Warp Magazine April 2017

MUSIC & ARTS • APRIL 2017 WARPMAGAZINE.COM.AU | FACEBOOK.COM/WARP.MAG

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Ash Grunwald

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David Liebe Hart Jeff Lang One Eye On The Stranger Polish Club Spiderbait The Living End Tom Tilley

TOM TILLEY (triple j) DJ SET

+ DAMEZA / Rbent

/ Nick Corney / Vibrant Matters & Finch

The Grand Poohbah

142 Liverpool St Hobart Good Friday Eve - Thursday April 13

Tickets from: www.moshtix.com.au

Jeff Lang Friday 7 April

Daniel Champagne Wednesday 17 May

Polish Club Saturday 13 May

Northeast Party House Friday 2 June

APRIL 2017 Wednesday 5th 8.30pm Keith Hall Blues Band Thursday 6th 8.30pm The New Savages Friday 7th 10pm Jeff Lang $25pre/$30door Saturday 8th 10pm Boil Up $5 Sunday 9th 2.30pm Mumbo Gumbo 8.30pm Wahbash Avenue Monday 10th 8.15pm Quiz Night - Book A Table And Join In Tuesday 11th 8.30pm Jed Appleton Wednesday 12th 9pm Client Liaison + Luke Million $30pre/$35door Thursday 13th 9pm Client Liaison + Luke Million $30pre/$35door Friday 14th 10pm Sugartrain $5 Saturday 15th 10pm Chase City (Hobart Single Launch) + The Sleepyheads + Empire Park $8pre/$10door Sunday 16th 2.30pm Easter Sunday Beer Garden Party With Free Moroccan Lamb Souvlaki And Easter Eggs For The Kids and Kowl Playing Live 8.30pm 120y’s Monday 17th 8.30pm G.B. Balding

Tuesday 18th 8.30pm Gabriele Dagrezio Wednesday 19th 8.30pm Pepper Jane Thursday 20th 8.30pm Billy Warner Friday 21st 10pm Australia Made $5 Saturday 22nd 10pm Everburn $5 Sunday 23rd 8.30pm Forty Fingers Monday 24th 8.15pm Quiz Night - Book A Table And Join In Tuesday 25th 8.30pm Billy Whitton Wednesday 26th 8.30pm Billy Longo & Rythm Tragics Thursday 27th 7pm Comedy Clubhouse With Heath Franklin $20 8.30pm Dean Stevenson + Dave Wilson Friday 28th 10pm Ride The Tiger + Dog Dreams + August Wolfbiter + Fox Teeth $10 Saturday 29th 10pm Hobart Funk Collective $5 Sunday 30th 2.30pm The Great Anticipators 8.30pm Blue Flies

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News

News in Brief HOW TO TRAIN DRAGONFLIES Kasey Chambers’ recent Dragonfly album debuted at #1 on the ARIA charts, and featured the likes of Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, Paul Kelly, GriZZlee Train, Harry Hookey, Vika and Linda Bull, and Foy Vance. Some big names right there!

Kasey has been hustling pretty hard since it’s release, and is all set to continue her hustle in Tasmania when she hit’s the Devonport Entertainment Centre on Thursday April 6! The following night on Friday April 7, she will be playing at the Theatre Royal in Hobart. On Saturday April 8 she will be performing at the Country Club Showroom in Launceston, before rounding out the whirlwind tour at the Burnie Arts Centre on Sunday April 9. It’s guaranteed to be a great show, so make sure you get along to your nearest show.

MORE HOBART HUNTERS Borrowing inspiration from classic funk and hiphop, The Funk Hunters are putting the soul back into electronic dance music. Having honed their craft at over 450 performances in 16 countries, the DJ duo’s show is a brilliant technical display of creative collaboration between four turntables. But words can’t do justice to two friends whose passion is dance floor mastery - breathless audiences at global festivals including Wakarusa, Burning Man, Rhythm & Vines, Shambhala, Ottawa Bluesfest, and Envision are the ultimate testament. The Funk Hunters will be hitting Hobart on Wednesday April 19 when they play The Homestead.

Support on the night will be provided by Max Power, tickets are available now and selling fast!

YOU AM TIM “Whilst You Am I have been bogged down in negotiations about a new group haircut, Tim Rogers has recorded his seventh secessionist recording An Actor Repairs, and pleads for your attention as he once again confuses hubris for artistry.” That’s an excellent way to open a press release, kudos to whoever wrote that. It was probably Tim, rock on Tim, top work. The songs on the forthcoming album were written and re-written over two years as an accompaniment to a performance piece Tim was attempting, concerning the retirement from the stage of an elderly actor. Tim will be bringing these new songs, and a bunch of his other amazing works to The Goods Shed in Hobart, on Wednesday May 2. Tickets are $40 + b/f

Warp Tasmania APRIL 2017

and are available from Moshtix. Support will be provided by Steve Smyth.

AGAINST EVERYTHING. Celebrated American rock band Against Me! Will be heading out this May for a run of Australian headline dates to celebrate the release of their new album, Shape Shift With Me. They will be in the country as part of the Groovin The Moo lineup and will be playing additional shows in Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Wollongong, Sydney and Perth supported by Melbourne’s own Camp Cope. On top of this, they’ve just announced the local support acts for each leg of the tour, and at their Brisbane Hotel gig on Thursday May 4, the lucky Taswegians are none other than BANSHEELAND! Tickets are on sale now, and are available from Oztix.

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

Melbourne punks Clowns have dropped the blazing and undeniably catchy new single ‘Pickle’, together with the announcement of a national album tour in June which will see the band perform in 10 cities around the country. The energetic track is taken from Clowns’ forthcoming third full-length album Lucid Again, out on May 12. Bursting with psychedelic swirling guitars, electrifying riffs and explosive vocals, “Pickle” seamlessly combines a powerful punch of pop, punk and hardcore - a concoction heard across all nine tracks of Lucid Again. To celebrate the launch of the tune, Clowns will be setting off on a ten stop tour around the country along with special guests Night Birds (USA). They’ll be making one stop down in Tasmania, playing on Friday June 16 at The Brisbane Hotel in Hobart.

WILD DOG PARENTS Having spent the majority of 2016 touring and selling out theatres, stadiums and festivals throughout the world including North and South America, Europe, the UK and Scandinavia, Wolfmother finally

Editor Nic Orme nic@warpmagazine.com.au

ART LUCY HAWTHORNE hawthorne.lucy@gmail.com

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return to Australia for the home leg of their “Gypsy Caravan” tour (& their first full national album tour since the release of 2009’s “Cosmic Egg”). With an extensive history and career including multi platinum sales, ARIA, Grammy and other award nods too numerous to mention, Wolfmother released album number four, Victorious in 2016 to rave reviews and enthusiastic international response resulting in the aforementioned extended world tour. You’ll be able to catch Wolfmother in Tasmania when they play the Granada Tavern on Saturday May 20, and Club 54 on Sunday May 21.

MR. & MRS. SMITH From enormous festivals to stage-less squats and dive bars all around the world, The Smith Street Band have seen it all and they’ve poured those experiences in to their boldest and most ambitious release to date. The band recently announced that they’ll take their fourth album, More Scared of You Than You Are Of Me on the road around Australia from May, and they’re bringing explosive Californian poppunks Joyce Manor, Melbourne mates Ceres, and indie-pop sensation Allison Weiss with them. They’ll be playing one show in Tasmania, and it promises to be a doozy. They’ll be appearing at the Odeon Theatre in Hobart on Thursday May 25. Tickets are already on sale and are available from www.thesmithstreetband. com.

ALL THE BUZZ Busby Marou, aka Thomas Busby and Jeremy Marou, have announced that they will be heading out on an extensive Australian tour this May and June in support of their ARIA @1 album Postcards From The Shell House. Tickets are available now from www.busbymarou. com. Featuring the singles “Getaway Car” and “Best Part of Me”, Postcards From The Shell House was recorded with Jon Hume (Evermore) at The Stables studios in Gisbourne, VIC, as well as during sessions on Great Keppel Island and on a boat. On Friday June 2, Busby Marou will be appearing at the Launceston Country Club, and on Saturday June 3 they’ll be performing at Wrest Point Casino in Hobart. They’ll be supported by rad Melbourne band, The Teskey Brothers.

Writers SHANE CRIXUS LISA DIB RACHEL EDWARDS CARMEN MARSELLO NIC ORME MACKENZIE STOLP NEWS Submit your press releases plus publicity images through to the appropriate editor for consideration.

THE DARKNESS

Well, bugger me if it isn’t almost Dark MOFO time again. From Thursday June 8 to Wednesday June 21 Hobart will be even darker than ever before. Except probably lit up. And definitely lit. Anyway, an expanded Winter Feast is just the first snippet of info about what is always a spectacular event for Hobart. The second snippet of info is the first act announced, it’s ULVER. Norwegian experimental musical collective that crosses genres from black metal, rock, electronica, symphonic, noise, and basically everything else. Except rap. The rest of the Dark MOFO lineup will be announced around the same time this magazine hit’s the streets, so I expect you’re all already losing your shit and scrambling to get tickets before the mainlanders buy them all. Godspeed, fair Taswegians.

LEFT THEIR HEARTS IN SAN SAN CISCO San Cisco hey. The San Ciscans are off on yet another national tour. “The Water National Tour 2017” is presented by triple j, Island City Records and Select Music.

It’ll be hitting The Republic Bar & Café in Hobart on Thursday June 8, and there are a few different ticketing options to consider. If you just want to grab a ticket, it’ll run you $35 + BF (or $40 on the door).

If you’d like to grab a copy of the CD along with your ticket, it’ll only cost you $46.99 + BF (That covers the postage, too. Ace!).

Of if you’d like to grab a digital download along with your ticket, it’ll be $44.99 + BF (download link sent by email). Tickets are limited for this 18+ event, so no matter which option you decide to go with, you’ll need to get on to that pretty damn quickly!

EVERYONE LOVES A MUSICAL The WICKED team at TasPride are busy putting together an entertaining program of Djs, Drag and CABARET acts and ALL THAT JAZZ for what promises to be one of the best nights on the Tasmanian queer calendar. This year the theme is Queens Ball: The Musical - Get your BROADWAY

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The opinions expressed in Warp Magazine and Warp online do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers.

News

on! So put on your KINKY BOOTS, make sure you’ve applied plenty of HAIRSPRAY, leave your CATS at home and get ready to party from 9 TO 5, well almost… There will be an after party for those who want to kick on at Flamingos Dance Bar. The ball will be taking place at Hotel SOHO across two levels. This means double the stages and dancing space as well as a number of different bar areas. It all takes place on Sunday June 11. Early bird tickets are available from www.trybooking.com!

HOBART HUNTER Mark Seymour will showcase his retrospective new album release in a national Australian tour this winter, performing the countless hits and classic songs from Hunters & Collectors and solo in a celebrated 30+ year career as one of Australia’s premier singer-songwriters.

As the front man for one of Australia’s most seminal bands, the mighty Hunters & Collectors, Mark Seymour is one of Australia’s most gifted and respected musicians. He delivered rock classics that immediately etched their way into our national consciousness, including ‘Holy Grail’, ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’, ‘When The River Runs Dry’, ‘Do You See What I See?’, ‘Say Goodbye’ and many, many more. Mark Seymour and The Undertow will be kicking off their tour at the Theatre Royal in Hobart on Saturday June 24. Visit www.theatreroyal.com.au for more details.

