BMA Magazine 480 - 13 April 2016 by BMA Magazine

COVER LINE INSIDE: INFO

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

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TROYE SIVAN

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PETER HELLIER

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HENRY ROLLINS

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MUSIC FOR CANBERRA

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DICKSON TRADIES

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CANBERRA ROLLER DERBY LEAGUE

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RECORDS, GET YOUR RECORDS!

Please do not shred this magazine for Stereo #480April13 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

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

Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com

Sub-Editor Alyssia Tennant Graphic Design Chris Halloran

Greetings to you, handsome sir or madam, if I could have a moment of your time to present to you a brand new, bona fide product that carries with it the power to play music, any time of day, on any 78rpm system. The gramophone record! To celebrate this momentous day, I hereby declare that Saturday April 16 shall be 2016’s annual Record Store Day. Yes sir, I do declare this to be true. It’s a day in celebration of your local record trader, whether that fine establishment be Landspeed Records in Olde Civic Square, Songland Records by the Weston Creeke, or your closest John Barbuto Hi-Fi branch. What’s that you say, good heckler? Why would you buy this bona fide gramophone record when you can just buy music “dig-it-al-ly”? Or thief yourself an “em-pee-three”? Well I’m not familiar with those brands, my good sir, but I can assure you that this gramophone record is the genuine article. This special day in the history of music will see a selection of fine items for your listening pleasure, and for any avid collector to add to their musical inventory. Among them, Songland Records have Tame Impala’s Live Versions, Nirvana’s Pennyroyal Tea 7” single, The Rolling Stones’ self-

titled 4-track EP, The Pixies’ Indie Cindy, Abba’s Waterloo 7” single, Sex Pistols’ Never Mind The Bollocks / Here Comes … Alternate Takes (7 x 7” singles box) and the original videogame soundtrack to Scott Pilgrim vs The World by Anamanaguchi. Visit Landspeed Records and take a gander at over 2,000 quality second hand records and brand new limited editions, including The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Revolver and Let It Be... Naked (LP+7”), The Smiths’ The World Won’t Listen, Flume’s self-titled deluxe edition, Outkast’s Stankonia, Queens of the Stone Age’s self-titled debut album, Oasis’ Definitely Maybe, Taylor Swift’s 1989 and many others! Be there by 10am to snag up the crème de la crème!

GROOVIN THE MOO MOOS A LITTLE LOUDER If you’re as keen for Groovin The Moo as we all are, you probably already know that the line-up has been filled out with one half of The Ansah Brothers and Citizen Kay’s up-and-coming little bro, local wordsmith Genesis Owusu. He’ll be joined by folktronica darling Gordi with her luminous indie-pop, as well as Hockey Dad with their brand of ‘60s surf rock-inspired pop tunes. And then there’s Polish Club, a two-piece straight outta Sydney with a hot, sweaty passion for garage rock scuzz that’s turning heads everywhere. Also, don’t miss a new stage opening at this year’s GTM, The Spot, which will cover everything from beats, to house grooves, disco, juke, hip-hop, electronic, baile funk and cumbia. There you can

catch Fishing, Klue, Moonbase Commander, Set Mo, South American duo Frikstailers and triple j’s very own Hack host, Tom Tilley. Will Tom mix some Hack programs into his DJ set? We remain keen and hopeful. GTM goes down on Sunday April 24 at University of Canberra. Tickets are still available via Moshtix, visit gtm.net.au for all the deets.

SLOW TURISMO BLESS THE WORLD WITH A VIDEO If there ever was a shining gemstone in Canberra’s creek of sewerage-soaked nuggets, it would have to be Slow Turismo. True to their name, these fellas have been a slow burner – doing stuff for a little while now, but finally starting to accelerate around the bend of renown and success. The group have just released the video for their breakout single ‘Falter’. First off, if you haven’t heard this song, get off your stump, sign in to your nearest computer terminal and tune into its funky, electro, catchy-as-all-hell grooves. Then (or simultaneously) check out the video, which is a deeply cathartic animation that’s sure to make you reflect on all of your life decisions up until this point. Unfortunately, the fault of being a print magazine is that we don’t yet possess advanced enough technology to show you the video right here, right now, but if you wait until we’re printing on electronic paper in 2070, we’ll make sure to show you then. Slow Turismo are playing at Parlour on Thursday April 14.

Film Editor Emma Robinson NEXT ISSUE 481 OUT May 11 EDITORIAL DEADLINE April 29 ADVERTISING DEADLINE May 5 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.

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YOU PISSED ME OFF!

FROM THE BOSSMAN All This Talk Of Getting Old Since we last met via the medium of this publication, the wheels of time have turned and my biological clock has ticked. I am now ‘in my mid-30s’. Fortunately, I have managed to get this far without sporting a face that looks like a crab’s bus ticket, but things have changed. I was a mere 22 when a wide-eyed, knee-knocking Allan seized the BMA Editorial mantle. Equipped with wispy pube-like hair which was my face’s attempt at a beard, and precisely zero clue on how to put together a magazine, the early days were a never-ending battle to keep the head above water. Terrified though I was, there was an immense satisfaction in running a magazine at such a tender age. It was strangely enjoyable shocking people. When people I had spoken to via phone or email only came into the shoebox of an office, they would take one look at me and assume I was the work experience kid. “Errrr, hi son… Is Allan around?” “Yeah,” I would squeak. “That’s me!” “YOU’RE Allan?” they would extort. “You don’t even look old enough to have a wank!”* But as years passed and the 20s drew into the 30s, such comments faded and eventually died, to a point where people would see my increasingly weathered frame and think, ‘Yup. That’s about right’. Getting older involves an increasingly futile battle to stay relevant. You finally wrap your head around Facebook, and there’s Twitter. You finally get your Tweet game on point and there’s Instagram. Now there’s Oculus Rift to see through. A time comes when you finally give in and start getting the names of things slightly wrong.

Care to immortalise your hatred in print? Send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and see your malicious bile circulated to thousands. [All entries contain original spellings.] To the neanderthalesque knuckle-dragging cashed up more-moneythan-brains bogan fuck-brain human dick-cheeses who throttle their fucking bikes up and down Lonsdale Street every weekend like its a fucking religion to be a skid mark on the face of society - SHUT THE FUCKING FUCK UP. People don’t need your high-powered penis substitutes to rip eardrums out as you ‘look at me!’ throb your foolishly disposed of income between your legs. People live here, people eat here, people have conversations here and people are people here. No one wants a middle-aged mantoddler to start screaming for attention over everything else in the street by revving your expensive and extremely stupid toy. You didn’t feel this need to ‘cruise’ in the middle of the day when Braddon was car yards and auto shops and was actually perfect for exactly what you do now, because then there was no audience for your shit head antics. Do you think anyone wants to be rendered mute and deaf by your passing sonic boom of high-performance fuckwittery? I HAVE A BIKE BRRROOOMMM! BRRROOOM!!! Go fuck yourselves.

All this has the potential to sound grim – and I realise gassing on about ‘getting older’ when in mid-30s will make those north of 40 spit out their boiled sweets with rage – but that is far from the sentiment I intend to express. I enjoy getting old. Sure, a time will come where here-again gone-again pains bed down for the long haul, and the length of the ‘ooooof!’ sound you make when stooping to pick something up is so long and loud it could be mistaken for a foghorn. But getting older allows you to be unashamedly quirky. I’m at an age where I can wear chinos unironically. Of a weekend, I genuinely look forward to activities like gardening. Draping a blanket over my knees whilst watching my periodicals seems like a ‘great idea’. I start referring to TV shows as ‘my periodicals’. And I delight in waiting at least a couple of weeks, usually months, after the point that I should have a haircut. Only when an increasing number of concerned friends and relatives start to say things like, “Wow, your hair is … long” do I start to contemplate it. And there is great delight in wearing clothes down to a nub. Despite my wife’s desperate insistence to the contrary, I am pleasingly set for clothes. I consider it my uniform. If I started wearing new things, it would scare my daughters. I have reached the time of life where all I need do is wear out the clothes I have and never get another thing. One of the first “nice” pieces of clothing I ever bought – or, more accurately, was bought for me – was a River Island jumper from England back in, oooooooh now, let me think… 1998 I want to say. If I was operating on a rental system, that jumper would have cost me 0.75p (or some 0.20 cents) a day. That I take a kind of sick satisfaction in that is proof positive I am “old”. And that’s just the thing. Being old isn’t a place. It’s a state of mind. And a jolly fun one. So embrace it. Right, I’m off to check my Facespace page and send a Twit on my Tweeter account. ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com * they wouldn’t say this, of course, but this was actually said to a 17-going-on-18-year-old nightclub-bound Allan by a smirking English bouncer

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WHO: HAPPY AXE x GHOSTNOISES WHAT: GIG WHEN: WED APR 13 & SUN APR 17 WHERE: THE CLUB (46 NORTHBOURNE AVE) AND SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Canberra artists Happy Axe and GhostNoises join forces to deliver an ambient chamber/trip-hop with world-hip indie pop loop fusion that will in all likelihood baffle and delight audiences across the oceanic region. These first-time collaborators have developed a unique, never before heard set for the You Are Here festival. Expect pizzicato! Catch their performance at YAH hub The Club (46 Northbourne Ave) on Wednesday April 13 8pm–9pm, or Sunday April 17 8pm–9pm at Smith’s Alternative. Free.

WHO: TUKA WHAT: TOUR WHEN: FRI APR 15 WHERE: ANU BAR

Sydney-based, Blue Mountains bred, romantic party thug Tuka is embarking on his Don’t Wait Up tour with Ecca Vandal, Alphamamma and special guests. Man, I love it when they say special guests. The suspense! Tuka will be showcasing material from Life Death Time Eternal and across his entire catalogue for this tour. If that doesn’t have you sold, you better pay attention to this: this is the last solo Tuka show for some time. He’ll be jumping back in the saddle with Thundamentals for his upcoming album project. Visit tuka.net.au for ticket info.

WHO: KATIE NOONAN & THE BRODSKY QUARTET WHAT: CONCERT WHEN: SAT APR 30 WHERE: FITTERS’ WORKSHOP (CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL)

One of Australia’s most loved singers, Katie Noonan, and modern string quartet, the Brodsky Quartet, will join us at the Canberra International Music Festival for With Love and Fury. Is it Katie’s love and fury? Or someone in the string quartet? You’ll have to go along to find out. With a distinctly Australian feel, it will feature music specially commissioned by Australian composers Carl Vine, David Hirschfelder, Andrew Ford, Elena Kats and much more. Katie Noonan and the Brodsky Quartet are performing for Canberra audiences one night only! Tix from cimf.org.au.

WHO: THE WONDER YEARS WHAT: TOUR WHEN: TUE MAY 10 WHERE: THE BASEMENT

A massive triple-header, Philadelphia’s finest The Wonder Years are back on our shores in May, joined by Chicago’s Knuckle Puck and Sydney’s Our Past Days. Last September, The Wonder Years’ album No Closer to Heaven marked their highest debut to date, coming in at number nine on the Billboard charts. Cementing the quintent’s place in the pop-punk pecking order was Knuckle Puck’s long-awaited debut album last year. Our Past Days have landed every major support the genre has to offer since 2013. Tickets are available from tickets.destroyalllines.com. 18+.

WHO: MIKE CALLANDER WHAT: DJ SET WHEN: FRI MAY 13 WHERE: DIGRESS BAR & NIGHTCLUB

An innovative producer, remixer, and co-founder of Haul Music and School of Synthesis, Mike Callander is one of Australia’s most dynamic DJs. Outside the clubs, he’s been on triple j Mix Up Exclusives as both a guest and a monthly resident DJ. The Department of Late Nights presents Mike Callander; he’s doing a DJ set here in Canberra at Digress Bar, with supports B-Tham, Fourthstate, and our very own Kazuki (a.k.a. Pete O’Rourke – he does our Dance The Drop column). Tickets on the door. $15 before 11pm – $20 after.

WHO: CAROLE KING WHAT: TOUR WHEN: SAT MAY 28 WHERE: THE PLAYHOUSE

Did I hear the word ‘legend’? Carole King has a more than impressive résumé. 118 pop hits in the Billboard Top 100 Charts, four Grammy’s in one year, and more than 25 million units of her hit album Tapestry. Appreciate her fine music at The Songbook of Her Life, a must-see show for lovers of King. While she won’t actually be there, in this performance you can celebrate her life with the powerhouse vocals of Michelle Brasier, Jessica Papst and Erin Herrmann Young. Ticket prices vary from $69.90–$79.90 + bf at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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ANU BAR

MUSIQUE MAGNIFIQUE SETH ROBINSON

Photo by Erik Voake

Groovin The Moo 2016 is gearing up to be a helluva show, with headliners from all around the globe on the way to grace the pastures of our fair city. Among the best of them, Brooklyn duo RATATAT will be flying our way to rock the Groovin stage. We caught up with one half of the band, Evan Mast, to talk about life on the road after a touring hiatus, what to expect from the GTM tour, and the recent release of their fifth full-length album, Magnifique. “When we started work on Magnifique, it was with the mindset that our last two albums, LP3 and LP4 had been a departure from what we thought of as our sound,” Mast says. “They were really cool albums, with lots of new instruments and effects, but we really wanted to get back to the guitars – so that’s what this album was all about. We’ve been really into the pedal steel guitar for a while. It’s an awesome style that all these dudes were working with in the ’50s and ’60s, but it’s not really used anymore. “We recorded all over the place, here in New York, and Jamaica. We’d rent a house and take our time with it, which was a really nice change, because the last couple of albums were recorded really quickly,” he says. “The only challenge is finding places that are inspiring and fun, but not exciting to the point of being distracting.” While the album is raising eyebrows, it pales in comparison to Ratatat taking the show on the road after almost three years without touring. Now, the boys are back with a show that brings an audiovisual experience like no other to the stage. “When we got back to it originally, at that first show in Tulsa, there was always that question of whether or not we’d still have the audience. Fortunately for us, we There was always that did. We’ve played a shitload of shows all question of whether or over the place since not we’d still have the then, and they’ve all audience. Fortunately been fantastic.” for us, we did Of course, the multilayer nature of most Ratatat tracks means show planning can become a challenge for the duo. “Making it work live is always different from song to song, but we juggle things and make it work,” Mast says. “We’re also really into the production of the stage show – getting the lights and video in time with the songs. We have a holographic projection at the front of the stage some times, but unfortunately I don’t think we’ll have that with us in Australia. We’re super excited for our Australia tour, though! Every show is different, so we’re not exactly sure what to expect, but it should be awesome to check out some of the regional spots with Groovin The Moo, ’cause that’s always different to playing the big cities.”

You can catch Ratatat when GTM hits Canberra on April 24. For info and tickets visit gtm.net.au.

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WHAT MAY BRINGS RORY MCCARTNEY Alternative folk band LITTLE MAY are coming our way, touring on the back of their debut album For The Company. They have grown from an acoustic trio to a bigger band that allows them to inject indie and even some rock sensibilities. Having previously played at smaller ACT venues such as The Front Gallery & Café, they are making the jump to the ANU Bar this coming May. BMA spoke to lead guitarist Annie Hamilton about the album and the band’s background. Asked about the origin of the band’s title, Hamilton admits, “We don’t have a very good answer for that, sadly. Liz’s mum came up with it when we were trying to brainstorm names, and could not think of anything good.” The girls had no separate, prior band experience, having met up at school and started off playing covers “mainly as a social thing.” While the trio had grown up with different influences, it was the alt-folk style that came naturally to them. “The band’s style has changed over the last few years, from three of us with acoustic guitars to a full band that is a lot rockier, with drums, bass and electric guitars.”

We went into album land for five weeks and came out with this thing While Liz Drummond and Hannah Field share lead vocals, all members participate in songwriting. “Sometimes it’s really collaborative and we sit down together or work together from our separate homes via email. Other times, one of us might write a whole song, such as the few album songs Liz wrote on her own.” Song themes are a personal matter. “I like fiddling around on a guitar or a synth and coming up with a chord progression, then trying to figure out some melodies and lyrics over the top.” After putting together their EP themselves over two years, recording in their home demo spaces, the first LP was a much different experience, occurring over a solid block of time in one location. The LP was recorded in a church in upstate New York, under the guidance of Aaron Dessner from The National. “In hindsight we were a bit unprepared. We had to decide which songs would go on the album, reworking a few of them and doing more writing in the studio. We went into album land for five weeks and came out with this thing.” Dessner acted as mentor, guiding the band with support, patience and creative guidance. The venue added to the whole experience too. “It was this amazing, big, nineteenth century hall with stained glass windows. A stunning environment to work in.” Asked about her pet album track, Hamilton picks ‘Cicadas’. “I love the subtlety of the different layers of the song and how things twist in and out of it, with drumming that reminds me of fluttering cicada wings. It encapsulates the album vibe, being meditative and mysterious.” Little May, together with East and local support, will strut their stuff at the ANU Bar, Thursday May 12 at 8pm. Tickets are $22 + bf through Moshtix.

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LOCALITY

Aloha, everybody. Unfortunately, Noni is taking a break from Locality for this issue, but thankfully (or not), I’ve jumped in to fill her seat. It’s extraordinarily comfy. Probably shouldn’t get used to it. The obvious game changer this month is of course the You Are Here festival, which will most likely have already kicked off by the time you read this. On Wednesday April 13, you should get yourself along to Happy Axe x GhostNoises, two highly talented Canberra-based musicians collaborating for the first time at The Club (46 Northbourne Ave). They start at 8pm and entry is free. Stick around for Reuben Ingall at 9pm, because he’s going to play live electronic and electroacoustic music through car stereos tuned to portable FM transmitters. Then on Friday April 15, mosey on down to Everything At Once and All Together in Verity Lane. From 6pm and at no cost, you can enjoy sets from Mixtape Chorus, Julia Johnson, No Lights No Lycra, Reuben Ingall and Twin Pedals, as well as a whole selection of experimental art exhibitions. Most excitingly, on Saturday April 16, Canberra’s electro-punk supergroup Babyfreeze will play two sets on their own private micro-yacht while it cruises around Lake Burley Griffin. You probably won’t see a gig like this again anytime soon! Support acts include Handsome Luke, Trendoid and Fossil Rabbit. There’s one sold out set at 7pm, and another at 9:30pm. Tickets are just $11.44, but hurry before they sell out. To purchase them, and for everything else happening for You Are Here (there’s a lot), visit youareherecanberra.com.au.

In other news, local lads Whitefall have been making a name for themselves lately, ever since they dropped their debut EP Origins into the mix. If metalcore is your forté, drop by The Basement on Sunday April 17 where they’ll be supporting Final Frontier. Kicks off at 6pm. Or if indie pop is more your thing, there’s a cool Duck Duck Ghost gig for cool people at The Phoenix, with love and support from Sunset Dreams. That one’s on Friday April 22, with a 9pm start and cheeky $5 entry. Cool people, get amongst it. East Row Rabble are up to their old antics again, which is good news for funk, ska and blues fans. Check out the eight-piece band when they show Smith’s Alternative a good time on Saturday April 23. Starts at $10 at 9:30pm, which is also when we’ll get support from a very fine, young gentleman, the lovely Jack Biilmann. Not long after, Queanbeyan blues/rock duo The Barren Spinsters will play a spot at Transit Bar. That’s on Thursday April 28 at 8pm. Heading into May, there’s another Confluence event going down at Ainslie Arts Centre on Thursday May 12. From 7:30pm, you can catch revered local group Cracked Actor collaborate with Canberra’s own electro-acoustic violinist, Happy Axe. Entry starts at $10. That’s it from me! If you have a local music tip, drop a line by Noni at nonijdoll@gmail.com, or on Twitter @nonidoll. Seeya! ANDREW NARDI

NICHOLAS COMBE NONET

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NO PLACE LIKE HOME ZOE PLEASANTS SAFIA are on the Groovin The Moo line-up again this year, but a lot has changed since their last appearance in 2013, as triple j unearthed winners. Last year they played at Splendour in the Grass, South by Southwest and Falls Festival; they released two massive singles, ‘Counting Sheep’ and ‘Embracing Me’; toured both here and overseas; and worked on their album. I caught up with frontman Ben Woolner – whose beautiful voice helps define SAFIA’s distinctive sound – and asked him how he had found 2015. “We were pretty tired by the end of it, but a really good year – a lot of milestones achieved.”

When we play in Canberra, it’s very close-knit. We look out into the crowd and know a lot of people!

Both of SAFIA’s singles were released in Australia while the band were touring overseas, so they didn’t know how they’d been received. “We knew radio was playing them and there was a lot of support, but we couldn’t really gauge what the reaction was,” said Woolner. “So when our booking agent started booking all these big venues [for the Australian tour] we were like, ‘What are you doing? We’re not going to fill them. This is going to be really bad!’” They needn’t have worried – the tour sold-out. “It was a big surprise,” said Woolner, “we really didn’t know it was coming. It was a lot of fun – a really cool year.” Woolner and bandmates Michael Bell and Harry Sayers are now relaxing at home in Canberra, finishing off their record. “We all love Canberra, especially after travelling around so much, it’s such a chilled place and we’ve got really good friends here,” Woolner said. “It’s a really good place to write music without distractions. I think that is helping the writing process move along.” I asked Woolner how that process worked. “I suppose every song is different,” he said. “Because we produce and mix ourselves, our songs build over time. Some of our songs are two-and-a-half years old. We might get a song to a certain stage where we think we’ve finished it and then come back a few weeks later and not like bits, so rewrite it and end up with the same sort of song but with a different feel. It’s a very organic process.” Woolner loves the Groovin The Moo festival. “It’s got such a good vibe,” he said. “It really does feel like a festival where the crowd is more about the music than the party. Obviously the party’s there too, but it does feel like a very music-centric festival.” He’s looking forward to catching Ratatat, Danny Brown and SAFIA’s mates Boo Seeka: “They’re amazing, it’s going to be good to see them in front of a big festival crowd.” And of course, there will be something special about playing in Canberra. “When we play in Canberra, it’s very close-knit. We look out into the crowd and know a lot of people!” Groovin The Moo is on Sunday April 24 at the University of Canberra. For tickets and more info, visit gtm.net.au.

