Issue Four - Ninety Two Magazine

The culture magazine

THE BOAT PEOPLE

ERNEST ELLIS - freelance whales - KIRBEE LAWLER - TIFFANY ATKIN - ALI MITTON - rachel tan - LADY PETROVA - DROBE & MORE !!

MUSIC

6 The Boat People 10 Ernest Ellis 14 Freelance Wales 17 Sketti 18 Album Reviews 22 Gig Reviews 23 Splendour 29 Gig guide

ART 30 34

Kirbee Lawler

Alison Mitton

Rachel Tan

FASHION 52 56 60 66

68

Shawshank Redemption

FILM/THEATRE 70 72

Silver Screen Classics

Dominic Deustcher

Tiffany Atkin

PHOTOGRAPHY 38 44

LITERATURE

Lady Petrova

Bek Wall Miss Fancypants Drobe

COMMUNITY 74 76

Sabi on Manson

99 Problems

There have been four different editorials written for this issue.

Each one was completely different.

I guess words don’t really suffice when it comes to how we feel about reaching issue number four. It’s such a far away number and yet... here we are.

So, we are going to axe the grandeur and make this short and sweet.

To our dear readers: Whether you be a faithful supporter, an indifferent observer or an unimpressed scorner, you are beautiful and you are bold.

Shakespeare once wrote: “Boldness be my friend.”

(I know we said no grandeur but you have to allow one Shakespeare quote.)

Within these pages there is a treasury of bold new talent that we have been delighted to discover. Some are old friends who have surprised us with even newer and better endeavors; others are young in their careers with the whole world to conquer.

In fact, it’s been a month of surprises. Who knew that in the next election we’d be choosing between budgie smugglers and red hair dye? Who knew that Splendour would be so warm? Speaking of which, if you missed out on Splendour, we’re terribly sorry and we hope you find joy, somehow, in our many gig reviews from the weekend! Either that or it will make you feel worse. We’re sorry.

Also in this issue: it is our pleasure to present The Boat People as our feature band!

Followed up by interviews with Ernest Ellis and Freelance Whales our music section is bulging at the seams. In the art world we’re proud to present Kirbee Lawler who masters whimsy with a flick of her pencil! Next to her are the striking designs of Lady Petrova, our feature fashion designer who will undoubtedly blow you away. Finally, our feature photographers Ali Mitton and Rachel Tan are a double spread from heaven, making this one of our most artistic and beautiful issues yet!

That’s not even half of it though, so take a breath, keep flicking and be bold! Go for a meander through these pages. You could be surprised!

Peace and Love, The Ninety Two Crew x

After ten years in the industry,‘The Boat People’ are still making waves with their new album ‘Dear Darkly’, a wistful journey that takes the listener through a new time of life where our inner melancholia is at leisure to wander free in beautiful, musical poignancy. We had a lovely chat to co-lead singer and keyboardist Robin Waters about The Boatie’s album, what they love about music and what it means to be Australian!

TH

music the boat people

HE BOAT PEOPLE

by isabel biggs

It’s been a busy month for the lads of The Boat People. Hijacked by a new album and a hectic tour schedule, there has barely been time to breathe. “It’s been crazy!” exclaims Robin. “We were in Brisbane last weekend and Sydney the weekend before.” Playing shows for enamored audiences is indeed exhausting work, but Robin insists that meeting the fans is nothing but a pleasure. “It’s actually just been really nice meeting a lot of the people who bought the album and hearing what they think of it and singing along at shows. It’s really dictated the feeling that we’re really proud of this album more than any other of the albums we’ve made.”

‘Dear Darkly’ is indeed a new step for the band, exploring uncharted territory from that previously travelled in ‘Chandeliers’. A more winsome, emotional tone replaces the nonchalant pop rock of the previous album, a result of the band members advancing age, explains Robin.

“I think now there’s a sense of melancholy, a sense of space, a sense of wanting the songs to breathe,” muses Robin. “I think on Chandelier’s each song was really short and self-contained and tight but there was less of a thread between them. In Dear Darkly they sort of drift into each other.”

Another defining feature is the concept of ‘being Australian’ and “the idea of trying to sound like ourselves, trying not so sound like anyone else.” Robin continues, “I think if you’re trying to do that in Australia you have to think about what makes you Australian, in terms of the sound of your music and other Australian bands otherwise it’s very hard to sound truly unique if your influences are drawn from overseas.”

How is this achieved? The Boat People favor the ‘wandering minstrel’ tactic, packing their guitars and quirky headpieces into suitcases and storming the rest of the world. Robin explained avidly - “We did a lot of travelling overseas in between Chandeliers and Dear Darkly and I think travelling like that and playing our music to other people and playing with bands from overseas it’s like everything really, you can’t describe something without comparing it to something else, so there was no way for us to describe or understand what made our music Australian until we were in that situation where we heard music that didn’t have that element to it.”

He slows down, takes a breath and concludes thoughtfully, “I guess travelling overseas you realize that one of the things that is unique about the band to everyone else in the world is that we’re Australian and that informs our experiences and informs our sound.”

So it’s made their sound darker? More brooding? These thoughts are running through my head as the album name ‘Dear Darkly’ looks at me ominously from its cover. The cover depicts a pitch black night as the backdrop for a spiky, gloomy tree, bare of all foliage, standing lone in dark, foreboding solitude, kept

But don’t get the wrong idea, this is no ode to depression or wailing tale of sadness. It’s contemplative and, as Robin describes “an introspective experience”.

“I’m not really trying to tell a story, I’m more interested in capturing it, not even describing a moment but a feeling you have in a moment you know?”

If you’re reading this and in all honesty do not know what he means, then clearly you haven’t listened to the thoughtful rock that is ‘Dear Darkly’. It’s a journey, through darkness indeed, however never forget that even in the dark your way is lighted by streetlights and if you walk long enough, the bright light of morning will greet you.

Sounds trippy, but these people know what they’re doing. So who are they, really?

“The Boat People are a band who, perhaps against our best judgment, do what we want to do and try to have fun making music… and try to tell the truth.”

This is definitely a beautiful darkness.

‘Dear Darkly’ available in stores and on iTunes now!

the boat people

“It’s trying to match the mood of the album itself. For me, those words evoke that feeling when you’re out on the town with your friends and it gets to that stage of the night when the place you’re at closes or the party you’re at is kind of over and you all walk out into the night… you’re walking through the streets in the dark and just those conversations you have with people, it’s the best part of the night for me.”

music

company only by an abandoned pair of sneakers flung carelessly across its taut branches. In a nutshell, it’s got dark, brooding artwork. So does the name and the art match the music?

ERNEST ELLIS

by isabel biggs

music ernest ellis Say hello to Ernest Ellis, a synth rock sensation from Brisbane label Dew Process who is stirring up the Australian music scene with his debut album ‘Hunting’. During a very interesting interview this bold, fresh talent told us all about his love of music, his new album and everything else from the excitement of playing Splendour in the Grass to his thoughts on the indie subculture. Oh and for the record, Ernest may have described himself as a ‘bad temper’, but we have to confess that it was one of the loveliest interviews we’ve ever done.

What inspired you to create this album?

Well, I write songs, it’s truly what I enjoy doing. It’s what I love doing. I wanted to make a record that had a sense of consistency to it, that had a real feel that records should have and used to have. I think it’s a little bit fleeting now; it’s not as common. I really wanted to make a record that played all the way through and was eleven or twelve consistent tracks that build a whole piece of work rather than two or three great songs with a bunch of not so great songs around them, if you know what I mean.

What made you choose the Blue Mountains as a location?

My grandparents own a cabin that they never use so my co-producer and I, his name’s Tim Carr, decided it would be a good spot to record, like guitars etc. So we went out to a warehouse in Orange to record drums and bass and we just basically wanted to get out of the city to record, because studios can be pretty boring environments. There’s not much room, it’s hard to explore the space. So that’s why we went to Blue Mountains and Orange to record the album.

Did the environment play a large part in the creation of the album?