BRING THE THUNDA Thundamentals have just released their new single “Sally” from their #2 ARIA charting album Everyone We Know. The video release follows the band’s recent announcement of their Everyone We Know Australia and New Zealand Album Launch Tour. This is the biggest they’ve ever announced. It was directed by Bryn Chainey and produced by Mark Taylor from Paper Moose. The “Sally” video clip is an 80’s inspired ode to aerobics, spandex, shell suites and anyone who can’t dance to save their lives. Thundamentals hit Hobart on Saturday June 24 at the Republic Bar & Café.

THEIR NAME IS LUCA Luca Brasi’s Hobart show at the Brisbane Hotel has sold out! Due to popular demand an additional date has been announced, playing a second and final show on Wednesday June 28. Tickets for the 2nd

show are on sale now. Word on the street is that this will be the first of many shows to sell out on the tour, so what are you waiting for? Don’t say we didn’t warn ya.

In the midst of a long hot summer that’s seen the foursome deliver huge sets at Laneway Festival, Unify Gathering, Party in the Paddock and The Plot, as well as their first placing in triple j’s Hottest 100, the boys will be delivering all the sing-alongs, finger pointing and dancing you can handle this winter. Tickets are available now from www.lucabrasi.com.au.

Theatre Royal on Wednesday July 12 for Festival of Voices. Tickets for the show will go on sale with the rest of the program on Friday April 28.

FRIENDS WITH THE BAND

HOLY HOLY MOLY

Fresh from the release of their critically acclaimed second album PAINT, arriving at #7 on the ARIA album chart, Holy Holy recently announced the PAINT national tour this June and July. Lauded for their live prowess, in the past 12 months Holy Holy has captivated soldout audiences across Australia, London and the Netherlands, continuing to prove themselves as one of Australia’s most important new voices. Armed with rich new material including the #1 most played track at triple j and International Songwriting Competition finalist “Darwinism”, subsequent offering “Elevator”, and latest single “That Message”, Holy Holy will perform nationally with a series of capital city and regional dates. On Saturday July 1 you’ll be able to catch Holy Holy at the Republic Bar & Café in Hobart. Tickets are available from the venue, or online via Moshtix.

SOLOISM One of Australia’s most commanding live performers, Sarah Blasko is the first artist to be announced for this year’s Festival of Voices, as part of her ‘The Soloist’ national tour. Performing without a band for the first time in her storied career, Sarah Blasko will lay bare her extraordinary song writing and iconic voice, taking the stage solo and stripped back. Blasko is promising to reimagine material from all of her albums and premiere some new songs as well. As the only Hobart date of her national tour, Sarah will play the

Following the tragic passing of Johann Ofner on the set of Bliss n Eso’s “Friend Like You” music clip, the band recently performed a very special tribute show.

The charity concert was held in Johann Ofner’s hometown region on the Gold Coast at the Coolangatta Hotel, with 100 percent of all proceeds to be donated to a trust for Johann’s daughter. Following this, the band delayed the release of their newest album Off The Grid until Friday April 28. To coincide with the new album, they’re heading off on a national tour. Tasmania will be lucky enough to play host to three separate Bliss n Eso gigs, the first being on Thursday July 20 at The Cinema in Burnie. Following that, they’ll be playing Club54 in Launceston on Friday July 21, and on Saturday July 22, they’ll be performing a massive show at the MAC2 Shed in Hobart. The Burnie and Launceston shows are 18+, but the Hobart gig is licensed and all ages! Tickets are available via Moshtix.

ELTONIA! Well, Elton John announced that he’d be playing at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on Wednesday September 27 as part of his upcoming Australian Tour, and as you’d expect, it sold out in a jiffy.

Fortunately for Tasmanians, ol’ Elton had a couple days to spare between that gig and his next gig, so he’s gone ahead and slotted in a second Tasmanian show at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on Thursday September 28. Hell yeah, onya, Elt! Tickets for the second show are selling just as quickly as you’d expect, but if you’re quick you can still score seats. No doubt, this one will sell out just like every other show on the tour, so don’t waste any more time, head over to ticketmaster.com. au and make sure you don’t miss out!

THE GREATEST OF ALL GREATEST HITS BONEY M are back performing all their Greatest Hits across Australia.

With multiple sellout shows and rave reviews from their last outing, the Euro Pop superstars bring with them their incredible run of chart-topping singles that are sure to have you on the dance floor. Their high energy, sing along shows feature outrageous costumes and a wicked live disco-funk backing band. This makes a Boney M live show an out of this world and unmissable experience. The Boney M Greatest Hits Tour hits Hobart on Sunday October 15 at Wrest Point Entertainment Centre. “Daddy Cool”, “Ma Baker”, “Brown Girl In The Ring”, “Rivers of Babylon”, “”Ra-Ra-Rasputin”, “Mary’s Boy Child”, “Hooray! Hooray! It’s a Holi-Holiday”...

C’mon now, you know you love them.

SMOOOOOOTH Launceston Jazz Saxophonist Evan Carydakis was the recipient of a Tasmanian Regional Arts Grant last month, which enabled him to compose his latest piece, somehow. He recently performed that piece in Hobart when he supported Monique Brumby. In May he’ll be starting a crowd funding campaign to raise money for a CD project in the smooth jazz idiom. For more information, head over to evancarydakis.com.au.

SPLENDOUROUS The Splendour in the Grass line up has been announced. Holy Crap. It’s HUGE. Check it: The xx, QOTSA, LCD Soundsystem, Royal Blood, HAIM, Sigur Ros, Schoolboy Q, Vance Joy, Two Door Cinema Club, Peking Duk, RL Grime, Bonobo, Father John Misty, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Tash Sultana, Paul Kelly, Stormzy, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, George Ezra, Future Islands, Banks, Bernard Fanning, Dune Rats, Cut Copy, Asgeir, Allday, Meg Mac, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Thundamentals, Lil’ Yachty, San Cisco, Client Liaison, Real Estate, Dan Sultan, Vallis Alps, D.D Dumbo, Maggie Rogers, Tove Lo, POND, Big Scary, The Smith Street Band, Oh Wonder, A.B. Original, Dope Lemon, The Kite String Tangle, Young Franco, Julia Jacklin.. Seriously, I’m not even half way through the list yet. Crazy times! Tickets to this will go quick, so head to www. splendourinthegrass.com.

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Music

HAMMER AND TONGS Ash Grunwald has been a permanent fixture on the Aussie music horizon for much of our lives, so it’s no surprise he comes busting out the gates in 2017 with a new single, huge tour and another album on the way.

Hammer is the new track (a fab blues stomp if I ever heard one) and Grunwald’s massive tour is keeping him pretty busy but, as he says, he always is.

“I’ve been really busy for fifteen years! Last year is when it was a relative sabbatical in Bali, but I still played at festivals, didn’t really do regular gigs- it was a really good recharge. I loved it, it’s good to mix it up when you’ve been on the road so long, this year I’m getting back into it a bit. I probably will go back to spending stints in Bali, I won’t be just doing endless laps of Australia like I used to.”

Grunwald’s career has kept a steady pace, with the roots-blues muso releasing a new record every one or two years since his debut in 2002.

This kind of dedication has been a tough slog, but, according to Grunwald, well worth the work.

“When I started I had one album out; I did a support gig for Jeff Lang and saw he had about ten, I thought that was an amazing achievement and now this is my tenth album I’m working on!” he explains. “It’s the creative side of what you do, something to be proud of, to have a body of work you can look at and go, “so this is what I’ve been working on all this time”. What goes into one original song, the countless hours of crafting it, writing, recording it, I really enjoy all that side of it; to some extent, once I get into the studio, I love it, I feel like making another one straight away. It’s a labour of love, but it’s still a labour.”

The straight-up blues grind of Hammer might confuse Grunwald’s more rootsy fans, but he maintains it’s an inspired move, and part of the natural progression of one’s long career.

“Another genre I love- and often find it hard to find [records]- is like gospel, those old spirituals; they

were transporting themselves away from their everyday lives. I love blues for that reason. I feel very lucky to have the life I have; I don’t have anything I need to be transported from, but I still enjoy that feeling of being in a moment. It’s cathartic.”

“Another thing I love about playing live is when you’re in that moment. I’m covering a song called Human by Rag’n’Bone Man from last year and it’s a pop hit; he’s very bluesy- pretty cool but mainstream, some astronomical views on YouTube for that song [214+ million], weird that something so bluesy is so massive. I don’t really hold out any hope of benefitting from something like that (laughs), I don’t even think you can strategize your way into success, you do what you do. I was very lucky in the first place with the roots movement coming along, blues falling under that rough banner of roots. Right place, right time! I never thought I’d be played on Triple J and mainstream rock festivals ‘cause I was playing blues. Already been lucky once!”

The United States of America is the greatest inspirational hotbed for blues musicians today; blues music, after all, was invented by African Americans in the Deep South in the late 1800s. Where better to satisfy your blues cravings? Grunwald’s recent trip to the US was certainly odd in some ways, though still inspiring.

“I wanna get back to America, it helps with writing bluesy stuff. I went across America supporting Xavier Rudd, it was very inspiring, I’d like to get back there for that reason. That album is currently...I don’t know what’s happening, but it was a good experience. The producer flew me over there.

I can’t use the one that’s done in America, the producer who financed it all has all that, I’d love it if it came out, but I don’t know what’s going on.

Completely, confoundingly strange. It’s been awhile, communications have been down, but it’s a bit of forced creativity. I think I will go back, I’m putting the feelers out right now, was going to reignite that whole scenario.”

“I actually keep getting a lot of offers from Europe!” he says brightly. “I don’t know what’s going on. France, Holland, Cyprus, Norway, all these different agents saying, “are you coming to Europe, wanna come tour?” (laughs). A lady at a gig said, “Yeah, they play your stuff all the time in Austria!”. Maybe it’s a Searching for Sugarman situation. Who knows? I’m going there in August, so we’ll see what happens.”

Grunwald been plugging away for a bit now, so as he nears two decades in the business, does he have any regrets? Anything he’d change? The answer may not surprise you.

“It does feel like a long time; not exhaustingly long in a bad way, it’s been a fantastic ride. I can’t imagine not doing that same time again. A thing I’m really glad about is...from the get-go, I was playing music and loving it, and also using my music to do other things I wanted to do. I did heaps of surfing throughout that time, heaps of snowboarding. It’s been the greatest little passport to have a ball. I feel very lucky. I’m glad I have a lifestylebased strategy (laughs). You’ve gotta have a life apart from music- you’d have regrets if you gave everything to it.

I’d rather have balance, have a whole life and music to be a part of it. I know that’s incredibly cheeky, [because] music’s given me so much (laughs)” LISA DIB

Ash Grunwald plays: Friday 5th May - Tapas Lounge Bar, Devonport Saturday 6th May - Royal Oak Hotel, Launceston Sunday 7th May - The Goods Shed, Macquarie Point, Hobart Tickets for all shows are available from www.moshtix.com.au.

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Music

BAD COMPANY JEFF LANG IS A STORYTELLER, BUT THE STORIES HE SINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS HIS OWN. BUSH RANGERS ON THE RUN, FINDING ONESELF AT THE END OF THE TRACKS WITH GAMBLING AND GIVING UP THE PILLS FOR A WOMAN WHO CAN HANDLE A FISHING ROD ARE BUT A FEW OF THE NARRATIVES THAT LANG’S LATEST ALBUM, ALONE IN BAD COMPANY EXPLORE.

“I don’t really write a great deal of stuff that is autobiographical. I tend to write much more from character pieces. Try to get inside the head spaces of a particular character, and imagine what they would think or do,” explains Lang of the songwriting process he’s used over the last 25 years.

From slide guitar to the mandolin, Alone in Bad Company continues in Lang’s self described “disturbed folk” style, but for this album he gave himself a rule; to do everything on his own.

