BMA Mag 333 17 Sep 2009

www.bmamag.com

#333SEPT16

Elvis costello

Claude Vonstroke

Blue juice

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3 Giveaways, giveaways, giveaways, step right up, right on in and win win win. Send your answers to ringmaster Julz at

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editorial@bmamag.com

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and who knows? It might just be your lucky day.

1 girls on the Avenue What do you get when puppets and humans talk sex? Princeton has just graduated from college and is hoping to make it in the overpriced city of New York.

When he lands himself in the affordable area of Avenue Q, he discovers a whole world of people and puppets. Smash Sesame Street together with an X rated warning and head on over to the Big Apple, and you’ve got Avenue Q. Winning three Tony Awards and remaining one of the longest running shows on both Broadway and the West End, Avenue Q is leaving its sold out shows in Melbourne to come to town. This mesmerising musical will leave you in stitches and is at the Canberra Theatre from October 23 – November 8.

We’ve ten double passes to give away, so just tell us the type of puppet you’d love to be.

2 Kiss and Tell Kisschasy are out and taking hold of the country on their nationwide Seizures tour, with a stop off in our chilly but charming town on Sunday October 4. These lads have been going strong since their formation in 2002, and album number three cements their status as great Aussie up and comers. They’ll be taking the stage with Regular John, at the ANU Bar on Sunday October 4. We’ve got three Kisschasy packs to giveaway including a double pass to the gig, the Seizures album and a behind

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the scenes DVD to throw your way, if you just tell us who you wanna kiss and why.

3 Hot as Hell Syd City delights Hell City Glamours are packing their van and heading back to town, to rock our socks one more time.

They’ll be taking the stage of Transit with their neighbours Gay Paris and Melbourne’s Screwtop Detonator. The final date of their nationwide tour, Saturday September 26 is destined to be a big one. For one of three of their latest CDs just let us know what you think Hell City Glamours should do to make it the best gig ever.

4 that’s a whole lotta beefcake The Cult of Cartman is a new DVD set containing 12 episodes of South Park all centred around the ‘teachings’ of Cartman. With three new to DVD episodes, and ‘lessons’ intro by Cartman at the start of each ep, could you even think of anything more hella-cool?

Eps include Scott Tenorman Must Die, Tonsil Trouble, Cartmanland, The Death of Eric Cartman, Cartoon Wars

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Part I-II, Up the Down Steriods, Super Fun Time, Awesom-O, Le Petit Tourette, Ginger Kids, and Ekk a p****!. The DVD comes in menacing cult-like handbook packaging, and includes a sticker and an exclusive membership card to the Eric Theodore Cartman Society. We have five copies of this awesome-o DVD to give away. To get your mitts on one, simply tell us your favourite Cartman line.

5 Thou Shalt Wear Denim Sick of being slagged off for being butt-ugly? Well it’s time you straightened up and looked fly, right? The stylish cats at denim and apparel label Eleventh Commandment are coming to the rescue with a mission to deck you out in the most fashion-forward threads around. They’ve just launched their online store and are giving all you sexy readers a 10% discount for one week. Just log onto www. eleventhcommandment.com. au and use the discount code BMA. The dashing beauties at itrip iskip also stock all the latest Eleventh Commandment pieces for both guys and gals. To

win a $100 gift voucher to spend on Eleventh Commandment gear in their Braddon boutique all you have to do is tell us what you think the Eleventh Commandment should be?

6 Hard ACT to follow The brand new compilation Hard ACT to Follow will be launched at two massive gigs in Canberra, and to ensure you can all get along it’ll be held at both the Woden Youth Centre and Belconnen’s beloved Basement on Friday September 25. Created by Tim Duck to encourage the local music scene, the CD features live recordings from bands from all across the capital, with an assortment of metal, punk and rock to really get your ears excited. The Basement gig is O/18 while the Woden Youthie is AA. You can catch Corgi Crisis, Friend or Enemy, InPowered and Stigmata at the AA, and System Addict, Bent Hen, Futility and Loud So Clear at the O/18. For one of five CDs tell us your favourite Canberra band.

Throughout the ages man has felt an insatiable desire to self publish. The origins of blog and zine culture can be traced back to the Stone Age. It was here that early man first became aware of his own genitals and was able to draw them on a cave wall (a cromagnadoodle). This is the art world’s equivalent of inventing the wheel. Man then became in touch with his own ego (‘grong woz ere 10000 b.c.’), and published a primitive rant piece (‘mamoth sux.’)

These incidents would also provide the well tagged cornerstone for modern day graffiti, which has itself evolved from ‘for a good time call’ binge booty texts, to pseudo-academic philosophies and grammar defying blather.

My first memory of graffiti was in my hometown Burnie where someone had spray-painted ‘BAD DUES’ on the swimming pool wall. They were obviously such bad dudes they didn’t even need all the letters. Other haikus included ‘RAP MUSIC,’ ‘Karissa is a mole’ and a super smiley out of proportion woman about to rendezvous with a finger. When I was ten I took time out from a pleasant family BBQ to use a public toilet, only to read some explicit scrawls about pleasuring a clitoris. There was no internet safe search or shrink wrap plastic to protect me from this self-published smut. Who were these profane prophets, putting the amen in amenities?

After a couple of breath-defying sessions in ‘they smell how I feel’ unisex booths, I’ve identified the five main genres of graffiti as: ANGRY: ‘’fuckin shoeless punx homos the lot of em” - Burnt out teacher turned pot dealer who’s ran out of papers and missed out on the open mic blackboard.

POLITICAL: ‘You tosser... it’s getting weird everywhere. We’re so lucky here. Ever imagined Stalin’s USSR or Nazi Germany, or the Chinese cultural revolution? Get your head out of your own ass you tragic person.’ Political Science student coked out on No Doz in the 9th trimester of his PHD riffing with a Kerry O’Brien hallucination.

PHILOSOPHICAL: ‘Always keep a diamond in your mind.’ Drifter hippy girl big on spirituality and getting smashed – full of love, unreliability and Tom Waits lyrics.

POETIC: ‘By the flickering stars with my legs around his hips. The currency of love is being cremated.’ Scholarly goth hip-gypsy calamity girl with long legs and dark eyes. A walking Nick Cave song who’s constantly ‘burning off’ and ‘workshopping.’

FUNNY: ‘What if the hokey pokey is what it’s all about?’ Youth worker slash amateur comedian spends a lot of time with teenagers - communicates in Simpsons quotes and sees toilet wall as platform for positive change.

Being a democracy, users have the right of reply. The silver pen statement ‘LOVE EVERYONE’ was met with: ‘(except you)’. The incongruous ‘I am in the ladies’ was backed up with ‘fair plan to u brother.’ While my favourite was ‘playing banjo is the key to happiness all your problems’. On the bottom of the door was this: ‘all I had to do / was hold onto you / when the world spins so fast / and our grips cannot last / the force that holds us here / finally disappears. Xox’ I felt a pang of sadness, took out my pen to reply, but found that I’d been beaten to the punch. ‘LIFE SUCKS DICKHEAD.’ Sometimes words are enough.

JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD www.bedroomphilosopher.com Justin performs as The Bedroom Philosopher and writes for Frankie, Jmag and The Big Issue.

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360 and Rising

Free from euphemisms, derision and general acrimoniousness.

May contain traces of irony #332S E P T 0 2 Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne General Manager & Advertising Manager Allan Sko T: 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Julia Winterflood T: 02 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Sales Executive Danika Nayna T: 0408 657 939 Super Sub Editor Josh Brown Graphic Design Natalie Runko Exhibitionist Editor Naomi Milthorpe Film Editor Mark Russell Principle Photographers (The Flashbulb Posse) Andrew Mayo Nick Brightman John Hatfield NEXT ISSUE 334 OUT SEPT 30 EDITORIAL DEADLINE SEPT 21

The nash cap’s #1 promoters Friction & Lexington Music along with Fuzzy are proud to present 360, which will see three headlining acts from the awesome Parklife bill head our way on Friday September 25.

MSTRKRFT, A-Trak and Tiga will be ably supported by Jeff Drake as well as Canberran up and comers RyFy and DJ Bricksta at the UCU Refectory. It’s a 15+ event and the incredibly cheap $40 tickets are on sale now at Landspeed Records, Parliament Clothing and online at inthemix. com.au and www.fuzzy.com.au.

We’ll see you there.

Villainous Univibes uniVibes is proud to announce a new night at Hippo Bar. VILLAINY is promising the usual suspects spinning some new sounds, along with a few new faces playing up-tempo funk, booty breaks and groovin’ house. The brief is to crank it upstairs - this will not be like your last night at Hippo! In true uniVibes style they’ll be adding professional sound and subtle lighting. The first monthly instalment is on Saturday September 26. Entry is $5.

Ginger Ninja Join Ginger Meggs and his mates as they get up to all sorts of mischief! There’s fun and adventure for everyone in this true-blue Aussie musical featuring the talented young performers of Music For Everyone’s Act Up Sing Out program. Fab holiday fun for the whole family. It’s all happening at Belconnen Community Theatre from Wednesday September 30 to Wednesday October 7.

For bookings head to www. canberraticketing.com.au and for more info, www.mfe.org.au .

ADVERTISING DEADLINE SEPT 24

School of Rock

Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd ABN 76 097 301 730 BMA is independently owned and published. Opinions expressed in BMA are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or staff.

Music For Everyone’s popular Spring Rock School is on this October 6-10 at Ainslie Arts Centre. It’s a fantastic school

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holiday workshop for the rock stars of the future on electric guitar, bass, drums and vocals.

All places for guitar and drums are full but there’s still space for a few more bass players plus five spots for aspiring young vocalists, aged 11-16 years.

Download your application form from www.mfe.org.au .

Independent Arias What have Bluejuice, Cog and Mammal got in common?

They’re all winners of the ‘independent Arias’, the Musicoz Awards. In its ninth year, the doors of entry are officially open. Dedicated to fostering independent artists across the country, all you need do is get your demos in at www.musicoz. org for your chance to win equipment, studio time, some serious airplay and marketing packages. Get cracking!

Tangled Up in Blue In the small, sleepy town of Ararat, Victoria, lies some promoters with serious ambition. First time three-day festival Blueprint will be kicking off on Friday September 18, and will feature Bertie Blackman, Tim Rogers, The Panics, The Beautiful Girls and the ever anticipated return of Jebediah, plus so many more. There’s camping, markets, food stalls sure to content the belly, and most importantly, some bloody good music. So load up the car, call in sick on Monday and head to www.blueprintfestival.com for more information.

For Peats Sake!

Got no plans for New Years and serious need to share your art? Peats Ridge Festival is back and likely to shake even the most devoted Falls and Pyramid attendees. Organisers are now putting the callout to visual artists, comedians, performers, circus performers, and basically any form of visual entertainment to fill the festival. Of course you won’t be alone; Liam Finn, Sarah Blasko, The Panics, Dappled Cities and a bunch of other lovelies will be there to share it all with you.

All you need do is head to www.

peatsridgefestival.com.au and register your party tricks by Thursday October 15.

Catapult!

An unsigned ACT band is one step closer to sharing a stage with the Living End and Josh Pyke with the announcement of the five finalists of the Stonefest Catapult competition. Fans have until Friday October 2 to vote for their favourite act at www. stonefest.com.au/catapult.

Battling it out for top spot is Kasha, Hoodlum Shouts, Super Best Friends, Starfish Hill and The Heroines. As is tradition, the ACT winners of the National Campus Band Competition also feature at Stonefest.

Lovable local lads The Trivs won the coveted NCBC spot on the Stonefest stage this year.

Stonefest will be rockin’ UC on Saturday October 31 and tickets are onsale now.

Rhymin’ With Ro and D’O Arts ACT and Traverse Poetry are offering 15 under 30s the chance to do some serious writing with local legends of rhyme, D’Opus and Roshambo.

From their tours around the nation they’ll be spending their time helping you learn the basics of hip-hop, how to build beats, mix some samples and write crowd pleasing lyrics. It’s totally free and happening on Sunday September 20 at Ainslie Arts Centre, so head to www. traversepoetry.org or give the ACT Writer’s Centre a call to secure your place now.

D’Opus & Roshambo

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YOU PISSED ME OFF!

thing…

The crying shame of it is even though they’ve just celebrated their twentieth anniversary, as a going concern, you probably haven’t heard of The Levellers (for background here, go to BMA’s fabulous website and read my review of their latest album, Letters From the Underground). They’ve been part of my life – certainly part of its soundtrack – for nearly as long, whether it be just as a fan from the time of their first album, the excellent Weapon Called the World, or as indirect employers (when I moved to London to earn fortune and fame in the merchandise business, the company I worked for, Underworld, was funded in part from the sales – massive, it has to be said – of Levellers Longsleeves and Tees in the early ‘90s). Fast forward a few years and the lady wife, seeing a profile of mine that said something crass like ‘I like the Levellers, me,’ decided to drop me a line because she too likes Brighton’s finest folk-punk export. The rest, as they say, was history.

I mention this in passing, because only the other day I was chewing the fat with Levs’ fiddler Jon Sevink in honour of the new album.

“My life has a soundtrack too. I met my wife 20 years ago at one of our gigs and I’ve met and played music with other bands that have been hugely influential on my life (The Pogues, The Stranglers and Hawkwind to name drop!), so I know how it feels.”

Did you ever, in your wildest imagination, think that The Levellers would be a twenty-years-plus going concern when you first joined the band?

“After our first gig I wanted to give up immediately, it was terrifying.

I walked home with a couple of people who saw the show and they persuaded me to carry on. Once we realised that we weren’t completely shit, it was always our intention to be together for at least 20 years.”

I remember going to see the band in the very early ‘90s when it looked like world domination was on the cards, though the band was still playing small venues. Given the band’s well known political/ social integrity, was there a lot of angst about how big the band was getting, and what that would entail in terms of ‘getting into bed’ with major labels to maintain the momentum? Or did that merely provide a bigger platform for the band to espouse its message?

“By then we had already signed a six album deal with China Records who were an independent. We would never have signed to a major label. There were some great bands around at the time who got stuffed by the big corporations who dictated release dates, band image etc. We wanted ‘COMPLETE CONTROL!’ (yes, we were paranoid). The only decision we made regarding avoiding world domination was not playing arenas (upwards of 5,000 people). We tried it once and didn’t like it.”

More from Jon next issue – meanwhile, buy the bloody album, peoples! *

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In unrelated news, I’m writing a book, and I need your help. Do you like heavy metal? I suppose you must do otherwise you wouldn’t have stopped by. If you’re so minded, drop me a line with a list of your top 20 heavy metal/hard rock songs of all time – even if you like Nickelback. Pop in a bit of blurb about why your number one selection is your number one selection and I’ll try and fit it in. Send your submissions to the usual address, viz thirtyyearsofrnr@ hotmail.com. Thanking you! scott adams thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com

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Has someone yanked yer chain recently? Well send an email to editorial@bmamag.com and have your sweet vengeance.