Yeah totally, I didn’t think it would so much, but it’s really become reflected in all the artwork and the music, especially as we’re surrounded by wide, sparse landscapes. I think that feel of being up there for months on end contributed to the sound of the album definitely.

We read you did some recording in a bathtub. Did you have many unorthodox recording techniques?

None that were planned out, that just sort of happened. See I have a terrible temper and I wasn’t in a good mood so I sort of locked myself in the bathroom. Tim’s really good at dealing with me so he was like “How about we record the vocals in there, since you’re in there”. I just felt mad that day. So we turned up the mic and I lay down in the bath tub, an empty bathtub (it would be stupid to have water in there) and recorded four of the songs lying down in the bathtub. I just really liked the reverb in the bathroom so it’s a combination of the sound and my bad mood.

Do you think the bad mood changed the feel of any of the songs?

Not really. For most of it I was in a really good mood.

Everyone had a really great time making this record.

I guess it was written in a depressive state. I went away for about six weeks by myself to the Blue Mountains to

write this record. It was written in this continual period and the frame of mind lent itself to writing this thematical album with a sense of continuity to it. So I went away to this place in the mountains and I was there by myself. It was good, it was great to write, but it is difficult to be by yourself for a long amount of time. And it was really cold up there. But at the same time I wanted to write a record with a strong pop sensibility, even though thematically it may be a bit depressive at times. I wanted to make a record I was proud of, that people would want to listen to.

What made you choose music as a means of expression?

I don’t look at it like a choice. As long as I could remember it’s been all I’ve been interested in. There are other things I like doing but I don’t see it as a choice, but I see it as all I’ve ever wanted to do. That’s why I do it. I think it’s the wrong thing if you choose, like “I’m going to be in a band now” but it was just natural for me. My Dad was always a big music fan, can’t play a musical instrument to save himself but I guess I caught the bug of it from him a lot. But there was no real choice for it to be my means of expression, it just happened.

We’ve heard you’re an avid reader and writer. Has this come through in your music?

I think so. When I hear a lot of people’s lyrics now it just seems like it’s just trying to find a line that rhymes with the line before, like it’s just an afterthought in a lot of music now. It’s not the case with me, I guess I’ve been writing for a long time so lyrics are probably the main focus after the melody in my songs. I spend a lot of time with my lyrics and I definitely think that reading or studying has helped me with that, I’m not sure exactly how. But I am an avid reader and that has helped with the writing.

What is your favourite piece of literature?

That’s a tough question! Well, ‘The People’s History of the United States’, I read that not long ago, it’s a really good book. Look it up.

We see you’re playing at Splendour! Are you excited about this?

Who wouldn’t want to play on that lineup? It’s pretty amazing. I’m really looking forward to playing there; some of my favourite bands are playing. The Strokes, LCD Sound system, Paul Kelly.

I’m playing with Florence and the Machine the week after; we’re doing all the supports.

music ernest ellis

Is this the first time you’ve played a big festival?

Yeah, one this big anyway. We played the Peat’s Ridge festival at the beginning of the year and the Come Together festival last weekend. They were good, but this is definitely the biggest one by a long way.

bands who are coming through. A lot of that has maybe been a spillover from American indie subculture, who produce some amazing bands. So yeah I’m a fan of the indie subculture, I guess I’m a part of it.

Are you a camper?

No I’m not a camper, I’m really not a camper. As long as it doesn’t rain I’ll grit my teeth and bear it. I have a terrible camping memory from when I was ten my parents took me camping and when we got there it started pissing down raining. We ended up sleeping in the car. So that’s my camping memory, as long as it doesn’t rain.

Do you have anything else you’d like to say to the readers of Ninety Two? I just hope they enjoy my record and hear it for being an album in the true sense of the word, not just a collection of singles.

What are your thoughts on the whole ‘indie subculture’?

I think there are some really great bands out there in Australia that get more and more widely recognized, like a band called ‘Royal Headache’, some really great

Check out

Ernest Ellis’s “Hunting” IN STORES NOW

FREELANCE WHALES

by isabel biggs Have you ever fallen in love with a ghost?

Have you ever had a dream you don’t understand?

Dreams can be funny things. Whether you’ve slipped down a psychedelic rabbit hole (thank you Lewis Carroll, you opium-sucking genius) or are running away from an attractive Frenchman determined to kill you with a butter knife (thank you screwed up imagination) they are always food for story telling.

Cue the Freelance Whales. One of the most exciting new acts we have seen in a long time, this fearless bunch of New York musicians have captured the seductive world of dreams, ghosts and mystery and expressed it in beautiful, unusual ways.

In fact, crazy dreams are the inspiration for ‘Weathervanes’, the band’s new album soon to be released by Dew Process! This album is a completely fresh, creatively original, heartfelt piece of the human psyche served in haunting, melodic tones through a variety of instruments, some quite unusual! We had the privilege of talking to Freelance Whales front man Judah about music, dreams, the past, the future and everything in between. Indeed, it was nothing short of enlightening.

You’re with Dew Process, who are an Australian label. Have you been to Australia since signing with them?

No we’ve actually never been to Australia, either professionally or personally. We really want to!

That’s why we were really happy to sign with Dew Process because hopefully we’ll make it over sooner rather than later.

Has coming from New York affected your sound do you think?

I think that the sound on the record sounds just as rural as it does urban. All the band members come from all over the country, like I come from Delaware which is a couple hours south of New York City but I think there are certain cultural elements of New York City which infuse into the record, like other New York bands. As well as the urban landscape itself the record is more rural sounding, like with the banjo etc.

What sort of cultural elements?

We are absolutely in love with tons and tons of other bands that have come out of New York City and out of Brooklyn, like Animal Collective – great Brooklyn band. Also Yeasayer. So in some ways we are sort of cognitent of New York City and it’s impossible for it not to have an effect on you but I think our sound comes from somewhere else and NY is where we happen to be.

How do you like to perform over there? Do you prefer unusual settings or more traditional environments?

I’ll give you a quick history: The band started playing its very first shows in early 2009 and we were playing lots of little clubs and dingy bars here in New York City - really small. We were bringing out friends and it was good but we realized quickly that we needed to be more proactive rather than just playing shows. We started playing a lot in the subways and in the streets of New York City and we recomposed our songs so we could perform them just with different acoustic instruments like harmonium, glockenspiel, banjo, marching drum and everybody singing with acoustic guitar.

We did to direct music videos and stuff. So for us it was a way to build a sort of cultural awareness here in New York, to evolve a bit of a community.

So how did you go from there to being signed by Dew Process?

In October 2009 we finally started touring the US and we’ve essentially been touring since then.

We’ve also done some bigger festivals in the United States, like we did the South by South-West festival and we did the Sasquatch festival and doing Lollapalooza at the end of the summer. I think Dew Process made them a little more aware of our profile. We also did a show or two with Mumford and Sons (we did a show with them here in New York in March) so people heard of us that way. We really admire the bands on the label and have been in personal contact with a few of them so maybe they caught wind of us that way.

Let’s talk about your album, ‘Weathervanes’. It’s magical!

That’s really encouraging to hear! I think one of the great things about music is that everybody doesn’t have to love it but if a few people do then that is hugely substantial. We’re really hoping that we can come out there because that’s part of the reason we signed with Dew Process, because we’d love to and we’d have Australian listeners have the chance to find our music. And, if they like it, they’ll be there.

What is the underlying theme of ‘Weathervanes’?

There are a lot of undercurrents on the record and some of them aren’t really themes as much as motifs I guess. One of the motifs on the record that reoccurs quite a bit is the transference of energy from one thing to another, one body to another.

Energy moving or changing shapes or changing forms, like transmutation, humans turning into animals and reincarnation and things like that. The first song on the record is called ‘Generator First Floor’ and the very first image, the first lyrical idea is someone cranking a hand-held power generator in order to power a home, to turn lights on like that.

That’s the first example of many on the record of kinetic energy transforming into electricity. Beyond that it’s a preadolescent love story, this young boy who’s fallen in love with a spirit who is haunting his home.

Do you prefer to write music about love?