“I try to make a little rule for myself for each album to restrict the process and it sort of points you in a direction,” says Lang. “So my rule for myself this time around was that I was going to do everything myself. Play and sing everything on each song. A one man in a cave with his toys type of thing.”

With the exception of one song on the record, Palmera Lad, where the addition of drummer Danny McKenna was aesthetically necessary, Lang stayed true to this, singing, playing and mixing every track on the album.

“I try to do things that I find stimulating and interesting so if people actually like it as well than I feel really grateful for that,” says Lang.

In support of the album Lang is currently touring nationally and has already encountered some ironic characters on the road. The first single, Burnside, tells the story of a disgruntled man newly released from prison, waiting for his brother whom he has unfinished business with. While playing a recent show, Lang ran into a man who use to play on the same circuit 20 years ago.

When Lang asked where the guy had been he responded that he’d been in prison for killing someone that he shouldn’t have, paralleling the single’s themes.

Lang is bringing his solo act to Tasmania this month, a destination in its’ own with a healthy audience for music he says.

“You have to take some seriously wrong turns in the tour van and make some baffling choices to be on the ferry to Tassie,” explains Lang. “It’s not on your way to somewhere else. You have to decide you’re going there. You go there expressly to play in Tassie. It’s not a routing gate.”

Straight after his show in Hobart, Lang will be off to Byron Bay to open for Bonnie Rait at Bluesfest, an exciting privilege that the acclaimed musician is looking forward to playing.

CARMEN MARSELLO

Catch Jeff Lang at Royal Oak in Launceston on Thursday April 6 and at the Republic Bar in Hobart on Friday April 7. Tickets for both shows are available from www.moshtix.com.au.

Tim Rogers (band) +

Steve Smyth WEDNESDAY MAY 3 THE GOODS SHED - MACQUARIE POINT TICKETS

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Music

BUY ME A PONY THE 90S IS DEFINITELY BACK IN A BIG WAY AT THE MOMENT, AND SPIDERBAIT DRUMMER/VOCALIST KRAM HAS A PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHY.

“Life was cheaper! Just all over Australia, how difficult it is for people to find a place to rent, let alone buy. I can remember when we started in a band, we could get a place so cheap and there were more possibilities. There’s still great bands and great musicians, it’s as strong as ever.

Getting a gig is as hard as it ever was.”

The band- who’ve been performing together since 1989- are celebrating the release of their game-changing 1996 album Ivy & The Big Apples with a massive tour, playing the album in full.

The chart-topping track Buy Me A Pony came from this album, a song which won 1996’s triple j Hottest 100, marking the first time an Australian band hit the #1 spot. Kind of strange, really, since the countdown- on an Australian radio station- started in 1989. The fact that it took seven years for an Aussie band to win Australia’s biggest music poll is odd but, as Kram says, kind of routine at the time.

“It’s to be expected when you think of what was going on back then; it took a while for the Australian indie population to start believing that their bands were as good as the ones from other countries. It took a while for everyone to embrace the ‘new scene’ in the voting sense, which was supported by gigs. There was something about that song [Buy Me A Pony], the lyrics really meant something to people. In terms of indie music becoming mainstream, there was skepticism from music fans, the worry that bands would sell out. We’re so proud, and so proud that it’s that song: it’s very cynical, very dark humour.”

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Although Spiderbait are noted in the annals of history as one of Australia’s premier rock acts, they’re major pop lovers at heart.

“We love pop, we’re never too pretentious to write a good melody.” Kram says. “It’s what we grew up with. The vocals is very much Janet’s [English, singer/bassist] space, and me too, but she was a painter, she had no inclination to join a band, and ended up becoming this iconic pop singer. I love her story, I love her ‘reluctant star’.

She has such a beautiful voice, I don’t even think she could realise she could sing. We’ll always write pop songs.”

The band also had a brief break in the early ‘00s to concentrate on personal lives and other projects. It became the longest time between albums in their career, but they came back fighting with 2013’s self-titled. Kram explains what went on in the intervening years.

“We played a lot of gigs in those years, but we had families which took up a lot of our timewe might do three or four a year, but the real essence of that hiatus was the eight or nine years between making albums; it’s harder, as you get older, to find the time to write together and make a record, it’s hard to get in the same headspace. The other factor [of the hiatus] was it wasn’t on purpose- before we knew it, a shitload of years had gone by.”

The man also notes that, although other stuff might come up- other projects may arise- he’s always be a rocker at his core.

“I kinda do have a lot of things going on- I have two children- and you get asked to do stuff all the time. I like doing them, but at the core of it, I’m a musician, and the anchor of that existence is this band, but if the band for some reason ended I wouldn’t stop working.”

“I’m happy to just chill out on the beach” Kram muses. “Society is obsessed with ‘doing’ things and ‘being’ someone, and everyone is so worried about what they are, forgetting about what they feel. The important things is to have a good relationship with yourself, not being defined by your income or work. You can do what you want, but chilling out and soaking up existence is a good way.”

“Living an artistic life, it’s such a trip...there’s inconsistency within an artistic life and that becomes the consistency. A lot of people in society would find that very difficult- they need to be able to hang onto a linear existence. For artists, that’s a thing they don’t wanna do. It’s only when you become successful that some people get it; once you become a ‘rock star’, it’s like: “wow, you followed your dreams!”, but anyone that’s trying to do that needs to be supported when they haven’t achieved that goal yet. It’s a difficult career to quantify in money terms.”

LISA DIB

Spiderbait play Saturday 22 April at the Granada Tavern in Hobart. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Music

NO END IN SIGHT “PRETTY MUCH EVERY GIG, SOMEONE REQUESTS THAT!” BASSIST SCOTT OWEN SAYS. HE’S TALKING ABOUT UNCLE HARRY, TRACK FROM THE LIVING END’S 2001 ALBUM ROLL ON. THE SONG IS ONE OF THE SILLIEST THE BAND HAVE RELEASED (“UNCLE HARRY PISSING IN THE BATH”) IN THEIR LONG CAREER, BUT IT STILL GETS YELLED OUT AT GIGS, SOME FIFTEEN YEARS LATER. “ROCK AND ROLL KEEPS YOU YOUNG.” HE NOTES.

Owen is unable to quantify what the band mean to their fans, and their country; the ‘End have been a fixture of the rock and landscape in Australia for over twenty years. Most of you reading this have a favourite album, no doubt.

Personally, I can’t imagine an adolescence without Prisoner of Society in it.

“I know what it’s like to have favourite bands and buy records; that important music, albums I’ll never tire of, it’s so hard to imagine [that] in regards to us, because we’re inside it, in the bubble of the band, and it's hard to step out." he says. “We did that retrospective tour, where we did all our albums, which was a good opportunity to get a sense of that, go back and relearn all those early albums, good opportunity to get perspective. It’s always a bit of a mystery to me, how our albums have shaped and affected people’s lives; it’s a spin out, almost too hard to grasp.”

2016 saw the release of the band’s seventh album, Shift; listeners will notice the change in their sound from some of the headier punk of their older records, to a more refined rock style.

Although The Living End have manifested in different ways over their long career (a normal progression), Owen maintains that every new record has a sense of the band’s spirit within.

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“What this one offers, more so than any of the others, is mostly lyrically.” he says. “A lot of our songs- the majority- have been politically or socially charged; there haven’t been that many songs written from a personal point of view, that’s where this album is different. It’s all pretty much Chris’ experience with himself, opening up, being a bit more personal, letting feelings and things be known. Our music’s always shifting and changing.”

“When you think of English punk in the seventies and eighties, there’s definitely an identity to that; in the US it’s the California punk thing...the punk scene in Australia came off the back of that.”

Owen explains, as we discuss Aussie punk, and the humour that often comes with it. Aside from the aforementioned pensioner ode, the ‘End have never gone for much of the jokesy stuff.

“Aussie punk bands, when we were starting, had a bit of an Australian identity; bands like Frenzal, Bodyjar, stuff like that, [had an] Aussie edge to them that sets them apart from similar style bands from overseas. It’s a hard thing to put your finger on. We always found the humour thing in music always kind of wore thin quickly [for us].”

In late 2006, Cheney took a hiatus from the band, as fans feared this would mean the end of their beloved trio. Cheney took a break from music, and the band got some much-needed distance.

It ended up serving them well; they came back together, made a banger album (White Noise), and continue to tour and record as they always have.

“There is no end in sight, I’ve never felt like it’s time to stop doing it. Never. I know Chris [Cheney, frontman] did, for a period; there was one point where we did sort of disband for a year, he felt like he needed space from it; “I wanna walk away from it for a while”. And that happened, [there was] basically about a year where we stayed out of each other’s way. I dunno what changed or what clicked, but he was

compelled to put it all together again and we made White Noise [2008], that was an awesome period after a hiatus. I was confident it wasn’t the end, just a matter of taking space for a little while. I still feel like we can manage this, we can continue to do it and the novelty hasn’t worn offI still get major excitement getting together with those two guys.”

“After having been a band for twenty years or whatever it’s been...I guess to look at it from the big picture, as it progresses, you get more and more perspective on the things that matter, compared to the things you used to focus on that seemed important that the time, but weren’t really- in hindsight. Being on stage, playing gigs...making records and being in the studio, I’ve always found a bit of a chore, to be honest- I’d much rather be on stage. The record is rewarding at the end, all those hours creating songs, chipping away, but the process I find quite boring. It’s not like the instant karma of being up onstage, that’s what gives me the real feeling of being what the band is. There’s been all these steps along the way, but it all boils down to one thing: we still love playing music with each other.

We’re so lucky to have this life.”

LISA DIB

The Living End play Friday April 7 at the Odeon Theatre, Hobart with support from The Bennies & A Swayze and The Ghosts.

Music

LIFE HACKS DJ, RADIO HOST, BASS PLAYER- TOM TILLEY HAS HIS HANDS ALL OVER THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE. YOU MIGHT KNOW HIM BEST AS THE HOST OF TRIPLE J’S HACK, WHERE HE DISCUSSES “STUFF THAT MATTERS TO YOUNG AUSTRALIANS”, AND HE’S ALSO TOURING BASS PLAYER FOR 80’S POP-ESQUE DANCE ACT CLIENT LIAISON, AS WELL AS HIS OWN SOLO DJ CAREER. THE MAN IS BUSY, AND HE LIKES IT THAT WAY.

“I like getting shit done” Tilley explains. “I like being engaged. I’m a pretty productive person, very driven and I’m in a lucky position where all these things I’ve put on my plate are just awesome fun.”

As the host of Hack, he spends his time discussing issues big and small with and for young people who, unlike many boomer critiques of the current generation, contain vast and complex multitudes. Hack discusses anything and everything that might affect young people: sex, technology, the media, drugs, identity and, of course, themselves. It’s a vital resource for no-nonsense, unpatronising and useful information and discussion.

“There’s big political issues, things going in the broader world around young people like the environment and the decisions we’re making to minimise our impacts on the changing climate; global political trends, Brexit and Trump have really surprised people and made them rethink the state of the world and starting big debates around freedom of speech and elitism. But then, most people wanna know who their mates had sex with on the weekend, and where they’re gonna go partying next Friday night! We talk about relationships, social issues, mental health...something I think we do better than any other outlet, because we have an audience that trusts us.

People feel that freedom to open up on radio.”

Another boomer annoyance is their low opinion of social media; their ideas that Facebook and Twitter have made brainless zombies of their precious children is beyond silly, and Tilley is all for the good that social media can bring.