And for the love of God, keep it brief! [All entries contain original spellings] To the yeast infected douche bag that broke into my car tonight. I hope it was worth every bit, i hope you sleep well, i hope your own mother drops the toaster in the bath while your washing your acne covered back. Your a piece of dried dog shit and according to your doctor the only recorded anal baby in history; at least 8 ‘quooreks’ in weight. I hope you cut your eyes on the glass and someone shoves a cactus wrapped in rusty barbed wire in your tiny choade.

I would keep a pile of plague infected rats alive before i would begin to contemplate helping you, you low life scum bag. I hope life leaves you with a face like a bucket of smashed crabs. Finally i hope you can take what life has to give you, like a man...in jail!

This is for the bloody fool’s that work for a certain bus company who made us wait three fucking hours for a bus yesterday!!! You knew the bus had broken down at 12pm and made us wait till fukin 3pm and my phone call to tell us. Also the driver that I asked to inquire over the radio for us and said I DUNNO and looked at me like I had fukin five heads, I hope your arse gets stranded somewhere in the near future.

FROM THE BOSSMAN There’s a cute children’s story I remember (although alcohol has since savaged minute details such as the title and author) concerning the weather. Charmingly portrayed for the kids as anthropomorphic personifications, they battle it out over the control of a man down below. The sun would say something like “Check this shit out!” (I believe the book was written in Ireland) and beam away thus forcing the man to take off his jacket. Some Jack Frost style character was having none of this and summoned up a tickling breeze, dragged some clouds across the sky, and made it cold again, forcing the long-suffering chap to put his coat back on.

This carried on for some pages until the man knackered his arm and was rushed to hospital (or something, I forget how it ends).

The point being, Canberra in September always reminds me of this half forgotten story. You could write a remix of The House’s Four Seasons in One Day entitled Four Seasons in an Afternoon (Plus Three I’ve Never Seen Before).

But the first trembling steps of spring are here and it’s good to have her back. And as the first buds pop from once naked stumps, so too do the green shoots of the region’s music. Your lovable locals have been pouring blood, sweat and tears – in some cases literally – into their craft and now new music from the Hard ACT to Follow gang, Cool Weapon, Final Lies, Loud So Clear, Templestowe, J W Sparrow and KP Rekordz are yours to enjoy. So keep reading and find out how to get out there, have a listen, and get involved.

For now, I’m going to find that book and see what actually happens in the… o look! A beer! ALLAN “HIC” SKO

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WHO: Boozehounds WHAT: 2009 National Capital Craft Beer Festival WHEN: Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 Sept WHERE: Olims Hotel

Sots and soaks breathe freely, for the 2009 Beer Festival is here!

Saturday September 26 and Sunday 27 will see Olims Hotel grounds covered in the trappings of all things beer, including 17 craft breweries showcasing up to 80 different types of beer. If that isn’t enough for you (and how greedy are ya, anyway? THAT’S 80 TYPES OF BEER) there are gourmet food stores, a Crafter Chef competition, and live entertainment including performances by Mental As Anything and Casual Projects (pictured). Hoorah! Your $25 entry includes a free commemorative tasting glass and ten tasting tickets. For information head to the website at www.canberrabeerfest.com .

WHO: KP REKORDZ WHAT: FREE ALBUM LOADED DICE WHEN: NOW WHERE: kokyprik.com

Canberra’s KP Rekordz is back with Loaded Dice a free album available now at kokyprik.com. The LP’s 14 tracks of pure street level hip-hop featuring label founder Big Dave, producer Grantwho?, Doug and guests The Outlawz, Crooked I, Fatal, Mista Serve, N2W and Farq n Trik. 2009’s been a busy year for Southside MC Big Dave, besides working on this latest album he’s been hosting Jailbreak on Sydney’s 2ser, performing live and running hip-hop classes for ACT’s teens.

Sadly Doug’s music career’s on hold following his incarceration two weeks after the album’s release.

WHO: HELL CITY GLAMOURS WHAT: GLAM ROCK WHEN: SAT SEPT 26 WHERE: TRANSIT BAR

Sydney’s Hell City Glamours are coming back to their favourite Australian capital city Canberra on Saturday September 26. Not only that but after a depressingly long absence they’re going to hold the bash at their favourite CBR venue, Transit Bar! They’ll be ably supported by Sydney’s Gay Paris for you lovers of Clutch, Sabbath and all things heavy and grooving as well as Melbourne’s garage rocking Screwtop Detonators to balance out the bill. It’s the last show of their national tour so you know the partay is going to be massive.

WHO: SCARAMOUCHE AND FRIENDS WHAT: CO-ID CHARITY GIG WHERE: HOLY GRAIL, CIVIC WHEN: SAT SEP 19, 7PM

In a rare moment of repose between solos, the minds of brilliantly bombastic local rockers Scaramouche turned to the bigger issues in life. Deciding then and there to harness the forces of rock for good, the band’s first goal is to build a school for 300 children in Bangladesh via Fred Hyde’s charity The CO-ID Organisation. For the first in a series of charity shows, the band will storm The Holy Grail, Civic on Saturday September 19 with the Marji Curran Trio, Mud Pie Princess and Voss. Tickets are $15 from Better Music or on the door.

WHO: SLICK FOXES AND CLASSY DAMES WHAT: ROCKABILLY BALL WHEN: SAT SEPT 19 WHERE: THE FOLKUS ROOM

Calling all slick foxes and classy dames, pull out your frocks and grease up your quiffs, because on Saturday September 19 it’s the inaugural National Rockabilly Ball. From 7pm at the biggest dance floor in town, the 1950s will return to Canberra for one very special night of music, dancing, fashion and style at the Italo-Australian Club in Forrest. With tickets at only $20 you don’t have to be flush, so slip on your blue suede shoes, get ready to twist and shout and book your seat by calling The Folkus Room on 0407 434 469 or hitting www.thefolkus.org.au .

WHO: THE WOOHOO REVIEW WHAT: GYPSY ROCK WHEN: SUN OCT 4 WHERE: WOOHOO REVIEW

Melbourne gypsy band, The Woohoo Revue, are taking on the NRL by hosting a massive gypsy party at The Front Gallery in Lyneham on Grand Final night. The group is up for the challenge given their strong record of selling out shows in the ACT. The Woohoo Revue have proved to be a huge cult success this year and have played to capacity crowds in Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and of course Canberra at The Merry Muse and The Front Gallery. Expect a big, brassy and outrageously tight set on Sunday October 4, doors 7.30, tix $15. For more info: www.myspace.com/thewoohoorevue .

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WORKSHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP JULIA WINTERFLOOD The countdown is on. There’s just a little over a fortnight remaining from the day this fine rag hits the streets to the day DRAGON DREAMING FESTIVAL ‘09 exultantly bursts forth with an astounding array of sounds, sights and tantalising delights. On top of the multitude of music styles, independent films, international food and market stalls and theatre and dance performances, there’ll also be 14 wide-ranging workshops. From how to find bush tucker to how to master Ableton Live software, Dragon Dreaming’s got it all.

Jake Cassar could well be Australia’s next Bush Tucker Man. Just like the Akubra-wearing, big-grinning Les Hiddins, he is a bush tucker and bush medicine consultant. Cassar’s been practicing professionally for the past five years, though he’s spent “the last 20 fine tuning [his] survival skills, uncovering knowledge and gaining experience in the University of the Bush.”

touch with their inner belly laugh they’ll be smiling in absolute bliss for the rest of the fest. For early risers or all-nighters, the early morning drumming circle, which is based on the techniques of Native Americans, promises a deep connection to Mother Earth through guided meditation from an experienced shaman. All night dancers rejoice! Another workshop that you will definitely benefit from will be presented by renowned local yoga instructor and osteopath Craig Patrick, who will direct both beginner and advanced students through yogic sequences that focus on the feet.

Other physical workshops include fire twirling and juggling, and an introduction to the ancient Chinese weapon, the Meteor. This workshop is suitable for people who have already mastered poi or staff, and Meteors as well as fire sticks will be available for use and purchase at the workshops.

Cassar’s workshop consists of a comprehensive and interactive talk about native and introduced plants and their uses, and he’ll also be discussing how bush tucker and bush medicine played a vital role in the survival of the area’s original inhabitants. He’ll then offer a crash course in bush survival which covers how to find food, water and shelter.

For those more inclined towards less physically demanding activities, there’s the Atomic Chanting workshop in which participants will experience the deep calm that results from chanting, and the Laws of Consciousness workshop, which aims to develop participants’ understanding that through observing an action one is able to affect the outcome and ultimately create one’s future. Similarly the Mindfulness Training workshop, which is based on Buddhist philosophies, aims to teach participants how to strengthen their ability to shape their own internal and external reality and enhance their mental focus, awareness and clarity, while in Happiness and Human Empowerment participants will learn that the most powerful decision one can make is the decision to be happy.

A wide range of edible bush tucker will also be available for workshop participants to try, so if you’ve always wondered what witchetty grubs taste like, now’s your chance (if you’re not so game, however, I’ll tell you: slightly hazelnutty).

Other workshops include a discussion on sustainable housing, a discussion about the phenomenon of naturally occurring geometric shapes and patterns, and finally a discussion entitled Time Acceleration, in which participants will examine how frequent technological breakthroughs affect humanity.

Luke Burns is another workshop facilitator and Dragon Dreaming veteran as he played at last year’s festival as S.E.T.H as well as in the duo Sinister Sequence. Burns operates a small business called Australian Computer Music Education, which focuses on private training for computer musicians and aims to provide comprehensive Digital Audio Workstation solutions for established and emerging artists.

When the workshops have worn you out and it’s time to refuel, there’s a gastronomic galaxy of international food on offer, from tasty Ethiopian to scrumptious woodfire pizzas, baked potatoes and luscious burgers. The Psy-Bus Café will be there in all its glory serving velvety hot chai and coffee, as well as Brekky Quesas – quesadillas stuffed with mouth-watering Mexican fillings. Breakfast will never be the same again!

Dragon Dreaming ’09 is set to blow our minds. I’ll see you there

Burns’ “fast-paced” workshop will be based on the Ableton Live 7 software, and will feature “[his] techniques plus hints and tips on production and remixing.” Says Burns, “I will be fresh from doing another workshop in Newcastle for Electrofringe Festival and will focus on creating a track from audio and midi clips which have been created at that event, so essentially I’ll be ‘remixing a remix.’”

“During the session we will cover the basic and esoteric concepts involved in new software, explore sonic combinations and ‘create a scene’ faster than ever using Ableton Live software. You will hear some classic and new software in action and even have a chance to influence the mix yourself. Together we will explore and discover just some of the possibilities and scope involved with audio artistry.”

And now to the remaining 12 workshops. Let’s kick off with Kim the Laughing Faery, a professionally trained laughing instructor who assures laughter workshop participants that once they get in

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And what’s an outdoor festival without market stalls? There’ll be thousands of handmade and locally produced items on sale including clothing, accessories and tribal jewellery, circus and juggling equipment, kites and wind socks, art… you name it, they’ll have it.

As is tradition, Dragon Dreaming will be supporting the community by contributing to various organisations; all profits raised by the Scouts’ stall are going to help transport the troop to their massive Scout Jamboree, and funds raised from ticket sales are going towards Oxfam’s aid program to help fight poverty and injustice.

Dragon Dreaming ’09 is set to blow our minds. I’ll see you there.

Dragon Dreaming Festival will be raging from Saturday October 3-5.

For further details and ticket info head to www.dragondreaming.net .

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ALL AGES Hey kids, I hope you’ve all been getting out to some of these shows taking place in our humble little city as of late. It’s not often we see so many bands of such a high quality that have been here lately!

Saturday September 26 will see local power pop lads Zero Degrees, alternative rockers Point Of View, indie grunge-sters Fallsuit Theory and funky rock lads West of the Sun rockin’ up the Woden Youth Centre. You have absolutely no excuses for not heading on down either, because it is 100%, absolutely, positively FREE! Doors open at 7pm, so you’ve got time to study up and finish off all those assignments (or, if you’re like me, pretend to be doing them and sit there on Facebook and MySpace all day…) before you head over! Zero Degrees are Canberra’s very own chilled out power pop foursome, who want nothing more than to get out and have a good time. They don’t aim to change the world, but simply want to have a great time doing what they love. Another reason you should get yourself down there – the lads need help to break in their new keyboardist and word on the street is the lads have a huge announcement! Also, Zero Degrees have just launched their new official MySpace page, so if you get time between procrastinating and ‘assignments,’ make sure you check it out at www.myspace.com/zerodegreesonline. So head on over, or you’ll be missing out big time!

Deez Nuts. It’s really not necessary for me to say more (but you know I will… eheheh). Indisputably, they are Australia’s favourite rap-core band, well, ever! Deez Nuts formed when metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen split up in 2007 and JJ Peters teamed up with Stu, Sean Kennedy and Ty. Ever since, the boys have created themselves a mass of fans and you can’t walk through Civic or past the Goon Bag without seeing at least one sad-looking, pale-faced kid wearing a pair of Deez Nuts mosh shorts or t-shirt. Joining the lads at the Southern Cross Woden Basketball Stadium will be Miles Away, Antagonist AD, In Trenches and Blkout! on Tuesday October 6.

The Tuggeranong Youth Centre has played a huge part in helping out Canberra’s local music scene by hosting and looking after some of our younger bands, but they’ve also helped to provide some of the biggest acts with a stage to play on. Friday October 9 will see Terror, Stick to Your Guns and Against hitting our favourite venue.

Canberra’s very own Trackside Festival will see some of our favourite bands galloping into the Thoroughbred Park this Saturday November 21. Featuring Hilltop Hoods, Karnivool, Midnight Juggernauts, The Mess Hall, Drapht, Koolism, After the Fall, Miami Horror, House vs. Hurricane, The Basics, Cassette Kids, The Galvatrons, Hercules in New York, Purple Sneakers Stage and the triple j Unearthed winner,plus more to be announced! Tickets are $85 + bf and can be nabbed from Landspeed Records, Moshtix or Ticketek.

A staple in Australia’s hardcore scene, 50 Lions have fast made themselves a huge following of young hardcore kids since forming in 2005. Aiming for a more traditional hardcore sound and with most of their peers heading into the softer areas, these guys aim to keep it heavy. Frontman Oscar McCall, brother of Parkway Drive vocalist Winston McCall, provides 50 Lions with ripping vocals and the down to earth attitude his brother brings to Parkway Drive. Joining the boys will be US band Trapped Under Ice. They will be playing on Sunday November 8 at 4pm at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre.

Well that’s all there is to report on this fortnight! Catch ya!

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LIZ ROWLEY elizabeth_rowley@live.com.au

LOCALITY Hello again, you crazy kids! We have another busy fortnight ahead, with an assortment of local gigs to keep you lot off the streets and out of trouble.

The team behind the Hard ACT to Follow project has been recording original Canberran punk, metal and rock acts for some months now, and it’s all coming to a head this fortnight. The Hard ACT to Follow CD will be launched at two separate gigs on Friday September 25.

The all ages launch is at the Woden Youth Centre and features sets from Stigmata, Friend or Enemy, Corgi Crisis and Melrose High’s InPowered. You can catch the bands between 6-9pm and entry is a mere $5. The over 18s launch starts at 9pm at The Basement. Entry is $10 and the lineup includes Bent Hen, Futility, Loud So Clear and System Addict.