I don’t think any of the individual songs are love songs but somehow when they come together they

music freelance wales

We understand that you’re from New York!

The band was born in New York City, we have members from all over the country but New York is kind of like a big revolving door and everybody was living here so the band got together and have been together ever since. It’s been about three years I guess!

form a love record. Yet, none of them are actually love songs. I don’t think I’m really comfortable writing love songs, it can feel really personal or confessional so I haven’t really tried that too much. I suppose you never know what you’re going to write next.

Where did you find the inspiration for the preadolescent-love-story-with-a-ghost-concept?

I think it has to do with me, as a kid growing up. As a young kid I strongly believed that my house was haunted and I felt like I had some sort of evidence I couldn’t really convince anybody else of. What I think I must have had was an imaginary friend or something like that, which I thought was a ghost. What I really must have had was some sort of sleeping disorder as a kid where I was having these lucid dreams where I would think I was seeing something. So this record is based off a lot of dream logging, a lot of writing down dreams and responding to them so in a way, this record (the lyrics) are also born out of subconscious material.

When I was in college I had some professors that suggested that we did creative writing projects based off of writing down our dreams so I started writing down dreams as a part of an exercise in a class and then it was something I became really fixated on even when that class had ended and carried over to the rest of my life to songwriting. For me, I realized that I was never really going to understand exactly why I was having the dreams I was having, but I could still harvest them for different scenarios when they seemed interesting or compelling.

Your diverse instrumentation particularly fixated me – what are some of the more obscure instruments you play and what gave you the idea to use them?

Each instrument came differently. It started with an old banjo that my stepfather had given me. My stepfather had played banjo for nearly 25 years and he’s a really, really accomplished blue grass banjo player. He has a really cool new banjo so he gave me his old banjo from the seventies. I got a banjo but I didn’t get banjo lessons, so basically I started playing the instrument kind of more doing things that my fingers felt were natural and in a tuning that made sense to me. That’s how we got banjo. We have an instrument called a harmonium, which is a traditional Indian instrument.

It’s like an organ but you pump air through it. You pump air with one of your hands and then with your other hand you hold down what are essentially piano keys. I got the harmonium because I was a really big fan of the music of Jeff Buckley. Do you hear him a lot

in Australia? When I was in high school a record that really hit me was ‘Grace’ by Jeff Buckley, while he was alive. There were a few songs on there that has harmonium really tactfully weaved into the instrumentation and he was somebody that was really influenced by a lot of traditional music and meditational music. So the harmonium was something I’d had in the back of my head since high school and one day I was just around on eBay and I saw one for what I thought to be a really reasonable amount of money so I couldn’t help myself, I ordered it and had it sent over from India. It’s a really great instrument to have around you know? It’s like, if your electricity goes out or something you have a harmonium, it’s like having a keyboard around. You should have as many instruments around as possible if the electricity goes out so you can play.

Last question... and I warn you this is terribly broad, but what do you love about music?

I think what I love about music is that it’s an opportunity to show people how much you care in a way you couldn’t do by just telling them. I feel like for a band like us, it’s the closest you get to being like an X-Man or a super hero; it’s the closest you’ll do to something like that.

I love it for those two reasons.

“Weathervanes” OUT 20th August!!

S

music local act: sketti

SKETTI

Starting out as a local DJ can be tough, but after talking to local resident ‘Sketti’ at the newest club night 99 Problems, it’s clear he is making quite a name for himself. We quickly caught up with (the otherwise known as) Matt Dalgety for a few questions on the Brisbane club scene.

of stuff and I’m a resident there now so 99 Problems is the main thing but I’m in a group called Fitzgerald Inquiry Dj’s and that consists of me, Censor this!, Donnie Brasco and L-Mac and Donnie Brasco is my older brother and it’s us four and basically we hop on the decks and smash around and that’s mainly the Black Candy parties at Monastery at the moment.

How did you start out as a DJ? It was actually when I went round to my brother’s house, shit like that and they were on the decks playing Daft Punk and Noy was actually there and I just saw it and I said “I need to do that!”

How do you feel about the Brisbane club scene?

It’s really dying in the ass, it’s just teenagers and people who are really good at promoting things and not DJ-ing so it’s taken a really bad hit but it’s getting better at the moment and hopefully it will get back to what it was.

Describe your music style.

I mainly play Jackin’ tech and house music and I like other genres but that’s mainly it. The first time I went to Monastery I saw Danny T playing on the decks and I just got good vibes. So yeah, Jack and house.

So is Danny T one of your biggest influences or are there others?

As a local influence he’s my main one but international artists are like Hijak, Skitzophrenix, Crookers but other than that they are my main influences but guys like Daft Punk and Justice got me really into the music.

Is there anything exciting coming up that you’re going to be involved in?

The 99 Problems guys really help me out with a lot

What do you think are the best club nights in the valley at the moment?

Black Candy definitely, they’re really good at parties. Saturdays at Monastery are good. 99 Problems is definitely going to be like the “new kids on the block” so it’s really exciting. Oh and Dirty Thursdays at Monastery is always good.

Check out Sketti at “99 Problems” Presents Loot & Plunder at Electric Playground on 27th August!!

ALBUM REVIEWS

Cloud Control - ‘Bliss Release’

by Isabel Biggs

Like wandering troubadours from another time, the folk of Cloud Control have once again presented us with retro-inspired folk pop at its finest. Starting strong with ‘Meditation #2’ and the pleading opening lyrics “Make my head a pool of water now!” this album combines jaunty pop accompaniment (sporadically peppered with electro and hard-rock riffs) and classic Cloud Control vocal harmonies which juxtapose male and female, high and low with a sweetness that remains unmatched by the band’s musical peers. Another high point is the contagious ‘This Is What I Said’, which swings from minimalistic to chaotic in a wild ride that will send feet everywhere into a dancing frenzy. Completely original, this is unlike anything else on the Australian music scene and we love them for it. These merry musicians are truly marching to the beat of their own happy drum.

by Christie Morgan

You know you’ve got a hit when you write a song like Daft Punk Is Playing At My House and have that old school disco infused electronica sound like LCD Soundsystem. Now don’t get me wrong, I love this band however what I don’t love is their new album “This Is Happening.” This obviously is only an opinion, but to be blunt he really could have tried a little more. With tracks like ‘Drunk Girls’ and ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ there is no way this album could have worked. I have to credit James for his amazing work in the past, but the present is just a little overbearing for my taste. Best of luck next time lads (if there ever is a next time).

Washington - ‘I Believe You Liar’

by Isabel Biggs

Beautifully crafted with an array of the old and the new, this album is Washington at its purest. Fresh numbers vary from energetic, irrepressible pop including the suggestive, seedy-smile-inducing ‘Sunday Best’ and a personal favourite, the incredibly danceable ‘Navy Blues’ that serenades our fair state to bright electric tones and catchy lyrics.

However, of the new stock you will find the real gold lies in the ballads, including ‘Underground’, the hauntingly beautiful aria that basically puts Meg Washington’s final wishes to music as well as our absolute favourite song on the album – ‘Lover/Soldier’.

