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[Canberra’s Entertainment Guide] #520 November/December

So... What you been up to?

Mail: 36/97 Eastern Valley Way Belconnen, ACT 2617 Publisher ABN 76 097 301 730 Pty Ltd

General Manager Allan Sko E: advertising@bmamag.com

Editor Allan Sko E: allan@bmamag.com

Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi E: accounts@bmamag.com

Cover Design Juliette Dudley

Cover photo Chris Walsch

Article Design Daniel Kirklandd and Kim Yang designs by Marty Baker Christopher Samuel Carroll design by Monique Lewis

Film Columnist Cam Williams

Entertainment Guide Editor Allan Sko

Social Media Manager Allan Sko & Ruth O’Brien

Columnists Ruth O’Brien, Josh Nixon, Alice Worley, Chris Marlton, Allan Sko

Contributors Josh Eckersley, Millie Hayes, Ruth O’Brien, Vince Leigh, Allan Sko

NEXT ISSUE #521 OUT Thursday, 16 December

EDITORIAL DEADLINE Friday, 26 November

ADVERTISING DEADLINE Wednesday, 8 December 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.

EST 1992

KIM YANG p. 32

KOPASETIC

p. 16 A NEW COMIC BY STUART MCMILLEN p. 23

CHRISTOPHER SAMUEL CARROLL p. 28 KIRKLANDD p. 30

LOLCOL: CHRIS MARLTON

TIM FERGUSON p. 27 HOT TIX - LIVE MUSIC p. 12 SPOTLIGHT - ARTS p. 13

FROM THE BOSSMAN

BY ALLAN SKO

[ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM] Canberra, I Bloody Love You... Well clamp my nipples and call me Beryl; if I’m writing a Bossman column, that must mean… BMA is back! And if BMA is back, that must mean… Canberra live music and arts is too! The Spirits have done it all in one night! They can do anything they like. Of course they can. “YOU THERE, BOY! WHAT DAY IS THIS?”

Gosh, I missed you lot. That lockdown seemed to last longer than your grandparents’ marriage. 2.0 was an entirely different beast to its 2020 counterpart. The “novelty” had gone (and I air quote there so hard that I’ve dislocated a finger), we were locking down and opening up at different times, and the whole thing had the weight of, “UrrrgggGGGH… this again?” Whereas the initial shock of the pandemic spurned a sense of alternative action, deep internal ponderance, and general life reassessment, the second obliterated the motivation, sparking a minor hum of depression disguised as couch-surfing inactivity. But we have emerged, bleary-eyed and blinking, into the world once more. And wow, do we have a feast of fun to gorge upon. This issue is a blushing cornucopia of Canberra creativity, particularly from the music fraternity. Despite the pox on all our houses, 2021 has shaped up to be one of the best for Canberra music. You can read about it here, and in next month’s edish, as there’s simply too much amazing music to report on in one go. Artists have been vital during this most challenging of years. Whilst I was wading through a malaise of a fugue of a swamp, every day my email would pop off with another amazing feat of ACT art actualisation. It’s enough to make you feel old and flabby. And very, very grateful for the connection through art. Now, of course, we can give one of the best kinds of love and support possible: getting along to live shows and events. Which segues neatly into WOLO - What’s On, Lots On - an epic undertaking between Music ACT, your humble BMA Magazine, and venues, promoters, and artists Canberra-wide. It’s an up-to-theminute collection of music and arts events, with a print version still lovingly created at the back of this mag. There’s already close to 200 listings, and plenty of peeps checking it out. Keen? I present to you the paragon of modern technology; a QR code. Print and online combine to create a digital highway to speed you straight to the WOLO zone. Look, it’s been a suck of a year. No question. A lot has been lost along the way. Yet, a sense of pentup energy abounds. I’ve been on the phone to countless artists, promoters, and venues and the electricity is palpable. Being out and about is genuinely exciting. And this could only happen because we really looked after each other, Canberra. Bloody proud of you.

A Celebration of Funk & Soul / Three talented bands / Sun, 21 November / The Basement

Three full, funky, soulful sets await for an end-of-spring Sunday arvie. The Funkologists are from the engine rooms of local funk juggernauts Funk Shui and Brass Knuckle. They will be playing a mix of pure soul and funk classics, combined with some rare cuts. The incredibly talented Subway to Venus are described as 100% spacious, hard funk saturated in uplifting melodies that you can vibe the f*ck out to. And formed from the band Big Gumbo, five-piece funk ‘n’ soulsters Sister C & the Bad Habits are seasoned musicians who truly love putting their groove out there to entertain. 4pm-8pm, tickets $29.10 via Oztix Bang!! Bing!! Beng!! Bong!! Bung!! / Weekly open mic night / Every Tuesday / Smith’s Alternative