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ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RISING SUN DAN BIGNA In the acclaimed music documentary series Dancing in the Street, ERIC BURDON recounts as a youth writing out the words ‘blues forever’ in his own blood. This gesture was an act of devotion never wavering over a long musical career that has encompassed a string of superb recordings with THE ANIMALS, such as the superb

The blues is at the roo arrangement of ‘House of the Rising Sun’ and of everything ‘When I Was Young’ from the band’s second incarnation. Notable solo efforts include the 2013 album ‘Til Your River Runs Dry. The Animals had been part of a wave of English bands in the mid-1960s, including The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and Them, who introduced white American audiences to the raw excitement of blues music. This was assisted by Burdon’s powerfully sexual voice and visceral covers of classics like John Lee Hooker’s Boom, Boom. I ask Burdon if his connection to the blues remains as strong as in the early days of The Animals. “The blues is at the root of everything,” he says. “Whatever I do musically, the blues is the foundation. Much of my career has been a shout out to the greats in the blues tradition, from Sonny Boy Williamson to John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton and Elmore James to Bo Diddley. Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in tributes to Lead Belly, one of the great pioneers of the entire singer/songwriter tradition. The connection only gets deeper with time.” In the early days, Burdon was driven to not merely check out blues greats touring the UK but to share stages with them. He recalls as a young man walking past the Town Hall in the English city of Newcastle and hearing Muddy Waters’ voice booming out as he rehearsed for a gig. Burdon quickly understood this is what he wanted to do and many highlights followed. “There are many moments scattered throughout my career that I’ve really enjoyed,” he says. “Having the pleasure of sharing the stage and jamming with so many different, great artists – just recently at Royal Albert Hall with Van Morrison. I got to perform and record with Sonny Boy Williamson early in my career. I really enjoyed working with The Chieftains in Ireland. Later on, Jimmy Witherspoon became like a brother to me. He came into my life at a time when I had lost my friend, Jimi Hendrix, and helped return me to my blues roots.” Given the substantial legacy, it is very exciting that Eric Burdon is returning to Canberra next month. What can audiences expect? “I like trying out new things and giving the old songs a new twist,” he says. “I’ve been working with a new bunch of musicians who are young, energetic and truly enthusiastic. We’ve been working out songs I’d wanted to try for years and breathing new life into the classics. There will be a lot of surprises and it will be very fresh, both for the audience and for me.” See Eric Burdon rock the blues with The Animals when they play at Canberra Theatre on Friday May 13. Tickets can be purchased via Ticketek.

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THE REALNESS While this column is generally about bringing the positive vibes, it is with a heavy heart that I sit down to write this month’s Realness. While I know you’ve all seen it written elsewhere, I’d like to take a minute to acknowledge the passing of Phife-Dawg who was, without a doubt, one of the most influential rappers of all time. There’s always been something about A Tribe Called Quest which has meant, for twenty years or more, they’ve served as the perfect introduction into the world of hip-hop for so many people (myself included). I don’t know if it was the jazzy-fresh riddims, the lyrical

skills or likeability of Phife and Tip on the mic, or whether they were markedly less offensive than the stereotypical image of rappers in the nineties, but something about them made hip-hop feel universal. Listening to Phife, Tip and Ali do their thing in the days following Phife’s death, I realised that the reason that ATCQ touched so many people wasn’t because of their prodigious talent, but because the things they sang about were real (and sometimes gibberish). They were real and gibberish for everyone, not just if you lived in a certain area or had a certain colour of skin. I guess it makes sense, after all, Phife did like them brown, yellow, Puerto Rican and Haitian … But you didn’t come here for a eulogy, you probably just came here to find out what’s going on this month. Well, let me tell you that Tuka is once again returning to Canberra on Friday April 15. Still touring in support of Life Death Time Eternal, expect something different this time around as Tuka will be performing reimagined renditions of songs from the album. Tix are thirty bucks + bf and can be copped from Ticketek at your leisure. Can’t forget the big one – Groovin the Moo will be travelling around the country soon enough and the whole kit and caboodle will be setting up in our neck of the woods on Sunday April 24. If you’re into benders, you’re best off starting your weekend properly on Saturday April 23 when LTC and Tak-Un-Da take the helm at the GTM warm-up party at UC’s The Well. Free entry. While it was a huge loss with mid-week news that Vic Mensa has had to pull out, there’s still plenty on offer at GTM proper with Danny Brown, Drapht, Illy, Remi and The Meeting Tree rounding out the big-name acts. Local men Genesis Owusu and LTC have also been selected to join the roster so, provided you didn’t go hammer and tongs the night before, make sure you get in early to watch them do their thing and support the scene.

BRADY MCMULLEN realness.bma@gmail.com

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ALAN HILVERT-BRUCE 2004. Australian hip-hop music is everywhere. Out of this scene springs CASUAL PROJECTS (a.k.a. Cas-P), eight musicians fusing jazz and hip-hop. MCs rocking instruments. Canberra’s response to The Roots.

“The crowd knew it was our final hometown show, and they brought the most incredible energy. I remember walking off stage and just looking at the other guys stunned. It was everything we aimed for as a band.”

Rise (2004–2005)

Canberra farewelled Cas-P, convinced that they would see the same level of success in Melbourne. However, the move ultimately signified the beginning of the end. Although they played some great gigs and won new fans, they didn’t make the same impact on the Melbourne scene.

On electronic devices, some buttons are more important than others. In early 2004, an incorrect button push ended a band and planted the seed of a new one. Munro Melano (vox, piano) spent an entire weekend recording demos with his new hip-hop group. The mini-disc decided to not recognise their efforts, instead opting to delete the recordings and remove the fun from the group. Both the group and the mini-disc were discontinued shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, Julian Abrahams (guitar, vox) was hanging out with his mates. “My first recollection was hanging out with Pat (vox) and Muchtar (vox), we were drinking and they were messing around freestyling while I was playing funk grooves on an acoustic guitar,” Julian remembers. “We were just drunk 20-year-olds having a laugh, but the vibe was really good. I was thinking about how cool it would have been to have a full band behind that energy.” Julian hit up Munro to ask if he wanted another shot at this hip-hop thing. As jazz school students, they knew a lot of musicians. A line-up quickly formed. Cas-P’s first gig was in June 2004, at the University of Canberra’s Battle of the Bands. “We lost. We sucked.” Undeterred, Cas-P worked relentlessly on their music and their live show. They polished their act in private, preparing for what they consider to be their first “real gig”: a benefit to keep the much-loved venue Toast open. Through the fragility of singers, and a bit of luck, they played a headline show to 200 people.

“Some moved north, some moved to surf. Kinda made it hard to rehearse,” Munro explains. Julians chimes in, “We gave it a shot. The big city got the best of us.” They both agree that the band would have ended regardless of the move. Fall (2010–2011) Six years is a long time to focus on a single genre of music, and the move to a larger city inspired the members of Cas-P to explore outside of hip-hop. Within a year of moving to Melbourne, several side projects sprung from the Cas-P camp. Muchtar (vox) explored alt-pop, fronting Mighty Sun. Yen (drums) was developing his skills behind the studio desk. Munro branched out as a solo artist. Julian and Nick (vox, trombone, keys) whipped out their acoustic guitar and banjo to see what they could do. And then those side projects started seeing success. Yen became a skilled producer and audio engineer, also fronting folk-tronica band Mechanical Pterodactyl. Munro earned slots at the Apollo Bay and Fest La Frog music festivals. Julian and Nick enlisted Yen to record and mix their first album, and Munro to pen songs for their second album. Their project is the now ARIA-nominated Mustered Courage, one of Australia’s premiere bluegrass bands.

I remember walking off stage and just looking at the other guys stunned

“Everyone came to Toast to see our friend’s band play – but due to the singer being sick they cancelled on the night,” Munro recalls. “It was too late. They’d pulled a big crowd, and we played our first gig like we were headlining.” Cas-P had arrived.

Forward one year to their debut album launch. Urthboy & Ozi Batla (of The Herd fame) sign up as the support act. Five hundred people showed up to celebrate the release. Despite the language barrier, the CD sells a number of copies in Japan. Peak (2006–2009) You couldn’t get bigger in Canberra than Casual Projects. Two hundred-person crowds at every gig; each a crazy party. A live performance on Mornings with Kerri-Anne. Support slots with Architecture in Helsinki, Blue King Brown and Alex Lloyd. 2008 saw the release of their second album No Rest, drawing 800 people to its launch. Singles from the album receive airplay on Channel V. 2009. After seemingly doing everything that a Canberra band could do, Cas-P makes the decision to move to Melbourne, which they see as the next logical step in their journey. Their parting gift to Canberra is a performance at the Corinbank Festival, one that Munro considers to be the best gig they ever had.

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Once the focus of their artistic endeavours, Casual Projects itself became a casual project. “We wanted to commit to other projects, and we realised that our desire to create another live hip-hop album had moved,” Munro says. “When we started the band, we loved the versatility and excitement of our sound, but as we progressed, it became clear that we all individually had genres that we wanted to explore more thoroughly. Musically, I think it was for the best.” There was no discussion within the band about the ending. There was no meeting. It was just as their new bands were picking up that they stopped prioritising Cas-P. They decided that they weren’t going to put on shows if they weren’t excited about their new material. With that, Cas-P played their final gig on May 21st, 2011. “I don’t think I’ll ever get to play in a band as physically high in energy again, and with as strong a sense of excitement,” Munro remembers, fondly. Author’s note: Much thanks to Munro and Julian for sharing their memories with me. Your gigs as Cas-P were absolutely amazing and represent some of my happiest memories. Thanks guys.

MIKE CALLANDER

DANCE THE DROP

The weather might be cooling down, but our club scene certainly isn’t, with heaps on over the next few weeks. If it’s a Thursday night, you can be guaranteed that Honeysuckle will be at Digress Bar with some very danceable beats. On Thursday April 14, they’ll have Playful Sound all night, with Paleman (UK) and Letabruthaknow (Sydney – and seriously check out this dude’s stuff, it’s really cool) the following week. On Thursday April 28, Groove Club will take over. Free entry except for special Lunar dates... If you’re a fan of both tropical house and nu-disco, definitely go and check out Touch Sensitive at Mr Wolf on Friday April 15. Supports includes Nay Nay, Skinny and Yoyo. If high-powered EDM is more your thing, Tigerlily will be appearing at Academy that same night. On Saturday April 16, Pickle Presents Beautiful Swimmers at their next party held in a ‘Woden Valley Sweat House’ (wherever that may be!). More details and tickets on Resident Advisor. Wednesday April 20 sees Jauz (USA) pack out Academy with his trademark electro house and EDM sounds – I wouldn’t be surprised if this event hasn’t already sold out by the time you guys read this! Enschway, Blanke, Exposure, and Jake Raven in support. Well, this weekend is just massive, isn’t it? On Friday April 22, Spenda C will appear with his big-room trap sounds at Mr Wolf. Support includes Nay Nay, Drews Lost Boys, and Hudak. At Academy, Rojdar, Jesse James & J-Heasey will bring the mash-up party vibes.

MIKE CALLANDER

On Saturday April 23 there’s some local bass music action with Low Down at the tiny but happening LoBrow Gallery and Bar in the city. Xujih, DJ HRH, Biscuit Bytes and Moonstompa will bring the vibes. Gay Cliché returns to Transit Bar that night, with all the right house and party tunes courtesy of Cheese, Nay Nay, Victoria Mean and Megan Bones. Also that Saturday, Box Cutter teams up with Digress Bar to bring you some analogue techno and weird beats with Massimiliano Pagliara (Berlin), Mall Grab, Andy Garvey and Champion Ruby. I had no idea who any of these acts were when writing this column, but as with all Box Cutter’s parties, they seem to be of top quality! Check Resident Advisor for details. Finally on Sunday April 24 (after Groovin the Moo) Journalist and DJ Tom Tilley from triple j’s Hack (he’s also a bass player in the electro band Client Liaison) is gracing the decks at Mr Wolf. Should be awesome fun, but if you prefer your sounds a bit harder, Hard Envy is back at Cube with a solid line-up including Bizzle, Cassie Bear, Incision, Back to Basics, Nasty and Capital Punishment. It’s another Wednesday gig but so what, because Bristol’s DnB king Om Unit (UK) will be at True Vibes and Uni-vibes’ next gig at La De Da on April 27. Local supports from Nigiri, Deaf Cat, Faux Real, DJHRH, and Not Quite Disco. Friday April 29 will see Human Movement at Mr Wolf – plenty of dark techno and bass heavy tunage to please your ears! Supports include Alex York, Bakgat and Everest. Also that night, partystarter veterans Bombs Away are at Academy. On Friday May 6, 1Up are bringing some full-on psytrance and techno sounds to Reload Bar. Join Ngarkotix, Biscuit Bytes, Heartbeat and Loose Cannon, while both Silicon Slave as well as San and Tac from New Caledonia both launch their new albums – massive! Also that night Bixel Boys (USA) are appearing at Mr Wolf with their bass-heavy house sounds, while Melbourne duo SCNDL spin some bounce at Academy as part of their ‘Meant to Be’ tour!

PETER ‘KAZUKI’ O’ROURKE contact@kazuki.com.au

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ANGELA CHRISTIAN-WILKES Over the phone, Alex Sholler of ALISON WONDERLAND pretty much mirrors the persona she presents on social media: laidback, honest and quick to laugh at herself. However, it’s her work ethic and passion that dominate our conversation. The DJ, producer and singer-songwriter currently divides her time between America and Australia. This April, she will spring back across Australia with touring festival Groovin The Moo, before playing a coveted spot at triple j’s One Night Stand. The event, taking place in Geraldton, will be broadcast on the radio station. This nationwide audience contrasts with the numbers at her earlier gigs, although Sholler is quick to point out that she “can play to fifty people and then to 50,000 people and still feel the same.” Her 2013 SXSW gig was one such show that verged on the smaller side. “I don’t think anyone gave a shit apart from – actually, anyone really, about what I was doing,” she says of the time. “So I went over there and played the show, and there were three people there.” This year, Sholler returned to the monster music conference. “I got to play at the Funny Or Die party. Not as a showcase, just as a guest and it was definitely different to 2013!”

The record is her most personal project to date. “I wanted to write this album that was songs, not just club jams, because the way I write is not like a song-producer. I write like a song-writer … I didn’t want to do anything that was not honest with myself as an artist. It was a big risk to take, because it is super honest – it’s like my diary. People can read it and listen to it and they’ll figure it out pretty quickly.” Sholler isn’t wrong. Her vocals on Run lead a clear narrative. The frustration of ‘Games’, the desperation of ‘U Don’t Know’, the brutal simplicity of ‘Naked’ – emotional catharsis seems to be the game here. This is perfectly summarised when she states to an unseen subject on ‘Take Me To Reality’ that, “The only way you’ll know/ What’s really not for show/ Is if you hear my verses.” On the rawness of Run, Wonderland says “I’m really glad I did do that, because I know that even in ten years I can look back and say ‘that was from a real place. It wasn’t me trying to be relevant. It was literally me trying to be sane.’” The release of Run in America preceded Wonderland’s first American show (Coachella, as you do) and she went straight to the top of the Billboard EDM charts. Although she has every right to brag, her recollection of events instead comes from a place of appreciation and slight disbelief, saying “I just didn’t really expect any of that stuff to happen.”

Whilst the momentum building around Wonderland only recently reached boiling point, her history with music is extensive. “I was writing music in eighth grade. I went to a music school, so I was composing I’m a perfectionist when stuff as part of that for a long time. it comes to music and Actually, the first song I ever wrote was I’m not when it comes about Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins.” At this point, she dissolves to anything else, like into laughter, before revealing “I told him cleaning my room! when I met him!” Leaving behind her career in classical music, she directed her creative energy towards making electronic dance music. Not only Australia but also America and the UK sat up and started listening. “Everything I did really early on to push my music overseas came from the mix with Diplo and Friends,” Sholler says. During her slot on the BBC Radio 1 show, she snuck in the then-unreleased ‘I Want U’ single a week prior to its release on SoundCloud and YouTube. It turns out the single – with Wonderland’s urgent vocals and the slick drop – was catapult material. “It got onto number 1 on Hype Machine for as long as it can be at number 1. That was when labels and booking agents overseas started noticing what I was doing and I started getting approached.” Despite releasing her EP Calm Down, Wonderland was still brimming with creative – and emotional – energy. “I sat down over a few months and wrote an album because I was feeling quite crazy at the time and a lot of things were changing for me. Run came out six months later. Maybe six? Look, please don’t quote me on times because everything was a blur.”

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“When I was given opportunities, I really didn’t take anything for granted and I still don’t. I’m so appreciative,” she continues. “I’m a perfectionist when it comes to music and I’m not when it comes to anything else, like cleaning my room! When it comes to music, all those opportunities drove me to work harder and harder instead of becoming complacent, and honestly that’s because I’ve been at it for so long. “It’s so nice talking to an Australian journalist about it again, because you guys have known what I’ve been about for way longer than the rest of the world,” she confides. “It’s cool. You get it … American journalists will be like ‘she’s new, up and coming, it happened really quickly’. I’m like ‘wow, you have no idea how long it’s taken me!’” It’s these long hours, the late-night shows/early morning flight combos, the 22-date tours that have kept Wonderland rooted in reality. “I’m really grateful that I did the work for it, because I think when you work really hard for something, you don’t really change. You stay grounded … I don’t feel any different.” Catch Alison Wonderland at Groovin the Moo at the University of Canberra on Sunday April 24. Tickets are $102.90 + bf. If you can’t make it, tune in to Triple J on Saturday April 9 to hear her One Night Stand set.

METALISE The transition to the colder months has been significantly eased with a bunch of tours announced in recent weeks to look forward too. There’s also a heap of great releases stacking up to keep your ears warm and wallets empty. Death metal giants Immolation announced a tour in support of their new album Kingdom of Conspiracy this September. The label spiel on the record is that this is the “…fastest, most menacing and grim offering the band have ever released,” which is a big call for the creators of Dawn of Possession. We will get a chance to judge the menace and grimness for ourselves at the Manning Bar on Saturday September 24, with special guests to be announced. Not so far away and also at the Manning Bar, at the other end of the spectrum of heaviness from the breakneck brutality of Immolation, is a killer double header from the USA’s Weedeater and the UK’s Conan. North Carolina’s sludge lords always bring a killer live show and inject a sense of celebration to their down-and-dirty, sludgedriven insanity. Conan damn near collapsed the Basement last year with their punishing guitars tuned down to Z in the backroom. The band have been through a line-up change with a new drummer since that tour, and the Liverpool three-piece have already delivered one of 2016’s heaviest slabs in the form of the excellent Revengeance. That show lands at the Manning on Friday July 15.

The Levitation Hex launch their new album Cohesion Friday April 15 at Transit Bar, and you’ll not find a more aptly titled record this year. The first album sowed the seeds of a great collaboration between two of Australia’s great technical metal bands Alchemist and Alarum, but this album really demonstrates an individual musical growth. Perhaps the most pleasing aspect for me is taking full advantage of the twin vocal approach from Adam (guitars/ vox/keys) and Mark (bass/vox), who were the vocalists for the aforementioned bands. The production is crystal clear, heavy and crisp. It’s unrelentingly aggressive but maintains catchy melody lines and succinct slaps of solos from guitarist Scott Young throughout. Ben Hocking (also of locals Aeon of Horus) also puts in a great performance behind the kit, which displays a maturity in his playing for me. I’ll get a full review in next issue when I’ve had a chance to soak in the goodness a bit more, but get out there and support the lads ’cause it was recorded in Farrer with all the polish of a modern European prog metal classic, great stuff. Get to the launch with Imperilment and Red Bee! JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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SCOTT ADAMS Formed in 2011, Brisbane prog collective CALIGULA’S HORSE are just now starting to reap the rewards of half a decade of hard work, as they commence what they call “the most extensive tour” of Australia the band has undertaken. Since they’re definitely one of the best young acts Australia has to offer, we here at BMA were happy to chat with the band’s affable singer Jim Grey as the horse gets ready to hit the tour trail again… You’ve said that this is the biggest tour you’ve undertaken – you’re definitely moving up the ladder. Is it daunting when the time comes to take each next step upwards or are you excited about the progression? “It does feel good, but I feel that it’s sort of the bare minimum for us. We set a standard for ourselves where we don’t do anything for no reason. The tour on the back of ‘Turntail’, which is one of my favourite songs on the album – the new clip for it comes out next week – builds up the momentum, and I think each next step should really be leading to somewhere a little bit bigger, or more exciting and I think that’s what we’re doing.” How far can you go in Australia? How big can heavy rock bands be in 2016? Is the market still there for bands that just want to tour here or do you think you have to go away, play overseas, then come back to keep that interest bubbling away?

and sound engineer – is that very much part of the Caligula’s Horse package? Are those guys just as important as the blokes playing the instruments and doing the singing? “Yes. When you think about it, that list is the live incarnation of the band. Where the music comes from is me and Sam [Vallen, lead guitar] writing together, and Zac [Greensill, guitar] as well. That’s where the music is written, but live, of course, Ruwen [Sena, sound] and Will [Hunter, lights] are part of that,” Grey affirms. “I don’t like going anywhere without them. Because their confidence in and understanding of our mission statement, and of us personally and musically, means that all of our live performances go off without a hitch. I love those guys and they are definitely full-time members of the band.” So how difficult is it to tour abroad maybe without your own sound and lighting men? “We had that experience at the end of last year when we toured with [Norwegian avant-metallers] Shining. There were three bands on the tour bus so there wasn’t any room for our crew. And whilst our experience was that the average house sound engineer in Europe is probably a cut above their Australian counterpart, it was still a risky business for us and we weren’t comfortable at all!”