“It’s awesome. I understand that for some people it can get negative, the tone of communication can be feral, but the way we all get to interconnect and share ideas and network and learn and open people up to new content- I can’t imagine a world without it. People that are over-

negative [about social media] are misunderstanding the role. Some people abuse the distance, the potential freedom from consequences in the way they communicate, but other people are able to have conversations they might not have otherwise.”

As a part of the Client Liaison team, Tilley obviously has a soft spot for the sweet tunes of the 1980s.

“I bought my first radio at a garage sale when I was five” he says. “Hearing the biggest hits of the ‘80s in bed at night. Those sweet, euphoric pop songs coming out at the time, like I Wanna Know What Love Is or The Final Countdown- beautiful clean sounds and positive lyrics, embracing of the softer side of masculinity.

When I was in high school and grunge was big, I didn’t get it, I didn’t connect with it; I didn’t like my music to be super-masculine or lazy or dirty; I’ve always liked those sounds that were emanating from the ‘80s, combining that with modern dance production techniques- that’s the sweet spot.”

Since Tilley’s bread and butter is in radio, I’m wondering if he has fear for the future of the media. In an increasingly digital age, and with the enormous the rise of podcasts, will radio have to adapt to survive?

“It’s an opportunity; our podcast audience is small, but growing so fast. The key is to understand the

difference between the two audiences and the way that they experience the audio they’re listening to. One simple thing is that podcast listeners tend to listen on headphones, radio listeners don’t. You can draw a longer narrative, rather than serve up gems and fast pace the whole time. Podcast can be nuanced and creative, sometimes even softer; with radio, you’ve gotta keep the pace up so they’re not flicking over to Nova (laughs).”

Though he works for one of Australia’s most successful musical outposts, Tilley admits he’s a bit out of the loop, music-wise.

“Fuck, I’m so out of touch with contemporary music...I’m really into dance music, so I’m often listening to big mixes on soundcloud, old Poolside DJ mixes, Beats in Space podcast mixes. I’m often listening to stuff that I might throw down in a DJ set too. My friends are all into really interesting disco-funk and early house; I live with three DJs in Sydney, and there’s some sexy vinyl getting thrown down left, right and centre in our place.”

LISA DIB

Tom Tilley plays a DJ set at The Grand Poobah in Hobart on Easter Thursday, April 13. Tickets are $15 on the door or presale via Moshtix.

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Music

GO HAVE A PARTY AT YOUR LOCAL POLISH CLUB SYDNEY BAND POLISH CLUB HAS BEEN KILLING IT IN AUSTRALIA RECENTLY, PLAYING SHOWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IMPRESSING AUDIENCES WITH THEIR FULL, ROCK BAND SOUND. IT HAS COME TIME FOR THE BAND TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM AND AUSTRALIA IS READY. WE SAT DOWN WITH GUITARIST NOVAK TO DISCUSS THE ALBUM, THEIR COOL VIDEO CLIPS AND HOW THEY COLLABORATED WITH A REAL POLISH MAN NAME LUCIAN.

You recorded your upcoming album in LA, how was that experience?

We went to LA early last year to start recording our album but we didn’t end up achieving the handful of songs that we started there because it was a bit early on for us and we didn’t really know what we were doing. We actually ended up recording the whole album in eight days here, in the inner-western Sydney. We figured that the easiest thing for us to do, the thing that made the most sense, was to lock John and I in a room, press record and give it a go and it took us just over a week.

Can people expect a similar sound from your upcoming album? Any surprises?

We have expanded on what we’ve done so far.

Fortunately we had a bit more time to prepare and to use resources at hand and I think the production value is a lot better than what we have released so far and the sound overall is a bit more full. At the end of the day it’s still just John and I, in the same room with guitar and drums just letting rip so I don’t think it is too far removed from what’s come before but it’s definitely gone up in production value and audio I think.

A couple of weeks ago you did a ‘Like a Version’ on triple J, how was that experience?

It was good! We have been super lucky with Triple J. The support they have given to us, this

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shitty little rock band, we have a lot to thank Triple J for and all the support they have given us. Like a Version was great! It was pretty intense, you know you’re given a few days to come up with a cover and John and I had a big list of things to try and we decided to try the most popular thing we could think about and we just went straight to the number one song in the hottest 100. We thought that not many people may have heard of Polish Club but if you haven’t heard of Flume then you've been living under a rock. So you're probably best off with working out how to do the most popular song. I think we did pretty well, it was very fun and pretty sweaty and intense but it was a good time.

The ‘Come Party’ video clip is very cool, where did the idea of that come from?

Up to that point it was all John, the drummer in Polish Club, who made a lot of our videos. But we decided to just call in favours from friends and I think by the time we got to releasing ‘Come Party’ we had used all our favours and it was time to bring in some actual professionals. So we did that and washed our hands clean of doing any of the creative stuff for the video and it was the team Revolver, the production company based in Sydney, who produced the film clip and I think they did a sweet job. They told us they were going to replace us with girls and it’s going to be cool and I was just like ‘yep, great!’. I was glad that they knocked it out of the park, I think it’s awesome, super badass.

Speaking of videos, what was the thinking behind your recent promo videos?

I don’t know (laughs). I know we really wanted to do the album cover outside the Polish Club just because it’s got that retro, untouched vibe that we are obsessed with and we met the manager of the Polish Club, Lucian. He was, for lack of a better word, a character and we were like “hey, can we come back and record a bunch of stuff of you plugging our band because you’re hilarious” and like a true pole he was all about self-promotion and so he said yeah, he was super keen and it was a match made in heaven if you ask me.

I feel like two-piece bands cop a lot of shit, what are some perks to being a two-piece band?

Well I think that as soon as people see that there are only two people in your band and that you play rock like a three or a four or a five piece would play, you kind of get looked at in a different way. I mean you don’t really see the differentiation of people talking about threepiece bands and four-piece bands but for some reason if it’s only two people start putting you in the same group as every other two piece which is totally fine, I get it but it was never a conscious thing for John and I. We just got along and wrote all of our music together and never felt the need to add any other pieces to it because they were painfully simple songs and they still are. But there’s so many pluses that we have discovered along the way. Not which the least is being able to tour with just the two of us and being able to book just one hotel room and only have to worry about two flights. It’s a lot easier to just show up at a venue and be ready to go when it’s just the two of you.

MACKENZIE STOLP

Polish Club play the Republic Bar on Saturday May 13.

GRANADA TAVERN PRESENTS

SATURDAY 20TH MAY, 2017

PRESALE TICKETS: $35 FROM THE VENUE MOSHTIX: $39 TICKETS AT THE DOOR: $40 DOORS: 8PM SUPPORT: DAVEY LANE & TUMBLWEED

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Music REVIEW

HOT DUB WINE MACHINE ANYTHING CAN BE SOPHISTICATED IF IT’S DONE IN A VINEYARD AND WITH THAT THOUGHT HOT DUB TIME MACHINE AND FRIENDS DESCENDED ON THE NORMALLY SERENE HOME HILL WINERY IN THE HUON VALLEY ON SATURDAY MARCH 4 TO PUT ON THE BEST. PARTY. EVER!

What do you get if you cross DJ Tom Loud’s ‘Hot Dub Time Machine’ with a vineyard? Well that would be ‘Hot Dub Wine Machine’ of course. This blend was sampled late last year in the McLaren Vale, South Australia and proved to be a country show winner, paving the way for the 2017 vintage edition release in Vineyards through March and April nationally.

Huonville managed to put on the Best. Weather. Ever. With calm blue skies and temperatures till the evening in the pleasant mid 20s. The sun may have proved to be a little overpowering early on, with every inch of shade claimed during the early afternoon.

Although common sense prevailed with hats out in force and sunscreen liberally applied.

The Vineyard filled up early on with over half the attendees choosing to take the bus service from Hobart to the event. Wine from Home Hill and cider from Willie Smiths flowed freely as decadence took over. The surprise hit at the bar was the Frosé – a mix of rosé and cocktail ingredients put through a slushie machine. Demand for this refreshing summer drink outstripped supply, with the slushie machine only managing to frost the drink ever so slightly before it was emptied and people were left waiting again.

The crowd were treated to the relaxed tunes of Sexy Lucy for the first few hours, with the music selection then handed onto Hobart duo OOC and the last local for the day, Dameza playing all to an audience they knew well. First up from the interstate line up was Sydneysider Dena Amy. This talented singer, producer and of course DJ whipped up the crowd with her enthusiasm and coaxed them onto the dance floor in increasing numbers. Taking the reins from Dena, turntablist and VJ extraordinaire, Sampology, kept the progression going with his trademark mixture of beats and breaks.

Excitement was palpable when Paces arrived onto the stage. With a track in the most recent triple j hottest 100, his profile is only becoming larger and his popularity at Home Hill showed. By this time his set ended the dance floor was solid and the once relaxed vibe of Home Hill had converted into that of an energetic night club.

As the sun began its descent, it was time for the main man, DJ Tom Loud. Equipped with his custom made time machine, Hot Dub Time Machine wound the clocks back as he travelled ‘back in time’ taking the audience with him to the 1950s and then forward year by year with hit song after song. Suprises in his set included the appearance of local saxophonist James Maddox in the songs ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Seven Nation Army’ and Dena Amy as guest vocalist on ‘We Found Love’. Hot Dub also pulled Sampology and Dameza onto the stage for a three-way scratch battle, which was possibility more for the three DJs own personal enjoyment than that of the crowd, who regardless cheered on.

Hot Dub Wine Machine turned out to be a happy unison of electronic music with a relaxed and serene backdrop provided by Home Hill Winery. Hopefully we will see a 2018 vintage in the works.

NIC ORME

MUSIC @ MONA ROUNDING UP NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK, TASCARE SOCIETY FOR CHILDREN WILL HOST AN EVENT AT MONA ON SATURDAY APRIL 8, 1PM – 3PM. MUSIC @ MONA AIMS TO BRING TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY WITH THE AIM TO IMAGINE A BRIGHT FUTURE, INITIATE CHANGE OR INSPIRE YOUR MIND. The event is open to all young people and their families, with entertainment from local and specialised youth music groups, as well as an interactive Drumming Circle and a performance by The Bright Stars Dance Group. Additional activities will include henna artists, temporary tattoos and a photo booth.

MUSIC @ MONA is a free event running 1pm – 3pm Saturday April 8.

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Music

A LESSON IN KRAMMING SPIDERBAIT’S KRAM HAS JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED AS THE 2017 MENTOR FOR ONE EYE ON THE STRANGER, FESTIVAL OF VOICES’ EMERGING SONG WRITER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR, OEOTS WILL SEE ONE EMERGING MUSO FROM EACH AUSTRALIAN STATE AND TERRITORY MENTORED BY SPIDERBAIT’S KRAM ON AN ALL EXPENSES PAID ADVENTURE TO BRUNY ISLAND, TASMANIA WHERE THEY’LL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH KRAM TO COLLABORATE AND HONE THEIR SONGWRITING CRAFT OVER THREE DAYS, BEFORE PERFORMING WITH HIM LIVE AT FESTIVAL OF VOICES’ VOICEBOX CLOSING NIGHT ON JULY 13.

The founder of the program, Festival of Voices producer and Music Tasmania president Tim Kling chats about working with Kram and the project’s first iteration as a national submissions based platform for emerging songwriters.

What drove you to put together the first One Eye On The Stranger project three years ago?

