BMA Mag 364 Feb 02 2011

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The Necks Crane for your support #364FEB2

Cut Copy Paste new songs

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Darren hanlon at the street

Jump around!

Jump around!

Jump up, jump up and get down! # 3 6 4 F E B 0 2 Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne General Manager & Advertising Manager Allan Sko T: 02 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Julia Winterflood T: 02 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: 02 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Super Sub Editor Josh Brown Graphic Design Cole Bennetts Exhibitionist Editor Yolande Norris E: exhibitionist@bmamag.com Film Editor Melissa Wellham Principal Photographers (The Flashbulb Posse) Andrew Mayo Nick Brightman NEXT ISSUE 365 OUT FEB 16 EDITORIAL DEADLINE FEB 7 ADVERTISING DEADLINE FEB 10 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.

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When the latest press release for Australia’s beloved troubadour Darren Hanlon arrived touting his Butterfly Bones tour, we here at BMA initially despaired at the lack of a Canberra show. “Bollocks to that!” the BMA Bossman cried.

A call to the lovely folk at The Street Theatre later and, my dear folk of Canberra, we have a Hanlon show. On Wednesday March 2, the man will be joined once again by Shelley Short (backing vocals/guitar) and Steph Hughes (drums). Tix are $29 std/$27 concession/$23 student from The Street Theatre - boxoff@thestreet. org.au or phone our office on (02) 6247 1223.

Wikileaks Rally The world has been shocked

by US measures to persecute WikiLeaks and Assange and to silence critics. The defence of WikiLeaks is a defence of freedom of speech, so join the rally in Garema Place on Saturday February 5 from 12.30pm. A jazz-fusion band will build up to four keynote speakers and the microphone will then be turned to the crowd.

Lend your voice to defend WikiLeaks’, Julian Assange’s, and our rights.

Floods Fundraiser at The Red Herring Here’s your chance to catch some music at the new café in Civic. Dro Carey is an electronic music producer whose music fits somewhere between dubstep and witch house (from Warren Ellis’ website: “[witch house] is a floating point between glo-fi, goth, postpunk, library music hauntology, drone, doom ambient and a spooky pouch of other things.

And bad Italian horror movies, apparently.” –Ed.) ^(*^H0rs3 mACgyv3R$&*( is well known for his wild, chaotic sets, while Shoeb Ahmad will be playing some sweet drone bliss. It’s all

Canberra Boys Bring You Vida A couple of business savvy Canberra boys decided there’s room in the fridge for a new drink that isn’t laced with chemicals, so they made Vida Sparkling Mineral Water. It’s got nothing artificial and comes in three sexy flavours. They’re throwing a bash at Civic Pool to launch their beverage range, where there’ll be Brazilian samba dancers, DJs and free Vida samples. It’s all happening on Sat Feb 6 from 12 ‘til 4. Entry is $6 which includes a bottle Vida.

The Ellis Collective Single Launch In a rare moment as special as your drinking buddies offering the first shout, The Ellis Collective is offering its first single Means What It Means from their ambitious debut album of the same name.

Means What It Means is The Ellis Collective at its finest, retelling the jagged-edged disappointments of ordinary life against a backdrop of staccato string sections and multi-layered harmonies, sizzling pizzicato, shredding guitar and driving bass lines.

The album will be released in May, but head to The Phoenix on Saturday February 18 for the single launch and stay tuned to these pages for info on the album launch.

Summer Rhythm Fest and Beauty and the Bass Joint Tickets Summer Rhythm Festival and Beauty and the Bass are offering joint tickets for

$150. That’s a grand total of 15 headliners, five stages, three days, two good causes (beyondblue and the QLD floods) and one red carpet, all for the price of a regular one day festival ticket. Check out the Facebook groups for more info.

E.L.K fundraiser After years of unsuccessful ACT arts grant applications and coming to the realisation that the ACT Government’s finger is clearly not on the pulse (bridge officially burnt), Canberra’s favourite urban artist E.L.K is taking matters into his own hands with a fundraiser to gather cash to assist in creating a new body of work to exhibit in Canberra later this year. All donations over $20 will receive an original E.L.K print while larger donations will receive larger works. To donate to the cause visit www.pozible.com and find E.L.K.

Groovin The Moo 2011 Line-up Well slap me with a sausage and call me Susan… They’ve only gone and done it again.

Groovin The Moo returns to the University of Canberra ‘meadows’ on Sunday May 8 with another glittering international line-up including The Go! Team, The Drums, House Of Pain (WTF?), Datarock, The Wombats, UNKLE Live, Washington, AC Slater, Architecture In Helsinki, Art Vs Science, The Aston Shuffle, Birds of Tokyo, Bliss n Eso, Cut Copy, Darwin Deez, Drapht, Gotye, Gyroscope, The Holidays, Horrorshow, The Jezabels, Nina Las Vegas (triple j) and Sampology (AV/ DJ Set). Tix are $99.90 + bf from Moshtix or gtm.net.au .

House Of Pain

happening on Sat Feb 5 at 8pm. $10 entry, with half the profits going to the flood appeal.

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FROM THE BOSSMAN Alright, you poor bastards, I have chewed your ears veritably to the nub over the past months with the antics of my bub and dear lady wife (who has more Patience than The Grates… nice little esoteric musical pun for you there to kick things off), so it’s back to a rich source of content for this column; my general failings.

For there are many complicated things in life that I’m actually rather good at (just ask the wife). There are also an equal number of very simple things that I’m not very good at. Playing practical jokes seems to be one of them.

A good practical joke is an art form. Any chuckle-enthusiast can stick a firework in some poor octogenarian’s letterbox, or scrawl the word TWAT in permanent marker in an insensible-to-drink mate’s bald spot (the latter being undeniably funny). But a truly great gag strikes a deft balance of humiliation and inclusion that allows the prankee to enjoy the trick as much as the prankster.

Directing a classmate’s gaze into the purview of a teacher’s bent over arse is comedy gold all round. Wiring up a shotgun to fire at face level once someone depresses a door handle doesn’t quite cut it. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s homicide, Dad. So if practical jokes are an art form, then when it comes to playing them on my dear friend and fellow office dweller Cole Bennetts, I’m a veritable crap artist. On no less than three occasions have my perceived simple, harmless and chucklesome gags been perverted into a Trio of Trauma.

YOU PISSED ME OFF! 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 rude, moronic, aggressive asshole of a bogan who rammed me with a stroller several times at Belconnon mall - YOU PISSED ME OFF!!! In case you hadn’t noticed, you insensitive JERK-OFF, I was walking slowly because I have a disability and can’t move any faster. When you rammed me the first time with your hillbilly, GoLo fucking stroller you may have noticed that I tried to get out of the way because I am often embarrased by my disability? No? That must have been because you were too busy continuously ramming me with your evil spawn to realise that I CAN’T GET OUT OF YOUR WAY IF YOU ARE PINNING ME TO THE GROUND WITH YOUR TINNED SPAGHETTI-LADEN STROLLER!!! And no, continuing to smash into my already painful legs is NOT the fastest way out, strangely enough. But it’s interesting that you continued to pursue this exit nonetheless. Now, I know you aren’t smart enough to do anything but fuck and drive (as your ‘fully sik’ Commodore and in-bred football team of children suggest) so let me put this in words that you’ll understand: BANG STROLLER INTO PEOPLE, BAD.

The first concerned a punnet of strawberries. No ordinary punnet, you understand, but one unearthed from the bowels of the oft-neglected BMA fridge where it had been lurking, undetected, behind a miscellaneous bowl of green for some while. Time had gifted the strawberries a rank, but admittedly very impressive, coat of fungus; a thick, wiry tangle of furry filth so impressive it could rock up as the fifth member of The Beards (more musical comedy for you there).

Fortunately the lid was on, keeping most of the harmful spores somewhat safely in the container. Gingerly, and with a pair of forceps, I extracted the item. I was about to insert it into one of the yellow Biohazard bags we have around for just such occasions when a wicked thought sparked between my ears.

Cole had popped out for the afternoon, y’see – no doubt to freshen up the porn collection. What a delightful jape it would be, thought I, to go into his office, take off the lid, place a comical spoon into the strawberries suggesting in a ‘hilarious’ fashion that this pulsating punnet was ready to eat, and be ready for the ‘delicious’ reaction upon the man’s return. After all, he was only out for an hour or so. O what jolly harmless fun.

Harmless it would have been if Cole had in fact come back within an hour. He didn’t come back within an hour. He didn’t come back at all that day. In fact, being Friday and a long weekend, Cole didn’t end up returning to his enclosed office space until a good 100 hours later. During summer. Rank, hot, festering summer.

Upon finally setting foot in his office, the simple ‘got strawberries?’ gag had escalated into miniaturised germ warfare, the air thick with a belch of poisonous spores that covered all his expensive computer and camera equipment. If the punnet was ready to be the fifth member of The Beards on Friday, come Tuesday it was ready to go solo by consuming all four members in a scene reminiscent of Doctor Who and The Plant of Doom. I offered to call the Biohazard specialist, swiftly followed by a doctor.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be my only poisoning effort of the long suffering Mr Bennetts. As you shall discover next issue...

ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

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another thing…

My friend Micky Strong, former roadie and general factotum to the stars, is writing his memoirs, and he wants you to be his guinea pigs… ladies and gentlemen, an excerpt from Godhammer PA… “I left Colehills at nine o’clock this morning – a lie in! – and set off on a shopping trip. I’d got breakfast ready for Bobby (bacon, eggs and a reviving whiskey and soda – it’s only a Monday after all), gone into his room and given him a shake, had some quick nosebag myself (as above, minus the liquor) and made myself scarce as early as possible. This is the sort of drudgery my life comprises. People in the village think it’s all glamour, celebrity parties and that kind of thing.

But life as an ageing rockstar’s ‘man Friday’ is far from what you’d expect. Very fucking far.

Anyway, I digress, shopping it is, because my Master, Bobby Shrubbs, of ‘70s rock behemoths Godhammer, requires some new shoes for a Danish television performance later this week. Colehills, ‘the ancestral pile’ as the old man likes to refer to the sprawling 16th century Manor House we inhabit, is in the middle of nowhere. To get anything for either of us, or guests, or the house, requires a 90 minute round trip for me into the nearest town. Internet I hear you say? Home deliveries? No sir. Since John Lennon was sent packing by ‘a member of the public’, Bobby Shrubbs has harboured a deep seated fear of anything beyond his immediate control. When I suggested a weekly supermarket delivery direct to our door, he declined because, as is his way, he’d decided somebody might put anthrax spores in his Rice Crispies.

So, with time at a premium, here I am in a sleepy Chiltern market town on a Monday morning looking for the kind of shoes a heavy metal legend might wear on late night television. Over the years I’ve developed a parallel personality of my own – I switch almost imperceptibly between hard-bitten roadie and addled monster of rock with lightning speed, and myself and Bobby are of similar height and build (sometimes, after the Lennon incident, I think this is why I got the job, if you see what I mean), so on these trips I become Bobby Shrubbs, as opposed to Mick Strong. And I don’t even have to enter a telephone booth to effect the transformation. Great Manton has two shoe shops – one for the twin set and pearls set, the other for ‘young people’. Bobby saw some snakeskin loafers he liked the look of in a magazine last week, so my target for tonight is a pair of same.

“Snakeskin? I’m sorry, not much call for that here…” The reply is half chortled, the two assistants smuggling smirks at one another as I make my request. “Well, imitation snakeskin would do, I suppose. As long as it’s a good imitation.”

“I’m sorry. If you like I could ring head office, see if they have anything of that kind up in London?” Whilst this is going on the manageress has arrived with coffee and buns for the workers. “Hello Mickey, shopping for Mr Shrubbs are you?” she looks down at my own, scuffed, battered and nearly ten-year-old footwear. “Or is it something for you?”

“Nah, it’s for the boss. He’s after a pair of snakeskin loafers. Off to Denmark to film some sort of ‘where are they now?’ show on Thursday and wants to look the part.” Nikki, the manageress, rolls her eyes skywards and hoots with laughter. “Whatever did you think you’d find here?” I know. I know that two hundred quid pairs of Bespoke shoes don’t appear on the shelves of bucolic footwear suppliers. But has anyone tried telling this to Bobby Shrubbs, co-writer of At the Going Down of the Sun In Mordor and I Am Godhammer?” More next time…

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scott adams - thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com

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WHO: Ukulele Masters WHAT: Melbourne Ukulele Festival Roadshow WHEN: Sat Feb 19 WHERE: The Merry Muse

The Melbourne Ukulele Festival is back for a second year and this time it’s not just Melbournians who get to share in the joy of the uke; they’re spreading the love and taking eight sensational ukulele artists on the road. Five impressive internationals and three local legends – the cream off the top of the MUF – will play The Merry Muse on Saturday Feb 19, including Uni and Her Ukelele (USA), Ukulelezaza (Belgium), Shelley O’Brien (Canada), Paul Moore (Israel), Jontom (Italy), Bosko and Honey (Qld), Dino Divo (Melb).

Tickets are $20/$17. Head to www.muf.org.au for more info.

WHO: Merkaba WHAT: Awaken album launch WHEN: Sun Feb 6 WHERE: Transit Bar

Merkaba is a deep progressive project from Elliot Wilmot. From jamming out as a drummer to spinning hip-hop and breakbeats for six years Elliot has always had a healthy relationship with music, however, it wasn’t until Jan ‘07 when he found himself barefoot in the bush in front of some monster speaker stacks that he realised his ultimate musical direction. The doof had changed him forever!

Merkaba combines deep basslines with lush melodies and tribal percussion. Prepare for a vibrational journey that connects the mind, heart, body, and dancefloor. With Fatali (Israel) and Black Samurai. in support. Tix $11 through Moshtix. 2pm.

WHO: The Heroines WHAT: Debut EP launch WHEN: Fri Feb 11 WHERE: ANU Bar

The Heroines will be releasing their highly anticipated debut EP on Friday February 11 at ANU Bar. With an electrifying live show and local support acts The London Circuit, Fun Machine and Pretty Crane, it promises to be a corker. The EP was produced/ engineered by Jean-Paul Fung (Birds Of Tokyo, Art Vs Science and Little Red) and recorded at BJB Studios. The result is a polished product that captures The Heroines unique sound and the raw energy and emotion of their blistering live performances. Entry is $5 or $10 with an EP.

WHO: Outdoor cinema and live music lovers WHAT: Flix in the Stix WHEN: Sat Feb 26 WHERE: National Botanic Gardens

Flix in the Stix is coming to Canberra for the first time and will feature one of Australia’s most acclaimed singer/songwriters, Mark Seymour. The Canberra Flix event will be staged at the National Botanic Gardens on Saturday February 26 and will feature short films from Australia and abroad. Seymour will play two live sets in between the short films. “It’s the way movies and music were meant to be enjoyed – dining out under the stars with friends and family,” said promoter Simon Rollin. Head to www. flixinthestix.com.au/canberra for more info. Tix through Moshtix.