There’s no better way to stretch out those lockdown cramps than by attending Smith’s version of the open-mic. Enjoy sets of up to five songs from singer-songwriters, new to performing, new to town, or trying out new material in front of a friendly audience. In the next month alone you can witness Sean Hutterer, Natorious Burn, Minh Ngo, John Taylor, George K, Ali Bryant, Melody Bear, Evan Hanford, Wil Allen, CJ Shaw, Amy Paterson, Winningduo Band, Jasper Burfoot, Spaceman Africa, moss girl, Jasmine Golden, and plenty more besides! 7pm - 10pm, tix a mere $5 via smithsalternative.com

NYASH! / Afrobeat Ska / Sat, 27 November / Gang Gang Cafe

Nifty nine-piece NYASH! are back at Gang Gang Café and Bar for a long overdue night of big band shakin’ goodness. Once again, hot and heavy vibes are promised, and why wouldn’t they be? NYASH! are Canberra’s very own enclave of Afrobeat + Ska + Reggae sounds who have been entertaining and delighting for many a year now. Expect the Afro-Funk of Nigeria’s Fela Kuti mixed with feel good Jamaican Skatalites vibes. From 3:30pm, free entry

Chins + The Dalmations + Filthy Darlings / Fri, 3 December / Smith’s Alternative

Five-piece indie-rocksters Chins – think The Cure meets Surf Curse with a twist grunge and a side serve of punk – are celebrating their new single Eloise Is Crying at the venue that gave them their first gig - Smith’s Alternative. Joining them on the night are The Dalmatians ft The Two Peas, who combine acoustic guitar, bouzouki, vocal harmonies and backing tracks to create catchy grooves, dance beats and woody ballads. Plus The Filthy Darlings, as filthy as The Police, but as sincere as The Darling Buds of May. 7pm, tickets are $20/$15 via smithsalternative.com Nina Leo / Debut EP Fake It launch/ Thu, 2 December / sideway bar

Nina Leo is socking it to sideway to celebrate the release of her Debut EP Fake It in its proper rock show fashion. She is known for maintaining a balance of that golden era rock; twisted with a soft acoustic, psychedelic gaze. This year she showcased herself with the release of her debut single Recover this April, along with her sophomore single Break The Renegade taking a polar-opposite turn with a power anthem that nobody saw coming. With the loving support from Canberra locals AVA Martina and dog world, you don’t wanna miss this one! 8pm, free entry

SummerSalt / Big Festival returns to Canberra / Sat, 26 February / Stage 88

SummerSalt is set to sizzle, with Missy Higgins, Xavier Rudd, Birds of Toyko, The Waifs, Pete Murray, The Dreggs & Tulliah all there. Promoter, John Zaccaria tells us: “After powering through a tumultuous time for live concerts, we are so excited to return to the ACT. We’re all keen to get back to enjoying fun days out with friends and some of Australia’s best live music. We have another top line-up of homegrown Aussie talent to bring to Canberra and can’t wait to see music fans out again making sensational summer memories with their mates.” Tickets $81.34 - $183.29 from Ticketmaster @bmamag

ArtSound FM Radio Theatre 1st Birthday / Weekly radio plays / Every Sunday, 4pm / ArtSound fm 92.7

Last year, radio drama returned to ArtSound FM, Canberra’s arts and music community radio station, with the addition of ArtSound Radio Theatre. It’s now celebrating its first anniversary. “Local writers and actors have enthusiastically taken on the challenge of producing work for radio,” says program producer Bart Meehan, a prolific local playwright. Each 30-minute episode, heard Sundays at 4pm (repeated Tuesdays at 4pm) features one or two short plays. Many are original works by Canberra region playwrights, while others are sourced from the ArtSound archives or are new productions of classics. Must-listen

Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase / 8 Top Comics / Sun, 12 December / Canberra Theatre

Expertly curated and lovingly presented, the Syd Com Fest Showcase is bringing the crème de la crème of the Festival to Canberra. The showcase features some of the Festival’s hottest acts live on stage for an incredible two hours of hard-hitting laughter. Boasting a line-up of veteran favourites and some of the freshest emerging talents, this jam-packed night of pure entertainment includes Cameron James, Nikki Britton, Sean Woodland, local legend Chris Ryan, Bonnie Tangey, Daniel Muggleton, Bec Melrose, and Suren Jayemanne. 7:30pm, $36$40 + bf via venue A Christmas Carol / Festive classic; 30 characters by 5 actors / 26 Nov – 4 Dec / Canberra Rep

Directed by Antonia Kitzel, A Christmas Carol is REP’s first production following the recent COVID lockdown and is a welcome return to the stage. Join Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey of redemption as he faces three ghosts who teach him the true meaning of Christmas, and the joy that giving yourself over to love and compassion can bring. This adaptation by Abigail Paul was first staged in 2015 by the Theatre Language Studio Frankfurt. In REP’s 2021 rendition, all 30 characters are brought to life by a cast of five actors. All tickets $20, check canberrarep.org.au for times and availability