It’s reminiscent of vintage, Clementine-era Washington but with a new twist, adding an airy synth and light percussion accompaniment Herbie Hancock - ‘The to the signature melodic marriage of piano and Washington’s raw yet dulcet tones. This Imagine Project’ song and this album as a whole reminds

by Isabel Biggs us that pop is still an art form, indeed, ‘I A new album from this jazz veteran is always Believe You Liar’ is a strong, brilliant streak of exciting! ‘The Imagine Project’ didn’t entice colour across the canvas of Australian music. me originally (you may remember from the jazz review in the last issue that there is little Sia - ‘We Are Born’ slack cut for those trying to make Beatles by Jenna Suffern songs cool) but upon listening the judgment has been formed that this interpretation is Two years since her last album ‘Some People actually completely original and intriguing Have Real Problems’, Sia released her fifth with a great, big dollop of the bizarre. The album in June, ‘We Are Born’. In the past four title track, ‘Imagine’, has indeed ‘jazzified’ years, Sia has really shown her diversity as the Lennon classic, but successfully. With a a singer with her cheerful and quirky songs, host of singers, the opening phrases are sung especially compared to her album in 2004

by Pink and after you get over the shock of ‘Colour The Small One’. We Are Born starts hearing the metal-pop singer croon you can off fighting, with music to make you feel good actually appreciate it. Yes, it does in fact work! no matter what mood you’re in. It includes Followed up by Seal, Jeff Beck and a few others, an orchestra of instruments and while it’s like a highly alternative, jazzy candy land considered a pop artist, Sia definitely gives of sounds and tones, taking the rusty original you a taste of soul, especially in ‘Be Good To and transforming it into something wacky and Me’. Including her most well known songs like new. So Herbie Hancock, we give you credit ‘Clap Your Hands’, ‘Stop Trying’ and ‘You’ve for taking on a wild beast. There’s definitely Changed’, this album is a necessity for any nothing tame about this one. music collection.

music cd reviews

LCD Soundsystem - ‘This Is Happening’

music cd reviews

GOLDEN OLDIE The Velvet Underground & Nico - ‘Andy Warhol’

by Isabel Biggs

Shiny factories, dirty drugs, the birth of pop culture and glam, all these things we can attribute to Andy Warhol and the music he inspired. ‘Art rock’, a completely new territory only to be travelled by the daring and the reckless is part of his legacy and ‘The Velvet Underground’, led here by the charismatic Lou Reed and Nico are the epitome of this world and the mavericks of this genre. This album is confronting, bizarre and often confusing. However, it’s also lyrical and peppered with sweetness, as ironic as that sounds. Most of all, it’s mesmerizing. Long, guitar-dominated stretches of sound create ‘trippy epics’ within songs, or in some cases like ‘European Son’, constitute the entire song. They encapsulate your brain and you leave you paralyzed with their power, a skill that few can claim to have today. But as previously stated, for every mind-twisting stretch there comes an oasis. Ballads like ‘Sunday Morning’ create breathing space and calm with melodic passages and simple instrumentation. However, as a whole, this album is a wild, wild ride. There are ups and there are downs and when you get to the end your hair is a little messy, your eyes are wide and you need to run to drink some water.

However, for all the frizz and the freaking out you’re also nodding your head and saying, “that was amazing.”

GIG REVIEWS

bear & mouse photography

Julian Casablancas The Tivoli We all know who the master is behind The Strokes, but who would have thought that Julian Casablancas could do his own thing with a completely different sound from his band? Well let me tell you that Julian was freaking awesome. Not only did he play a few covers, he also added in some quirky solos, which left everyone wanting more. Throughout his performance Casblancas threw in some of his vintage lines and even sung a little of his collaboration with SNL star Andy Samburg, ‘Boombox’. This was sure to make the audience scream with excitement and honestly I screamed as loud as I could.

The Tivoli was also undoubtedly the best venue for Casablancas and his band to play, as the demographic was certainly up to speed with the amount of Strokes songs he played during his set. A slow version of ‘You Only Live Once’ (otherwise known as ‘I’ll Try Anything Once’), which Casblancas simply serenaded us with was without a doubt the highlight of the entire night. With so much hype before this gig it was obvious he was going to rock the house and to put it simply: he freaking rocked.

Splendour in the Grass 2010 was a thrilling, colourful ride on which tens of thousands of music-lovers from all over Australia found their voice through the sweet melodies of some of the world’s greatest bands. In crowded mosh pits fans waved their hands and sung out together, creating a premium community event where strangers were united in a peaceful shared love of song. If you didn’t make it this year, we implore you to try next time because it’s an experience like no other.!

Here are some of the highlights of the festival, through the eyes of different members of the Ninety Two Crew.

music Splendour in the Grass 2010

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

Florence & The Machine

by Isabel Biggs Fiery-haired and wild-eyed, Florence Welch stood on the amphitheatre stage and literally screamed to the tens of thousands of people struggling to catch a glimpse in the mosh pit below. It was a mesmerizing sight, this captivating woman in white. As she flung her head and gazed intensely into her almost maniacal audience, one could swear there were sparks threatening to ignite her person. “She’s such a BABE!” men and women shouted to each other everywhere. Her vocals were strong and soared seamlessly higher and higher through the octaves in signature tunes ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Kiss With A Fist’ and a particularly powerful ‘Cosmic Love’. Other songs from her album as well as the odd freshie were performed with similar intensity, leaving the awed crowd struck dumb. Her commanding presence reminded this fan of a medieval Queen Boadicea (the terrifying yet mesmerizing redhaired warrior-queen of a Celtic tribe) and this was reinforced as Florence took on a percussive role as well as vocals, ceremoniously keeping a drum beat as she sang, staring broodingly out from her silk pashmina. It was an utterly commanding performance, putting Florence and the Machine at the very top of the Splendour list of best performances. Oh and just quietly, there was never a better day to be a redhead.

Bluejuice

by Christie Morgan You know they’ll throw an awesome live performance when you’ve got the crazy dudes from Bluejuice playing. Not only did they do just that in the Mix Up tent this year but they also rocked out with furry costumes and painted themselves black (or at least the glow in the dark lights suggested such a colour).

They spare no room for slow or sentimental songs; it’s all about thrashing around and having a great time. Our crew among the rest of the crowd went completely mental with their strong upbeat tunes and we boogied the afternoon away! The stand out song with these boys is always ‘Vitriol’, a vintage Bluejuice hit that will leave you wanting more and craving this band even more than before.

music splendour in the grass

The Strokes

by Isabel Biggs In one of the most explosive shows to ever grace Woodfordia, The Strokes took the amphitheatre stage with all the reverence of rock gods, heralded by an extremely creative light and screen show (hello giant pacman!). Meanwhile the crazed crowd jostled until it resembled some kind of angry people-ocean (and gave this listener brief Berlin Love Parade thoughts, but never fear, we all live today) but this eventually passed. The ecstatic fans calmed as the one and only Julian Casablancas crooned charismatically, performing a variety of old and new material that pleased every listener. ‘Is This It’ classics including ‘Someday’, ‘Soma’ and ‘Last Nite’ (just to name a few) made tight, rocking appearances and led the mosh back into a united frenzy. Other highlights included ‘Room On Fire’ hits ‘What Ever Happened’, which had every person happily shouting the lyrics and a particularly poignant ‘Under Control’. The stage was psychadelic, the band was in sync and Julian was on fire, seducing the audience with his Lou Reed-esque smoky vocals. Overall, it was a truly mindblowing performance and the zenith of the Splendour festivities.

Cloud Control

by Christie Morgan

These hippy-infused indie rockers sure know how to please their fans, with their cute and simple tunes they sent the audience into another world.

It sure was bliss when the band rocked out to the outstanding ‘Gold Canary’ which can be heard from a number of locations these days. But what always strikes me about this band is their lack of caring what their rivals think about them; Cloud Control do whatever they want, whenever they want.

Mumford & Sons

by Isabel Biggs

Marcus Mumford and his faithful musical compatriots calmly took the stage of the amphitheatre to a passionate audience, looking completely oblivious to the mania surrounding them. “We’re going to do a bit of a hoedown now,” said Marcus softly with a smile. Little did this cavalier statement prepare the crowd for the insanity to come. Thousands and thousands of people in the mosh and on the hillside went seemingly mad for a wild, uncontrollable ‘Roll Away Your Stone’, with friends linking arms in hilariously uncoordinated group dancing, throwing everything of themselves into the passionate, reeling song. The air was fraught with happiness, the whole festival united in irrepressible, singing and dancing unison. The frenzy continued through ‘Winter Winds’ and then a dark, brooding ‘Thistle and Weeds’. A romantic ‘White Blank Page’ reinforced the feeling of love in the air (excuse the trite expression), which was a pleasant oasis from the previous maniacally upbeat songs. After a few more ecstatic numbers leaving the crowd breathless, the banjo-strumming minstrels finished with a passionate rendition of ‘The Cave’, where the mania came to a powerful zenith with every man, woman and child dancing like they’d lost their sanity. But appropriately so, it was truly the definition of an insane performance and after it was over the hill was covered with exhausted, but happy festival goers.