I was driven by the fact that in Tasmania there were less opportunities for musicians than there were occurring in the mainland cities of Australia. Festival Of Voices (FOV) recognised that, so we decided to put on a program that would place emerging Tasmanian songwriters with an iconic Australian musician to boost their confidence, learn, perform and see that there are better opportunities out there. The workshop originally started with each participant not only performing live to a festival audience but also receiving a mentorship. There was a kind of career development process that happened within the two day workshop where participants were able to ask questions of the mentor and get some key insights into developing their career as well as their song craft, so I think that was really important. Developing your career is a challenge in Tasmania, more specifically a lot of people don’t necessarily see the hurdles and the opportunities... the things that they need to do in order to develop their career. Songwriting is a major part of that and performing is a major part of that but also getting a grasp on the in’s and out’s of the industry Australia wide is important… because we’re on an island emerging songwriters here quite often miss out on opportunities that enable them to take things to the next level.

What was it that made Kram such an appealing candidate as mentor for this year’s One Eye On The Stranger (OEOTS) project?

Kram has been performing for twenty five years, he’s in a really successful band (Spiderbait) and he’s exactly the kind of person who’s ready to give back to the community.

As part of Spiderbait he’s received the top accolades on JJJ’s hottest 100, sold a million singles and half a million albums. That’s somebody in Australia who’s had a very successful career even if it was really difficult for them. And I like the fact that we're picking musicians who it’s been difficult for. Being a professional musician is not an easy slog, you’re playing regional tours and major tours and sometimes you’re thrust upon with the sudden success of one single - in Spiderbait’s case Black Betty. Kram is the perfect candidate who knows all about the rough and tumble of the Australian industry, he’s had international success and has still been able to keep it together. And you know the proof is in the pudding; Spiderbait have recently sold out six concerts at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne as part of their 20th anniversary tour. I mean that’s an incredible accolade.

They’ve also sold out every other show on their current tour which has just started happening around Australia this month.

It’s taken a very long time for Kram as part of that band to be able to get to that level and have that happen. So to be able to place him in a melting- pot in the beautiful wilderness of Bruny Island at a retreat with emerging songwriters from all over Australia, that’s an awesome thing. They have the opportunity to fly down and spend three nights with him to workshop their songs, learn his trade secrets and get some insight. It’s a really invaluable experience so we’re really excited to have Kram on board.

Do you think that the geography of Tasmania offers something unique in terms of a musical mentorship project like this?

I definitely think the geography has something to offer.

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incredible climate, food and resources that other states are battling with. But what the Tasmanian environment also has to offer for this project is this incredible sense of escape. Not only are participants going to come down and be able to be involved in a major festival in Australia, they’re also getting the chance to breathe. The chance to visit an island, off an island, off an island. Bruny Island is a very special place. It is a very significant place for indigenous Tasmanians. The last full blooded Tasmanian aboriginal person Truganini was born there.

It has a particular beauty and rawness. If you live in a major capital city, you don’t often get the time … you’re working frenetically within your own energy and in your environment. Bruny Island offers a place of calm to gather your thoughts, to gather an understanding of where you want to be. And the great thing is that the participants get to do that with Kram, their mentor, who’s also going to experience that for the first time. I think thats a pretty incredible combination.

Given that this project is acting as an opportunity to bridge the disparity of distance between states in Australia, do you think there’ll be follow on effects for other remote music communities around the nation as a result of this project?

I definitely think there’s a follow-on effect and it’s already started. I also think there’s a number of aspects to this project which makes it really ideal to be a national project. The first point is that Tasmania is a really beautiful place, it’s really isolated, as isolated as say Western Australia or the Northern Territory in terms of its geographical location. Quite often all the decision makers for musicians and the decision makers for labels and the decision makers in terms of management are found in a really concentrated area - mostly Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Everyone else is doing their own thing but they’re not always connected. So the beautiful thing about making the project national this year with all the State and Territory peak bodies coming together is that we’re able to select one person from each State for the very first time. This is a beautiful thing in its own right, highlighting their talent, but also being able to bring them to a very remote island off Tasmania to have a retreat is just awesome .

What do you think the previous emerging songwriters have loved so much about being part of this project?

The first year we held the project in 2015 we had the pleasure of having Australian Idol winner Wes Carr involved as mentor. And most participants had known him from Australian Idol but they hadn’t known his work outside of that… they didn’t realise he could play multiple instruments and when they came out of his workshop they were like “Oh my god he can play keyboards, drums, guitar bass, sing, play harmonies, work out complex song structures… everything!” and that inspiration was one of the key things they got out of it. They also got to perform in the Theatre Royal that year with his band performing with them, which was a pretty incredible thing that we just managed to make happen. That was an incredible start to the project. In the second year (2016), we created a women’s workshop with Abbe May and got to take the project to Bruny Island for the first time, thanks to the support of Music Tasmania and APRA AMCOS’s funding. What the participants got out of it was this incredible engaging beautiful heart coming and giving her all to them. Abbe took each songwriter aside and spent time with them individually. She spent time with them as a group but she was also able to bond with them individually and I think the really important essence from that was that they all got to bond on a first day experience and then had these workshops with Abbe individually.

Abbe was able to tap into each person’s strength and pull it out of them a little bit more… shake it up a little bit more and give them the tools to be able to see their

Music

authentic self. And I think what this year’s project is gonna provide is that on another level, on a national level.

How did the project evolve from a Tasmanian based submissions platform to a national submissions process?

The process happened organically although it’s been a part of our original plan. The first couple of years were Tasmanian based and we selected out musicians in Tasmania to work with mentors from the mainland who have more notoriety in the industry and that was because basically anyone who lives in Tasmania or Western Australia or the Northern Territory lacks the opportunities to be able to mingle with industry people on a day-to-day basis. It’s much easier to be living down the road in Northcote of Thornbury and catching up with Courtney Barnett down at the local cafe than it is in Tasmania. It just doesn’t really happen. So it’s about bringing people who you think are really worthwhile candidates to that level when they just don’t usually have that opportunity.

The project has also evolved to a national level because over the last two years we’ve been able to select local Tasmanians to be part of this project- with this being the third year of a really unique festival it’s expanding and we want to be able to grow our festival audience and our exposure nationally. Last year we already had Music Tasmania and APRA AMCOS’s funding to allow us to expand the project to Bruny Island, along with creating a multitrack recording, a documentary and producing content that we had never been able to create before.

Once we’d created that content last year we thought “Well, this needs a bigger audience. What we’re doing down here is really special, it’s really unique and we need to share this with the rest of Australia.” And when we started looking at what we could achieve this year with Kram, we realised that we needed to involve all the State and Territory peak music bodies and the Australian Music Industry Network to enable us to select one person from each State and Territory in order to highlight the incredible songwriting and emerging talent that exists all over the country. And of course we can’t give the same opportunities to the same people in Tasmania every year, so we’re rotating not only the programming that happens within the festival but also the opportunities that exist for local Tasmanians. Part of becoming a nationally recognised festival was also realising that we needed to offer these opportunities to people in other states, to allow them to advocate for it and become a part of it.

Ok, final slightly left of field question. If money and distance were no objects, and you could pull any musician from around the world to be next year’s OEOTS festival mentor, who would you choose?

That’s an amazing question and of course we’re more than happy with Kram from Spiderbait this year! However if I could pick anyone in the world… can I pick a male and a female?

Yes… Someone who immediately comes to mind is Mark Hollis from Talk Talk. He’s written an incredible amount of albums and is a really introspective and established artist who has spent eighteen months - two years making each album. And if I was gonna pick any female artist right now it would be Bjork. She’s just one of the most outstanding artists of a generation she continues to push boundaries.

What she could do to create new opportunities for women and the insight she could offer them into her career would be just mind blowing.

AMANDA VAN ELK

Artist Submissions for One Eye On The Stranger are open now until midnight Thursday April 13.

To apply head to Music Tasmania’s site - www.musictasmania. org/whats-happening/one-eye-the-stranger-application-form.

See Spiderbait play at the Granada Tavern, Berriedale on Saturday April 22

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Arts

PAIGE TURNER TASMANIA MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING RIGHT IN AN ARTISTIC PAST LIFE. THESE DAYS IT IS BECOMING HARD TO DECIDE WHICH EVENT OR EXHIBITION, OR LAUNCH TO GO TO, EXACTLY HOW TO SATE A DESIRE TO BE AMONGST CREATIVE SPIRIT.

I have recently attended the launch of Lost Rocks, a beautiful, slow publishing collaboration from Justy Phillips and Margaret Woodward, and their ‘A Published Event’. They have launched the first four of forty ‘fictionellas’ written by artists and riffing off minerals and rocks.

The ethereal launch event featured artist and writer, Sarah Jones, reading her work while she created an image of our star-shot skies, projected in a darkened Peacock Theatre. This performance is seeping in, slowly, beautifully. I’m moved, still, as I think of the words. the image, the creation – and the fact that there are more of these beautiful artistic and literary performances to accompany this five year project. More information can be found here - www.apublishedevent.net/.

A SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO AND QPAC PRODUCTION

Dracula

By Bram Stoker

14 & 15 June

Respected and internationally published author Tansy Rayner Roberts is offering to share her writing acumen in a series of writing workshops for children. Tackling themes such as spaceships and robots, detective stories, fairyland, ghosts and monsters and the hero’s quest, these workshops will run during school holidays at the Kingston LINC meeting room. For more information, check out her website – www.tansyrr.com/tansywp/writingworkshops/ The second Women’s Poetry Oasis will be held on April 20 at Mathers House in Hobart at 1.30pm. This Oasis is presented

by Mary Pomfret, who will talk about her published work and her writing practice.

Mary will then offer a workshop about life, metaphor and poetry. For more information, contact Mary via Facebook.

Silverwords, southern Tasmania’s stand up/open mic sessions are back. It is on at at 6:30pm of the last Thursday of the month at the Quartermaster’s Arms on Elizabeth Street. It’s an open mic format, sometimes with a featured artist.

Along with planning the Writers’ Festival for September this year (a significant occurrence on the Tasmanian literary calendar), the Writers’ Centre has a series of events happening in April, including a two part workshop run by Peter Timms on research for fiction and non-fiction, which includes a tour of the State Library’s collections. These will occur on Saturday April 8 and Sunday April 9. Peter Timms is a celebrated writer of both fiction and nonfiction and a critic with a sharp eye.

Peter Rose, editor of the Australian Book Review will be in Hobart for the launch of States of Poetry, Tasmania, on April 6. This will take place at the Hobart Bookshop, and feature readings from some six poets included in this year’s anthology: Adrienne Eberhard, Graeme Hetherington, Jane Williams, Karen Knight, Louise Oxley, and Tim Thorne.

Sarah Day and Peter Rose will also read favourite works by Tasmanian poets. This work was developed in a studio managed by the City of Melbourne’s Creative

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Spaces Program. This is a free public event, all welcome.

Members of the Writers’ Centre are also invited to a presentation and discussion

by Peter Rose on April 7 about what the Australian Book Review is looking for in reviewers, and how to get on-board with them as a freelancer. For further information about the above three events, see www.taswriters.org.

The Story Island Project, with their wonderful brief of facilitating storytelling and empowering people through the word are running a Stories of the Brooker Highway-related workshop for kids aged 8–14 in the school holidays at MAC. More info is available here: www.moonahartscentre. org.au/events/school-holidayworkshops-at-mac.

I was worried for a moment there, that Northern Tasmania’s delightful Tamar Valley’s Writers’ Festival may have been forced into hiatus, as they were seeking a new Chairperson, and one who would be responsible for running the festival alongside governance commitments, so I’m stoked to share that Mary Machen has been appointed. Mary has a long history with Launceston’s arts community as a board member for Junction Arts Festival, co-convenor of the Friends of Theatre North, and she has also been involved with the Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival. She’s also a journalist, and a former Arts Editor with The Examiner newspaper. Welcome Mary, may the festival continue to thrive under your stewardship.