Marky Worthington Open Mic Comedy / Thu, 7 December / The Basement

Beloved local comic Marky Worthington and his third-Tuesday-everymonth open mic comedy nights are gaining popularity with each iteration. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to tryout some new stuff, or if it’s your first trembling step on the ‘boards, head on down and check it out. When it comes to bookings the “First In Best Dressed” rule will apply. There are 16 bookable spots. Or, of course, be a part of the audience and come along for the laughs and a bite to eat from Chompy’s while you’re at it! To get involved, or for more info, email markyworthingtoncomedy@gmail.com

Randy Feltface / Puppetry of the Genius / Thu, 16 December / The Street Theatre

After selling out festivals across the country, everyone’s favourite feltfaced comedian is bringing his finest hour of stand-up to The Street for two nights only. Randy started doing stand-up comedy in 2005 and has since given birth to seven critically acclaimed solo shows. He has appeared at Fringe, Comedy and Music festivals, performed on major stages in regal theatres and gigged in sticky-carpeted beer-barns from Edinburgh to Hong Kong, Galway to New York and Singapore to Sydney. 8:30pm, tickets $35 + bf from thestreet.org.au/shows/ccfrandy-feltface facebook.com/bmamagazine Van Gogh Alive / Huge touring digital exhibition / From 5 March, 2022 / Parkes Place Lawns

Created by Grande Experiences, Van Gogh Alive is a large-scale, multi-sensory experience visited by over 8 million people across 75+ cities around the world. Immerse themselves in Van Gogh’s artistry and truly venture into his world in this digital exhibition. Van Gogh Alive is housed in The Grand Pavilion, a giant, 70m X 25m bespoke marquee; the largest touring showroom in the southern hemisphere, featuring a themed bar & café space. The Canberra season opens during the Enlighten Festival in 2022. Make no mistake – this is no ordinary art exhibition. Bookings + info: vangoghalive.com.au PAGE 13 PAGE 13

LOCALITY

[THE WORD ON LOCAL MUSIC] WITH RUTH O’BRIEN. SEND YOUR GIGS AND INFO TO:

[RUTH@BMAMAG.COM]

Oh hi! How goes it? It’s been a few months since we’ve been able to touch base about all things Canberra fun stuff, i.e. music, arts and the like. Lockdowns will do that kind of thing to one’s social life. Bet you’re super keen to get out of the house now that we can, right? Well, you’re in luck. There’s a huge amount of stuff going on in the territory over the coming weeks and months so, let’s jump into it.

First up, WOLO is the newest (and coolest) Canberra acronym to get wrap your coconut around. Also known as What’s On? Lots On. WOLO is the brainchild and result of the hard efforts of MusicACT and BMA. Yup, throughout this year, we’ve been working alongside some of Canberra’s most talented and hard-working people in the music scene to bring together the most awesome gig guide this city has ever bloody seen! Now, venues, promoters and individuals across town are able to upload event info which enables the gig-goer to quickly and easily find out what’s happening in and around our beautiful city, all in one hit! To find out what’s on, simply scan the QR code below or head to wolo.events to have a browse through this master guide of delicious gig information! Does that mean this entire column has just been made redundant? Nope! There’s still loads to chat about, so stick with me.

Between the 10th-18th of December, the Australian Dance Party (ADP) will be presenting their most recent work, Less, at the Dairy Road Precinct in Fyshwick. The show boasts live music performed by Alex Voorhoeve (cello) and John Mackey (sax), with members of ADP activating their architectural surroundings. With a calibre of artists this high, this performance will truly be a fine example of how less really is, more. To book tickets, go to events.humanitix.com/less The fantastic Canberra venue that is Gang Gang Cafe and Bar has a whole host of events coming up in the weeks ahead of us. On Saturday, 27 November at 7pm, Burntout Bookings present their inaugural live show with an amazing lineup to kick things off. That is Nina Leo, Lost Coast and Betty Alto. Just a few short weeks later on Sunday, 12 December at 6pm, Creswick (aka Liam Budge) and his band will be taking over the venue to bring you some original tunes.