Passion Pit

by Jenna Suffern Passion Pit at Splendour was no surprise … brilliant. With their foot-tapping songs and catchy lyrics it was no surprise everyone was up dancing and attempting to sing at that high pitched sound that only Angel Akos can pull off! Seriously though… Only he can. Putting us through a roller coaster including amazing stage presence and musical ecstasy, Passion Pit was definitely one of the highlights of an already amazing Splendour bender.

With her debut album having been released on the day of her performance, the crowd was destined to give Washington the greatest atmosphere that anyone has seen. Her outfit was also a notable piece of her performance, with what looked like a skirt made out of cute furry toys. The crowd seemed to love her and most importantly she seemed to love the crowd. Playing some of her newest hits from Washington’s new debut album such as ‘Sunday Best’ and ‘I Believe You Liar’ you can only imagine what’s in store in the future records. Washington’s old but somewhat better songs such as ‘Clementine’ and ‘How To Tame Lions’ were unquestionably the better performed songs of the day, they resonated throughout the rest of the festival for all those lovers of the old Washington.

music splendour in the grass

Washington

by Christie Morgan

Whitley

by Isabel Biggs

In one of his final performances under the Whitley moniker, our Issue 2 feature took the stage with irrepressible zest.

Unafraid to talk in between songs, he had listeners giggling with his signature candor. At the start of ‘Bright White Light’ he declared, “This is a pretty sad song. g But then again, that’s why I’m wearing a black shirt in the middle of Queensland.

Because I’m a ray of f*cking sunshine.”

But nonchalance aside, Whitley’s performance was one of the most beautiful, raw and emotional we’ve ever seen. Singing broodingly through both old and new numbers, the audience was struck by the honesty and purity of his performance (as it would be said in Madeline, “not a single eye was dry!”) Including an unexpectedly delightful acoustic cover of ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’, Whitley captivated the audience with a rare and noble performance style that will be sorely missed from the Australian music scene.

Splendour greatness quotient: x 1992

August

13th - Eels/ Laura Imbruglia @ The Tivoli 15th - Charlie Mayfair/ Montpelier/ Inland Sea @ The Troubadour 25th - The Cat Empire / Clairy Baby Browne / Mama Kin @ The Tivoli 28th - Bang Bang Boss Kelly / The Re Mains @ Old Museum

September

2nd - Washington / Winter People / Scott Spark @ The Zoo 4th - Powderfinger / The Vines / Operator Please @ Brisbane Riverstage 12th - Old Man River @ King George Square 24th - Birds Of Tokyo / Silversun Pickups @ Brisbane Convention Centre 24th - Angus and Julia Stone @ The Tivoli 24th - PARKLIFE @ Gold Coast Parklands 26th - Angus and Julia Stone @ The Tivoli

October

2nd - Boy & Bear / Passenger @ The Zoo 8th - Clare Bowditch & The New Slang @ The Hi-Fi Bar 8th & 9th - Caloundra Music Festival 11th - Bam Festival @ Ivory’s Rock, Ipswich 16th –Tame Impala @ The Tivoli 22nd - Cloud Control / Seekae / Deep Sea Arcade @ The Zoo

music gig guide

GIG GUIDE

KIRBEE LAWLER

Known for her beautifully intricate drawings, Kirbee Lawler takes illustration to a whole new world. It’s as if by viewing her work you step into a world full of unique little creatures and wonderful characters. We’ve been in touch with Kirbee for a while now, but we recently spoke more in depth to the master behind the magic...

ART kirbee lawler

How did your artistic career begin?

I guess it started with a cliché- I have been drawing things since I could remember! I think it was the way that I could express myself the best! I took a few art classes when I was a kid, but never really took it seriously, it was just my way of getting my ideas from my head to paper. I took art in high school, but found that didn’t really fit in with the way I felt about art.

I have never been a big fan of what people would consider fine art, I have always had a leaning towards more underground and low brow art- art that I felt was more accessible and had subject material that I could relate to.

After high school I decided that design was what I wanted to get into, and I moved to graphic design from there. Illustration is my main love, but I also love working in a more graphic sense with typography as well.

The event that pushed me to do more with my illustration was being featured in CURVY, the annual all girl art book that showcases the world’s top 120 female illustrators and artists. Being in CURVY gave me the quick start that I needed to get my work out there, and I have been working hard over the last year trying to get my work out there even more!

Name your favourite mediums.

I prefer working with pencil and paper, as that is the medium that I feel I have most control over. I have

worked with gouache and paint in the past, and still occasionally use those, but what I love about pencils is that there is no time spent waiting for things to dry which means that I can spend more time working in the details of an illustration, not waiting for paint to dry! I also love the way that you can get so much expression and depth from a single coloured pencil… and after many years trying to find the perfect pencil, I have fallen in love with your average crayola pencil that can be found anywhere!

Who or What have been your biggest influences?

I am really influenced by nature in my work, nearly all of my pieces will have something that relates back to nature whether it is an animal or a natural texture. I am also really interested in the past and I think a lot of my illustrations have a real nostalgic feel to them. I love how objects of the past tell a story- where they have been and the different times in which they have been used. I especially love old cameras, teacups and deer figurines!

What are your future aspirations?

I would love to make illustration my career. As much as I love graphic design, I feel much more comfortable with a pencil in hand and a nice piece of paper than I do sitting in front of a computer screen. I also think that illustration is an important part of our lives, and as a visual person I couldn’t live without it. I am also in the beginning stages of creating a children’s book which I would like to finish and look at getting

published.

What have you been exhibiting in lately?

My last exhibition was in Sydney at Eye Spy, a fundraising Music Art and Design night for Autism. It was a great night showcasing lots of artists and one of my prints was auctioned off on the night. I also have two pieces appearing in group shows later on this year, I customized a wooden toy called a Schaffas for the Schaffas exhibition in Adelaide and will be in ‘This Little Teapot’ organized by Rebecca Murphy later on this year too! I am really looking forward to customizing a teapot and doing some new supporting illustrations!

I will also be having my graduation exhibition in November celebrating the completion of my Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design. I am hoping to do some new stuff for that too!

How do you find Australian art in comparison to other countries?

I personally think we have a great creative community in Australia, I have met lots of great people and think that it is a great community to be a part of. I also really love Australian illustration at the moment! I think sometimes we might get a little looked over because we seem so far away from everything, but I also think the internet is a very important tool in networking with creatives both here and overseas.

Do you have any strange habits when creating your art?

I actually don’t think I have any strange habits when I am drawing…that I know of! I usually just set up all of my stuff on the dining room table with my drawing board and my pencils all laid out and sharpened. I usually listen to some music, and what type really depends on my mood! At the moment my favourite is music by A Fine Frenzy.

How to find Kirbee: www.kirbee.net kirbeelawler@yahoo.com +61400 489 785

ART kirbee lawler

artist on artist:

TIFFANY ATKIN by christie morgan

We know everyone has a secret obsession with Japanese culture but artist and illustrator Tiffany Atkin shared with us a little insight into how this culture really inspires her work. “My biggest influence right now is definitely Japanese pop culture, in the past I’ve spent a little time aimlessly wandering the streets of Tokyo (I’d recommend it!) And that really fuelled my creativity... it really is sensory overload from every angle.”

And not only does she live for Japanese culture, she’s also planning on heading over to the country to further her artistic career. “I’m planning a more long-term stint in Tokyo in the next few months... it would be great to eventually exhibit there, as a bit of homage to the place that has inspired so much of my work...”

Atkin had also worked as a designer for a magazine in the past 5 years but says she left to pursue more creative endeavours within illustration. With this in mind we also asked her how exactly she gets her work out in the open. “I’ve found Facebook and Redbubble to be really handy promotion tools, plus word of mouth should never be under-estimated. I’ve also just recently become one third of an art collaboration called Explicitly Graphic; we are having our first exhibition on the Sunshine Coast. Up until now I’ve mostly exhibited and sold my work online but the upcoming exhibition will be an exciting new adventure for me.”

