said, it’s still the second best iPhone racing game, second to Real Racing 3. Keeping with the car theme, one worth trying is Jet Car Stunts. As opposed to clocking in lap times, this game has you flinging your car around a floating obstacle course. If you liked the Rush series, this is definitely worth grabbing. To close off this mix bag, I chose to look at what some of the bigger developers had more recently pushed out. As a huge fan of HalfBrick, the makers of Fruit Ninja, I was pretty disappointed by Out of Water. The majority of the game is spent watching the results of your momentary input. This is one worth skipping – or should I say, skimming (fish joke). Another developer to return is Zeptolabs with the now free Pudding Monsters. This game is a fun puzzler that nicely offers a challenge without becoming frustrating or tiresome. torben sko

With the final ep of Game of Thrones (Showcase, Mon Jun 10, 8:30pm) about to go to air, don’t be too hasty to reclaim your Monday night. This year’s best new show (as endorsed by Chez Blackbox), The Americans (SCTEN, Mon, 9:30pm), has only just begun and there’s also the sixth season of True Blood (Showcase, Mon Jun 17, 8:30pm) to fill the GoT void. In terms of (non-biopic) Australian drama, the big news is The Time of Our Lives (ABC1, Sun Jun 16, 8:30pm). From some of the creative minds behind Gen X twenty-something drama Secret Life of Us, and also starring Claudia Karvan, this one’s about the relationships in an extended Australian family (although strangely quite a lot of them probably fall in the same demographic). For actual twentysomething drama (and some laughs) there’s a second series of Twentysomething (ABC2, Thu Jun 27, 8:30pm). Grand Designs (ABC1, Sun, 7:30pm) is back, starting with a rebuild from the ruins of Cloontykilla Castle in Southern Ireland. The Alternative Comedy Experience (ABC2, Tue Jun11, 9:05pm) unearths underground comedians pushing boundaries in a world of stadium tours from the long established comic voices. If Bill Hicks was here, he’d be proud. Also new this fortnight are British legal thriller Injustice (ABC1, Sat Jun 8, 8:30pm), panel show Mock the Week (ABC2, Thu Jun 20, 9pm) from the creators of Whose Line is it Anyway?, Reef Doctors (SCTEN, Sun Jun 9, 6:30pm), the Great Barrier Reef medico drama (think commercial TV version of ABC’s RAN), Hamish McDonald’s The Truth is? (SCTEN, Mon, 8:30pm), NY underground short film comedy from Human Giant (SBS2, Mon Jun 10, 9:30pm) and travel blog Departures (SBS2, Tue Jun 11, 8:40pm). The first ep of the CW’s re-imagined Beauty and the Beast (SCTEN, Wed, 9:30pm) aired a couple of weeks ago. It stars the not-verybeastly Jay Ryan of Go Girls fame. Think Arrow (WIN, Thu, 10:30pm) and you’re about there. Docos to check out include Artscape: The A-Z of Contemporary Art (ABC1, Tue Jun 11, 10pm), a bluffer’s guide to the art world over two weeks, Compass: Britain’s Wicca Man (ABC1, Sun Jun 9, 6:30pm), about the man behind modern pagan witchcraft established in the ‘30s, Sunday Best: Born Rich (ABC2, Sun Jun 16, 8:30pm), about the lives of the less publicity-seeking Paris Hiltons of the world, On Borrowed Time (ABC1, Sun Jun 16, 9:30pm), in which filmmaker Paul Cox turns the camera on himself to film his own struggle against cancer, and William Yang: My Generation (ABC1, Sun Jun 16, 10:25pm), which tells the stories behind his photographs of Sydney’s art, literary, theatrical and queer circles in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Auntie’s next Aussie biopic has gone into production. Carlotta (ABC, TBC), about the iconic Les Girls headliner, will be filmed throughout Sydney, stars Jessica Marais in the title role and includes Caroline O’Connor and Alex Dimitriades in the cast. Coming our way in future are UK comedy Vicious (Prime, TBC), starring legends Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi as a grumpy old gay couple, and more of the fabulous Jack Irish (ABC, TBC), again in telemovie format. Movies to keep an eye out for include the 1989 flick that started the trend in tortured superheroes – Batman (Go, Sat Jun 15, 7:30pm), Norwegian zombie flick The Snow (SBS2, Sat Jun 15, 9:30pm) and French stoner comedy The Dope (SBS2, Sat Jun 15, 11:45pm). TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyherrernan@bigpond.com @ChezBlackbox

