Colosoul E-Zine 04 // July

Issue 04 // July 2010

TRICIA RAY EDITOR

GO LOCAL The Colosoul Group in conjunction with MYM and Laneway Fashion is proud to present the GoLocal Festival: A day long music and art festival, featuring local artists, DJs and bands. As well as music, there will also be market stalls by Perth artists, fashion designers and various food stalls.

The festival will raise awareness about local designers and musicians giving them a chance to perform for you, with 100% of ticket sales being donated to The Esther Foundation.

Hey guys!

We just received our NFP status for the Colosoul Mentorship program and are looking forward to officially launching sometime soon. We have recently been to the WAMi awards night, which was a lot of fun.

The community-based foundation helps young women between the ages of 14-35 suffering from depression, family breakdowns, addictions and social problems on

E-zine designed by Sheryl. S

Bands we have booked so far are: Good Little Fox, Art in Algebra and The Words. We also have some DJs in the pipeline to be announced at a later date along with the fashion designers that will be taking part.

Artists and fashion designers will have original pieces for sale during the festival, including jewellery, clothing and artworks.

Even the bands will have merchandise available.

GoLocal will be held on December 5, 2010 at the Perth Cultural Centre. Tickets will be $10 dollars, available soon. at Colosoul, mixing with likeminded colleagues and having the opportunity to see some of my own work published.

We caught up with the CEO Paul Bodlovich as well as some of Perth’s hottest bands.

You can check it out on the Colosoul Facebook along with Make Poverty History, which was covered by the Colosoul Street team. These guys are the new eyes on Perth’s streets keeping you in the know with the latest info.

You never know - you could be in the spotlight next! Stay tuned to Colosoul.

their way to leading better lives.

I’ve recently finished my Bachelor of Communications with a major in journalism and English, and planning to make the most of the valuable experience Colosoul offers both students and graduates in the field.

LAUREN VARDY Hi guys, my name is Lauren Vardy. I’ve been volunteering at Colosoul as an Assistant Editor over the past three months, and wow – what a ride! It has been a fantastic experience getting to know the people working

I’m passionate about writing, health, youth and culture and hope to bring some of my skills to the team over the next few months as I continue my learning curve!

It’s great to see so many young people collaborating their skills and interests to create something great – and I’m looking forward to the end result of our upcoming publications.

Issue 04 // July 2010

GIVING IT SPARK

the people I met there, and I tell a lot of stories about the people I’ve met.”

For a young man who had his heart set on becoming a businessman all through high school, embarking on a profession to make people laugh seems an unlikely choice.

But for the nineteen-year-old who describes himself as loud, nasal and flamboyant – the jump into stand up comedy was quite natural.

“There was one lady that would come into McDonald’s every week, she was scary – she had no skin pigmentation – and she’d always make up an excuse like she’d left her dog in the car, or was running late to a meeting. She’d push her way to the front of the line, watch me make the coffee and yell. I used to think, ‘If you’re running late, go to your meeting, don’t

by Lauren Vardy photographs by Ashleigh Bell

With a sharp wit and bitchin’ attitude to rival most people his age, Joel Creasey gave one warning to audiences for his recent show Slumber Party, and that was to, “Expect a lot of gossip. With a few surprises on the way, it’s going to be fun.”

He has just unleashed himself on the Perth comedy scene in the Wild West Comedy Festival. “You couldn’t find a nicer comedy scene in Australia. Perth is so nurturing and friendly,” he said.

Joel comes from a background that he believes prepared him in the best way possible to deal with nefarious hecklers.

He worked for a few years at a McDonald’s. “I saw such a broad array of people and learnt so much about them – while also noting the idiots that came through. A lot of my humour is fuelled from

come and get coffee.’”

“I just couldn’t stand her and I really wanted to find out her name because I would like to talk about her in my act and give her a beating.”

Joel lives for the laughs and the feeling of elation that comes with cheering people up after a bad day.

“To have someone come up after a show and say, ‘You brightened my day,’ is the best feeling.”

viviens creative management t +61 8 9322 9400 f +61 8 9322 9060 www.vivienscreative.com.au

Issue 04 // July 2010

by Colosoul

Twenty year old fashion designer Lauren Hung is on the move and if the last six months are anything to go by, nothing will stop her.

Having received a full academic scholarship to study Fashion and Textile Design at Curtin University in Perth, Lauren left her hometown in the suburbs of Sydney to escape the creative rut she was in and experience life on her own on the west coast.

a person’s identity and loves the creative process of conceptualising and creating the garments.

natural fibres with elegant lowback, simplistic styles and pays homage to Lauren’s childhood memories of running amuck in golden wheat fields, the precious tradition of Sunday afternoon tea in the sun with Nan and the seductive heat of the Australian Summer.