Also at The Basement this fortnight, The Chuffs, Penguin, The Dirty Love (TAS) and Paulie the Water Tiger will be bringing the noise on Saturday September 19. Entry is $10 on the door and the music starts at 8pm.

Local virtuoso JW Sparrow will be playing two gigs at The Front this fortnight. The first is with the experimental (and very rad) I Dream in Transit (Syd) from 9pm on Friday September 18. Entry is $5 on the door. On Wednesday September 30 JW Sparrow launches his brand new EP and plays with Tiny Vipers (US) and Guy Blackman (Melb).

The music starts at 8pm and entry is $10.

Mudpie Princess, Voss, Scaramouche and The Adam Hole and Marji Curran Trio are joining forces to raise funds for CO-ID, an organisation that builds schools in Bangladesh. The bands will play at The Holy Grail in Civic from 8pm on Saturday September 19 and entry is $10. You can also catch The Adam Hole and Marji Curran Trio on Thursday September 17 when they play at The Chisholm Tavern at 8pm.

Nightfest will run at Floriade from Wednesday September 23 – Sunday September 27 and will feature night markets, film screenings and lots of live performances. Local progressive jazz group The Lethals are playing at 7pm on Sunday September 27, so Locality recommends heading out to Commonwealth Park and working yourself into a moonlit, Howard Moon-esque jazz trance.

Nightfest tix are available from Ticketek and cost $20/$10.

This fortnight we have two typically packed lineups at Bootlegs.

On Monday September 21, Lisa and the Lost Boys, Jonathan Fisher, Rachael Cooper, The Feldons and One Foot in the Gravy will be gracing the stage with their various presences. On Monday September 28, punters will be wooed by Glenroi Heights, Cuddlefish, Cartesian Discotec and the James Fahy Trio. Be at Phoenix from 8pm, entry is free.

Domus Adultus is taking a bit of a breather this fortnight, with a single session on Thursday September 24. Make your way to Hippo to enjoy sets from Sally Holiday, Greg Carlin, Second Sun and Infinite Decimals. The music starts at 8pm and entry is $7/$5.

Enjoy the music and have a great fortnight, CATHERINE JAMES locality.bma@hotmail.com

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DANCE THE DROP Spring is slowly emerging from its chilly Canberran hibernation. As the nights are getting warmer and the days are getting longer I can only think of one thing – summer parties! I love gigs this time of year; ‘08s crop of pre-yuletide shindigs saw some of the world’s best (think Bookashade, Crookers and Sasha) descend on the capital. As far as I’m concerned this year will be no exception with festivities really gearing up over the next fortnight.

Foreshore has announced a second troupe of mask-wearers to their already formidable lineup. If you didn’t have enough excuses to attend the Saturday November 28 festival The Bloody Beetroots are now also performing alongside other notables such as Crookers, Empire of the Sun, Deadmau5, Stanton Warriors, Axwell and more. Rumours are asunder that there will be more epic announcements to come.

Full Frequency returns to Transit Bar on Thursday September 17 with Chris Santiago of Santiago and Bushido fame. Their fidget production is best recognised on Chicago’s Potty Mouth Records label with releases such as Headtrick receiving major dancefloor plaudits. Vance Musgrove, Ronnie Gordon, Cheese and Mike G also feature on the stellar lineup.

If you want to camp overnight at Transit’s Llik Llik Llik monthly instalment returns on Friday September 18 featuring Wagga’s techno don Luke Ellis. After a year of parties the Llikers have a firmly established crowd of followers and with the help of Llik residents this party shall be a loose one.

In recent weeks Pang! have relocated their fervent Lot 33 antics across town to Academy. They are set to do it again on Friday September 18 with the Official Tame Impala After Party. Following Tame Impala’s Sundown Syndrome Tour at ANU earlier in the evening, Modular are teaming up with Pang! to host this monstrous event. Holland’s Sidney Samson (Riverside motherf%@*er!) will headline with the BANG GANG DJs (Doom & Hoodrat) also confirmed. Local support shapes up with talent from a few different quarters including Ashley Feraude, Hubert, Reverse Dog, Ryz, Team Wing, Beat It vs Offtapia and Celebrity Sextape.

Mingle are putting on a huge end of term party for their fellow students on Thursday September 24. triple j Mixup resident MDX (MoS/Long Distance Recordings) is bringing his unique style of Tech to Transit Bar with Cheese, Scottie Fischer, Yohan Strauss, Nolly, Mr Wilson, Sam Turnbull and Skywalker in tow. MDX is one of my favourite DJs, not only for his flawless mixing technique, but for his unique ability to pluck obscure tunes from the underground and turn them into Gen Y gold.

Lastly don’t forget your tickets to 360 at the UCU Refectory on Friday September 25. Friction and Lexington are presenting the cream of the Parklife lineup with A-Trak, Tiga and MSTRKRFT coming to play right here in C-town. Tiga’s recent album Ciao! is one of my standout releases of 2009. With such breakthrough hits as the chunky Mind Dimension 2 and pop-influenced Shoes, I can’t wait to see him deliver. Jeff Drake, RyFy and DJ Bricksta round out the lineup.

Mi favorito... hmmm, hard one this issue. Can’t go past seeing Tiga, A-Trak and MSTRKRFT. Don’t be phased by 15+, at the end of the day you’ll be hanging with your mates regardless.

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STAKY staceymanson@gmail.com

MaSTeR KRaFTsmen

THE EVOLUTION OF TIGA

Nick craven

dave ruby howe

It is taboo in the music industry for artists to challenge certain revered figureheads. The accepted rule is that icons like Joe Strummer, Bob Dylan and Jay-Z are flawless geniuses and other performers should know their rightful place below them. So I naturally gasp in horror when MSTRKRFT’s Jesse F. Keeler has a sly dig at the ‘greatest rapper alive’ when discussing the hip-hop collaborations on MSTRKRFT’s latest record, Fist of God.

TIGA, Canada’s enduring techno-meets-electro dandy, has come a long way since the beginning of his career in the music business.

Back then Tiga was on the other side of the decks, running his own DNA record store and promoting a slew of parties before turning his attention to producing and DJing. Now, as he’s preparing to skip out on the Parklife Festival tour to hit Canberra’s 360 show, Tiga is breaking ground as an internationally loved DJ, running his own Turbo Recordings imprint and putting out cult albums with collaborations from the likes of Soulwax, James Murphy and Jori Hulkkonen. Not a bad career transition, right?

“I remember through a mutual friend we actually approached Jay-Z and he was like, ‘oh I don’t know, maybe for like $100,000’ and then he makes a track called Ghetto Techno and it sucks,” Keeler spits. “It’s not even techno! It’s like, ‘dude, if that’s what you wanted to make you should have talked to us!’ Oh, but that’s right, none of them even thought about it!” Yikes, calm down Keeler! You don’t want Hova’s Canberra massive to cap yo’ ass. “He should have asked us”, he moans again, adding insult to injury.

What happens on the dancefloor determines whether people come back

Keeler’s clearly an outspoken and passionate guy; a risk-taker even. It’s a state of mind he’s injected into all his work – from his youth spent playing in raucous hardcore bands to his seminal, genre-bending indie outfit Death From Above 1979. In MSTRKRFT, Keeler and partner Al-P specialise in aggressive beats that rarely let up, as the relentless Fist of God testifies.

“The record’s called Fist of God because everything sounds so big,” he explains. “Even the softer song doesn’t sound that soft. We wanted to make a really hard record in terms of how it sounded – so much attack on everything.”

Much of this ‘hard’ energy comes from the duo’s use of real instruments, which bring an unusual rawness to proceedings. “I can’t be creative with a mouse,” Keeler reveals. “It’s like, ‘well okay, instead of fingers to do something and feet to work pedals I have one little finger that looks like an arrow’ – there’s no comparison to being able to actually use real stuff and also all the little errors and all the fun stuff that happens when you’re dealing with something that’s real, which I think is really important when you’re making music that is so repetitive and normally is so computer-like.”

It’s an aesthetic risk in a genre that sometimes relies on perfectly crafted sounds and calculated dynamics to get the masses moving.

But for all his criticisms of his peers and their musical decisions, Keeler admits that it’s anyone’s game out on the dancefloor. “The beauty of the dancefloor is that it’s very democratic – you can put on something, and if people don’t dance and aren’t feeling it, they won’t – no matter how much you tell them they should dance to it or whether it’s cool. That’s something that’s beautiful about making dance music – in the end you’re judged not by what somebody says or what the press writes about it or anything; what happens on the floor determines whether people come back.”

MSTRKRFT, A-Trak and Tiga will play a massive show at the UC Refectory on Friday September 25. Tickets on sale through lexingtonmusic.com.au, fuzzy.com.au, qjump.com.au, Landspeed Records and Parliament Clothing.

The man himself agrees, speaking in a charmingly reflective manner throughout our interview about his progression as a DJ over the years. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and I guess I’m lucky that that’s the case,” he grins. “I’d say that I have a love affair with DJing. And just like any love affair in your life, you’re constantly moving in and out of that love. There are times that you question it and there are times when you are head over heels with it,” he muses thoughtfully. “But at its core, I’ll always love it enough to continue that relationship… even after around 17 years of doing it.”

I’d say that I have a love affair with DJing

While Tiga’s considered and strikingly frank discussion of his craft might seem incongruous coming from a guy who writes songs like Sex O’Clock, it reveals a broader picture of Tiga, namely, he’s someone who takes what he does very seriously and as such he’s often assessing and dissecting what he does nearly every weekend.

“DJing is a strange thing because in its essence it’s really quite simple. It’s a little bit like playing pool in that you can make all the shots sometimes but other times you’re wrapped up in your own head,” he says before laughing off that confusing metaphor. “I think recently my DJing hasn’t been at its best. That’s not to say that it’s been terrible, but these past few years haven’t been that glorious for me,” he says dryly before cracking a laugh. “I think that’s because I’ve been investing a lot of my time into other things and I’ve been moved out of that focus zone.”

But there’s really no cause for alarm as Tiga assures us he’s been working on incorporating some new elements into his sets, offering up a new edge to the classic Tiga show. “I think if I’m DJing and not doing a full live show I should find a midway point, which could have a live element, like me doing on the fly productions,” Tiga says. “I want to make it more unique and ‘one of a kind,’ so there’s a difference between me playing my records and someone else just playing my records.”

Catch Tiga as part of the massive 360 Parklife spinoff sideshow, also featuring A-Trak and MSTRKRFT. It’s at the UC Refectory on Friday September 25. Tix through lexingtonmusic.com.au, fuzzy.com.au, qjump.com. au, Landspeed Records and Parliament Clothing.

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DS IRDS YBIR DIRTYB THEE DIRT TO TH GONEE TO GON

staky

You’d be forgiven for thinking CLAUDE VONSTROKE is another of the talented Dutch musical prodigies. In fact Claude, real name Barclay Crenshaw, hails from Detroit and his name is the result of a few beers and a dreamt up ‘European’ DJ moniker. Crenshaw, which is a pretty catchy DJ name in its own right, now resides in San Francisco and the Claude handle has stuck around.

Fresh off the success of his mind-blowing Fabric 46 mix, Claude is on the road ahead of the release of his second artist album, Birdbrain. “I have no set agenda with the new album,” says Claude.

“Some tracks are more crazy and some are more mellow. Basically I was just inspired by the San Francisco area and the Dirtybird guys.”

I look up to people in the hip-hop world

The ‘Dirtybird guys’ he is referring to are those signed to his label.

DirtyBird Records was formed by Claude in 2005 after he was inspired by a self-made DVD which featured interviews with other seminal techno producers such as Derrick May, Derrick Carter and Theo Parish.

“The name for the label evolved from something else,” he says. “I was working with the Martin brothers, Chris and Justin, in a bar and we came up with the name for a party we ran in Golden Gate Park. The name for the label came from that. I know in England it [Dirtybird] means something else and I am happy for people to think that’s where it came from,” he laughs.

Soon after DirtyBird’s inception Claude released the hugely successful Deep Throat (“I would like to coooooome”) closely followed by Who’s Afraid of Detroit?, named by minimal heavyweight Richie Hawtin as the best track of 2006. The song’s A-side The Whistler enjoyed similar acclaim and was further publicised through remixes by the likes of Jesse Rose and Diplo. Claude’s first album, Beware of the Bird, was a crossover sensation and received plaudits from dancefloors worldwide; a far cry from his hip-hop roots.

“I don’t necessarily idolise anyone in dance music. I look up to people in the hip-hop world like Travis Conquest and Public Enemy,” says Claude. “I was originally interested in the concept of making hip-hop beats. The constructed beat is something that dance music has in common with hip-hop. Then I started listening to drum and bass from the UK, which then somehow morphed my interest into house.

It was a natural progression of fabricated sound.”

The new album, Birdbrain, drops on Monday October 19. Its first release, Beat That Bird, was co-written by Justin Martin and is a choice tech house download.

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The Whistler himself takes a break from his run of Parklife dates to visit Transit Bar on Friday October 2. Ably supported by Mikah Freeman, Ronnie Gordon, Biggie, Staky and Bobbin. Limited release presale tix are available now for $15 from Moshtix.

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photo: james o’mara

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JUSTIN HOOK The first time ELVIS COSTELLO played Canberra in 1982 he was smack bang in the middle of one of the most remarkably productive periods of the post-punk/new wave era. With occasional backing band The Attractions, Costello had already delivered at least five bona fide classics in the space of five years – My Aim Is True, Get Happy, Armed Forces, This Year’s Model and Trust. It really puts to shame the current crop of artists who struggle to complete one halfway decent album every couple of years.

“Yeah, absolutely,” agrees Costello. “But you know I have never really understood why it takes so long for people to record albums. This one [Secret, Profane and Sugarcane] was done in three days. And looking back our first one was done in 24 hours. One of the later albums – all up it took us three weeks in the studio to finish. Which at the time must have felt like an epic.”

When I go back and look at the songbook... I find songs I haven’t done in ages, had forgotten about and it feels good to play them again

To provide a little context the late ‘70s are synonymous with bloated themed and concept double/triple albums, laser-bedazzled stage shows, the real emergence of AOR and the shared enemy – prog rock, so three weeks in the studio would hardly be considered a vacation. “Back then it wasn’t unusual to take three days to get drum sounds right,” jokes Costello.

“I think the main problem came about because some of the artists had nothing to go in with. They had none of the songs finished and would spend the majority of their time in the studio just wasting everybody else’s time and getting nothing done. It was different with us. We had everything ready to go as soon as we hit the studio. We had been playing the songs on stage for quite some time before we went in so really the process of recording and making albums was quite quick. And besides – that’s not the way I work. I have to have the songs ready to go.”

You can tell. Those albums firmly established Costello as a songwriter who could swing effortlessly between restrained aggression and soulful pop, and one who would go on to tackle pretty much every genre on offer – from straight country and western (Almost Blue) to classical composition (Il Sogno), popclassical experimentation with the Brodsky Quartet through to highly praised collaborations with Burt Bacharach.