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the word on dvds

the impossible [universal sony] Whether you knew it or not, The Impossible was one of the most quietly controversial films of the last 12 months. It tells the story of the 2003 Boxing Day tsunami through the eyes of a well-to-do Northern European white family holidaying in idyllic Thailand. You have to wonder if the best way to capture the misery of millions living close to or well below the poverty line is by showing attractive Westerners battle the odds, tidal surges and human debris. It’s not that the residents of the impacted countries are overlooked or passed off as extras in their own horrific tragedy – it’s more that we have become so uncomfortable with problems in non-western countries that our ability to truly connect with ‘the other’ is through the prism of privilege and safety. But let’s park the Marxist-structuralist theory for a moment because The Impossible is not a bad film, not by any stretch. Maria (Naomi Watts) and Henry (Ewan McGregor) are on their way to Khao Lak with their three children. Knowing what is about to happen fills every scene with unbearable dread and portent. Director J.A. Bayona draws this tension out long enough to make the anticipatory squirms near unbearable – and when the wave does hit, it sets off a technically dazzling first act rivalling any disaster pic ever made. What follows is a family searching through filth, infection and death. For the most part, the imagery is visceral and ugly, but getting a better understanding of what happened behind the news cameras is one of the film’s greatest feats. The treatment of the Thai population is neither blandly heroic nor despondent, and fortunately we aren’t force-fed the local version through a proxy character. This is one family’s version of events. Accept that and you’ll ‘get’ the film. Struggle with power structures, miss the point. justin hook

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prisoners of war series one [madman] Before the first episode of Prisoners of War had even aired in its native Israel, Gideon Raff (the show’s creator and writer) had already sold the concept to Fox as Homeland. As script translator and executive producer at Homeland, Raff obviously had a key role in its transition to US screens, so it’s natural they share DNA. What’s interesting is how some plot lines and characters have been grafted one-to-one whilst others are thoroughly rearranged. For example, the Nicholas Brody character is actually two people in the original. It’s an unsettling effect; if you’ve seen Homeland it’ll be familiar but not distractingly so. Israeli soldiers Uri and Nimrod are released after 17 years in captivity in Lebanon. A third prisoner – Amiel – comes home in a casket, bashed beyond recognition. Over ten deliberately paced episodes, the anguish and pain of captivity is the primary focus. Uri and Nimrod grapple with the reality of upended families and children they never knew. For the most part, this is a story about adjustment and the POW-as-sleeper-agent angle is in the background; possibly only the imagination of an Israeli Defence Force psychologist (Haim). Brutal and bloody flashbacks show three soldiers struggling to survive and forced to enact violence on each other. The strands of these flashbacks – and the survivor’s subterfuge in seeking out a contact on the Israel/Lebanon border – reach a crescendo in the devastating final scenes that turn all that came before its head. If you’re wondering which is better, don’t bother. Prisoners of War marches to an entirely different beat. This is a more complex and rewarding experience, way more powerful when you realise the show has its roots in reality. IDF POW Gilad Shailt remained in Hamas captivity whilst these episodes were winning awards and setting records in Israel. justin hook

flight [paramount] Hollywood loves a redemptive story. It’s an industry built on fixing complex and intractable problems in the last gasp of the final act as John Williams’ strings swell and teardrops well. Audiences get their dose of wish fulfilment and all is right in the world. On first blush, Robert Zemeckis’ first live action film in over a decade looks like one of those stories and the director has form – Exhibit A: Forrest Gump. But Flight is a very different film and if you’re in the market for a flabby Denzel Washington falling around drunk and crashing planes high on coke … well, this could be for you. Whip Whitaker (Washington) is a cocky son of a bitch who racks up before work, is perpetually drunk, outcast by his family but also a very good pilot. Like many functioning addicts, he doesn’t see the problem if the work gets done and for the first 30 minutes of Flight it’s very hard work. His plane suffers a catastrophic mechanical failure and promptly enters a death spiral. Through a feat of spectacular bravado and skill he manages to crash the plane with low loss of life. Problem is – he was high and drunk so he might go to jail for manslaughter for the rest of his life. His lawyer (Don Cheadle) tries hard to rectify the situation but every time Whitaker says he’ll quit he falls straight back into addiction. This is a rare Hollywood film. Whitaker is an awful person, but he does his job fantastically. And much as you expect him to pull out of his own death spiral – he doesn’t want to, even with jail hanging over his head. You keep waiting for the destructive arc to reverse, but it doesn’t. But Flight isn’t a dour, clotted film. Zemeckis’s complex and evenhanded film is one of the best of his career. justin hook