People see you coming home from touring overseas and say, ‘Oh, you’re legit now!’

“I think definitely the latter for bands in the progressive rock and metal scene; for rock bands in general, I don’t know. I know that there’s a really healthy alternative music scene in Australia on the back of support from radio stations like triple j, but that’s a particular sound. You notice that a lot of Australian bands share a similar sound and they are part of a scene that’s fairly ephemeral, so they are around and touring for a couple of years, working hard and then they’re gone,” he says. “I think if you want longevity as a band, then you’re right – you have to spread your wings a little bit, go overseas and garner new audiences and try and grow them as much as possible. Legitimacy overseas is what’s required to gain legitimacy in Australia for some reason. People see you coming home from touring overseas and say, ‘Oh, you’re legit now!’ It’s a really strange thing.”

I think that’s always been the way, and not just in Australia. There’s something about getting off your arse and heading overseas that seems to demand respect. “Yes. At least it shows you’re willing to get up and pour all your money down a hole.” When I was researching this interview, I noted from your Facebook page that you list as members of the band your lighting designer

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How did that tour go? You’re a very different band to Shining, aren’t you?

“Yeah! That was chaos! It’s funny. We were very different musically to Shining, but we all got along very well. What I found interesting were the differences rather than any similarities between the two bands. Both bands are playing to the left of centre; we’re not playing radio rock and certainly neither are they, and we were more melodic as opposed to their more aggressive, industrial style but both sounds come from a high level of musicianship and song-writing,” he says. “When we played to bigger audiences such as Utrecht in the Netherlands and Budapest in Hungary, there was just a big love across the crowd for all three of the bands. I guess we were saying the same thing in different languages…” Anything else BMA readers should know before they come out and see you on the tour? “Get drunk. I love it when our fans get amongst it, cut loose and have a good time. Everyone enjoys shows differently, and that’s fine, but my favourite thing is having a big, physical, sweaty conversation with the fans. So get amongst it, come see us, come hang out.” Come and see Caligula’s Horse on Saturday April 16 at The Basement. Tickets are available for purchase at wildthingpresents.oztix.com.au.

I know I’ve been writing mostly criticisms (mostly constructive) of the Canberra punk scene and I know how boring that must be for all of you, and I’d like to issue a formal non-apology. I’m not sorry and I don’t feel any burning urge to end this. That being said, despite the early autumn cold, lately I’ve been feeling the warm glow of pride in our little snow globe city. I’m proud because I’ve been speaking to people involved in the music industry,

in bands and behind the scenes who have worked in Canberra, sound technicians from Sydney, small-time artists from Newcastle and Wollongong, local legends and Melbourne supergroups, and they all agree that the music community in Canberra is one of the nation’s most well-hidden piñatas. Once you beat your way through the hardened papier-mâché of roundabouts and public servants, you get a sweet shower of incredibly talented musicians, committed and knowledgeable fans, hardworking organisers and labels heavily involved with all of the above. Recently we had a few mind-blowing US punk bands play in Canberra (Crazy Spirit, Hank Wood & The Hammerheads, etc.) who have spread word that their Canberra shows were some of the best they played in Australia. They’ve encouraged other bands not to overlook us, and that’s amazing – not only does it help to create musical diversity, it also gives credit to the people that work so hard to make shows happen and the scene thrive. Good on you, Canberra. So here’s a couple of shows to make any punk Mum proud: First up on Thursday April 14, where else but the golden Phoenix Pub would hold such a classic Canberra punk line-up? With Deep Heat launching their new LP, they have some of the best supports in the state, including Bobby Kill, Passive Smoke and Agency. Fresh-faced Final Frontier on their East Coast tour bring a taste of hardcore punk to us with Sydneybased Boardwalks on Sunday April 17. They’re joined by locals Whitefall and the incredibly talented newcomers Kid Presentable. It’s a Sunday night, but not to be missed. On Tuesday April 19, 110 Macarthur Avenue (a.k.a. Lacklustre HQ) is blessed with New Zealand-sent angels Seth Frightening, I.E. Crazy, Hospital Sports and Warming Hall. They’re all more than worthy of a warm ACT welcome, so don’t miss out on the workday action. Speaking of NZ angels, in THE VERY SAME WEEK on Thursday April 21, you have the chance to experience a truly heavenly set at the Phoenix, brought to you by Carb On Carb, who are back in the country and better than ever with shoegaze’s biggest sweethearts Mind Blanks and the ever-dreamy Passive Smoke. If you’re looking for something with a little more punch in the face, the legendary King Parrot will be living up to the label of royalty by melting eardrums and brains alike at the Basement in Belconnen on the very same Thursday night. RUBY TURNNIDGE rubymaudet@gmail.com

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bought some equipment

We man and, handily, personal for a different purpose and trainer, Nick Delatovic – and discovered its ability to processing and manipulating capture some sounds of the the resulting sounds. body really clearly Composer and musician E.B. Kerr, also know as Liberty, answered some questions about the show. Can you give us a brief overview of your musical background?

BODY ROCK, Y’ALL

I’ve been a musician and sound engineer most of my life, beginning in punk rock bands in the ‘80s. I’ve also done a lot of sound design and composition for theatre, film and dance using a combination of generated and found sounds, programmed, sample driven music and live improvised instrumentation. I play guitar and cello and create music and soundscapes that explore the tension between organic/analogue sounds and digital manipulation. Until recently, I had no formal music training and in the last five or so years I’ve been making up for this, undertaking private study in music theory and compositional notation. How did you formulate the idea for the show?

PETER KRBAVAC One of the more esoteric musical additions to this year’s YOU ARE HERE program is COMPOSITION FOR AMPLIFIED BODY PARTS. As the name suggests, the performance involves wiring up a human body – in this case, that of former YAH producer, general renaissance

This piece was originally conceived by Barbara Clare and myself after we bought some equipment for a different purpose and discovered its ability to capture some sounds of the body really clearly. What form will the performance take – is it you as the musician and someone else as the ‘instrument,’ as it were? There is an instrument (the body that will be heard), a player who taps into the body with various devices (Barbara Clare), and myself as composer/ conductor who sends instructions to both the player and the instrument and mixes the live feed of the sounds, adding digital and analogue manipulations. Could you briefly explain how the body in question will be miced up for the show? Nick will be amplified via a combination of contact microphones, medical monitors and dopplers of different frequencies. These are applied in various ways and the outcomes can be quite unpredictable. How much of the performance will actually be ‘composed’ – is there a fair degree of improvisation involved? There is a written ‘score’ for the player and the instrument to follow which indicates a series of gestures and tests designed to elicit responses from the instrument, which generate sounds. I then have a set of parameters for myself that limit the ways I can manipulate the sounds. The rest is given over to whatever will occur within this particular iteration. The way we respond to the sounds will be very much shaped by the sounds themselves and because these are not fully predictable, the space and time of the piece always remains open to its own machinations, an element of improvisation and experimentation. Composition for Amplified Body Parts will take place at the Ralph Wilson Theatre, Gorman Arts Centre on Thursday April 14 from 8pm. Entry is free.

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CODY ATKINSON Once a harmless trend amongst slackers and louses, being late has recently spread to musicians. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?! Now instead of playing music for (a little bit of) your hard-earned, artists are now ... playing music for your hard earned ONLY A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE DAY! Cody Atkinson questions this scourge that has the potential to bring an end to society as we know it. This column is really about people being late? Haven’t you heard? It is the scourge of our TIMES! BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY! Huh? Didn’t you read how EVIL it was that Madonna was late for her shows in Australia? Wait, that rings a bell… It should, over 600 articles were written about Madonna’s lateness in Australia. SIX HUNDRED FUCKING ARTICLES. The story was covered in media outlets across the world, quoting fans and their opinions of the event. Did Madonna being late for a couple of shows really need 600+ articles discussing the impact? And one more right here. No, it didn’t. Tonnes of “important shit” happens in the world every day that doesn’t get one column inch devoted to it. And by “important shit” I mean “literally anything else” – even the story of how my mate Steve’s uncle paid for his electricity bill at the post office last week. To be fair, the story of Steve’s uncle paying his power bill is a timeless classic… Watch out for the Ridley Scott adaptation coming this summer to a cinema near you.

Wait, the audience can be late too? Where will the madness end? I know, right? People rarely ever turn up to the opening act, even if they are starting late. They figure a show will start late, factor that in and still decide to turn up halfway through the night. You know, because three hours of music is too much of a commitment for people. To be honest, it’s probably a fair reason for shows to start late, because no one turns up on time for the shows to actually start. It’s a vicious cycle, and will end up with a show scheduled to start next Friday night finishing sometime in 2019. Wait, can you be late for other things too? OF COURSE! There’s always someone coming into the cinema late (full disclosure: it was me – it’s always me), or the theatre or the footy. Fuck, one of the classiest things you can be late to is the opera. “Oh, pardon me, but my horse and carriage got held up on the passageway. Can you pass me my monocle, South London accent and hearing horn?” Those were some bad stereotypes right there? Yeah, it got a bit lazy near the end, but the point stands – people are often late to nearly everything all of the time. We should all get a watch, and set it like fifteen minutes ahead so we don’t seem so slack. Human beings are pretty bad at telling time in general, and pretty bad at adhering to expectations around it.

People are often late to nearly everything all of the time

So how did the Madonna faithful react? They weren’t too fucking happy. Some asked for refunds. Others merely complained to the plethora of journalists who had nothing better to do than collect quotes on how Madonna was late for her gig. And they say journalism is dying. I hate to perpetuate a stereotype… Go on. But don’t a lot of gigs run late? Yes, yes they do. In fact, I’d say more than half of the gigs I’ve ever been to have started later than their advertised time, and a fair proportion of that significantly later. Oh my god, the lateness has spread! THE LATENESS HAS SPREAD! Bands have been late literally for ever. The Beatles were doing the late thing over fifty years ago. And more recently other big pop acts have been late too – pretty much all of them at one point

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or another. Punk time is about 15 minutes late. Being late isn’t a thing. All the cool kids are doing it. They even call it “fashionably late”. It’s the only time I’ve ever been called “fashionably” anything. Hell, most punters do it.

So why the fuss over Madonna coming on stage late?

I HAVE NO IDEA. She was pretty late, like two-and-a-half hours late, but on the other hand she was playing in Brisbane. Waiting in the crowd at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre is still one of the best things to do there on a weeknight. But I guess the broader lesson is that people probably should have expected that she might have been late, given that she’d often been late in the past and almost everyone is always late for everything. She was just better at being late than most. Madonna’s late game is on fleek. So would you have waited two-and-a-half hours to watch Madonna? No, but I wouldn’t have gone in the first place. There are bands I’d wait around in a bar for a couple of hours to see – fuck, I do it on a weekly basis. While I understand that most people have lives not revolving around being an alcoholic in pubs listening to music, I think most people have a devotion that they are willing to suffer anticipation burden to enjoy, whether it be the release of a book or film, or a new episode of a weekly TV show. Not everyone would have been able to put their lives on hold to wait those extra couple of hours due to circumstances relating to real life, but if something’s worth seeing it’s probably also worth seeing two hours late.

E X H I B I T I O N I S T ARTS | ACT

YOU ARE HERE SHARONA LIN

Photo by Adam Thomas

Speaking to Vanessa Wright and Adelaide Rief, the managing producers of experimental arts festival YOU ARE HERE, is refreshing. They’re both deeply involved in Canberra’s arts scene, and they talk about it with a fierce devotion that kind of makes you want to be an artist, just so you can be a part of it. I’m not very good at art, but luckily, that’s not a prerequisite for attending You Are Here. In fact, it’s entirely probable that you’ll accidentally enjoy some of the art offered in the festival. Pieces of art will be on display on the median strip of Northbourne Avenue, on billboards, in the Canberra Museum, and even a private house (not a random private house – they’re artists, not criminals). The festival of experimental arts and culture presents work primarily by ACT artists, or artists with a strong connection to the ACT. The works are “predominantly new work created for the festival,” Adelaide says, with the festival encouraging a collaborative community and “lots of interdisciplinary work.” There’s a big audience for arts in Canberra, as evidenced by the dearth of arts and culture-based festivals that run every year, as well as the smaller events. “There are a lot of people who have day jobs and who are also very involved in arts,” Vanessa says, and the small size of the city means that the community is very connected. “It’s a place where artists can take risks with their work.” It’s important for a city to have art, they explain: “It really changes the way you see your city.” About 10,000 people attended You Are Here last year, but it’s hard to judge real numbers when so much of the festival is public and free to access. A big question is the matter of pay. Several festivals have been stung in the media for not paying their artists properly, and it’s an ongoing issue for the creative industry. Vanessa is proud to tell me that You Are Here does pay artists, and has since its beginnings in 2011 as part of the Centenary of Canberra. “It’s a core value of the festival,” she says: “It’s really important to us to pay our people as much as possible.” “We also try to provide additional support to make up for the fact we’re not paying professional rates,” Adelaide adds. The festival helps artists with venues, marketing, documentation and professional development, which is helpful as they feature a broad range of work: from very polished pieces to the other end of the spectrum. “Hopefully,” Adelaide says, everything is “compelling and engaging.”

It’s also good to note that almost all the events are free, so the unsure are able to go along and dip their toes into the proverbial pond of Canberran experimental art. The best place to start is the central festival hub at 46 Northbourne Avenue, called The Club. Volunteers there will be able to provide advice and programs for people unsure about what to try. 46 Northbourne might be better known to some locals as where North Bar used to live before the closure of several clubs in the precinct. The choice of venue is deliberate: “We try and take unused spaces, or overlooked spaces, and use them,” explains Adelaide. “A lot of our events take place in unexpected places, and public places,” Vanessa says. That includes a dog park in O’Connor, on a boat on Lake Burley-Griffin, in a laneway, and as mentioned earlier, on the median strip of Northbourne Avenue, where, for fans of dance, Canberra born and bred dancer James Batchelor will be exploring the relationship between the body and constructed urban environments through a conceptual dance featuring 600kg of concrete cinderblocks. When I ask what I – as a first-timer to the festival who is not very well versed in arts – should see, both Adelaide and Vanessa rattle off what seems like every event in the program. It’s not that these events aren’t high-concept or intelligent: it’s just that the managing producers have put a tonne of work into making the festival as accessible and open as possible. Adelaide thinks that art is considered hard to understand, “which can be true,” she qualifies. “Public art is an attempt to democratise art, for people who might be able to access it. It’s an important part of civic life.” (Another important part of civic life is having an anthem: poetry slam night BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! will be debuting Canberra’s national mascot, as well as its national anthem in karaoke video form, at You Are Here.) The festival focuses heavily on audience experience, without compromising on the art. “It’s very open and inclusive,” Adelaide says, and Vanessa agrees: “A lot of the festival is very fun, open and inviting.” Many of the events are participatory. Both the producers acknowledge that audience participation can be kind of terrifying, but the idea is to give audiences a different perspective on art – breaking down the barriers of art as inaccessible. “Experimental art sounds a bit scary,” Vanessa says, but it doesn’t have to be, and You Are Here proves it. You Are Here will run from Wed–Sun April 13–17. Find out more about the events by visiting youareherecanberra.com.au.

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E X H I B I T I O N I S T ARTS | ACT

THE GREAT MOSCOW CIRCUS MARK TURNER Despite recovering from a heavy chest cold, Australian entertainment legend MICHAEL EDGLEY spent half-an-hour with BMA to discuss his upcoming show, the ever popular GREAT MOSCOW CIRCUS hitting Canberra this month. Edgley is renowned for chasing up big name, international entertainment productions and bringing them out to Australia, and The Great Moscow Circus is just another achievement on his long list – well over 200,000 people have already flocked to this tour. So what then, can Canberrans expect from this tour of Moscow Circus? “I think circus is different. I think the Moscow Circus – without boasting about it – is a very special event,” Michael says. “The Globe is always a showstopper. People gasp and we often get standing ovations. We’ve got a wonderful flying trapeze act. We haven’t had a flying trapeze act in the Moscow Circus for quite some time but this is a very, very good trapeze act.” As it turns out, the Edgley name has a long association with worldrenowned entertainment troupes like Cirque Du Soleil, and indeed, The Great Moscow Circus. It begs the question: why circus? What is the appeal to keep bringing them out to Australia? “I really do think that as far as live entertainment is concerned, circus is a genre that really appeals to people of all ages,” Michael says. “When I go there, and look around at the audience, you really have twoyears-olds right through to 82-year-olds and older. And you’ve got teenagers. And you’ve got young, married people in their 20s and 30s and so on. There’s no other live entertainment that I can think of that appeals to everybody.” For The Great Moscow Circus, entertaining an audience means that performers must continue to evolve – not unlike athletes. Tricks and acts that would have seemed impossible years ago are now being produced. Michael compared the acts that his father brought out in the ’50s and ’60s and said that they are nothing like the acts that are performing today. This is coming from the man who brought ’70s motorcycle stunt act legend Eval Knieval to our shores way back when. For Michael, it’s about continuing the tradition that his father started by bringing these acts to Australia from Russia. “If you look at the times [The Great Moscow Circus has] been here, this is something like the 14th or 15th tour,” he explains. “I remember my father brought it

out in ’65 and it was so successful that I brought it out again in ’68 and now there have been something like seven or eight million people who have seen it. We’re finding now that grandparents are bringing their grandchildren, because they saw it when they were grandchildren. It’s still good entertainment.” That’s some connection. Asking more about that connection with Russia, Michael replied, “The Moscow Circus itself has developed into a very strong brand name. It doesn’t mean that all the people are from Russia. More than half the cast are from Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus,” he explains. “But you also have the boys from Brazil, who are the ones in the globe. Some of the best riders in the world come out of South America. The flying trapeze, all but one is Australian – because you’re now getting some very strong acts from here. Australia has very a good circus school in Melbourne – NICA – and they turn out some very good players.” So what’s going to make this tour different from previous ones? “We never bring out the same act twice, or even the same performers doing a different act,” Michael explains. “Also, the Russians never did an act where somebody could get killed, or very badly injured. I say that in the right perspective of course, but when you go to the circus, you want to see thrills and you don’t want to see anyone get hurt. But there are certain acts in this show that are literally death-defying acts. Back in the old days, the Soviet Union rarely lost anyone because the daring acts always had lunges [safety wires],” he recalls. “Now for instance, this high wire walker we’ve got doesn’t have a lunge, doesn’t have a safety net; the guys in the globe don’t have any back up like that. It’s a very special show.” I got the impression that this is a man focused on bringing the best acts out here, in a way that proudly represents the brand he had helped develop in this country, at a price that is affordable to Australians. I remember taking my children to this show the last time they were in Canberra and we’ll all be there with bells on this time. The tour opens at 7pm on Wednesday April 6 at Majura Park on Majura Road, beside Canberra Airport. The show runs until Sunday April 24 and there are many seating options available to suit all tastes and budgets. Showtime! The tour opens at 7pm on Wednesday April 6 at Majura Park on Majura Road, beside Canberra Airport. The show runs until Sunday April 24 and there are many seating options available to suit all tastes and budgets. Showtime!

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EXHIBITIONIST NEWS:

CANBERRA’S WAREHOUSE CIRCUS GETS A TASTE OF GREAT MOSCOW

Warehouse Circus has a Canberran history of its own, coaching Canberra’s best for over 25 years. Training in Warehouse’s space at Kaleen High, this group of acrobats were treated to a show and a trip backstage and into the performers’ front yards to meet some of the cast, as well as tour manager, Mark Edgley. After the show, Edgley led us backstage and introduced us to the daredevil performers from the Globe act. Still flushed from riding six motorcycles simultaneously inside a steel mesh sphere, the boys from Brazil were chatty and upbeat after their performance.

Photos by Mark Turner

Edgley then took us outside into the massive ring of caravans and vehicles that travel with the show. Meeting the circus animal trainers and their beautiful animals was a highlight. No cages in sight, only cruisey-looking animals that were happy to receive a bit of a scratch. The Great Moscow Circus has a history stretching back 50 years in Australia. But on Sunday April 10, that history was shared with Canberra’s Warehouse Circus performance troupe, The Bok Choys.