WHO: Wandering minstrels WHAT: Groovin’ in the City’s Free Range Folk WHEN: Wed Feb 2 – Fri Feb 4 WHERE: Roving in various Civic locations

There’s nothing like a happy face tramping about the place with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. That’s exactly what you can expect to encounter during the first week of Feb. Groovin’ in the City’s Free Range Folk program brings you the impossiblenot-to-love Rafe Morris, Lachlan Coventry, “one of Canberra’s coolest jazz players who wanders free with the breeze and the notes”, Sarah Daphne, a multi-instrumentalist, Anton Wuzer, a virtuoso piano accordionist, and the Canberra Scottish Fiddler Trio. It’s all happening from noon onwards for a couple of hours, so pack that sandwich and seek out a wandering minstrel.

WHO: Anarchist Duck WHAT: The funk WHEN: Mon Feb 7, Thurs Feb 10 WHERE: The Phoenix / The Front

The funk returns to Canberra this February with Gold Coast reggae/rap-hop trio Anarchist Duck, playing two shows on their way to the Adelaide Fringe Festival. At the end of last year Anarchist Duck captivated audiences at Island Vibe Festival with their new blend of high-energy reggae infused with funk and wicked rhymes. The Ducks have also been busy recording bass player Julia Rose’s self-titled debut EP, which will be launched at separate shows. For further details check out www.myspace. com/anarchistduck and www.juliarosemusic.com .

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ZONO THEY DIDN’T matt petherbridge Renting a warehouse space in outer Melbourne gives a band a certain freedom to do, well, whatever the fuck they want, which is exactly what CUT COPY did during the making of their third album Zonoscope.

Inspired by a random assortment of records, including Grace Jones’ Slave to the Rhythm, David Bowie’s Young Americans, Malcolm McLarens’ Duck House and cratefuls of house music, Cut Copy became isolated from the rest of the world. They constructed songs for the first time by jamming into all hours of the night in complete isolation, experimenting with archaic synthesisers such as a Fairlight CMI, “which became the basis of a lot of the songs” and nights of crazy programming. Drummer Mitchell Scott tells me about all things Zonoscope over a mid-morning chat.

“Part of the idea of having our own studio space to work in at home in Melbourne was just to make ourselves really comfortable in a really awesome environment, to be alone, to record in and just see what came out of that with no real pressures of time constraints or being away.”

[Zonoscope] has this weird coexistence of a natural and manmade world in a strange way that shouldn’t exist together

If you were listening to triple j closely last year, you might have heard the chant-heavy Where I’m Going. The Zonoscope version is mixed a little bit differently, with more emphasis on percussion.

“The radio version was mixed by correspondence, so there wasn’t as much back and forth. We were quite happy with it, but we still felt like that there were ideas we wanted to try when we came into the actual mix stage.”

The thread of extraneous percussion permeates through the entire record, especially with current single Take Me Over, as Scott acknowledges my own reference of the song to Fleetwood Mac’s charming ‘80s synth pop album Tango In The Night. “That style was something we were going for, a bit of a jungle fever sound to it. We wanted to make the percussion more of a feature, to make things more rhythmic and hypnotic.”

Cut Copy travelled to Atlanta to mix the record with Ben H. Allen at Maze Studios, who has worked with Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective and even P. Diddy. “Yeah, he did a lot of stuff for P. Diddy and for Bad Boy Records. The thing that really interested us about his records was they were skilfully mixed and sounded a little bit like where we are coming from, but his major background is in hip-hop. We were interested in the chance that he could bring something completely different to the record.”

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The album art of Zonoscope is the work of the late Japanese photomontage artist Tsunehisa Kimura. Frontman Dan Whitford brought the image to the band and Scott describes the image as “arresting”, sharing similar ideas to the record. “It has this weird coexistence of a natural and manmade world in a strange way that shouldn’t exist together.” For those with a great Australian music memory, they may remember Kimura’s individualistic, stunning works from another landmark Australian album released in 1984, Red Sails in The Sunset by Midnight Oil – which shared a similar post-apocalyptic feel.

The band has a big year planned; they’ll be back in Australia for the Laneway Festival, then jetting off to Europe in March, then to the States for some big festival action such as Miami’s Ultra Music Festival and Coachella in the California desert. They’re taking a percussionist with them on tour, something which delights Scott, who laughs as he humbly shoots down rumours of their live show becoming a Talking Heads-esque art spectacle. “Getting better spots on festivals requires you to do a little bit more; we’re interested in bringing more people on stage and doing more stuff with our live show but to compare anything to Stop Making Sense though, it’s going to come off second best!”

Scott says the band finds overseas touring inspiring. “We find when we’re away overseas, we don’t really spend much time writing. We never stop amassing records though, going record shopping wherever we can and seeing bands at festivals as well.

There’s lots of ways we get inspired overseas! When we get home, that’s the time we digest our new massive record collections and decide what to approach next.”

Taking these records home without any problems is another matter, of course. “We seem to cop it [oversized baggage] wherever we go. In Indonesia, they tried to charge us $30,000 for our excess baggage and a large part of that was just a bribe, which they wanted in cash!”

Speaking of touring, the band were offered a spot as world dominatrix pop star Lady Gaga’s global support band on The Monster Ball for a year. Halfway through making Zonoscope, they graciously turned her down, as Scott explains. “It’s not at all like we want to be big noting ourselves, talking about bands that we’ve turned down. She’s kind of cool as far as pop stars go. It just would have taken us longer to tour with her AND do our new record, than we would ideally like anyway. While I’m sure it would have been good in a career sense, that’s not how we approach our music.

Taking it into a realm like that wouldn’t have boded well for us.”

Cut Copy are a part of the upcoming Laneway Festival. Canberra’s closest leg is the Sydney show, held on Sunday February 6. Tickets are sold out, so you might have to pull up a deckchair around the block! Zonoscope is reviewed on page 44.

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ALL AGES Finally the ever so anticipated LiquidFest is right around the corner.

On Saturday February 5 not only are you granted a delightful evening swim in the midst of this scorching heat, but also all the energising live entertainment that you could ask for. The Queanbeyan Aquatic Centre is playing host to a cavalcade of local and interstate acts including punk/ska six-piece Los Capitanes, Corporate Takedown, No Assumption, Steady the Fall, Escapade, The Whole Shebang, the Urban Prophetz Recordz crew, Battleship, YBD and In District. The action commences at 6pm, and entry costs a mere $10 at the door.

On Saturday February 6, Sydney mosh metal five-piece Shinto Katana are going to make the floors of the Axis Youth Centre shatter. Local acts Reiner, All for Eternity, Deceiver, Venom Eyes and I Saw the Eagle will also find their way up on stage to make your evening just that little bit more satisfying. Tickets can be bought at the door when they crack open at 5pm for just $15.

Rising Canberra band I Exist and Sydney-based hardcore/slayer five-piece Phantoms are setting out on tour in celebration of their new split 7 track record Bad Romance. On Sunday February 13 you have a chance to witness both bands live at the Axis Youth Centre in Queanbeyan. These bands each have a great live reputation, and you can experience double the energy for just $12 at the door at 6pm.

Sydney metal legends Resist the Thought and Burried in Verona have joined forces for a spectacular combined tour that they have dubbed the I Wanna Give It tour. Being the first gig hosted by the Tuggeranong Youth Centre in a disturbingly long time, this one on Friday February 18 deserves a good turn out. Need me to sweeten the deal for you? Okay. Local pride Knives to the Throne, Hands Like Houses and Prospects will be hitting the stage for all your moshing needs. Tickets can be bought from Moshtix for the presale price of just $12 and $15 at the door of the venue at 6.30pm. Hope to see you there!

Austrian hardcore quad Bloodshed Remains, after touring the Philippines, will be hitting our steamy shores on the Australian east coast tour with punk/hardcore band Mark My Words from the Central Coast. With more acts still to be announced, this is a rare opportunity to see what quality of hardcore Austria has in store for us fanatics. You can catch the action at the Axis Youth Centre on Friday February 25.

Finally it feels that we’re being compensated for months of boredom and frustration. But remember, we don’t want it ending any time soon. So get out there and be a part of the scene! Show these bands and venues that are finally giving us a chance exactly how many of us appreciate it and more importantly, how much we all appreciate it. So get in there! These bands want to see the energy that Canberra’s all ages scene is famous for. So show them.

NAOMI FROST allagescolumn@gmail.com

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LOCALITY

A week ago I was walking from PJ’s to Phoenix with some mates on a mid-week pub crawl. Outside Smiths I spied a giant black and white poster that had half come down. I smoothed it back up to reveal an incredibly intricate tapestry of celestial beings, wide-eyed insects, prehistoric, aquatic and winged creatures; all manner of aliens, ghouls, beasts and birds stared out from the A0 poster. It was arresting. Here was a giant awe-inspiring artwork, and it was advertising a gig. In Canberra. Of course it came as no surprise then that the poster was for Travis H Heinrich’s Hey Dad, can you pick me up from Josh’s, otherwise it’s like two buses festival happening at Phoenix on Feb 12 and 13.

Says Heinrich, “Quite simply, the reason I’m putting this gig on is to support our local talent. I’m proud of the bands we have here in Canberra – especially considering our population. Things seemed a bit dreary in recent times with venues closing or threatening to close, but there’s a great feeling of optimism that’s come about in the last few months. People are side-stepping the red tape and are putting on gigs at unusual places – totally DIY. For example, Smiths, the amphitheatre, ANU Art School, and house parties et cetera. It shows that there’s a huge want for this out there, that people are thirsty for this kind of grass roots culture.”

They’re thirsty alright, both the punters and the art and music makers. Heinrich has enlisted no less than 18 acts to play HDCYPMUFJOILTB and, along with a sizeable swag of visual artists, they’ll transform Phoenix for one weekend into a cavernous cavalcade of the new and unique. Who knows what effect this festival will have on Canberra’s creative future?

“The great thing about all this is the snowball effect. People are being inspired by these bands to start their own, or collaborate, or put their hand up to play some weird gigs. It’s a really great, supportive community that comes with this, and we’re all in it together. That’s where my gig comes in. Sure it’s at a regularly frequented venue, but in terms of its size – it’s definitely not a regular gig.”

The man’s right. Never before has our favourite pub played host to a festival of such epic proportions. Only with Electric Lake have we experienced such an extensive list of artists to enjoy for free. And that’s where the beauty lies; in the complete lack of financial incentive.

It’s clear that Heinrich has the good of his hometown at heart.

“It’s all about getting that community together and (hopefully) sharing it around to other people who may not be familiar with it. Someone might come to see one band they like, but then walk out totally in love with ten other bands they would never had known existed. That’s really positive, and I love to do what I can to promote that. I’m like an embarrassing dad showing pictures of his kids to another dad in the supermarket. I’m proud of Canberra’s grassroots culture!”

JULIA WINTERFLOOD julia@bmamag.com

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WHEELS ON THE PARTY BUS PETER KRBAVAC “What we should have done is carried the dictaphone around and said really short aphorisms,” says Shaun, one half of local duo PARTY BUS, towards the end of our chat. “‘Party Bus is all of the hopes and dreams you had as a seven-year-old being realised in reverse.’ ‘Party Bus is eating a bento box then going to Ali Babar afterwards and eating a kebab, just to eat more than a friend.’”

Sure enough, I catch the band in the midst of ‘Gluttony Sunday’: the band and entourage have just polished off bento boxes and are heading over for the aforementioned round of kebabs. Last time I saw Shaun was when Party Bus People was playing the prime-time overestimate slot at last year’s Art School the creative Ball. Shirtless, with ‘The Champ’ process and how scrawled across his back in black marker, the man commanded the important it is stage with the wired, nervous energy of a young Jilted John. Today, as we stand in front of the juice fridge at IGA, he seems an entirely different person.

Party Bus was formed in 2007, while the pair were still in college. “I was sitting in my room and thought ‘man, maybe someone should play some really obnoxious music and it should be called Party Bus,’” Shaun explains. The genesis was a plastic ten dollar microphone from Dick Smith and a copy of Fruityloops 5: “Surely the greatest piece of software ever written – you can do anything with it,” Matt – the Flava Flav to Shaun’s Chuck D – enthuses. “It’s up to about version nine now, but I still use five,” Shaun adds.

The band cite “b-grade teenage coastal hardcore” as their main influence, singling out Eat Concrete, Droppin Bombs, Thinking Big and Bad Attitude in particular. A punk attitude via electronic means, then. They quickly established a sound, characterised by primitive electronics and frenetic beats, and have stuck with it steadfastly.

“You know who told me I shouldn’t stick to one genre while doing a band?” Shaun says. “A dude who had dreadlocks who caught my bus.

So yeah. Cut the dreads, Marley.”

Since those early bedroom beginnings, the band has made markedly little progress, though this isn’t something either member seems concerned with. When was the last time they wrote a song, I ask?

“Years ago,” Matt says. “We already have the sweet selection of jams so we’ll just bust those out when our friends ask us,” Shaun adds.“There’re already 50-something tracks floating around, and they were all written in a six month period,” says Matt. “People overestimate the creative process and how important it is,” Shaun continues. “Really, you just need to go hard. That’s far more important. Captain Ahab have the extra guy in the band who doesn’t sing or do anything, he just goes hard. That’s probably what inspired the ethos. You’ve just got to be that guy.”

Catch Party Bus live at the Hey Dad, can you pick me up from Josh’s, otherwise it’s like two buses festival held at The Phoenix over SaturdaySunday February 12-13. Free entry!

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DANCE THE DROP The dance music industry can be compared to a primary school playground. Firstly you have your big fish, who was always the first to get Reebok Pumps, owned the monkey bars and slippery slide and dated your sister. Then there are the mid-level feeders who make a decent, if not spectacular, living by being neutral and impassive towards their bigger rivals. These guys can usually be found playing handball over near the bike racks or chasing the tomboys around the oval. Then there are the low level dwellers; this group usually consists of a combination of outcasts from the top two tiers – these are the guys who inhabit the shadows, only revealing themselves to steal your lunch money and buy cigarettes from the kids across the street.

The one redeeming factor in this circuitous society is the willingness of people to come together in a crisis and, working with each other instead of against each other, achieve amazing things. None more so than the wave of incredible fundraisers which our local music community has put together for the QLD flood victims, and for these I commend you all.

One of these events is Beauty and the Bass, which kicks off on Friday February 18 at the Hellenic Club in Woden. This massive event is headlined by Goodwill (MOS), Beni, “the world’s longest running resident DJ” Nik Fish and Sesame Street antichrist Elmo is Dead, alongside an impressive list of local acts across two rooms. Your entry fee also includes free wine and tap beer between 7 and midnight and all proceeds are being donated to the QLD flood appeal.

I think it’s official that the Effigy gang own the first few weeks of February. First up they have the Merkaba album launch party featuring Israeli tech star Fatali and Black Samurai (Melb) at Transit Bar on Sunday February 6, followed by progressive god Charlie May, who makes a rare Canberra appearance at Hippo Bar on Friday February 11. For those of you who weren’t allowed into clubs in the early noughties, May was instrumental in Sasha’s early production career, credited as the main man behind albums AirDrawnDagger and Involver and the best record of all time (in my opinion) Xpander.