This will be Creswick’s first show since returning to Australia after living in New York for several years. Tickets can be booked via Oztix, or you can simply go to the events link at linktr.ee/ganggangcafe for all the juicy info. Heading over to the UC Hub now and Lucy Sugerman will be performing on Saturday, 11 December to celebrate the release of her eagerly awaited debut EP hurt that’s man made. The EP is an ode to your inexperienced heart taking over your inexperienced

Lucy Sugarman

head, and explores the tedious process of trial and error in taking back control over your life post-first love. Lucy will be supported by Parklands and Zuko. Tix via Moshtix. For those of you not quite ready to head into the great outdoors just yet, Mustard Flats have just released a documentary about the much loved Academy nightclub and its history called, The Academy Story. Ah yes, I have many a hazy memory of that place… so many good times. The endlessly talented Nic Vevers, director, filmmaker and the creator of Mustard Flats, has brought together an incredible collection of footage and insights from some of Canberra’s industry icons including Jim Medcraft, Chris Fraser, Ashley Feraude, Mikah Freeman and Frank Condi. Featuring never before seen footage, The Academy Story tells the unknown history of Canberra’s first superclub and the incredible impact it had on local music culture. To watch the doco head to linketr.ee/mustardflats And finally, MusicACT is hosting the next Music Chats event on Sunday, 28 November at 3:30pm, at Canberra’s newest bar One22. Australia-based international booking agencies Select Music and Raida Artists will be leading a discussion through Vienna Bradley (Teenage Dads, Columbus, Sputnik Sweetheart) and Jimmy Kleiner (Yours Truly, Teenage Joans, TOWNS). They’ll be sharing their wisdom on the art of booking great gigs. A great chat full of juicy tips awaits. To book your free ticket go to musicact.com.au

And don’t forget, if you’re a muso or industry professional, make sure you subscribe to Upbeat - the music industry newsletter I curate and email out every second Wednesday. This free resource is full of all the latest professional opportunities, jobs, competitions and grants I come across that ACT-residents are eligible for. To sign up head to eepurl.com/g2T5iz or upbeatcbr.com That’s all folks! Catch ya soon. Ruth O’Brien - Singer | Songwriter | Writer | Lover of all things artsy and creative - email: ruth@bmamag.com

Plucky five-piece roots ‘n’ reggae tinged, off-beat folksters Kopasetic are playing at The Street Theatre on Saturday, 4 December. They are celebrating the release of new single Petrified. As such, we here at BMA thought it high time to catch up with the crew to find out where did they come from, where d’they go (giving them the ol’ Cotton Eye Joe treatment). Let’s do it to it! Over to you Mr Alec Randles… Group members: Kopasetic is: Alec Randles – Vocals and Guitar James Briguglio – Drums and Handpan Henry Overton – Bass Dylan Saunders – Percussion Adam Lilleyman – Keyboard Where did the band name come from?

Our name comes from the slang word ‘Copacetic’, meaning something like ‘in fine form’, or ‘in good order’. Hah! There is an interesting variety of ideas of where the word comes from. It’s been the name for my imaginary band since I heard it while backpacking across Jamaica in 2015. A member of the Rastafari in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica kept saying the word. He told me it came up during the colonial period where pirates, locals, and colonials alike would use the word for when everything was cool and calm. I liked the story, and it stuck in my head as a band name. I think it suits our music, and it’s also a subtle call out to rootsreggae folk because of the history of the word in that music. How did you form? I (Alec) started performing when I was studying in the United States and I was absolutely blown away by the music scenes in that part of the world – like in Memphis, Nashville, and Kansas City. Inspired, I wanted to continue with performing when I got back to Australia. However, it seemed a lot harder for me to get momentum here as a solo folk artist than it was over there.

I just wanted to play more shows, and I thought putting a band together was the way to do it. I reached out to two guys from high school that I remembered were excellent musicians – Henry (bass) and James (drums). We got together in early 2018 and from there we started jamming. Kopasetic started really slow, but we just kept practicing until we had a tight, distinct sound. Describe your sound: This is a hard one.

Kopasetic’s original music is ‘roots’, but is probably just off-beat folk music that draws influence from the heavy lead bass and drums of roots-reggae music. We lack a lead instrument, so almost everything has gone into making a dope rhythm engine. For the upcoming show at The Street Theatre, Kopasetic is lucky to have Guy Lilleyman (Guyy & the Fox) jumping in on some lead mandolin, which we are very keen for. Someone once called us a hornless version of The Cat Empire. I’m not too sold on that, but I kinda get where they are coming from. Who or What are your influences, musical and/or otherwise? Man this is another hard one to pick. Despite the music Kopasetic plays, Henry (bass) is an absolute metalhead and also delves into a bit of jazz. James’ (drums) background is in rock music. I have a history of fingerstyle guitar and songwriting inspired from the late ’60s and ’70s (think Neil Young, Rodriguez, Townes Van Zandt, and Bob Dylan).

I was absolutely taken by reggae music since around 2014, and found myself drifting away from more classical styles of guitar and into roots music. Since jamming together, we’ve all started sharing a deep interest in roots and reggae music.

This said, we also hold some key band influences as Roberto

Fonseca, Ray Lamontagne, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Don Carlos,

Fortunate Youth, Bonnie Raitt, and Victor Wooten.

Aside from music, we draw influence from progressive activism and any person who stands up against environmental injustice.