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There’s hardly an ounce of fat on any of Costello’s albums in the late ‘70s and despite their vintage sound they’re just as urgent and essential now as they were when punk was exploding all round him.

But Costello never really fell for punk or the then fashionable psychedelic rock of his youth, gravitating towards the more pubrock classicists such as Lee Dorsey and the loose grouping that formed around Nick Lowe (who produced all of that first batch of ‘70s albums) and Dave Edmunds, Rockpile. It was deeply uncool at the time – but somehow, Costello twisted it to his will and remade it in his image.

Indeed, that is one of the hallmarks of his career – regular and wholesale reinvention of sound and image. I suggest his current work falls neatly under the alt-country tag, a more homespun approach where you can hear the creak of the wooden floor, but Costello’s not too sure about that “Well, homespun – I don’t know what exactly that is meant to mean. Like I said before, the record was recorded quickly and we did use technology to our advantage but it’s still quite direct but it’s never obvious or heavy. The way it was recorded you can hear us lean into the microphone and we had all sorts of different instrumentation. Mandolins, fiddles and so on. You know they refer to mandolins as old time instruments but I never really understood that – we’re playing them now aren’t we?”

Yikes – it feels like I am the straight man on a talk show with this sort of riffing. But Costello is a notorious raconteur, penning columns in Vanity Fair, guest hosting David Letterman’s Late Night show in 2003 and even getting his own show, Spectacle: Elvis Costello with …, that aired locally on the ABC earlier this year. He’s a man at ease with his image and songbook, not afraid to poke fun at himself or drastically reinterpret songs as the mood fits.

As you read this Costello is finishing up a tour of America with his Sugarcane Band. “We’ve got seven great players on stage every night. It’s fantastic. The songs take on a form of their own with each show, they grow… they change like there’s a connection with the mood of the crowd. So every night is different.” A more scaled back version will appear for the forthcoming run of Australian shows. It will just be Costello on stage sans band. “I will be pulling songs out of my catalogue that I haven’t done for years. But I will be looking at them again in a different way. It’s interesting – when I go back and look at the songbook, one song leads to another and then another.

I find songs I haven’t done in ages, had forgotten about and it feels good to play them again.”

But it’s not all stardust memories. “There are some new songs in the shows for Australia ready to go and by the time I get down there will be even more.” No doubt he will have applied the blowtorch and reworked them a couple of times by the time he makes it to Canberra.

Elvis will play the Royal Theatre on Wednesday October 14. Tickets through Ticketek.

E X H I B ITIO N IST

photo: asher floyd

Crack came about two or so years ago, after a National Young Writers Festival coordinator “decided to introduce a performance stream”, says David Finnigan, co-curator of Crack 2009. The idea was to “shake up the structure”, says Finnigan, of the NYWF. Crack did this by staging “interventions” – raids on events, with performers breaking into conferences and venues to striptease confreres or drink cups of wee. “That was Crack,” says Finnigan.

THIS IS IT NAOMI MILTHORPE What do you think art is?

Electronic experimentation? Micro-theatre? Live installation?

Sixties gatherings? Zines?

Well, this is it. Or it’s not. It’s THIS IS NOT ART, Newcastle’s annual festival of the not-arts, on during the October long-weekend. For ten years running, This Is Not Art (TINA) has defined the snot-nosed defiance that you can see in all great independent, emerging and experimental art - a crackling passion and chortling wit that the fringe-dwellers of Canberra trek up to Newcastle to enjoy on an annual basis. This year, festival-goers can enjoy a selection of short films about zombies, a DIY pinhole camera workshop, a Great Gatsby Ball, and several ventures by emerging Canberra and exCanberra arts makers.

One such venture is the Crack Theatre Festival. Along with Sound Summit (electro and hip-hop music), the National Young Writers Festival, Critical Animals (academes), and Electrofringe (electronic art), Crack is one of five separate festivals which enjoy the protective shade of the This Is Not Art umbrella.

This year, the NYWF have handed over control of Crack, allowing it to emerge as a festival in its own right. Finnigan and cocurator Gillian Schwab have kept Crack’s original aim of staging interventions into the highbrow, but have added further depth (and perhaps a little more gravitas) to the festival – there are workshops, forums and panels on theatre and performance arts, skits, guerilla performances, and several fully-staged performance pieces including a few showcase performances, including Canberran Cathy Petocz’s installation The Booth, gypsy band Mr Fibby’s Little Girl Lost In The Devil’s Black Beard and Sydney group The DeConverters’ Witness in the Wall.

Canberra audiences are familiar with Mr Fibby but may not have heard of The DeConverters, a Sydney-based ensemble that combines video and sound art with physical performance. Their latest work Witness in the Wall is an hour long “exploration of surveillance,” explains Finnigan, a lush, cinematic playscape that delves into what happens when, as with Google Earth, everyone can be tracked. 50 artists will participate in around 45 events over the four days of the festival – no mean feat for an event with no funding apart from TINA’s in-kind support. “No artist is getting paid,” says Finnigan. “No one is getting anything from it except what they put in.”

What these artists put in seems to be quite a lot. One of the big events of Crack is Playground, a performance party curated by Mr Fibby frontman Hadley and Thomas Henning of Melbourne’s The Black Lung Theatre. Playground has been imagined like “a 1960s gathering,” a “chaos party” where every single one of the Crack participants will perform. Ex-Canberra muso and former BMA scribe Nick McCorriston is providing sound installation while the other performers – from ex-Canberra theatre company MOSAT to genderdance-battle-collective SNAG to Finnigan himself will provide capsule performances.

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...continued from page 21 “There’ll be moments when everything focuses on one event, and then everything will explode out... it’ll become looser and looser as the night goes on.” Crack encapsulates the multiplicity of art – an acceptance that art occurs on all levels, from emetic Judy Garland tributes to the “highbrow, poetic, post-dramatic” Revelation or Bust

by Anna Barnes.

Tim Dwyer is another Canberra arts maker heading up to TINA who embraces this notion wholeheartedly. While finishing his honours year at the ANU School of Art, Dwyer, who has exhibited work at M16 recently, stumbled across cult US public access telly show, Let’s Paint TV – and its host John Kilduff. If you haven’t seen LPTV (you can see clips on Youtube), the show revolves around a distinctly modern DIY aesthetic: when it comes to art – just like making over your house or backyard – “you can actually just do it.” Kilduff’s schtick is that he paints while doing all manner of other things – making lunch, on the telephone, running on a treadmill – he has “full body involvement” in painting. “It doesn’t carry all the hoity-toity pretentiousness of the art world,” says Dwyer. “He engages with a lot of high-end theoretical stuff,” but in the end, “the message is the medium... he’s a motivational force.”

Kilduff was so inspiring that Dwyer got in contact with him and invited him out to Australia, to participate in TINA and in a separate show at Canberra Contemporary Art Space later in October. Like Crack’s Playground, Dwyer’s TINA venture is visioned like a chaos party, a “weird synaesthesia happening” in a small performance space, over two days of the festival. Kilduff will perform “almost side-by-side, at the same time” with a variety of Oz artists including Melbourne electronic artist Opticalize. There will be group painting sessions led

by Kilduff, “almost like a gym class, motivating people into painting.”

Says Dwyer, “We want an overwhelming sensory experience.”

That seems to be the name of the game at This Is Not Art – to overload your senses and your aesthetic, to push beyond the everyday conception of What Art Is. Mostly, what these Canberra artmakers show is that art is exactly what you make it.

This Is Not Art hits Newcastle on the October long weekend (1-5 to be exact). For info about TINA head to www.thisisnotart.org. For info about Crack Theatre Festival, head to www.cracktheatrefestival.com. John Kilduff will also be in Canberra Wed Oct 7 @ CCAS Gorman House with a host of other local and interstate performers.

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ARTISTPROFILE: Cathy Petocz

What do you do? I am a science show performer, a musician and a theatre-maker.

When did you get into it? I was obsessed with puppetry when I was a kid. I would write elaborate scripts and make my neighbours perform shows with me at the school fete. I liked doing everything.

Who or what influences you as an artist? Art! The best kind of art makes me want to make art. It’s not a desire to replicate, but when I see some life, I want to make my own.

What’s your biggest achievement/ proudest moment so far? I get pretty emotional, so everything feels like the greatest thing at the time. Right now, I have just finished a Suzuki Method/Viewpoints workshop in Chicago, so that’s THE moment right now.

What are your plans for the future? I plan to stay anchored in Canberra, making art and learning as much as possible. I think I’ll definitely travel overseas for more training, but I feel strongly about bringing that back to Canberra.

What makes you laugh? Ken Nordine’s word jazz, specifically My Baby.

What pisses you off? This may piss you off, dear artists, but I am vexed when I see the annual exodus to cities more exciting.

What’s your opinion of the local scene? There are many great things happening! Come on out and see something new: opera, dance portraiture, noise music, holga photography! I think there is a lot of support and openness in Canberra. I would like to see more dedication and hard work.

What are your upcoming performances? I will be performing in Little Dove Theatre Arts’ Six Women Standing Against A White Wall at the Melbourne Fringe Festival from Wednesday September 23.

It’s a Butoh-inspired interactive piece, and I am very excited about it! I will also be performing my own creation, The Booth, at the Crack Theatre Festival, part of This Is Not Art, from October 1–4.

I’ve been developing an installation performance, describing it as ‘micro-theatre’, paring my notion of theatre right down, and making one-person theatres out of cardboard.

Contact: cathypetocz@gmail.com

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FRENCH LETTERS STEPHEN SAMARA It’s been a big year for the Canberra Repertory Society, and it’s about to get bigger with their new production of Christopher Hampton’s LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, directed by the formidable Duncan Driver.

“It’s the most dramatic and challenging script,” says Driver. “His dialogue and pacing of the scenes shows a playwright who has a brilliant conception of what works on stage.”

The play is set shortly before the French Revolution, in a society run by and for the decadent. It tells the tale of the Marquise de Mertuil and Vicomte de Valmont, two aristocratic rivals engaged in a cruel game of humiliation, sex and – ultimately – revenge.

Driver seems confident that the show is going to wow the Canberran audience. “The audience can expect lots of stuff - drama, tragedy, comedy, action, a gripping and intense swordfight, male and female nudity, some beautiful classical and early romantic music, sumptuous costumes, a gorgeous set... and lots of plot twists and turns that will keep people interested right to the end of the play.”

Rep’s Theatre 3 will be home to a truly unique set, with a real tree at the back of the stage (donated generously by the ANU), and some detailed set pieces. “It’s not a box set if you know what I mean. It’s a very spacious set... the theatre stage is enormous and we tried to take advantage of the depth and width as much as possible,” Driver says.

The cast has been picked from some of Canberra’s finest actors, including Duncan Ley, who co-founded Everyman Theatre with Driver. “I had an enormous number of people to choose from - two full days worth of auditions blacked out in the diary. It’s a matter of undertaking lots and lots of people, and it’s not an easy job to turn some of those people down when you have a great wealth of actors to draw a selection from. Hampton wrote the character dialogue so well that it does a lot of the work for the actors.” Also stepping out are acclaimed Canberra actresses Hannah Ley and Lexi Sekuless, last seen in Papermoon’s Medea.

Driver sees Les Liaisons Dangereuses as very relevant to today’s society. “You can see it as a historical artifact, one that details a society that is crumbling because of its own decadence. And that’s relevant to a lot of times, especially the 1980s when the play came out. It’s really relevant to this time as well because a lot of people are greedy and spiteful.”

Out of the four plays that Driver could have chosen from to direct this season, he chose Les Liaisons Dangereuses for its intriguing plot, and brilliantly witty dialogue. Says the director: “I think it’s the best play.”

Les Liaisons Dangereuses plays at Theatre 3 until October 3. Performances 8pm Thursday – Saturday, Sat matinees @ 2pm, Sunday twilights @ 5pm.

Tix $35/$37. Call 62571950 for details and to book.

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and we laughed together as Australians.” Prolific writer, musician and film-maker Richard Frankland has just completed his latest feature-length film, the comedy road movie Stone Bros., and he is rapt with the response it received when it premiered at the Dungog Film Festival. A Gundidj man from Victoria, Frankland has worked hard over the years for the cause of indigenous Australians, artistically, professionally and politically. Frankland is enthusiastic about the film’s potential to bring indigenous and non-indigenous Australians together.

STONE THE BROS. stephen easton “My greatest dream – and actually, it happened – was sitting there with 500 non-indigenous people cacking themselves laughing, and they were laughing with us, not at us. It was just awesome,

Stone Bros. features two young Aboriginal lads, one on a spiritual journey to connect deeply with his culture, and his friend who just wants to party and have a laugh. They meet a host of other ridiculous characters along the way and hilarity ensues. Nothing too serious, but a landmark in its own way. “It’s Australia’s first indigenous full feature-length comedy, and really it’s come about at a time when I think there’s a lot of heavy films in Australia, whether indigenous or non-indigenous.”

Frankland’s script came about many years ago from jokes he used to tell about fictional characters. First and foremost, it’s all about the laughs. “Make sure you go and have a good pee before you go into the cinema, because you’ll wet yourself laughing. There’s a message in the film if you want to take away a message but also, if you just want to go along and have a good laugh, you can do that as well.” Frankland hopes the film will break down barriers between white and indigenous Australia, and further our sense of national pride. “Laughter transcends any culture, laughter transcends any barrier, any type of discrimination, and it gives ownership. Another dream I have is that non-indigenous Australians are backpacking around the world, they see the film on and they say ‘This is one of ours.’ They claim us.”

As well as helping bring together white and black Australia, Frankland hopes the film will leave a lasting impression on young indigenous Australians.

Fighting against an M15+ rating, that Frankland says is based on a scene in the film that was never scripted or filmed, the director is keen to see the film accessible to as many young people as possible. “The benefit of this film is that it’s an anti-drug film, it’s a coming-of-age film, and it’s important that young indigenous people see this film. It will give them an opportunity to choose culture and family over drugs and just having a good time.” It should also give anybody who sees it an opportunity to laugh their head off, at the first ever featurelength indigenous comedy.

Stone Bros. screens at Arc Cinema at the National Film and Sound Archives on Saturday October 3 at 2pm.

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“Their sense of theatricality is really present in the types of characters that turn up,” Pip agrees.

The story centres around a Museum of Water, and a water historian who is the caretaker of the museum. The requisite bad guy is his arch-nemesis Gramps, and the six different stories unfold when Gramps’ niece and her friend go to visit the museum. To understand how a crazy rat and a fork-on-a-stick weave their way into that theatrical back-drop, well, you’ll have to go along and find out.

TANK’S FOR THE MEMORIES KATHERINE QUINN TANK is a series of six short plays about our relationship to water.

Promising pirates, puppets, polar bears and Paris Hilton, TANK is presented by Canberra Youth Theatre and will debut at Floriade this year.

TANK is the brain child of CYT artistic director Pip Buining and was written by Canberra local Hadley. It aims to present relevant and topical issues about water conservation in a fun, quirky fashion.

Each of the plays has a distinct and separate story, but they all share characters and, of course, the common theme of water.