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An entertaining history lesson about The Great Moscow Circus and some good conversation with cast members left a bunch of young performers hatching new ideas for their next show.

YOU ARE HERE

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YOU ARE HERE

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E X H I B I T I O N I S T ARTS | ACT

JIM JEFFERIES: SHOOTING FROM THE QUIP ALLAN SKO In Boston, 2014, JIM JEFFERIES unleashed Bare. Within the show was a 16-minute sketch that expertly and hilariously lambasted gun ownership in America. It soon went viral and changed the nature of the debate. But it was not without its problems. “I’m very proud of that routine … But it’s been a bit of double-edged sword,” Jefferies reveals, in trademark Aussie drawl. “It’s gotten me a lot more exposure, but people watch the rest and think it’s filthy. They think I’m a political/social comic, which is an element of what I do, but it’s not the be-all end-all. A lot of reviews start with, ‘I was enthusiastic when I saw the gun routine, but the horrible things he said afterward!’” I go on to ask Jefferies what he makes of people being offended by his work. “That’s the fun bit; no one thinks they’re easily offended. That’s the problem,” he chirps. “It’s like music. Everyone thinks they have a good taste in music. And they think they have good taste in comedy. If you start a review with the sentence, ‘Look, I like raunchy comedy…’ you’ve used the word ‘raunchy’. You’ve already lost me. You don’t. Shut up. You just know that cunt’s gonna be offended.” Offending critics is one thing, but to attack a Simpsons-esque gunstroking American public on their own turf takes a certain level of bravery. Surprisingly, not everyone thought so. “Everyone gave me a lot of flak for doing it in Boston,” Jefferies says. “I also did San Francisco and New York, so people thought I was taking the easy route. The next special I recorded in Nashville [due July]. Nashville. I talk about hypocrisy and freedom and guns and religion and I did it in fucking Nashville. So anyone who says I’ve taken the easy route can suck my dick … There hasn’t been a foreign comic that’s done as much ‘commentary’ on America in America. Ricky Gervais does it a bit, but it’s all very lighthearted. Whereas I get hate mail.” Jefferies appears fearless and full of bravado, so I wonder if he still falls into the usual human trappings of sensitivity. “I’m fairly thin-skinned, it still cuts to the bone a bit,” he admits. “But it’s to be expected. I would be a bit upset if I didn’t get [hate], to be honest. It’s something that I don’t enjoy, but I’d miss it if it stopped,” he laughs. This said, Jefferies reveals that his forthright material can cause rifts with his personal relationships. “I don’t care about my friends being bothered, because I can always talk it out with them,” he says. “It’s more like my girlfriend’s family,

or relatives, that get disappointed. I don’t ever ask anyone’s opinion before I write something. I wouldn’t ever want to upset my parents in a major way. I can upset them a little bit, but there are things that would cause a real rift between us. I imagine there’ll be a lot of good comedy that will come out after they die!” he jokes. This said, Jefferies asserts these pains, to be honest, are worth it overall. “Opinions can cause change,” he says. “Gun laws came into Australia in the mid-’90s and the NRA never mentioned them once until after the Charleston shooting, coincidentally the same time my clip went viral. So all of a sudden the NRA said that the Australian gun owners are bloody idiots. Well, where did that come from? They never used to give a fuck about it. They never brought Australia up. It was never something Obama brought up. And all of a sudden my bit went viral and the conversation started; Fox News started talking about it.” With Jefferies’ views on gun control well known, I ask what now attracts his rapier ire. His answer is typically frank. “American politics,” he says. “As an atheist I believe religion should be gone. Now I find myself defending people’s rights with people like Donald Trump wanting to put Muslims on a register and stop refugees and all that bullshit. You can point and mock in this world but you can’t fucking take away people’s human rights,” he says. “I think Muslims are a bunch of idiots. Wearin’ burqas and not eating pork. But they’re no more idiots than fucking Christians or Jewish people or the Amish. I will happily call them idiots on stage but I will never take away their human rights. It’s their right to be a fucking idiot, as long as they’re not impeding other idiots.” You can hear Jefferies latest views on the world on his latest Live! tour, which happily sees Canberra included on the itinerary. “I used to go to Canberra a lot as a kid,” Jefferies recalls. “My uncle lived there and ran the Electoral Office. He was the bloke who brought in the cardboard voting booths in the ‘90s. Before then they used to be metal, and were delivered by these big trucks. Everyone was outraged! People thought they were gonna be slumming it.” When I suggest talent runs in his family, Jefferies is quick to shut it down. “I don’t think he’s a big fan of my comedy!” he laughs. “He doesn’t particularly find me funny.” If you, however, find our man Jefferies funny, you can catch his Live! show at the Royal Theatre on May 4. Tix are $62.29 + bf from Ticketek.

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ARTISTPROFILE: CARMEL McCROW What do you do? Visual Artist/Painter When, how and why did you get into this? Born in Sydney, and attended the National Art School, whilst working as a graphics artist. Two years were spent travelling in the UK and Europe, working as a graphics artist in the UK. On return to Australia, I held positions in the graphics field from art director to print production. In 1990, we moved to the Snowy Mountains, which allowed me to paint full-time. During those years, I completed a two-year Certificate Art course at TAFE. On moving to Canberra in 2001, I attended the Australian National University and completed a BA (Visual) in 2004, and became a Member of The Golden Key Honour Society. Since then, I have held seven solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions. I have worked in watercolour, pastel, acrylic, charcoal and at present, work in oils on canvas, from my studio at the Australian National Capital Artists.

What irritates you? Closed minds. What about the local scene would you change? From an artist’s point of view, more affordable display points for their work, and desperately needed work areas. As a younger city, we don’t have the old warehouses or factories that have traditionally been sourced for these needs. What are your upcoming exhibitions? Lake Eyre Horizons at Nishi Gallery, New Acton, opening at 6pm, Thursday April 7 through to Sunday April 24. Paintings based on my trip to the Lake and the Channel country in March last year. Helicopter and low flying aircraft over the area gave the sense of being absorbed into sky, land and water, to become a beautifully simplified image in colour and composition. Contact details: cmccrow@hotmail.com, facebook.com/carmel. mccrow, carmelmccrow.com.au, 0417 651 139

Of what are you proudest so far? Getting a BA Visual, as a mature age student at ANU. What are your plans for the future? My allotted time at ANCA is nearly up, so high on my list is to find a new studio space. I work in a large format in oils, so I need space … but also still have the “paint hunger”, so I’ll work harder and produce work, while I still have the studio. What makes you laugh? The innocent joy expressed by animals.

‘Touching Sky’, Carmel McCrow, oil on canvas

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IN REVIEW

National Portrait Prize Winner Announcement National Portrait Gallery Friday March 18

‘Life Dancers’, Elizabeth Looker, 2015, digital print

Viewing the National Portrait Prize exhibition raised important questions about photography and how we interpret images. In particular, the concept of what makes a good portrait. “The 2016 National Portrait Prize winner Life Dancers by Elizabeth Looker is an enchanting and mysterious scene that pushes the boundaries of portraiture,” said Portrait Gallery curator and judge, Penelope Grist. But what exactly are the boundaries of portraiture? And are these boundaries the same for everyone? Is there a clear distinction between professionally taken images and portraits that seemed to have been snapped with an iPhone? Pictures have never been as exploited as they are now in the digital age. Essentially anyone can take a portrait by simply clicking a button on a smartphone. Susan Sontag wrote in On Photography, “Like every mass art form, photography is not practiced by most people as an art.” So how do we distinguish the difference between an award-winning and an Instagram-worthy portrait? Is it merely technical aspects? Christopher Chapman, a judge on the panel and senior curator commented when judging the finalist, “it is purely based on impact of the photograph.” But does this impact simply come from the connection one has with the image? Interestingly, Mr Angus Trumble, director of the Portrait Gallery, noted, “Ultimately, people take photos of children and old people.” Elizabeth Looker, whose portrait of her young son and niece won the NPP, commented that the young don’t know of expectations. “In that moment I see innocence, freedom, connection,” she said about Life Dancers. Narelle Autio, a guest judge and professional photographer commented, “This enigmatic portrait of a girl offers up a wistful reflection of the passing of time, but it is also a beautiful interpretation of that moment where we are caught between who we are and who we will become.” In a way, we are compelled to take photos of young children because we can see an aspect of ourselves in the images. However, does reading into a portrait for a greater understanding of yourself replace the idea of looking at an individual who is unique? Perhaps it is best to leave these questions about the basic notion of portraiture unanswered. Instead, appreciate the emotions and the response that a portrait can bring about when it touches your soul. It doesn’t matter whether this portrait has been captured in the space of three seconds by an iPhone 6 and uploaded to Instagram, or whether it’s been taken with the latest Canon specifically for hanging on the walls of the National Portrait Gallery. The National Portrait Prize will be exhibiting at the National Portrait Gallery until the Tuesday June 28. CLAUDIA TILLEY

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SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL RORY MCCARTNEY

Above: Spanish Affair 2

Think Spanish, then think big! It’s a major world language, spoken by over 420 million people as a first language and the national lingo in 20 nations. So this year’s SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL takes in movies made not only in mainland Spain but in a host of Central and South American countries. BMA spoke to Festival Director Genevieve Kelly about the highlights of the 2016 extravaganza. She explains, “Such variety constitutes the beauty of the festival. There’s also a shift in the makeup of this year’s program. In the past we’ve seen coproductions between Spain and Latin America, while there are now more features coming from Spain. It’s a reflection of the Spanish movie industry,” Kelly explains. “Financially, they are finding their feet with 35% of Spanish box office takings coming from locally made films.” It’s something the Australian film industry can only dream about. Spanish language films stand out from your average Hollywood productions, being less clichéd, with a less inhibited take on life. “For me, the thing about Spanish language cinema is it exemplifies an honesty and a rawness, in comedy and drama,” she says. “Hollywood has a guardedness about expressing emotion, whereas festival films have fearlessness in expression that we can learn a lot from. The more expressive we are, the better we can connect on a deeper level.” The Spanish film industry is not in one city, but spread around the country, making for some interesting differences between regional films. “There are amazing films coming from the Catalan and Basque regions. These areas are very autonomous, asserting their own personality and identity as separate from other parts of Spain.” This results in films with their own characters, presented in local dialects. There are films from Chile and several co-productions involving Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and even Mexico, where cinema represents a different world again. There’s even a local connection with A Ticket to Your Life made in Sydney, about the experiences of Spanish migrants coming to Australia. Apart from fictional stories, there are documentaries too, including Barça Dreams about the history of FC Barcelona (which Kelly claims as the world’s top football club). What better way to enjoy movies than by imbibing some Spanish eats and drinks at one of the festival’s special events. “Short Films From the Heart is a collection curated around romance and heartbreak in the modern age. As a special event, we’re doing sweet treats and Cava, the Spanish version of champagne. For the spontaneous love affair Isla Bonita there will be white Sangria, pinxtos and live entertainment.” The opening night will also feature Spanish wines, beer, tapas and live entertainment. “People should be prepared for a bit of a dance after.”

With comedies, drama, thrillers and documentaries, the full Spanish Film Festival line-up of 32 films is on at Palace Electric Cinema, New Acton, from Tuesday April 19 to Sunday May 8. For details see spanishfilmfestival.com.au.

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IN REVIEW Romeo & Juliet Canberra Theatre Centre Fri–Sat April 1–9

Photo by Daniel Boud

Romeo & Juliet is surely a terrifying play to stage; untouchably iconic, with moments so familiar they risk becoming almost trite, it is a daunting first outing for Bell Shakespeare’s new artistic director, Peter Evans. It is also – I’m thrilled to report – a delight to watch, teasing out new nuances in Shakespeare’s most famous work while still successfully doing justice to the play’s legendary material. Alex Williams does a commendable job as leading man Romeo, though he is perhaps ever-so-slightly too focused on the comedy in the first half of the play, and thus Romeo loses some of his emotional edge under his own self-satire. This small rough patch is entirely eclipsed by the latter half of the play however, where Williams balances Romeo’s impulsiveness and overwhelming heartache with just enough stability to stoke the audience into believing the lovers might just make it. (Spoiler: they don’t.) But it is Kelly Paterniti’s Juliet who is the real gem in the production’s crown; she is so fiercely original that it’s almost jarring hearing those familiar lines with this new vivacious spin. She does great justice to Juliet’s sweetness and genuine emotion, whilst also teasing out her ferocious intelligence and pragmatism. Her emotional honesty is particularly commendable in the second half of the play, where she flits effortlessly between a panicked, lovesick girl and a woman wise beyond her years. Curiously, the two main actors do a slightly better job apart than they do together. This is not to say they never give the lovers a delicate sense of unity, but rather that their dialogue feels faintly stilted when viewed alongside their moments of separation, which inspire deeper and emphatically more profound emotions for the actors to manoeuvre through. The supporting cast also bring a dynamism to the production that ensures it never becomes fatiguing. While Damian Strouthos’s Mercutio perhaps leaves something to be desired, Jacob Warner transforms Benvolio from a wallflower to a fully-fledged lively personality, and Michelle Doake’s Nurse is a beautifully realised, hilarious, forceful storm. Another outstanding aspect of the production are the fight scenes, meticulously and brilliantly choreographed by fight director Nigel Poulton. Not once do these taxing and vigorous fights feel fake or staged, which is the highest possible compliment I can pay them. And even though the outcome is known by most (if not all) of the audience, there’s a palpable lean-in intensity as the actors swish and jab at one another with glinting steel. This is part of a broader and ultimately very intelligent design – in a departure from Bell’s usual modernisation of Shakespeare, this production very intentionally returns to the play’s late-16th century roots. The costumes are stylised to sit comfortably between modernity and history, as is the set, and these elements transport the audience back in time – an extraordinarily successful technique considering the play itself has become truly timeless. INDIGO TRAIL

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RIGHT HEAR, RIGHT NOW KEREN NICHOLSON

Image by Kate Disher-Quill

Often from insecurities in our youth spring our strengths. RIGHT HEAR, RIGHT NOW is award-winning, Sydney-based photographer KATE DISHER-QUILL’s conquest of one such insecurity, and an exploration of the sensory diversity of those of us who experience deafness and hearing loss. The solo exhibition spans the PhotoAccess Huw Davies Gallery, and is a collection of photographic and multimedia works that draw visitors into an experience of what it is like to live with hearing loss, with an empowering, fresh, beautiful aesthetic. Disher-Quill drew from the stories of others and their experiences of varying degrees of hearing loss to inform a body of work that is both deeply personal and inviting.

“The first step was contacting people and finding those to participate. It was just a matter of meeting them and talking. We chatted, rather than having a specific idea of what I wanted,” she said. Casting a wide net over the course of a year, Disher-Quill sought to be inclusive of everyone, meeting with people who use hearing aids, have cochlear implants, those who use sign language and those who are bilingual – from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. “Everyone had a story that was worth sharing,” she said. The realisation of each story varies with each participant, and was subject to time restraints or location, with Disher-Quill at times shooting on the run. But each piece is an organic, considered reflection on her subject’s relationship with their sensory experience. Disher-Quill holds a background in visual communication, including film and design. Never really being just a photographer, she incorporates moving image, stills and sound, giving the subject a depth of perspective. “Sound is still experienced by deaf people,” she stresses. “The very conscious multiple elements, add to the work. Some things cannot be captured in a still image.” There is no linear tale. The space is an aesthetic experience rather than a single narrative, with grouped images, larger format prints, projections, video and vibrations. Stories are told through items, portraits and complementary text. With deafness and hearing loss often seen as a disability, or as something that should be hidden, Disher-Quill addresses misunderstanding and stigma in creating a strong, open voice through an experiential visitor experience. For those with hearing loss, there is amplification of the visual and oscillation resulting in super human perception. “My aim was to create a project that I would have wanted to see when I was younger. I may have accepted it much earlier,” she concludes. The exhibition is both warming and confronting. It is touching to experience life with the people on the walls – to share in their joy, and to understand the importance of expression and gesture. Disher-Quill brings us into her world so generously. Right Hear, Right Now is on until Sunday April 24, in the PhotoAccess Huw Davies Gallery in Manuka.

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LITERATURE IN REVIEW The Sick Bag Song Nick Cave [Text Publishing Company; 2016]

“Look out, you fuckers! Here I come with my sick bag song!” Spawned from musings jotted on airline sick bags, The Sick Bag Song is a tour diary in the same sense that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a travel journal. Covering Cave’s 2014 North American tour, TSBS traverses realism, artistic license, and straight fantasy. Anecdotes, reflections, poetry and lyrics are presented in sick bagsized chunks. And while they’re mapped out as far as the leg of the tour Cave is on, where you are in relation to reality is usually less clear. It’s an eclectic assembly of introspections and spasms of imagination that resist being crowbarred into an easily digestible narrative. The result is rough in some places and enjoyable in others. Those familiar with Cave’s work won’t find it surprising that he takes risks, and they don’t all pay off. Cave’s attempts to romanticise hotels and venues often fall flat. Where some authors and musicians (E. Annie Proulx, David Byrne) have a knack for translating the mundane into something charming and intimate, Cave demonstrates how few points of difference there are between places when you’re exhausted and seeing them in quick succession. TSBS is also peppered with flights into high drama and the highly morbid, which – while on-brand for Cave – felt contrived alongside the more gruelling depictions of touring. Cave is at his best in the nebulous realm of the ‘could be true’, projecting his inner weird over his surrounds. Rescuing a lizarddragon, slaying imaginary buffalos, being followed by a memory of a girl from bridge to bridge across America; the tantalisingly plausible scraps that make you want to believe in a weirder world. “Don’t let them make you feel stupid, just because you are happy to play down in the dark with your flashlight. The mystical world depends on you and your tolerance for the absurd.” Cave also has a skill for sly comedy. Brian Ferry makes a welcome if slightly tragic appearance and there are a few verses dedicated to procrastination that I’ll be sticking on my wall. Cave’s selfdeprecating pokes at himself come off as wry and genuine. It’s an odd bag. The pace, the touches of delirium, the sometimes cringe-inducing honesty invite you to believe you’re viewing the raw rock ‘n’ roll experience, but this is undermined by how carefully the themes and recurring images have been worked in. In places it reads as though it’s something that’s been lovingly crafted to seem brutally scrawled. A must-read for Cave fans. For anyone that finds the sweaty undercarriage of rock seductive, recommended. CARA LENNON

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ANDROMETA KAROLINA FIRMAN

Photo by Ding Dong Photography. Cosplayers are Kayla Erin (left) and Canberran, 'Gemgem' (right)

Cosplay events can be some of the largest events in the world, with attendance at the San Diego Comic-Con hitting over 130,000 over the last couple of years. That just goes to show how appealing the idea and practice of dressing up as someone that you’re not can be. For the uninitiated, cosplay is a portmanteau word meaning, ‘costume-play’. Originating in Japan, it’s a popular hobby worldwide, with people cosplaying as everything from video game characters to Star Wars characters and everything in-between. Andrometa is an event that wants to support and expand the cosplay culture in Canberra. According to one of the event’s organisers, Rachelle Wood, Andrometa’s purpose is to establish a cosplay and gaming showcase event in Canberra. “Our vision is to highlight and embrace the cosplay and gaming culture by engaging with our general community,” she says. “Our aim is provide a truly unique experience that is open, safe, supportive and most importantly, enjoyable for everyone.” Cosplay can be time-consuming, expensive and stressful, particularly if you’re just starting out and don’t know the tips and tricks of the trade. It’s already fairly popular in Canberra, with other such pop culture events as GammaCon, and the yearly ‘Otaku’ party at Impact Comics. But Andrometa is a little bit different, as there is a secondary motivation behind the event: to align with local charity organisations such as ReachOut Australia. “They provide online support to people who need it most and help to address the ever-growing mental health issue in Australia,” Wood says. “One way or another, all of us have been affected by mental health problems. Having an event like Andrometa provides a platform for people to connect and talk about a real issue that affects our community. That’s why we would love for the whole community to get involved and see what the world of cosplay is all about.” Wood believes that cosplay provides the opportunity to express oneself as a unique individual, in that it gives everyone of any age, ethnicity, or personality a chance to actively engage with new people who share common interests. “But what makes cosplay truly special, is the ability to role play any character and transform yourself into someone that you admire, desire, whom inspires you or excites you, all in a safe and fun environment.” It can be something of a niche hobby, but who doesn’t love dressing up? If you feel like checking out Andrometa, it’s on Saturday May 14 at Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Belconnen. It’s free entry, but you have to pay to enter the cosplay competitions. Check out more details at andrometa.me.