Fans of the beat genres have enjoyed a rousing start to the year, with acts like Sub Focus, Nero, Chase and Status, the Stanton Warriors, the Freestylers and the Plump DJs all touring Australia in January. If that hasn’t been enough to satisfy your hunger for rumble, a new night titled Redonk is being launched at The Clubhouse on Saturday February 19. This is being billed as a ‘UV Party’ so I would imagine it’s like being inside a massive solarium full of dubstep and alco-pops. Acts on the night include Shifty Business, Dred, Riske and D.Wils.

Producer watch: two beatmakers who have featured heavily in my sets lately include recent Mau5trap signing Feed Me and house specialist 123XYZ. Download away kiddies!

TIM GALVIN tim.galvin@live.com.au

myspace.com/pangnight

IN THE JUNGLE TIM GALVIN Italian born producer/DJ MOWGLI isn’t one to follow trends. He wears a black shirt to weddings, eats cereal for dinner and has not yet adopted a black child from a third world country, all figuratively speaking of course. “I don’t like playing tracks that everybody knows – I try to have rare records to surprise the crowd,” he says. “I think you can always evolve but it’s getting harder and harder to do something original because everything has been done already but sometimes even just freshening an old school sound, it has to be considered new.”

I don’t like playing tracks that everybody knows – I try to have rare records to surprise the crowd

It has been a big year for the artist, lugging his jungle book sobriquet all over the world, spreading the gospel of house music to all corners including a memorable tour of Australia in early 2010. “My Oz tour, I always love it so much, but also some other shows I had in the US and Brazil. It has been a great year for me music-wise.”

Interestingly enough, in a world where DJs are embracing hardware more and more, Mowgli has remained true to the art of mixing rather than layering sounds using a bank of machines, a trend which some say has threatened the long lost art of crowd interaction. “No, still DJing with CDs,” he says. “I don’t think technology will take away from DJ experience but it can actually take us in new directions and make better shows. I am thinking myself now to integrate video with music as well, but it will take a while.”

W-ith enough recent frequent flyer miles to secure a window seat on Virgin Galactic, somehow Mowgli still manages to remain active in the studio. Not buoyed by the resurgence of the ‘electric noise’ genres so popular in today’s club music, he prefers to carry the torch for purity. “I don’t play just one genre, I believe in playing good music; it could be house, deep house, tech house, techno... I am always producing so I have a few tracks I am testing in the club these days.”

Most DJs have an awkward request story and while the bulk of those anecdotes are merely built around a drunken solicitation for a Britney Spears record, Mowgli was once approached at a show by a cassette wielding maniac. “The walkman thing was funny because that guy, who I don’t think was fun but just very wasted, came to me and asked if I could play the tape inside the walkman… and, I mean who the hell has a tape recorder to DJ, are you serious? I looked at him to see if he was joking but he was very serious! So funny.”

Mowgli returns to our shores this month for a series of shows, although he has more than music on his mind when asked what his favourite things about our country are. “The weather, the people, the ladies.”

A man after my own heart really.

Catch Mowgli live at Trinity Bar on Sunday February 6. Entry is free so get there early!

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Jimmy Porter is played by Ben Williams, Australian National University graduate and star of many a local production, including Free Rain’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and Paris Hat’s debut production of Closer.

Image: Tara Shield

Also a Canberra local is theatre veteran Fiona Atkin, starring as Alison Porter. Currently in the midst of her PhD on Sam Shepherd at the ANU, Fiona has appeared in an overwhelming array of performances, and will this year also direct Paris Hat’s production of Equus.

The company enjoyed a successful season in 2007, with productions of David Mamet’s Sexual Perversity in Chicago and Patrick Marber’s Closer. This year, Paris Hat has reformed, and is bound to leap from success to success, with Look Back In Anger leading the charge.

ANGRY YOUNG MAN ZOYA PATEL Giving us yet another reason to be glad we live in Canberra this year, local theatre company Paris Hat Productions is staging the 1956 John Osborne classic LOOK BACK IN ANGER at the Courtyard Studio of the Canberra Theatre Centre.

A play rife with emotion, that spawned the term ‘angry young men’, Look Back In Anger centers on Jimmy Porter, a disaffected, restless young man whose anger at the complacency of the world around him escalates to the point of violence, resulting in him lashing out at his wife, Alison, and his family. Added to this volatile mix are Jimmy’s friend and flat-mate, Cliff, and Alison’s actress friend, Helena.

The play offers insight into the disillusionment of the modern world, and is as beautiful as it is bleak. An emotional journey of sorts, Look Back In Anger is driven by four distinctly different characters, each offering specific and relatable qualities for the audience. Where Jimmy is grappling with his dissatisfaction at the world around him, Alison is struggling to understand her husband, and maintain a semblance of their relationship. Both Cliff and Helena are catalysts creating a different tide in the household, affecting Jimmy and Alison as well as themselves.

Director Cara Irvine was not unaware of the effect that such an emotionally volatile play could have on the cast.

“Working on this play has been quite emotional for everyone; I know for a fact that it has taken its toll on the cast, who spend hours during rehearsals living the intensity of these characters,” she agrees. “I have been very lucky though; I have a great cast who work amazingly well together.”

Look Back In Anger presented a number of challenges for its director – not only are the characters complex and the emotions strong, but the play is very much rooted to its 1950s setting. The concerns and trials faced by the characters are linked to the rise of a new middleclass, and the characters are driven by the motives of their time.

Rather than trying to modernise the play and risk losing the vibrancy that the era lends it, Irvine preferred to maintain the original time period. “When this play was written in 1956, the world was going through a pretty turbulent time,” she explains.

“It was the British who really felt the strain. A once mighty empire was beginning to crack and fragment. In the process Look Back in Anger gave a powerful voice to the new generation that was emerging.”

In fact, in 1956 the play sparked major controversy in the theatre industry, as some considered it too dark a portrayal of society, whilst others viewed playwright Osborne as having opened an entirely new door in theatre.

Although the period in which it was written is important to Look Back In Anger, Cara is confident that modern audiences will be able to easily relate to the play.

“John Osborne gave a voice to a generation of disillusioned youth, bringing to light the feelings of ‘angry young men’” Irvine says. “I think that the youth of our generation feel similarly disillusioned and, like Jimmy, over-informed and over-educated. We have a great deal to say, but no-one to listen, and our anger is often taken out on the ones we love most.”

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angry young man

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With these dark themes and difficult characters, it would be easy to assume that seeing Look Back In Anger would be a rather depressing experience. However, Irvine suggests that this is not so.

“The magnificent thing about this play is that whilst it can be confronting, emotional and explosive, there are some very tender, beautiful moments too. My cast have really found that balance in the play.”

Audiences can expect a lot from this complex piece of theatre.

“This is a battlefield, where an angry young man attempts to rattle those around him as he cries out for change,” Irvine describes. “The audience will see some amazing performers tackle some of the most brutal dialogue from British theatre. They will explore relationships that are pushed to breaking point, the fullest extent of love, and the anger and frustration of knowing too much and having your hands tied by life and circumstance.”

Promising a thrilling performance, Look Back In Anger will cause the audience to experience the same aches of emotion that the characters undergo. As Irvine enthuses, “Intelligent and often frightening in its honesty, Look Back In Anger was unlike anything to come before; it shocked, awed and even enraged audiences in the ‘50s, and I hope it will again today.”

Look Back In Anger is showing at the Canberra Theatre Centre’s Courtyard Studio from Thursday February 17 – Saturday February 26. For bookings contact 02 6275 02700.

SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON Vanessa Wright “Because social change doesn’t always start with a wave… sometimes it starts like a ripple in a bath tub, a red herring which no one believes in until they’re swimming home” Quote on THE RED HERRING CAFE business card, Unknown source The Red Herring Café in Civic is the newest addition to the Canberra café/gallery/live music scene; I mean if you can call it that, as a ‘scene’ implies that the number of venues in Canberra can’t be counted on one hand. Like a lot of locals, I have been known to complain about the lack of events and venues in our fair city. However, while some of us continue to complain there are other industrious individuals who are actually making a difference. Zara Jackson-Martin happens to be one of those hard-working individuals who, in just four months, turned the dream of owning her own inner city café into a reality. The multitasking Herring has already become a popular Canberra spot, thanks to its cozy laidback atmosphere, delicious locally roasted coffee and maybe that free wifi too.

All the food is handmade by Jackson-Martin herself and includes sandwiches, amazing looking quiches as well as an assortment of cakes and treats that boasts lots of vegan and gluten free options.

The space is large and airy and full of well loved couches, chairs, tables and even a bed - perfect to snuggle with your book (try one of theirs since The Red Herring also maintains a secondhand bookshop) or maybe even your date. Try not to get too fresh though, this is a family friendly establishment, with Twister, Nintendo and other distractions for the young or young at heart.

Jackson-Martin hopes that the café can become a environment where people can not only come and hang out, but also view art and handcrafts on display, see exhibitions of local artists’ work, and listen to live music - every Friday night from 7.30 till late with many various one-off gigs in between.

Image: Tara Shield

Coming up on Saturday February 5 is Dro Carey, *&%*HORS3 MACGYVER”:>%^( and Shoeb Ahmad – a night not to be missed, especially when half of the ten dollar entry fee is going towards victims of the recent Queensland floods. It’s the perfect opportunity to check out what may well become your new favourite cafe haunt in the city. Just like in the sitcoms, you too can have a coffee shop as comfy as your own living room; maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see one of your own friends participate in an awkward poetry reading or musical performance.

The Red Herring Café can be found at 83 Petrie Plaza, Civic and is open 8.30am – 5.30pm Mon – Sat and 7.30pm – 10.30pm Fridays. For more information email cafe@theredherring.com.au or just drop in and say hello! For event inquiries contact Emma events@theredherring.com.au .

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WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? EMMA GIBSON When writer/actor Sarah Quinn reads self-help tomes (for research only of course) she often finds amusement in them. Let’s face it, when you don’t need the help contained within, the self-help genre can be pretty funny. In fact, it’s become something of a new religion—one turned on its head by the production OTHER PEOPLE’S PROBLEMS. Quinn performs the self-help themed show solo, and also penned one of the three short plays which it is comprised of.

“I had the sketches of a script based around this teenage V-logger who had started a sort of informal advice line for teens. Kids write in and ask her advice, and she—in her infinitely well-meaning, 15-yearold wisdom—tells them what she thinks.

Soon enough, she finds internet ‘fame’ and, well, it ends up spelling disaster. It’s a comedy, by the way. But that doesn’t mean bad things don’t happen!” Quinn explains.

“I knew [award winning comic] DeAnne Smith had an idea for a motivational speaker character, and we had been throwing ideas around for a while. So I asked her and Samuel Booth, my best friend and a writer, if they would each write a 15–20 minute character to form a thematic trilogy. They are all different styles, and unrelated stories, but the theme brings them together. It helps that we all share a similar sense of humour, so it is all quite dark, in a way. I hope it makes some kind of comment or warning about the nature of buying advice, and the vulnerabilities inherent in us all.”

The play premiered at Adelaide Fringe in 2009, then went on to a sell-out season in Montreal. After Canberra, Quinn—and her alter egos of bubbly teen video blogger, unhinged life coach and a plain Jane who takes matters into her own hands with a self-help sex tape—are touring to Melbourne, Sydney and New York.

And has Quinn ever turned to self-help books herself? “I am by nature quite cautious of giving anyone or anything too much influence over my faculties. So, I am not personally suckered in by the phenomenon (probably why this show is so sceptical, overall), but I have dabbled. I thought The Secret was hilarious. ‘Imagine yourself behind the wheel of your new convertible...’ I’m a big fan of positive thinking and creative visualisation, but a lot of the self-empowerment movement is very materialistic. It’s like pyramid selling,” Quinn says.

“The actual act of telling stories, exploring someone else’s mindset, making people laugh, communing in that way, that often feels like the healthiest thing in the world. That’s my therapy.”

Catch Other People’s Problems at The Street Theatre on Friday February 18 and Saturday 19. For tickets contact 6247 1223 or visit www.thestreet. org.au .

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ARTISTPROFILE: Luke Penders

What do you do? I primarily work with sound, usually in an installation sense. Lately I have also been working with video, only periodically though because rendering annoys me.

When did you get into it? I have been experimenting with sound for as long as I can remember, but I started really focusing on it around 2001.

Who or what influences you as an artist? I become really obsessed with something and it snowballs. Also other artists.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? In the short term, I think organising Chain Gang was a fantastic experience.

It was great that so many local artists got together in such a short amount of time to fill a space that wouldn’t normally be used for that type of thing. It gave me a huge insight into the logistics of organising a group exhibition and it also gave me ideas of what to do in the future (or what not to do).

What are your plans for the future? Make money.

What makes you laugh? First world youth culture problems to be addressed.

What pisses you off? First world youth culture problems.

What’s your opinion of the local scene? It’s the best. To quote a stoned Doctor: “It takes me back to Newtown, 1987”. It seems there are more and more people in Canberra putting on shows, exhibitions, actually getting out there and doing things themselves, which is fantastic.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? A Butt/ My Feathery Kiss at Smiths Bookshop in February. Check www. pendeaux.com/abutt.html or our facebook page for the exact date.

I am also taking part in a project called RE: this year, www.regarding. com.au, and I have some video and print work in an art/music extravaganza at The Phoenix pub on February 12 and 13.

Contact info: www.pendeaux.com

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Irish by birth and Australian by popular adoption, he explains his indifference to nationality with his familiar thick accent. “I certainly identify with people who live in this country, but as far as that idea that they are different from any other people, that’s just nonsense.

The biggest differences I find [between countries] are people’s facial expressions. Polish people are a bit hard to read - I think it might be as a result of Communist rule having slightly suppressed their facial expressions.”

There is no doubting that Australians share a deep connection with the Irish both in blood and beer, a kinship Jimeoin attributes to geography. “I think it’s just because they are a long way away from each other - Brazil gets on fabulously with Scotland, but if they were next door to each other like Australia and New Zealand I think it might be a bit different.”

ACCIDENTAL AUSSIE TIM GALVIN When Dr Cyril P Callister used waste from brewery vats to whip up a thick brownish paste which we all know today as Vegemite, I’m sure he was blissfully unaware he was creating an Australian legend. Similarly, when Jim Eoin McKeown stepped on stage for the first time at an amateur comedy night, I’m sure he never imagined it would lead to him becoming a household name on a pointy slab of rock 1000 miles away from home.

The storytelling vein runs deep in the McKeown family, JIMEOIN crediting his dad for providing him with robust jesting genes. “When I talk to my father, he is just fantastically abstract about things, and it’s just pure stand up. You could just put him straight on stage because he just has that train of thought.”

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One of his latest projects, the aptly named Over the Top TV series, follows the entertainer on a tour of the Northern tip of Australia, taking in some interesting locations. “Yeah it was good to go where you’re not wanted and see how that works, to see how many jokes I really do have. It turns out it’s just the two, and one was my head,” he laughs. “What was really nice was when I got to the point where I didn’t care anymore you know. I like that frame of mind, and if I can get myself into that frame of mind for a gig it’s just fantastic.”