the word

on gigs

The Ghost Inside, Emmure, Antagonist AD, Hands of Mercy The Basement Wednesday May 29 So it has to be said: before reading this review you need to know that I didn’t even know what metalcore was until I did my research for The Ghost Inside feature and I was worried I would hate the gig and have nothing good to write. Needless to say, on Wednesday night I went from a Basement and metalcore virgin to a huge fan. Having only heard negative things about The Basement from my husband, I was concerned I would walk in there and be injured. As it turns out that my husband was very wrong. It’s a great venue, with everything you could want for a smallish gig: great staff, pool tables, a beer garden and, most importantly, an intimate stage. Hands of Mercy opened the set with their fast-paced brand of metalcore. The Sydney-based band has huge stage presence – it’s hard not to when the music you play is upbeat yet angry. I can’t tell you if lead singer Scott’s vocals were thought-provoking because all I heard was screaming and an occasional swear word. I focused on the music’s rhythm and beat and enjoyed their 25-minute set. Antagonist AD hit the stage next; these guys came all the way from Auckland, New Zealand, for the tour. I was not a fan, their music errs more towards the metal side of metalcore and that’s just not me – although the crowd were enjoying them, and their highly aggressive music and constant F-bombs. So Emmure were next. It’s now after 10:30pm and therefore my past bed time. Hailing from New York, these guys have more of a hardcore sound and I really enjoyed their set. The crowd had reach about 300 at this stage and the mosh pit was going off. Their set was fun, fast-paced and, of course, full of screaming. I was excited to see The Ghost Inside as I’d enjoyed interviewing lead singer Jonathan Vigil. The guys opened with Dark Horse, following it up with Faith and Chrono. At this stage I was next to the speakers – sans earplugs and loving it. The crowd were moshing and stage diving and Jonathan was sing/screaming his lungs out. Next up were The Great Unknown, Unspoken, Test the Limits and Greater Distance. The Ghost’s energetic set worked the crowd into fervour. Between songs Jonathan interacted with the crowd and even apologised for putting his crotch in a mosher’s face. The two guitarists, Aaron Brooks and Zach Johnson, were jumping around and visibly enjoying themselves, while bassist Jim Riley had a slightly more laidback approach to his craft. Andrew Tkaczyk’s drumming set the tone for each of the band’s vigorous songs – he was literally pouring with sweat after the gig. The guys rounded out their set with Between the Lines, 33, Blue and Gold and White Light. The song White Light has a part of Jonathon’s soul embedded in it; his brother suddenly passed away and this is the band’s tribute to him. It is so refreshing to see a band writing about real life, and even more inspirational to see a man so visibly moved by his own song that he cried in front of a crowd.

PHOTOS BY CLINTON HATFIELD

Jonathan turned down requests for ten more songs and played just one more as an encore. He then jumped off stage to meet his fans, sign autographs and indulge people with a sweaty embrace. Thanks to The Ghost Inside I’m a metalcore convert. These guys are awesome. ALISHA EVANS

@bmamag

the word

Something for Kate, Courtney Barnett Zierholz @ UC Friday May 31

on gigs

A reunion happened during the Something for Kate gig at Zierholz, part of their Star-Crossed Cities Tour 2013. SFK were one of those bands that hogged my ear drums during the hormonal turmoil of my teenage years. From those pimply years onward I followed their career, but recently, with the band’s six-year hiatus, Paul Dempsey (guitars/vocals), Stephanie Ashworth (bass) and Clint Hyndman (drums) almost became like friends who stopped calling. As soon as they hit the stage at Zierholz, five years since their last Canberra show, it was like a warm embrace from old mates. Prior to the official reunification, Melbourne musician Courtney Barnett and her beardy band mates had the crowd shuffling. A mix of breezy surf rock and riffs reminiscent of Credence Clearwater Revival had the crowd swaying in approval. Barnett set her soft gaze over proceedings with lyrical shades of Paul Kelly in her rambling poetic verses. The band seemed to be in ‘session mode’, with a few songs dragging on in what seemed like an endless jam session. Sadly, a few songs ended too abruptly, as if the band hadn’t quite got the musical timing and group telepathy mastered yet. When SFK arrived they wasted no time and got to the good stuff, opening with one of their breakthrough songs, Captain (Million Miles an Hour), a track that any other band would save for their encore. It was clear that SFK owed their fans for their absence and they weren’t going to play by the rules. Yes, SFK have a new album to promote (Leave Your Soul to Science) but they weren’t going to make the audience work through the shiny new stuff to earn the older favourites. They arranged the mix between new and old beautifully, with Monsters, The Astronaut, Hallways, Three Dimensions, Cigarettes and Suitcases and a few surprises in the form of covers. Dempsey and his band mates have mastered the art of the cover and have done justice to the likes of Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, Midnight Oil and more. During their Canberra show they wowed the sold out crowd with an intense performance of Hunters and Collectors’ When the River Runs Dry, and fresh from their recent triple j Like a Version, Calvin Harris and Florence Welch’s Sweet Nothing, which elicited screams of joy. Dempsey continues to put his stamp down as one of Australia’s great lead singers and an incredible guitarist. His intensity had everyone in awe, and with each rock move, hundreds of camera phones (mostly in the hands of female fans) went up to try to capture the energy and possibly make a DIY 2014 calendar. The heat at Zierholz swelled as the crowd swooned over Dempsey and his cryptic lyrics. Speaking of swooning, there is nothing better than witnessing the elegance of Ashworth on bass. If you could read the minds of everyone in attendance watching Ashworth, it would probably involve a creative way of proposing marriage. Her brooding bass-line on the song Survival Expert was a highlight and executed to perfection. Hyndman is a weapon of mass percussion and his rhythmic relationship with Ashworth kept SFK in the right groove for Dempsey to lay his sophisticated guitar work and haunting voice on with their rock edge.

PHOTOS BY MARK TURNER

For a band that has been away for over half a decade, not once did it feel like SFK had been missing in action, and Dempsey made the promise to return to Canberra sooner rather than later. Hopefully, the band make good on the guarantee, because based on their current form, I don’t want the friendship to lapse ever again. CAMERON WILLIAMS

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Jun 5 - Sat Jun 8 wednesday june 5 Art Exhibitions Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Plain Site

thursday june 6 Art Exhibitions A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a

Paris to Monaro

First Ladies

Plain Site

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Nature of Memory

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

First Ladies

Inhabit – Living in Design

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

BILK GALLERY

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm.