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IMPACT COMICS

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bit PARTS LET’S STAY IN TONIGHT WHAT: Performance WHEN: Wed Apr 13, Sat–Sun Apr 16–17 WHERE: Meet at the corner of Nardoo Cres and Yapaunyah St, O’Connor Divided into three curated streams – ‘Private Lives’, ‘Eat In’ and ‘Transfixed’ – Let’s Stay In Tonight presents intimate experiences that engage with space in deliberate ways, from poetry to backyard night crawls. In Broken Bone Bathtub, a bathroom staple becomes centre stage for Siobhan O’Laughlin’s (USA) monologue exploring healing from trauma, while ANU Experimental Music Studio crash the lounge room to play an eclectic set using an array of (extra)ordinary household objects. On Wednesday April 13, it runs from 6pm–8pm; on Saturday April 16, 6pm–8pm; and on Sunday April 17 you can drop by from 4pm–6pm. Free, but bookings are required via youareherecanberra.com.au. HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE? WHAT: Comedy WHEN: Fri–Sat Apr 15–16 WHERE: The Street Theatre Reckon you’ve heard ‘em all? Try this on for size: a man falls in love … in Bangladesh … with a bank. Moving, a little bit romantic and definitely funny, comedian Mark Swivel is here to tell us a big, fat, white, middleclass, middle-aged man love story. Do you feel like you've heard enough of those lately? Do you need a top-up? You sound a little bit unsure, but this one will be worth it. There’s a slideshow. There’s a Bee Gees soundtrack. It sold out shows at The Factory in Sydney, the Judy in Brisbane, and a former nudist colony in Gympie (so you probably still require clothing at this event…). Tickets start from $15. Event details are at thestreet.org.au. BANDALUZIA FLAMENCO WHAT: Flamenco performance WHEN: Sat May 7 WHERE: The Street Theatre It’s a fiestaaa! Well, I mean, not technically. But the acclaimed modern flamenco dance and music ensemble has thrilled audiences nationally and internationally with the power of music and dance. Arriba! Revered for their ability to mix genres, Bandaluzia were declared ‘Pick of the Sydney Fringe’ and have headlined The International Gypsy Music Festival, Global Carnival, and are part of Music Viva’s national touring program. Best to take a siesta beforehand, so you’re really ready for some thrills ... first you get the siesta, then you get the fiesta, then you get the power. Tickets range from $25 to $29. Find more information at thestreet.org.au. THE IMPERIAL BELLS OF CHINA WHAT: Tour WHEN: Tue May 31–Wed Jun 1 WHERE: The Playhouse (Canberra Theatre Centre)

The Imperial Bells of China is set to make its debut in Australia, with a tour hitting up Sydney, Melbourne, and your favourite place to be, the big C (that is, Canberra). A brief bit of history: in 1978, the 2,400-yearold bronze and stonechime bells of Duke Zeng’s Tomb – and other ancient instruments – were unearthed in China. Inspired by this is the Chime Music and Dance performance that is The Imperial Bells of China. Discover ancient music, culture and spiritual history and be taken away by the ethnic folk dancers and musicians exploring the distant past. Pick up tickets for what’s sure to be an immersive, melodic and downright stunning show at canberraticketing.com.au.

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the word

on albums

album of the issue HERON OBLIVION HERON OBLIVION [SUB POP] Heron Oblivion is a psychedelic supergroup of sorts, comprised of free music explorers who in recent years have made waves in the music underground where the most innovative, sensestimulating activity has always taken place. Vocalist/drummer Meg Baird amplified ’60s acid folk in Philadelphia group Espers. Guitarists Noel V Harmonson and Ethan Miller (here on bass) embraced noisier astral turf in Comets on Fire, and second guitarist Charlie Saufley shot straight to the outer limits in San Francisco group Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound. The common factor is a healthy disdain for convention through figuring out how to blend sounds that might otherwise seem incompatible. In Heron Oblivion’s world, this involves a singular take on electrified ’60s folk music in the vein of Fairport Convention and Pentangle, intermingling with brown acid guitar workouts that bring dramatic flair to ghostly pastoral vibes. This sort of thing has been accomplished to great effect by such cosmic travellers as Six Organs of Admittance, with Heron Oblivion conjuring levels of psych freakishness to match those great waves of sonic experimentation in the early 2000s. The music underground had then dished up seismic amounts of new weirdness that rendered meaningless above ground labels like ‘alternative rock’.

Opening track ‘Beneath Fields’ sets the scene with Meg Baird’s gorgeous voice effortlessly hitting the upper registers to colour the cosmic vapours. But Harmonson and Miller bring it back home with dirty guitar flashes that greatly intensify the trip. In lesser hands the mixture could be a jarring mess, but the group is too musically accomplished to allow that to happen. And this is certainly not the first time fuzz guitars have found their way into folk – check out that 1971 self-titled Fresh Maggots album for confirmation – although never quite as earth shattering as this. But Baird’s ethereal vocals and magical realist sensibility keep things from getting too subversive. She sounds a lot like vocalists Alison Williams and Clodagh Simonds from lost Irish psych-folk band Mellow Candle, whose lone 1972 album Swaddling Songs was saturated in beautiful female harmonies and an unselfconscious mysticism that finds its place here when Baird sings such dreamlike bucolic lines as “Green fields walk out today, push the wheel, come what may,” on ‘Beneath Fields’. Just when it seems the proceedings might be getting a tad solemn however, the guitars kick in and listeners are transported to a much noisier place. The quiet/loud dynamic works well with the solos keeping to a sensible length so that the overall melancholy atmosphere is not too much disturbed. Ethan Miller remains on bass throughout to ensure any guitar excess is reined in, although the temptation must have been there given the unrestrained expressiveness he brought to Comets on Fire. Nevertheless, when the guitars lock together, sparks fly, particularly on the epic ‘Rama’ and album closer ‘Your Hollows’. Not a second is wasted as slow building tension and release steadily increases expectations for the final blowout on ‘Your Hollows’, which blows the mind as Baird’s voice is absorbed into the clamour and achieves lift-off. The Sub Pop label knew it was on to a good thing when it took on this band, so let’s hope Heron Oblivion has enough juice in the tank for further lysergicdrenched delights. DAN BIGNA

PJ HARVEY THE HOPE SIX DEMOLITION PROJECT [ISLAND RECORDS] Much of PJ Harvey’s charm exists in her evolution as an artist. Since her first release in 1992, the lo-fi and angst-ridden Dry, she has impressed listeners with her ability to effortlessly shift gears through musical genres. Harvey’s last release, 2011’s Mercury Prize winning album, Let England Shake, surprised critics in its sonic departure from White Chalk, a dark record; sparse in production while loaded with poetic imagery and ethereal atmosphere. So what of her much anticipated 2016 release, The Hope Six Demolition Project? The overall tone of the album doesn’t signify a major musical movement for Harvey, but rather it sits comfortably alongside its predecessor; complex and layered production, coupled with rich ethnographic storytelling. The differences, between this album and the last, exist in time and place. England way back then, and Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Washington D.C., here and now. The Hope Six Demolition Project explores similar territories to Let England Shake – war, displacement, community and the human condition. To get a true sense of the album and its umbrella themes, check out the video for ‘The Community of Hope’, the album’s opening track. This song in particular examines the wider social impact of government strategies, which facilitate avenues of gentrification, “Where run-down public housing in areas with high crime rates has been demolished to make room for better housing, but with the effect that many previous residents could no longer afford to live there, leading to claims of social cleansing.” Highlights include the military percussion in ‘Chain of Keys’, Harvey’s tragic ode to ‘the native people’ in the horn-heavy ‘Medicinals’, and the slow burning end to the album, ‘Dollar, Dollar’. SAMUEL TOWNSEND

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album in focus

EMITT RHODES RAINBOW ENDS [OMNIVORE RECORDINGS] Emitt Rhodes has not released an album since 1973, a long time between drinks for this highly talented solo artist. But his commitment to crafting first-rate melodies and simple, yet evocative arrangements remains undiminished. Rainbow Ends is an intimate and, at times, anguished portrait of heartbreak and regret, but Rhodes is too clever at articulating simple truths to descend into self-pity. The weight of feeling voiced in the album’s 11 songs is cushioned by sweet, plaintive tunes that sometimes tug at the heartstrings as on ‘I Can’t Tell My Heart’ when Rhodes sings, “When you love someone so much it hurts you/you will learn to love the pain.” But the music comes out swinging on the following track, ‘Put Some Rhythm To It’, as if the upbeat tune might just heal the wounds captured in the words. Rhodes is blessed with a refined appetite for captivating melodies, and he has been compared to the likes of Paul McCartney. In an alternate history of popular music, Rhodes would be topping the charts and his debut solo album from 1970 would be routinely ranked among the great recordings. But a series of unfortunate circumstances including record company pressures in the early days contributed to his designation as a ‘cult’ artist – held in high regard by devoted music fans, but remaining virtually unknown to wider audiences.

This is a sad state of affairs because the music on Rainbow Ends is accessible enough to be played on commercial radio and the lyrics detail personal experiences that are all too familiar. The arrangements are pleasantly uncomplicated and the music hits the sweet spot when Rhodes conjures a jazzy New Orleans vibe on ‘If I Knew Then’, but an emotional vulnerability becomes clear in the first lines of opening song ‘Dog On A Chain’. The vocalist is in turmoil as he begins a sad story of rejection with: “You ain’t no good/I hear her say/under her breath as she turns away,” but Rhodes’ voice is not dragged down by the situation, instead radiating a freshness that enhances the listenability of the music. To make this happen, he received some studio help from likeminded fellow musicians such as Aimee Mann and guitarist Jason Falkner. But for most of his brief recording career, Rhodes has travelled the solo path except for a stint in garage pop band The Merry-Go-Round, whose sole album from 1967 swiftly entered the annals of undeserved obscurity as did Rhodes’ debut solo effort three years later. He had constructed a pop music classic in a small home studio but record company indifference contributed to the album disappearing from view shortly after release. It has, however, been sporadically rediscovered over the years by those in the know such as enthused pop revisionists Apples in Stereo, whose high-spirited tunes belong in a place where little that happened after the late 1960s really matters. Rhodes has recorded only a small amount of music since then, so the appearance of Rainbow Ends comes as an unexpected, yet welcome surprise. My initial expectation was that Rhodes would revisit the pop glories of times past, but given the deeply personal subject matter he has instead opted for a musically diverse set of songs to illuminate the trials of love. The outcome is a valuable statement on the relationship between word and sound. DAN BIGNA

ED KUEPPER LOST CITIES [PRINCE MELON RECORDS] Leading Aussie exponent of alternative rock, veteran guitarist Ed Kuepper cofounded punk band The Saints in 1974, before expanding the breadth of his musical expression in post-punkers The Laughing Clowns, going grunge with The Aints and then settling into a long solo career. Lost Cities is (amazingly) his 50th release, and the 21st under his own label, striking new ground yet again with his first solo, electric long player. Disregarding his last covers record Return of the Mail Order Bridegroom, the style is loosely in tune with Kuepper’s 2012 album Second Winter. However, that release has more backbone in its instrumentation and more vim within the overall track list. Lost Cities is more contemplative, downtempo and with softer edges. Song structures commonly feature submissive, underlying keyboards, above which guitars alternatively snarl or float. The electronic layers employed to create a nuanced packet of sounds are readily apparent, impressing most in the complexity of ‘Free Passage to Mars’, in which each orchestrated note fits snugly in its place. Opener ‘Pavane’ sets the tone for the disk well, as echoing notes drift along, with an orphan flash of reverb and a scattering of more incisive guitar at the song’s death. Generally understated, the album shines brightest when it breaks out of idle. The better tracks are those with harder edges and more insistent rhythms. ‘Friends With the Leader’ benefits from its more intense mood, taking on greater mass as it progresses with firmer vocals and flashes of guitar like distant lightening. ‘Some Said’ draws attention with its rockier vibe, while the blues tinted ‘What Can I Leave You’ features some of the best guitar interplay in the collection. RORY MCCARTNEY

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EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS PERSONA [COMMUNITY MUSIC GROUP] Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros have made a career out of injecting the experimental into the mainstream, ever since the ten-piece achieved success off the back of their 2009 debut album Up From Below and the platinum-selling hit ‘Home’. They’ve continued that unique trajectory in modern music across three records, and PersonA looks set to carry on that tradition with a new sense of purpose and perspective moving forward. With a change in line-up and approach to writing, the recording of PersonA took place almost entirely in one room in New Orleans, far removed from their ramshackle production approach to previous albums. Much of the album creates a unique, almost unnerving sound that’s somehow thoroughly pleasurable. Incorporating rhythm and blues with soft, upbeat folk vibes, and even elements of tribal beats, PersonA is a pure, aural acid trip. ‘Hot Coals’ as an opening and ‘The Ballad of Yaya’ as a closer are both huge tunes. The former starts slow, and could be described as almost whimsical, before the quickening pace builds mood, intensity and intrigue, developing into an eclectic musical melding. ‘The Ballad of Yaya’ is a tune that’s upbeat and incredibly catchy, swelling to a dramatic climax before slowly tapering off; a fine end to a fine album. PersonA has a cohesive sound, and although all musicians are remarkable in their own right, together, they are somewhat slightly underwhelming. For a band with ten members, much of the album sounds surprisingly sparse. Unfortunately, many of the songs in between ‘Hot Coals’ and ‘The Ballad of Yaya’ fade from memory in their wake. Despite having all the right components, and being perfectly pleasant to listen to, it simply left something to be desired from this era-defining band. ELEANOR HORN

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ECCA VANDAL END OF TIME [DEW PROCESS/UMA]

TIGA NO FANTASY REQUIRED [COUNTER RECORDS]

South African born but now residing in Melbourne, Ecca Vandal expanded her wide ranging musical consciousness in genres extending from jazz to hip-hop to punk rock. The products of her musical dabbling surfaced first as the song ‘White Flag’, followed by a small raft of further singles that demonstrated the only constant in her style was change. She now stakes her virgin claim for attention with her debut EP.

The techno, electro-clash god who famously wears ‘Sunglasses At Night’ while ripping through the dark in his ‘Bugatti’ is back.

Opener ‘Running at People Exiting’ makes its strident entrance with jagged, distorted guitar, manic beats and singing which erupts into a blurred scream in the chorus. A catchy, saw-toothed rhythm slices its way through the track. It’s fist pumping stuff, with carnival mirror distortions of chipmunkstyle vocalisations ending in fuzzy alien sounds. The title track opens with a similar clap-clap beat, with Vandal’s voice modulated to a smoother, more sultry tone, underscored by a cavernous, subterranean bass thrumming. Hushed in comparison with the opener, it is awash with little, highpitched Ecca Vandal overlaps and tinny gong strikes. There’s a relentless fury in the synth underpinning EP highlight ‘Truth to Trade’, offset by slashes of heavy rock-flavoured guitars, all wrapped up with a vocal bearing hip-hop tints in its angry proclamations. Vandal makes a hyperspace jump to an indie-rock, punk-influenced presentation in ‘Divided’, her statement about the difficulties of growing up culturally different from the mainstream.

Guess whose sexy ass is in the passenger seat? The Scissor Sister himself, Jake Shears, performing guest vocal duties on ‘Make Me Fall in Love’. BBC dance music guru Annie Mac has premiered this as the “hottest record in the world”. Tiga has always balanced on a high wire between pure electro club music and a rhythmic pop sensibility. It’s been a rare fall for him, and No Fantasy Required treads the line with panache. Not just a DJ who plays by numbers, Tiga is also the brains behind record label Turbo Recordings, home to electro superstars Duke Dumont, Chromeo, Gesaffelstein and Brodinski. If a robotic-edged, cool croon, over thumping bass and a tidal wave of synths has you breaking a sweat, you will have ‘Don’t Break My Heart’ on replay. I know you’re waiting for the verdict on the Jake Shears track, right? Squelchy, deep synth keyboard noise and electro handclaps meet the pop-tastic, echoey invitation to ‘Make Me Fall In Love’. It’s a house music lover’s dessert. ‘Bugatti’ is mindless fun. If you don’t end up awake at 3am repeating, “Girl comes up to me and says what you driving ... Bugatti,” I will eat my iPhone. It’s hypnotic and oddly calming.

End of Time takes the crazy vitality of Vandal’s early releases such as ‘Father Hu$$la’ and unfurls a more complex, sophisticated and exciting product. Alternatively brutal and alluring, it is electronic jungle music that is guaranteed to make you bounce.

I’d love to say I’ll be listening to this album while letting loose on the dancefloor of some boutique, guest-list club, but that would be a lie. I’ll be listening to this while on the treadmill or cleaning. Anything that requires a fix of deep bass and a simple singalong refrain. Don’t think. Just move.

RORY MCCARTNEY

CAT WOODS

PACES VACATION [ETCETC]

BRIAN FALLON PAINKILLERS [ISLAND RECORDS]

TONIGHT ALIVE LIMITLESS [SONY MUSIC]

Arguably, one of the best things Diplo has ever done is bring baile funk from the favelas to the fore. A mix of Miami bass and Afro-sounds with the grittiness and grunge of underground Brazilian dance parties, baile funk was a defining sound for Diplo’s DJ sets pre-Major Lazer.

In his first solo release, The Gaslight Anthem’s singer has delivered a fine piece of work that sits well within his quite extensive repertoire. Whilst being overall similar to his softer work with side project The Horrible Crowes, Painkillers has a few heavier, fast paced songs reminiscent of the power punk Gaslight is famous for.

This is the third album from Sydney-based alternate rock band Tonight Alive. After being around for almost a decade, the band are beginning to reach out and explore new sounds. With their previous albums having punk qualities, this looks like a new direction for the band. Limitless has undertones of pop and R&B running through it, proving that they can adapt and evolve after being together for eight years.

This debut full-length studio offering from Paces (Mike Perry) dials back on the grittiness and takes the Afro-beats and party vibes in the direction of tropical house. That he’s a Gold Coast native shows in every track’s radiating sunshine. Paces made his stamp on the Australian dance music scene through innovative remixes of local acts. He checked triple j unearthed for unsigned local talent and invited them to collaborate on tracks. Not surprisingly, many of the guests on this album are local talent. Jess Kent’s soulful, playful vocals are the perfect fit for ‘1993 (No Chill)’, matching a laidback beat with a catchy chorus. There’s nothing challenging in this – it’s not going to smash any electro music formulae and blow your mind – but it’s the perfect soundtrack to driving towards the surf. Kučka is a true find. Her voice is sexy, smooth, soothing and sweet as she warns ‘Nothing’s Forever’. Consider it a musical seduction. Could Paces and Kučka do an entire album? It’s got my vote. Meanwhile, Rye Rye’s ‘Work Me Out’ is an island holiday, Mai Tai by the ocean, palm trees and Caribbean drums mash-up that demands dancing. This is a bit like a bag of gummy bears. You won’t win any prizes for exploring a diverse pallet of sophisticated flavours, but it’s comforting, soul-warming and super sweet, right when you need a dose of pure joy.

What remains prominent on this album, and all his work, is that constant bordering on hope and heartache both lyrically and melodically. A sound and theme that this reviewer adores. Having slowly released four of the songs from the album since December last year, dedicated fans have had a good indication of what this debut solo effort would entail. The first of those four songs, ‘A Wonderful Life’ is still one of the standout tracks and is matched in tempo by ‘Rosemary’. ‘Smoke’, another previously released track, is another highlight matched in mood and beat by ‘Other Foolish Things’. Outside of these tracks, Brian’s songs have tinges of country/alt rock and that classic singer-songwriter sound. Fellow New Jersey hero Bruce Springsteen is his selfdeclared favourite artist, but I find these similarities more in Fallon’s storytelling and lyrical prowess than in his songs. The possible exception to this is the standout slower track ‘Honey Magnolia’, with its piano accompaniment to the regular string sound. Overall, Painkillers demonstrates Fallon’s maturity as a person and a songwriter, but its not too far a departure from his development within The Gaslight Anthem. JARROD MCGRATH

Whilst veering in a different direction, their new sound is a mashup of old and futuristic. Each song has its own defined sound, crossing many genres in its production. The variations of drums used provide a bold and edgy underlay for the pop melodies that sweep the band’s new sound. Heavy guitar riffs compliment the use of synthesizers to create this new rebellious music. The album opens strong with the energetic track ‘To Be Free’, bursting with a pop rock sound. Synthesised vocals are notable, giving it a futuristic feel. ‘How Does It Feel?’ is a stand out track, tying together a robust heavy metal aesthetic, diversified with a familiar pop vibe that covers the album. Beginning with an electrifying riff, the song quickly picks up and moves into a fast paced, alternate rock piece. It feels like this song was plucked straight out of the late 1990s nu metal phase, as suggestions of funk and grunge can be heard. Limitless is definitely bringing the band closer to mainstream success. Some songs are more pop motivated than others, but overall the album is still chasing the rock genre that Tonight Alive are known for. MORGAN HAIN

CAT WOODS

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HINDS LEAVE ME ALONE [POD]

HÆLOS FULL CIRCLE [MATADOR RECORDS]

BABYMETAL METAL RESISTANCE [AMUSE INC.]

Formed in Madrid in 2011, the duo Deers comprised Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote. The band later expanded to a quartet, but changed its name in 2014. Keeping close to the original moniker, the ladies switched to Hinds as the next best thing and Leave Me Alone (with all tracks sung in English) is the debut long player from the garage rockers.

There is an art to making “dark” music. Of course, you could just take some lo-fi beats, make sure the synths clip just the right amount, and add on whatever kind of spooky ambient distortions you feel are appropriate. But the stuff that complements being up at 3am, listening to cars drive past, and having the stars shine so bright that they speak. That’s the good stuff. That’s HÆLOS.

In 2010, the Fox God – ruler of the metal world – learnt of the disapproval mainstream society held for heavy metal. They recruited three young Japanese girls and named them Su-Metal, Yui-Metal and Moa-Metal. They became Babymetal, prophets of the Fox God and leaders of the Metal Resistance, dedicated to sharing their kawaii metal with the world. Since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2014, Babymetal has reached levels of superstardom around the world, and to say their second album has been eagerly anticipated is a wild understatement.