With Australia day behind us and St Pats day looming like a warm pint of Guinness on a cold bar, I ask Jimeoin whether he has any special plans for celebrating this year. “Actually Irish people annoy me on St Patrick’s Day, you can’t be more Irish on a particular day.

It’s like being more Australian on Australia day, like saying “G’daaay’, ‘Crikey’ and ‘Fair Dinkum’ more.”

Jimeoin takes the stage at the Canberra Theatre on Saturday February 5.

For bookings contact 02 6275 2700.

WHO: Rosie Allen, Faline, Linzie Ellis & Shakira Longmore WHAT: Exhibition Me, You, She, Her WHEN: On show until Sunday February 6 WHERE: Belconnen Arts Centre

bit PARTS WHO: Most everybody WHAT: Arts and music fest, aka Hey Dad, can you pick me up from Josh’s, otherwise it’s like two buses WHEN: Saturday Feb 12 and Sunday Feb 13 WHERE: The Phoenix At the tail end of the school holidays and at the birthing point of O-week, something terribly exciting is happening. Hey Dad, can you pick me up from Josh’s, otherwise it’s like two buses is a festival showcasing 18 outstanding local bands and a plethora of artwork from some of Canberra’s best emerging visual artists. The starring creatives include Anja Loughhead, Annika Romeyn, Dean Butters, George Rose, Lucinda Eva-May, Luke Penders, Patrick Larmour, Robbie Karmel, Stella-Rae Zelnik, and Travis H Heinrich.

It’s all happening over two huge days, for free, at The Phoenix, Canberra’s longstanding arts haunt.

Belconnen Arts Centre presents an exhibition that visually reflects the conversations and relationships between four artists - Rosie Allen, Faline, Linzie Ellis and Shakira Longmore – all Graduates from the Australian National University School of Art in 2008. The Canberra based artists are committed to developing their individual artistic practices, and their hard work culminates in Me, You, Her & She – an expression of friendship, teamwork and a sheer love of art making. Catch the show at Belco until Sunday February 6.

WHO: Aspiring young thespians and theatre workers WHAT: Writing and acting workshops WHEN: Enrolments close Friday Feb 4 WHERE: Canberra Youth Theatre After 40 years, CYT is Australia’s longest running youth theatre company, continuing to expand and develop its extensive workshop and production program for young people aged 7 – 25 years. In 2011 the workshop program is back bigger and better than ever, featuring classes at Gorman House & Belconnen Arts Centre ranging from set and costume design to playwriting, clowning, improvisation and more. If you’ve been curious to get into theatre then this may be your chance to join the excitement in the lead up to CYT’s 40th Anniversary in 2012. Enrolments close on February 4, so download an enrolment form now from www.cytc.net To find out more or check out the full workshop program visit the site or call 6248 5057.

WHO: Lisa Twomey, Angela Parragi, Nicola Hearn and Laine Stewart WHAT: Exhibition Paint People WHEN: On show until Friday February 4 WHERE: Belconnen Gallery, Belconnen Community Centre Through a mix of individual styles and contrasting use of colour and texture, Belconnen Gallery’s latest exhibition highlights just how many ways there are to paint people. As an extension of their Emerging Artist support scheme, after visiting December’s ANU School of Art grad show, the gallery invited four emerging painters – Lisa Twomey, Angela Parragi, Nicola Hearn and Laine Stewart – to show a selection of their portrait paintings to explore the relationship between their contrasting techniques and viewpoints, and the effect of seeing them presented together. A great way to ease back into the exhibition year with a display of fresh paintings by fresh young painters.

WHO: Josh Thomas WHAT: A Work In Progress WHEN: Mon Feb 7 - Sat Feb 12 WHERE: The Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre This month Josh Thomas drops back in to town on a mission to develop his brand new stand up show for 2011. As a part of this process Thomas will be performing his work-in-progress material in the intimate surroundings of the Canberra Theatre Centre’s Courtyard Studio for six days. This is a chance for local punters to catch the Generation star and Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Most Outstanding Show nominee up close and personal. Tix are on sale now for $26, and bookings can by made by contacting the CTC on 02 6275 2700 or by visiting canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

WHO: Dan Lorrimer WHAT: Exhibition Space Displace WHEN: Opens 6pm on Thursday Feb 3, on show until Sun Feb 13 WHERE: Canberra Contemporary Art Space Manuka In a cracking start to their 2011 exhibition schedule, CCAS presents a show of new works by Dan Lorrimer, in collaboration with emerging curator Vanessa Wright. It’s a debut solo exhibition for Lorrimer, who recently graduated from the ANU School of Art with an Honours degree in Sculpture. You may have seen his previous work in group exhibitions such as standout 2010 exhibition Twist, Wall + Fever and Reflex at M16 Artspace. Space Displace showcases an artist still inspired by movement and the possibilities of industrial materials, but taking a slightly new direction inspired by 3D computer graphics.

Get in early and catch the opening drinks!

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justin hook For over 20 years THE NECKS have existed in a parallel universe to the Australian music scene. Often categorised as an experimental jazz trio, they are one of the few acts that continue to defy the straightjacket of genre definitions. On paper they do indeed appear to be the traditional ‘jazz trio’ of bass, drums and piano. But as each show they play is entirely unique The Necks are also one of those rarest of bands which invite audience members inside the creative process through unscripted hourplus performances. Improvisation is nothing new, but usually there are boundaries or cheat notes to fall back on. Not so for this trio. And each of their 15 albums is like each concert; a once off performance piece that will never be replicated. So amongst many other achievements The Necks have neatly solved that troublesome song request heckle.

For the band’s next set of Australian shows they are second on the bill to newly reformed neonoise legends Swans. It’s the first time they have ever played support to another act but are nonetheless thrilled with the opportunity that came about through a chance meeting with Swans leader Michael Gira on their first US tour in 2009, as bassist Lloyd Swanton explains. “It came about because one of the keystone gigs of that tour was at the Big Ears Festival at Knoxville, Tennessee. The promoter pretty much organises it for his own amusement, getting bands he likes. It was the show we built the first tour around and Michael Gira was also performing.

We had a chat and for Tony [Buck – drums] particularly, Swans were very influential on him back in the 1980s.”

It’s one thing to have Brian Eno hand pick you when he’s in town but to then say ‘come and do it all again’…

As is surely always the case in the experimental, avant-garde rock circles someone in The Necks’ posse knew someone in Gira’s posse and soon enough he had offered the band a North American distribution deal through his highly regarded label Young God Records. With the North American shows going incredibly well, including an effusive review of their Knoxville gig by the tastemakers at Pitchfork (“The Necks’ two Knoxville sets were two of the best hours of music I’ve ever heard”) and capacity crowds in every city they played, a Gira-led distribution arrangement was met with open arms. Then the financial crisis put the kybosh on the whole thing. “Yeah, the GFC hit and Michael had to scale down his operation dramatically and was unable to offer that deal anymore.”

Young Gods is a boutique label run pretty much by Gira alone and with the financial uncertainty he simply wasn’t in a position to take on new acts. But there was an upside. “We were disappointed but possibly as some sort of consolation Michael offered us the support for their [Swans’] first ever tour of Australia. We think it’s a really nice match.”

The band has been fortunate enough to find another really nice match with studio egghead, renowned boffin and restless futurist Brian Eno on two occasions in the last 18 months. Firstly in mid 2009 when Eno was curating Sydney’s Vivid Festival under the Pure Scenius along with Jon Hopkins, Leo Abrahams and Karl Hyde (Underworld) and then for a return performance at Brighton 12 months later, again at the invitation of the bald domed one.

They were obviously doing something right. “It was fantastic working with Brian because he’s such a significant figure and it was incredibly flattering that he wanted us in the first place. And then to get asked at the Brighton Festival was a real feather in the cap. It’s one thing to have Brian Eno come and kind of hand pick you when he’s in town but to then say ‘come and do it all again’… well, it was also reassurance that the concept had legs.”

Despite Eno’s restless polymath tendencies he’s also the ultimate pragmatist. Able to swing effortlessly between innovative regenerative art (77 Million Paintings) and producing doleful, Brit mop rockers (Coldplay) without skipping a beat. And far from being intimidated with the gig, Swanton was pleasantly surprised with his boss-for-the-day’s work ethic. “It was a revelation to see how no-nonsense and humble he is. I now have an inkling to why he’s so renowned as a collaborator: he brings out the best in people and there’s no air and graces at all, very down to earth. His dad was a postman!”

Famously, Eno rarely plays live and continues to rebuff offers to return to the stage with his former band Roxy Music so Swanton is fully aware of how lucky the band were to not only get the invite but share the stage, as he explains. “For all the intellectualising and trying to get to the future before everyone else, he’s very rooted in the real world. The whole concept he conceived was extraordinary and we had to make some concessions to the fact that we weren’t the only people on stage but Brian hasn’t worked live in years so we were very lucky. I found it a little nervewracking but also got a huge buzz out of it.” Both shows received reliably ecstatic reviews and for those unable to make the trip up the highway or to the other side of the globe to see the all day performance there is hope despite the challenges. “By definition it’s quite unwieldy but there’s definitely talk of doing it all again in the future. And everything was recorded so there’s also every likelihood of an album coming out at some stage.”

Catch The Necks live at The Street Theatre on Sun Feb 13. Tickets range from $35 to $25 for students and are available from the venue’s website.

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IN IT FOR THE BEARDS zoya patel As his last name suggests, Johan Beardraven of THE BEARDS is big on facial hair. “I would have been in my early 20s when I grew my first beard,” Johan reminisces. “I don’t really like to think about my pre-beard life. That’s the old me, and I was wrong. And now I’ve been reborn with a beard.” In case this didn’t tip me off that The Beards are really, really into beards, his offence at my next question certainly hammered the point in. Innocently, I asked why the band decided to write novelty music about beards.

Johan was, simply put, affronted. “We don’t really consider it to be novelty music at all. I know that people like to put that label on it, but to us it’s a way of life,” he says, and I can visualise him shaking his head at my ignorance. “It’s certainly something that we all feel very strongly about – that beards are important and that all men should wear a beard.”

I’m in it for the beards – music is just a vehicle through which we spread our bearded propaganda

Well, what about us poor women, who physically can’t grow a beard?

Are we persona non grata at their gigs? “Generally, women are fairly non-bearded as a rule, and we don’t take kindly to that at all,” Johan scoffs. “We’ve heard all the excuses about how women can’t grow beards and blah, blah, blah, and we don’t really buy into all that – we think they’re obviously not trying hard enough.”

However, luckily for the fairer sex, women are welcome at The Beards’ shows if they are supportive of beards. “And they should wear a fake beard at all times,” Johan adds.

Speaking of shows, The Beards are set to take their beard gospel on the road this February. Their first shotgun tour of 2011 will see three shows in the ACT and NSW. On Saturday February 5 we can expect a congregation of hairy-faced men (and women) at Transit Bar, ready to hear some equally hairy tunes.

Though fans are getting excited, Johan is less than thrilled at the prospect of playing music. “I don’t really like playing music at all, when it all boils down to it. I’m really in it for the beards, and music is just a vehicle through which we spread our bearded propaganda.”

As we wrap up the interview, Johan says he has one more message for the folks of Canberra. “For the bearded, keep up the good work, we’re looking forward to seeing how your beards are doing. If you don’t have a beard, there’s certainly still time to grow one before we get there. As the old saying goes, it only takes a fortnight to grow a decent beard.”

“And when I say ‘old saying’, I mean one of our songs.”

Catch The Beards, along with supports Joe Oppenheimer and Dub Dub Goose, live at Transit Bar on Saturday February 5. Tickets are $12 and are available on the door.

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FEEL-GOOD FESTIVAL holly orkin If Canberra were an animal, what animal would Canberra be?

Something really functional, like one of those grooming fish. A small, brightly coloured grooming fish. So in an ocean of festivals, what exactly does Canberra the small and functional fish have to offer?

As it turns out, the answer is a platypus. Or in other words, the SUMMER RHYTHM FESTIVAL, because, according to Director Dan Luton, “The festival has many different parts that you would normally think wouldn’t go well together, but makes one wicked animal. Canberra’s music scene is very divided so Summer Rhythm hopes to bridge the gap and show people some other styles they wouldn’t normally be exposed to, and help out all of our bands and DJs to play alongside some great Australian acts.”

I realise I am able to provide a place and event that makes people smile

Luton’s want to bring people together stretches beyond the music. Summer Rhythm is also looking to raise mental health awareness, something that’s close to his heart. “This year I decided to raise mental health awareness because mental health problems affect so many people,” he says.

“I suffered depression and anxiety for quite some time and still go through moments where things get really hard. Music is something that really helped me. Playing in bands and going to festivals made a huge difference in me.”

This has been a personal journey for Luton, combining his passion for music with making some sort of positive impact on people’s lives. “My proudest moments are those times I realise I am able to provide a place and event that makes people smile.”

The egg-laying mammal that is Summer Rhythm runs for two days and is hosting a massive line-up of local and national bands. There’s The Beautiful Girls, Phrase and Illy as well as some excellent DJs playing sets. A number of Canberra bands are reforming for the occasion. The venue is only about 15 minutes from Civic and there’s also camping, markets and no annoying underagers trying to convince you to buy them beer. So tips for the duckbilled Canberran who might rarely venture from her safe swimming hole to these kind of events? “Get there early. Gates open Friday at 3pm for people with weekend passes. Or start really early and go to Beauty and the Bass on the Friday night with the ticket deal we are running to get both events at a cheaper price then catch the shuttle out for Summer Rhythm. Also see as much music as possible and set up an awesome campsite for chilling out after the music finishes up.”

Sounds like a whale of a time. (For those counting that was my sixth aquatic creature reference, thanks for playing).

The Summer Rhythm Festival features such great acts as The Red Eyes, Space Invadas, Canyons (and much more!) and will be held over SaturdaySunday February 19-20 at Goolabri. Tickets range in cost from $69.90 for a single day pass to $99.45 for a full weekend pass and can be purchased through Oztix.

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Yet despite the sheer intensity and CDs are basically landfill sense of outrageous decadence they... nowadays well, Tim... bring to the stage there are also pragmatic reasons to bemoan the lost opportunity of a barren touring calendar, as Jabour continues. “It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to convince people to buy a CD or records. Well, actually records are easier to sell than anything these days because record lovers love the physical thing in their hands.

Whereas CDs are basically landfill nowadays.”

LET’S GET OVER THERE justin hook The last time LES SAVY FAV toured Australia lead singer Tim Harrington, a man known for his... shall we say eccentric stage presence, mounted a 20 foot concrete wall in Sydney’s Reiby Place and proceeded to abseil back down said wall with his microphone cable anchored to a hand rail to the joy/horror of a packed laneway below. That was 2006 and the band was in the country 18 months ahead of and out of sync with their forthcoming and highly critically praised album Let’s Stay Friends.