Hadley talked to groups of 7-12 year olds to gain inspiration for the project. “The young people here do express concern about environmental issues,” says Pip. “They are interested in having a voice and speaking up about things that concern them. We wanted to create a work that gave them a voice.” So does that explain the mysterious references to martians and meerkats on the TANK posters?

One of the most exciting things about TANK (besides pirates and crazy rats) is that it’s actually staged inside a water tank (because when CYT do a theme, they really do a theme). An intimate portable theatre, the tank seats only six audience members at a time.

Pip tells me, “Everyone in there gets direct address; everyone gets a story told to them.” The proximity of the audience to the actors is an important element of the performance, and adds to TANK’s unique charm. Hadley agrees: “It’s a really cosy space to be in – it’s very warm.”

The plays will be presented in a cyclical manner, and the small audience capacity means that patrons may have to line up several times if they want to see all six plays.

Entertainment will be provided for those waiting in line, however, with a mini-ensemble of 10-13 year-old ‘water historians’ interacting with the crowd and performing street theatre. Of course, the performances will be free to the public, in line with CYT’s policy of ‘access and equity’ to theatre.

“For some people it might be their first theatrical experience,” says Pip. “We hope it will be the first of many”.

TANK plays at Floriade, Commonwealth Park, at 10am, 11am and 12 noon on September 13, 20, 26 and 27 & at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm on September 12 & 19.

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U N I N H I B ITED Here at Uninhibited, we pride ourselves on our critical and arts cred.

Like, we have sooooo much cred, dude.

Witness: 1. We [this is the royal we, mind you – that is, meaning I] work at an ‘arts house’.

2. We teach literature to undergrads and have impressive qualifications with which to pull rank.

3. We sing in not one, but two bands (one of which is predicated on a punky defiance of ‘the rules’ viz a viz appropriate language and content; the other of which is both types of music, country AND western).

4. We frequently substitute French or Latin phrases for perfectly adequate English ones, viz: ‘viz’.

5. We drink a lot.

6. We were reading 90210 novelizations before the readers of Vice magazine even knew anything about them.

7. We have our own arts column.

And what is an arts column but an excuse to occasionally show off about how awesome one is? In Uninhibited’s understanding, it’s nothing but.

Having said that, it’s best to occasionally take stock of the things one hears, watches, reads, etcetera, to see if, in fact, one is, in fact, all that awesome.

STARTING AWESOME SCORE: -2 for excessive use of commas READING 1. Basil Bunting’s verse-autobiography Briggflatts: +3 points because no one else seems to have heard of him.

2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows. +2 points for irony; -1 for ruining innocent enjoyment with said irony.

HEARING Baby Animals, Baby Animals. +4 points for obscure Australian ‘90s rock band with awesome lead vocalist. -4 for owning the album on cassette in 1992 and throwing it away.

WATCHING Telly: Season 6 of One Tree Hill.

Film: District 9 Theatre: Capital +5 points for catholicity of taste, viz: middlebrow American TV with delusions of literary grandeur/ politically allegorical sci-fi/ new local opera. -2 for middlebrow American TV. TOTAL AWESOME POINTS = 5.

So, on this heady spring afternoon we leave you to ponder the significance of that score while we go listen to some electronically manipulated Japanese songform while looking at slutty American Apparel ads and googling the phrase ‘condom minefield’. And if that phrase alone isn’t awesome enough, we don’t know what is.

NAOMI MILTHORPE exhibitionist@gmail.com

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bit PARTS WHO: Antal Szalai & His Hungarian Gypsy Band WHAT: Gypsy Fire WHEN: Thursday September 24 WHERE: Southern Cross Club Gypsies are a peripatetic bunch, always here, always there; the traditional travellers of the world. Canberra is a beneficiary of this peripatetic urge, with another group of gypsy musicians coming through to play the SCC. Led by gypsy violinist Antal Szalai and featuring virtuoso musicians and singers, Gypsy Fire “celebrates romance, passion and fire of the Gypsies” unique repertoire.

Their sublime musical menu ranges from traditional flavours of Gypsy, Csardas, Verbunk, Roma and Hungarian Folk music – the Australian audiences will be treated to a night of exciting world music you will not want to miss.”

WHO: University of Canberra creative writers WHAT: Undertow: FIRST 2009 launch WHEN: Wednesday September 30 1.15pm WHERE: UC Co-op Bookshop For 15 years, students at the University of Canberra have been submitting their writing to FIRST, an annual anthology of creative work. On Wednesday September 30, children’s author Ingrid Jonach will launch Undertow, the collection of stories and word-worlds for 2009. The 29 works have been selected from almost 200 submissions, while the anthology has been designed and edited by students, under the guidance of editor Irma Gold. With a foreword

by Steve Conte, the winner of the PM’s Award for Fiction, Undertow packs a hefty literary punch. Pick it up at the UC Co-op from September 30.

WHO: Antonia Aitken WHAT: Printmaking exhibition WHEN: Until Sunday September 20 WHERE: ANCA Gallery, Rosevear Place Local printmaker Antonia Aitken is exhibiting a series of new intaglio and relief prints that are part of her ongoing exploration into the human relationship with the land. Aitken utilises a range of traditional printmaking techniques including woodblock and etching, focussing on the land around the Murrumbidgee and Namadgi National Park. Running ‘til Sunday September 20 at ANCA, the exhibition is free of charge.

WHO: Imperial Russian Ballet Company WHAT: Swan Lake WHEN: Sunday October 4 @ 3pm and 8pm WHERE: Canberra Theatre As part of their first ever tour to Australia, the Imperial Russian Ballet Company is coming to Canberra for one day only to perform “the most loved classical ballet of them all”, Swan Lake. Now, the story is: boy meets girl. Girl is swan. Evil sorcerer mocks their love.

Sadness ensues. This time around, the company will be performing the ‘original’ ‘happy ending’ decreed under Stalinist rule, where “the virtues of love and forgiveness in the end conquer evil and betrayal.”

Sweet. Tix go for between $70 and $80, call the CTC on 6275 2700 for more deets.

WHO: The Oriana Chorale, The Resonants and the Handel Band WHAT: Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Handel’s Dixit Dominus WHEN: Saturday September 26 @ 7pm and Sunday September 27 @ 2pm WHERE: St Christopher’s Church, Manuka The anniversaries of Purcell and Handel are being celebrated in choral style this September. Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas tells the story of Dido, the legendary Queen of Carthage (not the earlynoughties warbler), who falls head over heels for Trojan adventurer Aeneas, whose callous abandonment causes her to chuck herself into a fire. Meanwhile, Dixit Dominus is based on Psalm 110 and said to be Handel’s “most exciting work”. The whole will be conducted by “charismatic” composer Tobias Cole. Tix: $35/$25/$15, from Canberra Ticketing.

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WHO: Freshly Ground Theatre WHAT: Auditions for Not Axel Harrison WHEN: Wednesday September 23 WHERE: The Street Theatre Sam Floyd is one of Canberra’s hardest working new writers and his latest play, Not Axel Harrison, will feature as part of The Street Theatre’s Made In Canberra season. The play is a fast-paced, one act satire on the gangster genre, and Freshly Ground are casting this fortnight. There are parts for hoods and molls, loan sharks, scapegoats and crooked cops. Auditions are at The Street on Wednesday September 23 - call or email Sam on 0432 106 915 or Samfloyd@ freshlygroundtheatre.com for information and/or the script.

I WOULD LIK E TO ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT, PLEASE

BERSERK WARRIORS

justin hook

JUSTIN HOOK

Sunday night was a little more surreal for me than usual. On the one hand I was knocking off a delicious prawn salad as SUZI QUATRO and her unreconstructed rock mullet bombarded me with vocal coaching advice on a certain televised national singing competition.

From this, I learnt to trust myself on stage more. Great advice I think we can all work with. Then on the other hand, minutes later I was listening back over my conversation with Quatro and hearing a legendary Detroit rocker discussing one of the most tumultuous times in American music, in one of the most incendiary parts of North America – the late 1960s in Michigan.

Like Roxy Music, Rolling Stones, Devo, Talking Heads and Les Savy Fav, 2009 ARIA Hall of Famers MENTAL AS ANYTHING got their start in art school. Forming in the mid 1970s, it was a handy distraction from class at the time. But then something happened.

Iggy was slashing the shit out of his chest and shocking audiences nightly and militant rock insurgents MC5 were terrifying everyone who came into earshot, particularly with their infamous eight hour set preceding the violent 1968 Democratic National Convention. There was more than a riot going on and Quatro was up to her neck in it. “We were part of that – that’s how we all grew up,” she recalls. “All the bands in Detroit were a combination of the Motown influence plus the white rock influence. It was a great city to grow up in, musically. We were right in the midst of it.”

There was a feeling that came out of Detroit that was like a desperate energy

The United States was fraying at the seams – the combination of an unpopular war, political assassinations and truncheons falling down indiscriminately on the skulls of the youth was tearing the country apart – so it’s not surprising that playing the hardest, dirtiest rock you possibly could was the natural outlet, as Quatro explains whilst prepping for one of her regular Australian tours this September.

“We just went out and played music but there was a feeling that came out of Detroit that was like a desperate energy and living in the fast lane. That was the feeling you got from Detroit rock. We all went to the same gigs – we had the same element in most of us.”

That element for Suzi Quatro is the classic North American rock and pop songwriter. Citing a wide range of influences from Elvis Presley, Dory Previn, Wayne Newtown and Don McLean she has had an obvious influence in bands like the Joan Jett-fronted Runaways (who were more contemporaries in reality) and The Donnas more recently. And is it possible perhaps that Kim Gordon would never have picked up the four string if Quatro hadn’t have laid the groundwork back in the ‘60s with glam pop hits like Can the Can and Devil Gate Drive. We will never know and science is unable to tell us with any degree of confidence.

Unless someone asks Kim Gordon that is. Take that science.

You can catch Quatro at the Royal Theatre on Saturday September 26.

Tickets through Ticketek.

In the intervening 30-plus years the band wormed their way into the consciousness of the nation with a string of instantly recognisable songs (Too Many Times, If You Leave Me, Spirit Got Lost, The Nips Are Getting Bigger) and for that co-frontman Greedy Smith blames the wireless. “We came from a period where the only time you heard rock music was on radio stations and a few rock music shows,” he explains.

Geez, those Americans took everything so seriously

“But now we’re reaping the benefits because when radio stations do surveys about songs their listeners want to hear, they recognise all of our stuff so we get played quite a bit.” Bit like the Stockholm Syndrome then. Well, not quite.

“The thing is – a lot of Australian bands from the ‘90s get far less radio play than we do but have probably sold a lot more records then we did.

But we really managed to imprint on people’s heads at that stage.” OK, so it’s actually more path dependence then. Whatever the theory – it seems to be working as the band continues to play over 100 shows each year. As for all those singles, well “we used to put out a single every two or three months!” Is it any wonder they’re everywhere then?

Yet for a band who have had to deal with their fair share of knockers and naysayers over the years, primarily focussing on their perceived relaxed attitude, the band never planned ‘wackiness’ as such. It was more a function of necessity. “When we went to the US we had all these record company executives asking us ‘who do you get to do your styling?’ and we’d sort of jokingly reply ‘St Vincent De Paul.’ We just got everything from the op shop so we weren’t consciously trying to have a look. It was just that the half-fitting, lairy clothes were the ones we could afford. Geez, those Americans took everything so seriously. We were just oblivious to it.”

Oblivious or not, a cursory glance at the Mental’s discography reveals a comfort and prowess for songwriting that’s often overlooked.

An incredible range of influences bubble to the surface – reggae, rockabilly, new-wave, punk-pop and country – but they don’t really crowd each other out or overpower the mix. They make it look deceptively simple, and for that reason alone Mental As Anything are one of the few bands that transcend their history and survive without tacky re-invention. Deep down – I think they do take what they do quite seriously.

Mental As Anything play the National Capital Craft Beer Festival on Saturday September 26. Tickets through Moshtix.

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his second LP, Chimney’s Afire, the success of which saw his fanbase grow rapidly.

JOSHING AROUND rhiannon brunker Australian music’s Mr. Nice Guy, JOSH PYKE, is preparing a set for one of the headlining positions at Stonefest, one

of Australia’s most beloved music festivals. Soon after Pyke will be embarking on his own Variations tour, on which he will be performing tracks from

Pyke’s recent collaboration with Chris Cheney, Phil Jamieson and Tim Rogers for the 40th anniversary tour of The Beatles’ The White Album allowed him to “witness and pick up tips from more seasoned performers” than himself, among whom in the first rehearsals Pyke felt like “a school kid.”

While Pyke doesn’t believe the tour will change the way he writes, he still thinks of it as a great experience as one

of his biggest influences was already, and always has been, The Beatles. Pyke also feels extremely privileged to be able to work alongside previously idolised artists. “I’ve been aware of and a fan of their music since I was a kid, so to collaborate with these guys and get to know them on a personal level is a real honour for me.”

To collaborate with these guys is a real honour for me Collaboration, whether writing or performing covers together, is something Pyke is very fond of. He thinks of it as a great way to engage with people who have the same love and passion, in this case for music.

He finds the whole concept highly inspirational. At the end of the tour Pyke and his fellow collaborators got matching black bird tattoos to represent the time that they had spent together. Behaviour-wise, this was about “as rock and roll as [they] went”.

Pyke’s upcoming Variations tour means more new material as he, like so many others, is a big fan of writing on the road. About 80% of Pyke’s work has been written whilst on tour as he finds, when he is at home, that he “gets caught up in normal and domestic life,” and “doesn’t really have the angst” that he has while on the road. “When I’m on the road I’m always missing home, always tired, always excited or nervous about a show,” he says. Pyke also reads a lot on the road and therefore there is always “stuff going on in [his] head that [he’s] thinking about”. This, combined with the loneliness, stress, excitement and the amount of downtime while on tour, provides for more convincing song writing for Pyke in comparison to writing at home.

Be sure to catch Josh Pyke at Stonefest on Saturday October 31 at the University of Canberra.

Tickets through Ticketek.

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METALISE Slayer and Megadeth are sold out in Sydney and Melbourne for their Thursday October 8 and Friday October 9 shows but if you want to get onto the ‘80s metal ship, the Obituary tour has been announced now too. Thursday November 19 at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne and Friday November 20 at The Manning Bar in Sydney. The new Slayer record, World Painted Blood, should be in stores by the time this goes to press. Also announcing their raid on Australian shores in recent weeks are Viking warriors Amon Amarth. Playing The Venue in Melbourne on Friday November 27 and The Metro in Sydney on Saturday November 28, the band are nationally supported by Eye of the Enemy and Orpheus in Melbourne and Bane of Isildur (must be a Tolkien thing) in Sydney.

Black Cobra play ANU Bar on Tuesday October 6. Normally I don’t get into two-piece bands without a bass player, but everything I’ve heard from these guys tells me that there is plenty of bottom end to be had.