The album was recorded in lo-fi fashion, with slightly out of focus instruments matching the rough and ready approach to the vocals. Furious strumming announces the start of opener ‘Garden’ before this pop-rock song with a grungy edge settles down to a catchy, can-kicking tempo. Occasionally harmonising, but often at odds with each other in tone, the less than honeyed vocals of Cosials and Perrote come together in an unorthodox manner, which is the band’s signature style. Amidst the twangy guitars of ‘Fat Calmed Kiddos’, the voices at times resemble an unmelodious cats’ choir that speeds up and slows down with the frequent tempo shifts. Some songs provide sketches of teen relationships, with hints of hot passion shrewdly woven into the words, while in other tracks the meaning is clouded like stories that have had random parts deleted, making it hard to join the dots. The meandering instrumental ‘Solar Gap’ is a strange inclusion in an album which needs no fillers. Eschewing conventional notions of singing, Hinds’ approach works well as a fresh sound, although the consistent application of the style leaves room for little variation across the LP, with the exception of ‘Castigadas En El Granero’, which stands out with its Spaghetti Western start and flashes of old time rock ‘n’ roll in its makeup. RORY MCCARTNEY

‘Intro/Spectrum’ opens with a spoken word sample from Alan Watts’ ‘The Spectrum of Love’, before ‘Pray’ kicks into an eerie, breakbeat darkness, bringing to mind Massive Attack’s knack for perfect pacing, and a slightly more organic Purity Ring. ‘Dust’ slows things back down. Muted shadows wind and merge, and Lotti Benardout’s falsetto rings across the track, anchoring it in the clouds. Full Circle is full of ethereal, beautiful melodies, and the vocals from all three band members – Benardout, Arthur Delaney, and Dom Goldsmith – come together in often surprising and touching ways. While you might get comparisons to the xx here, at least a little in tone, their influences are numerous. The looped, discordant melody that sits on top of ‘Oracle’ sounds almost like Atoms for Peace, and there’s a distinct similarity to Hundred Waters and their almost otherworldly delivery. ‘Separate Lives’ verges on soulful, before Full Circle closes out with ‘Pale’ – its stuttering synths and squealing strings take us through to the end. HÆLOS have presented a polished debut. It’s consistently confident and strong, and while it may not be pushing any genre barriers, its influences come together in a surprisingly fresh way. Chuck it on after sunset; soak in the stars. JEREMY STEVENS

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Experimental and diverse, yet thoroughly cohesive, Metal Resistance combines influences from death metal, speed metal, power metal, electronic and J-pop. The album offers an elevated, more mature and intense version of Babymetal, while still blending their unique brand of metal with the catchy pop idol hooks that made them so iconic. Opening track ‘Road to Resistance’ is a melodic and energetic introduction, reminiscent of power metal. This is unsurprising, as it is a collaboration with Sam Totman and Herman Li of DragonForce. The first single from the album, ‘Karate’ offers sharp, aggressive riffs punctuated by the girls’ uber-feminine vocals, which meld together perfectly as the chorus hits. Su-Metal shows off her supreme and everimproving vocal chops, especially so with the orchestral ballad ‘No Rain, No Rainbow’ and album closer ‘The One’. This track is slower in pace compared to the rest of the album, yet is equally as powerful. It’s an uplifting, potent close to an album that will no-doubt be lauded as an important and influential piece of metal history. The Fox God will be very pleased indeed. ELEANOR HORN

singles in focus BY CODY ATKINSON BLACK CAB ‘UNIFORMS’

AFRICAINE 808 BASAR [GOLF CHANNEL MUSIC]

WHITAKER I AM AN ANIMAL [INDEPENDENT RELEASE]

Afrobeat, meet jazz. Throw in an 808 and some chill electro ambience. It all adds up to a jungle party, care of Africaine 808. Let the hypnotic drums and spirited, Jamaican infused vocals transport you to a higher place.

A rebadged version of Ryan Meeking and the Few, Whitaker launched its debut EP Wichita in 2013 in a change that saw a move away from vibrant rock-influenced songs to a more laidback sound. Wichita retained Meeking’s gift for conjuring up good rhythms, but presented them in a more cruisy indie-pop fashion. Two years on, after some overseas touring success, the band is back with a more tempting offering.

The vocal snippet at the ‘Language of the Bass’ is at the heart of what this album is about: “Emphasis was on the sound system, emphasis was on the bass … 1984, that was the year for me.” The hand percussion and echoing bird cries that herald ‘Tummy Tummy’ lead into a rhythmic and multi-layered choir of chanting voices and quirky synths. I dare you not to shoulder dance while you’re sardined into the peak hour ACTION bus to work. This takes the tired cliché of world music and spins it 180 degrees, injecting a heavy dose of Nigerian funk with New York disco, cumbia, marimba and cheeky vocals. Check out the organ on ‘The Awakening’. And ‘Crawfish Got Soul’ is no lie. This is like the Dust Brothers meets safari at dusk, and it invites the tribes, the hyenas, the elephants and the big cats to the bar. There’s bass, a bluesy guitar and a vibraphone. Dirk Leyers and DJ Nomad – two German DJs behind Africaine’s addictive sound – have been running dance parties built heavily around their love for Latin and African dance for years. The sound is celebratory – deeply reverential to tradition, but also spiked with a party vibe. “Berlin meets New York disco deep in the Congo” would amply sum up this album. But don’t take my word for it – if you’re a fan of German electro, disco, percussion-driven beats, dub, tropical house party sounds or just a curious soul, check out Africaine. CAT WOODS

Eight tracks sound like almost an album, but one is just a brief snapshot of a song, effectively making the disk an EP. Themes of the life-force and continuity seep up through its lyrics. ‘Horizon’ grabs attention with the inter-twining of a very fast, twostring tune with a heavier, slower one. One rhythm is too fast for a heartbeat, and the other too slow. Sudden strings rush in, with high-toned keys and backing vocals to swell the sound. ‘Before’ is a variation on the theme of the opener, with its clever mix of tempos and the addition of multifaceted vocals. Disc highlight ‘The Greatest Animal’ throws up a syncopated rhythm with a looped hook line that beeps like a crazy cardiograph. Its corkscrew keys spiral off into the dark. ‘Interlude’ strikes up a different acoustic only line, but dies away in under a minute. The other notable song is the power ballad ‘When My Love Won’t Stick to You’, a keyboard driven track that punches through with sounds that vary from the awesome gravity of a church organ to quick, stabbing notes that come in rank upon rank of electric soldiers. An improvement on their debut, I Am an Animal injects a new level of interest into the band. RORY MCCARTNEY

This is big and bold by Black Cab, heavily leveraged off sounds of times past. It ain’t really rock and roll, but some of the pieces are certainly there. The motorik beat drives ‘Uniforms’, with a bit of an anthemic vibe to the chorus that is laid over hyperactive synths. More than worth a listen or two.

SUMMER FLAKE ‘SHOOT AND SCORE’ Summer Flake has flown a bit under the radar for the last few years, but on the strength of ‘Shoot and Score’ that’s quite clearly a mistake. Effortlessly re-purposing that ’90s guitar pop sound, the track is equal parts dreamy and distorted, and catchy to boot. And those hooks? Good areas.

HOLY FUCK ‘XED EYES’ Canada’s Holy Fuck don’t play around. They always come at you hard. ‘Xed Eyes’ is no different – it’s noisy, claustrophobic and a bit out there. It drives on and on, pushing a relentless pace with a psychedelic tint that separates it just a bit from the bunch. Not many others sound like Holy Fuck, and that’s a crying shame.

FIFTH HARMONY (FEATURING TY DOLLA $IGN) ‘WORK FROM HOME’ Do I really have to write about this? Really. (Composes self). Alright, let’s do it. Something positive – the melody is kinda catchy. Negative – everything else. The lyrics are cringeworthy and don’t makes sense, Ty Dolla $ign seems to phone it in, they ran out of words for the chorus so they just repeated the same one.

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PHOENIX [MADMAN] In Hollywood hands, this story could have been a melodramatic, unfeasible and schmaltzy mess. Fortunately, in the hands of director Christian Petzold, this is a story of wartime deception, love and identity, masterfully scripted and acted. Set in Berlin, 1945, Nina Hoss is the German-Jewish nightclub singer who survives concentration camp imprisonment but is horribly disfigured by a bullet. She undergoes reconstructive surgery and is significantly altered enough in appearance to fool her former husband Ronny that she is a new woman entirely. In a compelling and dangerous game, she seeks to discover whether he was behind her incarceration – the ultimate betrayal. More than a story of a single relationship, there are questions around human psychology and behaviour more generally. What we do under the direst circumstances and what this pressure does to our relationships is at the heart of Phoenix. Nina Hoss has starred in Petzold’s past two critically acclaimed films, Barbara and Gold. She is luminescent, damaged and divine as the intriguing Nelly Lenz. She is ably and impressively supported by a cast of names I was not familiar with but expect to see more of in both foreign and American film, based on their skill and the consistently favourable reviews this film has garnered internationally. Don’t speak of this film with anyone until you’ve seen it – while it is much more than it’s climactic ending, allow yourself to discover it without expectation. Berlin is a character in itself – haunted with the past, the mesh of cultures and politics, arts, economics and the possibility of death and redemption in every breath – it almost fizzles with human energy. Sehen diesen film (see this film). CAT WOODS

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THE WRECKING CREW [MADMAN]

THE CONNECTION [MADMEN]

In the ’50s and ’60s, when rock ‘n’ roll evolved from fad to cornerstone of popular culture, entire structures were overthrown – none more so than the recording industry. All of a sudden, a huge market opened up for product, and record labels needed supply. But quantity doesn’t always equate to quality and many of these new artists – attractive as they may have been – weren’t especially talented. Thus came the rise of the studio or session artist: that group of musicians designed to be invisible, never on the cover of a record, touring with the band and/or really getting the credit they deserved. Ultimately though, they provided the DNA to thousands of classic songs. That iconic bassline in ‘Good Vibrations’ … it wasn’t the Beach Boys. It was written and played by Carol Kaye – one of the founding members of the Wrecking Crew, a loose knit grouping of musicians who backed an incredible list of artists; the aforementioned Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher, Simon and Garfunkel, Ike and Tina Turner and so on.

William Friedkin’s 1971 thriller The French Connection is known mostly for its classic car chase scene, where a cop tracks (in real life, un-choreographed and risking the lives of countless pedestrians) an elevated train though the streets of Brooklyn at about 145 km/h. It’s a great scene and the movie itself – global heroin smuggling from the US perspective – is as gritty as they come. As the name implies, The Connection is the other side of the same coin. Set around the same time, this film is set in Marseilles, the port responsible for the majority of the heroin trafficking at the time.

They were the go-to session musicians in L.A., just as the city took over from New York as music capital of the world. The names, though obscure, are familiar to anyone obsessed with music – Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, Earl Palmer. Some went onto bigger things like Glen Campbell, Mac Rebennack/ Dr John and Leon Russell. They were the right people at the right time in the right place and their stories are legendary. The Wrecking Crew – completed in 2008 but languishing on the festival circuit due to licencing costs – is an unholy mess, never settling into a clear narrative. Access is first rate, but stutters from group vox pops to segments devoted to specific high profile members. It never hits a confident stride, which is the exact opposite of how filmmaker Denny (Tommy’s son) Tedesco would have wanted to celebrate these incredible musicians. JUSTIN HOOK

The city was ruled by Tany Zampa (Gilles Lellouche), a vicious gangster who had the entire trafficking supply and distribution chain in his pocket – from low-level thugs through to the police and beyond. Enter Pierre Michel (Jean Dujardin), a magistrate given the task to clean up the city and someone who was happy to bend the rules if it achieved the outcome he needed. Sounds like a bad cop thriller, right? Well, this is largely a true story. Michel and Zampa really did antagonise each other in the early ’70s on the southern French coast, where heroin coming in from Turkey was transported to the US hidden in cans, cars and trucks. And Michel really did disrupt Zampa’s little smack cottage industry. And the director’s (Cédric Jimenez) parents really did own a disco patronised by Zampa … though that part isn’t in the film. With so much factual source material on offer, it’s a little disappointing The Connection doesn’t quite match the expectations of a film based on the ’70s drug trade. The two leads are exceptional, especially the sly Dujardin, but the entire piece doesn’t hang together. At times it feels obvious and familiar; it hits the same beats and looks the same as so many before it – only with subtitles. JUSTIN HOOK

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WITH EMMA ROBINSON

Just when you thought you’d cried all your tears over Alan Rickman, he returns to our screens with his signature dulcet tones and extraordinary blend of wry comic timing and emotional punch. There was no character this great actor couldn’t embody – he was the penultimate villain as Hans Gruber and totally plausible as the voice of the one true God (seriously, who else was the Metatron going to be?!). He was a man who described his mother as a ‘tigress’ and could make anything sound authoritative yet sexy. What a guy.

quote of the issue “Don’t ever tell a soldier that he doesn’t know the cost of war.” Lieutenant General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman), Eye In The Sky

EYE IN THE SKY

THE WITCH

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE

The ancient philosophical dilemma of whether the needs of the many really outweigh the needs of the few is transposed into a geo-political, bureaucratic arena in this gripping film by director Gavin Hood.

Remember John Carpenter’s The Thing? How about Ridley Scott’s Alien? Fist-eatingly creepy, yes? These directors nailed subtlety by implying horrific scenes rather than beating the audience over the head with torture porn. Often, the content of these films was too terrifying to think about (and yet we do, at night, in bed, alone).

Thankfully, 10 Cloverfield Lane has very little to do with the 2008 found footage/monster film that preceded it. It stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead (renowned scream queen and basically a shoo-in with these kinds of roles) as Michelle, who, after a car crash, awakens in a bunker. As she acts on the sudden realisation that she’s been kidnapped, it turns out that she’s actually been rescued – by John Goodman (Howard), no less. What's actually concerning is that the world outside is turning to shit and seemingly facing Armageddon. Or so Howard says.

Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), the British commanding officer in charge of an operation to capture – not kill – a group of terrorists in Kenya finds herself ethically compromised when a little girl selling bread unwittingly puts herself in the line of fire. Legal, political and moral debates ensue as Powell tries to negotiate, reason and eventually demand permission to launch a drone missile strike, which would most likely end an innocent life and definitely stop the terrorist from carrying out a suicide attack. The film frames the big moral question as: Is it ethically sound to take life in order to safeguard a multitude of hypothetical, faceless individuals? However, the fact that this debate is being framed as such is morally dubious as well – Britain’s judicial system is based on transparency. Even if someone were to be executed, it certainly would not happen without a fair trial. These principles are disregarded when jurisdiction based on geography is hazy at best. Nevertheless, this film accurately portrays the complexity of international relations and politics – there is no overarching set of rules, and weapons are military might and political capital. Finally, for all the many Alan Rickman fans out there, his last performance is impeccable, as always.

EMMA ROBINSON

1630 New England. A rather paranoid and desperate period in history. Superstition and witchcraft weaved in with despair and just a touch of fear over female sexuality create a bleak and terrifying atmosphere. William (Ralph Ineson) and his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) leave their town (or were kicked out for being batshit crazy – it’s open to interpretation) to seek fertile farmland. Trouble arises when their youngest child disappears and all eyes turn to their eldest Thomasin (Anna Taylor-Joy). Suspicion begins to envelope the family leading toward a brutal climax. Halfway through the film I began to wonder if this could really be classified as a straight up horror film. All the best horror films have underlying themes and messages (has anyone debated the hidden meaning in The Hostel series?). The Witch is a lesson in how paranoia can destroy a family and create negative meaning out of nothing. Also, the climax is very unexpected – I walked out of the cinema thinking “I’m not sure I feel bad about that…” It’s also beautifully shot, very well acted and, at times, excruciating. EMMA ROBINSON

The first three quarters of this film make up a nerve-wracking, brilliant psychological thriller, charged by the question of whether Howard is a wellmeaning saviour or a psychotic abductor. The film’s instances of comic relief and its meaningful character exchanges offset the balance between kindness and ‘evil’ in Goodman’s character, who is just as solemn as he is menacing. The effect is that the audience is left questioning, and ultimately realising that the only monster in this monster movie is humanity itself. I wish I could end the review there, but unfortunately there’s the last quarter of this film, which is almost another film in itself, albeit condensed and mediocre. Although it’s similarly suspenseful, it suffers from poor direction and haphazard writing. Its only redeeming quality is that it doesn’t taint the brilliance of the first three-quarters, which thankfully receive full closure. Still, worth a watch. ANDREW NARDI

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A BIGGER SPLASH A rock star and her boyfriend have their vacation interrupted by a friend from the past and his young daughter. At face value, A Bigger Splash is one of those low-stakes dramas, intensely interested in the nuances of troubled relationships. In the hands of a lesser director (Luca Guadagnino who brought us 2009’s I Am Love and 1999’s The Protagonists) and cast (the acclaimed Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes, along with Matthias Schoenaerts and Dakota Johnson), this film would be a boring slog, full of flat characters looking disaffected and mopey. However, an impressive display of performances keep the audience engaged all the way up to a certain point near the ending. Each simmering thread of dramatic tension leads to a crucial scene, followed by an incredibly weak denouement and a pithy yet decidedly limp ending. The best performance in A Bigger Splash is far and away Ralph Fienne’s Harry, who toes the line of antagonist and comic relief; he is a marvelously complex and fully realised character. It’s refreshing to see an experienced cast settle into low-intensity roles in order to explore the micro-expressions inhabiting certain scenes, settings and conversations. Ultimately, if you’d like to spend two hours with some interesting and complicated characters, see this. However, don’t expect any satisfying resolution. Just some sassy diva dance moves from the lubricated hips of Ralph Fiennes. PATRICK JOHNSON

SHERPA: TROUBLE ON EVEREST Sherpa: Trouble on Everest, directed by Canberra filmmaker Jennifer Peedom, provides a profound and utterly compelling insight into the political, commercial, cultural and ethical complexities associated with reaching the world’s highest mountain peak. One of the things I admire most about the documentary format is its ability to provide a voice for those who are rarely heard. Sherpa was originally intended to capture the 2014 Everest climbing season from the perspective of the unsung heroes of Everest, the Sherpa, who risk their lives each year in treacherous conditions to assist international climbers to summit the mountain. Initially, Sherpa follows the climbing season preparations of Phurba Tashi Sherpa, who, during the 2014 expedition, would be undertaking his 22nd attempt to summit Everest (known reverentially by the Sherpa as ‘Chomolungma’ (‘Mother God of Earth’). Things take a sudden and devastating turn when an avalanche strikes in April 2014, killing 16 Sherpa, marking one of the blackest days in the history of Everest. Sherpa presents a cinematographically striking, fascinating study of the ethical issues associated with the increasing commercialization of this giant of the natural world, the disproportionate risks taken by the Sherpa, and the stark differences in the motivations for, and approach to, summiting Everest. Do not miss this film. MAJELLA CARMODY

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Sarah Blasko, Jack Colwell, Lupa J The Abbey Wednesday April 6

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The first night of Sarah Blasko’s tour gave The Abbey the chance to road test its brand new light and sound systems. An extra-long sound check meant the doors opened late, with punters doing the Usain Bolt for the bar and munchies. Lupa J’s set saw an inventive combination of fiddles and electronica. Very atmospheric, her echoing voice floated above the audience, powered by drum pads and plucked violins. Carrying some of the shadowy mystery of Bertie Blackman, lyrics came in short, chopped bursts, as she piled up Lego blocks of looped vocals. Wearing a diaphanous shirt, Jack Colwell claimed the stage with dramatic gestures and showmanship, his sometimes harsh vocals underpinned by a bedrock of violin and held organ chords. Issuing weird vocalisations – whispering one instant then yelling the next – it was a theatrical performance. For his cover of Alanis Morissette’s ‘You Oughta’ Know’, Colwell beat time against his chest to create the opening rhythm.

PHOTO BY MARK TURNER

In keeping with the vibe of Eternal Return, keys dominated the stage for the main act. Sarah Blasko left the instruments to her band, enabling her to dance through the set (wearing tap shoes). The impressive power of her voice was on show right from the start, driven by synths and Uzi drum bursts. It was indie pop with the complex, catchy melodies you can only get from five keyboards going at once, and so easy to dance to, especially the sharp crackling beat of ‘I’d Be Lost’. There was a boot stomping version of ‘No Turning Back’, ‘Always Worth It’ for long-time fans and an acoustic ukulele and double bass ‘Olde Worlde’ moment that the crowd loved. Sometimes the most fragile moments get the biggest cheers. RORY MCCARTNEY

The Bennies, Off With Their Heads, Hightime, Sketch Method Transit Bar Wednesday April 6

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By the time I stumbled in through the heaving crowd, Sketch Method had already finished up their early set and the crowd was collectively a few drinks in. Even I could tell that this was going to be a big night. Hightime might be the perfect complimentary band to The Bennies. Ripping into the same broad church of punk, hardcore and reggae, the four-piece from SA might not be as accomplished as the headliners, but certainly didn’t lack for ability. With bits of the set sounding like The Specials, and others like your ex-mate’s Oz Hardcore compilation of the early 2000’s, the set was at times a little jarring, but still engaging nonetheless. Unlike the two surrounding bands on the bill, Off With Their Heads were a little more conventional musically, with a muscular brand of inward-gazing punk rock; ’90s style with a pop tinge. The four piece from Minneapolis stuck to their guns throughout with tempered, solid guitar work and confessional lyrics with gruff delivery. It was maybe the highlight of the night; a top set from a seemingly underrated band.