I’m looking forward to an ‘in conversation’ event with Pete Hay, a poet, and most considered thinker and writer with global resonance on Easter Sunday on Bruny at 3pm at the Jetty Point Café, Dennes Point, Bruny Island and I’m also looking forward to the Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival on Bruny the weekend after that.

Transportation Press is running an international microfiction competition generously sponsored by Fullers Bookshop. Entries for your 320 word story are being accepted until April 30.

For more information check out www. transportationpress.net.

Fullers Bookshop in Hobart has another jam packed month – but I’m out of space and can only mention the launch of Seven Stories, (pictured) an award winning collection of new Tasmanian fiction on April 28 at 5.30pm.

RACHEL EDWARDS

If you have any story or word related events, please drop me a line at racheledwards488@ gmail.com.

Arts FESTIVAL

NAYRI NIARA GOOD SPIRIT FESTIVAL NAYRI NIARA GOOD SPIRIT FESTIVAL GIVES EVERYONE A POWERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT AND TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH COUNTRY, CULTURE AND THE SACRED. IT IS A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND CEREMONY, HONOURING ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND CONTEMPORARY INNOVATION​.

It will take place over three days at Lunawunna and Alonnah, Bruny Island, from April 21-23.

This year’s festival has a rich array of performers and workshops, with the full program to be revealed over coming weeks. Maori musician and language and performance teacher, Matui ‘The Hook’ Te Huki is a soulful roots musician who uses haka, chants and traditional Maori instruments, backed by grabbing grooves, deep, beautifully crafted bass lines, funky rhythms and magical melodies that stay with you well after the show ends. It is all held up by a pillar of Pacific passion. He has performed with ‘Fat Freddy’s Drop’, ‘Rhombus’, ‘Pitch Black’, ‘Tiki Taane’, ‘Anika Moa’ + many more of Aotearoa (New Zealand)’s top artists. He will also host a workshop on Sacred Stance through the Maori Voice.

Gumbaynggirr Elder, Aunty Bea Ballangarry uses an ancient, supportive Indigenous model for those experiencing uncertainty and grief to move towards recovery, gratitude and comfort. Aunty Bea will be sharing the Guunumba (Bring to Life) Ceremony and drawing on the Sacred elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water to bring participants together, cleanse our spirit,

fulfill our dreams and to assist in sharing messages of goodwill and love with others.

Marina Xoc Vasquez is a Mayan Indian from Chimusinique, Guatemala and a professor for an applied Indigenous Studies Program in the United States.

She is also an elder cultural adviser for the Native American Cultural Center. She has been trained in the knowledge of traditional medicines, but was also born with the rights of a medicine woman. Vasquez uses her knowledge to assist in the health of her community back in Guatemala as well as informing and assisting those with whom she works in the USA and around the world. The history of some cultural medicines goes back thousands of years, and proves to still be efficient in the healing of mental and physical health today. She is bringing her deep knowledge to share at the festival.

Nayri Niara Good Spirit Festival will also feature ‘Our Story’ a space for workshops and performances and an opportunity to make an in-country film over 24 hours, that will be screened on the Sunday of the festival. This offers a unique opportunity to learn how to collaborate in a culturally sensitive manner, as well as some practical film making skills.

The Nayri Niara good spirit Festival hosts an amazing array of musicians, dancers, healers and teachers from across the globe to explore and connect Indigenous, earth-based wisdoms and emergent sustainable practices. Strengthening personal relationships and encouraging cohesion between diverse communities through the expression of arts is the heartbeat of this Festival. There will be dancing, there will be singing, there will be fire and spirit and art.

RACHEL EDWARDS

For tickets and more information on the festival, visit www. nayriniaragoodspirit.com/festival.

BOOK REVIEW

AN UNCERTAIN GRACE AN UNCERTAIN GRACE BY KRISSY KNEEN IS A NOVEL MADE UP OF FIVE INTERLINKED STORIES FOLLOWING FIVE CHARACTERS OVER THE SPAN OF MORE THAN A CENTURY. THESE STORIES ARE SHOT THROUGH WITH THE PRESENCE OF LIV, WHO WE FIRST MEET THROUGH THE ‘EYES’ OF THE LECTURER WHO SEDUCED HER WHEN SHE WAS A STUDENT. LIV HAS CREATED A NEW FORM OF MEMOIR; A VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE OF HER SO CALLED SEDUCTION THAT SHE DELIVERS AS A MEMORY STICK AND A VIRTUAL REALITY ‘SUIT’ AND THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, CASPAR, THE LECTURER REALIZES THAT WHAT HE FOUND SEXY, SHE FOUND PREDATORY.

The next chapter takes us into the mind of Ronnie, a convicted and imprisoned pedophile who is being treated with a therapy designed by Liv to allow him to regress and, ideally recover –by networking with jellyfish. The whole notion of uploading to jellyfish consciousness, out of context seems wild and crazy, seems like the logical action for someone to overcome his abusive behavior.

Next, Kneen takes us into the mind of a cyborg called Cameron, whose main downfall is that he is too lifelike.

Cameron, designed by Liv, is used to, again assist in the remediation of, in this case, hebephiles; those who are attracted to young men. Cameron is designed to enjoy sex, and to test out those whose illicit desires lead them to abuse young men.

These are all stories that challenge taboos and transgress the boundaries enforced by mainstream society. They are boundaries that are rarely questioned or challenged, and indeed it is incredibly difficult territory for anyone to explore. Kneen navigates it without inserting authorial judgment, but with a clarity and a compassion. Given the power dynamic inherent in sex abuse, and the fact that many sex offenders have themselves been victims, she allows the reader to explore the grey areas with some compassion.

The novel moves on to exploring the transition of M from woman to a space beyond gender, and to a sexual relationship involving Liv, when she is 128 and also transitioning, not only gender, but towards death.

The final chapter is Liv, dead in some manners, but having uploaded her existence to a cyber reality, where she can rent out bodies of humans who are still alive. She falls in love, which offers its very own conundrum, especially as it becomes mutual, and really, she is just renting her physicality.

Kneen’s work has been described as speculative erotica, and while a lot of her earlier work, and this novel too, are on the erotic spectrum, there is way more to consider when reading her books. She takes the notions of embodiment and transgression very seriously, and forces the reader to question attitudes to bodies, gender and sexuality. She is an astute and articulate writer who does not shy away from topics others may fear to even consider.

RACHEL EDWARDS

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Arts

THIS WILL BE AN AWESOME SHOW OUTSIDER MUSICIAN, CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST, PUPPETEER, STREET PERFORMER, PORTRAIT ARTIST, MUSICIAN, ACTOR- DAVID LIEBE HART HAS HIS FINGERS IN A WHOLE HEAP OF PIES. LIKELY BEST KNOWN FOR HIS MUSICAL AND PUPPETRY APPEARANCES ON TIM AND ERIC AWESOME SHOW, GREAT JOB!, OR FOR HIS STREET MUSICIANSHIP AND PORTRAITURE OUTSIDE THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL AND LA BREA TAR PITS IN LOS ANGELES, HART IS BRINGING HIS UNIQUE LIVE SHOWS TO AUSTRALIA THIS APRIL.

“My parents paid for me to take acting when I was a little boy, ballet and dancing; I was in several plays.” Hart explains, on his genesis in the creative industries. “My parents didn’t want me to get into show business at a young age, but I wanted to be a famous actor and musician, so when I was twenty-one, I came to California to pursue acting. It was a lot of hard work: I went to LA City College for acting and music and speech, took acting classes, played music and did nightclub work, like I’m doing now. Tim and Eric liked my reading and talent and had me write a song for their show, and I was written in as a regular for five years.”

Hart is full of interesting and unique stories of his interesting and unique life, and his encounters with puppet-master Jim Henson is one of them.

“Jim Henson was my Sunday School teacher at the Christian Science church.” he explains. “Jim was teaching with Kermit. He had a puppet show in Washington DC, in black and white before the Jimmy Dean show- this was before [Henson did] the Muppets and Sesame Street, he started small. And then Henson met with me before he died, said he wanted me to do a puppet show telling kids to say no to drugs, with puppets, on public access [the US version of community TV].

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That show started in 1988 and went off the air in 2008 when the government of California decided to get rid of public access television.”

Although Hart has released scores of albums (both solo and with fellow public access host Adam Papagan)- including several albums of religious hymnals, but also covering trains, animals, love, puppets, aliens and ghosts (some song titles include I Eat My Veggies, The Pickle Man & Mr Moose, Will You Be My Girlfriend?, Korendian Honk and La Rent Doesn’t Want Me To Look at Porn). Hart loves to talk about the things he’s most passionate about: one of those is the paranormal.

“Ghosts are real.” he says. “I lived in a haunted house: a policeman used to live in the home, he told my parents that there were German Shepherd dogs still alive in his apartment. My dad understood that ghosts were real- he lived in a place in Chicago when he was a kid where a dragon used to roar at him, it was a dead crocodile he forgot to feed.” “[The ghosts] would get close to me, tickle me, throw all the fish food in the tank, play piano, throw the silverware out the window, and I’d get a spanking for it. They were devious, I’ve heard people having problems with bad ghosts- a lady

in an apartment in Clover City, a man in her apartment choked her and scratched her up! I don’t think all ghosts are bad.”

We discuss the theories of why paranormal and alien interaction are considered so big and scary; Hart maintains that governments use ignorance and fear to keep us in check. He, himself, claims to have been abducted when he was a child.

“They wanna stay in power, they wanna keep people deaf dumb and blind- there’s nothing to overcome fear but fear itself.” Hart says. “At first, I was afraid of aliens. I used to be afraid of swimming in deep water, but you gotta face your challenges and overcome them. There’s so much evidence left behind that the government is covering up. I wouldn’t be able to communicate with you in Australia without the alien technology. Kings and Queens and leaders would go to aliens for wisdom and understanding.”

The conversations turns to lighter issuesanimals! I profess my favourites (dogs, tapirs, otters, hairy angler fish) and Hart rattles off his.

“I love your koala bears, I love your kangaroos, but I hear they’re dangerous. I’d like to tame one. I like your ibis bird, I almost had my hand bitten off. Kangaroos are very beautiful. I’d like a T-Rex, I love dinosaurs. I have some animals that I haven’t fed in three days; I have a shark in my fish tank.”

LISA DIB

David Liebe Hart performs on Tuesday April 11 with Mandek Penha, The Harrison Forward and All The Weathers at the Grand Poobah, Hobart. Tickets available via Moshtix.