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

This is Graphics

Intensity of Purpose: 21 Years of ANCA

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

Live Jazz

Live Music

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Hartattack vs. Elecfro

7:30pm. Free. 8pm.

Supported by Dance Armstrong. 10pm. Free.

Chance Waters

Live Fridays

TRANSIT BAR

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Dave Christopher THE DURHAM

On tour with Mind Over Matter. 8pm. Presale from Moshtix.

Live acoustic musicians. 5pm onwards. Free.

Chicago Charles & Dave

The Aston Shuffle

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

TRINITY BAR

On The Town

Featuring Bombs Away (live). Presale tickets thru Moshtix. 9pm.

9:30pm. Free.

4Some Thursdays 9pm. Free.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Talks Meet the Miles Franklin Shortlist

Q&A and book signing at the NLA, with Romy Ash and more. 6pm. Bookings essential: (02) 6262 9191. $1 NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

CMAG celebrates 21 years of Australian National Capital Artists. 10am-5pm (12-5pm, Sat/Sun).

The Nature of Memory BILK GALLERY

Art Exhibitions

Outside/Inside

A Critical Diversion

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Digest

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm.

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Digest

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Karaoke

Karaoke Wednesdays

Karaoke at The Inn

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

OLD CANBERRA INN

friday june 7

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm.

Live Music

Kerser

Rasa Duende

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

‘Jonathan’s Farm’ single launch (w/ Burrows). 8pm. $11.50 thru stickytickets.com.au/11421.

Pang! & Our Sound DJ Competition

On The Town

TRINITY BAR

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Latino Wednesdays Doors 9pm.

MONKEYBAR

BILK GALLERY

Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Digest

Grandmaster Monk

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

THE PHOENIX BAR

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

Student MIC Night

Covers & originals from CIT bands and electronica students. Seefb.com/citcm. 6:30pm. Free. CIT MUSIC INDUSTRY CENTRE

The Nerve

The Down There tour, with Deathcap Mushrooms, Na Maza and T-Bone. 8pm. Presale $15 + bf thru Moshtix ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

The Nature of Memory

The best in the ACT compete for cash, show slots and a residency. 9:30pm start each round. With Zoopagoo and No Hausfrau. 9:30pm.

Australian Children’s Music Foundation Fundraiser. 7-8:30pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Loose Groove

Dancefloor Euphoria with Projections from Zonk Vision. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

Tigersnake Jive

9pm-midnight. Free entry. OLD CANBERRA INN

Special K 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Perisher Snowy Mountains of Music Festival Blue King Brown, Kylie Auldist and more. See snowymountainsofmusic. com.au for full details and ticke

TRANSIT BAR

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Tom West

The Session

This is Graphics

CHARLIE BLACK

THE STREET THEATRE

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Buick and his merry men get wyld on some funk, soul, hip hop and party jams. 8pm. Free.

THE DURHAM

ZIERHOLZ @ UC

Touring new album ‘Together At Last’. With Waterford and Mikey Shanahan. 8pm. $7.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

First Ladies

Three cultures collide, with tabla, sarod and flamenco combined. Doors 7pm. See thestreet.org.au for

Monnone Alone

Funkin’ Gonutz

Rock Karaoke

With Rates, Jay Dee and more. Doors 8pm. $23.50 + bf through Oztix.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a

Karaoke

9pm-2am. Free entry.

Alive Fridays

PERISHER SKI RESORT (SNOWY MOUNTAINS)

8pm-midnight. Free entry.

From 10pm. All welcome.

$15 before 10pm.

Plain Site

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

9pm.

TONGUE & GROOVE

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme

Inhabit – Living in Design

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Film Café Cinéma

Enjoy award-winning drama ‘L’Esquive’ with wine and food. 6:30pm. Free. Bookings (02) 6247 5027. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Heuristic

10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

On The Town Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

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

saturday june 8 Art Exhibitions A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Plain Site

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

This is Graphics

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Jun 8 - Tue Jun 11

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

First Ladies

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

sunday june 9 Art Exhibitions A Critical Diversion

monday june 10 Art Exhibitions Paris to Monaro

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. 10am-5pm.

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry.

Paris to Monaro

First Ladies

Digest

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

BILK GALLERY

Outside/Inside

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Inhabit – Living in Design

This is Graphics

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Perisher Snowy Mountains of Music Festival Blue King Brown, Kylie Auldist and more. See snowymountainsofmusic. com.au for full details and ticke PERISHER SKI RESORT (SNOWY MOUNTAINS)

Oscar

A Critical Diversion

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. 11am-5pm.

Live Music

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

First Ladies

Flawlezz, M.A., The Lavers, Perpetual End. 8pm. Free.