What are some of the most memorable experiences you’ve had?

Sharing a stage with Australian roots legend Jeff Lang is a cool thing for us to look back on.

We also headlined the Roots and Reggae By The Lake festival at

Lennox Gardens in 2019 with an audience upwards of 500 people. It was such a good vibe that afternoon; like something from a dream.

Another super memorable experience was when we sold out

Smith’s Alternative for our debut EP launch back in 2019 with our close friends Bobby James supporting us. We sold over 120 tickets that night and around 70 EPs, which was such a surprise. It really encouraged us to keep pressing forward.

What is it that you love about the scene? Your genre’s scene?

Some of our biggest feels go out to venues like Smith’s Alternative.

Especially in the early days, we found Smith’s to have been one of the only venues that gave us artistic comfort as young people to play and create music the way we wanted to, and in tribute to the music and artists that we thought were important.

We think Smith’s does an incredible job of fostering artistic integrity in local musicians. Performing at Smith’s has always reminded me of those fascinating music scenes I was a part of in places like Nashville and Memphis. I can taste the nostalgia when I walk through those doors.

Aside from being regulars at Smith’s, we actually didn’t feel like we belonged to any particular music scene in Canberra until we met Raf Florez, the manager of Los Chavos and operator of Cultura

Clandestino. He started booking Kopasetic for gigs on bills with facebook.com/bmamagazine bands like Los Chavos and Zambezi Sounds on Saturday nights. It didn’t take long for us to realise that there was a roots music community in Canberra, and it was incredibly multicultural. It’s a damn fine music scene, and we are stoked to have been welcomed into it. I think our recent growth and selling-out of headline gigs in Canberra started with those shows and audiences, and we have made some great friends along the way. Keep an eye out for the Cultura Clandestino gigs! Tell us about one of your proudest moments? I actually think our recent recording of our new tune Petrified is something we will remember forever. We were having such a good time at Amberly Studios getting the scratch tracks down. It is just such a vibe to be absolutely jamming to make a scratch track. To be able to look at each other from different rooms while you’re playing. Giving each other looks like “check out what we’re doing”. The connection you get with your bandmates at times like that is priceless. People would pay so much money to feel that feeling, but it can only come from hard work and connecting together through music. What are your plans for the future? We were on a cool ride leading up to the outbreak of the pandemic, getting accepted into interstate music festivals and so on. But all that just ended so suddenly. We would love to just keep pushing roots and folk music here in Canberra, and reminding people of how powerful the history, music, and messages can be in these genres. Not to mention how good it sounds live. Our ultimate goal would be to play Woodford Folk Festival. Mmmhmm. Anything else you’d like to add? Don’t forget to come see us perform at The Street Theatre for our single launch for Petrified on Saturday, 4 December. Also, we love to chat with anyone about the history of roots music. Feel free to reach out to us via instagram or facebook @kopaseticband PAGE 17

THE DROP

[THE WORD ON EDM/DANCE MUSIC] WITH ALLAN SKO

The plague of Covid - and subsequent lockdowns - has played merry havoc with discerning dancesters’ schedule. But we’re back! Just! Venues and promoters have only just started to fire up their party planning. In the meantime, there’s a stack of fine releases to feast on. So let’s get to it... A few months ago, this column ran a wee piece on Canberra-Melbourne label Late Night Music. Well, they’ve had a busy release schedule on their hands. Pre-lockdown, Peter Kazuki O’Rourke (formally of this very column) released his Samsara/ Nirvana EP, which took on the task of, “exploring the cycle of reincarnation and recreation in the pursuit of enlightenment, playing out across two expansive, progressive cuts”. Sri Lankan progressive house maestro Subandrio joined the release with a deep and heady remix of Samsara. Said remix slotted in at #34 on the Beatport Prog House track charts. It’s also gained industry support from legends like Guy J, Nick Warren, Jamie Jones, Anthony Pappa, Kasey Taylor, Rigooni, and Mike Griego. Further to this, former Canberran-now-Melbourne-based producer and label co-founder James Beetham applies an intricate touch with his take on Nirvana. And speaking of the B-man...