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY

Spoiler alert: The Bennies sing about smoking weed. OK, that’s a bit unfair, they also sing about doing rack and dropping pills. They are a party band, and to a packed Transit Bar, the party is what they were going to bring. With a heady mix of ska, punk and heavy rock, the band had an odd ability to match the energy of the room and reflect it on stage. For a band who does one thing (party), they do it in a lot of different ways and they do it pretty well. While most attention naturally diverts to frontman Anty’s antics through the night, it’s the ‘Party Machine’ behind him that kept the set ticking. CODY ATKINSON

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Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin Smith’s Alternative Saturday April 2

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The landscape of Smith’s Alternative continues to morph, with castoff instruments fighting for wall space with macramé creations. Into this zone of eccentricity sprang Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin, who have been hailed as the best folk duo in Great Britain. Announcing that they were delving into the realm of ‘Anglicana’, the pair kicked off the haunting ‘Silbury Hill’ with a trickle of banjo accompanied by a Dobro guitar manipulated with steely finger picks. The precision of the intricate intertwining of notes was stunning to watch, with their vocal harmonies producing a similar magic. From older material, they jumped to a song that is so new it is unnamed, with Henry demonstrating his skill with the harmonica, playing two of them simultaneously, one held above the other. The duo combined in the instrumental ‘December’, with fingers dancing along the neck of the Dobro while the fiddle bow sawed arcs in the air, before Martin kept the stage to herself for ‘January’ and sung a capella to bring out the glossy autumnal tones of her voice.

PHOTO BY MICHELLE MCCARTNEY

A highlight of the night was Henry’s solo spot of country blues harmonica, combining the instrument with falsetto singing, followed by some beat boxing, then playing the harmonica with no hands. The man can make the simple tin instrument sound like a full bodied piano accordion. Unusual in the versatility of their craft, the folk pair can mix a Morris Dance tune with a reggae twist, or cast a Medieval French melody into the centre of a blues song. It was an exquisite show, with a most un-English but very sweet cover of James Taylor’s ‘You Can Close Your Eyes’ as the encore. RORY MCCARTNEY

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Ed Kuepper The Street Theatre Friday April 1

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Ed Kuepper is probably the most influential Australian guitarist in rock history. You might throw Angus/Malcolm Young, Ian Moss, Kim Salmon or anyone else into the mix, but Kuepper in his work with The Saints, Laughing Clowns and as a solo artist has maybe done more to shape the history of rock music than anyone in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s a big statement, I know, but one worth considering when he’s strumming away a dozen metres in front of you (even if you think I’m wrong). The one long set was split into two rough halves – the present and the past. The first hour or so of the night primarily dove into his new album Lost Cities, his fiftieth album in forty years of recording. Delivered via guitar through a cavalcade of effects and pedals and creating a wall of noise, the material is punctuated by his straight up delivery. The new material held up well, very well, but it was nearly just the prelude for the night.

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY

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It was the second half of the set that provided the real joy, with Kuepper mining through his extensive discography, picking out gems along the way. A reworked version of The Saints’ classic ‘Messin’ With The Kid’ went over a treat, as did the brief crowd-driven fake horn segue into ‘Know Your Product’. Closing with ‘Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You’ provided a perfect nightcap to performance of such virtuosity. Some voices fade as they age, but Kuepper’s isn’t one of them. CODY ATKINSON

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National Folk Festival Canberra Exhibition Park Thu–Mon March 24–28 Folkie. What can I say? In the 50th anniversary of this now iconic Canberra festival, I wandered about amongst the bells, music, poetry and the smell of freshly-cooked food, and asked myself, why come here? At some point on Friday, mother nature had stopped sulking about the festival’s ticket prices and grudgingly shifted the low hanging clouds away. This revealed a stunningly blue autumn sky providing a vibrant background to the thousands of coloured flags that have become the signature visual representation of Folkie. The variety of food available is amazing – on the final afternoon of the festival I found this little spot that had a wonderful toasted bun, crammed with tikka chicken and some green stuff on top that may have been mostly cucumber. Sensational. The choice of entertainment seems endless. In fact, it probably violates some law of physics that says there can’t be a belly-dancing uke player that recites poetry while making Morris bells from recycled disappointment within 100 metres of a troupe of bluegrass playing puppets who whittle away their stilts using sharpened violin bows. We were seriously on the edge of an imploding universe. Luckily, balance was restored and a huge variety of musical talent was on display over the weekend. Crazy vaulting from the Solid State Circus crew turned into balancing increasingly strange things on their chins. I then moved to some beautifully soulful music from Candy Royalle and the Freed Radicals. These guys were a mix of great music and musicians, with dance and poetry mixed in with hiphop. Somehow it works and the packed tent wasn’t going anywhere. On Saturday, a wonderful three-hour block in the Majestic started with Skipping Girl Vinegar, a five-piece with an eclectic range of instrumentation and a super sound. A really enthusiastic crowd enjoyed their set, with a young tacker in the audience who had obviously been on the red cordials all day getting a free copy of their new album for a dancing performance that would have left a young Peter Garrett gasping. Next onstage were the Trash Test Dummies, a comedy-circusslapstick trio that held the crowd in their thrall. With this performance they got to do their full show, after a tardy exit by the previous act in their last timeslot cut them short. Anyway, I’ve never seen so many kids in such fits of laughter they were in danger of having to rush off to the loo. It was entertainment in its purest form, where the crowd had smiles on their faces from start to finish. Plus they were very skilled circus practitioners and were able to pull it off with humour. Perch Creek were up next and the crowd were humming from the Dummies’ standing ovation and ready for some music. This Melbourne five-piece was it. Roots-driven music with some sweet harmony work had the dusty dancefloor negating the need for a smoke machine.

PHOTOS BY MARK TURNER

The only issue I ever heard about (apart from Poncho Circus not getting a Guernsey this year) were the acts given too little time for setting up and tech work. Some non-musical acts require extra time to be safe and that wasn’t taken into consideration. I suppose the answer to my original question is variety. There is something for just about everyone and if you take it on with no preconceptions, you can wander from tent to tent, vendor to vendor and soak in the atmosphere of a great weekend. MARK TURNER

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Art vs Science, KLP, Tees Transit Bar Wednesday March 16 It appears that people are arriving to gigs on time more often these days, and the 8pm line-up outside Transit surprised me. But it built anticipation as fans discussed previous visits to this venue by the band and their readiness for another rollicking time tonight. Opening act Tees, a duo from Sydney, demonstrated their musicality, flipping between instruments and providing smooth vocals over their atmospheric soundscapes. Their sound was a little too relaxed for this crowd though. KLP burst onto the stage, and with her black mesh attire invoked Madonna memories. Her music is more dynamic than pop though, demonstrated in her hip-hop breakdown during her triple j hit ‘Recover’. Her exuberant drummer and interplay with her backing vocalist provided an entertaining live show supported by a bunch of great tunes. Proving to be an act to watch out for in the future. Art vs Science created an atmosphere of expectation as the house lights went down and deep synth driven music overtook the speakers. They wasted no time getting the show started, opening with ‘Create/Destroy’. The crowd clapped along during the breakdown (something this reviewer is a big fan of, and which we got more of during the set). They maintained the momentum by following with ‘A.I.M. Fire!’ and recent singles, ‘Chosen One’ and ‘Tired of Pretending’. After they worked the crowd up nicely, they pulled out their Like a Version rendition of ‘Enter Sandman’ and ‘Magic Fountain’, ensuring the dance floor remained frantic. The second half of their set lost a little of this momentum, and the crowd appeared ready for obvious closers ‘Parlez Vous Francais?’ and ‘Flippers’ as they exited the venue pretty soon after the songs concluded. JARROD MCGRATH

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Bluesfest Byron Bay Thu–Mon March 24–28

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Okay, let’s get one thing out of the way – the term ‘blues’ doesn’t represent what is on offer at this festival anymore, so divide the program into three categories: blues and roots, legends and contemporary. I was here to check out the latter. On entering Bluesfest, the first thing to strike you is the sparseness of the site and with seven stages virtually in a row it gives the impression that this is a serious music festival for serious music fans. Held over a mammoth five days, there is a lot of music to digest and the seasoned punters come prepared, even bringing their own chairs. Myself, I’m a bit too vain and not yet ready in my life to start carrying around a chair at a music festival, but fuck, it does make sense. First off was the nice and stylish band Lord Huron, who gave us a nice and stylish set. With one foot planted firmly in the indie folk genre and the other hard to pin down, these guys were a must-see with ‘Ends of the Earth’ a favourite. Besides the head-to-toe tattoos, it’s hard to imagine Dallas Green ever fronted post-punk band Alexisonfire, however City and Colour really lets his soulful voice shine and it was a captivating set. Brooding, dark and oh-so-intense, The National were a score for Bluesfest and were simply amazing. With mesmerising lighting and crystal-clear sound to back them up, they were a huge hit. Eagles of Death Metal announced, “It’s been a weird few months,” which is probably the biggest understatement! A lot of the crowd were here to show them support and they let us know it was appreciated by basically saying we make the bad shit go away. They tried to put on a decent show, but their sound and a few songs were way off – but it’s not the worst thing to happen at a EODM show (shit, that was really insensitive #sorry). But seriously, bless them for keeping the music going. Modest Mouse, with nine members on stage including a singer best described as a caged animal let loose for the day, their psycho sound was a little at odds with the festival vibe, but hits like ‘Float On’ and ‘Dashboard’ went down a treat. Portland’s The Decemberists have been on the Bluesfest organiser’s hit list for a long time, so it was a blessing that this endearing band made the bill. With so many great songs, it was a matter of waiting and hoping what they would play. The slow, epic ‘Crane Wife’ parts 1, 2 and 3 made the list, taking up 20 minutes of the show. The rest of the set was mostly upbeat with a sneaky version of the Hoodoo Gurus’ classic ‘Death Defying’ thrown in as a “pandering crowd pleaser”, as singer Colin Meloy put it. The band finished with the crazy sea shanty ‘Mariner’s Revenge’ with audience participation and a large cardboard whale eating the band. What more can I say?

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

PHOTOS BY EVAN MALCOLM, JOSEPH MAYERS & PAUL SMITH

With my legs now hurting from standing around for the last four days, Noel Gallagher hit the stage late on Sunday night. Say what you will about the man but he really can make some beautiful noise. Playing mostly solo stuff, he didn’t disappoint the crowd by playing a few Oasis songs including – you guessed it – ‘Wonderwall’. See, there is a softy under that tough Manchurian façade. After 27 years, Bluesfest has changed, but judging by the large, diverse crowd of 100,000 going through the gates, it works. ALEX K

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Golden Plains Festival Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre Sat–Sun March 12–13 It’s about the vibe. It might be clichéd, but it really is sometimes, especially at something like Golden Plains – the little sibling to the seminal Meredith. People flock to this somewhat isolated spot in the middle of Victoria for a variety of reasons: nostalgia, escape from corporate reality or catching up with mates. US Girls provided the first real high point of the festival, with a set of bending alt-pop. Yeah, it might have touched on the slightly sugary at times, but there was so much depth to Meghan Remy’s sound that it just worked. Royal Headache are the Australian band you need to see live right now, no matter who you are or where you are reading this from. Sometimes the vibe of a festival can reinforce when something is mind-bogglingly good – in this case it was hearing ‘Garbage’ sung by random punters around the grounds for the rest of the weekend. Everything works for Royal Headache in this set, give or take, and it’s a beautiful sight to see. Black Cab have been a bit of a revelation over the past couple of years, after their move to primarily synth-driven, droney dirges. The continual pulse of the band, from first note to last, and the relentless energy of their midnight set surely won over punters who hadn’t clued in already. HTRK aren’t built for the morning. Working as an alarm clock to thousands isn’t in many bands wheelhouses to be honest. But HTRK took the best of an early situation and nailed their set. Dissonant sonic textures floating over ultra-slow 808s filled the gaps around Jonnine Standish’s vocals and Nigel Yang’s guitar – just beautiful. Songhoy Blues are a force of nature. That is an irrefutable fact, based on their Sunday set at least. The early afternoon crowd was put under a spell by the catchy West African rock and roll, thrusting dusty boots in the air. Seun Kuti followed soon after, continuing the legacy of his father Fela’s afrobeat stylings. Seun and his ridiculously tight band just knew how to kick out the jams, with bits of funk and rock getting firmly stuck in the air. Unlike the Violent Femmes Mail-In hour that was to come, Sleater Kinney haven’t slowed down over the years. Fuck, they might even be more vital as a live band than they were last time they were in the country ten years ago. Travelling through their back catalogue with ease, the dual guitar attack just didn’t relent. Pointing out a particularly memorable or show-stopping song from the set is a futile attempt – it was all memorable, a climax to the festival that still had 12 hours to run. The night was clearly building towards a bang, and Eddy Current Suppression Ring were there to make sure the crowd got it. ECSR are a signpost for the Melbourne underground, and this was their curtain call. It was hard not to be swayed by both their fanatical garage rock, and the crowd uproarious response. The band played like it was a statement of allegiance – you’re either with us or against us – and on the night they had about 10,000 people with them.

PHOTOS BY MEGAN LEAHY

I woke up at 6:30 in the morning, early enough to catch the end of the last set of the night before. Black Madonna finished up, and then silence was golden. The weekend was done, and for most the countdown was already on to the next Golden Plains. CODY ATKINSON

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the word

on gigs

PHOTO BY SHARONA LIN Bootleg Rascal, Jannah Beth Transit Bar Friday March 11 Canberra locals truly showed their support for alternative Sydney band Bootleg Rascal, with Transit Bar packed to bursting and good vibes all around. The support kicked off with Jannah Beth, whose crooning vocals could be compared to those of Adele or Norah Jones. She set an energetic mood for the headliners and even finished with a cover of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Swimming Pools’. Her performance was confident and intimate – a perfect setting for the main event. Bootleg Rascal burst onto the stage with loads of energy and played to a massive Transit crowd. The guys played a strong set with a large number of songs from their latest release Asleep in the Machine, as well as older tracks from their EPs and an incredibly well done cover of The Weeknd’s ‘The Hills’. It was clear the guys enjoyed every second of their time performing. The mosh pit didn’t stop moving the whole show and there was loads of love for the band, which even included locals buying the band drinks after the show. And it certainly was a love that the band returned as lead singer Carlos mentioned that he loved the atmosphere and that the Canberra crowds kept getting bigger and better. All in all, it was not a night to have missed and proved once again why Bootleg Rascal are one of Australia’s biggest names in the alternative music scene right now. It’s quite clear that these guys have a long road of success ahead of them after such an incredible live performance. NICOLA SHEVILLE

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE April 13 – April 16

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

ART EXHIBITIONS Strathnairn ArtBAC

1 – 25 Apr. Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Right Hear, Right Now

Appropriate Kissing for all Occassions

ON THE TOWN

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Part of You Are Here. Inspired by the legendary duel between cyclists Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinaul

Lecture on how to kiss. 7pm. Free.

The Great Moscow Circus

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times. MAJURA PARK

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!

Twin Pedals

THE CLUB

Chicago Charles & Danger Dave 9pm. Free.

The Levitation Hex

Album launch. With Red Bee & Imperilment. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

Robbie Mann Plays Stride Piano 7.30PM. Free. Book online at politbar.co. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Live Music on the Terrace

8pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

30 Second Talent Slam

As part of You Are Here. Artists show us what they’ve got. 6pm. Free.

Crazy Ass Games including tournaments and prizes, and all things Sangria & FUN. 5pm. Free.

THE CLUB

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Experimental video work by Daniel Savage. 10am-5pm. Free.

THEATRE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

William Yang’s Blood Links

The Great Moscow Circus

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015

12-23 Apr. $35-$55 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times.

Free. Until Apr 2016.

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

MAJURA PARK

TUKA

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Little Mermaid

Nee (Born As)

Bonsai Print

$45-$75 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Opens 6pm 31 Mar. Runs until 24 Apr. PHOTOACCESS MANUKA

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 19 Mar - 26 Jun.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Elevator Vingettes

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

THE PHOENIX BAR

The Thursday Games

4pm.

PARLOUR WINE ROOM

Jay and the Dragonflies 10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Everything At Once and All Together

Music playing, people dancing, choir singing. Part of You Are Here. 6pm. Free. VERITY LANE

$30 + bf via Ticketek. 8pm.

MEGALO PRINT STUDIO + GALLERY

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

A conversation project about the stories of names. Part of You Are Here. 2pm. Free.

Beauty and Belonging

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

THE BASEMENT

TRIVIA

You Should Try...

ON THE TOWN

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Tranny Trivia

THE CLUB

Ali Penney & The Moneymakers

unravelling

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Opens at 2pm Apr 9. From Apr 9-30. 1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm

Artists on Facebook Chat

As part of You Are Here. 1pm. Free. THE CLUB

Out of Space

Opening 6 Apr at 6pm. Until 17 Apr. GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE

Glamour & Song questions. 8pm. Book Online. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

WORKSHOPS

Lake Eyre Horizons

General French Courses

NISHI GALLERY

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

6 Apr-24 Apr.

6 Apr - 2 Jul.

Uncertain Journeys

Focus on the Short Story with Theresa Layton

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

7.30pm.

LIVE MUSIC

French Courses for Kids

timeofhex

As part of You Are Here. 9pm. Free. THE CLUB

Sittin’ Sidewayz

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

6 Apr - 2 Jul.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

THURSDAY APRIL 14

Live electronic music. As part of You Are Here. 9pm. Free.

ART EXHIBITIONS

Acoustic Soup

Elevator Vingettes

THE CLUB

7pm. Free. Part of You Are Here. Change the way you think about food. Explore the notion of storytelling. Part of You Are Here. 7pm. Free. GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE

Composition for Amplified Body Parts Amplified sounds of the human body. Part of You Are Here. 8pm. Free. GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE

Listen In

Share a song with people who want to hear your favourite song. Part of You Are Here. 9pm. Free. THE CLUB

TALKS Relationship Anatomy

How do you know this is the one? Part of You Are Here. 6pm. Free. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

FE5T1VAL 15 8pm.

8pm. Free.

Hungry

A show about sex. As part of You Are Here. 9pm. Free. THE CLUB

Tigerlily

Supports include BNDR, Menttiss, Brittany DeMarco. $15 before 11pm. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Fridays From Five

DJs spinning Old Skool, Hip Hop, R&B. Free from 5pm. AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Happy Hour

Every Friday to 6pm.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT “Club 30-50” Playing 70-80s

Experimental video work by Daniel Savage. 10am-5pm. Free.

THEATRE

7pm. Come along with mates or meet some new ones. Info at politbar.co

The Great Moscow Circus

Canberra artists join forces. As part of You Are Here. 8pm. Free.

Artists on Facebook Chat

The Little Mermaid

THE CLUB

$45-$75 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

MAJURA PARK

ON THE TOWN

DANCE

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! Canberra Karaoke Video

Sprout

7PM. $8/$12.

ANU FOOD CO-OP

Happy Axe & GhostNoises

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

As part of You Are Here. 1pm. Free.

FRIDAY APRIL 15

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC

A showcase of independent creatives. $20 pre-sale $25 at the door.

Confluence

Elevator Vingettes

Tracer

AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

Slow Turismo

Feat. Louise Curham, Caren Florance & Owen Bullock. As part of You Are Here. 8pm. Free.

8pm. Free entry. $5 beers, wine and spirits.

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! Canberra National Mascot

With Bobby Kill (TV Colours), Passive Smoke & Agency. 9pm. $5.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

As part of You Are Here. Free. 7.30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! Versus You Are Here

PARLOUR WINE ROOM

Deep Heat

THE PHOENIX BAR

Deadset!

Vaudeville, Cabaret, Folk, Country mashup! Part of You Are Here. 8pm. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

THE PHOENIX BAR

Experimental video work by Daniel Savage. 10am-5pm. Free. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

$45-$75 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

SATURDAY APRIL 16

Artists on Facebook Chat

DOGS

THE CLUB

Dogchat

As part of You Are Here. 1pm. Free.

FILM Marco Polo Jr

6.30pm meet the filmmaker.

NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVES

Pup culture Podcast. 10am. Free. As part of You Are Here. O’CONNOR DOG PARK

ART EXHIBITIONS Strathnairn ArtBAC

LIVE MUSIC

1 – 25 Apr. Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm.

Touch Sensitive

Right Hear, Right Now

Supports include Nay Nay, Skinny, Yoyo. 10pm. MR WOLF

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VARIOUS LOCATIONS

The Little Mermaid

GAREMA PLACE

Hump Day

7pm. $15. A showcase of innovative music from Australia and the world.

As part of You Are Here. Free. 11.30am.

Natural Born Artists

THE PHOENIX BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Humans in the Midst

THEATRE

Dance and interpretive performance work. 5.30pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times.

ART EXHIBITIONS

As part of You Are Here. Free. 7.30pm. Get over the hump with drink specials after 5pm.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Opens 6pm 31 Mar. Runs until 24 Apr. PHOTOACCESS MANUKA

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE April 16 – April 20 SATURDAY APRIL 16 ART EXHIBITIONS National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016

19 Mar - 26 Jun.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Bonsai Print

Opens at 2pm Apr 9. From Apr 9-30. MEGALO PRINT STUDIO + GALLERY

Elevator Vingettes

Experimental video work by Daniel Savage. 10am-5pm. Free. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015 Free. Until Apr 2016.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Appropriate Kissing for all Occassions

Irish Jam Session

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Lecture on how to kiss. 7pm. Free.