Also appearing is Robert from Grey Daturas’ musical experiment Blarke Bayer/Black Widow. Screamfest is making January ‘metal month’ by following up their massive New Year’s two day bash in Sydney with a slew of national dates. Bands you ask? *deep breath* Cynic, Dark Funeral, Destroyer 666, Destruction, Edguy, Rotting Christ, Sonata Arctica, Ensiferum and a list of acts that The Enmore Theatre will barely be able to contain over Thursday December 31 and Friday January 1. Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Perth will all get side shows in the first ten days or so of the new year so if you’re too far away to make the New Year’s show there’s plenty of opportunities in most state capitals to catch the international acts on the bill.

Not enough international fun and games for you? Brutal Truth are coming back! The band have reformed and made one of the year’s best albums to date in the form of Evolution Through Revolution which was mixed by Australia’s own Jason P.C. of Blood Duster, who once again are the national support for the tour. The show won’t be coming to Canberra this time, but you can catch the band either in Sydney on Monday December 21 at The Manning Bar or in Melbourne at The Hi Fi Bar on Sunday December 20. I rang Fuller to ask about it and he said the Melbourne show will likely have a few more supports that the Sydney one, so if a bit of pre-Xmas shopping and brutal grindcore are your bag then get along.

JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com Josh - NP: Shotgun Boogie (James Oliver Huberty) – Church of Misery – Houses of the Unholy

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OREE JUICE MOR MEE M SOM IT SO GIV GIVEE IT

mary luckhurst

Sydney’s BLUEJUICE are preparing themselves to bounce across the country. Not only are they armed with skipping ropes, but they are also roaring with a new album which is ready to hit the shelves.

Coughing down the phone line is frontman Jacob Stone, who other than being ill sounds well prepared for the coming weeks.

What is the low-down on one of Australia’s most highly energised bands? If you’ve somehow gone past that awesome tune Vitriol, then you probably have no clue! They’ve been busy with “heavy touring of the east coast,” and “not to mention – the 15 shows, back to back,” says Stone, wheezing now and then. Tiring touring? Perhaps that’s why Stone is sick. Shortly Bluejucie are scheduled to be back on the road and Stone mentions that the October tour “will be a lot more comprehensive than the last.” It will also serve as the official welcome of their new album, titled Head Of The Hawk.

A lot of bad stuff happened last year

The new album is out September 18, so what to expect? Another Vitriol? Nope. Expect “a lot more pop,” says Stone. In comparison to their first album Problems, Head Of The Hawk will be a lot more poppy and it will also sound a little more polished. Stone goes on to describe the writing of the album. “A lot of bad stuff happened last year,” he says, and that is said to reflect in the album. However, don’t expect soppy lyrics and heartfelt melodies about what’s going on.

Just expect to hear a sound to appease those who’d rather just be drunk and dancing.

Broken Leg is the first single released from the album and the first to show a new side to the band’s image. Well, those who follow them would know that Bluejuice also go by the name of Team Bluejuice (rope extraordinaires).

Team Bluejuice are said to be going head to head in the World Skip Rope Championships 2009. Some may agree that the band have gone too far with this and may have taken a bit away from the band’s music and Stone agrees. “We’ve taken it a bit far with the marketing and branding, but it’s the first single to come from the new album.

We had the budget, we wanted to put it all out.” So ideally, Bluejuice just want to be liked “and if that’s the way to get people onto our Myspace, Youtube and listening to our tunes, then that’s good.”

Bluejuice will be heading back to Canberra for another electric show very soon. They have now been to Canberra quite a few times. “The Big O [at ANU Bar in March] was the last time we were there. We hung out with one of my bandmate’s girlfriends and just chilled.”

This time round punters should get prepared to move. Leave your skipping ropes at the door.

Don’t miss Bluejuice on Saturday October 3. They are playing at ANU Bar. Tickets through Ticketek.

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KISS AND TELL

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THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UG

amelia heffernan

kahlia beichert

Third time’s a charm and Melbourne band KISSCHASY is no exception to the rule. With their third album Seizures set to storm on Friday August 21 and a tour starting in September, the band has definitely got something to be thrilled about. “It’s always exciting to get another album ready to go and be able to get it out to everyone and see what they think of it,” bass player Joel Vanderuit explains. “So yeah, it’s really exciting and we’re really looking forward to it.”

TOM UGLY has become the surprise hit of 2009, scoring national attention and playing alongside Aussie greats such as Grinspoon and Midnight Juggernauts. It’s all the more impressive considering that the band’s multi-instrumentalist frontman is still in high school. Tom Ugly (the band), formerly known as [is], is the brainchild of Tom Ugly (the person) who also incorporates Mahli-Ann Butt on bass, Peter Gabrielides on guitar and Adrian Griffin on drums during shows.

Experimenting with sounds and producing much of his work from his bedroom has worked wonders for Ugly, who started his career banging on pots at age six.

The band travelled to the entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles, to record Seizures, where they had the opportunity to work with producer Rob Schnapf. “He’s an amazing producer because of the way that he makes you feel in the studio,” Joel says. “He makes you feel really relaxed and [there’s] no pressure.”

He’s done so many great albums and we’re just this little shitty band from Melbourne.”

Rob Schnapf is well known for his work with rockin’ artists like Beck, The Vines and Powderfinger, so Kisschasy were stoked at the chance to work with him. “At the start it was really nerve-wracking, because he’s done so many great albums and we’re just this little shitty band from Melbourne.”

With their album recorded and set for release, the next step is their Australian tour, kicking off Friday September 25 in Fortitude Valley, Queensland. For Joel, this is the most exciting part of the process.

“Playing the songs off a new record live is always the highlight for me,” he says. With a whole new 11 songs to play on stage, it’s no wonder!

The album itself is diverse, with tracks ranging from Generation Why, dubbed ‘the ode to whingers,’ to Strawberry Jam, which Joel says is his favourite song off the album. “It’s a song about laughing at people who pretend to be your mates along the way,” he explains.

If you haven’t seen the video for the leading track Generation Why, the band are playing in a blue room which, towards the end of the song, gets splashed with red paint. Joel says it’s not as fun as it looks.

“We did the paint at the end of the day. We did like five or six takes of that. That was kinda fun. It was kinda scary ‘cause it was coming out of this giant cannon thing. It’s a lot more work than I think people realise.”

Well, not everyone likes getting red paint splashed on them through their TV. What’s in the near future for the band? Joel says he’s not too sure, but they do know what they’d like to be doing. “We’d love to be able to take this and share it with other countries and spend the rest of the year that we’re not touring in Australia touring Europe or the States full time and more successfully,” Joel explains. “So that’s the next big step, after making sure that this album gets shown here.”

Kisschasy and Regular John play ANU Bar on Sunday October 4. Tickets through Ticketek.

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He first gained attention by taking out the 2008 triple j Unearthed High competition. It was a surprise win for the 18-year-old who wasn’t even aware he had entered. His brother had entered the competition for him, only revealing days before the finalists were announced that he had submitted Tom’s most recent work, Cult Romance. No one was more surprised than Tom when triple j turned up at the teen’s high school on athletics day and announced at assembly that the young Sydneysider had won. “It was pretty awesome. I thought it was cool that the music I make for myself would be released for Australia to hear,” says Ugly.

I thought it was cool that the music I make for myself would be released for Australia to hear

Cult Romance became a staple on national airwaves; its hard electro beats reminiscent of other Aussie electro superstars The Presets.

“Cult Romance was a whole accumulation of things and ideas that came together all at once,” Ugly explains. Despite feeling the pressure, Ugly used the momentum to go on to release two more successful singles – Roll Again and Bad With Love. The music industry couldn’t get enough of his unique sound, with The Edge quoted as saying “Tom Ugly is Australia’s answer to artists like Beck and Radiohead.”

Comparison with such music powerhouses may be daunting but Ugly can see the similarities. “It’s a big call but in terms of inspiration I can hear them in my music,” he says.

The self-titled debut EP was released in August, with two previously unreleased tracks joining the three singles. Hitting the road Tom Ugly (the band) will return to the nation’s capital to promote the EP. Tom has fond memories of Canberra crowds having spent his 18th birthday here earlier this year. As part of the birthday celebrations the youngster initiated himself into the pre-stage ritual of drinking Jagermeister to soothe the throat before a show. “It was an old wive’s tale and I don’t think it really worked,” he reveals.

Having accomplished so much at an early age Tom Ugly attributes his success to being experimental and taking advantage of technology.

“I think the secret to success is being open-minded and not being so locked into doing things.”

Tom Ugly will hit Transit Bar on Thursday October 1.

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the word

on games

With travel comes another occasion for a portable edition of the Games Column and in the interest of equal opportunity, I thought this time I would give the PSP or DS a go. That was until I was laughed at for inquiring as to whether anything decent had come out for either recently.

So we’re back to the iPhone for round two and the verdict this time is disappointing. In general, iPhone games tend to lack much depth; whereas a PSP game feels like a cut down console game, an iPhone game feels more like a glorified flash game and who honestly plays one of them for more than ten seconds? torben sko

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DOOM RESURRECTION Publisher: Id Software Developer: Escalation Studios Length: 5hrs

Doom Resurrection has some pretty good qualities. Firstly, the controls are intuitive; I found aiming (performed by tilting the screen) surprisingly easy to use. Likewise, it looks visually impressive (at least for an iPhone game) and it has a good length to it. That said, it’s not without some shortcomings too, the first of which is the woeful story. The ending is horribly anticlimactic and all the way through you have to endure pointless dialogue. Sure, it wouldn’t be too bad if it was spoken, but instead they opted to use text (probably due to the limitations of the iPhone), which only goes to slow the pace of the game. Despite these issues, I did at least find myself wilfully finishing this game.

the secret of bryce manor Publisher/Developer: Tiger Style Length: 2-5hrs

Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor is built around a pretty funky concept (construct webs to catch insects) and it’s been executed well. The visuals are sharp, the controls, for the most part, are natural and the music, whilst a bit repetitive, complements the gameplay well.

Despite this though, it all gets pretty old, fast. Sure, you have to change up how you catch each insect as the game progresses, but that doesn’t exactly reinvigorate the gameplay.

So while I’m sure there will be people out there who love the game mechanic enough that they’ll adore this game, for me I had about enough after just a few levels. Admittedly though, I not a huge fan of casual gaming (just look at my dust encrusted Wii for proof).

wolfenstein rpg Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Id Software Length: 5–10hrs

Wolfenstein? As an RPG? That’s right; it’s the Wolfenstein we know and love, but now it’s turn-based. Why you may ask? I attribute it to the sheer lack of control afforded by the iPhone’s touchscreen. Sure, gestures are handled magnificently, but try and do more than two things at once (such as turn, strafe and shoot) and you’re buggered. As such, we get these ‘reinvented’ games, that despite their kitsch quality (and a childhood attachment to them), just feel clunky and lame. Unfortunately, Wolfenstein is no different and what’s worse, it’s also repetitive and despite the spruced up visuals, it looks crap too. Sure die hard fans will still love it, but then again, there are still people out there who love Sonic, so that doesn’t say much.

the word

on albums

album of the week basement jaxx scars [XL] If you’re looking for the perfect album to soundtrack your spring this, my friends, is it. Scars is the fifth album from UK outfit Basement Jaxx and after a few ambitious attempts at branching out from their signature sound, it’s good to see a return to their form that saw them tear up the charts in the late ‘90s.

Scars is a revisit to their fun ol’ selves; back in the days of Romeo and Red Alert, when brightly coloured cabaret ruled their film clips and cute, catchy loops with layered synths and distinct vocals shaped their music. A massive effort went into perfecting this album with two years of studio time and a 12-strong crew of stupidly famous guests including Santigold, Sam Sparro and Kelis. Hell, even Yoko Ono makes an appearance on a novel little hippy track entitled Day of the Sunflowers (We March On).

This album showcases the band’s fascinating and upbeat personality, finally appearing in their music again where it had been sorely missed over the past few years. Well done Basement Jaxx, good to have you back. danika nayna

dallas frasca not for love or money [independent]

hungry kids of hungary mega mountain [independent]

The first time I came across Frasca’s ballsy songwriting and deep, husky voice was when she toured with Xavier Rudd earlier this year. Her live performance and EP was raw and tough; exactly what you’d expect from the daughter of a truck driver from Wangaratta. Not for Love or Money still has a fire in the belly, with storytelling lyrics of long roads, hardship and a whole lotta telling people off backed by roughed-up slide guitars and menacing beats.

The only problem is the overproduction that takes away from that dusty, unrefined feeling that gives her style such beautiful character. But if that’s all we have to complain about it ain’t all that bad!

HKOH have done what Silverchair’s New Modern couldn’t: they have created a crystal window into the ‘60s. Each of their songs are tight, extremely well written and full of character. In fact, every song on the disc seems to continue a favourite theme of that time – Two Stones evokes a Beach Boys led by a vaguely bitchy Brian Wilson, and the new single Old Money contains perfectly McCartney-esque phrasings from his early solo period. Where the Kids score big points is in their variety.

Each track could be from a different band; however, so flawless are they in genre that one thinks of excellent musicians simply having fun.

But their most convincing argument? Talent.

DANIKA NAYNA

patrick wolf the bachelor [nylon] This kid’s alright, eh.

Little bit extravagant, little bit of an attention seeker, sets his sight high, not afraid of the sitar. You know with all the dour, faceless, tepid singer/songwriters around, Wolf deserves thumb slaps for at least having a personality. It’s the meat in the pie. Although I doubt he’s ever eaten one. Meat pie, that is.

Mores’ the pity because meat pies are thoroughly enjoyable, especially the fancy gourmet ones. The Bachelor is an ambitious, pastoral romantic Celtic folk record. Some would call it poetic but that’s usually shorthand for “I don’t get it – but I know I should like it”. The excursions into Celt-lectro are unfortunate and blight the record but Wolf does have a unique ability to make you want more. Pies, that is.

JUSTIN HOOK

JOE OPPENHEIMER

Julian Plenti Julian Plenti Is...

Skyscraper [Matador] ...Is the Interpol guy.

That’s Paul Banks to be exact - I’m not sure where this Julian Plenti hodgepodge came from but it comes with certain expectations. I guess I sort of like Interpol, but his voice gets a bit too ‘angry dad yelling at his spoilt children’ for me. I always thought he needed to relax a bit - and that’s exactly what he does on this. Minimal guitar lines and repetitive yet pleasant vocals are at the soul of it, allowing the listener to respect him a little more as a songwriter. The title track is a great example of his ability to tantalise with subtlety, as is Unwind - a somewhat poppy jingle that grows with a few more spins. It’s a little hollow in some areas though, but maybe that’s your thing. I don’t pretend to understand Interpol fans.

TRAVIS HEINRICH

singled out

with Dave Ruby Howe

Miley Cyrus Party In The U.S.A. [UMA] Let’s be serious for a second.

Who’s buying this stuff? I can understand the tweens, but surely they alone don’t have the cash to get this junky pop into the charts? So people, real people over the age of 17 are buying this, playing it in their cars, singing it loudly, and seriously enjoying it. Houston, we have a problem.

Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West Run This Town [Warner] Jay-Z, Kanye and Rihanna, three urban pop forces to be reckoned with. Sadly, the combination of the three on Hova’s new single is actually kinda sucky. Kanye can barely keep up with Jay and Rihanna’s quasi-diva tones are more suited to her solo work. Talk about a missed opportunity.