Around the same time was the label’s 13th release – Emanation from James Beetham. This happy occasion marks his first solo EP on Late Night. Chunky progressive house cut Muon opens the EP, while Protosphere takes us in a merry progressive breaks direction. Northern Ireland duo Loco & Jam bring a tough techno reimagining of Muon, while fellow Australian producer Fourthstate adds a breaks touch to the track in his remix. So there’s a little summin-summin for one and all. Indeed, the EP has already gained industry support from heavyweights Chris Cargo, Darius Bassiray, Gai Barone, Just B, Lonya, Steve Parry, and Zankee Gulati. Finally for the label, in late August Late Night invited friend from Russia Ewan Rill to showcase his EP This Kind. It features a veritable showbag of remixes from the label stable and an exciting guest. The release comprises two stunning tracks - titular This Kind and Glide. Aussie electronic icon Jamie Stevens of Infusion fame provides a remix of This Kind, while Kazuki gives it a breakbeat spin. A deep progressive version of Glide is dished up by James Beetham, with Liam Sieker’s remix rounding out the EP. Flipping over to the drum ‘n’ bass front, Futurebound and BSound dropped an absolute monster to see you through the early stages of lockdown. It has the wonderful moniker of Slap Suey, replete with a drilling, hard urgency to it. As one a top YouTube commenter excitingly espouses: “Whoaaa, the “slap” in the title is TOTALLY JUSTIFIED HOLY FUCK”. Couldn’t have slobbered it better myself. Now, back in the Before Times when we were Footloose and fancy free, I was to gleefully report on Canberra House Social presents Null (live) at sideway at a now mythical time known as Saturday, 28 August.

Sadly, that never came to be. Although that show may still be on the cards one day, what has for sure happened in the interim is the release of Null’s Khoping Mech EP. I’ve been a keen follower of Null AKA Hayden Quinn’s career for - checks watch - shit! well over a decade now. This goes back to the very early days when he was palling around with James Hewson under the guise of Paqman (their Antithesis album was a cracker), and then later under the moniker of Rachel Haircut. I couldn’t play the Rachel Haircut double A-side Aquaflash + Nicodeine Crush enough. Hell, reckon I’ll pop that badboy on right now! Citing The Chemical Brothers as a big inspiration - which always gets a hard tick from this Chemmies devotee - I was deeply saddened to learn of their parting of ways. But years back, Quinn made a move to Melbs, created Null, released a slew of rad tunes, and has now released a shiny new EP.

I caught up with Mr Quinn in light of this happy occasion: “The EP is a hint at things to come,” Quinn explains. “It’s two x 4/4 tracks, with one in my typical rave/breakbeat style. “I wanted to get something a little more stripped back and reserved out into the world before pushing forward with more “album artist” type material in 2022.” So there you go. Null’s Khoping Mech EP is out right now. Rightey-o. On to gigs we go. Somewhat. With the news of nightclubs being able to re-open only happening recently (and DANCING permitted! The very idea!) the Canberra clubbing cognoscenti are still putting together their party masterplans. One crew that’s got going from the get-go of lockdown-lift is perennial favourites Hot Foot Records, who have utilised the mighty Soul Defender machine for their wonderful wares. But take not my word for it. I caught up with Hot Foot hotshot, the loveable Loky ‘Say’ Watt, to get the deets: “It’s a free party every Friday afternoon from 5pm-9:30pm with the Soul Defender running stage and sound out the front of Lonsdale Street Cafe,” he gleams. If you’re unfamiliar with the Soul Defender; get acquainted stat! It’s an urban artwork designed as a static stage, parade vehicle, or festival installation. Previously used as a weapon of war, it has been transformed to now launch only feel-good music, bubbles, fun lighting, and uplifting performances. Here’s a happy pic of the Don of The Dance, Doppel, rocking it at the Escape Ferocity party back in March of this year. Photo by the irrepressible Martin Ollman:

Neat, eh? Anyway, back to Loky: “The parties will be running each week till Christmas for now, possibly running into next year, with the line-ups being predominantly Hot Foot artists.” And further to this: “The cafe has created a new menu for the evenings,” Loky adds, “and will have a temporary liquor licence to sell alcohol.” In other news, Fiction has opened its doors again, including its regular Saturday party nights, so that’s good news. Speaking of that space, production house Mustard Flats have just released a documentary about the seminal Academy nightclub and its history called, The Academy Story. I wonder if my swivel-eyed gurning self makes a cameo here and there. I remember so many epic nights: Deep Dish & Danny Howells, Ugly Duckling, Roni Size, Justice. And by remember, I mean not at all. The endlessly talented Nic Vevers, director, filmmaker and the creator of Mustard Flats, has brought together an incredible collection of footage and insights from some of Canberra’s industry icons. These include videographer to the stars Jim Medcraft, legendary DJs Chris Fraser, Ashley Feraude, and Mikah Freeman, and venue owning magnate Frank Condi. Featuring never before seen footage, The Academy Story tells the unknown history of Canberra’s first superclub and the incredible impact it had on Canberra’s music culture. To watch the doco head to linketr.ee/ mustardflats Right, that’s enough bollocks from me. The words, that is, not the acts featured. They’re not bollocks. They’re great! This final paragraph right here… Now THAT’S first-rate bollocks!