Inaugural Canberra Mayoral Pageant

The Mindful Writer with Walter Mason

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

THE CLUB

10am.

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

As part of You Are Here. Free. 2-5pm. THE CLUB

The Great Moscow Circus

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Studio Connect

Opening 6 Apr at 6pm. Until 17 Apr. GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE

Artists on Facebook Chat

As part of You Are Here. 1pm. Free. THE CLUB

Lake Eyre Horizons 6 Apr-24 Apr.

NISHI GALLERY

Uncertain Journeys

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

COMEDY Kitty Flanagan: Seriously?

2pm. $3/$5.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Beauty and Belonging Out of Space

Whisky Straits

Canberra doesn’t have a mayor, we’re going to find it one. 6pm. Free. As part of You Are Here.

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times.

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free.

MAJURA PARK

Group of Canberra Artists living with disabilities or mental health issues. As part of You Are Here. THE CLUB

TALKS Bite the Hand That Feeds You Taxpayer Funded Political Art. 2pm. Free. As part of You Are Here. CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Relationship Anatomy

How do you know this is the one? Part of You Are Here. 5pm. Free.

Happy Axe & GhostNoises

Canberra artists join forces. As part of You Are Here. 8pm. Free.

Ben Chan

Heartfelt lyrics delivered with powerful vocals and raw acoustic guitar. 5-7pm. Free. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Ready Cut Residency

The Go Set

8pm. $18.40 via Oztix. TRANSIT BAR

Ellijah

Felix Mendelssohn, The Llewellyn Choir and Sinfonia. 7:30pm. LLEWELLYN HALL

THE CLUB

The Little Mermaid

$45-$75 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

SUNDAY APRIL 17

The Great Moscow Circus

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times.

TRIVIA

9.30pm-12am. Free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Death & Beauty

Aoife Clifford & Emily Maguire in conversation with Mark Henshaw. 3.30pm. $10.

Street Art Bingo

12-23 Apr. $35-$55 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

As part of You Are Here. 9pm. Free.

LACKLUSTRE HQ

MAJURA PARK

Evensong

THE STREET THEATRE

Supports include Hospital Sports, I.E. Crazy and Warming Sports. $10 on the door. 7:30pm.

You Are Here: Post Mortem Party

The Great Moscow Circus

(An Attempt to Perform) Kill Climate Deniers.

Seth Frightening

RELOAD BAR & GAMES

GAREMA PLACE

Album launch. Tickets at thestreet.org.au.

LIVE MUSIC

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

As part of You Are Here. Beta testing VirtualEyes technology. Places limited. 1pm. Free.

LIVE MUSIC

The Nicholas Combe Nonet

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Booking only 0416-651-974. 5-7pm.

THEATRE

THE COURTYARD STUDIO

8PM. Book online at politbar.co.

Tarot Card Reading

A KREWD Embrace

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Karaoke Salon

Project VirtualEyes (Human Trials)

THE PLAYHOUSE

Choral music. 4pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

MUSE: FOOD, WINE, BOOKS

William Yang’s Blood Links

#KaraokeLove

9pm. Free entry.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

THE CLUB

As part of You Are Here. Free. 9pm.

KARAOKE

Explore interactions with the human world. 6.30pm. Free.

Let’s see what the street art of Canberra says about the city. 1pm. Free.

$44-$46 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

TUESDAY APRIL 19

THE CLUB

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times. MAJURA PARK

Studio Connect

Group of Canberra Artists living with disabilities or mental health issues. As part of You Are Here. THE CLUB

THEATRE The Little Mermaid

$45-$75 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Chris Endry’s Dress Up Trivia 7.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

WORKSHOPS The Power and the Fashion

School holiday programme. Learn about style and fashion in the music industry. 10am. $30. TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Pop culture: Chalk Walk

School holiday programme. Collaborative carpark chalk drawing. 1.30pm. $30. TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

WEDNESDAY APRIL 20 ART EXHIBITIONS Strathnairn ArtBAC

1 – 25 Apr. Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Right Hear, Right Now

Opens 6pm 31 Mar. Runs until 24 Apr. PHOTOACCESS MANUKA

Leadfinger

ART EXHIBITIONS

WORKSHOPS

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016

THE PHOENIX BAR

Elevator Vingettes

Not For Kids, Bring Your Kids

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

THE CLUB

With The Undermines & Den Hanrahan. 9.30pm. $10/$5.

The Mighty Yak

Live music. 10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Experimental video work by Daniel Savage. 10am-5pm. Free.

Arts and crafts workshops run by artists. 2pm. Free.

As part of You Are Here. 1pm. Free.

Imagining Civic: Participatory Ideas Workshop

LLEWELLYN HALL

LIVE MUSIC

THE CLUB

ON THE TOWN

Canberra Blues Society Jam

Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn The Llewellyn Choir and Sinfonia. 7.30pm.

Hungry

A show about sex. As part of You Are Here. 9pm. Free. THE CLUB

Artists on Facebook Chat THE CLUB

Whiskey Straits. 2pm. $5/$3. HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

11am-1pm. Free. As part of You Are Here.

MONDAY APRIL 18

Evensong

LIVE MUSIC

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

CIT Presents The Bootleg Sessions

Choral music. 4pm. Free.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Aviary Sundays Live 3pm. Free.

8pm. Free entry.

Stir Upload

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

THE PHOENIX BAR

As part of You Are Here. Free. 10am. THE CLUB

Richard Murray

TRIVIA

Project VirtualEyes (Human Trials)

With Amy Jenkins, Josh Veneers & Bel White. From 3pm. Free entry. AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Knightsbridge Penthouse Trivia Tuesdays

Beta testing VirtualEyes technology. Places limited. 1pm. Free. RELOAD BAR & GAMES

Final Frontier

Supports include Boardwalks, Kid Presentable, Whitefall. 6pm. THE BASEMENT

Hosted by Nigella Lawsuit. Win cash prizes & bar tabs. 7.20pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

19 Mar - 26 Jun.

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015 Free. Until Apr 2016.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Bonsai Print

Opens at 2pm Apr 9. From Apr 9-30. MEGALO PRINT STUDIO + GALLERY

Beauty and Belonging

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Lake Eyre Horizons 6 Apr-24 Apr.

NISHI GALLERY

Uncertain Journeys

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC The Proclaimers

$79-$99 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. 8pm. THE PLAYHOUSE

Collected Resonances 8pm. $5.

AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

@bmamag

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE April 20 – April 23 WEDNESDAY APRIL 20 ON THE TOWN JAUZ

Supports include Enschway, Blanke, Exposure, Jake Raven. $30 + bf. 8pm.

WORKSHOPS Mr Tim’s Aussie Rock Extravaganza 10am-4pm. $90 per child. tuggeranongarts.com.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

FRIDAY APRIL 22

Hump Day

Get over the hump with drink specials after 5pm. TRANSIT BAR

COMEDY Uni Pub Comedy Club

SATURDAY APRIL 23 ART EXHIBITIONS Uncertain Journeys

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Strathnairn ArtBAC

1 – 25 Apr. Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm. BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Right Hear, Right Now

Opens 6pm 31 Mar. Runs until 24 Apr. PHOTOACCESS MANUKA

Rock Or Be Rocked 8pm. Free.

THE BURNS CLUB

East Row Rabble go West

With Jack Biilmann. 9.30pm. $12/$10. SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

The Sufferjets

With Bo Loserr. 9.30pm. $5. THE PHOENIX BAR

Gay Cliche

Megan Bones and DJs create a safe, no b*llshit place to party - 50% of door proceeds to Youth Care C. TRANSIT BAR

The Great Moscow Circus

Feat. Rod Quantock. With Emo Parsonson and other local comics. 8pm. $22/$25. UNI PUB

19 Mar - 26 Jun.

MAJURA PARK

FILM

Bonsai Print

10pm. Free.

THEATRE

Ireland Will Be Free

MEGALO PRINT STUDIO + GALLERY

Official GTM Warm Up Party with LTC

William Yang’s Blood Links

NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVES

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times.

12-23 Apr. $35-$55 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

TRIVIA Tranny Trivia

Glamour & Song questions. 8pm. Book online. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

WORKSHOPS General French Courses 6 Apr - 2 Jul.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

French Courses for Kids 6 Apr - 2 Jul.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

THURSDAY APRIL 21

Film.

LIVE MUSIC Special K

10.30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Phil Emmanuel 8pm. Free.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Robbie Mann Plays Stride Piano 7.30PM. Free. Book online at politbar.co. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

The Ten Tenors: The Power of Ten $85-$125 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Live Music on the Terrace 4pm.

PARLOUR WINE ROOM

Duck Duck Ghost

COMEDY

Sunset Dreams. 9pm. $5.

Ross Noble: Brain Dump

#TRNT

$46.90 at canberratheatrecentre.com. au. 7.30pm. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC Hard Cover 9pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Carb on Carb

DJs spinning Old Skool, Hip Hop, R&B. Free from 5pm. AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

The Great Moscow Circus

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times. MAJURA PARK

Beauty and Belonging

1 – 25 Apr.Tues to Sun 10am to 4pm BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Lake Eyre Horizons 6 Apr-24 Apr.

NISHI GALLERY

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA

SOMETHING DIFFERENT The Basics of Creative Writing with Jenny Bon 10am.

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

Canberra Obscura

LIVE MUSIC

8pm. $15/$10.

Brothers 3

The Great Moscow Circus

AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

$55, canberratheatrecentre.com.au. 8pm.

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times.

THE PLAYHOUSE

MAJURA PARK

The Ten Tenors: The Power of Ten

THEATRE

$85-$125 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

William Yang’s Blood Links 12-23 Apr. $35-$55 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

Supports include Nay Nay, Drews Lost Boys, Hudak. 10pm.

ON THE TOWN

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

ON THE TOWN

Fridays From Five

Burlesque and cabaret. 7:30pm. $20. politbar.co

The Well. 6pm. Free entry.

Free. Until Apr 2016.

ROSE COTTAGE

THE BASEMENT

Shaken and Stirred

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015

Classic rock and blues. 8pm. Free. More information at bandmix.com.au/mac11943/

MR WOLF

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Rock Or Be Rocked

8pm.

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Opens at 2pm Apr 9. From Apr 9-30.

TRANSIT BAR

King Parrot

Crazy Ass Games including tournaments and prizes, and all things Sangria & FUN. 5pm. Free.

Oscar

Mighty Morfin and friends. 8pm. Free.

Spenda C

The Thursday Games

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

ON THE TOWN

THE PHOENIX BAR

With Burlap, Mind Blanks & Passive Smoke. 7.30pm. THE PHOENIX BAR

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016

Happy Hour

Every Friday to 6pm.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT The Great Moscow Circus

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times. MAJURA PARK

WORKSHOPS Mr Tim’s Aussie Rock Extravaganza 10am-4pm. $90 per child. tuggeranongarts.com.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE April 24 – April 28 SUNDAY APRIL 24 LIVE MUSIC Diversity

Jazz, blues and some old staples. 5-7pm. Free. A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Aviary Sundays Live

TUESDAY APRIL 26 THEATRE Heaven

$22.50-$30 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. 7pm. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

3pm. Free.

TRIVIA

Ben Kelly

Impact Comics Presents

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

With Amy Jenkins, Josh Veneers & Afi. From 3pm. Free entry. AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

MEST & Hawthorne Heights 8pm.

THE BASEMENT

Groovin The Moo

10:30am. Ticket information at gtm.net.au. UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Nerd Trivia with Joel and Ali. THE PHOENIX BAR

WEDNESDAY APRIL 27 ART EXHIBITIONS National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016

19 Mar - 26 Jun.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Bonsai Print

Opens at 2pm Apr 9. From Apr 9-30. MEGALO PRINT STUDIO + GALLERY

ON THE TOWN

Tom Tilley (triple j)

Hump Day

DJ set. Supports include Alex York, Bakgat, Megan Bones. 10pm. MR WOLF

Get over the hump with drink specials after 5pm. TRANSIT BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

THEATRE

Drawn In

Andrew Bovell’s Speaking in Tongues

Draw while listening to Chris Pidcock, cello 1pm. Free. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The Great Moscow Circus

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times. MAJURA PARK

WORKSHOPS Diving In (Memoir) with Biff Ward 1pm.

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

MONDAY APRIL 25 SOMETHING DIFFERENT The Great Moscow Circus

Visit thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au for ticket prices and show times. MAJURA PARK

National University Theatre Society season. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Heaven

$22.50-$30 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. 7pm. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

TRIVIA Tranny Trivia

Glamour & Song questions. 8pm. Book Online. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

WORKSHOPS General French Courses 6 Apr - 2 Jul.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Focus on the Short Story with Theresa Layton 7.30pm.

TRIVIA

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

Knightsbridge Penthouse Trivia Tuesdays

6 Apr - 2 Jul.

Hosted by Nigella Lawsuit. Win cash prizes & bar tabs. 7:20pm. KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

TUESDAY APRIL 26 KARAOKE

French Courses for Kids ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

THURSDAY APRIL 28 LIVE MUSIC 2016 Canberra International Music Festival

#KaraokeLove

28 Apr - 8 May. Information and tickets at cimf.org.au or 02 6230 5880.

TRANSIT BAR

The Barren Spinsters

9pm. Free entry.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Karaoke Salon

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

The QBN blues/rock duo crosses the line from Shelbyville to hit the Transit Bar stage once more. 8pm.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Mysterium

Tarot Card Reading

THE PHOENIX BAR

8PM. Book online at politbar.co.

Booking only 0416-651-974. 5-7pm.

TRANSIT BAR

Lok and Load. 9pm. $5.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

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ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE April 28 – May 4 THURSDAY APRIL 28 ON THE TOWN

Lazy Eye 8pm. Free.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Human Movement

Chicago Charles & Danger Dave

Supports include Alex York, Bakgat, Everest. 10pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Fridays From Five

9pm. Free.

The Thursday Games

Crazy Ass Games including tournaments and prizes, and all things Sangria & FUN. 5pm. Free.

Heaven

$22.50-$30 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. 7pm. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

DJs spinning Old Skool, Hip Hop, R&B. Free from 5pm. AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

THEATRE

52 Storey Treehouse

With guests. From 3pm. $15.

National University Theatre Society season. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Heaven

$22.50-$30 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. 7pm. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

FRIDAY APRIL 29 ART EXHIBITIONS

$24.90 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Andrew Bovell’s Speaking in Tongues National University Theatre Society season. ANU ARTS CENTRE

Heaven

$22.50-$30 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. 7pm. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

SATURDAY APRIL 3O

Here & There, Constructure & Biomimetic

ART EXHIBITIONS

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

19 Mar - 26 Jun.

May exhibitions. 29 Apr-22 May. Free entry.

LIVE MUSIC

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Bonsai Print

Special K

Opens at 2pm Apr 9. From Apr 9-30.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

LIVE MUSIC

10.30pm. Free.

Robbie Mann Plays Stride Piano 7.30PM. Free. Book online at politbar.co. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Live Music on the Terrace 4pm.

PARLOUR WINE ROOM

UV Boi

The sublime Brisbane producer launches his L-UV EP with Collarbone, Gill Bates and Villette. 8pm. TRANSIT BAR

ON THE TOWN Happy Hour

Every Friday to 6pm.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Glamour and Moist With Tammy Paks

8pm. Bookings recommended. politbar.co. POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

MEGALO PRINT STUDIO + GALLERY

THE GODS CAFE

The lads are back! 5-7pm. Free.

THEATRE

Andrew Bovell’s Speaking in Tongues

Meals from 6pm. Music at 7.30pm. $22/$15. Bookings at thegodscafe@ gmail.com

Nightfall

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Support by Raccoon City Police Department.

Casey Golden Trio

LIVE MUSIC

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

The Saddest Landscape LACKLUSTRE HQ

SUNDAY MAY 1

MR WOLF

LIVE MUSIC

Jazz at the Gods

Meals from 6pm. Music at 7:30pm. Bookings essential. $22/$15.

Winston Surfshift

THE GODS CAFE

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free. KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

THEATRE The Glass Menagerie

$35-$85 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. THE PLAYHOUSE

Free Comic Book Day

TRIVIA

IMPACT COMICS

The Phoenix Quiz Night

THEATRE

THE PHOENIX BAR

impactcomics.com.au.

Pop Music Trivia. 7.30pm.

Heaven

$22.50-$30 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au. 7pm. THE COURTYARD STUDIO

WEDNESDAY MAY 4 ART EXHIBITIONS Here & There, Constructure & Biomimetic

MONDAY MAY 2

May exhibitions. 29 Apr-22 May. Free entry.

LIVE MUSIC

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

CMC Presents The Bootleg Sessions

LIVE MUSIC

8pm. Free.

Mitch Power

THE PHOENIX BAR

4th Degree

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Support by PJ Michael. $10 on the door. 7:30pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Chrome

Sounds on Site 1: Bells and Smells

2016 Canberra International Music Festival

THE BASEMENT

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

10.30pm. Free.

DJs playing industrial, alternative, dark electronic. 9pm. $10.

Witchskull

Los Hombres Del Diablo. 9.30pm. $5. THE PHOENIX BAR

12.30pm. Bookings through cimf.org.au.

TUESDAY MAY 3

THEATRE

KARAOKE

52 Storey Treehouse

#KaraokeLove

$24.90 at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

9pm. Free entry.

Andrew Bovell’s Speaking in Tongues

8PM. Book online at politbar.co.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

TRANSIT BAR

Karaoke Salon

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

National University Theatre Society season.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

28 Apr - 8 May. Information and tickets at cimf.org.au or 02 6230 5880. VARIOUS LOCATIONS

ON THE TOWN Hump Day

Get over the hump with drink specials after 5pm. TRANSIT BAR

THEATRE The Glass Menagerie

$35-$85 at canberratheatrecentre. com.au. THE PLAYHOUSE

ANU ARTS CENTRE

OUT

MAY 11

THE CAT EMPIRE DROP IN TO SAY ‘HELLO’ SLOW TURISMO SPEED UP A BIT EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS FIND THEIR WAY HOME WE ALL DIE EATING ICE CREAM AT MÖVENPICK

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FIRST CONTACT SIDE A: BMA BAND PROFILE

Aaron Peacey 0410381306 band.afternoon.shift@ gmail.com.au Adam Hole 0421023226

Afternoon Shift 0402055314

Kayo Marbilus facebook.com/kayomarbilus1

Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288

Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792

Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313 Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343

PSIONIC TIDE Group members: Gav (vox), Kate (bass), Matt (drums), and Nick (guitar). Where did your band name come from? Just a mash of words and ideas, nothing extraordinary. Describe your sound. Merging the sounds of heavy guitars, rock/fusion drums, punky bass and powerfully clean vocals, Psionic Tide is a uniquely refreshing and addictive sound catering to alternative, rock and metal crowds alike. Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Alice in Chains, Helmet, Nevermore, Devin Townsend, Slayer, Metallica, Incubus, Pantera, Stephen King, H. P. Lovecraft, horror, fantasy, etc.

Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433 Back to the Eighties Ty Emerson 0418 544 014 Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had whilst performing? We have only played three shows so far. Nick’s guitar input dying five minutes before we played our second show was pretty anus.

Chris Harland Blues Band, The Chris 0418 490 649 chrisharlandbluesband @gmail.com

Of what are you proudest so far? That a group of people came together from different backgrounds, different music tastes and have put together a pretty unique sound, playing gigs and having fun doing it. Also that we all get along…

Danny V Danny 0413502428

What are your plans for the future? More gigs, recording, having a blast writing and playing muzak! What makes you laugh? The Simpsons, Conan, dry wit, overly serious people, posers… What pisses you off? Dishonesty, people not covering their mouth when they sneeze, tailgating, homophobia, that there is still racism, sexism, mass shootings, etc. in 2016. What about the local scene would you change? The scene (at least the metal scene) is exceptionally welcoming and positive. This is a great hat tip to a strong community. We would NOT change this, it’s wonderful! What are your upcoming gigs? Black Rheno, Whitefall, Kitten Hurricane at The Basement, Saturday March 26. Contact info: psionictide@gmail.com, facebook.com/psionictide, @psionictide (Twitter and Instagram), triplejunearthed.com/user/2962326, reverbnation.com/psionictide, soundcloud.com/psionic-tide

Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428 Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com Drumassault Dan 0406 375 997 Feldons, The 0407 213 701 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388 Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020 Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885 Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158 Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com

Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae Rafa 0406647296 Andy 0401572150 Merloc - Recording Studio, Watson. Sam King: 0430484363. sam@ merlocrecords.com Missing Zero Hadrian 0424721907 hadrian.brand@live.com.au Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843 Mornings Jordan 0439907853 Obsessions 0450 960 750 obsessions@grapevine.com.au Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027 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 Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075 Super Best Friends Greg greg@gunfever.com.au System Addict Jamie 0418398556

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Tegan Northwood (Singing Teacher) 0410 769 144

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703

Top Shelf Colin 0408631514

Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480

Undersided, The Baz 0408468041

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

Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au

Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

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MIDNIGHT AD SPACE OIL

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