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Digest

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

2XX Local n Live Present The Bootleg Sessions THE PHOENIX BAR

Emlyn Johnson

Original folksinger from Schwanbern. 7pm. Door price TBA. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Perisher Snowy Mountains of Music Festival Blue King Brown, Kylie Auldist and more. See snowymountainsofmusic. com.au for full details and ticke

Live Music

Mike Rukus (Syd)

Steve Play (Syd)

PERISHER SKI RESORT (SNOWY MOUNTAINS)

TONGUE & GROOVE

Trivia

10pm.

TONGUE & GROOVE

San Cisco

The Beach tour. With Millions. 8pm. Presale through Oztix. ZIERHOLZ @ UC

Chrome

10pm.

Freyja’s Rain

Stomping good originals and covers blues jazz fusion. Tapas + happy hour 5-7pm. Free. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

DJs Salem, Stealth.Elf and datacipher playing goth/industrial/dark electro. $10. 9pm-3am.

Jack Beats (UK)

Evol Intent

4:30pm. $10.

HELLENIC CLUB (CIVIC)

With Paul Blackout, Centaspike and more. 9pm. Door price TBA. THE CLUBHOUSE

OLD CANBERRA INN

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Love Saturdays

With Runamark. 9pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Live Music

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

Rainman’s Trivial Excuse

Transit trivia returms with your host Rainman. Book your table now on (02) 6162 0899. 7:30pm. TRANSIT BAR

Blue King Brown, Kylie Auldist and more. See snowymountainsofmusic. com.au for full details and ticke PERISHER SKI RESORT (SNOWY MOUNTAINS) WILBUR’S CAFE BAR

THE DURHAM

Radar and crew deliver some long weekend fun. 8pm. Free.

3:30-5:30pm. Free entry.

10pm.

Shaking Hands

On The Town

TRANSIT BAR

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

First Ladies

Perisher Snowy Mountains of Music Festival

Groove Dot Com

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

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

4pm-7pm. Free entry.

Matt Dent

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

9pm-midnight. Free entry. OLD CANBERRA INN

Paris to Monaro

Irish Jam Session

THE STREET THEATRE

7pm. Door price TBA.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Gary

Min Ha

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a

The Fabels & The Longest Day

Ensemble Offspring

7:30pm. Tickets thru thestreet.org.au.

Plain Site

TRINITY BAR

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

THE PHOENIX BAR

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm.

$20 before 10pm.

With guests to be announced. 9:30pm.

Dahrnoir’s Last Gig

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry.

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. 10am.

10:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Outside/Inside

Live Music

Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

Outside/Inside

Plain Site

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

Art Exhibitions

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm.

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

tuesday june 11

On The Town Free Pool Tables

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

Something Different Skate-turion

Canberra’s biggest roller derby battle in 100 years. Doors 9am. $10-40 thru Oztix. SOUTHERN CROSS STADIUM

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Tue Jun 11 - Tue Jun 18 tuesday june 11 (CONT.) Karaoke Karaoke Love

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

Live Music Irish Jam Session

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

...Is Dead

Five dudes who rock the fuck out. 7pm. Door price TBA. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Trivia

This is Graphics

Art Exhibitions

Plain Site

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat!

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

First Ladies

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

Trivia and Fears with Bondy and Kiers

Karaoke

THE PHOENIX BAR

9pm.

7:30pm. Free.

Karaoke Wednesdays

The Phoenix Quiz

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

THE PHOENIX BAR

From 10pm. All welcome.

7:30pm. Free.

Karaoke

Trivia Tuesdays

THE DURHAM

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

Trivia

7:30pm. All welcome. THE DURHAM

wednesday june 12

Live Music Thy Art Is Murder

The Hate Across Australia tour, with Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot and more. Doors 8pm. THE BASEMENT

Mustered Courage

Art Exhibitions

Mixing old-school bluegrass with modern roots music. 8pm. $15.

Digest

Timothy Bowen

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

thursday june 13

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

7pm. Door price TBA.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Masta Ace

With Strickin, Marco Polo, Words Eye View, Stateovmind, and Nix. 8pm. Presale thru Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Digest

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

This is Graphics

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Plain Site

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. 10am. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

First Ladies

Art Exhibitions Digest

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Plain Site

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

This is Graphics

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm.

Paris to Monaro

The Nature of Memory

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

First Ladies

BILK GALLERY

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm.

Karaoke

The Nature of Memory

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Karaoke @ PJs

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

P J O’REILLY’S (CIVIC)

Dance

Go in the running for the $1000 prize at the final on July 25. 7pm.

Karaoke at The Inn

8pm-midnight. Free entry.

BILK GALLERY

Opal Vapour

9pm-2am. Free entry.

A mesmerising contemporary dance performance. 8pm. $29+ thru thestreet.org.au.

CHARLIE BLACK

THE STREET THEATRE

Live Music

Special K

Glasshouse

OLD CANBERRA INN

Rock Karaoke

9:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Pang! & Our Sound DJ Competition

The best in the ACT compete for cash, show slots and a residency. 9:30pm start each round.

Architect DJs, Glasshouse DJs, and more indie/ trap / whatevs goodness. 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Casual Sets 10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

TRINITY BAR

Eldred

Gay Paris

TONGUE & GROOVE

Living up to their names in the most unexpected of ways. 9:30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

Zymurgy

A musical mix of styles and genres from third-year music students. 7:3010:30pm. $20/15.