Since the labels conceptualisation in August 2009, the label has steamed ahead gaining industry acknowledgement and support through both her university and commercial work. Lauren astounded herself by winning the Perth Fashion Festival 2009

Student Runway Ready-to-Wear

Women’s category and had her work featured in West Australian shopping centres. The lifestyle “As ridiculous as this is, I had a label has since featured in gut instinct about coming to Perth prominent industry magazines, and I couldn’t shake it. And I know Ragtrader and Australasian looking back on it now that I was Textiles and Fashion as well as right to follow my instincts,” said mainstream media and blogs; a Lauren. rare achievement for a student in their second year EVE OF ADAM AIMS TO GIVE of studying. The last WOMEN A SECOND CHANCE six months have been hectic for Lauren AT THEIR CHILDHOOD. as she has not only Not content to spend another pushed the brand to greater three years simply studying, success but also tackled fullLauren fused her love of design time study at university, a partwith her concern for the way time job and volunteer based popular culture and societal roles in the fashion industry. change has affected young women “It hasn’t been a walk in the to create her lifestyle label, Eve of park by any means but I love Adam. what I’m doing and I get a Feeling that the rise of raunch great sense of satisfaction culture has degraded the quality knowing that I’m investing and elegance of life and stripped in my future and it will in young women of their right to be turn give me the means to playful, wide-eyed and innocent, give back into what I’m most Eve of Adam aims to give women a passionate about,” she said. second chance at their childhood.

Lauren envisions Eve of “It isn’t about projecting women Adam branching out into back into their childhood; it other initiatives that will help is about equipping them with disadvantaged young women that positive child-like way of make their own dreams a seeing the world again, valuing reality and instil the self themselves and expressing their worth dignity of women sexuality in a tasteful way that she feels is lacking in doesn’t compromise their value,” the current generation. said Lauren.

Eve of Adam’s Spring Lauren has passionately thrown Summer 10/11 collection herself into the fashion industry fuses silk and other to convey this message as she recognises style as being one of For more information on the lifestyle label the greatest visual signifiers of visit www.eveofadam.com.au or email info@eveofadam.com.au

Model: Alexandra Mulder Photographer: Leah Kleinlehrer

EVE OF ADAM

Issue 04 // July 2010

Evon Yong, 27, has been a graphic illustrator and photographer for the past four and a half years.

See her work online at http://evonyong.daportfolio.com

EMERGING YOUNG ILLUSTRATORS

!

hell o

Sheryl Seah, 25, thinks she can go anywhere armed with a pencil.

Check out her work at www.sherylseah.com

Issue 04 // July 2010 Photo credits: Bonnie Davis

over two years ago, when fellow stand-up Ben Wright dared her to do a five minute routine on stage.

“I will never forget the day that bet was made. Basically, if I did five minutes of stand up, Ben would have to drink Fanta Lime and Bitters everywhere we went for a month. It might not sound that bad, but he absolutely hates it. So of course I couldn’t say no to this. I had nothing to lose.”

MORE THAN JUST FOR LAUGHS

by Kavitha Kutty

Bonnie Tessa Davies has a strange fascination with death. The 26-year-old Perth comedian admits she’s been to more funerals than she can count. As a young girl growing up among heroin addicts and juvenile delinquents, it wasn’t a matter of who was going to go next but rather when. So perhaps it’s not surprising this she can talk about the topic with such ease and even humour. After all, Bonnie’s job is to make people laugh, and in the world of comedy sometimes it’s the things that hurt us that make for the best material.

“It’s not the death part that’s funny, but just the way people react to the situation. It’s amazing to think we have so much trouble confronting something that’s so part of human nature.”

She learnt to appreciate her finite time on Earth a long time ago.

Now she tries to greet the world with a big smile and seize all opportunities that come her way.

Two days later she entered Australia’s most prestigious stand-up comedy competition, Raw Comedy. “No one had any expectations of me which was fantastic. So I got up in front of hundreds of people and said ‘My name’s Bonnie and there are lots of dogs called Bonnie...’and that was the beginning of my set.”

Although she missed out on the top honour, praise from established comedian Andrew Horabin and local star Ben Russell gave her the encouragement and motivation to keep at it.

“Sure I’ve had some bad things happen in my life, ALWAYS ASK FOR FEEDBACK BECAUSE but I believe in the IT’S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN IMPROVE.” end everything will turn out alright. You can “You’re very much alone in this always change your response to business and it’s important to get a situation and it’s this response reassurance from those around that makes all the difference.” you. Always ask for feedback because it’s the only way you can She had her first taste of the improve.” comedy spotlight in Perth just

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Issue 04 // July 2010

GENERAL FIASCO

whenever we had time during our touring schedule.”

General Fiasco hails from Northern Ireland. Their debut album drops this April, it’s called Buildings and it is pretty damn good.