Teenagersintokyo Isabella [Backyard] Shacking up with Bat For Lashes studio wiz Dave Kosten to produce their debut album has clearly been a stroke of genius for Sydney’s beloved Teenagersintokyo. On this stop-gap single, the band sounds bigger and better than ever before. There’s just this cinematic feel to things; the basslines are broodier, the drums more machine than man. Australia’s next big indie export? It looks like it.

39

the word on dvds

40

something in the water Something in the Water opens with a message, dedicating the documentary “to all the people from the west coast who chose to sing instead of surf, or play an instrument instead of a ball sport,” and from this point you get a general idea of the direction it’s taking. The documentary aims to study and explain “an Australian music phenomenon” – specifically, the explosion of quality acts from Western Australia, primarily since 2000. It begins back in the 1970s and ‘80s, looking at groups like The Scientists and The Triffids – the stated founders of the Perth music scene. It then wafts about for a while, eventually landing us in the mid ‘90s with the emergence of Jebediah – the group who revived the scene, brought about a renaissance in music culture amongst the sandgropers, and effectively moulded the current generation of artists who have saturated our ears for the past nine years (Eskimo Joe, Gyroscope, Sleepy Jackson, The Panics, End of Fashion, Little Birdy and The Waifs, to name but a few). To give away the secret, the documentary comes to the conclusion that all the conditions which once inhibited – and in some cases still inhibit – a culture of musical creativity in Perth – an absence of labels, isolation, a small population and a self-proclaimed redneck, backward culture – have ended up fertilising a strong, united, supportive and unique music scene. The documentary is enjoyable and fun, especially the early, more historical sections. But on reflection, you feel like there wasn’t a lot of insight and revelation that couldn’t be deduced by anyone with a little musical common sense (conservatism breeds rebellion?! No way!). There are some great interviewees, but they’re all much more impressive in the full interviews, which are included as an extra on the disc. An interesting watch overall, but hardly groundbreaking. ben hermann

Sex Pistols: There’ll Always Be an England

Queen + Paul Rodgers Live in Ukraine

Filmed by long time Sex Pistols documenter Julien Temple, There’ll Always Be an England captures the reunited band at the Brixton Academy in 2007, the 30th anniversary of their seminal LP Never Mind The Bollocks. The Pistols are in fine form: Paul Cook is the obvious standout, attacking his kit with the vim and vigour of a man a third of his age; sneaking in a few tasty leads, Steve Jones proves himself a dab hand on the guitbox, betraying his selfstyled anti-guitar hero image; and with his gold waistcoat/ black dress shirt combo and bouncy hair, bassist Glen Matlock looks like he’d be more suited backing Neil Diamond.

But of course punk was never about the uniform, maaan.

Though you wouldn’t know it to look at the audience – a sea of mohawks, safety pins and PVC, all gurning for the camera. Even notoriously terse frontman John Lydon – who generally never misses an opportunity to mock their reunion – appears to be enjoying himself, though he cheekily performs most of the show in a fluoro PiL shirt.

All this, however, is secondary to the ‘extras’ on the disc: The Knowledge – The Pistols Guide to London, an entertaining oral history of the band. It follows the members as they visit their old West End haunts, which more often than not are linked to an anecdote of Jones nicking some geezer’s clobber. They also stop by a greasy spoon for lunch, whereupon Jones and Cook enthuse, at length, on double pie and mash. Jones’ standing record? Eight in one day. Pies, that is. Meanwhile, Lydon surveys his beloved London from the back of an open top bus, becoming increasingly dismayed with “faceless, antisocial” modern architecture - the London Skywheel receives most of his vitriol – and ultimately, simply abusing bemused pedestrians. Brilliant.

Of course, nobody does these big shows quite like Queen. The title, Live in Ukraine, doesn’t quite do the featured concert justice.

It’s not just a live show. Queen rocked up to Kiev’s Freedom Square, where some 350,000 Ukrainians got whatever vantage point they could to see the show. Oh, and it was beamed into ten million Ukrainian homes simultaneously too. So, when we nod our heads sagely at the proposition ‘nobody does these big shows quite like Queen,’ did we mean to say ‘nobody did these big shows quite like Queen’? I think we did. Because Queen, you’ll remember, have been without original frontman Freddie Mercury for some years now and, whilst the decision on his successor was squarely surviving members Roger Taylor and Brian May’s to make (original bassist John Deacon is, as usual, missing in action here), I’m wondering whether they didn’t make a massive mistake in handing the role to former Free/ Bad Company throatsmith Paul Rodgers. Y’see, whatever the strength of Rodgers’ vocalisation (and it is prodigious), he’s just not a showman. Queen is all about bombast and, perhaps more importantly, camp – and Paul Rodgers just isn’t very camp. Whereas someone like former Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has the voice and showbiz chops to carry off a Fat Bottomed Girls, Rodgers – essentially a stony faced bluesman at the end of the day – just looks massively awkward.

And on I Want to Break Free you get the impression he’d really rather be anywhere rather than in front of the biggest audience of his stellar career. This is, of course, a great shame, but this is BMA – where the fact is king – and, whilst May especially puts in a blinder all over the show, its Rodgers straight-peg in a, ahem, gay hole performance that overshadows everything.

PETER KRBAVAC

Nambucco “Tenement Funster” Deliria

the word

on films

WITH MARK RUSSELL Researching info for Up, I came across page after page of internet-forum spiels, bemoaning the film’s scientific inaccuracies. Yep, in case you were a little unsure, this story of an old man who rips his house from its foundation and flies it to South America – doesn’t totally follow the rules of the physical world. This scared me – perhaps all the Pixar films had told similar lies. Till now I’d had total faith that Mr Incredible was a real person.

I couldn’t believe that maybe turtles didn’t actually sound like Sean Penn. Worst of all, I felt I’d wasted all those nights, camped out, watching my toybox for movement. Back away from the keyboard, wipe the cynicism from your face, and for God’s sake get a girlfriend!

quote of the issue

“I know a joke! A squirrel walks up to a tree and says, ‘I forgot to store acorns for the winter and now I am dead.’ Ha! It is funny because the squirrel gets dead.” Dug (Bob Peterson) Up

up

funny people

mao’s last dancer

What is there left to say about Pixar? Up is brilliant, another one hit clear out of the park. It’s the latest feature to come out of the studio that brought us pretty much every great 3D animation ever. As with all the previous Pixar offerings, they’ve spent just as much time on story, theme and screen-craft as they have on the seamless animation. This is why they’re leagues ahead of almost every Dreamworks animation – Kung-Fu Panda being the notable exception. This story of a lonely old man, Carl (voiced by Edward Asner) who still clings to a spirit of adventure, hits every beat with perfect precision.

We get the slow and nearly dialogue-free explanation of the loss of his wife, which carries a sad poignancy that would make even Clint Eastwood’s bottom lip quiver. Then it’s an extended repartee between Carl and Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai) as they fly off in the old man’s house, lifted by a mass of helium balloons. These filmmakers know what they’re doing. Rather than trying to draw adult audiences in by using jokes which go over kids’ heads, they simply work to bring the kid out in every adult. All we can do is sit back and enjoy the adventure. Up is slightly too dark for the very young but Pixar’s broad-ranging appeal is always going to risk losing one extreme demographic. But it’s fun, funny, perfectly voiced and will hold you in its grip from beginning to end. The short film preceding it, Partly Cloudy, further showcases the studio’s incredible ability to tell a children’s story without using dialogue.

Funny People is definitely Judd Apatow’s most ‘indie’ film to date, with its dull and grainy cinematography, wistful closeups and Wilco references. It’s clearly an extremely personal project, and tackles a more serious subject matter than his past offerings. The trailer promotes Funny People as being a lot more upbeat than it is – and, I hate to say it, a bit better than it is. George Simmons (Adam Sandler, potentially as himself) is a famous comedian who now makes schmaltzy family films, bangs women, and will never admit to being lonely and a complete prick. Oh, and he also happens to be dying. Ira Wright (Seth Rogen: a new, slimmer version) ends up befriending Simmons, and the two embark on the rockiest of bromances. Tonally, the film is weird. You’re not sure whose side you’re on, who you like or who you hate – and low-brow comedy exchanges follow semi-awkward scenes that ooze sentimentality. Funny People is patchy at best, and seems confused as to what it wants to be – although, running at over two hours, it’s definitely too long. Highlights include Ira’s roommates (Jason Schwartzman, Jonah Hill) while low points include Sandler’s irritating accents. That being said, some of the jokes are funny and clever (although there are plenty that aren’t) and Apatow does show his appreciation for comedians and comedy, as seen by the many cameos – from Paul Reiser to Sarah Silverman. All in all, Funny People is hit and miss. Don’t expect a laugh a minute, but it’s not entirely bad viewing.

A few years ago, the book Mao’s Last Dancer replaced Wild Swans as the must-have for every culturally-concerned, middle-aged woman in Australia. It’s the autobiography of Li Cunxin (Chi Cao), a Chinese ballet dancer who travels to America. It’s a fascinating story with inherent elements of love, politics, ambition and – naturally – people in tights.

Sounds like perfect fodder for a film, doesn’t it? It should be.

Veteran Australian director Bruce Beresford (Breaker Morant) has missed something here because technically – this is amateur hour. The events and story lack flow, the characters are drastically underdeveloped and the cinematography looks like that of a midday movie. At one particular low point a tense argument ends with Elizabeth (Amanda Schull) casting herself melodramatically onto a couch, exhaling in a caricature of soapie-style acting. Not only did this moment lack the desired emotional intensity, myself and a few fellow audience members actually laughed.

All this said, the dancing on show is incredible to watch and well-worth the price of admission. But Beresford has fallen into the trap of every film that requires an artist to learn acting, rather than an actor to take on the discipline. As with Centre Stage et al, there is easily as much wood in the cast as in the stage. We only get a sense of the characters’ personality when they dance and we’re not any closer to knowing them when the credits roll than when we started.

mark russell

megan McKEOUGH

MARK RUSSELL

41

GIG GUIDE Sept 16 - Sept 19 wednesday september 16

thursday september 17

Arts

Arts

An ‘Other’ Visions

ARC: High Lonesome (1991 18+)

Exhibition by Nicola Dickson. Until Oct 3.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

Deadman Monologue

An exhibition by Lily Hibberd. Until Oct 3.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

Borderlife

An exhibition by Julia Boyd, Rachael Freeman, Rose Montebello, Tess Stewart-Moore and r e a.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - GORMAN HOUSE

Flaura, Fauna and underwater

An exhibition by Anne K Brown featuring images of flowers, plants and animal life. ‘Til Sept 27.

KIKU ARTS GALLERY, BUNGENDORE

Headspace 9

Following on from Pennebaker’s Down from the Mountain, a chance to see Rachel Lieblings’ 1991 documentary history of Bluegrass music.

ARC CINEMA, NFSA

Dance

Live The Cool

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Chilean Independence Day

Featuring tropical music guru Mario Gordon.

MONKEY BAR

Blueprint Festival

Jebediah, The Panics, Blue King Brown, Tim Rogers and more. www. blueprintfestival.com. Sept 18-21.

ARARAT, VIC

JW Sparrow

Ashley Feraude

With I Dream in Transit from 9pm. $5.

Nathan Frost

Chris Duke and The Royals

TRINITY BAR

Jack of all trades

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Chris Santiago

Of Santiago & Bushido fame with Vance Musgrove, Ronnie Gordon, Mike G and Cheese.

TRANSIT BAR

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

With Top Sickmen, Hoodlum Chaps and 1000 Years.

THE BASEMENT

I Dream in Transit

Nightmare songs with fairy lights and lo-fi keyboards.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Coolio Desgracias & Vance Musgrove

Self identities - making connections.

Exhibition of student self portraits. ‘Til Nov 15.

Live Amber Nicholls

Hip-hop and funk that’ll get your toesa-tappin’.

Printmaking Exhibition

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Tame Impala

With Nick Lovell. From 8pm, $5.

TRINITY BAR

By local printmaker Antonia Aitken.

Free. Until Sept 20.

Marji Curran Trio

ANCA GALLERY, ROSEVEAR PLACE

CHISHOLM TAVERN

Sundown Syndrome Tour. With support from Jonathon Boulet and The Laurels.

Tix from Ticketek.

Immortality Without the Assistance of God

Charles Chatain

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Free live music at King O’Malley’s.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

CHISHOLM TAVERN

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Exhibition by Helen Shelley. Until Sept 20.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Portraits + Architecture

An exhibition exploring creative process and identity. Until November 15.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Live

With The Adam Hole. 8pm.

Something Different Open Mic Night

Crime Scene

After Work Jazz From 5 to 8pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

9pm.

Something Different

Karaoke

DJ Jazzenator

POT BELLY BAR

Cash prizes and 2 for 1 basic spirits and tap beer. DJ Peter Dorree from 11pm – 5am with FREE pool.

Playing solid gold retro vinyl ONLY! DAS KAPITAL

Live Jazz

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Arts

The Drunk Unkles

Over studying and just wanna party!?

We’ve got your Thursday night covered.

Happy hour all night!

Abstraktions

Carry On Karaoke

2009 AFI Award Short Film Nominees (R18+).

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Karaoke With Grant

Live music every Wednesday lunchtime at Biginelli Espresso. 12.45-2.15pm.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Uni Night Thursdays

BAR 32

8pm, $5.

PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Charles Chatain

PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Free live music at King O’Malley’s.

Friday september 18

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Soul Child

Soul chanteusse Mariam’s first Australian solo show. Tix only $6 online at www.kremlinbar.com.au .

KREMLIN BAR

Pez

National Tour - A Mind Of My Own. Tickets from Ticketek.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Something Different $5 Night @ Transit

2 pizzas and a pint $15 all day. Get fed and watered and still have change for pool. Result.

TRANSIT BAR

Fame Trivia

PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Karaoke Night

HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON

Arts OBEY Shepard Fairey Posters

saturday september 19

Arc: New Australian Cinema

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Arc: Keep on Rockin’ (1969, 15+)

Da Pennebaker follows legends from Joplin to Hendrix to Little Richard to Jerry Lee Lewis.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

25 of Fairey’s posters, best known for his iconic poster Obama/Hope. Until Jan 17.

Dance

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

With D’Opus, Smish, Dubdeckerbuss and Roashambo.

Dance LLIK LLIK LLIK TRANSIT BAR

Jemist

Ugbeat CEO, supple hands

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Tame Impala After Party: Sidney Samson

Bang Gang DJs, Ashley Feraude, Reverse Dog, Beat It, Offtapia, Hubert, Ryz, Team Wing and Sextape.

Mercury Switch Soundsystem TRANSIT BAR

Alterlatino

With DJ Angel.

HIPPO LOUNGE

Ry-Fi

Eclecto-fantasmo fun for the dance floor.

TRINITY BAR

Jemist

Easy listening, easy on the eyes.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Candy Cube

Rev

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Canberra’s weekly alternative club night with two levels of DJs playing rock/ indie/dance/punk/pop.

BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse.

Shakedown!