Atkin describes her work as feminine, j-pop and colourful which leads to no doubt that her biggest influences are all female. “I would have to say artists like Bec Winnel, Kat McLeod, MyDeadPony, Rik lee and Fafi to name but a few... they are all so talented, following their work has inspired me to be better at what I do. I am also really into pastel colours and super-fine black line art.”

And lastly there’s something with artists lately and it’s not just creating fine pieces of work. It seems that artists in the 21st century have a tendency to be completely and utterly obsessed with tea, as Atkin explains.

“I do tend to ‘chain-drink’ cups of tea! It might be seen as a form of procrastination on the less exciting jobs but I think it’s more likely to be that I was a tea merchant in a past life..? My favourite right now is lime & coconut green tea from silver spoon - divine!”

ART artist on artist: tiffany atkin

tiffany atkin www.tiffanyatkin.com www.redbubble.com/people/tiffatron

ALI MITTON by christie morgan

Why is it that when we see a beautiful photograph it stimulates the creative senses and leaves you craving more? Well, to put it simply: I have no idea whatsoever but what I do know is that these photographs taken by the famous Alison Mitton give me a craving I cannot explain. Somehow I think it’s the choice of filters and colour but hey, I don’t know a whole lot about photography. We had a nice little chat with this red-headed Gold Coastian to see exactly how she does it.

What kind of camera do you use?

I use a 5D and A 7D. What inspires you the most?

I find inspiration in youth and spontaneity and I seek to capture it in the mundane.

I like awkward, in- between moments and making pretty pictures out of them. Oh and I have a thing for red-heads. And love. And soft pretty things.

Anything exciting coming up?

There are a couple of rad projects I’m working on, and a lot of exciting stuff coming up! You’ll have to keep an eye out..

Name the style of photography you create.

Oh gee.. I don’t know what my style is!

Is it hard to get your work out there?

It’s only really the beginning for me, so I am yet to face any extreme struggle, but I know it’s coming. The most important thing I have learnt is that anything created with originality and honestly can never go unnoticed

ali mitton www.mycupoftea.carbonmade.com

PHOTOGRAPHY alison mitton

PHOTOGRAPHY alison mitton

PHOTOGRAPHY alison mitton

PHOTOGRAPHY rachel tan

RACHEL TAN by christie morgan

What kind of camera do you use?

A trusty little Nikon D60 with its original twin kit lens and my darling 50mm f/1.8; my analogue cameras include a Nikon F60 and a Lomo Fisheye II. What inspires you the most?

I can’t pick a single point of influence, so I’ll list a few... the Fashion Gone Rogue site that features some amazing editorials from the greats; Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Annie Leibovitz, David Lachapelle (my personal favourite) and etc. I also read Russh, Lula and Oyster for inspiration on posing/sets for shoots. I’m blessed to have such beautiful and photogenic friends who are so obliging to my requests! Their ridiculously good-lookingness will inspire anyone.

Name the style of photography you create.

Mid-fashion editorials :) Anything exciting coming up?

Don’t really want to mention anything just yet... just in case Murphy’s law prevails...

Is it hard to get your work out there?

You can achieve anything you want in the world, it’s just a matter of time and the amount of work you’re willing to put into it. I guess the little things add up; like contacting and contributing to zines, taking time to plan, organise and actually execute a shoot etc, but in the end it’s all worth it. I had an epiphany one day and decided to stop procrastinating lifeand become as proactive as I can... photography is a huge part of it.

rachel tan www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=399324435940&ref=ts www.theheartbreakers-club.blogspot.com/

PHOTOGRAPHY rachel tan

From the wondrous world of the vintage 70’s wonderland to the cute and innovative coin laundry scenes, local photographer Rachel Tan has inspired many alike young photographers to follow their artistic passions. With only being relatively new to the Brisbane photographic scene, Tan has used her influence of fashion photography to bring forward a new thinking in this world. We had a chat with the lovely Rachel to discuss her passions and ideas behind her beautiful work.

PHOTOGRAPHY rachel tan

SPRING SUMMER 2010 @ drobe

669 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

ph 07 3666 0052

LADY PETROVA by christie morgan

There’s no question that Brisbane’s fashion is rather lacking as of late, but have no fear Lady Petrova is here. We caught up with this lovely fashion designer to discuss her new collection called ‘Peace Hotel’ inspired by her love of 70s & 80’s power ballads and her recent trip to Shanghai.

“I wanted to design a collection that was both pretty & strong. The first name for the collection was ‘The Power of Pretty’. I then took an impromptu trip to China to go fabric shopping. While I was there I became obsessed with the gorgeous Art Deco buildings in Shanghai, in particular a building called the Peace Hotel, that has an amazing history.

With its origins dating back more than eight decades, this beloved landmark served as a glamorous playground for the elite of Shanghai, where every night was an extravagant gala event and veritable Parisian fashion show. In the 1930s—the grand hotel’s golden decade—diplomats and celebrities from across the globe made its luxurious suites their home, and turned its lore into legend.”

With a new collection coming out, another exciting achievement Petrova has announced is that she will be a part of the Melbourne Fashion festival on the 9th of August. “I am very excited to be a part of MBFF. I am in group show 7, which is on Monday the 9th of August at 6pm. I am opening the show! And will be showing with Beginning Boutique, Lilya, Neon Heartache, Blanc & Delta & Daniel Alexander Couture.”

Other questions: So where exactly can we find these beautiful clothes?

Lady Petrova, Drobe, Naked Decision, I Trip I Skip, Mixed Lollies, Ecume, Tu Boutique and In Annie’s Pocket.

What other Brisbane-based clothing lines do you enjoy?

Gail Sorronda, Paula Kyle Walden, Juli Grbac

lady petrova www.ladypetrova.com lady.petrova@gmail.com

FASHION lady petrova

FASHION lady petrova

BEK WALL by jennifer kumnick

Emerging Talent: Wall Street.

Aspiring stylist and young fashion designer Rebekah Wall of Brisbane enlightens us on her creative process, experiences as a fashion student and where the next few months may take her and the Wall St label.

A few years ago, professional styling was a luxury that only the A-list Hollywood starlets could gain VIP access to. With thanks to Rachel Zoe, her popular television show and a growing list of stylists to keep watch on, the industry has found itself a new kind of celebrity – and styling is a career path that has attracted design graduate Rebekah Wall.

Bek has a flair for colour co-ordinating, accessorizing and creating entire outfits – when designing, she can’t only focus on one individual item of clothing – the design evolves into a headto-toe look.

Styling is about how someone is feeling, or wants to feel – an outfit tells you about the person wearing it. Whether it’s something laid back, the ‘layered model off-duty look’ or the rebellious ‘I don’t care’ look. They are all looks! And the looks are all determined by what people choose to wear, or what I style for them.

I wear a different outfit every day. And it all depends on how I am feeling. Sometimes girly and feminine, sometimes dark, sometimes even boho -it’s always something different. I appreciate a variety of designers and their aesthetics, and I would never want to limit myself to one certain style to design. I would simply go mad. This is why styling is for me.

How would you describe your experience as a contestant in the Queensplaza Avant-garde competition?

It was great! I’m a bit obsessed with entering design competitions at the moment, I figured I have already made the garments and put the work in, so why not? I haven’t yet ‘won’ a competition, however, being selected as a finalist never goes to waste. It builds your confidence in the design industry, the proud feeling is great and you can get a lot of publicity (which is always a good thing) by just being a part of the competition.

You created an amazing outfit, complete with its own light installation! What inspired you to incorporate the light bulbs into your design?

The assignment that this outfit was originally designed for was an Avant-Garde assignment where we had to choose either industrial or interior design as our main inspiration. A lot of students found their inspiration in the structure and lines of

buildings. I, however, decided to go with interior design. I found it to be more intimate, as I enjoy the attention to detail that could be involved. I focused on chandeliers and I researched both modern and traditional styles. I found some wild and wonderful ones including one that was entirely made out of BARBIE DOLLS! It was crazy! There was another that was constructed out of antlers, which had a bit of a dark feel to it. I decided to roll with the traditional shaped chandeliers located in old theatres! I thought if every opera has its phantom, then every chandelier could have its ghost. This is what I was thinking of when I designed my outfit.