Responding to earlier statements he has made regarding the band’s future progression and sound, Strathern said “We just want to progress it and get a little bit smarter and a little bit older and that is the main goal.”

Indie Rock is their style and they do it well. Opening track We Are the Foolish starts with a guitar riff that pulls you in and the singalong vocals accompanied by the occasional fist-pumping shout.

The rest of the album flows along really smoothly, epic title track Buildings is a standout along with recent single Ever So Shy. Speaking to Colosoul on a break from their tour around Europe, lead singer Owen Strathern explained what the recording process of their debut album was like.

“The album overall took probably about two months to make in the space of about 14 months, just

When asked about tracks like Rebel Get By, the first single the band released that deals with teen suicide, Strathern talked about the dark lyrics mixed with an upbeat melody.

“It’s not something we did to be clever or smart or anything it just came out that way, we try to just let it be organic and it ended up being upbeat and uplifting.”

Running at nearly 37 minutes, each of the ten tracks blend together to create a surreal listening experience. With obvious influences like the Kooks and

Photo credits: General Fiasco

by Nicholas Leadbitter

Maximo Park, General Fiasco have offered up an album that is sure to be accepted by Britpop lovers alike.

Rating: 4/5

Photo credits: Art In Algebra

definitely the best of the lot. The irresistible piano riff mixed with the background synth had my toes tapping, and screaming a breakout single.

The intro to Breathing Fire - the first track on the demo - blasts away with unstoppable energy and ‘ooohs’ from singer Ross Pickersgill.

Oh All This Mess is another excellent example of this band’s attempts at writing catchy guitar riffs. Pickersgill’s vocals seem to fold into the music and meld with the songs.

ART IN ALGEBRA

by Nicholas Leadbitter

Art in Algebra: no idea where the name comes from but I like it!

Standing somewhere in between the pop and synth worlds, this as of yet unsigned Perth band have

recorded a very promising demo.

2009 was a big year for the band with some steady shows around Perth, supporting local and international bands such as End of Fashion and Cut Off Your Hands.

Stand out track Press Rewind is

“Our songs are just about the usual: romance, adventure, knights in shining armour,” he said. “Nothing unsavoury if that’s what you were wondering.”

With quite a few gigs around Perth this year, Art in Algebra will also be performing as a part of Colosoul’s GoLocal festival in December this year.

Issue 04 // July 2010 Photo credits: PSU (PlayStation Universe)

and leaves viewers wondering how the hell Vaughn got away with it. In fact, the major movie production companies wouldn’t touch the script until Vaughn made the movie independently and Universal jumped on the winning format.

Dave Lizewski (Johnson) is a normal guy who, on a whim, decides to become a superhero.

So what if he doesn’t have any superpowers or cool gadgets or talents to speak of? Besides, after a good old-fashioned ass-kicking and an extended stint in hospital, he’s left with such a badly damaged central nervous system that he can no longer feel pain.

Hey presto, instant super power!

And brand new superhero name: Kick-Ass.

KICK ASS

by Katherine Keen

Running Time: 117 mins Director: Matthew Vaughn Actors: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Rated: MA 15+ Release Date: 8th April 2010

This spectacularly confronting movie is another in the long line-up of recent comic book adaptations - and a particularly good one at that. Staying true to its origin of violent mayhem and foul-humoured language, it hurtles along at breakneck speed

But the ability to get the shit kicked out of you does not a superhero make, as our unlikely hero discovers when he comes across some real superheroes: the bad-arse, heavily-fortified kind. Out of his league and with a target on his back, Kick-Ass joins Hit Girl (Moretz) and Big Daddy (Cage) on their vendetta against the corrupt legal system, which had seen Big Daddy falsely incarcerated. Add the baddie’s son (Mintz-Passe) desperate enough for his father’s approval to dress up like a superhero himself in

order to trap Kick-Ass, and you’ve got the full cast of heroes and villains.

The story of a geeky Gen-Y’er with a penchant for comic books has been a hit among the movie’s university-aged target demographic, who have been to see it since it was released on 8th April. It hasn’t been quite so well received with film critics, who were scandalised by the foul language and gruesome violence issued by the film’s (at the time) 11-year-old actress Chloe Moretz, who plays Hit Girl. The movie stays true to the comic book, with one infamous scene showing Hit Girl dropping the C-bomb before slaughtering a room full of people.

Hilarious? Yes. Tactful? Perhaps not.

Kick-Ass does push the boundaries of good taste, but it proves a hit with the older teens and twenty-somethings to which the film is tailored. The shock humour - particularly from the fabulously forthright Hit Girl is just what this desensitised generation ordered. Critics may fear a movie like this will lead to utter depravity in our youths, but it is simply bringing to the limelight what is already readily available in the form of graphic novels. And it’s a bloody fun movie.