Arts

Gallery

performing arts

Guide

Guide

South

NORTH

146 Artspace Until April 21 A Shared Exhibition with Promised Denial by Shireen Taweel and Anteroom by Sam Johnstone April 28 - June 2 10 Objects - 10 Stories: Celebrating Community Collections

QVMAG February 25 – May 7 Steel Vignettes - Scott Gelston

Bett Gallery 17 March – April 3 Patrick Grieve April 7 - April 24 Richard Wastell April 28 - May 15 Neil Haddon Colville Gallery April 7 Matthew Armstrong April 30 Paul Boam (Gallery 2) Handmark Gallery Until April 16 New Paintings – Adrian Barber April 21 - May 1 2017 emerging artist livia Moroney Despard Gallery April 5 - April 30 A Joint Exhibition - Anthea Boden and Jeff Mincham Salamanca Arts Centre Top Gallery April 7 - April 29 Through The Window Was a Picture - Maria Blackwell Sidespace Gallery March 31 – April 16 Desolata – Kim Foale Long Gallery Until April 19 Island Light 2017 Moonah Arts Centre March 10 – April 1 Crossroads – Ten Days on the Island April 6 - April 29 The Liminal Space - Paul Snell April 6 - April 29 Half Empty / Half Full Mike Singe

Handmark Evandale April 2 - April 24 new works - Julie Payne April 30 - May 17 new paintings - William Rhodes Burnie Regional Gallery Until May 7 Burnie Print Prize 2017 Until April 30 The Lost Storeroom Devonport Regional Gallery Until April 30 A Decolonial Geographic - Fernando do Campo Gallery Pejean Until April 8 The Celestials – Mandy Hunniford April 19 - May 13 Deeper Water - Robyn Harman Sawtooth Gallery April 7 – 29 Front Gallery Belong Sarah - Jane Moore Dark Gallery Transition state: an expression of loss - Stewart Ralph Project Gallery Parallel - Kristen Coleman Gate Space Gallery Marilyn Theisel & Roswitha Young Threshold Space Sawtooth College Program with Newstead College featuring: Yoshino Hori, Ellie Purdie, Millie Shami, Caleb Clifford and Madison Pedder

SOUTH

NORTH

COMEDY

COMEDY

The Polish Corner March 1 Rod Quantock March 8 Richard Stubbs March 15 Rachel Berger March 22 Xavier Michelides

Earl Arts Centre March 26 Raw2! Winners Concert

Republic Bar March 23 Clubhouse Comedy with Daniel Sloss

Devonport Entertainment Centre March 31 Anh Do - The Happiest Refugee Live!!

Peacock Theatre March 8 Class Clowns 2017: National Secondary School Comedy competition: Hobart Heat/Tas State Final March 9 Deadly Funny 2017: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander National Comedy competition: Hobart Heat/Tas State Final

Burnie Arts Centre March 29 Anh Do - The Happiest Refugee Live!!

Princess Theatre March 30 Anh Do - The Happiest Refugee Live!!

Royal Oak March 3 RAW Comedy 2017 Northern Tasmania Heat March 24 Fresh Comedy presents Daniel Sloss

THEATRE

THEATRE

Princess Theatre March 3 - March 18 Wicked March 16 - March 18 You, Me and the Space Between March 21 White Snake: Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre March 24 Fragile Matter

Playhouse Theatre Till March 11 The Hounds of the Baskervilles Theatre Royal March 16 - March 19 The Season March 24 - March 25 White Snake : Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre Backspace Theatre March 16 - March 18 2Rawspace Moonah Arts Centre March 17 - March 18 Fragile Matter - Tasdance & Jukstapoz Peacock Theatre March 17 Fire: Ten Days on the Island March 17 - March 18 The Frock : Ten Days on the Island March 20 - March 21 Dance Interrogations : Ten Days on the Island March 24 - March 26 You, Me and the Space Between: Ten Days on the Island

Earl Arts Centre March 18 - March 19 Mudlark’s One Day Project March 18 - March 26 Fringe at the Earl March 23 Exposing Edith March 24 - March 25 The Frock : Ten Days on the Island Burnie Arts Centre March 5 Mardi Gras 2017 Live Stream March 12 Facing North March 21 The Frock: Ten Days on the Island Devonport Entertainment Centre March 22 The Frock: Ten Days on the Island

TMAG Until May 21 Kanalaritja: An Unbroken String Until April 2 A World of My Own – Patricia Giles March 17 – April 8 Full Void - Mary Scott and David Edgar

COMEDY

CHOPPER HEATH FRANKLIN IS A LOGIE-NOMINATED AUSTRALIAN ACTOR, COMEDIC PERFORMER, IMPROVISER AND WRITER. FRANKLIN MADE HIS TELEVISION DEBUT ON THE SKETCH SHOW - THE RONNIE JOHNS HALF HOUR, FROM WHERE HIS CHARACTER, ‘CHOPPER’, A COMEDIC IMPERSONATION OF REAL-LIFE CRIMINAL MARK ‘CHOPPER’ READ, HAS BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL CULT HIT.

In 2006, Franklin’s efforts were rewarded when he was nominated for an Australian TV Logie award, the inaugural Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent. In 2007, Franklin performed his debut Australian national live tour, Chopper’s Harden the F*ck Up Australia Tour, going on to perform an international version of the show in a sell-out season in London, then Edinburgh Fringe. Since 2007, Franklin, as ‘Chopper’, has sold over 130,000 tickets across Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Franklin’s second Australian national ‘Chopper’ tour in 2008 was the critically acclaimed Make Deadsh*ts History. The enormous positive response to the show lead to its DVD recording in D-Division at Pentridge Prison in Melbourne for release in 2009. This DVD was nominated for the 2010 ARIA for Best Comedy Release. In 2010, Heath Franklin made his feature film debut in the lead role of ‘Mervyn Toebuck’, alongside Jemaine Clement of NZ’s Flight of the Conchords in the black comedy feature film, Predicament.

Chopper’s Republic of Anzakistan, the all-new TV show aired in NZ in 2015.

The hilarious stand up / sketch show sees ‘Chopper’ uniting Australia and New Zealand as one country, with a cast of comedians reflecting on the unique aspects of our different cultures. Franklin went on to tour this show

to sold out crowds across Australia and New Zealand in 2016.

‘Chopper’ can be heard weekly in Australia on the Triple M Network’s Merrick and Australia drive show.

Chopper will be performing two shows in the State this month, starting at The Clubhouse in Hobart with support from Andrew Harper and hosted by Brent Watkinson. Heading north to Launceston, Chopper will be performing with the other Franklin, Chris Franklin, at a special event in the Tramsheds at Invermay.

See Heath Franklin as ‘Chopper’ at: Clubhouse Comedy: The Republic Bar – Thursday April 27 - www facebook.com/clubhousecomedy Fresh Comedy: The Tramsheds – Friday April 28 – www.facebook.com/freshcomedyattheoak

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Event Guide

Hobart Date

Venue

Acts / Start Time

Date

APRIL Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

5

6

7

Sunday

24

8

9

Acts / Start Time

The Homestead

Figure It In Life Drawing 4pm

Waratah Hotel

Sunday Sessions 3pm

Birdcage Bar

Billy & Jamie 9:30pm

Brunswick Hotel

Karly Fisher 7pm

Monday

10

Republic Bar & Café

Quiz Night 8:15pm

Irish Murphy’s

Noteworthy: Eve Gowen, Teresa Dixon, Jay Jarome 8pm

Tuesday

11

Federation Concert Hall

Kate Miller-Heidke + The TSO 7:30pm

Republic Bar & Café

Keith Hall Blues Band 8:30pm

Grand Poobah

The Duke

Duke Quiz Night 7:30pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Elly Potter 7pm

David Liebe Hart, Mandek Penha, The Harrison Forward and ALL The Weathers with MC’s Mrs Patterson and Mrs Peterson

Republic Bar & Café

Jed Appleton 8:30pm

Birdcage Bar

Tim & Scott 8:30pm

The Homestead

Funky Bunch Trivia 7pm

Brunswick Hotel

Miss Jones Plays 6:30pm

Birdcage Bar

Lisa Pilkington Duo 8:30pm

Grand Poobah

Karaoke with Soft Cat & Hoop Dreams 9pm

Brunswick Hotel

Tarik Stoneman 7pm

Irish Murphy’s

JAX & The Wayward 9pm

Kate Miller-Heidke + The TSO 7:30pm

Republic Bar & Café

The New Savages 8:30pm

Federation Concert Hall

The Homestead

MT Blues 7:30pm

Irish Murphy’s

Noteworthy: Katie Warren, Lana Chilcott, Justin O’Garey 8pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Unlocked 6pm

Republic Bar & Café

Client Liaison + Luke Million 9pm

Birdcage Bar

Tassie Tenor 9pm

The Duke

Duke Quiz Night 7:30pm

Brisbane Hotel

(Back Bar) Bitter Sweet (Vic) + The Surreal Estate Agents + Menz + Nibs

Waterman’s Beer Market

Jonathan Warwarek 7pm

Brisbane Hotel

(Front Bar) Lacerta + Scoparia + Create The Crayon

Birdcage Bar

Tony Voglino 8:30pm

Brisbane Hotel

Brunswick Hotel

Chris Liley 7:30pm

Knife Hands + Bennylava + Break Through + Cower + August Wolfbiter

Federation Concert Hall

The True Romantics 7:30pm

Brunswick Hotel

Elly Potter 6:30pm

Grand Poobah

Tom Tilley (triple j)

Grand Poobah

The S’n’B Sessions

Grand Poobah

Karaoke with Soft Cat & Hoop Dreams 9pm

Macquarie Point

Hobart Twilight Market: Bodane Hatten, Lana Chilcott, Lonely Bay, Ysla 4pm

Irish Murphy’s

The Bootleg Gin Sluggers 9pm

Republic Bar & Café

Client Liaison + Luke Million 9pm

Republic Bar & Café

Jeff Lang 10pm

Unlocked 6pm

T42

Hugi Be 5pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

The Homestead

Big Small Band 9pm

Birdcage Bar

Lyn Thomas 9pm

The Whaler

Lauren & Sean, Jed Appleton 9:30pm

Brisbane Hotel

Theatre Royal

Kasey Chambers ‘Dragonfly’ Tour

Powernap (Album Launch) + Bu$ Money + Burn Brain + DJ Easy E

Waterman’s Beer Market

Cam Stuart 7pm

Grand Poobah

The Coven

Republic Bar & Café

Sugartrain 10pm

T42

Hugi Be 5pm

The Whaler

Dylan Eynon, Zac Henderson 7:30pm

Willie Smith’s Apple Shed

Ville Karonen 6:30pm

Birdcage Bar

Matt Edmunds 9pm

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

12

13

14

Westend Pumphouse Anita Cairns 6:30pm

Saturday

Venue

Willie Smith’s Apple Shed

Jensen 6:30pm

Birdcage Bar

Tassie Tenor 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

(Back Bar) True Radical Miracle (Vic) + Axe Giant + Oceans + Hobart Improv Collective

Brisbane Hotel

Sophie’s New Candle

Brisbane Hotel

(Front Bar) A Swayze & The Ghost (Single Launch) + Black Hole Sugar

Brunswick Hotel

Tim Davies 7:30pm

Casino Bar

Tim & Scott 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

Late Night Krackieoke

Home Hill Winery

Brunswick Hotel

Gabriele Dagrezio 7:30pm

Virtuosi Tasmania Presents: Piano for Four Hands 11am

Casino Bar

Matt Edmunds 9pm

Republic Bar & Café

Grand Poobah

Enigma presents Leather & Lace (Women only) in The Kissing Room

Chase City (Hobart Single Launch) + The Sleepyheads + Empire Park 10pm

T42

Zac Henderson 4pm

Grand Poobah

The Raccoons followed by Sexy Lucy in The Main Room

The Whaler

Pete Cornelius 9pm

Party For Human Rights 7:30pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Matt Gray 9pm