Since then Les Savy Fav have toured sporadically, putting in mainly one off festival appearances overseas and devoting time to their day jobs and growing families. They return to Australia for the first time almost half a decade to the day later and lead guitarist Seth Jabour is in a fighting mood. “I think there were things we could have done differently. Like getting out there and touring more. Doing no touring at all doesn’t really put us in the forefront of people’s minds. And we wanna be in people’s minds.” Make no mistake, when you hear people say ‘you simply must see this band live’, Les Savy Fav are that band.

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The missed opportunities of not touring, dwindling CD sales, difficulties scheduling required band activities (“When it comes to doing something as rote as setting up a rehearsal time, it’s like pulling teeth”)... could it get any worse? Yes. It sure could. Like, say, seeing your as yet unreleased new album (Root for Ruin) leaking onto file-sharing networks? Yeah, that. “It was devastating. We hadn’t planned for that. We’d talked about all these things we wanted to do and began to strategise then all of a sudden it was all over the net and… well, it was kinda pointless.” Some indie rock detective work by the band’s label, Frenchkiss Records, who just happen to be run by bassist Syd Butler, placed the source of the leak to somewhere in Europe – possibly Spain – but Jabour remains sanguine. “I think it was handled pretty smartly in the US but overseas, maybe they do things a bit differently. It was a bummer, but we took it on the chin. We took it all over the face!”

As it stands in early 2011, Les Savy Fav are defiant in the face of Iberian Jamon-loving Rapidshare banditos. “Root for Ruin is a fucking awesome record. But there’s work to be done. Keep touring, keep pumping it out and hyping it. It’s worthy of our time.” Spanish dates remain unconfirmed.

Catch Les Savy Fav at Laneway or the Manning Bar in Sydney on Thursday February 10. Tickets are $45 + bf and are available through Moshtix.

“but I definitely am a homebody.” A lifestyle which isn’t exactly conducive to that of a well known musician. “I just treat it like a job and go put my time in and then I go home and try to relax,” he explains. “Because I have so many responsibilities at home we end up not touring as much as most people do, but we tour pretty consistently. It just takes us a little while longer to get around to everywhere.”

IRON MAN josh brown I’m sure you’re familiar with the saying that a dog owner’s appearance can quite often reflect that of his/her pet. So too does the soothing acoustic folk music of IRON & WINE reflect the polite and unassuming I write Iron & personality of its creator, Sam Beam. Beam has Wine songs and if someone just completed his fourth album, entitled Kiss Each wants to rent Other Clean, and is about ! ‘em, that’s fine to embark on an extensive global tour to support its release. Though after speaking with the bearded troubadour for a good 15 minutes, it’s clear that for him touring is a necessity rather than a burning passion.

“I like to talk to people but I also like to work on my stuff and hang out with my kids,” Beam says, half-heartedly attempting to dismiss the charge that he’s a bit of a recluse. “I’m not a hermit,” he laughs,

The fact that Beam’s upcoming tour schedule is so extensive is due in large part to the success of Kiss Each Other Clean’s predecessor, The Shepherd’s Dog. Released in 2007, the album opened new doors for Beam as it was snapped up, track by track, by Hollywood to soundtrack TV shows (Grey’s Anatomy, amongst others) and movies (remember the prom scene in Twilight?). “It’s been kind of a slow, steady thing. I didn’t feel that there was a gigantic burst of notoriety,” Beam explains. “Each time you put out a record you plant a block on whatever you’re building and if you’re around long enough, people start to hear about it.”

Having his music play in the background while Bella and Edward lustily lock eyes on the dance floor undoubtedly helped spread the word about Iron & Wine, but it does raise an interesting issue – the age old quandary about ‘indie’ musicians licensing their songs for use in television, movies and advertisements. Beam doesn’t seem too fussed about the notion of ‘selling out’. “No, it doesn’t cross my mind,” he says, “because I have a bunch of children to feed. I feel like it would be different if I was writing jingles, like writing a song about vampires just to get it into a vampire movie. I write Iron & Wine songs and if someone wants to rent ‘em, that’s fine!” he chuckles.

Iron & Wine’s gorgeous new album Kiss Each Other Clean is now available from all good record stores and is reviewed on page 45. Sam has no current plans to tour down under, but did add “I love Australia – I want to be there sooner rather than later.”

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Loved for their atmospheric and cinematic dark pop sound, expect to hear more of this on the recording. As Nic describes, “The theme of the mini-album is kind of like surf horror, so it’s got a bit of a ‘horror down by the sea’ theme to it.”

UNDER THE SEA Marie-Stella McKinney Imagine cruising down the coast of Miami, sun shining in your face, wayfarers on and checking your reflection in the rear view mirror. All the while what’s playing on your radio?

It’s got a bit of a The soundtrack to this year’s summer, ‘horror down by DEEP SEA ARCADE. Embarking on the sea’ theme a national tour with New Zealand to it band Surf City this February, 2011 is shaping up to be a busy year for the underwater psych-pop artists who have also been booked for a run of shows in the UK along with recording and releasing a mini-album later this year.

“It’s kind of something we’ve always wanted to do,” vocalist and keys player Nic McKenzie tells BMA, “because it allows us to release all our songs that we’ve recorded with Simon Berckelman from the Philly Jays [Philadelphia Grand Jury]. We’ve got a collection of all these songs, they’re kind of from the same place. So we’re gonna release that, and [Berckelman is] producing it.”

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The mini-album will also include four new songs fans haven’t heard, as well as a collection of the band’s other hits that have been well received on the radio circuit. “I’m really happy that our songs have been played on the radio as much as they have been,” Nic says when asked if he’s been caught off guard by the band’s radio success. “But in terms of success, I do believe very strongly in our music and that it’s good music.” And so he should be. Deep Sea Arcade are one of those rare bands nowadays, offering a truly unique blend of music caught somewhere between nostalgia and the present. Radio favourites Keep on Walking and Lonely in Your Arms are insanely catchy and well crafted, providing angular guitar riffs underneath Nic’s smooth vocals. And then there’s the beautifully condensed All The Kids, which illustrates Deep Sea Arcade’s depth, as their name suggests.

While the band’s sound has been likened to classic surf rock, this was not necessarily a conscious decision. “It’s interesting that the surf rock has been mentioned. I would say that definitely there are elements of surf rock in our sound but it’s certainly not something we’re aspiring to sound like. We like to use kind of twangy guitar sounds and watery, aquatic sounds and that probably gives off a surf vibe. But it’s never been something we’ve been trying to achieve… maybe that’s come out as a byproduct.”

So with a busy year up ahead, where does Nic hope to see the band 12 months from now? “You know, playing massive stages and being supported by U2.”

Catch Deep Sea Arcade, along with supports Surf City and Danger Beach, live at Transit Bar on Thursday February 17. It’s free entry, so get there nice and early.

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THE REALNESS My favourite MC is back once again! Ghostface has returned on Def Jam for his latest LP Apollo Kids. The album features the usual all star Wu guest list plus other dope associates such as The Game, Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, Black Thought, Fabolous, Jim Jones and Redman. Never one to pick wack beats, Ghost has enlisted Jake One, Grind Music, Pete Rock, Anthony Acid and Scram Jones, alongside some new jacks Shroom, Frank Dukes, Chino Maurice and Big Mizza.

Everyone else’s favourite MC is also back. Sir Talib Kweli returns this month with Gutter Rainbows (weird title hey?). Apparently the album is getting distro only to independent stores and features Sean Price, Kendra Ross, Blaq Toven, Jean Grae and Chace Infinite.

Beats supplied by M-Phazes, 88-Keys, Marco Polo, Shuko, Ski, Nick Speed, Oh No, Khrysis and S1.

Sydney’s Bingethinkers are set to release their long awaited debut full length LP Where Are They Now on Friday February 11 through LookUp. Rinse, 2Buck and Aeon have combined their talents and unified their minds to fuse the sound of classic ‘90s hip-hop with glitchy electronica, taking influence from across the board. Their sound is and has always been their very own and the album proves to be another notch in an already star-studded belt for the LookUp crew.

Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings is set to release a dope new compilation in April entitled Back and 4th. The double CD set will include both brand new and classic Hotflush material, spanning the bass music spectrum, from the likes of Sepalcure, Boxcutter, Boddkia, dBridge, Scuba, FaltyDL, Sigha, George Fitzgerald, Roska, Mount Kimbie, Untold and more. Phew! It’s out Monday April 4.

Cannot wait for it, aaaaand there’s going to be a three piece vinyl set for you wax heads too apparently.

Fresh from releasing a series of 7” singles, Animal Collective member Panda Bear is gearing up to drop his next solo album Tomboy. Anyone that has heard his Person Pitch album of a few years ago, or any Animal Collective material knows that this is forward-thinking and innovative music to get excited about. I purposefully haven’t listened to any of the previously released tunes on this one so I can give the album experience its full weight. Tomboy is out Tuesday April 19 on Panda Bear’s own label Paw Tracks.

Where are my NonPlus+ heads at? The label is releasing the debut album from LOL entitled Me Me. A three-piece group who’ve kept their identity under wraps (hint: the producer is Mistabishi from Hospital Records fame I’m pretty sure). Mixing dubstep with a more progressive rock sound with a heavy lashing of vocals, the album is sure to keep Instra:Mental’s label at the forefront of fresh new vibes. Anyone that has heard the previously released 12” Squeeze Me/Dare Me will be feeling what I’m saying. The album was recorded using a bunch of old equipment and technology to give it a ‘preinternet’ feel apparently. The album is out late Feb. Boss.

Finally on the rock, metal, hip-hop mash-up tip, Sydney’s The Havknotz (Losty and Waza) have just let me know that they have just released their brand new EP Music-Life-Pain. The release features collaborations with Ill Bill, Sadat-X, DJ Morgs, Fortay, Anecdoate, Redbak, Plague and Jonny Row. Peep the fellas out at www.myspace.com/thehavknotz .

ROSHAMBO roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

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DUBBA RUKKI, HE’S MY FRIEND PALIMAH PANICHIT DUBBA RUKKI, funky dub reggae veterans of the Canberra music scene, have seen many changes. Despite line-up shuffles, babies born and members moving, their candle still burns bright after ten fruitful years – having delivered sweet afro-centric rhythms, bass blast boogies and organic melodies across Australia. “There’s a tradition in Cuba and Africa to have groups that last longer than the people who start the groups,” offers Jim Sharrock, Dubba Rukki’s vocalist, guitarist and rapper extraordinaire. “It’s an idea that’s bigger than the people. If you have a band that makes It’s about the people dance, with really community and good social commentary the interaction between the band – if that idea is strong enough, then it will propel and the music the music forward. It’s about the community and the interaction between the band and the music. That’s what’ll give it life and longevity.”

Sharrock presents as a sincerely humble man, answering questions as he patiently takes care of both of his effervescent young children – a boy and girl. After his baby boy breaks out into song, Jim laughs and points out that his son is a born performer. “His first gig was at Corinbank, in front of three hundred people.”

“It’s been a juggling act,” notes Sharrock, referring to the constant line-up revisions and new families in the band members’ lives. “But we’ve kept gigging all the way through, with different line-ups. We’re trying to remain a band, as in everyone has a say in the direction and sound. What happens as a band ages is that, a lot of the time, you’ll get new members. Normally, the members that have been there since the beginning will have more of a say in the actual band.

“A big part of our band is to try to remain as democratic as possible.

To try and keep it as a jam band, rather than have one person direct it. For me it’s important to step out and not direct the writing process, so that it remains fresh.” Touting the virtues of Fela Kuti, Bob Marley and G Love and The Special Sauce, it isn’t surprising that a feature of Dubba Rukki is their skill in improvisation, as Sharrock remarks. “We always freestyle. We gotta be fresh and it keeps us going as well; depending on the venue, we’ll make up a song for the occasion. We really enjoy doing that kind of stuff; it really makes everything a bit more exciting and nerve-wracking. There’s always a risk involved.”

Having just put together his home studio, Sharrock comments jokingly on Rukki’s writing process for their new record. “It’s going slowly. We are writing, but we’ve got three members that have small children and one member who’s moved. We do have new songs, but we rehearse them and the next time we play them we have to learn them again.”

Catch Dubba Rukki at the Summer Rhythm Festival, Saturday-Sunday February 19-20 at Goolabri. Tickets range from $69.90 for a single day pass to $99.45 for a full weekend pass and can be purchased through Oztix.

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METALISE OK so last issue I promised some local show news and in the interim an amazing tour with unfortunate timing for those going to Soundwave and Sidewaves. French doom regulars Monarch are coming back again on the Heathen Skulls dime, which makes sense as the head Heathen Skull Robert McManus is now playing second guitar for them. Whilst welcome news, the sweetener on this tour is the very welcome addition of New York‘s blackened doom masters Unearthly Trance joining the fray, along with Southern Lord Eagle Twin who hail from Utah. Even better news for this bill, the intimidating power violence stylings of two-piece Washington dwelling Iron Lung will pummel all in attendance. Further adding a cherry to this bill are locals 4 Dead who have either gotten a new drummer or convinced John (skins for Fattura Della Morte) to do the show with them as a last hurrah, so we’ll wait dripping in sweaty anticipation for this show at the ANU Bar on Thursday March 3. A more than welcome tour for those of us unable to travel to the raft of shows in Sydney and elsewhere!

Needing an excuse to check out the National Film and Sound Archive’s cinema called Arc? Well get along there on Sunday February 6 at 4.30pm to catch the movie Lemmy, a doco about the man who has been rocking and rolling with extreme prejudice since the ‘60s for a mere 11 bucks full price or nine bucks for concession.

Alestorm must have enjoyed their Plunder Down Under tour last year as they’ve just announced Australian dates on the back of their third studio effort Back Through Time. Including songs with subjects ranging from midgets, Wisconsin and travelling backwards in time to kill Vikings, the album will be released here before anywhere else in the world. Also on board for all dates is Aussie band Voyager. The tour hits closest in Sydney on Friday May 13 at the Manning Bar and you can buy tickets from Moshtix or Oztix websites now.

Late last year you may recall the Black Mass Festival in Sydney getting the boot from the Newtown RSL due to Christians having a problem with, well, black metal in general. Like a chaos revelling phoenix, the Armageddon Festival, by the same people who didn’t quite manage to bring you the Black Mass, is being held on FridaySaturday February 4-5 in Sydney. Friday February 4 is at the Bald Faced Stag up the hill from The Annandale on Parramatta Road with Pestilential Shadows, Thrall, Naetu and Bleakwood with a special guest performance as the headliner, cryptically billed in the presser as follows: “Friday night celebrations will be closed by an exclusive and secret guest performance which shall only be revealed to those eyes who bear witness to what shall come.” 12 dollars to see this evening’s show. Night two (Saturday February 5) at the Factory Theatre down the bottom of Enmore Road sees a bill headlined by Sydney’s Nazxul along with Astriaal, Drowning The Light, Destuktor, Wardaemonic and Erebus Enthroned. All of this costs 35 bucks and also features the giveaways, stalls and DJs as promised last time.

2011 is already shaping up as the heaviest year on the all-time Australian touring calendar. See you up the front.

Josh NP: Independent Politically – Realised – 21st Century Terminal World.