PUNK & DISORDERLY

[THE WORD ON PUNK] WITH ALICE WORLEY

Hey all! How lovely to be back. Hope lockdown wasn’t too hard on all of you! So what’s new? Well, the big woo-hoo is that we can start going to shows again! For starters, we’ve got sideway starting up their weekly Thursday band nights. Some of their upcoming line-ups include dog world (11 November), The Jim Dusty Drive-Thru Garbage Casino (18 November), and Enfants w/ Gin On The Rocks (25 November). And we have shows at The Basement back in action! The Cohen Street Bash on Friday, 26 November will be the first standing show out of lockdown, featuring Parklands, Box Dye, dog world, and Welly.

And Avalanche are popping down from Sydney on their East Coast Tour, supported by Clarity of Chaos, Hence The Testbed, and Highland Light on Sunday, 12 December. There are two other The Basement shows I’m particularly keen for. They’re kinda ages away, but you should probably think about getting tickets now cos they’ll definitely sell out. Hard-Ons are stopping by The Basement on Thursday, 31 March. Not only have they released an album, I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken, but they’ll be sporting their new frontman – You Am I’s Tim Rogers! I’m really interested in seeing this new line-up. It’s going to be a super fun show that won’t leave anyone wanting. We’ve also got ’90s Aussie indie-punk legends The Meanies finally back on the road and they’ve confirmed their new Canberra date is Sunday, 3 April! Although it’s been out for a year already, their latest album Desperate Measures deserves to be celebrated at long last. So let’s celebrate! Unfortunately they won’t be joined by Dicklord anymore, but our locals Charlotte and The Harlots will be stepping up to fill those mighty support slot shoes. Side note: it’s so awesome to see Charlotte and The Harlots landing so many cool shows. They’re absolute shredders and it’s exciting that they’re getting the recognition. Love you guys! st.sinner have released an EP, Politics and Other Drugs. What a corker of a debut EP! Their much loved singles are on the track list: Mr Prime Minister, We’re All Going To Hell, and Dead For The Weekend. And there’s also some new tracks: Power, Danger, and Faking. Highly recommend checking it out; it’a currently up on Spotify. Congratulations to y’all!

Transit Bar seems to be getting close to a reopening date. This is huge news for us Canberrans that are so starved for music venues. There were a fair few shows lined up for the end of 2021, but lockdown has apparently prevented the necessary construction from being completed. As such, reopening has been delayed. I’ve heard we’ll be waiting until around mid-January 2022 before we can see their brand new location and fit out.

I am super curious to see if Transit Bar have, in fact, ended up at the old Hog’s Breath Cafe location in Bailey’s Corner as rumoured. The wait continues to see how they have converted the old steakhouse into what will hopefully be a new home for local, interstate and, maybe one day soon, international music. Alright people, once again, your music community needs your post lockdown support. These last two years have been so hard for musicians and venues all over Australia. If you want to see it back in full force sooner rather than later, get out and get amongst it. Hope to see you at the punk rock show!

METALISE

[THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON [DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]

Is it over?

Can we come out and thrash yet? Of course we can! A flood of gigs are flowing forth, and with restrictions lifting piece by piece, the capacity for bangovers and hangovers increase by the day. The questions around vaccination seem to have been flowing around the metal scene more so than a lot of other genres. I know of several hesitant people, almost all interstate, who for principle or other reasons have chosen to not to get the jab. They are losing out on gigs as a result. This is a tough time for the music industry, and for everyone, when making a choice about their bodies. But after a brush with the C19 as close as my neighbours, and learning of their experience – the choice was clear for my family and I. There’s very strong feelings out there. I hope that over time those hesitating for whatever reason can come to terms with an option that sees them protecting themselves, loved ones, and hitting stages for us all to enjoy. Stay safe people.

Lucifungus can’t go more than a couple of months without producing more spores of riffs. November is no exception. With the release of their single The Sloth (lyric video on Youtube), they’re hitting The Basement on Saturday, 20 November. The guys have put together a killer line-up including Sydneysiders Astrodeath and Master Leonard. Add to this locals Mourners, who will ably help to celebrate the new riffage. Tickets on the Oztix website.

Immorium have been working hard to bring you their album launch for the aptly named This Too Shall Pass release. It looks like the team will finally be able to strut their stuff on Saturday, 4 December. Aided and abetted by Axiomatic Theory and Auld, the tickets are on sale now through Oztix. Melbourne thrash lords Desecrator have a new album out this year in the form of SUMMONING and are hitting the delayed road with fellow Mexican thrashers Harlot. The full Aussie tour includes both bands, and in Canberra we also get to enjoy a group self described as “…stylistically hard to describe”, The Ascended. Are you not intrigued? All will be revealed Friday, 7 January at The Basement. Hard to miss and hard to get tickets for is the Canberra Metal Fest. Happily, it has has sold out its first release. And it’s not hard to understand why, featuring the might of: Abramelin, Misery, Pod People, Holy Serpent, Wretch, Reaper, Ploughshare, Sumeru, Carnal Viscera, Lucifungus, Carcinoid, Burn The Hostages, Gape, Womb To Tomb, Laceration Mantra, 12 Gauge Rampage, Hekate, Immorium, Point 17, Dying Sun, Outcest, Terra Mortem, Goat Shaman, Hypergiant, Rooted, Arkanae, Celestial Oath and The Ending. Not sure if there have been some scratchings over the shut down but I’m sure it’s all still going ahead. And I’m sure that there will be more tickets available as our high vaccine rates ensure that capacities will increase. Keep an eye out!