Polish Club Republic Bar & Café

Boil Up 10pm

Brisbane Hotel

Brissie Bingo

Stefano Lubiana

Virtuosi Tasmania Presents: Guitar and Flute 11am

Republic Bar & Café

Easter Sunday Beer Garden Party: KOWL playing live 2:30pm

T42

Nick Machin 4pm

Republic Bar & Café

120y’s 8:30pm

The Homestead

Dublo 9pm

T42

Jed Appleton 2pm

The Whaler

The Ruben Reeves Band 9pm

Waratah Hotel

Sunday Sessions 3pm

Waratah Hotel

Roland Tings ‘Each Moment A Diamond’ National EP Tour

Waterman’s Beer Market

Chris Liley 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

Brissie Bingo

Republic Bar & Café

Mumbo Gumbo 2pm

Republic Bar & Café

Wahbash Avenue 8:30pm

T42

Jed Appleton 2pm

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Saturday

Sunday

15

16

Monday

17

Republic Bar & Café

G.B. Balding 8:30pm

Tuesday

18

Republic Bar & Café

Gabriele Dagrezio 8:30pm

The Homestead

Funky Bunch Trivia 7pm

Wednesday

19

Birdcage Bar

Dance in a Shoebox 8:30pm

Brunswick Hotel

Tarik Stoneman 7pm

Irish Murphy’s

Noteworthy: Zach Spinks, Lasca, Lili Pearson 8pm

Republic Bar & Café

Pepper Jane 8:30pm

Event Guide

Date

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

20

21

22

23

Venue

Acts / Start Time

The Duke

Venue

Acts / Start Time

Duke Quiz Night 7:30pm

Irish Murphy’s

No Felix 9pm

The Homestead

THE FUNK HUNTERS (USA) + Max Power 8:30pm

Republic Bar & Café

Dean Stevenson + Dave Wilson 8:30pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Tim Davies 7pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Unlocked 6pm

Birdcage Bar

Fiona Whitla 8:30pm

Birdcage Bar

Ani & Nick 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

CULT Comedy

Brunswick Hotel

Sticks & Kane 7:30pm

Brunswick Hotel

Jonathan Warwarek 6:30pm

Casino Bar

Lyn Thomas 9pm

Grand Poobah

Karaoke with Soft Cat & Hoop Dreams 9pm

Grand Poobah

The S’n’B Sessions

Irish Murphy’s

Pepper Jane & The John Doe’s 9pm

Onyx

Suffrajettes 10pm

Republic Bar & Café

Billy Warner 8:30pm

Republic Bar & Café

Ride The Tiger + Dog Dreams + August Wolfbiter + Fox Teeth 10pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Unlocked 6pm

T42

Bridget Pross 5pm

Birdcage Bar

Sambo & Jimi 9pm

The Homestead

DYSPHEMIC (Vic) + Local Support

Brisbane Hotel

All Seeing Hand (NZ) + Mum & Dad

The Whaler

Dylan Eynon, Dean Stevenson 7:30pm

Brisbane Hotel

(Front Bar) - Sofala (Vic) + Lazer Baby + Carl Renshaw

Waterman’s Beer Market

Elly Potter 7pm

Brunswick Hotel

Ransom Act 7:30pm

Grand Poobah

Bob Log III

Republic Bar & Café

Australia Made 10pm

Street Eats Franko

Black Cat Jazz Trio

T42

Jed Appleton 5pm

The Homestead

The Surreal Estate Agents + Supports 9pm

The Whaler

Lauren O’Keefe, Dean Stevenson 7:30pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Gabriele Dagrezio 7pm

Sambo & Jimi 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

The Dwarves (USA) + Wolfpack (Vic) + Bu$ Money + Ironhawk

Brunswick Hotel

Legally Blinde 7:30pm

Casino Bar

Matt Edmunds 10pm

Republic Bar & Café

Hobart Funk Collective 10pm

T42

Nick Machin 4pm

Westend Pumphouse Billy Whitton 6:30pm

The Homestead

The Black Swans of Trespass 9pm

Willie Smith’s Apple Shed

Claire Anne Taylor 6:30pm

The Whaler

Mangus 9pm

Birdcage Bar

Tony Voglino 9pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Bianca & Dan 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

(Back Bar) - Aardus Varkius

Brisbane Hotel

Brissie Bingo

Brisbane Hotel

(Front Bar) - Late Night Krackieoke

Hobart Town Hall

Brunswick Hotel

Sticks & Kane 7:30pm

Kettering Piano Quartet: A Rediscovered Treasure 2pm

Casino Bar

Matt Edmunds 9pm

Republic Bar & Café

The Great Anticipators 2:30pm

Grand Poobah

Dag, Native Cats, Treehouse & The Pits followed by Sexy Lucy

Republic Bar & Café

Blue Flies 8:30pm

T42

Jed Appleton 2pm

Republic Bar & Café

Everburn 10pm

Waratah Hotel

Sunday Sessions 3pm

Swansea Court House

Virtuosi presents: Guitar and Flute 2:30pm

T42

Zac Henderson 4pm

The Homestead

Sammi Constantine (JJJ Unearthed) 9pm

The Whaler

The Bootleg Gin Sluggers 9pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Legally Blinde 9pm

Brisbane Hotel

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (WA) + Violet Swells + Carl Renshaw

Brisbane Hotel

Brissie Bingo

Republic Bar & Café

Forty Fingers 8:30pm

T42

Jed Appleton 2pm

Waratah Hotel

Sunday Sessions 3pm Quiz Night 8:15pm

Tuesday

25

Republic Bar & Café

Billy Whitton 8:30pm

The Homestead

Funky Bunch Trivia 7pm

Birdcage Bar

Billy & Aaron 8:30pm

Brunswick Hotel

Karly Fisher 7pm

Irish Murphy’s

Noteworthy: Bridgy Pross, Tarik Stoneman, Lauren O’Keefe 8pm

Republic Bar & Café

Billy Longo & Rhythm Tragics 8:30pm

The Duke

Duke Quiz Night 7:30pm

Waterman’s Beer Market

Cam Stuart 7pm

Birdcage Bar

Dave Sikk 4tet 8:30pm

Brunswick Hotel

Billy Whitton & Jamie Taylor 6:30pm

Grand Poobah

Karaoke with Soft Cat & Hoop Dreams 9pm

27

Westend Pumphouse Patrick Berechree 6:30pm

Birdcage Bar

Republic Bar & Café

Thursday

28

Citizen Shrapnel & The Lords of Little Egypt 6:30pm

24

26

Friday

Willie Smith’s Apple Shed

Monday

Wednesday

Date

Saturday

Sunday

29

30

www.facebook.com/warp.mag 25

Event Guide

Launceston Date

Venue

Acts / Start Time

5

Club54

DJ Syd

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - Emergency Poncho Preview Show 8pm

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Brad Gillies Blues 9pm

WaterGarden

Leigh Ratcliffe

Thursday

6

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - Jeff Lang “Alone in Bad Company” Tour - 9pm

Friday

7

Club54

Minimal Madness

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - When She Believes Female Showcase 8:30pm

Saturday

Date

8

Devonport

Devonport Entertainment Centre

Kasey Chambers Dragonfly Tour

Friday

7

Ulverstone

Gnomon Pavilion

Blue Monday 5:30pm

Sunday

9

Burnie

Burnie Arts and Fuction Centre Theatre

Kasey Chambers Dragonfly Tour

Devonport

Devonport Regional Art Gallery

Virtuosi Tasmania Presents: Guitar and Flute 5pm

Friday

14

Ulverstone

Gnomon Pavilion

The Solitary Cyclist 5:30pm

WaterGarden

Trevor Weaver

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - Hurricane Youth EP Launch 8:30pm

Thursday

20

Ulverstone

Ulverstone Wharf

Glen Hodges Quintet 8pm

Tonic

Just Dance

Friday

21

Ulverstone

WaterGarden

The Roller Rockers

Gnomon Pavilion

Paper Souls and Relativity 5:30pm

26

Devonport

Devonport Entertainment Centre

The Australian Bee Gees Show 8pm

27

Burnie

Burnie Arts and Fuction Centre Theatre

The Australian Bee Gees Show 8pm

Sunday

9

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Open Folk Seisiun 5pm

12

Bakers Lane

Laneway Sessions: Cuban Heel, Scattered By Sundown, Fiontan Cassidy

Thursday

Club54

Foam Party

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Angus Austin 9pm

WaterGarden

Rino Morea

Thursday

13

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - “Kazarama” - The Embers w Guthrie + Jessie Higgs fundraiser 9pm

Friday

14

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Roller Rockers 9pm

WaterGarden

Tassie Tenor

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Steph and Malli (S+M) 9pm

Tonic

Groove FX

WaterGarden

Rino Morea

15

Sunday

16

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Open Folk Seisiun 5pm

Wednesday

19

Bakers Lane

Laneway Sessions: Disrepute, Japara, Denni Sulzberger

Club54

DJ Syd

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Eve Gowan 9pm

WaterGarden

Tassie Tenor

Thursday

20

Royal Oak

Public Bar - James Walker Solo 9pm

Friday

21

Club54

Fluro Party

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Bronny and Phoebe 9pm

WaterGarden

Rino Morea

Door of Hope Auditorium

Street Requiem 7pm

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Dave Adams Band 9pm

Tonic

Jerome Hillier

22

WaterGarden

Sambo

Sunday

23

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - L. Jazz Club Jam 1pm

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Open Folk Seisiun 5pm

Wednesday

26

Bakers Lane

Laneway Sessions: Hurricane Youth, Pop Noi’Sop, Elliot Courtnage

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Open Mic Night 9pm

WaterGarden

Tony Voglino

Thursday

27

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Mary Shannon 9pm

Friday

28

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Mick Attard 9pm

WaterGarden

Trevor Weaver

Princess Theatre

Lee Kernaghan - Boys from the Bush 25th Anniversary Tour

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Max Hillman Showband 9pm

Tonic

Groove FX

WaterGarden

The Roller Rockers

Royal Oak

Boat Shed - L. Blues Club Jam 1pm

Royal Oak

Public Bar - Open Folk Seisiun 5pm

Saturday

Sunday

Acts / Start Time

6

Wednesday

Saturday

Venue

Thursday

Wednesday

Saturday

TOWN

APRIL

APRIL Wednesday

NORTH WEST

29

30

Friday

28

Ulverstone

Gnomon Pavilion

Eliza Bird and Futurehaus 5:30pm

Sunday

30

Burnie

Burnie Arts and Fuction Centre Theatre

International Jazz Day Concert 7:30pm

APRIL Wed 5th Emergency Poncho Preview Show ~ Boat Shed - Free Entry 8pm Brad Gillies Blues ~ Public Bar 9pm Thu 6th Jeff Lang “Alone in Bad Company” Tour ~Boat Shed - Tickets Online 9pm Fri 7th When She Believes - Female Showcase ~ Boat Shed $5 Doors 8.30pm Sat 8th Hurricane Youth EP Launch ~ Boat Shed Doors 8.30pm Sun 9th Open Folk Seisiún ~ Public Bar - Free entry 5pm Wed 12th Angus Austin ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Thu 13th “Kazarama” The Embers w Guthrie + Jessie Higgs fundraiser ~ Boat Shed - $10 9pm Fri 14th Roller Rockers ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Sat 15th Steph and Malli (S+M) ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Sun 16th Open Folk Seisiún ~ Public Bar - Free entry 5pm Wed 19th Eve Gowan ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Thu 20th James Walker Solo ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Fri 21st FRESH COMEDY - Justin Hamilton ~ Boat Shed -trybooking.com Doors 8pm Bronny and Phoebe ~ Public Bar - Free Entry 9pm Sat 22nd Dave Adams Band ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Sun 23rd L. JAZZ Club Jam ~ Boat Shed 1pm - 3pm Open Folk Seisiún ~ Public Bar 5pm Wed 26th Open Mic Night ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Thu 27th Mary Shannon ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Fri 28th Mick Attard ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Sat 29th Max Hillman Showband ~ Public Bar - Free entry 9pm Sun 30th L. BLUES Club Jam ~ Boat Shed - Free Entry 1-4pm Open Folk Seisiún ~ Public Bar 5pm

~ Live Music ~ ~ Great Food ~ ~ Open 7 Days ~ ~ Open Mic Night the Last Wednesday of the Month ~

14 Brisbane St Launceston 7250 (03) 6331 5346 26

warpmagazine.com.au

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