Having a light installation was a must in the design stages, however, when it came to production I had to think outside the square to make it work exactly how I had envisioned it in my head.

FASHION bek wall

Initially motivated to work in costume design, Bek’s love of fashion has developed a new direction in styling.

I realized that whenever I’m designing, I picture an entire outfit including accessories, hair and make-up…which is not really normal as we are taught to always think about the construction of the garment. Working at Alannah Hill has allowed me to perfect my personal touch when it comes to styling and piecing together outfits for customers.

It would have been a challenging task, definitely! Did you seek help with the technical side of creating it?

My Dad is seriously the cleverest man I know! I went home really ecstatic about my design and he started thinking of ways to wire L.E.D. lights into a skirt! We went to an electrical store where the shop assistant gave us the lights, the wire and the battery pack we needed. He then explained (at a million miles an hour) how to solder and wire up the lights so that they are all connected, all of which Dad understood fully and I was still trying to get my head around which was the positive side and which was the negative side of the little light bulbs!

The queen Lady Gaga on one of her less extreme days, Leighton Meester, and Cate Blanchett – elegant and a bit quirky.

Is avant-garde your specialty, or did you have to challenge yourself for this competition?

As I originally wanted to become a costume designer, I love the ‘out there’ side of fashion and loved having no limits! It’s pretty much the fun side, and there is no better feeling than creating something that turns out exactly how you imagined it.

And finally, please pick just one favourite of each of the following: Magazine title? ‘W’ Album or music artist? At the moment, Santogold Blog? Don’t read them…

Pizza topping? Just cheese!

Australian designer? Alannah Hill – I work there… I have to love it!

International designer? Viktor and Rolf – they are Genius!

Cocktail/drink? Lychee and Rose petal martini please!

Shop? I pretty much only shop at Alannah Hill but I love a bit of Bam and Juju Holiday destination? LONDON! Dessert treat? Bavarian Cake – makes everything okay!

How would you describe your current design aesthetic?

Feminine yet edgy, and I am not afraid to use COLOUR! I’m getting sick of all this black! I love experimenting with pattern and print, and making combinations that may scare some people but work so well together.

What can we expect from your graduate collection?

This collection will be showcasing the edgier side of my design aesthetic, and although the collection has a very dark feel to it, there is no black in the whole collection! I am using a lot of upholstery fabrics and embroidering on top of them to make them my own.

What do you want to achieve with your styling and designs?

My designs aren’t just ‘a dress’ or ‘a skirt and top’, they involve a lot of pieces to make up the one outfit. I wish to achieve a clean, tailored look with some raw edges incorporated.

Your dream design-collaboration team would consist of the following people…

Pamela Easton, Lydia Pearson, Paul Hunt, and myself of course. I would love to see the end result of the feminine, elegant and “drapey” feel of Paul Hunts’ work combined with the raw elements of design that Easton Pearson use. There would be catfights and it would be wild!

Which model or celebrity would you love to see in wearing your designs?

In designing your current collection, or in your personal styling, is there a certain colour or trend you’re can’t get enough of?

Yes, I love combining and styling pieces together that people wouldn’t usually think to go with one another and making the whole thing work.

When you’re stuck for ideas, what inspires you?

VOGUE

Keep an eye out for Rebekah’s fashion label called Wall St. -the facebook page is currently in the making, so be sure to check for when its up and running! Miss Wall plans to display and sell her own designs as well as little vintage finds in the near future with this label.

FASHION bek wall

MISS FANCYPANTS

The Miss Fancypants 2010 swimwear collection takes its inspiration fro the covers of the iconic 50’s “Film Fun” and “Esquire” magazines. Her s coverage evoking the style, attitude and sex appeal of a bygone era.

FASHION miss fancypants

om the fabulous pin-up girls of yesteryear, typified by signature look features high cut waists with full bottom

FASHION miss fancypants

miss fancypants www.missfancypants.com.au trish.stenzel@yahoo.com.au

Established in 2008 by young designer, Amelia Thompson, Grazed Youth is an Australian women’s wear label that creates unique fabric prints and kooky silhouettes for girls that likes to play.

Like a small child sticking bubblegum in their sister’s hair; Grazed Youth garments are compelling in that they linger between a sense of childlike innocence and a disconcerting sense that sinister forces may be lurking.

Grazed Youth has caught the eye of a number of buyers, and is now stocked in boutiques across Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, the NSW North Coast, as well as online.

Grazed Youth www.grazedyouth.com grazed.youth@hotmail.com

HOTSPOT FASHION:

DROBE It’s always good to shed some light on the more creative types in the world of fashion and especially in the tiny city of Brisbane. This particular store ‘Drobe’ offers Brisbane to experience the more artistic side to fashion, so we sat down with store owner Lydia to tell us a little bit about her little shop in The Valley.

How long have you been open in the little city of Brisbane?

Since December 2009 Tell us about the history of Drobe and how you started this fabulous establishment.

Drobe has been in the making for so many years, I had basically wanted to own a boutique since I was 18. I had my own little play label going for a little while and have always worked in the clothing/ fashion industry on many different levels from retail to designing, so as the years went on I was only more determined to open. I really think Brisbane needed a boutique to bring in something different because Brisbane tends to be a little more safe with many boutiques stocking the same safer labels. I was always so inspired going down to Melbourne with how much variety and different styles there is down there so just had to bring it back!

Setting up Drobe took a good couple of years to sort out finance to get it started, doing many searches and going on trips interstate etc sourcing out great young Australian labels that were not in Brisbane yet and also finding the right shop space, having always wanting it to be up in the top end of the Valley. So finally here we are!

What labels do you supply in your store?

Ever Layne, MLY Black Label, Lady Petrova, El Amuleto, Miss Lyndel Yeo, Justine Davis, Stella & Minx Basics, Soot, Benjamin Ringuet, Ireney T, Away, and more....

Who shops at Drobe?

Anyone that totally loves fashion! But also the kind of girls that are up for something different and don’t want to wear the same labels and get up as every other Brisbane girl... The Brissie girls that like to lead the way in fashion....

What makes Drobe different from many other independent clothing stores in Brisbane?

All the different labels - I am always on a mission searching out amazing fresh designer talent that is not found in Brisbane yet. I also love designers that are not completely influenced by the going look of the season but that draw on their own inspiration and design ranges that are fresh and unique.

My feature artist wall is also really unique, I have a new feature artist ever season that gets to create their own master piece on the very front window wall and for that season we proudly have their art as our shop face and also put them up on the fan page and give the artist’s details to any interested shoppers.

FASHION hotspot: drobe

Describe Drobe in two words.

Artistic Fashion

Rita Hayworth and the SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION stephen king

by isabel biggs

literature rita It’s the story of two men in prison, dreaming of life outside those walls and fighting to survive within them. ‘Beating the odds’ is perhaps a trite concept by today’s standards, however this story is unique in its untarnished, simple approach. King doesn’t dramatize. Instead, the tale is told in honest tones by the leading character and as the reader one is encouraged to sympathize with him and the other prisoners, despite the crimes they’ve committed. The universal theme of ‘hope’ is a binding force here and there is message woven throughout that no matter your past, we all look to a similar future.

This book is truly beautiful as it shows humans for being humans. In a world of super heroes and mythical creatures, it is truly refreshing to open a book that relays simply and honestly who we are and what we share, that shows humanity for what it really is. So I finish with a simple instruction: read this stunning book. You will not regret it.

hayworth and the shawshank redemption

Stephen ‘The Master’ King’s most famous work ‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption’ is a raw and powerful example of literary genius. King skillfully weaves the threads of friendship, endurance and hope into a rich tapestry that depicts human emotion in a simple but commanding way. In short, this is a book about being alive.