Indie, alt, dance and electro with residents Skullss, Veda, Celebrity Sextape, Relay and M.E.R. $5.

BAR 32

42

GIG GUIDE Sept 19 - Sept 25 Live

Something Different

Pot Belly Trivia

Something Different

The Dirty Love

Hip-Hop Workshop with Ro and D’O

Trivia Night

Uni Night Thursdays

With Pauly the Watertiger, The Chuffs.

THE BASEMENT

Scaramouche & Marji Curran Trio

With Mud Pie Princess and Voss.

Supporting CO-ID organisation brining education to Bangladesh. $15.

HOLY GRAIL, CIVIC

Oscar

Free live music at King O’Malley’s.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Brazilian Paradise

Do some serious writing with the local legends of rhyme. Limited places. www. traversepoetry.org .

ACT WRITERS CENTRE

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Avenue Q

Come and have a fiddle.

monday september 21

Blind Eyed Gods

Hospitality Night

The Drunk Unkles FILTHY MCFADDEN’S

The National Rockabilly Ball

A very special night of 1950s music, dancing, fashion and style. Bookings: 0407 434 469 or www.thefolkus.org. au .

THE FOLKUS ROOM, FORREST

Something Different Portraits + Architecture Lecture

wednesday september 23 Arts

Dance

THE PHOENIX PUB

PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Irish Jam Session

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

With Friend or Enemy and Point of View.

POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN

Featuring Univibes DJs.

A new breed of musical.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

I’m Tom Meade Gaskin Who the Fuck Are You? Exhibition opening. Autobiographical sculptures and drawings. 6pm.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

TRANSIT BAR

Live

LIVE

Live Jazz

Bootlegs

With Lisa and the Lost Boys, Jonathan Fisher, Rachel Cooper, The Feldons and One Foot in the Gravy.

THE PHOENIX PUB

tuesday september 22

Live music every Wednesday lunchtime at Biginelli Espresso. 12.45-2.15pm.

ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Kooky Fandango THE PHOENIX PUB

Lisa Mitchell

On the Wonder Tour with supports Oh Mercy and Whitebird & Lemons. Tix from Ticketek.

With Pia Ednie-Brown, Senior Lecturer Architecture RMIT University.

live

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Filthy’s Muso Night

Something Different

Kokoloco Dance Party

From 7.30pm.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

FILTHY MCFADDEN’S

DAY PLAY

(TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

Gorman House Markets GORMAN HOUSE

sunday september 20 Dance Kosmos Lounge

It’s almost lift off! It’s the last hurrah before the big hurrah so you better come along. 4pm.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Scottie Fisher & Vance Musgrove

The cocktails are flowing, the atmosphere is jumping and entry is free.

TRINITY BAR

Cube Sunday

Party on after the weekend is over with DJ TJ from 10 ‘til late. Free pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Chuse Jazz Tuesdays Antóin MacGabhann and Mick O’Connor With Tony O’Rourke. www.thefolkus. org.au .

THE FOLKUS ROOM, FORREST

Something Different An Introduction to Genetics The Musical!

Topics include Darwin, Mendel, GMO’s and of course the acid (of the deoxyribonucleic variety). Free!

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

$5 Night @ Transit

2 pizzas and a pint $15 all day. Get fed and watered and still have change for pool. Result.

Karaoke With Grant PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Live Gypsy Fire

Antal Szalai and his Hungarian Gypsy Band present a night of exciting world music.

SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB

Domus Adultus

With Sally Holiday, Greg Carlin, Second Son and Infinite Decimals. 8pm, $7.

HIPPO LOUNGE

Something Different FasterLouder 5th Birthday Party THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Floriade Nightfest

Five nights of live music, outdoor film screenings, comedy acts, markets and more.

COMMONWEALTH PARK

Karaoke

Cash prizes and 2 for 1 basic spirits and tap beer. DJ Peter Dorree from 11pm – 5am with FREE pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

friday september 25 Arts

Fame Trivia

By Helmut Loofs-Wissowa. Until Oct 15.

Karaoke Night

Alliance Française Jazz Night

COMMONWEALTH PARK PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON

thursday september 24

TRANSIT BAR

Trivia Night Trivia Night

Ashley Feraude

Fame Trivia

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

THE DURHAM, KINGSTON

TRINITY BAR

From 7:30-10:30pm

PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Five nights of live music, outdoor film screenings, comedy acts, markets and more

With MDX, Cheese, Scottie Fisher, Yohan Strauss, Nolly, Mr Wilson, Sam Turnbull and Skywalker

PHOENIX BAR, CIVIC

Carry On Karaoke

Floriade Nightfest

Dance

HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON

BAR 32

TRANSIT BAR

TNT: Tuesday Night Tunes (Karaoke)

Open up your pipes and murder the classics for your chance to win big.

Over studying and just wanna party!?

We’ve got your Thursday night covered.

Happy hour all night!

Mingle

TRANSIT BAR

Drawings from Indochina

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

With the Pollen Trio. 7-9pm.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Dance 360

Parklife headliners MSTRKRFT, A-Trak and Tiga with Jeff Drake, RyFy and Bricksta. 15+, $40.

UCU REFECTORY

The Crunch

Charming, witty and good looking

The Crunch will provide the soundtrack while you hang out at one of Canberra’s best cocktail joints.

Staky

Downtown Brown

TRINITY BAR

Bats, bowls and fields.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

43

GIG GUIDE Sept 25 - Sept 29 Purple Sneakers DJs

saturday september 26

TRANSIT BAR

DJ Jazzenator

Playing solid gold retro vinyl ONLY!

Arts

Rev

Copy Cat: Fakes Forgeries and Appropriations

DAS KAPITAL

Canberra’s weekly alternative club night with two levels of DJs playing rock/ indie/dance/punk/pop.

BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

CCAS Members Show. Until Oct 4.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Dance

Live

UniVibes Presents VILLAINY

Hard ACT to Follow All Ages Launch

Stigmata, Friend or Enemy, Corgi Crisis, InPowered. 6-9pm, $5.

WODEN YOUTH CENTRE

New sounds, along with a few new faces playing up-tempo funk, booty breaks and groovin’ house.

HIPPO LOUNGE

Caramelo

Hard ACT to Follow O/18s Launch

Latin Flavour DJ Angel in the Candy Bar. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Bent Hen, Futility, Loud so Clear and system Addict. 9pm, $10.

Kosmos Lab

Look out folks it’s back! Gotta love this community, come share the love Kosmos Style!

THE BASEMENT

Heuristic

Free live music at King O’Malley’s.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Dubdeckerbuss

After Work Jazz

The Bristol breakbeat bad boy himself entertains your night at no charge.

From 5 to 8pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

TRINITY BAR

Michelle and Mick Mulcahy

Shunji

With Aoife Granville. www.thefolkus. org.au .

Sydney via Canberra, genuine legend.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

THE FOLKUS ROOM, FORREST

Ashley Feraude

Voted #3 ACT DJ in the Sony inthemix 50 awards, 2009.

Something Different

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Drag Idol

A dozen ‘baby’ drag queens and kings competing to be Cube’s Drag Idol 2009.

From 9pm.

Chris Fraser

Poetry Slam

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Indie, alt, dance and electro with residents Skullss, Veda, Celebrity Sextape, Relay and M.E.R. $5.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Bad poetry! Oh Noetry! There’ll be none of that. $3.

Celebrating Arthur’s Day

Join the global toast to Arthur Guinness.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Get Nicked Australian Music Trivia Night

Test your knowledge of Australian music. Special rounds on Nick Cave. $15. Bookings: 6262 1271.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Candy Cube

Shakedown!

Five nights of live music, outdoor film screenings, comedy acts, markets and more.

COMMONWEALTH PARK

Traverse Poetry’s September Slam Hosted by the eccentric Julian Fleetwood and starring Randall Stephens.

TRANSIT BAR

James Annesley Quartet

Melbourne jazz, free cheese and a selection of beer and wine for $5.

IMPACT COMICS, GAREMA PLACE

Five nights of live music, outdoor film screenings, comedy acts, markets and more.

COMMONWEALTH PARK

TRINITY BAR

Irish Jam Session

Something Different

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

National Capital Craft Beer Festival

Come and have a fiddle.

monday september 28

17 craft breweries showcasing 80 types of beer! Gourmet food and live performances over two days.

Dance

Kokoloco End of Term Party

Featuring Univibes DJs.

OLIMS HOTEL

Lots of dance performances from 7.30pm.

NEW BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

James Stevenson A good belly laugh!

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Floriade Nightfest

Five nights of live music, outdoor film screenings, comedy acts, markets and more.

COMMONWEALTH PARK

DAY PLAY Gorman House Markets

Hospitality Night

TRANSIT BARMON

Live Bootlegs

With Glenroi Heights, Cuddlefish, Cartesian Discotec, The James Fahy Trio.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Movember Fundraiser

Final Lies with Caleb Skips Chemistry and Double on Hearts.

POT BELLY BAR

tuesday september 29

GORMAN HOUSE

sunday september 27 Dance

Arts Films @ The Front

Short films from local artists. 7pm.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Cube Sunday

Chuse Jazz Tuesdays

TRINITY BAR

Sin City

Party on after the weekend is over with DJ TJ from 10 ‘til late. Free pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Something Different

THE BASEMENT

Live

Hecklers Competition feat.

Lindsay Webb

With Zero Degrees, Fallsuit Theory and West of the Sun. Free!

WODEN YOUTH CENTRE

Tribute to Mamady Keita

Explosive live drumming show. Tix at the door. Enquiries: 0414 236 323. www. drumeffect.com.au .

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

basement jaxx casual projects break even a-trak metronomy

…AND MORE

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Floriade Nightfest

FILTHY MCFADDEN’S

Live

Free live music at King O’Malley’s.

The Hell City Glamours

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Live

Black Ice

OUT SEP 30

Waterford

50% off back issue comic books, 30% off graphic novels and manga and 25% off t-shirts and toys.

10 metal bands from 3pm. Rawk!

Mikah Freeman & Hubert

CURRIE CRESCENT HALL, KINGSTON

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFE

Impact Comics 5th Birthday Sale

Onslaught of Sound

BAR 32

Point of View

Floriade Nightfest

Something Different

THE PHOENIX PUB

With Athol.

DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse.

With Pauly the Watertiger, Moots, Johnny Roadkill.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Wicked City

Vorn Doolette

Selected as one of Rolling Stone’s 15 Artists to Watch in 2009. 6pm, $5.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

(TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

Part of the Tilt Comedy Festival.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

TNT: Tuesday Night Tunes (Karaoke)

Open up your pipes and murder the classics for your chance to win big.

TRANSIT BAR

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SIDE A: BMA dj profile

Purple Sneakers DJS

Where did your DJ name come from?

Purple Sneakers is Sydney’s biggest and longest running indie club. We are the resident DJs at the club. So… Purple Sneakers DJs!!

Group Members? PhDJ, M.I.T, Ben Lucid, Nick Findlay.

Describe your sound: Fucking party music!! We mix and mash every genre you can think of with a focus on new guitar-based indie music.

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Kamahl, Hall & Oates and Olivia Newton-John.

What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing? We all DJed sober once… that was really weird.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? This is a really hard one as this whole year has been our biggest achievement! We have been lucky enough to have played at Field Day, Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass, the upcoming Parklife national tour and we just finished our very own national tour. It has all been amazingly awesome!

What are your plans for the future? Alcoholics Anonymous.

Oh and also taking over Europe, the US and Asia! In reality our plans for the future hopefully include the Purple Sneakers DJs mixing an indie/dance compilation!

What makes you laugh? PhDJ when he is drunk.

What pisses you off? PhDJ when he is drunk.

What’s your opinion of the local scene? We really love the Canberra scene. Since starting here in January we have met some really cool people and seen some really amazing bands.

However the fact that we are not originally from Canberra makes us a little wary about passing judgement about this sort of thing. We can say that all of us are very big fans of The Trivs, Hancock Basement and the Strangeways DJs. What are your upcoming gigs? Parklife National Tour, Festival Of The Sun (Port Macquarie), Trackside Festival and the last Friday of every month in Canberra at Transit Bar. Contact Info for Media: Tim Poulton tim@boundarysounds.com p: 02 83990830 www.boundarysounds.com

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FIRST CONTACT Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@hotmail.com Annie & the Armadillos Annie 6161 1078/0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/ songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 087 833/colebennetts@gmail.com Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402 845 132 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208 DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835 or moises_lopez@hotmail DNA Vic 0408 477 020 Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com Entity Chris 0412 027 894 Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com Final Lies Dan 0413 784 941 final.lies@ gmail.com Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Lachlan 0400 038 388 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Funk Shui Dave 0407 974 476 Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594 Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375, hancockbasement@hotmail.com Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096 Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com The Heroines Belle 0417 453 811, belindaleadbeatter@hotmail.com Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 Infra Retina Kyle 0437 137 775/Michael

0425 890 023/www.infra-retina.com In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703 Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650 Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884 Jacqui Seczawa 0428 428 722 JDY Clothing 0405 648 288/ www.jdyclothing.com Jenn Pacor singer/songwriter avail. for originals & covers, 0405 618 630 Jim Boots 0417 211 580 Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408 287 672, paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/ dj@karismakatz.com Kayo Marbilus myspace.com/kayomarbilus Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417 025 792 Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075 Los Chavos Andy 0401 572 150 los.chavos@yahoo.com.au Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462, contactus@manillagreen.com, Mario Brujo Gordon world/latin/ reggae/percussionist and DJ. 0405 820 895 Martin Bailey Audio Engineer 0423 566 093 Mercury Switch Lab Studios mercuryswitch@internode.on.net Missing Zero Hadrian Brand 0424 721 907 hadrian.brand@live.com.au Moots aspwinch@grapevine.com.au Huck 0419 630 721 MuShu Jack 0414 292 567, mushu_band@hotmail.com MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/ www.myspace.com/myonus No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680 Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580 OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448 Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027 Phathom Chris 0422 888 700 The Pigs The Colonel 0422 412 752 Polka Pigs Ian 6231 5974 Premier Audio Simon 0412 331 876, premier_audio@hotmail.com Redletter Ben 0421 414 472 Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527 Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680 Roger Bone Band Andy 0413 483 758 Rob Mac Project, The Melinda 0400 405 537 Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041 Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776 Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350 Simone Penkethman (Simone & The Soothsayers, Singing Teacher) 6230 4828 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401 588 884 Solid Gold Peter 0421 131 887/ solid.gold@live.com.au Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748 Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853 Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479 System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556 Taboo Bamboo Greg 0439 990 455 The Morning After (covers band) Anthony 0402 500 843/ myspace.com/themorningaftercovers Tiger Bones & The Ferabul-Zers Danny feralbul@aapt.net.au Tim James Lucia 6282 3740, LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514 Transmission Nowhere Emilie 0421 953 519/myspace.com/ transmissionnowhere Udo 0412 086 158 Undersided, The Baz 0408 468 041 Using Three Words Dan 0416 123 020, usingthreewords@hotmail.com Voodoo Doll Mark 0428 650 549 William Blakely Will 0414 910 014 Zero Degrees and Falling Louis 0423 918 793 Zwish 0411 022 907

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