10pm. Free entry.

Live Fridays

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

Housemouse & Coolio Desgracias

7:30pm. Free.

EP launch, with Trendoid & Alphabet, Babyfreeze and Dead DJ Joke. Doors 8pm. $15/10/8.

The Outpost

HNQO (Brasil)

THE DURHAM

TRINITY BAR

On The Town

Featuring Nick Thayer. 9pm. $10

CIT WODEN

Live Jazz

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

8pm.

4Some Thursdays Free entry. 9pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

friday june 14

THE POLISH WHITE EAGLE CLUB

With Ek Collective. Doors 9pm.

InTheMix Awards Tour ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

DaJa Blues

9pm-midnight. Free entry. OLD CANBERRA INN

@bmamag

Fresh Nelson

Live Music

Workshops

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

3rd Exit

Mal

Slam the Mic!

10pm.

THE DURHAM

OLD CANBERRA INN

Escape Syndrome

The Daily Meds MC on the solo tip, with Context and more! 8pm. Presale thru Moshtix.

7pm. Door price TBA.

Special K THE DURHAM

Album launch, with A Candela Lie, Zawmbeez. Doors 8pm. $15 + bf thru Moshtix/Ticketek.

10pm.

P. Smurf

Decades

TRANSIT BAR

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Killing the Sound

On The Town

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

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

4pm-7pm. Free entry.

10:30pm. Free.

Yoko Oh No

With Rather Be Dead, No Assumption and Revellers. 9:30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

Playful Sound

EvilChris and Jay share some of their favourite tunes of the decades past. 2pm. Free.

Canberra Blues Society Jam The best Canberra blues musicians gettin’ loose. 2-5:30pm. $3 members/$5 non-members. HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Dylan Hekimian

Indie roots originals one man band. Tapas + happy hour 5-7pm. Free.

Calico Cat Tape/3” Launch. A multimedia performance event. 7pm. $5.

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Art Exhibitions

Love Saturdays

Irish Jam Session

Digest

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

saturday june 15

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

With Pred. 9pm.

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme

Hating Alice

Inhabit – Living in Design

On The Town

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

9pm-midnight. Free entry. OLD CANBERRA INN

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat).

Knightsbridge’s 9th Birthday

Outside/Inside

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

This is Graphics

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

Safari theme -- let’s get wild! 7pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

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

Something Different Fash ‘n’ Treasure

For all your new and retro clothing wants. 10am-3pm. $3 entry.

EXHIBITION PARK IN CANBERRA (EPIC)

sunday june 16

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Plain Site

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

First Ladies

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

Dance Opal Vapour

A mesmerising contemporary dance performance. 8pm. $29+ thru thestreet.org.au. THE STREET THEATRE

Film The Ceremony (U/C18+)

Part of the Oshima Nagisa season. 4:30pm. See nfsa.gov.au/arc for info/tix. ARC CINEMA

Art Exhibitions Digest

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme. CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

A Critical Diversion

Art by Lucy Buttenshaw, Pol Cruz, Eryn Mullins, Ralph Tikerpae. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10am-5pm.

Matt Dent

10am-1pm. Free entry.

URBANFOOD STORE + CAFE

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

A poetry workshop for budding poets and writers (18-30) with David Stavanger (aka Ghostboy). 6-8pm. ACT WRITERS CENTRE

tuesday june 18 Art Exhibitions Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Film

On The Town

2013 Spanish Film Festival

Free Pool Tables

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

monday june 17 Art Exhibitions Outside/Inside

Art by Tessa Dorman. Open Wednesday June 5, 6pm. Free entry. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Live Music The Bootleg Sessions

Bacon Cakes, Kid You Not, Cromwell, Adam Cook. 8pm. Free. THE PHOENIX BAR

Trivia Rainman’s Trivial Excuse

Transit trivia returms with your host Rainman. Book your table now on (02) 6162 0899. 7:30pm. TRANSIT BAR

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Karaoke Karaoke Love

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

Live Music Simon Anau Band 7pm. Door price TBA.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

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 Liam’s Old-Timey Trivia

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

Trivia Tuesdays

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

Trivia

7:30pm. All welcome. THE DURHAM

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

This is Graphics

Art by James Lieutenant and Kate Vassallo. Opens Thursday June 6, 6pm. 11am-5pm. CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Plain Site

Paintings by Steph Wilson about space, modern architecture and design. Opens Fri May 31, 5:30pm. 10a BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

First Ladies

Significant Australian Women, 19132013. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Wed Jun 19 - Fri Jun 21 wednesday june 19 Art Exhibitions The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

Digest

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat! Local artists and international artists respond to the theme CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Inhabit – Living in Design

Part of the Designing a Capital: Crafting a Nation program. 10am-5pm (12-4pm Sat). CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Paul Kelly & The Portraits

Aspects of singer-songwriter Paul Kelly’s performance persona. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Paris to Monaro

Live Music

Art by Oscar Capezio. Opens Thursday June 20, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Paris to Monaro

Spontaneous, explosive and emotive. Also country. 7pm. Door price TBA.