JOSH NIXON doomtildeath@hotmail.com

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WANT YOUR BAD ROMANCE NAOMI FROST In just one short year since their formation Sydney-based slayer/ hardcore five-piece PHANTOMS have left their mark on the Australian hardcore scene. In such a miniscule amount of time they’ve accumulated a colossal fan base and have supported reputable names like Evergreen Terrace, Carpathian, Her Nightmare and Shai Hulud. They have also in this time produced an 11 track album called As Above So Below and now they’re embarking on a tour with Canberra’s very own I Exist, with whom they recorded a spectacular split 7” record, Bad Romance.

Caed Francis, vocalist of Phantoms, claims that the new record has a sound slightly different from the hardcore influenced As Above We’re a very So Below, giving the new record bouncy band.

We have a lot of what Francis calls an “old school metal and late ‘90s New York energy hardcore” influence. “This time around the band collectively listened to more bands like Slayer and Metallica and we’ve just put that into the new record,” he explains.

It appears that Bad Romance couldn’t possibly have taken off to a better start. Phantoms and I Exist, being the charitable people they are, placed a demo copy of their not yet released split 7” on eBay with the intention that whatever money was made by the record would be donated to assist the flood relief efforts in Queensland.

But just to make things that little bit sweeter, Francis shares joyously that it was someone from Canberra who had placed the highest bid. “To whoever it was,” he then announces, “thank you very much for bidding $250 on something that would usually cost $10.”

To celebrate the launch of Bad Romance Phantoms and I Exist are hitting the road together. Francis shared some of the band’s great memories and experiences that they’ve gathered playing in Canberra, and expressed to those who have not yet had the pleasure of seeing them live, that they are in for a great night of entertainment. “We like to bounce,” he claims. “We’re a very bouncy band. We have a lot of energy. Kelly is the old guy in the band,” he chuckles, “so he does some wacky dance moves, whatever his generation did.” Expecting my chat with Francis to be a mass of technical chitter chatter about the production of Bad Romance, it was a pleasant surprise when we were sidetracked deeply into the issue of vegan cuisine. Clearly it was the most off topic conversation that I had found myself in during an interview, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

Sharing his plans to visit vegan restaurant Au Lac, which strangely enough seems an attraction to many hardcore bands that pass through Canberra, we found ourselves on the puzzling concept of mock bacon. “I’m a sucker for mock meat and stuff like that,” he shares.

“I’ve heard they have mock bacon at that place. I don’t understand it, it boggles my mind,” he laughs. “So I’m going to try it out.”

Catch Phantoms and I Exist live at the Axis Youth Centre in Queanbeyan on Sunday February 13. The show is all ages and tickets will be available on the door.

We thought it would be fun to tour together as the one band

SAFETY IN NUMBERS PETER KRBAVAC The Official Neighbours Tour Centre on Flinders Street is crammed with alarmingly well-tanned French tourists. A diabolically ‘abstract’ acrylic-on-canvas rendering of Susan Kennedy hangs pride of place, quietly watching over proceedings. The keyboard’s lost a foot and with every keystroke it wobbles violently, threatening to spill over. Frankly, it’s difficult to concentrate on the task at hand, but I persevere. You see, freshly minted copies of the long-awaited TV COLOURS and ASSASSINS 88 split 7” have finally – finally – arrived in town and Canberra simply has to be told.

“Considering these songs were written and demoed a year ago, it has taken a pretty long time,” Assassins 88’s guitarist and bassist Lach agrees. “We were half aware that it would be a drawn out process with vinyl, maybe not as long as we thought it would it be.” “In theory it should have been out in September,” drummer Tim chimes in. “Vinyl is an unforgiving medium. If something goes wrong you literally have to start all over again, and that costs money and takes more time.

Whatever the case, we’re all super psyched to have finished it.”

For Assassins 88’s part, their songs Beach People and Raising Phoenix reveal a new side of the group.

Gone is the ultra blow-out production and breakneck bass ‘n’ drum thrashings of old and in their place peppy guitar-driven tunes.

Meanwhile, the split marks the debut release for one man band TV Colours. TVC’s irresistibly catchy ode to slackerdom, The Kids Are All Grown Up, is included here, along with the evocatively titled Heavy Metal Sleeve Skies. The pairing of the two projects has proven so appropriate that, since the end of last year, the three musicians have been playing as the one band. Lach, Tim and Robin, the man behind TV Colours, have formed a super group of sorts, playing tunes by Assassins 88, TV Colours and Lach’s solo project Danger Beach.

“Robin has been a friend of ours for a while and when we first heard his music we were instantly blown away by the catchiness and energy of it,” Lach enthuses. “It made me want to stop what I was doing and play TV Colours songs. As it turned out, Robin was a big fan of the [Assassins] tape as well so we decided on a split record between the two bands. Then we thought it would be fun to tour it together as the one band.” The two projects will, however, remain separate for writing and recording purposes. “Robin makes such great music by himself and as a fan I wouldn’t want to mess with that,” Lach says. “I think we will end up creating a new band with the three of us that is different from the two original projects.” “I guess we’re in a bit of a transitional period,” Tim concludes.

TV Colours and Assassins 88 will launch their split at The Phoenix on Sunday February 6, with The Fighting League. Entry is free.

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the word

on albums

dj marky fabriclive 55 [fabriclive]

album of the issue cut copy zonoscope [modular]

Full of melodic genius, gentle homage and the hypnotic thud of house beats, Cut Copy are leaving the women and children behind with third album Zonoscope.

Opening track Need You Know is dripping with regret as a gospel choir props up frontman Dan Whitford’s hurting vocals. The chantheavy Where I’m Going kicks happiness into overdrive with cheers of “all you need is a dream/and a lover too”, complete with Whoesque breakdown. Jungle fever strikes Take Me Over, as rollicking rototoms stride “through the jungle/through the night/forever”. Pharaohs and Pyramids and Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution take a pornographic soundtrack turn, whereas Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat has a real swagger to it with acoustic guitar flourishes. The intimidating 16-minute long Sun God closes the album with three epic sections of massive drums with tribal chanting, moving into INXS sex-funk territory, counterpointed with chants of “you’ve got to live” and “love won’t give you enough” then heads into acid-drenched oblivion with a clusterfuck of pulsating, laser beam, shoe gazing Kraut-rock madness.

Surrender now or forever hold your peace.

MATT PETHERBRIDGE

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Like a ne-er do well club owner’s thinly veiled ‘Free champagne for the ladies before 11pm’ ploy, Brazilian D&B longtimer DJ Marky understands the concept: ‘entertain the women, and the men will follow’.

Alongside other exponents of musical (or, dare I say it, liquid) drum ‘n’ bass like Suv and Patiffe, Marky’s musical modus operandi has been the uplifting, vocal side to the genre that’s more at home on breezy sparkling-sipping rooftops than in the dank dungeons of D&B sporting clubs.

Indeed, the vocal slices on offer in this excellent mix provide the highlights, with Makoto & Deeizm’s Untold, Calibre’s Even If and the wonderful Die & Interface feat. William Cartwright’s Bright Lights (Rollers Mix).

But that is not to say the beats aren’t fat and the basslines bopping. O no; this is drum ‘n’ bass after all. Nor does Marky shy away from the more dub/ neuro funk side of the genre, choosing the middle stages to explore a more stripped back sound that will have rudeboys reaching for their hoodies.

But ending his deft blend with his own soothing Mystic Sunset, Marky proves once again he can make soul nourishing tunes, blend them together expertly, and have the feet shuffling of both men and women. A true party starter with musicality to match. allan sko

Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I [Southern Lord Records] Dylan Carlson steps through the opening chord, letting it ring. What follows is Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I, a one hour-long drone that slowly and delightfully builds and decays over five parts.

The follow up to the Seattle based band’s equally long-titled and critically acclaimed The Bees Made Honey in Lion’s Skull, Angels of Darkness sees the Carlson led Earth subtly develop their sound and move away from the strict minimalism seen on previous albums. The introduction of cello arrangements adds another layer to Earth’s usually stark compositions, yet sometimes clutters the mix and stifles the slow riffing.

Perhaps most rewarding about this record is its more unstructured approach and the willingness to meander without a consistent reliance on hooks.

This is most notable in the title track, which gently unfolds itself, punctuated by Carlson’s trademark spooky guitar and carried by the measured drumming of Adrienne Davies.

For those who have not listened to Earth before, Angels of Darkness is perhaps the perfect place to start. Those elements familiar to previous Earth releases are still there: the often glacial place, variations on a theme, riffs that sound sinister yet redeeming at the same time. Earth albums reward the persistence of listeners, slowly revealing their beauty over the course of time.

This effort is no different.

Liam Demamiel

flotsam and jetsam The Cold [Nuclear Blast/Riot] Flotsam and Jetsam, despite some solid efforts – especially their 1986 debut, Doomsday for the Deceiver- in the eighties and nineties, will always be known as the band from whence Jason Newsted sprang to join Metallica after the untimely demise of Cliff Burton in the mid eighties. To their credit, despite that fact overshadowing seemingly everything the band has done, they’ve been an almost constant fixture on the metal scene ever since, releasing nine studio albums. Their tenth, the one you’re reading about now, sees the return of guitarist Michael Gilbert to the fold after a 13 year break, and – coincidentally? - his return sees the band recording their best work in aeons.

It’s meat ‘n’potatoes, thrashtinged trad metal all the way here, with a man of the match award going to vocalist Eric AK who hasn’t sounded this enthused on a FaJ album since 1992’s Cuatro. He puts in particularly compelling performances on the slightly progressive Blackened Eyes and the epic-sounding Better off Dead, but there isn’t a song on the record that isn’t in some way enriched by his warbling.

Indeed those two tracks are the best on offer here, both slightly deviating from the orthodox path to break things up a little, though really if this style of well-played, thoroughly professional trad metal is what floats your musical boat then you’ll struggle to pin point any real highlights here – as the young people say, it’s all good.

Scott Adams

singled out

with Dave Ruby Howe

iron & wine Kiss Each Other Clean [warner/4ad] Samuel Beam, the man behind the moniker, likens this record to “the music people heard in their parent’s car growing up”, and if that’s the case I really wish my parents had a copy during those long car rides to god knows where. Beam’s voice, like honey and wine and all manner of good things, really pulls out all stops on this delicious slice of nostalgia, harmonies and dreamy days. First single Walking Far From Home is a breezy yet compelling song that hypnotically circles around a single-line refrain, building in textures - piano, strings, and studio static - with a warbling backer. Monkeys Uptown is devil-may-care and catchy, with a pretty big dose of funk, which has until now been unexplored territory for Beam. Change is a big theme on this album, with electronica and twangy beats getting their foot in the door, and while this may be a difficult pill for some seasoned listeners to swallow, Beam proves himself a master of all genres. This is especially evident on the album’s halfway point, the spacey and multi-instrumental Rabbit Will Run, which strangely puts you in the heart of the jungle.

Given all the changes, it would have been easy for what we’ve come to expect to get lost, swept away by the next big thing.

However, Beam remains true to what he does best, with glorious crescendos, thoughtful lyrics and a whole lot of soul making up the album’s backbone. This one’s for everyone, the fans, the different and the dreamers.

MARISSA PAINE .

magic lantern Platoon [Not Not Fun] Much respect is due to the inventor of the wah-wah pedal because my general well being might not be the same without it. It kinda makes me think of the story about Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones that when he first heard blues guitarist Elmore James run his slide over the frets he felt the earth shudder, and I guess when I first heard Jimi Hendrix all those good bits well and truly shook. It turns out that Magic Lantern guitarist Cameron Stallones hits the right spots on the band’s second full length because he trots out the wah-wah effect as if his life depended on it.

Well, it certainly seems that way. What we get on Platoon is the slow burn rather than the short sharp shock. This is alright, as the most satisfying psychedelic music is often about a pleasant seeping into the inner consciousness that works well when the groove is a good one. In this case the grooves on opening track Dark Cicadas do the job when the urge takes hold, and significant musical precedents become clear. I still reckon Ozzy-era Black Sabbath is up there with the greats, and that particular influence comes out on Platoon at the right moments. Magic Lantern might not set the world on fire, but the band sure as hell know about those essential psychedelic ingredients, especially when it comes to giving the guitar a seriously solid workout.

Dan Bigna

tumbleweed The Waterfront Years 1991-1993 [Aztec Music] For a few brief years in the fabled early ‘90s Tumbleweed were The Next Big Thing.

Evolving from Wollongong local heroes Proton Energy Pills and The Unheard, their first single was produced by the skinniest man in, ahem, grunge – Mudhoney’s Mark Arm. The band impressed an Atlantic Records executive enough at a hastily organised showcase gig at the now defunct Hopetoun in Surry Hills to sign them to an international contract. Quickly enough they were supporting Nirvana on their only Australian tour, thanks to a Mudhoney brokered deal two years previous when both were unknowns. World at their feet. Just as quickly, Tumbleweed faded, ignored by label and public alike despite releasing albums for the rest of the decade. They remained loyal to revered Sydney label Waterfront, and this crucial collection proves Tumbleweed have aged better than every other feted early ‘90s breakthrough act. THC imagery looms large but they are far more than a stoner group; just as in love with overdriven superfuzz as they were with the taught, lean riffing of Celibate Rifles (Sundial), happy to meander in a locked-in Creedence groove (Shakedown) whilst laying on supple J Mascis styled licks over “pop songs” (standout Carousel). Almost every song on this compilation of early singles, EPs and the debut eponymous album is a reminder why Tumbleweed threatened so – they had it. justin hook

Avril Lavigne What The Hell [Sony] So Avril’s given up the punk chick masquerade and surrendered to being a legitimate pop brand. And yes, it works. Serious, The Veronicas wish they could do shit like this.

Jessie J Do It Like A Dude [Universal] Although it’s riding Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj’s fiery coattails, this is worth the fuss for its outrageous production and a ferocity seldom seen in pop music, let alone in the aforementioned artists. Props.

Katy Perry E.T. [EMI] Haters gonna hate, but Katy Perry is actually really great.

She’s smart, seems grounded enough for a pop star and she makes some illicitly catchy music. Unfortunately E.T. is none of those things. It’s overwrought, hammy and really just a big misstep.

The Holidays Broken Bones [Liberation] Floating breezily on some languid tropical vibes, Broken Bones somehow treads the line between synth ballad and indie pop stunner. No joke, this is a glorious mess of goodness.

Justice Crew Friday To Sunday [Sony BMG] Okay, so they get an A for effort.

Actually, let’s revise that to a B-. Because as hard as they’re trying to be some kind of ‘xtr3me’ dance crew boy band, Justice Crew cannot – and let’s face it will not – pull it off.

45

the word

on films

WITH MELISSA WELLHAM

Sometimes a film is made that raises the age-old question of: Why aren’t directors always making supernatural sexual thrillers about ballerinas?

Black Swan is one such film.

But it also raises the question of why Winona Ryder has had such career trouble since that whole highly publicised shoplifting thing. She was the indie it-girl of the early ‘90s, and Black Swan proves the woman can act. Why, then, is she in what is perhaps already the worst film of the year, The Dilemma? It’s a dilemma, indeed.

quote of the issue

“You fantasized about me! …

Was I good?”