CLASSICS OF THE SILVER SCREEN Ten classic films.

Where are the kings and the queens of the silver screen? Have they died? Do they live quiet, elderly lives? Are they forgotten?

Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, the list goes on. Stars who lived with grace, who never sprawled across a tabloid cover with personal problems on auction. Those were the days, Ladies and Gentlemen. How can we relive it?

The classics are rich with culture, sophistication and intelligence. Yet most people don’t know where to start watching them. Here is a basic guide to some essential examples of vintage cinema that you must not go to your grave without viewing.

1. The Philadelphia Story One of the best movies of all time featuring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Steward. Biting wit, satire and humour dominate in this society tale, yet the viewer is also privy to vulnerability and raw depictions of human nature along the way of its jovial storyline.

With acting that would make any NIDA graduate blush with shame, the glory of the silver screen reaches its magnificent zenith in this film.

2. Annie Hall This film is one of Woody Allen’s greatest. The master of comedy combines a flawless script with the understated brilliance and beauty of the ravishing

Diane Keaton in all her ‘70’s glory. Every moment is fraught with awkward humour and the endearing Allen is impossible to stop watching. Cleverness reaches new heights in this highly underrated masterpiece.

3. Rear Window The original thriller that remains unmatched by modern filmmakers is the film child of Alfred Hitchcock, cinematic genius. Featuring the very talented Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly (a duo from heaven if ever there was one!) this film uses subtlety and clever plotplay to leave you absolutely gripped. If you love a good thriller, look no further.

5. Manhattan Another Woody Allen classic for your viewing pleasure. Shot in black and white and pulsating to the music of George Gershwin, this film takes a romantic look at the city of New York through the lives of several people. Unconventional love affairs, odd relationships and marriages are all put under Allen’s cinematographic knife (and again without the river of cheese)!

10. The Women No, we are not referring to the 2009 rom-com featuring a hassled-looking Meg Ryan and her host of botox-dunked friends, but rather the 1932 original led and dominated by the intimidating Joan Crawford. If eyebrows could kill!

Old-school glamour is defined in this film, the perfect appearance and the can-do spirit which today we can only look at in wonder is set on glorious display. The enchantment of our yesteryears and the secret wish that we could go back to a more beautiful time is made poignant by the glitzy super world of this film. A good one to watch with your mother.

6. Funny Face No list of classic movies could ever pass muster without reference to the one and only Audrey Hepburn. Seen here at her feet-tapping, intellectsquawking best, there is nothing that could improve this cinematic gem.

Except perhaps, Fred Astaire?

This is an electric partnership worthy of serious accolades. The music and the constant banter within their complicated relationship set in front of a Parisian backdrop creates a mesmerizing film experience. It is possibly one of the most lovable movies ever made.

7. Mrs Miniver This is my mother’s favourite film and for good reason too! Set and produced in the second world war, a family survive the hardship with a type of gumption found only in classic movies. Fortitude, love and honour are all championed in a heart warming tale that is truly timeless.

8. Dial M for Murder Another Alfred Hitchcock classic that must not be missed! In true Hitchcock style we are led through complicated conspiracy without gratuitous dramatic after-effects, allowing the plot and the acting to speak for itself. With clever twists and unpredictable complications, there is nothing neither trite nor stale about this film and once

9. An American in Paris Gene Kelly waltzes through this delightful musical with a grace that is unsurpassed. Set in stunning ‘50’s Paris, beauty is rife and dancing is inevitable.

The score positively sings, with Kelly’s charismatic tenor recreating classic jazz standards that are utterly flawless. At risk of exploiting a cliché, this is a truly ‘feel-good’ film and a pinnacle of beauty in the history of cinema.

by isabel biggs.

of the silver screen

again, your eyes will not leave the screen.

FILM & THEATRE classics

4. High Society Ever wish that musicals could come without all the extra cheese on top? This musical adaptation of ‘The Philadelphia Story’ comes with a soundtrack flavoured by jazz masters Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong and thus it is impossible for this movie to miss the mark. Including a truly beautiful duet between Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly as well as several sensational upbeat jazz numbers (courtesy of Satchmo and Frank), there is nothing cheesy here! Hate musicals? You’ll love this.

UP & COMING ACTOR:

DOMONIC DEUTSCHER

by jenna suffern Here at Ninety Two we have started a new section called “Up and Coming People”. This way when young talents become internationally renowned we will be able to say “We totally interviewed them before they were famous.” But it’s also so you are able to get to know these faces because trust me, you will be seeing them everywhere soon enough.!

I was lucky enough to interview 21-year-old Brisbane boy, Dominic Deutscher. You may have seen him in such hit TV shows as “Sea Patrol” and will be seeing him in much more to come. I got Dom to answer a few questions about his work and future aspirations:

Have you always wanted to go into this profession?

It was Actor or Secret Agent.

How did you get your first break through role?

Well I wouldn’t really say I’ve broken through yet.

But the role on Sea Patrol I suppose you could call my first big job. But how I got it was just auditioning; you just have to be the right guy, who says the right thing at the right time. It was me for that one and since then it’s just been working hard at trying to make it work.

What other experience do you have?

A few TV commercials like Movieworld and the Disney Channel. I did the school Musicals, Les Miserables and Jesus Christ Super Star, I’ve just finished filming a feature film in and around Brisbane called Charge Over You. I did that episode on Sea Patrol too.

Who would you say your inspiration is?

People like Ed Norton, Leo know how it’s done, also Toby Kebbell and Mark Strong are up there as well.

Graphic Novels like Preacher and The Boys make me hope to be a part of something that big one day.

domonic deutscher ego management mark@egomanagement.com.au

What was it like working with actors like Lisa McCune and Matthew Holmes on Sea Patrol?

It was really cool, they knew my name which I was surprised by, but I guess they got told who I was cause otherwise I would have been just some guy, sitting at their table, but they were really nice to me. I mean, they are proper actors. It might not seem like they are because it’s just telly in Australia, but these people are good at what they do, they take it seriously and they do a great job.

Future plans?

I am going back to do a bit of work on the 5th season of Sea Patrol.

What is your ultimate goal in acting?

I want to have the money to get on with all the things I want to do. I just have to do something in the mean time to make all that money. But what I want isn’t a lot. So a few good roles and I should be sweet.

If you could work with anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

Bill Hicks, Bill Bailey and Dave Chappelle. I just think it would be awesome having a chat to those guys.

I would love to have been a part of a film based on something by Alan Moore, I would do a lot to be a part of anything based on something by Garth Ennis as well.

FILM & THEATRE domonic deutscher

How long have you been acting?

All my life, or ever since I figured out I could act sick to get out of school. I went to Kindy for two days, so you could say I’ve been acting since then.

HOTSPOT FOOD:

SAABI ON MANSON

“When you walk into Saabi, you’re not walking into just another coffee shop, it’s like you’re walking into a friends place”.

Saabi on Manson opened around a year and a half ago and has already become one of the most well known spots for all us coffee lovers! But for all of you who have been living under a rock, Saabi (named after their large and loveable ridgeback dog) is the place to go with family, friends, co-workers, by yourself, and even that person to whom you always say “we should meet up for coffee one day!” …even though you and I both know we never will. But if we do, Saabi would be the perfect place!

While their coffee prices are a bit more expensive then others, it’s totally worth it once you take that first delectable, creamy sip! But don’t just think that coffee is all they’re good for!

Your mouth will start to water once you see the food they have on offer (which they make themselves). Especially the chocolate ‘Saabi Sin’, which yes, is indeed sinfully delicious.

But if you’re feeling naughty after such treats, no need to worry as right next door is ‘Hissy Fitness’. Having a fitness studio built onto Saabi is just one of many unique qualities that makes them so different (in a good way of course). This once general store is a great place to go if you’re in need of a pick me up or just to relax as the staff are guaranteed to make you smile!

Coffee ($4 - $6) Meals ($10 - $30) 116 Manson Rd Hendra Brisbane, Australia, 4011 Search Saabi On Manson on facebook

COMMUNITY hotspot food: saabi on manson

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