Something Different BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! 8pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Theatre The Reluctant Shopper

Long Run Theatre presents a new play by Bruce Hoogendoorn. $15-$25 via (02) 6275 2700. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Appalling Behaviour

A journey into the seedy Paris underworld, by Stephen House. 7:30pm. $25+ thru thestreet.org.au. THE STREET THEATRE

Film 2013 Spanish Film Festival

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

thursday june 20 Art Exhibitions The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

Digest

Karaoke

Third in the trilogy of Drink! And Eat!

Karaoke Wednesdays

Inhabit – Living in Design

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

9pm.

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

Karaoke

Paul Kelly & The Portraits

From 10pm. All welcome. THE DURHAM

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

Aspects of singer-songwriter Paul Kelly’s performance persona. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Art Exhibitions The Nature of Memory

11am-5pm (4pm, Sat). BILK GALLERY

Inhabit – Living in Design

Film

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

2013 Spanish Film Festival

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26.

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

Paul Kelly & The Portraits 10am-5pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

The Signal is the Message

Karaoke

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Karaoke @ PJs

Paris to Monaro

Go in the running for the $1000 prize at the final on July 25. 7pm. P J O’REILLY’S (CIVIC)

Karaoke at The Inn

8pm-midnight. Free entry.

Rock Karaoke

9pm-2am. Free entry. CHARLIE BLACK

Live Music The Outpost 8pm.

THE DURHAM

Melanie Horsnell

The Cloud Appreciation Society tour. $15. 8pm. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Strange Talk & Hey Geronimo

The Strange Geronimo tour – a double header spectacular. 8pm. Presale thru Moshtix. TRANSIT BAR

Dos Locos

9:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Shitripper

Hygiene, The Reverend Jesse Custer, Yoko Oh No. 9pm.

Art by Oscar Capezio. 11am-5pm.

10am-5pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Film 2013 Spanish Film Festival

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Live Music Sleepmakeswaves

With Time & Weight, A Drone Coda, The Ians. Doors 8pm. $15 + bf thru Moshtix/Ticketek. ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Metropolis

9pm-midnight. Free entry. OLD CANBERRA INN

Something Like This 10pm.

THE DURHAM

David Ross MacDonald (The Waifs) 8pm. $15.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Daron K

10pm. Free entry.

TONGUE & GROOVE

THE PHOENIX BAR

Special K

Live Jazz

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

7:30pm. Free.

10pm. Free.

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Live Fridays

On The Town

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

4Some Thursdays

Dcup (Melb)

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

TRINITY BAR

Something Different

Featuring Joel Fletcher (Melb). 9pm. $10.

Free entry. 9pm.

Australian Burlesque Festival

The finest in national and international burlesque. 6:30pm doors. $63 show only. See theabbey.com.au THE ABBEY

Talks Sweet Damage

Tania McCartney in conversation with celebrated Young Adult author Rebecca James. 6pm. Bookings: (02 PAPERCHAIN BOOKSTORE

Free before 10pm.

Alive Fridays

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

On The Town Cheese/Retro

Your favourite retro party night. 8pm. Free. TRANSIT BAR

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

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

Theatre

The Reluctant Shopper

Long Run Theatre presents a new play by Bruce Hoogendoorn. $15-$25 via (02) 6275 2700. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Appalling Behaviour

A journey into the seedy Paris underworld, by Stephen House. 7:30pm. $25+ thru thestreet.org.au. THE STREET THEATRE

friday june 21

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

OLD CANBERRA INN

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Signal is the Message

Hussy Hicks

Long Run Theatre presents a new play by Bruce Hoogendoorn. $15-$25 via (02) 6275 2700. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Appalling Behaviour

A journey into the seedy Paris underworld, by Stephen House. 7:30pm. $25+ thru thestreet.org.au. THE STREET THEATRE

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE Sat Jun 22 - Tue Jun 25 saturday june 22 Art Exhibitions

On The Town

Irish Jam Session

tuesday june 25

Blame it on the Boogie Weekends

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

Art Exhibitions

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Paris to Monaro

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

On The Town

10am-5pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Theatre

Free Pool Tables

The Nature of Memory

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

The Nature of Memory

Jewellery, objects and photography by Jess Dare. 11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

The Reluctant Shopper

Inhabit – Living in Design

Long Run Theatre presents a new play by Bruce Hoogendoorn. $15-$25 via (02) 6275 2700.

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Appalling Behaviour

BILK GALLERY

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

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Paul Kelly & The Portraits

A journey into the seedy Paris underworld, by Stephen House. 7:30pm. $25+ thru thestreet.org.au.

10am-5pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Signal is the Message

THE STREET THEATRE

Art by Oscar Capezio. 11am-5pm.

sunday june 23

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

Film 2013 Spanish Film Festival

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26. PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Art Exhibitions Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Paul Kelly & The Portraits

Love Saturdays

Aspects of singer-songwriter Paul Kelly’s performance persona. 10am-5pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

The Signal is the Message

Live Music With Lucrative. 9pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Jukes

Art by Oscar Capezio. Opens Thursday June 20, 6pm. 11am-5pm.