Lily (Mila Kunis), Black Swan

black swan

the green hornet

true grit

Black Swan is a beautiful and brutal re-imagining of the ballet Swan Lake. Nina (Natalie Portman) wins the lead role in her company’s production.

Although her technically faultless technique makes her suitable for the role of the fragile White Swan, she has difficulty with the sexual energy that the Black Swan requires.

As her desire to perfect the role becomes more and more obsessive, she slowly begins to lose her mind.

I was so desperate for The Green Hornet to be a clever, exciting rollercoaster ride of laughs and action. It’s not.

There are laughs, yes – comedic moments occasionally poke their heads out of the pile of useless rubbish that is the rest of the film. But overall, The Green Hornet is just ridiculous and annoying.

The Coen brothers like to mess with genre, adding their own brand of brutality to create something altogether atypical.

They’ve done period pieces, screwball comedies, mob films, and more. With True Grit, they try their hand(s) at a Western.

Director Darren Aronofsky has proved before that he’s not afraid of a little violence onscreen – anyone remember the staples-in-flesh in The Wrestler? – and Black Swan is similar in that respect. But while The Wrestler was a depiction of gritty realism, Black Swan veers towards magic realism, as supernatural themes blur the lines between Nina’s insanity and reality.

Although the film is heavy on the obvious symbolism and melodrama, it actually works to the film’s advantage, channeling the exaggeratedly theatrical nature of ballet.

Natalie Portman deserves the accolades she has received for the role, and pulls off both the volatile and vulnerable sides that this character demands.

The film’s end is clear from the beginning – it has a plot that parallels that of Swan Lake, so it’s not exactly a shock ending.

But the other shocking elements of this film are the reason to see it: its uncompromising portrayal of the human mind and body in pain, and its startling beauty.

46

MELISSA WELLHAM

Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is a lazy, selfish rich boy who decides to become a vigilante hero after the death of his media magnate father. Add a genius sidekick, Kato (Jay Chou) – who actually provides the ass-kicking skills – and too much money and time, and the Green Hornet is born.

The plot is uninspired, uneven and forced towards the end.

The bromance that’s meant to be apparent between Kato and Britt is non-existent, largely because Rogen just irritatingly quips into Chou’s deadpan face for the majority of the film.

Britt is so essentially unlikeable that I found it painful to even attempt to be interested.

I blame lead actor, co-writer and executive producer Rogen for the dismal state of this farce – although director Michel Gondry should take some blame too, I suppose.

Yes, I’m being harsh. There’s enough in The Green Hornet to enjoy, if you want it bad enough.

But for me, I learned that it is possible to be irritated, bored and disappointed all at the same time.

MEGAN McKEOUGH

Based on a novel by Charles Portis (which already inspired a film in ’69, starring John Wayne), True Grit follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a whip-smart, straight-talkin’ girl out to hunt down wanted criminal Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) and avenge her father’s death. She engages the services of drunkard Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), the best bounty hunter in the business, and manipulates an egotistical Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) into helping her get her revenge.

True Grit is – predictably – very good. The performances are superb, Roger Deakins’ cinematography is stunning, and the script is sharper than a pair of spurs. But there are also areas where the film falls flat. The pace is slower than one might expect from any Coen brothers film, let alone a Western, where the possibility of shoot-ups and chase-‘emdowns and hangings is much higher than usual. Surprisingly, the last 20 minutes of the film actually drag.

True Grit is not the best Coen brothers film to date (it’s not as good as A Serious Man, though better than Burn After Reading), but at least it’ll probably always be the best Coen brothers Western. Next they’ll be making a musical.

MELISSA WELLHAM

the word on dvds

The Runaways [Sony Home Entertainment]

Sons of Anarchy – Season 1 [Fox]

I can’t recall a rock music bio-pic that I haven’t enjoyed on some level and The Runaways is no exception. The soundtrack features classic proto-punk nuggets from the likes of David Bowie and The Stooges, and the raw energy of such songs matches a fast paced narrative capturing the strangeness of the Los Angeles hit making machine in the 1970s. The story is pretty strange anyway, what with a bunch of suburban teenage girls aspiring to make some noise on stage and finding themselves at Rodney Bingenheimer’s eye-opening English Disco which was the place to be seen insofar as bands, talent scouts, groupies and fans all converged to check out some cool music.

The recreation of the disco which proved to be integral for the coming together of The Runaways is handled well by director Floria Sigismondi who uses motion, light and sound to conjure an exciting vibe without going over the top. A mainstay at the disco and major figure in The Runaways story is weirdo scenester Kim Fowley who considered this group of potential teenage superstars his ticket to success. I always enjoy screen depictions of bands getting it together in the first days, and the moment when Fowley coaxes that fantastic hit Cherry Bomb from these precocious teens is a sight to behold. All the performances are good, and although much fuss was made about starlet Kristen Stewart playing defiant guitarist Joan Jett, I reckon Dakota Fanning who plays vocalist Cherie Curry steals the show. It is Curry’s story anyway, and reveals what can happen to an ambitious teenage girl who oozes sensual desire on stage, does a bunch of drugs, experiments with sex, tours Japan and finally ends up working in an anonymous retail outlet when the glamour and fame ends – who wouldn not be interested?

Sons of Anarchy follows the founding chapter of a biker club called (funnily enough) the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO).

The club has several other chapters around America and the world, but primarily the focus is on the original group.

Season one follows SAMCRO as it conducts various illegal and nefarious activities like running guns, racketeering, attempting to assassinate a member of the IRA and intimidating witnesses.

There is also a cat and mouse sub-plot involving federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, who spend their time trying to arrest members and destroy the club.

Dan Bigna

British actor Charlie Hunnam, of Green Street Hooligans fame, is almost unrecognisable as the show’s main character and the club’s vice president, Jax Teller.

Katey Sagal is so convincing in her role as ‘old lady’ to the club’s president and Jax Teller’s mother, that you’ll forget she was ever Peg Bundy. It is most disturbing to hear some of her lines and have an image of Leela from Futurama saying things like “I just nailed some tart from Nevada” and “You should have thought of that before your dick went on a pussy hunt.”

Through the skilful character development of creator Kurt Sutter you find yourself empathising with a number of the club members who have two different sides: their gang side and their human side. Jax Teller in particular is torn; his son was born prematurely and needs constant (and expensive) medical attention, yet the club needs his attention as well. Working for the club is a way to make much needed money and this sometimes eats at his conscious.

The show is intense, poignant and highly addictive.

Clare Butterfield

Centurion [Hopscotch] At the height of its power the Roman Empire stretched from northern Britain down through North Africa and across to modern day Iraq. Assuming you paid your taxes, supported Rome and stayed out of trouble Pax Romana provided stability to large swathes of the Ancient World that had hitherto only known internecine warfare. But to maintain ‘peace’ the Empire needed to conquer land and secure outposts and it was the legendary Ninth Legion’s responsibility to invade and subdue Britain around 47 AD, which they did quite well. But then sometime around 117 AD they disappeared off the face of the earth. Historians debate the fate of the 3,000 strong legion and Neil Marshall (Descent) uses this intriguing myth as a launching pad for a pretty chaotic and disappointing film.

Centurion desperately apes Zack Snyder’s gloriously technicolour approach to blood spatter in camp masterpiece 300 – each swipe of a blade accompanied by a red splat.

It looks like bad CGI because it is bad CGI. I get that it neatly juxtaposes the wintry, bitter Caledonian battlefields (cinematography is excellent) but if you’re going to go comical, you may as well go blue or yellow. It gets tiring.

The Legion, sarcastically led by Titus Virilus (Dominic West), are ambushed by the feral Pict tribe after they were betrayed by a crazy mystic wolf woman who had her tongue cut out. Sure the Romans killed her family, but peace comes at a price… right?

A small group of survivors led by Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender) attempt a daring rescue of the now captured loin-clothed McNulty and hand out a bit of old school revenge, which results in more blood and enough plot holes to build an aqueduct through. It meanders to an inglorious end. Centurion isn’t bad, it’s adequate, which is a shame.

JUSTIN HOOK

47

the word

BLACKBOX

on games

PlayStation Move Developer: Sony Platform: PS3 Rating: Yet to be convinced It’s natural to compare the Move to the Wii, but is it a fair comparison? Admittedly, both enable both gesture and aiming based gaming, but when you consider that the Wii came out in 2006, you damn well better hope that the Move is a shade better.

Unfortunately it’s not, but it’s not all bad news.

The motion tracking does feel better than the Wii’s.

The Sport Champions table tennis game alone felt a lot more accurate than the equivalent Wii Play offering. Unfortunately, there is not nearly as much difference with regards to aiming. You may notice that the Wii always has a cursor on screen, namely because the controller is actually pretty inaccurate. If you were to attach a laser pointer to the Wii-mote, the dot and the cursor generally wouldn’t line up.

Consequently, you can no longer rely on your physical aim when trying to shoot that next bad guy, and unfortunately the Move suffers from this issue too. Whilst it’s not a major thing, what with most people not even noticing this issue, it saddens me to think that a game like Time Crisis just won’t be as accurate as it was on the original PlayStation, which, by the way, never had an on-screen cursor.

Another point of difference is with regards to the ease of use.

Whereas the Wii-mote could be described as a ‘pick up and play’ controller, the Move needs to calibrate itself each time. On more than one of these occasions, I was told that my surroundings were too bright. Too bright? I would like to remind Sony that it’s quite bright here in Australia. Or is it that I’m the only one playing this stuff whilst the sun is still up?

So what about the games? This is probably where the Move is let down the most. Whereas the Wii’s open suite of games really appealed to people, the Move titles are a bit lacklustre. As mentioned, Sports Champions isn’t too bad, but gets boring quickly. Kung Fu Rider is as irritating as it is lame – one worth avoiding. The Shoot could have been cool, but with a large focus on conservative shooting, rather than a balls to wall shoot out, it doesn’t feel nearly as fun as it could have been. All up, there’s nothing to write home about with this first helping of games, but there’s still promise.

If the timing of the two controllers were reversed, I would be instead proclaiming that the Wii hides in the shadow of the more accurate Move. As it stands though, the Move has come second and until it shows what really sets it apart from what we’ve already seen and used for the last half decade, I’m not convinced.

TORBEN SKO

48

What a difference a decade makes. Regular readers will recognise Blackbox as a not so closeted Star Trek fan. A fan, not a Trekkie (the life-size cardboard cut out Worf in the lounge room belonged to a housemate, honest). Despite this proclivity, Blackbox was fond of telling all in sundry that the best part of Star Trek 7 is that Captain Kirk dies twice. Sure, William Shatner’s camp bravado in the original series is iconic but when the plots and props moved beyond cardboard and alfoil, Shatner was done (his cover of Common People aside – fans should check out his original spoken word experiment – The Transformed Man – a regular feature on worst albums of all time lists). The final nail was his woeful, short-lived run hosting the US version of Iron Chef. Then something happened. Shatner discovered his funny bone. One of the most parodied actors in history learnt to play characters that were the butt of everybody’s jokes. A couple of hilarious turns in the Miss Congeniality films and Shatner found his true calling as Denny Crane on Boston Legal. Which is what makes $#*! My Dad Says (WIN, Mon, 7.30pm) worth the effort. Based on the Shit my Dad Says Twitter feed, the show has all the makings of a cult classic – panned by critics and with Shatner at his comic best.

Speaking of shows with a post-modern premise, keep your eyes peeled for Episodes, a new comedy based on the premise of remaking a high brow British comedy for American TV by putting Matt LeBlanc in the lead role. It’s a co-production with the BBC from the writers of Friends and Mad About You. Sadly, there’s no news yet on who will air it in Australia.

While the schedules are mostly full of returning shows, there are a few newbies worth a look, including Blue Bloods (SCTEN, Wed Feb 9, 8.30pm) – an NYC police drama starring Tom Selleck and Donny Wahlberg, Laid (ABC1, Wed Feb 9, 9.30pm) – a new ABC dramedy about Roo, played by Alison Bell, who thinks she might be causing her exes to die, and Adam Hill in Gordon Street tonight (ABC1, Wed Feb 9, 9.30pm), Auntie’s new talk show.

Docos to look out for include Franco Zeffirelli (SBS1, Sat Feb 5, 2.30pm) which looks at the work of the renowned director, Once Upon a Time… Mon Oncle (SBS1, Sat Feb 5, 3.30pm) which follows the life of French comic genius Jacques Tati, Snake Island (Prime, Sat Feb 19) which looks at the wildlife on the island of Niue, The Romantics (ABC2, Sun Feb 13, 8.30pm) – a series about modern imagination, the poets who pioneered an alternative way of living, 6ftHick (ABC2, Wed Feb 16, 9.30pm) which follows one of Australia’s most prolific underground bands as they negotiate the low budget, truly indie way of doing things and The Future of Food (SBS1, Tue Feb 8, 8.30pm) which looks at the growing global food crisis.

Just when you committed to less gluttony and more exercise, a new raft of cooking programs hits the box. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (SBS1, Thu, 8.30pm) where the author takes on what must really be the perfect job – touring the world in search of the best dining experience, and Zumbo (SBS1, Thu Feb 17, 7.30pm) about desserts not exercise.

TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyheffernan@bigpond.com

the word

SoundOut Festival The Street Theatre Saturday-Sunday January 29-30

on gigs

City West heading up to the ANU is usually quiet on a weekend apart from students out for a leisurely stroll or cycle. But The Street Theatre this past weekend was a hive of activity as free music improvisers from all over the world came together in the intimate space of Theatre 2 for a series of performances that were mostly first class, and unlike anything Canberra has experienced before.

However, in keeping with the peacefulness of the surrounding area quite a few of the performances throughout the festival kept sound levels to a minimum as various micro-tonal strategies were implemented and explored which left much to chance as should be the case when improvised music is involved.

However, when the noise levels picked up they really picked up. This was inevitably true of explosive Scandinavian sax/bass/drums trio The Thing who turned in a blistering set to a full house on Saturday night. Their rapid fire, high register attack summoned forth the ghost of Albert Ayler with scattered hints of post-bop towards the end, which in turn evoked the textured sound-colours of Ornette Coleman.

This set was a major highlight of the festival, but let’s return to the quiet micro-tonalities for a moment and an interesting thing that occurred during Chinese feedback artist Yan Jun’s set on Sunday evening. Jun had Sydney performer Monika Brooks accompanying him on accordion, yet she was content to sit in dreamy reverie and very, very lightly stroked the keys while Jun coaxed the tiniest of sounds from his electronics set-up that sometimes sounded like chirping crickets. I became almost hypnotised by Brooks’ nonmovements and the great swathes of silence that defined the set.

Although not intended to have such an effect, I did at one point almost start laughing aloud as I noticed some people begin to squirm a little in the their seats particularly when the silence became profound, but for others this was an opportunity to become lost in thought. Then the inevitable happened – somebody’s mobile phone went off – and the everyday world entered a sanctified space.

This should probably have happened at some point because no one wants to get too precious about these things, and when it comes to improvised music the surrounding environment should have some impact on the direction of the sounds.