Friday, 29 April tickets to Sunburn 3 are still available for the alphabet of literal doom. Amammoth, Astrodeath, Atolah, BØG, Bog Monster, Burn The Hostages, Butterfly, Creep Diets, Dr. Colossus, Droid, Frozen Planet 69, Futility, Ghostsmoker, Golem, Hekate, Holy Serpent, Kitchen Witch, Lucifungus, Master Leonard, Mountain Wizard Death Cult, Mourners, Nunchukka Superfly, Piston Fist, Planet of the 8s, Pod People, Religious Observance, Smoke Witch, The Balls, Whitehorse, Yanomamo. All shall hit The Basement over two nights with tickets available at Oztix.

There are a bunch of international shows promised that we hope will also return. These include Nebula, Hirax, and DRI. Hopefully their dates will firm up as international travel solidifies. There’s so much on. There’s allegedly some news afoot on a certain long awaited civic live music venue incoming. Not to mention a bunch more for us to be optimistic about. Get keen Canberra!

Four Year Fever!

By Chris Marlton Every four (five) years we Aussies are blessed (cursed) with an event that takes hold of our hearts and minds, whether we like it or not. Yes, you guessed it, I’m talking about mouse plagues. While many of your neighbours and friends will bemoan this semi-regular cultural impost, you have the chance to be different. Embrace the chaos. Adoption Adopting a child in Australia can take between 5 to 7 years, which is a logistical nightmare for even the most well-meaning clucksters. However, adopting a mouse takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Parenting was never so easy. All you need are some humane mouse-traps from your local conglomerate hardware chain, a bit of determination, and some cheese. Some people will tell you that a diet of just cheese is bad for mice, and that the whole “mousecheese” connection is just a myth. They are lying. Feed your new baby mouse the most expensive cheese you can afford. Preferably blue-vein… preferably imported. Naming Rights Once you’ve got 3 to 4 little mousey-faced tikes in your custody - with bellies full of cheese and a roof over their heads - it’s time to give them names. Double-barrel surnames are great for mice, as are lordships and similar titles. Names such as Baron Frederick Von Sharp, Duke Michael Meepsworth III, Lady Elissa Monsterton, and Duchess Sarah Godhead are a few sweet examples of how much fun you can have naming your mice. Take your time, but don’t let it stress you out; naming mice should always be fun. Go ahead, enjoy yourself. Training Day Mice are the most intelligent mammals on earth (not counting wallabies or frogs), so you’ll find training them to be both rewarding and extremely easy. The more expensive cheese you feed your little Barons and Duchesses, the smarter they will get. But don’t overdo it. While you hold the cheese, you hold the power. DO NOT LET YOUR MICE HAVE FREE REIGN OVER YOUR FRIDGE! Within a few weeks of 7-8 hours a day of training you can teach your mice to read, understand politics, and start building towards university level mathematics. Jobs and Certainty The smarter you let your mice become, the more prone they will be to depression and other forms of mental distress. To help allay these problems you will need to give your mice meaningful and productive jobs, where they have autonomy and a sense of achievement. My mice usually end up working for fringe political parties and local law firms. Mice are fascists, so be aware which political parties you get them jobs with. Also, start taxing your mice’s income. Mouselympics Over time, as your mice breed and your mousociety grows, you will find that some of your mice are more suited to athletic achievement than working in an office 9-5 and paying off a mortgage. These athletic mice will need goals. Arrange for some of the more organised and motivating mice to become coaches, and have them train the athlete mice in a range of different sporting endeavours. Eventually they’ll be ready for a large scale, formal athletic games; it’s up to you to host a Mouselympics! Wash Your Hands Go get a blood test, there’s a good chance your neutrophils (bacteria-fighting white blood cells) are low. You’ve probably got Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis from spending too much time with wild rodents. Common symptoms include fever, reduced appetite, head and muscle ache, nausea, and vomiting, which can last anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. Maybe it’s time to get rid of the mice. Chris Marlton is a Canberra-based comedian, writer, painter, and film-maker. You can catch him live at The Front Standup Comedy @ The Front in Lyneham on Friday, 26 November as well as Friday, 17 December. You can follow Chris: @threeblindmencomedy on Instagram @ChrisMarltonComedy on Facebook