9pm-midnight. Free entry. OLD CANBERRA INN

Raus & Spartak

Double single launch, with Montero (Melb), Shisd and Deaf Cat (DJ set). 7pm. $10. THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Stateovmind

Releasing his spankin’ new EP. 8pm. $10 on the door. TRANSIT BAR

David Bridie & The Pills

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE (MANUKA)

TRANSIT BAR

BILK GALLERY

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

CRAFT ACT CRAFT & DESIGN CENTRE

Paul Kelly & The Portraits 10am-5pm.

Art Exhibitions

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Paris to Monaro

Pleasures from the studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas. 10am-5pm.

Film

Paul Kelly & The Portraits

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Aspects of singer-songwriter Paul Kelly’s performance persona. 10am-5pm.

2013 Spanish Film Festival PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Karaoke

Film

Karaoke Love

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

2013 Spanish Film Festival

See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26.

TRANSIT BAR

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Live Music

Irish Jam Session

CIT Presents The Bootleg Sessions

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

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

Blacklight Pantomime, The Bee Cons, Soula, Calum Reid. 8pm. Free.

2013 Spanish Film Festival

Trivia

Live Music

11am-5pm (4pm, Sat).

Inhabit – Living in Design

monday june 24

THE PHOENIX BAR

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

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

Film See spanishfilmfestival.com.au for full film details. Runs until June 26.

Paris to Monaro

Rainman’s Trivial Excuse

Appalling Behaviour

Transit trivia returms with your host Rainman. Book your table now on (02) 6162 0899. 7:30pm. TRANSIT BAR

Theatre A journey into the seedy Paris underworld, by Stephen House. 7:30pm. $25+ thru thestreet.org.au. THE STREET THEATRE

Trivia

Featuring John Phillips. Supported by Eden Mulholland. 8pm. See thestreet. org.au for tickets.

An Acoustic Duo

Trivia

OLD CANBERRA INN

THE DURHAM

Surrogates

8pm. $15 door.

THE STREET THEATRE

10:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

La Bastard

Little Mac and the Monster Men, Jim Sharrock. 9:30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

4pm-7pm. Free entry.

7:30pm. All welcome.

Lisa Richards

Nerd Time Trivia with Joel and Ali

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

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

Key Grip Ultralite

THE PHOENIX BAR

A restrained frenzy of blues, old school R&B and funk. Tapas + happy hour 5-7pm. Free.

Trivia Tuesdays

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

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Night of the Living Dead

DIGRESS COCKTAIL BAR

Our Last Enemy, Witchgrinder and The Devilzwork team up with The Velvet Vixens. 8:30pm. $20 door. THE BASEMENT

OUT

JUN26

STEVE VAI YOU AM I SWERFK CAPITAL JAZZ PROJECT ...and more!

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FIRST CONTACT Aaron Peacey 0410381306

SIDE A: BMA band profile

Adam Hole 0421023226 Afternoon Shift 0402055314 Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288 Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313 Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343

The Sinbirds Where did yer name come from? Some witch doctor’s final Christmas. Cats involved? Frankie Sinbird (aka Freak Lips Frankie) & Davey (Daddy-O) Sinbird. What’s yer sound? Elvis Presley’s heart breaking. What’s yer bag? Dr. Pepper, suckin’ down slurgs on a Saturday night, pinball. What’s yer tale, nightingale? Davey nearly gettin’ electroshock therapy while giggin’ in the tub. Dig? What’s the best ya done so far? Bringin’ the sounds off our grandfather’s biscuit to the hep. What’s a gas? Johnny Paul Blood and The Sacrificers. They were far out. What’s yer bringdown? When a fast little thing pours a float but throws away the remaining pop … near bad as gettin’ clanked by a dolly. What would ya change with the scene? More Milk-Bars. Less squares. What are yer upcuming gigs? We’ll be playin’ in every widgie’s wet dream, just after midnight. Contact: If yer in orbit you can find us most days rollin’ due backs by a radioactive joint.

Jenn Pacor Singer-songwriter avail. for originals/covers 0405618630 Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792

Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433

Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae Rafa 0406647296 Andy 0401572150

Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com

Missing Zero Hadrian 0424721907 Hadrian.brand@live.com.au

Bat Country Communion, The Mel 0400405537

Moots Huck 0419630721 aspwinch@grapevine.com.au

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

Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843

Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net

MuShu Jack 0414292567 mushu_band@hotmail.com

Mornings Jordan 0439907853

Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005

Obsessions 0450 960 750 obsessions@grapevine.com.au

Capital Dub Style Reggae/dub events Rafa 0406647296

Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027

Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662 Danny V Danny 0413502428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428 Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com Drumassault Kate 0414236323 Feldons, The 0407 213 701 FeralBlu Danny 0413502428 Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402055314 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388

Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974 Rafe Morris 0416322763 Redletter Ben 0421414472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527 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

Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020

Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075

Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885

Super Best Friends Sam White sam@imcmusic.net

Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158

System Addict Jamie 0418398556

Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703

ThrownUp Scott 0415849619 Top Shelf Colin 0408631514 Undersided, The Baz 0408468041 Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

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