So it goes that little hints of the everyday world entered the music when small discs placed onto a piano’s metal strings by Cor Fuhler transformed their sound to startling effect, paper cups generated crackling when interacting with electronics and whooshing sounds when placed into the saxophone bell by Rosalind Hall, balloons squeaked and wheezed when attached to a variety of instruments, metal cans droned with the aid of electronic devices, and all manner of percussive effects were generated on various drum configurations by masters of the craft. Each performance conjured new and exciting articulations of sound, and some were simply extraordinary.

PHOTOS: NICK BRIGHTMAN

The Magda Mayas/Tony Buck duo summoned forth a sonic whirlwind with prepared piano and percussion, a wind instrument ensemble on Saturday afternoon revealed the beauty of a group mind-meld as did the Spartak/Mike Majkowski/Michael Norris performance on Sunday afternoon where pitch, tonality and form achieved a beautiful harmony. The festival wound up on Sunday evening with an all-out collective improvisation. This was a fitting conclusion to an event that had been well organised by director/ performer Richard Johnson with attendees well looked after

by Street Theatre staff, and which showcased highly talented musicians from diverse disciplines coming together to illuminate new possibilities through a free exchange of ideas and sounds. Now, bring on SoundOut 2012.

DAN BIGNA

49

GIG GUIDE Feb 02 - Feb 06 wednesday february 02 Arts Me, You, She, Her

Exhibition by Rosie Allen, Faline, Linzie Ellis and Shakira Longmore. ‘Til Feb 6.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

Paint People

Exhibition by Lisa Twomey, Angela Parragi, Nicola Hearn and Laine Stewart. ‘Til Feb 4.

BELCONNEN ARTS CENTRE

comedy Civic Pub Comedy Club

Mat Keneally and Greg Kimball. $10, 8pm.

Live Mama’s Blooz House

Performing those saucy blues of yesteryear with the sassiness of today.

7pm.

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, BARTON

Slow Waves (Syd)

With Voss and Waterford. Free.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Chicago Charles 10pm-2am.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Sunchaser Film Clip Recording

8pm, free.

THE HUSH LOUNGE, PHILLIP

TRANSIT BAR

thursday february 03

comedy Jimeoin

Something... Smells Funny tour.

Bookings: theq.net.au .

QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

Space Displace

Jemist

Dance Ashley Feraude

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Styles and Hyde Free.

TRINITY BAR

rUCkus Featuring The Aston Shuffle With Pang! and Party By Jake DJs. UC

Open Decks

inthemix Sounds of Summer

LOT 33

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Hell And High Water

QLD floods fundraiser. 24 local and interstate bands, 2 stages, 12 hours of music. 12pm, $15.

THE MARAM, ERINDALE CENTRE

Funky reggae dance from 8 to 11pm.

The Beards

They of bushy ballads return, with supports Joe Oppenheimer and Dub Dub Goose. $12.

TRANSIT BAR

sunday february 06 Arts Arc: Lemmy

‘80s cinema under the stars! Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG). Doors at 7pm for a sunset start.

ARC OUTDOOR CINEMA

Comedy Jimeoin

The definitive documentary on Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister.

4.30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Comedy

Something... Smells Funny tour. Tix through the venue.

Charlie Pickering

Charlie Pickering

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

A Work In Progress. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

Dance Academy Saturdays

With Ashley Feraude and MC Adam Zae. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Mingle presents Cassian (Syd)

Touch of Soul

Bang Gang Deejays

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

A Work In Progress. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

Dance Mowgli (Italy) Free.

TRINITY BAR

Merkaba

Awaken album launch with Fatali (Israel) and Black Samurai. 2pm.

TRANSIT BAR

Live

With Doom + Hoodrat (Syd).

Beth n Ben

Low Freqz

CORROBOREE PARK COMMUNITY HALL

TRINITY BAR

Feat. Buick, Aeon, Faux Real, D’Opus.

HIPPO LOUNGE

50

QUEANBEYAN POOL

Arc: Outdoor Screenings

Timber

HIPPO LOUNGE

Los Capitanes, Corporate Takedown, The Whole Shebang, Steady The Fall and more. AA. $10.

Arts

Feat. The Aston Shuffle and Cheese.

TRINITY BAR

Liquidfest

saturday february 05

8pm.

Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

5-7.30pm.

P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

friday february 04

5pm.

Heart Tribe

8.30pm.

HIPPO LOUNGE

OLD CANBERRA INN

The Bridge Between Duo

Thundamentals TRANSIT BAR

8.30pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

POT BELLY BAR

Dance

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

10.30pm-2.30am.

Charles Chatain

Arts Exhibition by Dan Lorrimer. Opens 6pm.

‘Til Feb 13.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

9pm, free.

Fame Trivia / $5 Night

Round up your smartest friends and show them off with Fame Trivia every Wed night.

Friday Night Acoustic Series

Open Mic Night

Vel’vette

Something Different

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

THE FELLOWS BAR, ANU

HIPPO LOUNGE

The Inflections

THE PHOENIX PUB

Oscar

Enjoy the smooth sounds of Frank Madrid and Jonty Hall with some Veuve Clicquot on the side. 5pm.

Take Cover

Hippo Live

Free!

Sculpture Bar

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

O Yeah!

With D’Opus & Roshambo. $10 on the door.

Fire On The Hill Adam Hole and Marji Curran

6-10pm.

UC

Live

Featuring The Aston Shuffle and Academy resident Cheese.

The Bridge Between

Feat. Eagle and the Worm, The Frowning Clouds and Hancock Basement.

Rock Nation Unplugged

Rukus Afterparty

Featuring Richard Steele (NSW). 8pm, free.

THE MARAM, ERINDALE CENTRE

Live

THE PHOENIX PUB

TRANSIT BAR

Come be part of the live audience.

7pm, free.

CIVIC PUB

With Mudpie Princess, Joe Oppenheimer and Loretta D’Urso.

New soul and funk night with Buick, Jemist et al.

Live

BELGIAN BEER CAFE

The Sisterhood

Soul B In It

With Fun Machine and Big Score. $15/$10CMC.

51

GIG GUIDE Feb 06 - Feb 11 sunday february 06 live TV Colours

With Assassins 88. Free.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Den Hanrahan 2pm.

CANBERRA IRISH CLUB

The Bridge Between and Band 3-6pm.

ROSE COTTAGE

Irish Jam Session

Come and have a fiddle from 9 ‘til midnight.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Salacious Sunday

With Big Score, Fun Machine, Beth ’n’ Ben, Monka. 3-7pm.

CORROBOREE PARK COMMUNITY HALL

Sunday Best

Aria and Rick (blues and roots). 5pm, free.

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

The Whitetop Mountaineers $22/$18/$16.

THE MERRY MUSE

Something Different Hospitality: Nurse Your Wounds For all those who work all weekend come and party with us!

TRANSIT BAR

tuesday february 08 comedy Josh Thomas

Testing out new material on Canberra guinea pigs. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

Something Different Trivia Night

Every Tuesday!

THE PHOENIX PUB

Karaoke Love

Come. Sing. Win. Be Awesome.

TRANSIT BAR

wednesday februaruy 09

Sunday Sessions on the Deck

comedy

CANBERRA IRISH CLUB

Josh Thomas

2pm, free.

Mike Chaplain

Classic hits from 1-3pm.

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

Pro Blues & Roots Jam

Featuring Bill Chambers. 2pm, free entry. Bill on stage after 4pm.

HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON

monday februaruy 07 comedy Josh Thomas

Testing out new material on Canberra guinea pigs. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

Testing out new material on Canberra guinea pigs. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

Dance Open Decks 8pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Comedy Josh Thomas

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Testing out new material on Canberra guinea pigs. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

Mingle presents Loot & Plunder (Adelaide)

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

Dance

TRINITY BAR

Sculpture Bar

LOT 33

Faux Real

Free.

Dirtey Rascals HIPPO LOUNGE

Live Finn

Funky rhythm and blues with a wide range of crowd grabbing standards and originals. 7pm.

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, BARTON

Anarchist Duck

Enjoy the smooth sounds of Ashley Feraude & Liam Budge with some Veuve Clicquot on the side. 5pm.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Party By Jake Presents Heartbeat Free entry.

TRANSIT BAR

D’Opus

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

Live

Standing Waves

Presented by Effigy Entertainment.

Julia Rose Band

THE PHOENIX PUB

THE PHOENIX PUB

6-10pm.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

With Changeable Dan.

With Beth ‘n’ Ben. Free.

The Bridge Between

Wednesday Lunchtime Live

BELGIAN BEER CAFE

Soprano Louise Page with Phillipa Candy on piano. 12.40.

Open Mic Night

Rock Nation Unplugged

Special K Solo

THE HUSH LOUNGE, PHILLIP

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

8pm, free.

Live

The Inflections

Something Different Fame Trivia / $5 Night

Round up your smartest friends and show them off with Fame Trivia every Wed night.

TRANSIT BAR

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COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

Arc: Horror Double Feature

Rubber and one Canberra screening only of The Human Centipede (18+).

7pm.

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

HIPPO LOUNGE

THE PHOENIX PUB

Josh Thomas

Testing out new material on Canberra guinea pigs. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

Arts

Tap’d Out Records Launch Party

Hippo Live

With Sarah Daphne, Daniel Champagne.

Free.

comedy

friday february 11

A fusion of funk, reggae, rock and rhymes with a world music feel.

7.30pm.

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

Anarchist Duck

thursday februaruy 10

9pm, free.

POT BELLY BAR

10pm-2am.

Super Best Friends

With Assassins 88, The Fighting League, Jemist. $5 before 9pm $10 after.

TRANSIT BAR

Feat Peking Duck.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Charlie May (Bedrock, UK) HIPPO LOUNGE

Live Alps

The weird popsters launch their fourth LP with Bare Grillz (Newcastle) and Danger Beach. 8pm, $5.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Friday Night Acoustic Series 8pm, free.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

O No! Featuring Grafton Primary

With Readable Graffiti, Pang! and Party

By Jake DJs. UC

GIG GUIDE Feb 11 - Feb 16 The Heroines

With The London Circuit, Fun Machine and Pretty Crane. Doors open 7.30pm.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Aaron & Jacinta 8.30pm.

P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Heuristic

Dance

Ungus Ungus Ungus

Academy Saturdays

THE PHOENIX PUB

With Jared de Veer.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Jemist

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

10.30pm-2.30am.

Live

Shananigans 4

Bud Petal

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Pod People, With Our Last Enemy, Voltera, Dawn Heist, Inside The Exterior and more. 8pm, $15.

THE BASEMENT

The Borderers

With Beth’n’Ben. 7.30pm, $17/$14/$12.

THE MERRY MUSE

saturday february 12 Arts Arc: Outdoor Screenings

Desperately Seeking Susan (M). Doors open at 7 for a sunset start.

ARC OUTDOOR CINEMA

Comedy Josh Thomas

Testing out new material on Canberra guinea pigs. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

COURTYARD STUDIO, CTC

Come celebrate the cerebral art-folk of Petal with local heroes Mr Fibby. $10.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Hey Dad, can you pick me up from Josh’s

Otherwise it’s like two buses. 18 bands, 20 artists, two days.

THE PHOENIX PUB

The Bridge Between and Band 9-12pm.

CASINO CANBERRA

Special K 5pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

sunday february 13 live Sophisticat

Soulful jazz and blues from 1 to 3pm.

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

Hey Dad, can you pick me up from Josh’s

Otherwise it’s like two buses. 18 bands, 20 artists, two days. Massive.

THE PHOENIX PUB

tuesday february 15

With David Night and Kurtis Gentle.

live

Phantoms

With I Exist. AA. Tix on the door.

Kurtis Gentle and David Knight

AXIS YOUTH CENTRE, QUEANBEYAN

They’ve got a van full of guitars and a map. 7.30pm, by donation.

Irish Jam Session

Come and have a fiddle from 9 ‘til midnight.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Something Different

A Day On The Green

Joe Cocker, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, Diesel and The Dingoes.

CENTENNIAL VINEYARDS, BOWRAL

Karaoke Love

The Night Café (latin, gypsy swing).

5pm, free.

Come. Sing. Win. Be Awesome.

TRANSIT BAR

A BITE TO EAT CAFE

Sunday Sessions on the Deck

wednesday february 16

2pm, free.

CANBERRA IRISH CLUB

arts

monday february 14

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!

Poetry night. This shit gon get crazy.

live

THE PHOENIX PUB

ANU O-Week

Live

It’s always a riot. Runs ‘til Feb 18.

Check www.anuunion.com.au for all the info.

Wednesday Lunchtime Live Gillian Pereira - cello. 12.40.

ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

Rock Nation Unplugged

Something Different

8pm, free.

Hospitality: Nurse Your Wounds For all those who work all weekend come and party with us!

OUT feb 16

Every Tuesday!

THE PHOENIX PUB

Sunday Best

TRANSIT BAR

Trivia Night

THE HUSH LOUNGE, PHILLIP

Hippo Live

The Inflections HIPPO LOUNGE

blast! the waifs guineafowl mark seymour ...and more!

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FIRST CONTACT SIDE A: BMA band profile

JACQUIE NICOLE Group members: Jacquie on vocals/guitar, Mike on guitar/ vocals, George on keys, Adam on bass and AJ on drums.

Describe your sound:The best compliment I ever got was that I sound like Missy Higgins. So let’s go with that!

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? I love Missy Higgins. She always inspires me and when she releases albums I find myself able to write so much more.

I also get influenced by so many talented Canberra artists like Beth‘n’Ben, The Ellis Collective and Paryce.

What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing? Once I had a guy join in. Which is cool in the right environment but this was one of my first ever solo gigs and he was completely out of time! I was too shy to tell him to please stop, so he played along for the entire set.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? Releasing the debut album From You. What are your plans for the future? At the moment I am focusing on writing new material and trying new things with the band. Also we hope to just keep playing around Canberra and hopefully even do a small tour in late 2011!

What makes you laugh? Carl Barron! I literally almost wet my pants when I see his stand up.

What pisses you off? Animal cruelty! I want to save every single creature who is unloved and love them.

What’s your opinion of the local scene? Canberra has so much talent that just gets forgotten about. All of our amazing musicians pack up and leave to Melbourne which makes our audience do the same. We need to support our local music scene way more!

What are your upcoming gigs? Friday February 11, 6pm – Charity Bash for QLD relief at West Belconnen Leagues Club, and more. Check the website below.

Contact info: 0421 465 340, jacquie.nicole@live.com.au

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Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@ hotmail.com 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 Bill Quinn Overheard Productions bill@overheard.com.au, Ph: 0413 000 086 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 982 662 /colebennetts.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 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 Groovalicious Corporate/Weddings/ Private functions 0448 995 158 groovalicious@y7mail.com Guy The Sound Guy live & studio sound engineer, 0400 585 369, guy@ guythesoundguy.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

Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 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 Words for You: writer/publicity/events Megan ph 6154 0927, megan@wordsforyou.com.au 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 Rafe Morris 0416 322 763 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 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

GIG GUIDE June 05 - June 10

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